If you are a fan of good bestseller novels, yet you find Stephen King’s writing to be too graphic, violent or just plain gross, then look no further. Stephen King has a new style. His books have taken on a gentler, subtler tone, yet are still bone-chillingly scary enough for old-time fans.Hearts in Atlantis was Stephen King’s latest novel. It was a book that showed how King, with his new style, is better than ever. But before Hearts in Atlantis came another book. It was called Bag of Bones. It is King’s first novel, in which, despite the title, he strays from the traditional blood-and-guts horror. Like Hearts in Atlantis, it is a great read.

Bag of Bones, written memoir-style in the first person, displays the depth and wit of the main character. By the time you finish this book, you will have fallen in love with Mike Noonan, a best-selling author who is a modern-day hero fighting against powerful forces (both human and supernatural) in the name of human decency. Despite his greatness, though, he is a truly believable character, with hopes, fears, dreams and even negative thoughts, just like anyone else.

But fear not. Bag of Bones is one of those books that is rich in both character and plot development. The pace of the book is gradual yet suspenseful. You will be hooked from the first page. The drama begins immediately.

The story starts off with a tragic bang, as Mike’s wife dies of a brain tumor in the middle of the street. After her death, bad dreams, and a seemingly hopeless case of writer’s block constantly torment Mike. Driven by hope and desperation, he eventually returns to his New England summer home (Sara Laughs) where he meets Mattie Devore, and her daughter Kyra. They are two innocent victims, who are tormented by a rich madman, Max Devore, who is bent on taking custody of Kyra no matter what it takes.

As Mike begins to fall in love with Mattie, and fights against the evil forces trying to take away her daughter, he realizes that there is much more to what is going on than what appears on the surface. Ghosts haunt Sara Laughs, and it is going to take immeasurable courage for Mike to face them down and finally be at peace with his wife’s death.

Perhaps the best aspect of the book is the dream sequences, which truly display King’s unique writing style. They are written in a way that make you feel as if you are traveling through time and space at the same time. Written in the first person, the narrative makes you truly feel as if you are having these dreams. Despite the “trippyness” of the sequences, the writing is very easy to follow, and you know exactly what is going on.

For example, in one of the dream sequences, Mike Noonan is transported to the 1800s. He has to protect Kyra (she is having the same dream at the same time), from the dead ancestors of Max Devore. You feel as if you are right along with him, going for a ride that will stop God-knows-where.

Bag of Bones is King’s first attempt at writing something other than pure horror. While it does contain some elements of the graphic horror that is evident in his earlier work, it is more down-to-earth and all-around less bloody. King best describes his book as “a haunted love story.”

For all those hardcore King fans, you will love this book. King takes his writing to a whole new level. And for those people who don’t generally read Stephen King, go ahead and try this one out. You may just become a fan yet.