I'm glad I read this and Desperation within a gasp of one another - the parallels between the two are numerous, and can be fun to spot - but I'm even happier I read this one second this time around. Of the two, The Regulators is a lot more rough around the edges, and having started with an enjoyable read like Desperation makes it a lot easier to keep plodding through its twin. Despite its flaws, it's a fun experiment with a good ending. 4/5