"To Reach Hell, Press #": Stephen King's CELL hits soon
By Peter Rojas 
posted January 24th 2006 4:18PM
posted January 24th 2006 4:18PM
Engadget pal Joe Hutsko contributes this heads-up about CELL, Stephen King's latest novel. Look for his full
review later this week here on Engadget:
Though best-selling
scare-monger Stephen King doesn’t own a cellphone himself (he disdains the little monsters), a voicemail message
encouraging recipients to buy his new book, CELL, hits more than 100,000 mobile phones of his most ardent
fans today. In the book, a mysterious phenomenon referred to as “The Pulse” infects the brains of
anyone who happens to have their ear to the phone when the spike hits. A power-suited businesswoman turns into a
biting and screaming banshee who tries to tear the throat from a Mr. Softee ice cream truck driver, and a
bodybuilder is spotted running starkers down the block and whipping shorn car antennas in both fists to and fro. The
story’s hero, Clay Riddell, a comic book creator in Boston who has just signed a breakthrough deal with a
publisher, luckily ducks the antenna-whipper, but it isn’t long before he and a pair of fellow
“normies” – those who weren’t zapped by the Pulse – must face hordes of zombies as they
attempt to survive and makes sense of what the hell’s going on. King’s publisher Simon & Schuster is
also selling downloadable ringtones and wallpaper on the novel’s official site: cellthebook.com. “VIP” members will also be treated to a podcast by
King on the creation of the novel on the 31st, and the same ’cast can be had by the general public the
following week on Simon & Schuster’s www.simonsays.com, which has gone on record stating that the
first-ever sale of cellphone ring-a-ling tones by a novelist may potentially defray some of the cost being thrown
behind the ad campaign to promote the 1.1 million copy first printing of its brand- name author’s latest tome.
While song-byte ring tone sales are the norm, it’s anyone’s guess whether King’s voice uttering
“Beware. The next call you take may be your last,” or “It’s OK, it’s a normie
calling,” will find an audience. Yet with rock star-like celebrity status among his fans, King may have the
last laugh as digital duplicates of his words orate from the very devices he makes no bones about disliking. Yet
for all of its tie-in tech-trickery, perhaps Cell’s most gratifying surprise is the delightfully non-digital
one found at the end of the novel, where King treats his readers to a 12-page, hand-written facsimile excerpt of his
next novel, Lisey’s Story, to be published in October. This time, the pen truly is mightier than the
send-up.
Though best-selling
scare-monger Stephen King doesn’t own a cellphone himself (he disdains the little monsters), a voicemail message
encouraging recipients to buy his new book, CELL, hits more than 100,000 mobile phones of his most ardent
fans today. In the book, a mysterious phenomenon referred to as “The Pulse” infects the brains of
anyone who happens to have their ear to the phone when the spike hits. A power-suited businesswoman turns into a
biting and screaming banshee who tries to tear the throat from a Mr. Softee ice cream truck driver, and a
bodybuilder is spotted running starkers down the block and whipping shorn car antennas in both fists to and fro. The
story’s hero, Clay Riddell, a comic book creator in Boston who has just signed a breakthrough deal with a
publisher, luckily ducks the antenna-whipper, but it isn’t long before he and a pair of fellow
“normies” – those who weren’t zapped by the Pulse – must face hordes of zombies as they
attempt to survive and makes sense of what the hell’s going on. King’s publisher Simon & Schuster is
also selling downloadable ringtones and wallpaper on the novel’s official site: cellthebook.com. “VIP” members will also be treated to a podcast by
King on the creation of the novel on the 31st, and the same ’cast can be had by the general public the
following week on Simon & Schuster’s www.simonsays.com, which has gone on record stating that the
first-ever sale of cellphone ring-a-ling tones by a novelist may potentially defray some of the cost being thrown
behind the ad campaign to promote the 1.1 million copy first printing of its brand- name author’s latest tome.
While song-byte ring tone sales are the norm, it’s anyone’s guess whether King’s voice uttering
“Beware. The next call you take may be your last,” or “It’s OK, it’s a normie
calling,” will find an audience. Yet with rock star-like celebrity status among his fans, King may have the
last laugh as digital duplicates of his words orate from the very devices he makes no bones about disliking. Yet
for all of its tie-in tech-trickery, perhaps Cell’s most gratifying surprise is the delightfully non-digital
one found at the end of the novel, where King treats his readers to a 12-page, hand-written facsimile excerpt of his
next novel, Lisey’s Story, to be published in October. This time, the pen truly is mightier than the
send-up.
I bought this book, and well in short
I couldnt put it down. It makes me not want to use my cell phone anymore to all who read this its a MUST have i hope there is a movie.
Okay...here is a question: Since King has stated in the past that all of his novels somehow, someway, relate to the Dark Tower Series (none of which I have read) could Cell be the prequel, the way that the entire Dark tower world got started?
Because if so...can someone smack him and tell him that I need a real ending to this freakin' novel? The ending...I won't continue. Those who have read it know what I mean. But someone please tell me that he'll do/has already done a sequel (I read somewhere that he's got a bunch of books built up and is actually retired now, technically)
I just LOVED this book. Right from the get go it grabs you and you'd best be holding on. I picked this up waiting for my plane at the airport and finished the book by the time my trip was over. It's definitely a page turner.
My only complaint is the ending. There are too many questions left unanswered. I need answers - any answers. Was there a chapter cut out at the end? Did I just buy a defective copy? If I buy the audio book will there be extended recording to truely finalize this book? Maybe I'll just use my cell and call Stephen King...
um.... Micheal Crichton's "The Andromeda Strain" has a similar plot, if the virus doesn't kill, it drives you insane....hhmmm.....
I'm with Travis and Stan - unless there's a sequel, I'm pissed. I thought The Dark Tower had an anti-climatic (albeit workable and poignant) ending, this one just plain sucked. The entire focus of one character solved in two small paragraphs, and what is with the ending? I love a good cliffhanger, but this wasn't. NOTHING was finished.
This book was gripping -- one of the few I just couldn't put down. But I'm onboard with the rest of you ... I need more! I have so many questions bouncing in my head, I feel like I'VE been hit with the pulse. Common, Steve ... we need a sequel!
Loved it. But was I the only one that noticed (spoilers)
That Clay's Johnny at the end had an entirely different feature set (skinny, blond hair) than he had previously been described (stocky, black hair)? Makes a good kind of sense... Clay was certainly out of his mind by that point. But, I too am dissappointed that we don't find out who (or what) started the Pulse. I need to know!
cellthebook, indeed.
I like zombies.
originally this was going to be about a lamp, not a cell phone.
Stephen King: Now for my 300th novel, a couple... is attacked... by a giant lamp monster.
Goddamn, family guy seems preeetty prescient now eh?
More on the mobile marketing for this book can be found here...
http://www.mopocket.com/2006/01/stephen_king_to_ring_up_cell_b.php
I just like how the design on the cup resembles a Starbuck's logo. If he doesn't own a cell phone yet, I wonder what Stephen King's feelings are on gourmet coffee...
Didn't know about this, thanks for marketing it to me Engadget, got it on pre-order now with Amazon.
I like Zombie stories, so I hope the movie adaptation of this doesn't go to crap ABC and it gets made into a real hollywood movie o' doom.
This is highly reminiscent of the submliminal suicide song played in the anime classic Read or die. Broadcasting the song around the world, a terrorist organization trys to kill off the worlds population by making them kill themselves.
Hmm.. this reminds me of the tv show "Threshold"..
but i like zombies too so what the hell ;)
Yes, I noticed the Starbucks-like logo as well. Shall there be commentary contained about my employer? Hmm...
Didn't King quit writing books, like, 2 books ago?
san-Damn right he did. In the last few Dark Tower books he retired. He had all these prefaces and postfaces to the books where he talked about it being his life work and since he was done he was going to retire. I'm all for changing your mind but shouldn't we all put some more thought into those kind of decisions...that being said, I was bummed out but now I'm happy and I'll buy the book...I don't even want to hear that it was a marketing move-it may have been-I just don't want to hear it.
Stephen King drinks tea not coffee. LOL
Hahah! I immediately thought of the lamp monster bit too. He's really just not even trying anymore.
o he's trying its just he's done everything all thats left is the cellphone attacks and next comes the lamp monster.
These days, content doesn't mean crap. It's all in the marketing; if you hype it, they will come.
#8 i remember that episode...
What a cellout
Couple of things:
1) Only one person in Cell is named. This name is a real person who actually won a auction(for charity) to get his name in this book(sadly it's a guy, if it was a girl, he may of died. lol).
2) You can read a couple of pages of the book in the newest issue of Entertainment Weekly(Superman and Wolverine is on the cover).
#s 3 and 4, you guys have been watching waay to much Family Guy....
But thats the first thing I thought when I saw this story too.
Cellphones are dangerous/not dangerous?
What if you put it on speakerphone, answer that Stephen King!
There already was a movie called The Pulse and it was about an electrical current that caused appliances to act strange(garbage disposals etc.)...Perhaps he saw this...
i absolutely love everything stephen king. i own all of his books, some in triplicate..
:)
and i cannot wait to go and buy this one!!!
oooh kudos. theres areason they call him king..