Rage by Stephen King
1977 / 211 pgs. (54,176 words) Psychological Thriller

This was the first book King published under Richard Bachman. An interesting fact about this specific novel is it is out of print by request of Mr. King himself. Why did he do this? The following narration should clearly define the answer to why.

Charlie is a senior in high school who is called into the principal’s office to discover his fate after attacking a chemistry teacher with a pipe wrench. Once the verdict is read, transfer to Greenmantle Academy, Charlie mouths off to the principal and is immediately expelled from school. After arriving at his locker, he takes the gun and extra rounds he brought, sets the rest of the contents on fire, and closes the door. While smoke billows out of the slots in the locker door, he walks into a classroom, shoots the teacher in the head, and takes the class hostage. He kills another teacher who bursts into the classroom, wondering why they do not evacuate while the fire alarm is going off.

After the fire is out, the principal, a psychologist, and the local sheriff talk to Charlie over the intercom system, asking him to release his fellow students. He refuses and plays mind games with the adults while talking about “Getting it on.”  Much of the novel is about Charlie and his fellow students talking about challenges that many youths take on during their most impressionable years, High School. From the physically challenged to the jock who is a cowered inside and uses his aggression against others to hide it. Even sexual, or lack of, experienced is shared in the classroom while police and others wait outside the school for Charlie’s next action.

Naturally, I do not want to give away the ending. As one can deduce from the narration, why Mr. King asked his publisher to stop printing the book. After several school shootings, one of which reportedly Rage was in the locker of one of the shooters, Stephen King stated he no longer wanted the book in circulation for obvious reasons. 

This book is just more than just teens talking in a classroom. It is also about how many teens feel growing up in High School. It is a deep dive into youth’s challenges in school as they grow up, build an identity for themselves, and determine where they will go next on this fascinating journey called life.

I enjoyed this book. However, given the subject, for many, this could be a very challenging or not disturbing book to read, especially with the school shooting at the beginning and the hostage situation in the classroom. It is not an easy book to find. Since I am reading all of King’s novels, it would not be a complete list without Rage.      
 
Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a delightful book!

Lopaka