The Shining by Stephen King

Finally, finished my first horror story by the renown author, Stephen King. It has a very mind-gripping and engaging plot and the way it is conveyed is really very special. From a reversed word, REDRUM, that got you thinking whether is it Red Drum, Red Rum, or just another word that has not been updated in the dictionary to characters with precognition ability called Shining.

This story begins with a hotel, once hit by a wave of "fame" from its notorious owner and its activities - The Overlook Hotel together with a sober father of Danny Torrance, Jack Torrance and his wife Wendy. Jack has a penchant and addiction on alcohol and when overhang hit him, he would go wild with beatings and roaring in the house. He also could not control his temper which results him to broke his son's own arm when the latter accidentally spilled alcohol drink on his sheet of play. To make the situation worse, Jack also battered on George Hatfield, whom had deliberately punctured his VW car as a revenge on Jack for being bias to him during a debate training. Jack had purportedly speed up the timer just because he could not bear seeing George stuttered with his words.

Ultimately, he was fired. As a sole breadwinner, Al, colleague of Jack in the school and also the board of director of the three-floored hotel, referred him to The Overlook Hotel as a caretaker of the boiler. The boiler is meant to warm the hotel rooms particularly during the cold season. But the hotel has its dark side - haunted by ghoul and unrest spirits of tenants from the past.

Danny, dubbed doc, could practically hear voices of party-goers with masque whenever he is in the hotel. Dick Hollorann, the hotel cook, appeared to be his comrade for he too has the shining ability. Room 217, the playground, elevator and ballroom have deemed to give Danny goosebump. Practically, the hotel is not safe for them. Jack has been exploited by the spirits to actually kill Wendy and Danny, repeating the history of Gody, the caretaker, and his family killing in the past.

Fortunately, with the help of Tony, whose figure akin to an older version of Danny, Wendy and Hollorann were saved from the massive eruption/fire in the hotel, except for Jack. All the pictures that happened in the past and the future particularly the fire in the hotel, have been envisioned by Danny.

Overall, it is a story about a father who often has temptation for a drink, tends to hallucinate, play and short stories writer - intended to kill his wife and son in the Overlook Hotel. Throughout the story, it tells about Danny's shining ability, the imminent pictures that he is able to see and also a person's thinking.