I mentioned that I was reading Joe Hill's NOS4A2 in yesterday's post. I'm about 2/3 of the way through the book and I finally realized something. As I was reading it I noticed it sounded a lot like a Stephen King book. The style of writing, character development, back stories, and overall flow seemed just like King's works. Heck, even things from King's books were mentioned like "Shawshank prison" and "inworld".
At this point I knew something was amiss. I looked up the author, thinking it might be a pen name of King like back in the day when he used Richard Bachman on some of his books. Close but no cigar.
The author, Joe Hill's full name is Joseph Hillstrom King. He's Stephen King's son. If you ever see a picture of father and son you'll know they're related (or cloned).
I understand when a child of a famous parent uses a stage name so they can succeed or fail on their own merits (ie Emilio Estevez). However, if you're not going to do anything different then your parent you might as well make the best of the connection. Joe Hill's book is so obviously influenced by his father's work that it would only make sense to have it sit right next to King's books on bookshelves. Plus, if you're going to take concepts such as names and places from your parent's work then you're not really succeeding on your own. It's as if you used their work but not their name.
Oh well, if Stephen King doesn't mind then I guess it's none of my business. Plus, I like the book and it's good to know that style of writing will continue after King retires. Just as long as Hill doesn't do a long series with the world's worst ending (yeah Stephen, I'm talking about you and The Dark Tower series!). Seriously, the ultimate bad guy who influenced and destroyed entire worlds and all you could come up with was him throwing snitches from the Harry Potter books?
Don't judge me,
Opus T. Penguin
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