Stephen King Fans discussion
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Duma Key
Indeed, this is the best one since 1999.
Isnt it nice to be able to read at work! I cant listen to audio books at work Im a nurse on 3rd shift at a hospital and reading makes them 12 hour shifts a little more bearable on slow nights!
Robert, I too, listened to Duma Key on Audiobook. It was a good one to listen to. Of course the family always wondered what I was doing sitting out in the car all night. :)
Kelly
I just finished this and it is certainly his best work for a while.At one point I thought that it may replace 'IT' as my favourite book (King or otherwise) of all time, almost but not quite. It's now my 2nd favourite book and one I am sure I will read time and time again.
Duma Key! I loved it....actually got me back into wanting to read Stephen King books again...I have mentioned before in earlier postings that I had to punk out of his books due to some pesky little nightmares that had me waking up in the middle of the night checking to make sure there were no dead bodies in tub...but I have faith they won't come back this time if I just don't read the King books back to back anymore :).Anyway...loved Duma Key, Wireman was great...the whole idea of the story was just great. I work as a nurse in an office where the walls are covered in these beautiful paintings all painted by the doctor's father (who never knew he had the talent to paint until he retired and picked up painting as a hobby)...I mean these paintings are really something..beautiful....some huge in size...it made me look at them alittle differently for a alittle while after reading Duma Key.
Geez Jennifer, Ive never had a nightmare about something Ive read...sounds kinda unique. You must have a great imagination. I read horror all the time and I never dreamt about it. I always dream about stupid stuff, like losing my wallet, or skipping work.
I dream about books that I read all the time, but its rare that a book gives me nightmares or keeps me awake at night- unless I'm reading it, that is!I've noticed that, similar to what Jennifer is saying, I dream about books more when I've read a series of them, or a lot in a row. Maybe that has to do with the amount of time I spend thinking about the books, because I do tend to dwell on them!
I dream about the Dark Tower books every time I read through the series, without fail.
Jeez John, you're making me feel like I'm a wierdo....?I was a single mom at the time...that probably didn't help.
I gotta big tough husband to keep the nightmares away now . lol...no really....lol. Actually I think I'm just bigger and tougher enough now to keep the nightmares away on my own. :)
I am a weirdo, Jennifer, so at least you keep good company! ;)
Jennifer,I didnt mean to make you feel like a weirdo. I am sorry. What I meant was it must be great to dream about something other than losing your wallet or showing up for work half dressed. My dreams are so black and white and I can never remember what they were about once I wake up. So I am a little jealous....lol
J.P.
:). Thanks John. So at least having imaginative dreams won't make me feel like a weirdo now. one less thing...;).I have the showing up to work half dressed dream all the time....lol. I haven't had nightmares in quit awhile...at least not waking up in a cold sweat nightmares.
I just finished this one. It was great. I loved the friendship between Edgar & Wireman. Now I want to go back & read all the novels I missed over the years. Stephen King will always be my favorite author.
I read Duma Key a month ago and it was by far his best work in years. I bought a copy for myself and one for my brother and we read it together. We were constantly calling each other and talking about how amazing it was. And the ending was great! Stephen is my favorite but sometimes I hate his endings. This book didn't dissapoint at all!
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The night I finished it I had to force myself to put it down for a lil bit so I could go to a movie. Came back and kept reading til the wee hours of the morning then realized the end creeped me out so much I had trouble sleeping.
I loved Duma Key. I read it as soon as it came out and I think I'm itching for a re-read! And I don't re-read something I so recently read!
I want to read it, but the symposis doesn't catch my attention much. Tell me a little bit more about it. Is it a ghost story? No spoilers please.
It's about a man who has to start his life over and discovers he has a talent he never knew about. And then the screaming and running begins! It is almost impossible to tell you more without ruining it for you. It made me want to visit the Florida Keys for sure. The most amazing thing for me about this book is that my sister decided to pick it up and read it after my brother and I raved about it for a couple of weeks. This is my sister who won't read anything not found on Oprah's book club list. She actually used the words love and amazing, she's halfway through and she can't put it down! So do you guys think I should start her on Bag of Bones next?
Thanks Elizabeth, that helps. I want to get it now.
Dylan, I forgot one you have to get as well. "It" by Stephen King. It scared the poop out of me. The movie and the book!
Thanks, I'm reading that now. I love love love it!
I've bought this today. I usually read SK's books in my mothertongue, Italian, and buy the English original version later, but I've found a 'special price' edition and thought I'd give it a try! I'm intrigued by what you write, that it's one of SK's best books since years-In fact, I must admit I haven't enjoyed his latest works as much as the 'older' ones till 1997-1998. So I look forward to reading it! :)
Elizabeth....great description! When Dylan first asked for a review, I didn't know what to say. It would be so easy to give away too much. So where do you start? And where do you stop? Great book!!!! I highly recommend it!
Elizabeth, do get her on Bag Of Bones...I consider it the best he's done in the latter half of his career.
Just trying to spread around the good stuff!
I love the way King writes about frienships, and the one with Wireman was excellent. He potrays connections the way they really happen. Something can happen and make you closer than decades could. It happens every day, but when some authors try to sell it, it just seems like wishful thinking. King can sell a relationship!!!!
Thats why I loved the book so much before anything "scary" even happened. I loved his recovery story, and his friendship w/ Wireman. It was very beautifully done.
I've been re-reading Duma Key and I have a question I need help with. The last time i read it i started high-lighting passages that were either interesting or references to other work. I keep coming upon these passages in my reread. Most of them i get, but i have one i'm lost on. I'm not gonna give you the part of the book because it might be a spoiler but the quote is...."Never cross Roger Williams Park at Dusk."- reference? to what? help! :)
Eeek. I wish I could, Rachel. Sorry. Anybody else? I'm curious, too.
You know, King also makes a lot of throwaway references. I think he does it so you feel like it should be familiar, but there's really no source. As if the narrator and you have more in common than the obvious.
(wiki)Roger Williams (December 21, 1603–April 1, 1683) was an English theologian, a notable proponent of religious toleration and the separation of church and state and an advocate for fair dealings with Native Americans. In 1644, he received a charter creating the colony of Rhode Island, named for the principal island in Narragansett Bay. He is credited for originating either the first or second Baptist church established in America, which he is known to have left soon afterwards, exclaiming, "God is too large to be housed under one roof."Google for Roger Williams Park yields a zoo in Providence, RI both named in his honor, as well as Roger Williams University in the state.
There's also the "easy listening" piano player Roger Williams. :)
Agrimorfee wrote: "(wiki)Roger Williams (December 21, 1603–April 1, 1683) was an English theologian, a notable proponent of religious toleration and the separation of church and state and an advocate for fair dealing..."Yeah, but why would it be scary to cross a park named in his honor after dusk? :)
i've done a little of my own research and think i might have thought it was a Dead Zone reference at the time. I got highlighter happy.
I just started listening to this on audio. I've read it already, but I love how a really good reader can change (just a little) your perception of events. Slattery is so, so good at narrating. I have to find more than the two books I have of him reading.
Isn't he great Kandice? I haven't read the book, but based on his reading of it on the audiobook, it's now one of my top 5, if I count the DT books as one. :)You just wait until he gets to Novene (sp?) and Perse. Creepy! Gave me chills. I haven't had that from a King book in a LOOOONG time. Love it.
He uttered the line "my right arm was doing it's last job" this morning on my way to work, and I had to rewind a few times to hear it again! It's so final! "It's LAST job". Comes across better vocally than on the page.
I really liked Duma Key. The characters were interesting and the story took some really inventive and scarey turns.
Todays best utterance from this audio book was:"In Minneapolis, the wind would cold enough to gnaw at my nose. On Duma, it was a kiss..."
LOVE his turn of phrase, and in Slattery's voice...excellent!
Just read it and gave it a five star review over on my page. Here it is:"I'm trying to think of the last time I enjoyed a Stephen King novel so much (The Green Mile perhaps?) but having had this book on my shelves for months, I was amazed how good it was when I finally started reading it. This tale of Edgar Freemantle, who after a terrible accident moves to Florida and takes up painting, is both grounded in reality and comfortable with its supernatural elements.
Generally King writes his novels in the third person, but the first person narration of this book allows him to give the character a much stronger inner life. The change of setting also eliminates a lot of the 'Maine-isms' (those little folksy sayings he just throws in) which can become highly irritating in a long novel. That's not to say there aren't moments of long-windedness, but for the main the plot is much pacier than, say, Lisey's Story.
If you've not picked up a King in a while, then this book is a good opportunity to reacquaint yourselves."
Agrimorfee, is the 1999 book you refer to 'Bag of Bones'? That's one I haven't read, and so may have to get hold of a copy.
My favorite utternace from day before yesterday's listening"If there is a God, he needs to try harder."
Don't we all feel that way at least every once in a while?
Kandice, i love your listings of your "favorite utterances" from Duma Key. I read this book again recently and highlighted all the passages that meant something to me. It's a highly marked up book now :)
"Libbit's frog wiff teef" sticks in my head like crazy. I'm listening to Slattery read the book, and it sounds so...spooky, scary, haunting, in his voice.I have not read Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box, but is a box mentioned, or is that just the title? I ask, because Libbit's heart shaped box plays a large part in Duma Key. Who was writing first? Did Joe do it as an homage to dad, or vice verse?
I guess I didn't catch that in Duma Key, but they don't seem to be related. Hmmmm????
Minor Spoiler alert***************the ghost in Heart-Shaped Box is possessing a suit that Jude the main character bids for on the Internet. The suit comes in a heart-shaped box. As for who wrote first, i don't know. I wondered the same thing about UR since that story seems to involve someone ordering off the internet and getting more than they bargained for.
Rachel, have you read Duma Key? If so, you know what's in Libbit's box, right? From what you said, I assume that suit was more than was bargained for too. Maybe the boxes ARE similar.
I've read Duma Key twice. The idea seems to be very similar.
I guess I have to read Heart Shaped box.
I think you should anyway...hehe
I've read both, and I caught that connection and thought it was very interesting. I swear, everything serves the beam. ;)
Stephen King Fans
Books mentioned in this topic
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I have the audiobook and started listening on monday... Im loving this book! Much better than cell and liseys story my days at work have gone very fast with this book!