Dead Zone, The (novel)

The Dead Zone is an American science fiction crime novel written by author Stephen King. It was first published in hardcover edition by Viking Press in August, 1979. The book tells the story of Johnny Smith - a New England school teacher who gets into an automobile accident that puts him into a coma. When he awakens, he develops the ability of clairvoyance, which warns him about the escalating rise to power of a corrupt politician named Greg Stillson. If Johnny's visions are to be believed, Stillson will become President one day, and his actions will incite global Armageddon.

Appearances

 * Johnny Smith


 * George Bannerman
 * Sarah Bracknell


 * Greg Stillson
 * Frank Dodd


 * Albert Renfrew
 * David Bright
 * Dennis Hazlett
 * Earl Butz
 * George Clements
 * Henry Burke
 * James Brown
 * Jimmy Carter
 * Mary Kate Hendrasen
 * Sarah Hazlett
 * Stephanie Constantine
 * William Cohen


 * Federal Bureau of Investigation


 * Humans
 * Psychics


 * California
 * Castle County
 * Castle Rock
 * Iowa
 * Maine
 * New Hampshire


 * Holy Bible


 * Automobile


 * Cats
 * Dogs


 * Assassin
 * Bodyguard
 * Doctor
 * Mayor
 * Nurse
 * President of the United States
 * Reporter
 * Senator
 * Serial killer
 * Teacher


 * 1950s
 * 1953
 * 1970s
 * 1970
 * Cemetery
 * Child
 * Clairvoyance
 * Dead animals
 * Exploding vehicles
 * High school
 * Postcognition
 * Precognition
 * Suicide

Notes & Trivia

 * This book was first adapted into a film in 1983 by director David Cronenberg. It starred Christopher Walken in the role of Johnny Smith, with Brooke Adams as Sarah Bracknell and Martin Sheen as Greg Stillson.


 * The Dead Zone was remade as a television series, which aired for six seasons from June 2002 to September 2007 on the USA Network. It starred Anthony Michael Hall in the role of Johnny Smith.


 * An audio book adaptation of the novel was produced and read by Lorelei King.


 * The Dead Zone is Stephen King's seventh novel. It his fifth book written under his actual name.


 * This is the first appearance of Castle Rock, Maine, which appears in many Stephen King stories and is the basis for the aptly named 2018 TV series Castle Rock.


 * Reference is made to Carrie in this book, which was Stephen King's first novel, written in 1976. It told the tale of another person who was likewise gifted with psychokinetic abilities.


 * The character of George Bannerman will go on to appear in the 1981 novel Cujo.


 * One of the names next to Johnny Smith's grave is Marsten. This could be a reference to Hubie Marsten from Stephen King's 1975 novel Salem's Lot.


 * Another surname on a tombstone in the cemetery is Bowden. There is a character named Todd Bowden, who will appear in the 1982 novella Apt Pupil, which will be made into a movie in 1998. The character will be played by late actor Brad Renfro.