Fairy Tale: The Benefit and Beauty of Varying Perspectives

Give a group of authors the same writing prompt, and they will write unique stories with diverse characters and emotional journeys, differing plot elements, and singular plot twists that any element of commonality is difficult to find. Such is the power and joy of writing speculative fiction. Even the incredible is interpreted differently, yet each is equally valid.

Differences in approach and thought influence the critiques given by authors in Speculative Fiction Writers. Each has their experiences and biases and brings to bear their expertise and knowledge. Views and feedback on the same work can bring a variety of thoughts, all of it useful to the submitting author.

To illustrate these varying interpretations with a widely read work, three group authors read and reviewed Stephen King’s Fairy Tale, each with their own analysis of the novel showing both commonalities and divergences of thought.

Kelly Sanford, Horror author:

The King of contemporary horror has never been shy about meandering in and out of his forte genre. He has done so successfully in the past with out-of-the-box fiction like The Stand, The Dark Tower, and The Green Mile, and let’s not forget his foray into non-fiction with On Writing. With his latest novel, Fairy Tale, King merges into the magical realism lane with his foot to the floor.

Book cover of Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Avid readers of King lament that his story conclusions in long fiction seldom rival his riveting hooks at the onset. Regrettably, that cycle repeats itself with Fairy Tale. A tragic set of events set the story in motion, and in my opinion, the opening premise is the most enjoyable and absorbing part of the book.

Fairy Tale begins with a gruesome accident, a father in crisis, and a boy on the brink of manhood who brokers a deal with God. When God calls in the favor, young Charlie Reade befriends an aging recluse who is guarding a miraculous secret. Around page 200 of a 600-page story, the plot shifts gears and goes all-in as a textbook portal fantasy replete with all the tropes and clichés one would expect—which is the story’s downfall.

Once in the mythical world of Empis, it’s like Stephen King is cleaning out an old junk drawer of ideas from his own stories and those of his favorite writers, at times going so far as to mention Grimm’s Tales, Ray Bradbury, and HP Lovecraft by name. For all the character development in the first portion of the story, the characters of Empis are little more than stepping stones on a long journey to a predictable end. Nothing that occurs from Charlie’s arrival in Empis through his triumphant return felt original or unexpected. Always a glutton for Stephen King’s kind of punishment, I held on to the end and closed the book with a “Meh.”

Fairy Tale has its moments—I’ve already gone back and read the first 200 pages a second time. I do not regret reading it, but I had hoped for more.

John Bradford, Sci-Fi author:

Fairy Tale is a Valentine Day’s card from Stephen King to all bibliophiles. Not only does 17-year-old protagonist Charlie use his athletic prowess to assist him through a magical world of fairies and other mythical creatures, but he must also draw upon his literary expertise. Charlie, whose last name is Reade (get it?), takes care of a dying man, deals with the death of his mother, and copes with his alcoholic father in the first third of the book, a beautiful setup that takes King 200 pages to do.

After we delve into Charlie’s dysfunctional, normal world, the remainder of the book finds the teenager traversing through a magical fairy land in hopes of making his beloved pet younger. Charlie weaponizes his literary acumen in this world of monsters and elves and dwarfs, oh my, to survive. Only the long-winded King could pull this off. The most obvious allusion is The Wizard of Oz, but there are others aplenty as Charlie slugs his way through his quest and soon becomes a prince to the disenfranchised.

At over 600 pages, it drags in a couple of places. Interestingly it is more engaging when Charlie is in the ‘real world’. But I don’t mean to sell it short. King’s Fairy Land is highly imaginative and entertaining, but it would not suffer if he had excised a few words, especially from the Fairy Land. However, we are with Charlie in heart and spirit as he ‘grows up’.

I do not count it among King’s best – which for me are The Stand and 11/22/63 – but it is one of his better, recent works. And while we are ensconced in this fantasy world with Charlie, we are never far from the real world that he attempts to return to, warts and all, which is more inviting. Ah, there’s no place like home. I recommend this book more than most of his other books, especially his later ones. In this novel we experience why King is one of our most beloved storytellers. And it’s a wonderful gift to people who love to read and would appreciate the weaponization of literary allusions.

Matthew Cushing, Sci-Fi author:

This book is exactly what the cover says: a fairy tale by Stephen King. The story is both familiar with elements integrated from a pantheon of fairy tales and new with supernatural oddities and twists that only Stephen King’s odd imagination can provide.

All elements of a classic fairy tale exist, including a common person who, through a positive character trait, learns of a great secret, explores that secret, finds an evil enchantment, and becomes the hero by chasing the evil away. And though there are some King-esque twists—replete with a supernatural darkness that any fan might expect—the story still includes the ultimate criteria of a fairy tale: a happy ending.

But what makes this book stand out, as is the case with the majority of King’s works, is the quality of the character development and storytelling. Charlie Reade is a relatable hero, and his relationship with the cantankerous Mr. Bowditch and his loyal dog Radar, is poignant and touching. The first third of this book is a moving, emotional read that in itself is worthwhile, and this is before we even reach the fairy tale world.

King effortlessly weaves in the backstories of these two main characters such that we understand their motivations and actions – and the reason for Charlie’s quest into the fairy tale land of Empis. Charlie must face dwarves and giants, solve mazes and puzzles, and even survive a tournament to the death, all the while encountering charming friends and hideous foes. But where the real-world characters have a history that makes them compelling, the characters of Empis lack that depth. Once in Empis the stakes, though higher, seem less important than Charlie’s family and relationships in the real world. And maybe that’s how it should be.

At just over 600 pages, this is an epic story, but with King’s immersive storytelling, it is a fast-paced, engaging read.

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