Desperation

Published: 1996

Desperation (1996) begins when travelers along a desolate Nevada highway are detained by Collie Entragian, a local police officer who brings them to the seemingly abandoned mining town of Desperation. The captives quickly discover Entragian is possessed by an ancient entity called Tak, released from a nearby mine, which can transfer between hosts as bodies deteriorate. The survivors—including the Carver family, author Johnny Marinville, and hitchhiker Cynthia Smith—rally around David Carver, an eleven-year-old boy with a profound religious faith who believes God has chosen him to defeat this evil. Published simultaneously with The Regulators (written as Richard Bachman), with which it shares character names and thematic elements while telling entirely different stories, Desperation explores religious faith as a weapon against evil—a theme King developed during his continued sobriety. The novel received mixed reviews, with critics praising its tense opening sequences and memorable villain while finding the religious themes heavy-handed. Commercially successful upon release, Desperation has remained somewhat overshadowed by King's better-known works. A 2006 television adaptation starring Ron Perlman was faithful to the source material but received lukewarm reviews. King has expressed particular attachment to Desperation, citing its exploration of faith and the character of David Carver as personally meaningful. For readers, the novel is notable for its explicit religious themes—unusual in King's work—and its exploration of the nature of God's will in a universe containing great evil. The character of Tak represents one of King's most ancient and elemental antagonists, distinct from his human or ghostly villains. Desperation's examination of what people do when stripped of societal protections reveals King's continuing interest in how character is exposed under extreme pressure—a theme running throughout his work.

Themes

• Faith
• Possession
• Survival
• Good vs. evil
• Sacrifice

Adaptations

• 2006 TV movie directed by Mick Garris, starring Ron Perlman

Collector Notes

Published simultaneously with The Regulators (written as Richard Bachman), featuring the same character names in different roles. Both novels feature ancient evil forces manipulating reality.