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Blaze was originally written as a short story way back in King's early career when he was predominantly submitting to magazines. He found it in his pile of old manuscripts and bulked it out for this 2007 release.

An obvious homage to Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Blaze follows the life of clay Blaisdell Jnr. A big lummox of a man, a little short in the intelligence field, he is both needy and loyal. The sum of these traits make him easy prey for undesirables who like to use him as an offsider.

Clay has a poor upbringing. Abusive parents, abusive schooling and abusive work placements leave him like a beaten dog - wary but desperately wanting to be needed. It is his close friendship with George that brings everything to a head.

Not a true Stephen King horror but definitely enough King moments to keep the reader interested. In some ways I liken this writing to his much later Bill Hodges trilogy.