The Tommyknockers

by Stephen King · 1987

The Tommyknockers is Stephen King's 1987 horror novel that blends science‑fiction terror with a small‑town setting. When Bobbi Anderson discovers a buried metallic object in the woods of Haven, Maine, the town’s residents gradually fall under its alien influence, experiencing bizarre mutations, telepathy, and a loss of humanity. Written during King’s period of substance abuse, the story serves as a metaphor for addiction, while drawing on influences from H.P. Lovecraft’s "The Colour Out of Space," the 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and the BBC serial Quatermass & the Pit. The novel explores themes of alien invasion, body horror, alcoholism, and the dark side of human curiosity.