1 star for “there are other worlds than these” at the end. I read this purely for the connections to the Tower and was not satisfied.

Gwendy's Final Task is the third installment in the Button Box trilogy by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. Originally released in Feb 2022, this paperback format from Simon & Schuster on their Gallery imprint is 288 pages. The book is also available in all other formats. It's worth noting that the e-book format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of e-books with interactive formats lately.

This is a well told story. I was immersed and engaged from the first chapter and wound up reading it in one sitting. It's linear (although told in back and forth flashbacks throughout), and the characters are simplistic, but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless. The denouement and resolution are clearly telegraphed from the beginning (more or less), and the ending felt inevitable.

One of the things I enjoyed most (apart from the engaging storytelling) was finding and identifying the Easter egg tie-ins for King's other works: It, The Dark Tower, Talisman, The Black House, and more. There are a few jump-scares which surprised a squeak or two out of me. There's also a smattering of horror (mostly leftover from earlier readings of King's other books which still have the power to scare, decades after reading).

As most other reviewers have pointed out, this is a partly a pandemic book, and the authors don't pull punches when it comes to politics and their (King's) unmitigated loathing of the previous American presidential administration. My own feelings are somewhat more incendiary than King's seem to be, so it didn't bother me in the slightest. Readers who love the "former guy" will probably find their enjoyment of the story significantly impacted.

Four stars. Although it's the trilogy ending, it's self contained and works well as a standalone. A solid tale.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

What a thrilling journey it would be to ride along in Stephen King's life for just one day. I am a long time fan of his writing. The Shining and It still rank among the most famous works of fiction ever written.

Gwendy's Final Task is by the mega-talented Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. The flow of words between the duo is seamless. The illustrations by Keith Minnion, add a wonderful dynamic to the book. Gwendy's Final Task is the third book in Gwendy's Button Box Trilogy. I read it as a stand-alone and it worked well, but I will definitely be backtracking to read the first two books in the series.

Synopsis:
Gwendy Peterson is a 64-year-old senator and author. She has a secret box given to her that contains dark forces that she must get rid of to protect the world from doom. Add to the intense plot, Gwendy is in the first stages of Alzheimer's and is suffering memory lapses. Can she complete her highly complex mission to rid the world of evil?

Richard Chizmar and Stephen King create a fascinating voyage. It's Stephen King to the max with his ultimate gift of presenting mesmerizing plots. It's a grab your seat and hang on type of book. It totally peaked my imagination and was spellbinding.

Gwendy's Final Task is a mind-bending book that takes fantasy fans on the imaginary trip of their life. Check out the trigger warnings before reading.
(4.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Thank you, to NetGalley and Gallery Book, for the honor of reviewing this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A lovely end to Gwendy's story, with some very interesting Dark Tower stuff to boot. I really enjoyed it, probably the best in the series.

Gwendy Peterson is back, this time as a United States Senator. But she's battling early onset Alzheimer's Disease and the button box is back again. This time, Gwendy means to defeat it for good.

This final installment in the Gwendy series was everything I'd hoped it would be. With short chapters and plenty of action, it definitely had that "just one more chapter" energy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Available May 31, 2022.

We’ve followed Gwendy from just 12 years into her 60s as she has protected the world from the Button Box and it’s horrible powers. Gwendy is embarking on a trip to Mars in a spaceship with a variety of researchers, and with a secret and personal mission to rid the world of the Button Box. She’s recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she isn’t sure if someone on the ship is after the box, or if it’s just her mind descending on her. While trying to protect the box until she can be rid of it, she must also hide her diagnosis (as well as the button box) from her shipmates in order to be able to continue with the mission.

Gwendy’s Final Task was by far my favorite of the series and while I was sad that it’s ended (and the way that it ended), I also couldn’t think of a better way. As always, Stephen King loves to sprinkle in little Easter eggs throughout his work and I was pleased of the mentioning of The Dark Tower. Richard Chizmar and Stephen King write seamlessly together and I hope that maybe we will someday have another collaboration of the two.

Gwendy's Last Task is the final book in a trilogy.

When Gwendolyn is a child she discovers a box full of mysterious coins and buttons. She hides it from herself as it seems the items within should not be used.
Decades later, as a politician, she rediscovers the box. There are evil forces wishing to push the buttons within. Thus it is up to her to discover those forces and save the world.
No small task

I've read every installment of the Gwendy series, and this feels like a fitting end to her saga. This novel ties together the lifelong story of a brave protagonist with heartfelt resonance, and unlike the other two novellas, I felt Chizmar really took the time to build out the supporting characters around Gwendy. Some of the political commentary felt a bit out-of-place, but this may just be a personal preference as I've found I don't like direct descriptions of COVID-19 and the 2016 US election in my fiction. Gwendy sheds some of the Mary Sue-like qualities she had in the novellas prior as she struggles to remember her final and most important duty with the button box. Overall, this isn't the type of novel I'd normally find myself enjoying, but found the ending arc satisfying.

This book was well worth waiting for! the trilogy was good and up to what we expect from Stephen King.

I don't know about you but when I saw a collaboration between Stephen King and Richard Chizmar, I knew requesting this book was a "no brainer" .

I mean, Stephen King is a legend in his own right and Richard Chizmar is trailing right behind him. This book showcases the talent of both authors and will become an instant hit as soon as it releases to the public.

This book is gripping, haunting, and will stay with you long after you conclude. I don't want to say too much and give it away for new readers but I can tell you that this is a book that once you pick up there is no way you will be able to put it down.

There are many jaw dropping moments, and parts of this book pack a huge gut punch.

Pre-Order the Gwendy's Final Task, you will not be sorry.

What an incredible ending to a superb series!

Richard Chizmar and Stephen King have created an unforgettable character, Gwendy. In this final book, the way the supernatural aspects of the story mix with social commentary on today's society created a truly unique reading experience.

This series, and especially this book, have left me contemplating the impact a person has on the world around them. In the end, could I be as strong as Gwendy to make the right choices?

Gwendy’s Final Task is book 3 in the Gwendy’s series. Gwendy is now a senator in her 60’s going on a space exhibition to save humanity from the horrible box that keeps finding its way back into her possession.

First, though there are references to the past books of this series, you need to start with Book 1 of the series, or you will be a little lost. There are fun references to King’s prior books made throughout the book. The pace was quick though a little choppy and the ending proved satisfying.

Trigger warnings: Violence, pandemic virus, Alzheimer’s, and unfair representation of LBGQ characters

As the title indicates, this third book in the trilogy wraps up all of the loose ends and brings Gwendy's story to a fine and satisfying conclusion. Gwendy’s Final Task is the final novel in a trilogy that has a girl, later a woman, and Final an aging Senator Gwendy Peterson carrying around a Pandora’s Box, which emits irresistible treats and could end the universe as we know it. Gwendy is battling early Alzheimer's and must remember what she has to do with the box to save humanity.

Stephen King once again managed a fitting conclusion to a trilogy that reintrodices characters as old friends for Constant Readers and includes enough information that new readers just meeting them for the first time are nowhere as awkward than the freshmen the first day of high school. The story included some modern topics of relevance and was a quick, easy read. King fans will find plenty of Easter eggs that refer to other popular works of his, and, in typical King fashion, leaves some aspects up to the reader's imagination and speculation rather than fitting each piece of the puzzle into place.

Loved this trilogy. This last installment was a lot longer than the first two and it didn't disappoint. I really enjoyed Gwendy's story!

I received an ARC copy of this book from #NetGalley.

I love Stephen King. He's written at lot of good books over the years. But he tends to go in spurts where is stuff is good for a while, then isn't. He's apparently in his 'not good' phase right now. I get that politically he's Left...very far left. I've got no problem with that. To each his own. What I don't like is being preached at from the get-go bu someone who gets his talking points from Clinton News Network. For someone who obviously hates Donald Trump so much, he can't stop writing about him. Honestly, Trump should be charging him for all the publicity King is giving him.

I managed to get though 8 chapters before I couldn't take it anymore. There was barely any story, just incessant whining about Trump & Republicans. Democrats good...Republicans evil & want to destroy the universe. It so over the top that its ridiculous. Stick to writing horror & mystery, and keep all the political BS to yourself. I want to read a book to escape the dumpster fire that is the world right now. I don't want to hear a one-sided POV demonizing one side or the other. If I wanted that, I'd have CNN or FOX on.

GWENDY'S FINAL TASK is a so-so effort, not as good as the first book GWENDY'S BUTTON BOX, but not as boring as GWENDY'S MAGIC FEATHER. The ending was predictable, the villains were cartoonish, and the suspense was somewhat nonexistent. I don't have much to say about this book because it didn't really do much for me other than pass the time for a couple hours. It wasn't a bad story, per se, it was merely okay.

I did enjoy the references to King's other works, such as IT and THE DARK TOWER, even if they felt somewhat shoehorned in.

Thanks to the publisher Gallery Books, NetGalley, and the authors Stephen King and Richard Chizmar for providing an advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

This was an entertaining read that kept me hopping, awaiting next steps from the characters! It was paced well, had great dialogue and enjoyable characters. Check this one out, y’all - you’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for the ARC opportunity.

When awarded this book, I did not notice that it was book 3 in a series, so I came in blind not having read books 1 & 2. Still...loved the Easter eggs of previous Stephen King novels. I did not love all of the political references.

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for arc. Sadly, I was not impressed with this book. These are both my favorite authors but the constant politics was a bit annoying. I had to just quit reading half way through.