Review: The Dead Zone by Stephen King

Rating: 10/10

Johnny, the small boy who skated at breakneck speed into an accident that for one horrifying moment plunged him into The Dead Zone.

Johnny Smith, the small-town schoolteacher who spun the wheel of fortune and won a four-and-a-half-year trip into The Dead Zone.

John Smith, who awakened from an interminable coma with an accursed power—the power to see the future and the terrible fate awaiting mankind in The Dead Zone.

In 1974 “Carrie,” broke onto the scene, lit a fire in the horror genre, and danced around it in a blood-soaked prom dress- inspiring countless contemporary novels in countless ways. “It,” is the very definition of coming-of-age horror, and I revisit Derry every few years. “The Shining,” is a stellar novel that admittedly made for a questionable movie. “Misery,” “Pet Sematary,” “The Green Mile,” and plenty more, demonstrate that King is worthy of his master storyteller status, but none quite to the extent that “The Dead Zone,” does. At the risk of being highly controversial… It’s my favourite. I am someone who is of the opinion that there are too many stories and too little time to read and reread books again and again- beyond “It,” (the right of passage that it is) double dipping is simply not something that I do. However, the perfect read running up to the presidential election, I couldn’t help but re-indulge in the under-appreciated magnus opus that is “The Dead Zone.” Whilst King may have written this bad boy decades ago, I can assure you that its relevance and ability to make readers squirm, hasn’t aged a day.

We follow Johnny Smith, who following a date to the fair with his girlfriend Sarah Bracknell, has his life changed forever. As a result of a drag race, his taxi home is crashed into head first, killing the cab driver, and leaving Johnny in critical condition. In a comatose state for 4 years, he lies in a hospital bed, muscles slowly atrophying, through the Watergate scandal, Gerald Ford’s entrance into the oval office, through his mother, Vera’s descent into hyperreligiosity… and through the marriage of Sarah Bracknell to Walt Hazlett, and the birth of their son Denny. When he finally does awake, he does so… changed. Blessed, or indeed cursed, with the gift, or indeed burden, of foresight, plain old Johnny, no middle name, Smith is a psychic. 

People rave about the bygone era in which King delivered hit after hit laced with telepathy, telekinesis, and all the other fun supernatural extras. “Firestarter,” “Carrie,” and “The Shining,” are the ones that spring to mind, and “The Dead Zone,” is another banger that falls under that “Classic King,” label. For those who are a fan of Danny Torrance’s psychic abilities, or those of Henry Thorne’s in Philip Fracassi’s “A Child Alone With Strangers,” this is definitely the book for you. 

As it tends to, these abilities cause nothing but trouble for our protagonist, and nothing but opportunity for King to speak his mind. When Johnny finally awakes from his coma, despite feeling dazed and confused by both the amount of time that has elapsed, and his new-found supernatural talent, he’s thrust into a world in which he is nothing but a freakshow or a fraud. The media are practically frothing at the mouth at the opportunity to exploit Johnny, his tragic accident and his soothsaying for sensationalism. The headlines brand him a psychic phenomenon, a clairvoyant saviour, a human crystal ball, as well as a scam, a sham and a fake. His painful, personal journey becomes a spectacle fit for the front page and the evening news, instead of being allowed the time and space to navigate his new life, he’s scrutinised and harassed, his struggle questioned and twisted into entertainment. 

For some, Johnny’s coma isn’t just a tragedy; it’s a divine sign, a crucible, a holy trial. His mother Vera, always a devout Christian, sinks deeper into religious mania throughout Johnny’s coma,  interpreting his continued survival as a miracle, his coma as an act of God, who has big plans for her son. Not someone who shares his mother’s beliefs, ultimately, Vera paints a nuanced image of religious extremism. Vera Smith is no Margaret White, and clearly loves her boy, but her relentless vision of Johnny as a prophet is nothing but a weight on his shoulders, showing how such strong beliefs can distort relationships and how much of a burden even the most noble of intentions can be. Mother dearest passes away shortly after Johnny’s psychic abilities are broadcast to the world, but in her absence, Johnny’s life takes on a chillingly prophetic sheen. Hundreds, convinced Johnny is some prophet, or martyr, contact him, hungry for a piece of his prophecy pie, reflecting how faith can often make idols out of those who are willing as well as those who are undeserving…

As Johnny’s story unravels, King provides the political context at the time. From Nixon, to Ford, and then through the election into Jimmy Carter’s presidency. Whilst this non-fiction does end up intertwining with the fictional elements in part 2 of the novel, in which things turn high octane, it gives the novel a “We didn’t start the fire,” feel. Horror, particularly Stephen King’s brand of it, has always been political, and aside from perhaps “11/22/63,” “The Dead Zone,” is the most explicit example of this. This is a story about a man who can see the future; but it’s about a man caught in the gears of a system he can’t stop. Johnny’s psychic ability forces him to confront the darker sides of human ambition and the looming threat of political power unrestrained, in the form of aspirational congressman Greg Stillson. With   a backdrop of systemic corruption and moral ambiguity, “The Dead Zone,” takes us beyond horror and into the uncomfortable realisation that all too often, monsters aren’t supernatural, but elected.

Within Stephen King’s vast back catalogue, “The Dead Zone,” is an unassuming powerhouse brimming with both bite and brilliance. A literary lightning bolt that strikes a rare balance between suspense and soul-searching. An electrifying tale of destiny gone awry and morality stretched to its breaking point, this novel lingers, an unfinished thought, whispering harsh and unsettling truths about power, choice, and consequence. “The Dead Zone,”  is the ultimate underdog in King’s canon, still prescient and pertinent, particularly this month, you, yes you would be a fool to pass it up for any longer.