Wow. King knocked it out of the park. This book is truly electric. A perfect blend of King and Lovecraft in an utterly compelling read.

It has been a long time since I have thought that a Stephen King book was really, really good. The man writes like a dream (and a fiend), but for so long I have felt that his climaxes fall flat. Not just in his recent (like, last 20 years) work, but even going back to The Stand. There are exceptions, and there are a few titles of his, like Revival until now, that I just never got to and may be as thrilling and satisfying. I have been reading King for 30 years and this is absolutely my new favorite, the prior one being It, which is really due for a re-read; I might not have experienced that particular work since I was 15 years old and I am curious what my impression of it would be now.

I have held Revival casually in my sights for some time, despite knowing nothing about the plot. It could have been merely the title and cover art which held my interest, although it is possible that my local public library included it on a list of Lovecraft-adjacent titles recently that redrew my attention to it. I am so glad that I read this while home from work while sick, because it gave me the time to eat it all up quickly. The story demands this; the telling kept my eyes glued to the page and the pages turning like clockwork. It opens with a famous (perhaps the famous) [a:H.P. Lovecraft|9494|H.P. Lovecraft|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1299165714p2/9494.jpg] quote,

That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons, even death may die.

and knowing my Lovecraft I was waiting for the good stuff. It took a while to get there, but with positive anticipation and a great journey on the way, and whoa, was it ever glorious. Or maybe the whole thing was properly Lovecraftian, with the first person narrative and sporadic hints of the unknowable. Throughout, it had that special King flair and the two styles were perfectly married.

Thank you, uncle Steve. Thank you.