In this the sequel to 'The Shining', Danny Torrance - who had psychic visions as a child -is a very troubled adult.
*****
As the story opens Dan Torrance (Danny Torrance from "The Shining") has grown up to be a violent, itinerant alcoholic who suffers from blackouts.
His difficulties connect back to the time Danny was a young child, and his father was the caretaker of the 'Overlook Hotel' in Colorado.
There Danny's psychic gift (called 'the shining') led to his meeting a gaggle of supernatural psychopaths and several victims of violence.
The hotel's supernatural residents also drove Danny's father insane, and he tried to kill Danny and his mom.
After adult Dan has a one night stand that disturbs him greatly he hops a train and ends up in New Hampshire.
There he gets a job in a hospice and joins Alcoholics Anonymous. Meanwhile, Abra, a little girl who also lives in New Hampshire, starts to exhibit a whopping amount of 'shining' herself.
As Abra grows up she develops a psychic connection to Dan and mentally reaches out to say hello and get acquainted.
In time Abra's psychic gifts brings her to the attention of a group of horrific vampire-like beings called the 'True Knot' who torture and murder psychic children to absorb their "steam" (psychic essence).
The True Knot becomes desperate to get their hands on Abra who - coming to realize the danger she's in - asks Dan to help her. This leads to the thriller part of the story, with the True Knot scheming to kidnap Abra, and Dan and his cohorts scheming to save her.
The book is chock full of fascinating characters (good and evil) and gruesome events - in true Stephen King style.
The story isn't one of Stephen King's scariest tales but it's a whopping good story that will stick with you. Highly recommended, especially to King fans and aficionados of horror stories.
Rating: 4 stars
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