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426 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1999

STORM OF THE CENTURY begins with an unspeakably violent death and the man responsible has not a care in the world.....save one.
"Give me what I want and I will go away."
The calm and collected Town Constable of Maine's Little Tall Island, Mike Anderson, is preparing for the Big One with half the town in his store clearing the shelves when news of a brutal murder reaches him....and the evil stranger, well....he's still at the scene......waiting.
Now everyone knows the island has seen no murders since Dolores Claiborne took out her disgusting husband (never proven) years ago, so shock and fear has spread like wildfire.
So......even worse than the approaching STORM with its hurricane force winds and arctic amounts of snow, the citizens are right to be wary for something else is coming to wreak havoc....something they've never seen before.
How did I ever miss this one?? King hails it as one of his most frightening stories written for screen, and I so agree....oh what HE wants is so disturbing....and why pick this little town....bc bc bc...."Island folks know how to keep a secret."
STORM OF THE CENTURY has now moved into my top 10 of 64 King stories read even though, this time, (for me) the screenplay format did disrupt the overall fear factor. (and I do love screenplays) As for the movie, it's long, but OMGOSH don't miss it! The sinister Andre Linoge played by Colm Feore is something to behold.
"Born in sin, come on in." hehehe
4+ Stars for the screenplay....5 Stars for the atmospheric creepy-scary horror of a story that kept me glued to the pages!
(The Shining's "Danny Torrance" and "Dolores Claiborne" are mentioned herein as well as key words "Madder"...."Regulators"....and "Atlantis"....and have most likely missed more.)

«Give me what I want, and I’ll go away.»
Storm of the Century is a horror story. Not the kind about invisible monsters lurking in the shadows, but something far more unsettling: evil knocking at your door, stepping inside, speaking calmly while already knowing every secret you’ve ever tried to hide. Little Tall Island becomes a decompression chamber where nature and the supernatural squeeze the inhabitants to their breaking point. And that point, more often than not, is their own conscience.
André Linoge is terrifying not because he can destroy you, but because he can make you destroy yourself. King strips the islanders down to the bone, one by one, and what emerges is a fragile community, ready to crumble at the first gust of moral wind. A village cut off, with no escape routes, no help coming from the mainland. Neighbors who have shared dinners, baptisms, gossip, and affection suddenly find themselves weighing one another against a choice no one should ever be forced to make. The real storm isn’t outside in the open: it’s inside the town hall, the refuge from the blizzard that turns instead into a chamber of division.
Don’t be intimidated by the format: it’s written like a screenplay, yes, but it didn’t weigh on me for a single moment.
What would you be willing to sacrifice just to save yourself?
Rating: 9 ⇨ ★★★★★
«Datemi ciò che voglio e me ne andrò.»
La tempesta del secolo è una storia dell’orrore. Non l’orrore dei mostri invisibili nascosti nelle ombre, ma quello più disturbante: il male che bussa alla porta, entra in casa e ti parla con calma, conoscendo già tutti i tuoi segreti. Little Tall Island diventa una camera di decompressione dove natura e sovrannaturale comprimono gli abitanti fino al punto di rottura. E quel punto, spesso, coincide con la loro coscienza.
André Linoge fa paura non perché possa distruggerti, ma perché può farti distruggere te stesso. King scarnifica uno a uno gli abitanti dell’isola, e ciò che emerge è una comunità fragile, pronta a sbriciolarsi alla prima raffica di vento morale. Un paese bloccato, senza vie di fuga, senza salvezza dall’esterno. Vicini che hanno condiviso cene, battesimi, chiacchiere e affetti si ritrovano improvvisamente a pesarsi l’un l’altro in base al peso di una scelta che nessuno dovrebbe mai affrontare. La vera tormenta non è fuori, all’aperto: è al chiuso, nel municipio, il rifugio dalle intemperie che si trasforma in luogo di divisione.
Non lasciatevi spaventare dalla forma: è un romanzo scritto come una sceneggiatura, sì, ma non mi ha pesato neppure per un istante.
Che cosa saresti disposto a sacrificare pur di salvarti?
Voto: 9 ⇨ ★★★★★