Jamie is initially dazzled by Jacobs’ interest in electricity & how it can be used as more than just a power source. When the pastor heals an injury suffered by Jamie’s brother using a strange method, he’s amazed. But tragedy is just around the corner; the pastor suffers a devastating loss, which turns him against his faith. He gives a sermon (later known as the “Terrible Sermon”) in church that rages against God; it’s so negative and anti-religion that he loses his job, and leaves town. Charles & Jamie will continue to meet over the years, and their fates are more intertwined than Jamie suspects. As Jamie grows older, he starts playing guitar in rock bands & travelling the country. He also becomes addicted to heroin, and his life is falling apart. In essence, he's crashing out.
When Jacobs & Jamie meet again, the
former pastor is performing in a carnival, mystifying audiences with tricks & illusions using electricity. He tells Jamie he can help him with his drug problem by using the
things he’s learned about the power of electrical current and its properties.
He does successfully cure Jamie of his addiction, and Jamie becomes his assistant
for a time, working with Jacobs in his act. But Jacobs' cure has some
unexpected side effects. The two part ways again. However, it wont be the last time
their paths cross. Jacobs becomes a faith healer, curing people of terminal
illnesses and devastating diseases. Jamie follows his progress on the internet, but stays away from him.
There’s a darker element at work in
Jacob’s uses of what he calls “the secret electricity.” Many of the people he
heals are suffering even more terrible side effects than Jamie did. And what is
Jacob’s ultimate goal? When fate brings them together again, Jamie realizes Jacobs
may be fooling with forces he really doesn’t understand. The former preacher
is trying to open a door that should never be opened, into a world man was
never meant to see. He needs Jamie to do this, and isn't above using his weaknesses against him. If Jacobs succeeds, there may be devastating consequences. It's up to Jamie to stop Jacobs before he unleashes a terrible evil on the world. I
don’t want to say too much more about the plot so you can enjoy its surprises, and
if you’re a fan of the Cthulhu mythos, then the chilling finale will really resonate
with you.
King's storytelling skill makes you care about the people in the novel and what happens to them. There’s memorable dialogue and some truly scary scenes, and the author's usual mentions of music & pop culture are sprinkled throughout the novel, which help it feel even more relatable. Some of the supporting characters are a little thinly sketched, and a couple of secondary plot points aren’t fully fleshed out, but that’s a minor weakness. This is really a two-character story, and Jamie & his mentor/nemesis Charles Jacobs are memorable, multi-faceted men. This is King at his creepy best; the novel has allusions to the works of Mary Shelley, Ray Bradbury and H.P. Lovecraft, and has an eerie atmosphere. If you’re a horror fan, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. It’s a fun read. Revival is now available online & in stores.
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