Cell by Stephen King, the master of horror doing what he does best

The following guest post is a book review by Dee Mason, a twenty-something creative writing graduate who devours horror novels and revels in their art, but is simultaneously scared witless by them. Go figure! [Editor's note: I don't know Dee in person, but I think we would be good friends. I love scaring myself silly with a good horror novel!]

I recently came across an anniversary reissue of one of my favorite works of fiction of recent years down the back of my Berkline recliner and thought once again it would be good to put out a review, just in case it somehow managed to slip by anyone out there.

The book in question is none other than Cell by Stephen King. The novel has so many elements that ring true with events that have taken place over recent years that its sinister vibe has taken on a whole new dynamic. Cell invokes the events of 9/11, echoes the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, and also brings into mind the violence and anarchy in Iraq. Bioterrorism and menacing technologies are also brought in for added punch.

Furthermore, the book also casts a series shadow on the mobile phones of today, which have essentially become an extension of most human bodies to an almost unnerving extent.

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The story begins with a quite literal bang and some powerful imagery. A pleasant fall afternoon in central Boston is suddenly shattered (as the eery presence of an ice-cream truck often warns) when the public suddenly goes crazy. Strangers attack other strangers, one man bites off a dog’s ear and wild gibberish cacophonies fill the air all around. The cause of the madness is an event known as the ‘Pulse’ which was delivered by way of the cell phones and affected every single person within earshot.

In a nutshell, anyone who uses a cell phone turns into something of a zombie, essentially creating a Night of the Living Dead scenario, by way of technological terrorism rather than myth and magic. As a Boston police officer rightly points out, the people affected are certainly far from dead.

However, it is once the explosions and special effects have died down that the book really gets going, documenting the exodus away from the city with the remaining scraps of humanity. For the main character, Clayton Riddell, motivation comes from his missing son, who may or may not have had his cell phone charged at the time of the pulse.

The fact that the key element in the story is a cell phone, something most would ironically believe they would die without, gives the book immediate and universal appeal across the board. There are occasions when the reader might wonder where exactly the story is going, but the short nature of the novel ensures that all slow passages are kept to a minimum. Needless to say, the initial shock value may be enough alone to carry through the rest of the chapters in their entirety.

Cell is a real winner for the simple fact that it toys with a potentially real world idea and then follows it into something of a world of fantasy, as Stephen King has the ability to do better than any other. Aside from certain elements of levitation and telepathy, the vast majority of the book is 100% believable and downright terrifying at times.

In short, for those who like their horror tales to ring as close to home as possible for maximum punch, Cell really hits the nail on the head, even a decade after its original release.