InCellKing taps into readers fears of technological warfare and terrorism. Mobile phones deliver the apocalypse to millions of unsuspecting humans by wiping their brains of any humanity, leaving only aggressive and destructive impulses behind. Those without cell phones, like illustrator Clayton Riddell and his small band of "normies," must fight for survival, and their journey to find Clayton's estranged wife and young son rockets the book toward resolution.

Fans that have followed King from the beginning will recognize and appreciateCellas a departure--King's writing has not been so pure of heart and free of hang-ups in years (wrapping up his phenomenal Dark Tower series and receiving a medal from the National Book Foundation doesn't hurt either). "Retirement" clearly suits King, and lucky for us, having nothing left to prove frees him up to write frenzied, juiced-up horror-thrillers likeCell. Stay tuned for more from the hardest-working retiree in the business withLisey's Story, coming in October 2006.--Daphne Durham

Authors on Stephen King
Mystery writer Michael Connelly thinks Stephen King's "one of the most generous writers I know of." Thriller author Ridley Pearson says "King possesses an incredible sense of story..." Read our Stephen King testimonials to find out what else they and other authors had to say about the undisputed King of Horror.

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Stephen King's illustrious career has spawned dozens of bestselling titles. Find spine-tingling titles likeCujo,Firestarter,It,The Talisman, and many more in our Stephen King Store.

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Over 30 years in the making, spanning seven volumes, Stephen King's epic quest for the Dark Tower has encompassed almost his entire body of fiction. Find every volume of this fantastic adventure, an interview with the master himself, and much more in our Dark Tower Store.

Hail to the King
Fans applauded and critics howled when Stephen King was awarded the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Service to American Letters. In typical fashion, King accepted the honor with humility and urged recognition for other "popular" authors. Listen to a clip of his acceptance speech, then order the entire speech on audio CD.

More from Stephen King

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Faithful

More post-apocalyptic fiction from Stephen King
Some sort of 'Pulse' suddenly transforms anyone that uses a cell phone into a primal zombie. The story follows two strangers in Boston who endure the initial chaos and meet other survivors leaving the burning city. The zombies (or 'phoners') develop telepathic and precognitive abilities as they mysteriously organize to convert the few remaining 'normals'. The scattered normals alternately flee and combat the phoners as they are all drawn to a remote fairground in Maine. As usual, King makes creating realistic characters and an unsettling ambience seem easy. While there are some holes in the story as noted by other reviewers, this is still an entertaining novel and recommended for casual fans of King's fiction.

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