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Book Description
Civilization doesn't end with a bang or a whimper. It ends with a call on your cell phone. What happens on the afternoon of October 1 came to be known as the Pulse, a signal sent though every operating cell phone that turns its user into something...well, something less than human. Savage, murderous, unthinking-and on a wanton rampage. Terrorist act? Cyber prank gone haywire? It really doesn't matter, not to the people who avoided the technological attack. What matters to them is surviving the aftermath. Before long a band of them-"normies" is how they think of themselves-have gathered on the grounds of Gaiten Academy, where the headmaster and one remaining student have something awesome and terrifying to show them on the school's moonlit soccer field. Clearly there can be no escape. The only option is to take them on. CELL is classic Stephen King, a story of gory horror and white-knuckling suspense that makes the unimaginable entirely plausible and totally fascinating.

From Publishers Weekly
What if a pulse sent out through cell phones turned every person using one of them into a zombie-like killing machine? That's what happens on page six of King's latest, a glib, technophobic but compelling look at the end of civilization—or at what may turn into a new, extreme, telepathically enforced fascism. Those who are not on a call at the time of the pulse (and who don't reach for their phones to find out what is going on) remain "normies." One such is Clayton Riddell, an illustrator from Kent Pond, Maine, who has just sold some work in Boston when the pulse hits. Clay's single-minded attempt to get back to Maine, where his estranged wife, Sharon, and young son, Johnny-Gee, may or may not have been turned into "phoners" (as those who have had their brains wiped by the pulse come to be called) comprises the rest of the plot. King's imagining of what is more or less post-Armageddon Boston is rich, and the sociological asides made by his characters along the way—Clay travels at first with two other refugees—are jaunty and witty. The novel's three long set pieces are all pretty gory, but not gratuitously so, and the book holds together in signature King style. Fans will be satisfied and will look forward to the next King release, Lisey's Story, slated for October. (Jan. 24)

bishop2knight

So much for retirement. Sounds like a good read, but King hasn't been the same since his accident. I'll wait for the reviews before I pick this one up.

cultshock

Sounds good. I agree that King's pre-accident books were better, but I still enjoy his stuff, and I'm glad he didn't retire. I'll be picking this up.

Geofferson

Can't wait to get my hands on this!

Michael Corvin

Sounds interesting.

The cover leaves a bit to be desired. Is that supposed to be blood? Or Kool-Aid coming from the cup? It's a bit too red for blood, and it appears to have come out of the cup. Who knows. It's just silly looking. Although the reflection is kinda cool.

auto

IMHO, most King hardcovers have artwork that leaves a lot to be desired.

There have been some really cool covers though. Insomina, for instance. I also remember Bag of Bones being pretty cool.

Michael Corvin

He had a sweet run for a while with Bag of Bones, Everythings Eventual, Dreamcatcher & Hearts in Atlantis, cover-wise.

The Valeyard

Gonna have to Annie Wilkes this one.......and no, I don't mean keeping King hostage while he writes a new book!

Trout

cultshock

I assumed it was blood (albeit a bit too bright). The cup looks like it's supposed to be a Starbucks coffee cup or something, so I'm guessing it didn't contain Kool-Aid.

The Valeyard

LOL!

I'm gonna wait for the paperback.



Or hobble him. I'm not entirely sure.

Michael Corvin

But it's in the cup. That's what throws it off. Not a small splash like it fell in the puddle.

Anyway, it is all trivial. Can't judge a book by its cover, right?

Pointyskull

Maybe the pulse causes victims to vomit blood, hence the Starbucks-sipping cover victim zuked back into his/her mocha latte.

I'm looking forward to this one.

Billyspunk

What can I say...I am a King zombie, I buy everything that has Stephen King's name on it, I have yet to be disappointed with him....

Metrodub

The blood is actually flowing out of the cell phone as well.

darkside

Yeah, his retirement is really strange. Hasn't seemed to effect him releasing books. I'll definitely be interested in this, but I thought his last book "The Colorado Kid" was pitiful and him trying to defend the thing at end of the book was even worse. You know you screwed up when you actually print a defense for the book people just read at the end of it. He really has only been a shadow of himself after the accident.

Michael Corvin

I actually liked the Colorodo Kid. Just finished it this past weekend. However, I did not like the letter at the end. I can live with a mystery not being solved, not all of them are, but to defend it was pretty lame.

The Antipodean

Wow, I've been completely out of the King loop, didn't even know this was coming out. Turning in my fanboy card. I do hope this is better than Colorado Kid, which is right up there with King's worst IMHO. Premise sounds quite fun. As a cell phone hater, I'm on board!

Fok

Sounds interesting, I'll probably check it out

The Bus

I'm glad we're all following that ancient caveat, that socieatal tenet, of judging a book by its cover.

Fincher Fan

I heard he was writing a "zombie" book so it will be interesting to see where he takes it. He did an amazing job a long time ago on The Mist and sounds like it draws parallels now with Cell.

Deke Rivers

I like King but the plot on this sounds just as silly as the one in Christine (one of the few King books I didnt like)
this may be one to put on reserve at my library rather than plunk down bucks on it

Xander

Sounds like a cool concept. I'm still a big King fan, so I'll read this at some point. Don't know if I'll plunk down the green for hardcover or not. Probably will.

TimeandTide

Just read the first two chapters in this week's Entertainment Weekly. Somewhat gripping, but annoyingly way too similar to the first couple of scenes in the Dawn of the Dead remake. Will wait for the paperback.

JesseCuster

King is a very big fan of the zombie film 28 Days Later and to me the plot sounds rather similar to that, just a pulse instead of blood as the carrier. Though I'm ok with that as a well written King book is compulsively readable for me.