#allit

[thoughtplickens]

“There is no comfort without pain; thus we define salvation through suffering” David Adley

This is a story about stories: The titular story being the main attraction. The story we are reading is narrated by David Adley, a lawyer, who is invited to a strange club where members tell stories to each other. After David tells us about the club, he recounts the tale that stays with him the most.

As an old doctor tells it, it is a true story about a woman he helped with delivery early in his career. She was determined to deliver the baby, even though it is out of wedlock. He teaches her the breathing method, an early version of Lamaze and she continues to do it even after her cab crashes in the ice on the way to the hospital.

Where in Maine are we: Neither outer or inner story take place in Maine as they both appear to take place in New York City

Where in King Timeline are we: Book #19, Different Seasons Novella #4

Connection to previous King Books: None to previous works

Connection to the Dark Tower: Nothing proven, but fans believe this club may exist within the DT universe

Good Guy #1: Let's go with the doctor, since it was his story the book focused on and he helped the young mother when no one else would.

Good Guy #2: David is more neutral storyteller, so the young mother Sandra is a good candidate here

Bad Guys #1 and #2: David mentions a few run-ins with members of the club, but really gets along with most of them. I will give the bad guys to all those that wouldn't help the pregnant woman a slow to progress 1930's America

Freakout Factor: The details of the car accident and how Sandra continues to breathe are pretty damn haunting

That Ending Though: Really solid. A nice clean way to wrap up a complicated short story.

Overall Thoughts: I actually love this story...and the story within the story. If it weren't for the preposterously good Shawshank, this would be my favorite of the Different Seasons stories. Captures the imagination and makes you think.

Total Rating: 7.3 mystical fireplaces (Out of 10)

[thoughtplickens]

“God grant me the SERENITY to accept what I cannot change the TENACITY to change what I may and the GOOD LUCK not to f*** up too often.”

Father Callahan

                                                    ‘Salem’s Lot

Jerusalem's Lot ('Salem's Lot if your nasty) is a tiny hamlet in Maine and is like most small towns in America: except of course that is about to be overrun by vampires. Stephen King's second published book was his way of telling a 'modern day' version of Bram Stoker's Dracula. It is from the mid to late 70's, but a lot of the themes are relevant today. What would you do or say if someone close to you said they were visited by a vampire? What would you do if YOU were visited by a vampire.

The residents of 'Salem's Lot and the town itself answer these questions with understandable skepticism and end up paying the price. This book takes Carrie's character analysis and pumps it full of steroids, giving us insights into everyone from the milk delivery boy to the priest and English teacher and everyone in between. Which of them turn to vampires? Let's just say: a good number.

Where in Maine are we? Jerusalem's Lot is a tiny town in Cumberland County surrounded by several small towns where the residents have to go for, well, everything.

Where is this in the King timeline? - 2nd, 1975

Connection to previous King books? There is no mention to the events or characters from Carrie that I caught.

Connection to the Dark Tower series? Father Callahan has a crisis of conscious in 'Salem's Lot that cause him to leave town. We catch to what happens to him in Wolves of the Calla.

Good Guy #1: Mark Petrie. King's penchant for nailing kid heroes in his books is on full display. Petrie is by far the bravest and most sensible person in the Lot. The 10 year old is one of the first residents to be visited by the undead when his buddy shows up at his bedroom window. This leads him to join the local group trying to fight the vampires.

Good Guy #2: Matt Burke. Yes, author Ben Meares is the main character of the book, but besides really wanting to help, he is sort of rudderless the whole book. Stephen King's other alto ego, the English teaching Burke does all he can even while stuck in a hospital. After having a heart attack, Burke loads up on books from the library for research (pre-internet, folks!) He takes that knowledge and equips the group with all they need to know.

Bad guy #1: Kurt Barlow. The main vampire, Barlow is that creepy image you see if you look at anything related to the movie. Barlow is always one step ahead of our heroes. He's been around for centuries, so this ain't his first rodeo.

Bad Guy #2: Richard Straker. I was tempted to put Straker as the number one baddie, since I liked him more, but he is mearly a 'familiar', or human right hand man to a vampire and thus is more vulnerable than Barlow, but Straker's charm and glamour abilities set up the town for Barlow to knock down.

Freakout factor: Well, it's a vampire story from Stephen King, so the freakout factor is high, but not necessarily as high as I was thinking. It is a slow burn getting to the blood sucking, etc. as King really establishes the town first. That being said, the suspense of every interaction with any vampire, especially Barlow is pretty legit.

That ending though: It's interesting because King chooses to give you a pretty significant portrait of the ending in the prologue and then spends the novel crescendoing to that point. Like most King stories, he is way more interested in the journey than the destination.

Overall thoughts: I am a big fan of endings wrapping up everything nicely, so I am left wanting a bit, but knowing it's about the journey, it's a hell of a ride getting there. I am also a fan of plotting and character development both of those elements shine here compared to Carrie. It's actually quite a master class.

Total Ranking: 8.1 Stakes through the heart (Out of 10)

[thoughtplickens]

The low bird is not picked tenderly out of the dust by its fellows; rather, it is dispatched quickly and without mercy.

Stephen King, Carrie

                                             CARRIE

The first book in Sai King’s long career is about, you guessed it: Carrie. In this case, Carrie White, a telekinetic teenager who is different. Because she is different, she is picked on...mercilessly. It starts at home with her overly religious mother (who basically thinks every hormonal teenage thought is a sin) and continues at school, where a rather late, ill-timed first menstruation makes her the butt of jokes. 

As Carrie gets pushed to her breaking point, she discovers her powers and starts yielding them. The carnage destroys most of her school, her mama, and even affects the power couple at the school who tried to help her. In the end, it does Carrie in, as well and what’s left of the town is left to deal with the aftermath. 

Where in Maine are we: Chamberlain, a fictional town near Bangor. 

Where is this in the King timeline: 1st, 1974

Connection to previous King books: None

Connection to The Dark Tower series: minimal. There is a mention of Citgo oil, and Carrie’s exact period scene in the locker room is used in Book 7 of DT as happening to Susanna when she was young. 

Good guy #1: Susan Snell. There really are no good guys in this novel as every one screws up at some point. But Susan is mentioned throughout the book as having redemptive qualities and she is spared in the end by Carrie.

Good guy #2: Carrie White. Our protagonist is a hero, per se. She really does destroy the town, but honestly most of the town deserved it. She was put upon her entire life and we definitely root for her to have a win by the end.

Bad Guy #1: Margaret White. Some people may argue that a fellow member of Carrie’s high school is the biggest villain, but Mama White screwed that poor girl up royally. Living by almost cultish behavior, Margaret White never thought Carrie was good enough and locked her daughter in a closet when she ‘sinned.’ Having pig blood poured on Carrie may have been the catalyst for her mental break, but the build-up is squarely on Mama’s shoulder.

Bad Guy #2: Chris Hargensen. Hargensen’s boyfriend, Billy, is a real piece of work too, but he just loves to watch society burn, it is Chris that lights the match. She is the typical daughter of a lawyer who thinks Daddy can get her out of any trouble. She has multiple opportunities to turn back but never does it and that makes her Number Two with a bullet. 

Freakout Factor: Blood freaks me out in general, so there was plenty to be squeamish about in this book. Carrie bleeds in the girls locker room and the girls are merciless in there teasing of her and then, of course, pigs are slaughtered for the blood, which eventually gets poured on Carrie and Tommy’s head. Otherwise, the carnage wrought on the town was more badass than creepy.

That Ending, Though: There is no real happy ending in Carrie, which is fitting in a story with not a lot of happiness in the story.

Overall feel: This is a pretty good book for a debut novel. It’s pretty short, which makes for nice, breezy read. The narrative is mixed with excerpts from future books by Susan and Telekinetic scientists which gives great context for the fallout from what happens to Carrie.

Total Ranking: 7.0 Buckets of Blood (out of 10)

[kaliskis]