Scribblings

Cell

I finished reading Cell by Stephen King a few days ago. I've never been a fan of cell phones and I only use mine to make a call when needed. I have mine turned on in case of an emergency--but it stays in the car. After reading this book, I guess there's a good reason for it! This is a cell phone junkie's worst nightmare--what happens if there is a massive "pulse" and you are on the phone?

We never do learn why there was a pulse. Was it an act of terrorism? Aliens? All we know is that the pulse makes instant murderers out of anyone on a cell phone at the time of the occurrence. It's a very creepy idea indeed. That's about where the originality ended though. Otherwise, the story was much like The Stand--which was a far better book!

People who survived the pulse and who weren't on the cell phones band together and begin travelling in a somewhat common destination--north. They have common dreams about the place they are to go to and about a certain person one character calls "The Raggedy Man".

Cell is unnecessarily bloody and gruesome in several places, an unfortunate trait Stephen King has picked up in the last several years. Still, I liked it better than many of his recent books. Give it a try.