Who's reading along this month and what do you think?(beware of spoilers)!

I will be re-reading this, assuming that time permits. It should, since it's a pretty quick read. One I've been wanting to get to as well.

i'm already about a third of the way in. Pretty good story so far, i see to have less time to read this month.

I started it a week ago & I`m about 300 pages in & loving it so far. I just read `The girl who loved Tom Gordan`before it, which was a bit disappointing, but thankfully so far this is a great read so far. I wouldn`t have even though of reading it, only it was voted for the monthly read. But I`m glad it was, as it`s a great story. It shows King`s versatility as well as a writer. I know that many mightn`t like it because it`s not a `typical`SK book, but I think it`s quite good so far.

I haven't read this book in a long time - looking forward to re-reading. I've definitely enjoyed it the other times I've read it. He wrote it for his daughter.

Im reading it on a kindle so not sure what page Im on, but Im on chapter 15. Im enjoying it, although it definitely is unlike any of King's other books. I think its very cook that Flagg is in it, Id of read it a long time ago if I had known that.

I'll be reading along this month, after I finish reading Find a Victim A Lew Archer Novel, thanks to Kandice's generosity.

DAMN! I'd love to start reading this but i'm currently 3/4 way through 'IT' and i think it's really long! I'm not good at reading 2 books at once.
Hopefully next months read will be 'The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon' because i'd really love to read that book.

It is really unlike any King book I have read before. Very fantasy. I love that Flagg is in this book too. Adds more depth to Flagg's character!

Angie wrote: "It is really unlike any King book I have read before. Very fantasy. I love that Flagg is in this book too. Adds more depth to Flagg's character! "

I agree with you Angie. After reading the `Dark Tower`series, it`s great to see Flagg again, & in more detail.

I'll be reading as soon as I get a copy - this is one I haven't read before.

It sorta reminds me more of Harry Potter than typical Stephen King.

I'm rereading it,have forgotten many things but remember the dollhouse. Flagg is in the Dark tower Series? I haven't read this yet any other similar characters?

Dark tower series has many characters from many of kings different books.

I will probably start on it after I finish Duma Key, which I am about halfway through.

It's funny - it's been so very long since I read "Eyes of the Dragon" that I ordered one of those penny "used" copies from Amazon. I loved it so much that I ordered a GOOD copy as a birthday present for my "adopted" grandaughter. I read it yesterday (all day looong)

Just picked it up from the library yesterday. Hope to start it this week. I've never before read this one.

I love this book and reread it recently. My 14-yr old son really liked it too - I find its a milder version of SK's usual stuff, but it still has his trademark sensitivity to the human angle. The father/son relationship is well-done, I feel, with the butlers. EOTD has a dreamlike quality, moving smoothly even though awful things are happening. Makes it even more scary for me:)

About 300 pages in and enjoying it (once again). Peters drawn out escape from the top of the needle put me in mind of Andy Dufraine’s escape from Shawshank.

I really love the quality of the story teller’s voice in this book as it paints such a rich picture. Without this voice it might simply be a run of the mill high fantasy novel.

I think part of the huge appeal of Flagg being a main character, is that King DID write this as a "non-scary" story for his daughter, and yet managed to include one of the scariest characters he has ever invented. Pretty cool!

*Spoiler alert*
Kandice wrote: "I think part of the huge appeal of Flagg being a main character, is that King DID write this as a "non-scary" story for his daughter, and yet managed to include one of the scariest characters he ha..."

Even though it reads like a fairy tale at times, I do find the whole premise pretty scary, that an innocent child can be convicted of murder and put in prison for years and years and chased by an evil magician who wants his head... not to mention how he corrupts Peter's younger brother in the process, IMO. This may have started out as a "non-scary" story for SK's young daughter, but I definately didn't sleep well after reading it - just thinking about roaming through corridors with a scary dude like Flagg was enough :)

Just finished the book, & I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good I thought the book was. I didn`t have much expectations before begining it, due mainly to reviews I`ve seen of it.

I don`t want to give much away about the story for those that may not have started yet, but I must say that I admire King for doing so well with a story that`s outside his comfort zone. This story is certainly a fantasy, which is not exactly King`s area (I know that the `Dark Tower`novels are considered fantasy novels, but this story is more of your traditional type of fantasy story).

Overall it was a good story which say saw King from a different angle from which you usually see him, with interesting characters, particularly Flagg, who is your ultimate villain.

I agree that the idea is scary, but in a different way than King usually writes scary. There is no gore, and while Flagg is infinitely evil, he acts in covert ways. That's not any less scary, but just not so "in your face".

I think one of the things that makes King as popular as he is, is that even in the middle of all the terror, he explores love, fealty, loyalty, friendship in very real and believable ways. This book is no exception and actually shows very young people acting in incredibly responsible ways. That's not an exception either, but because they aren't surrounded by terror and gruesomness...it is.

Ive been reading Needful Things for a month now and only halfway through. I wish I had more time for it but oh well. So I wont be reading Eyes of the Dragon, but its a good book. I liked the chapters from the point of view of the dog, those were unique.

i really like when Stephen King writes from the POV of a canine character, like in Cujo, Eyes of The Dragon or the Stand.

I'm not reading it right now, but if I remember correctly, the dog sees scent lines in colors and the boys is electric blue. I thought that was such a clever, but simple way to describe the way a dog follows a scent trail. I could just see it.

Kandice wrote: "I'm not reading it right now, but if I remember correctly, the dog sees scent lines in colors and the boys is electric blue. I thought that was such a clever, but simple way to describe the way a d..."

yeah i could too, and more importantly, felt like i could see it through the dog's eyes.

I just can't seem to get into this book. It's so unlike his other ones.

I started this book yesterday. I had been wanting to read this for ages, and finally I'm into it. I am about a quarter into and and I can't put it down! I love the tone and how he's telling the story! It's like Uncle Stevie is telling us a bedtime story. Which is probably how he intended it to sound for his daughter. I love that Flagg is in it and Roland The Good. This totally reminds us of all the realms in King's Universe. And it seems that Flagg and Roland's paths cross in every realm.

*****May contain some spoilers!*****

I've read this book a couple of times, & never gave a thought to any meaning in the dollhouse. I always thought Peter wanted to be closer to his mom, & by playing with it he was. At the beginning you feel bad for Thomas, sickly, inapt, slow at learning, none of Sasha's looks or charm. But from the time he saw Flagg poison his dad i felt pity, & anger at him. Thomas knew Peter had nothing to do with their fathers death, but he let him take the fall, & to Peter's credit he let his brother put him in the tower. Now i know a few of you will think Thomas was under Flagg's control, and he may have been just a little, but what you have to see is that Thomas was always a jealous, & insecure child. For every good deed Peter did Thomas was envyus of him. Not that Thomas didn't try he did, but it seemed to fall short for him. All but archery, which he came by quite naturally, that he got from his father. As in all great stories you have a beginning, a middle, and an end. And this one was no different, & by the end i had forgiven Thomas all his deeds because that's what family, & especially brothers, and sisters do. Peter gets the kingdom back, & Thomas gets a life, a brother, & a friend. I love this story and i always come away feeling good, happy. The bad guy gets what's coming to him and they all live life to the fullest. Hope i didn't spoil to much of it for anyone. :)

I read this book about 7 years ago, but I do remember thinking that it could have taken place in a kingdom near Gilead. Their worlds are just so similar.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but now that I've finished it....and absolutely loved it....it fits so well into the Dark Tower saga...

SPOILERS.....

When Thomas leaves at the end to go after Flagg, it made me wonder if he...perhaps out of respect.... takes his father's name, Roland, when he goes out to pursue Flagg (the dark man). And thus starts The first book in the Dark Tower series.

Did anyone else get that? Or am I looking too much into it? It just totally made me wonder.

Kathy, I would agree with you on that.
SPOILER . . .

Another hint may be Thomas' penchant for weaponry; i.e. he may well evolve into a Gunslinger.

SPOILER above

That's an interesting theory. But as the gunslinger books evolve we find out about Roland, where he comes from, how he grew up, what makes him take after the man in black, friends, family, lovers, basically his life.

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."

Lori wrote: " That's an interesting theory. But as the gunslinger books evolve we find out about Roland, where he comes from, how he grew up, what makes him take after the man in black, friends, family, lovers,..."

Yeah, but there are many layers of the King Universe, this story does seem to parallel it somewhat. You can't help but think about it, ya know?

Yeah i know. That's why i said it's a good theory. With Sia King one can never tell. :)

Thats what I love about his books...there are so many connections and parallels....you are never "just" reading a book. You are entering his world! (Oh, jeez, I sound like a book jacket. lol)

That's ok, i'm the worlds worst, i sound like a broken record. LOL We all got our vices! :o)

I'd say it's definitely a parallel world. The part I just read today had Flagg consider that Peter is probably an aspect of the White.

Weren't Peter and Thomas in one of the DT books?

Lori wrote: " That's an interesting theory. But as the gunslinger books evolve we find out about Roland, where he comes from, how he grew up, what makes him take after the man in black, friends, family, lovers,..."

Also, we run into Flagg in either the 3rd or 4th Dark Tower book and he's not the same character as the Man in Black.
However, what if Thomas is one of Roland's ancestors?

Now that my dear Allison is a very good sound theory. The world does move on.

Angie wrote: "Weren't Peter and Thomas in one of the DT books? "

Not that I recall. Been a year since ive read the series for the second time though.

Benjamin wrote: "Angie wrote: "Weren't Peter and Thomas in one of the DT books? "

Not that I recall. Been a year since ive read the series for the second time though."

Well I only started the series in March of this year & finished them a couple of months back & I can`t remember them showing up in the books. Mind you I was processing a lot of information in a short space of time, so I could be wrong!

spoilers for Dark Tower:

this is what I found on wikipedia

A tale set in the Middle Ages most likely the In-World of the Dark Tower series. The main antagonist is Flagg (The Man In Black, Randall Flagg, The Walkin' Dude, Marten Broadcloak, Walter O'Dim, Walter Padick, etc.) is the king's evil advisor, conspires to kill the king (and earlier, his wife, the queen) and tries to ultimately cause anarchy in the kingdom. He imprisons the prince, but later flees to another world once his plan fails. He is followed by Prince Peter and his servant Dennis, who run into Roland during the Dark Tower series.

Also I found this:
but they were only briefly mentioned in The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three where Roland says that he encountered both Flagg and Thomas and Dennis.

Roland mentions Garlan near the end of The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass, as a remote kingdom of Mid-World known for its poisons. In The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah, Roland says that his grandfather Alaric went to Garlan, the land next to Delain, to slay a dragon but got there too late because the last dragon in that part of the world had already been killed by another king who was later murdered. He also says in The Dark Tower III: The Wastelands Lands that there may have been a civil war in Garlan at some point.

I thought Roland actually saw them but I guess not.

Yeah I dont put much faith in wiki, too much bs to believe without verification. Ya listen to wiki, one would think that Obama is a great man, instead of the moron that he is.

Here's another DT tie-in I found. Page 89 in the hardcover, chapter 30 early on:

"...old wives cringed in their beds and slept poorly and told their husbands that Rhiannon, the Dark Witch of the Coos, was riding her hateful broom this night, and wicked work was afoot."

Little things like this are cool. When I read TEOTD the first time, I hadn't read any DT books. Little passages like that didn't mean nearly as much as they do since I have since.....

Yeah, I caught that too, the witch of Coos.

Benjamin wrote: "Yeah I dont put much faith in wiki, too much bs to believe without verification. Ya listen to wiki, one would think that Obama is a great man, instead of the moron that he is."

SAD!

Benjamin, you made a sly comment in another thread about our president, & Chirs was going to tag it. Now it doesn't matter who voted for who, or if he's a dick or not. What matters is this isn't the place for it. Go and make you a thread if you like but please stop trying to start trouble here. Thank you