Engineer Bob works for the Mid-World Railway Company and operates a 402 Big Boy steam locomotive named Charlie. The story follows their mechanical partnership until the company replaces steam power with a new diesel engine. Charlie is moved to a scrap heap where he rusts in isolation while Bob transitions to a cleaning job. Eventually, the regional manager requires a steam engine to rescue a stalled train, and Bob restores Charlie to service. The narrative concludes with a scene of the engine smiling with a row of sharp, human-like teeth.
Fans of "The Dark Tower" series read this book to find physical artifacts related to the fictional universe of Roland Deschain. It functions as a meta-fictional prop that appears within the third novel of that series. Readers walk away with a tangible connection to the character Jake Chambers and a visual representation of how the Mid-World universe distorts traditional childhood tropes. It serves those interested in the crossover between horror aesthetics and vintage picture book storytelling through Ned Dameron’s unsettling oil paintings.
- Published
- 2016
- Language
- EN
Quotes by Stephen King
More →Books are a uniquely portable magic.
On Writing
The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them.
The Body
