Black House is a very interesting sequel to the Talisman. The story about Jack Sawyer is again co-authored by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Jack is older now, 31 to be exact. He's retired from his Leiutenant position of the LAPD's homicide division and found a nice home for himself in Wisconsin. He has been a very lucky boy and man growing up, having held the Talisman so long ago, although the memories of such have been put away as a dream or fantasy from his boyhood.
He is to be ripped back into the magical world of the Territories and thrust back into his job as a Coppiceman. An evil demon has been working with an evil man to build a doorway into our world, as well as retrieve kids for working for a much greater evil whose goal is the destruction of order to bring in the reign of chaos to all worlds.
This story delves deep into the purpose of the Crimson King, a figure alluded to in other Stephen King books such as Insomnia and the Dark Tower series. This great evil strives to bring down the tower and we learn why in Black House. We also learn, to a degree, that the Breakers are at the center of the Crimson King's plot to bring down the Tower. Ted Brautigan is also mentioned as the Head of the Breakers, when he is out roaming the countryside (having escaped from the Crimson King -- Hearts in Atlantis).
The book is a must read for anyone jonesing for the next book in the Dark Tower series to arrive in 2003.