The Shining - Stephen King

Down-on-his-luck author, Jack Torrence, takes on the job of hotel caretaker through the chilling winter months. The hotel becomes isolated from civilisation due to heavy snowfall, leaving the Torrence family totally at the mercy of the Overlook Hotel and the strange things which start happening.

Supernatural forces which inhabit the Overlook start to influence Jack, putting his wife and son at risk.With nowhere to turn, they are in a very dangerous place, with a very dangerous man.

Knowing full well that King is royalty among horror writers, I set about reading this book full of expectation. It is the first Stephen King book I've read and I wasn't let down! The Shining is packed full of suspense and tension and is  very hard one to put down!

Having seen the movie, I had a rough idea of what to expect...I was wrong.

The movie and the book seem to tell two such different stories it seems foolish to mention them both in the same article! The film is one of the best horror films I've seen and I would always recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre. The book however, tells another tale altogether, a much creepier and chilling one. The character development and descriptive writing in the novel put you in the hotel itself and allow you to feel the atmosphere.

While I did feel that the first third of the book was a little lengthy and over-explanatory, once the action started I was hooked. It's easy to see why King has such a reputation!