Stephen King calls Misery a love letter to his fans. After reading the novel, however, the term "fan" takes on a very dark meaning indeed. The novel could be described simply as a cautionary story of dangerous groupies who follow famous personalities—a problem which King has experienced.

In this light, there is very little love in this "love letter."

Fortunately, King does more than merely depict the dangers of fandom; he also makes his most in-depth exploration of the kind of writing that makes his work so popular. To dissipate the godly atmosphere that accumulates around a writer, King demythologizes the writer's craft, showing the moment of inspiration, the time, the vain hopes, and the tremendous hard work that go into creating and sustaining a believable fictional world. Readers with vague ambitions of becoming a writer will find King's insights and images compelling and...