Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Kin
Genres
Collection
Publication
Berkley (1976), 288 pages
Description
Fiction. Horror. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:#1 BESTSELLER �?� Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem�??s Lot in hopes that exploring the history of the Marsten House, an old mansion long the subject of rumor and speculation, will help him cast out his personal devils and provide inspiration for his new book. But when two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins to realize that something sinister is at work. In fact, his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is growing within the borders of this small New England town. With this, his second novel, Stephen King established himself as an indisputable master of American horror, able to transform the old conceits of the genre into something fresh and all the more frightening for taking place in a familiar, idyllic l… (more)
Original publication date
1975-09-05
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User reviews
LibraryThing member absurdeist
I remember being completely enrapt reading 'Salem's Lot. I don't know if I just outgrew King or if King indeed sloughed off talent-wise over the years, but rarely have I read something so outstanding, whether genre or literary; a book so ridden with doom, so sickly sinister, and such a
A vampire novel written the way vampire novels were meant to be written back when they were still written right by writers with actual know-how and skills (Anne Rice's debut included): with actual, that is, creative and ingenious implementation of literary stylistic and narrative techniques such as character and plot development; creepy foreshadowing; nuanced, perverted symbolism (both libidinal and religious); and physically palpable suspense ever increasing, pulsating like punctured carotid arteries, raising high the blood pressure to a breathless denouement....suspense so intense that I flipped on all the lights at night when I recklessly read it, 'Salem's Lot, alone and vulnerable to imagined, (but-it-felt-so-real!)-vampire attacks inside an isolated suburban tract on a full moon'd cul-de-sac; the skeletal-like houses under construction each side of my house, grotesque and baroque, framed (or were those fangs?) glinting in the moonlight.
Written, I should say, a la Stoker, a la Lovecraft, to which 'Salem's Lot paid its rightful (and frightful) homage.
The made-for-TV-movie of 'Salem's Lot, starring David Soul of Starsky and Hutch and Here Come the Brides fame, singer of the 1976 #1 Billboard hit, "Don't Give Up on Us, Baby," stunk it up like garlic - just like that schmaltzy pop song of Soul's - but not the book by Stephen King. Never the book by Stephen King. So read the book, 'Salem's Lot, by Stephen King...if you dare.
Ah hahahahahahahahaha....
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phantasmagoric page turner that it sucked in its lust all my free time dry (and sucked time dry I didn't have that should've been spent studying or sleeping). O what a brooding, gloomy, pseudo gothic (gothic chic, let's call it), macabre masterpiece, 'Salem's Lot.A vampire novel written the way vampire novels were meant to be written back when they were still written right by writers with actual know-how and skills (Anne Rice's debut included): with actual, that is, creative and ingenious implementation of literary stylistic and narrative techniques such as character and plot development; creepy foreshadowing; nuanced, perverted symbolism (both libidinal and religious); and physically palpable suspense ever increasing, pulsating like punctured carotid arteries, raising high the blood pressure to a breathless denouement....suspense so intense that I flipped on all the lights at night when I recklessly read it, 'Salem's Lot, alone and vulnerable to imagined, (but-it-felt-so-real!)-vampire attacks inside an isolated suburban tract on a full moon'd cul-de-sac; the skeletal-like houses under construction each side of my house, grotesque and baroque, framed (or were those fangs?) glinting in the moonlight.
Written, I should say, a la Stoker, a la Lovecraft, to which 'Salem's Lot paid its rightful (and frightful) homage.
The made-for-TV-movie of 'Salem's Lot, starring David Soul of Starsky and Hutch and Here Come the Brides fame, singer of the 1976 #1 Billboard hit, "Don't Give Up on Us, Baby," stunk it up like garlic - just like that schmaltzy pop song of Soul's - but not the book by Stephen King. Never the book by Stephen King. So read the book, 'Salem's Lot, by Stephen King...if you dare.
Ah hahahahahahahahaha....
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
So this doesn’t add anything to the vampire mythos; so what? That is not the point anyway. The point is to creep the sh*t out of people, create a masterful villain and destroy a perfectly lovely town. Bellwethers for King’s style and approach for years to come.
First let’s tackle the creep
And how could I forget the house. The wonderful, mouldering Marsten House. Shades of the Overlook. Its role is more sinister and so is Hubie's. Barlow's reference to him as the friend who recommended he come to the Lot really shows the people and the town to be mere pawns in a larger game of which they have not a whisper of undertanding. As an homage to Shirley Jackson it works admirably.
This is King’s first villain in what would eventually become his very unique style. On the surface, Barlow is like many other vampires in literature and pulp fiction, but underneath his common trappings we have something very uniquely King. A traveling villain sowing seeds of destruction everywhere he goes. A cyclical villain who needs periods of rest between his furious bouts. A villain who comes into a peaceful town on velvet-slippered feet and tears the community apart by means of its own people. King’s villains strike at the heart of what makes us feel safe – the people we love and the comfort of routine and tradition. The old guys will always hang around the hardware store and have the same discussions and arguments; all with the vigor of endless repetition. The town librarian will always be slightly suspicious of her customers and keep certain treasured books for herself alone. The cops will always be mildly bored and invent high drama for themselves over each speeding ticket or run away dog. Or will they? That’s the gorgeous horror that is what makes King so successful.
The destruction of the ideal King’s most fruitful fodder. Whether it is a town like the Lot or Castle Rock or a perfect friendship like Edgar and Wireman’s or a marriage like the couple in Pet Sematary, the perfection is always drawn in detail. Even though each situation might not be close to home, he gives us enough of what might be precious to us and then wrecks it all with maniacal glee. And we like it.
I can see a lot of future works in this 2nd novel. Needful Things most of all; right down to the antiques store. I can also see why people in the early 70s were appalled by his writing. This is not a tale of fine people doing fine things. Niceties are stripped away and people behave the way they do in real life. Even though I’ve never lived in a small town I know what it’s like; the inner workings are laid bare. The language is a bit dated and chock full of scatological swears and idioms. It’s rough, but indicative of the style that will serve King for years and delight his many Constant Readers, me among them.
First let’s tackle the creep
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the sh*t out of you thing. He succeeds admirably. Tendrils of dread curl around the reader’s ankles fairly early on when tiny vignettes of people’s private lives are revealed. That scene in the cemetery after Ralphie was taken is only the beginning. Soon we have Danny Glick outside of Mark’s window and Mike Ryerson plaguing dear, old Matt. When Barlow finally comes for Susan and Callaghan, ½ the town has succumbed and we know that no one will escape. Like his other books we simultaneously love the build up to the destruction and are saddened by what we cannot tear our eyes from. And let’s not forget the bit at the end where Ben picks up Barlow’s teeth (all that is left of him) and they come to life like demented jumping beans and try to bite. Brilliant.And how could I forget the house. The wonderful, mouldering Marsten House. Shades of the Overlook. Its role is more sinister and so is Hubie's. Barlow's reference to him as the friend who recommended he come to the Lot really shows the people and the town to be mere pawns in a larger game of which they have not a whisper of undertanding. As an homage to Shirley Jackson it works admirably.
This is King’s first villain in what would eventually become his very unique style. On the surface, Barlow is like many other vampires in literature and pulp fiction, but underneath his common trappings we have something very uniquely King. A traveling villain sowing seeds of destruction everywhere he goes. A cyclical villain who needs periods of rest between his furious bouts. A villain who comes into a peaceful town on velvet-slippered feet and tears the community apart by means of its own people. King’s villains strike at the heart of what makes us feel safe – the people we love and the comfort of routine and tradition. The old guys will always hang around the hardware store and have the same discussions and arguments; all with the vigor of endless repetition. The town librarian will always be slightly suspicious of her customers and keep certain treasured books for herself alone. The cops will always be mildly bored and invent high drama for themselves over each speeding ticket or run away dog. Or will they? That’s the gorgeous horror that is what makes King so successful.
The destruction of the ideal King’s most fruitful fodder. Whether it is a town like the Lot or Castle Rock or a perfect friendship like Edgar and Wireman’s or a marriage like the couple in Pet Sematary, the perfection is always drawn in detail. Even though each situation might not be close to home, he gives us enough of what might be precious to us and then wrecks it all with maniacal glee. And we like it.
I can see a lot of future works in this 2nd novel. Needful Things most of all; right down to the antiques store. I can also see why people in the early 70s were appalled by his writing. This is not a tale of fine people doing fine things. Niceties are stripped away and people behave the way they do in real life. Even though I’ve never lived in a small town I know what it’s like; the inner workings are laid bare. The language is a bit dated and chock full of scatological swears and idioms. It’s rough, but indicative of the style that will serve King for years and delight his many Constant Readers, me among them.
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LibraryThing member bardsfingertips
Often what we, as an audience, expect from creative talent often does not coincide with that they expect of themselves.
In 'Salem's Lot, we have King's second published novel immediately after Carrie. There are many trademarks exposed here. One in particular is the haunted town; or, a town that has
The novel itself is rather slow moving. However, I did not feel that this in anyway impaired the body of work. For one, because the town of Jerusalem's Lot is written as its own character, the reader visits many of those affected by the town's lingering evils. And we get to visit those people committing their secrets, knowing their darkest aspects. Being that the last book I read was a reread of Needful Things, I considered reading 'Salem's Lot as the genesis of visiting this style of looking within the sins of the common characters within their homes. In essence, their acts were selfish and monstrous before the supernatural comes and makes slaves of the Lot.
King was a different person by far while he wrote this during the 1970s. I feel as those he was far cynical as to the happenings of his creations and focused on much more specific details. I feel as though his earlier books were less about the people and more about the interactions of people within a scheme. It is as though he were writing the largest diorama and his part is to explain the details of what's what.
As his works mature with him, King takes on a more folksy approach to storytelling. Here in 'Salem's Lot, that Americana folksiness is a mere whisper as he thinks up the next terror to throw at us.
With all of that typed out by yours truly, I should state that I did enjoy the book immensely. I felt as though the first two-thirds of the book is written like a mystery with a gang of newly-found friends wondering what the heck is going on. Many times the group is separated and each character has to mention what he or she knows to others in the group when they finally meet up again. It reminded me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, actually…. Nevertheless, the yarn that is told here is an engrossing one that leaves the reader with the cogs spinning in his head making up his own ending after reading the last sentence. (And if what you imagine for yourself doesn't answer what-happens-next? why, one could just pick up the Dark Tower series and read the Wolves of the Calla and find out.)
In 'Salem's Lot, we have King's second published novel immediately after Carrie. There are many trademarks exposed here. One in particular is the haunted town; or, a town that has
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a horror essence that the inhabitants can sense but do not necessarily place their collective finger upon. Another is casting the lead character as a writer (write what you know). King has many, many works in which the lead is a writer of some sort. Often, they expose the tribulations of being a published author before succumbing to whatever horrors exist in their world.The novel itself is rather slow moving. However, I did not feel that this in anyway impaired the body of work. For one, because the town of Jerusalem's Lot is written as its own character, the reader visits many of those affected by the town's lingering evils. And we get to visit those people committing their secrets, knowing their darkest aspects. Being that the last book I read was a reread of Needful Things, I considered reading 'Salem's Lot as the genesis of visiting this style of looking within the sins of the common characters within their homes. In essence, their acts were selfish and monstrous before the supernatural comes and makes slaves of the Lot.
King was a different person by far while he wrote this during the 1970s. I feel as those he was far cynical as to the happenings of his creations and focused on much more specific details. I feel as though his earlier books were less about the people and more about the interactions of people within a scheme. It is as though he were writing the largest diorama and his part is to explain the details of what's what.
As his works mature with him, King takes on a more folksy approach to storytelling. Here in 'Salem's Lot, that Americana folksiness is a mere whisper as he thinks up the next terror to throw at us.
With all of that typed out by yours truly, I should state that I did enjoy the book immensely. I felt as though the first two-thirds of the book is written like a mystery with a gang of newly-found friends wondering what the heck is going on. Many times the group is separated and each character has to mention what he or she knows to others in the group when they finally meet up again. It reminded me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, actually…. Nevertheless, the yarn that is told here is an engrossing one that leaves the reader with the cogs spinning in his head making up his own ending after reading the last sentence. (And if what you imagine for yourself doesn't answer what-happens-next? why, one could just pick up the Dark Tower series and read the Wolves of the Calla and find out.)
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LibraryThing member silversurfer
One of his best...I can say I have re-read this book, many, many times...it is still King at his best! Great story and scenes that remain with you...stuff of nightmares...
LibraryThing member Prop2gether
He got me to jump. I'd never read 'Salem's Lot past the prologue because vampires were not something that appealed to me. However, these days they are so visible on book shelves, in the movies, and on television, it's kind of silly to avoid reading this book. And King got me. Once I was past the
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first expository chapters, I was hooked and stayed hooked until the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member frozenplums
I can't explain what about this book I didn't like, but it just didn't grab me. I liked that the vampires were dangerous, scary, threatening things - rather than the contemporary misunderstood lovers they've recently been made out to be. I liked that the townspeople didn't all immediately know what
I think what I didn't like was that the villains didn't really seem to have a motive beyond wanting to watch the world burn. Everybody's got a reason. Dig deep, Mr. King. 2 stars.
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was going on, and even when they were told they thought it was crazy and ridiculous and carried on as if everything was just dandy. It was very realistic in that sense.I think what I didn't like was that the villains didn't really seem to have a motive beyond wanting to watch the world burn. Everybody's got a reason. Dig deep, Mr. King. 2 stars.
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LibraryThing member Michael_P
One of King's best novels for many different reasons.
First and foremost, it's simply a great story. Pure Evil in the form of a vampire comes to a small Maine town. The Evil spreads as the vampire's ranks grow, until Good must either stand up and act, or be over-taken. What King did differently with
When people ask me to recommend one King novel, this is the one I always name.
First and foremost, it's simply a great story. Pure Evil in the form of a vampire comes to a small Maine town. The Evil spreads as the vampire's ranks grow, until Good must either stand up and act, or be over-taken. What King did differently with
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this vampire tale was to include the whole town. Unlike the stories that this was built upon, Salem's Lot didn't take place in a far-away castle, didn't involve all-knowing experts battling a single super-demon. This book pitted average Joes against their own loved-ones. They didn't have to drive a stake just into some strange monster that snuck into town, these characters had to drive a stake into the heart of their wife, their child, their neighbor. It was with this twist that King placed his vampire novel near the top of the heap of vampire fiction.When people ask me to recommend one King novel, this is the one I always name.
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LibraryThing member hermit_9
On of King’s least original works. It adds nothing to the vampire literature. Only King’s mastery of storycraft saves this book and makes it enjoyable.
LibraryThing member coralsiren
I've read a lot of positive reviews about this book and eventually decided to read it. Unfortunately, because of this my expectations were high and I was disappointed. The beginning is quite slow and it takes a while before anything happens. There are good moments later in the book, but it's not
I didn't find anything about 'Salems Lot to be particularly original and probably won't bother reading it again.
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really worth it. There are many other Stephen King novels that are much better than this one.I didn't find anything about 'Salems Lot to be particularly original and probably won't bother reading it again.
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LibraryThing member justabookreader
I’ve been re-reading a lot lately. I tend to re-read when I’m in a slump but earlier this year I decided I would pick up several books that I kept meaning to re-read and actually do it. So I did. This is one of those books. After finishing 11/22/63 last year, I wanted more King but what I
Ben Mears is a writer looking for inspiration and believes he’ll find it in Jerusalem’s Lot, Salem’s Lot to the locals, where he spent several happy years as a child living with his aunt. He’s also planned to exorcize a few demons while writing his next book and he thinks he know what will give him the inspiration to do it --- the old Marsten house in Salem’s Lot which gave him nightmares as a child. Ben tried to rent the old house but as it turned out, it was already sold. The house, which was the place of a murder/suicide, is now home to something much more sinister. When strange things begin happening around town, and the dead start disappearing, Ben and a few friends go hunting for more than just the truth about the strange rumors in town.
The start moves slow but builds quickly once the people start disappearing. Isn’t it always that way? While it takes more than vampires to be creepy these days (at least none of these sparkle in the sun!), King does what he does best, creep you out by making you think that noise you heard was really nails tapping on your window and not a tree branch. Yes, pale faces hovering at second story windows, nails tapping on the glass, eyes as black as coal, teeth long and pointy, blood, and gore all about to happen. Oh, good fun. The vampire myths are pretty straight forward in this book --- stakes through the heart, garlic, crosses --- and I liked the simplicity there. I also liked that they were dead and dead-looking. There was no attraction to these monsters. The aspect that religion plays is small but I liked that it was included, and I liked even better that it came in the form of an alcoholic priest with faltering faith. Really, what a better way to fight vampires than a priest who doesn’t believe what he preaches. I’m not calling it out for hypocrisy but for reality. I liked that about the priest.
I read horror every once in a while and always enjoy the genre when I read it. I’ll even say that there are very few books that scare me, but for the first time in a long time, I found myself reading this book strictly during daytime hours and switching to another book to read in bed. The reason? Well, at first, I didn’t think much of it because when I’m reading two books I tend to consider one a day book and one a night book. In this case, I think my subconscious made the decision for me. Who am I kidding; I didn’t want to imagine ghostly white faces hovering outside my bedroom window. There I said it.
So, yes, it was worth the re-read. Now I need to see what other King I have on my list and get to it. It’s nice to re-discover an author every few years.
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wanted was old King. Salem’s Lot seemed like a perfect match. The last time I picked this one up I was high school and I’m glad to know this one still delivers. It was as creepy as I remembered.Ben Mears is a writer looking for inspiration and believes he’ll find it in Jerusalem’s Lot, Salem’s Lot to the locals, where he spent several happy years as a child living with his aunt. He’s also planned to exorcize a few demons while writing his next book and he thinks he know what will give him the inspiration to do it --- the old Marsten house in Salem’s Lot which gave him nightmares as a child. Ben tried to rent the old house but as it turned out, it was already sold. The house, which was the place of a murder/suicide, is now home to something much more sinister. When strange things begin happening around town, and the dead start disappearing, Ben and a few friends go hunting for more than just the truth about the strange rumors in town.
The start moves slow but builds quickly once the people start disappearing. Isn’t it always that way? While it takes more than vampires to be creepy these days (at least none of these sparkle in the sun!), King does what he does best, creep you out by making you think that noise you heard was really nails tapping on your window and not a tree branch. Yes, pale faces hovering at second story windows, nails tapping on the glass, eyes as black as coal, teeth long and pointy, blood, and gore all about to happen. Oh, good fun. The vampire myths are pretty straight forward in this book --- stakes through the heart, garlic, crosses --- and I liked the simplicity there. I also liked that they were dead and dead-looking. There was no attraction to these monsters. The aspect that religion plays is small but I liked that it was included, and I liked even better that it came in the form of an alcoholic priest with faltering faith. Really, what a better way to fight vampires than a priest who doesn’t believe what he preaches. I’m not calling it out for hypocrisy but for reality. I liked that about the priest.
I read horror every once in a while and always enjoy the genre when I read it. I’ll even say that there are very few books that scare me, but for the first time in a long time, I found myself reading this book strictly during daytime hours and switching to another book to read in bed. The reason? Well, at first, I didn’t think much of it because when I’m reading two books I tend to consider one a day book and one a night book. In this case, I think my subconscious made the decision for me. Who am I kidding; I didn’t want to imagine ghostly white faces hovering outside my bedroom window. There I said it.
So, yes, it was worth the re-read. Now I need to see what other King I have on my list and get to it. It’s nice to re-discover an author every few years.
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LibraryThing member sf_addict
I really do like a good horror story..this one doesn't dissapoint.
Now most people's memory of 'Salem's Lot will be flavoured by the 70s TV series featuring David Soul as Ben Mears. Well I don't remember the series that well but having read the book I don't think Soul did the protagonist justice,
Now most people's memory of 'Salem's Lot will be flavoured by the 70s TV series featuring David Soul as Ben Mears. Well I don't remember the series that well but having read the book I don't think Soul did the protagonist justice,
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apart from the fact that Soul is a blonde and the 'real' Ben Mears is raven headed. Yes, raven-headed, a nod to Poe there...well it is a horror story after all... Anyway for those not familiar, the story concerns a vampire setting up shop in an old run down house in a town called Jerusalem's Lot in Maine. Now I've never been to America and I've yet to read Dracula (shocking I know...but watch this space) but after reading King's afterword about the genesis of the book I too believe that transplanting a modern day Dracula into a small dusty old town makes more sense than dropping him into a big bustling city-the Lot just works as that setting. An old monster watching over a few minions in a quiet town that has proper autumn weather-where you feel October as well as see it. And the smell of death and age mix in with the dust...a keeper. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheTreeReader
‘Salem’s Lot is one of those books I’ve been wanting to read for years. For some strange reason I just never bought it. So when I found it at the library I was beyond excited. Now that I’ve read it, I wish I had bought it.
I love Stephen King. Even though I haven’t read many of his books,
I absolutely loved every single thing about this book. The plot was amazing, the characters were great, and of course it was well written. As soon as I finished reading the last page, I started telling everyone I know to read it if they haven’t already. It is incredible.
So you are probably wondering why I said I was a little bit disappointed and why I only gave it four stars instead of five. Well, I didn’t find ‘Salem’s Lot creepy. Everyone that I’ve talked to that has read it said it was really scary. It takes a lot to freak me out, so I shouldn’t have been disappointed that I didn’t get even a bit creeped out, but I was. I wanted to be scared.
Overall, it was an amazing read. I would love to re-read it someday. Maybe a second reading will put it up to five stars since I will know going into it that it isn’t scary.
If you haven’t read this one, you need to. It is such an amazing story. I flew through it in two days. It was so good. Please pick it up.
I love Stephen King. Even though I haven’t read many of his books,
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he is still one of my favorite authors. So I had extremely high expectations going into this one. I was only a tiny bit disappointed.I absolutely loved every single thing about this book. The plot was amazing, the characters were great, and of course it was well written. As soon as I finished reading the last page, I started telling everyone I know to read it if they haven’t already. It is incredible.
So you are probably wondering why I said I was a little bit disappointed and why I only gave it four stars instead of five. Well, I didn’t find ‘Salem’s Lot creepy. Everyone that I’ve talked to that has read it said it was really scary. It takes a lot to freak me out, so I shouldn’t have been disappointed that I didn’t get even a bit creeped out, but I was. I wanted to be scared.
Overall, it was an amazing read. I would love to re-read it someday. Maybe a second reading will put it up to five stars since I will know going into it that it isn’t scary.
If you haven’t read this one, you need to. It is such an amazing story. I flew through it in two days. It was so good. Please pick it up.
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LibraryThing member musicgurl
In this horrific novel, Stephen King has really written a masterpiece. This novel seems to provoke your mind into the depths of something powerfully un-natural.
When writter Ben Mears moves to the old and lonely town of Jerusalem's Lot in Portland, Maine trying to get some inspiration for his next
This novel is excellently detailed and produced that it makes flesh creep and skin shiver. This is defiently one of Kings' best work.
When writter Ben Mears moves to the old and lonely town of Jerusalem's Lot in Portland, Maine trying to get some inspiration for his next
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book, strange happenings begin to unfold at the arrival of two, creepy looking residents. When unsusspecting victims fall at the feet of death without word nor warning and no reason to die, Ben has to uncover a murderer whom has so craftily killed pretty much everyone in Salem's Lot. Will it prove too hard for Ben to sacrifice his girlfriend Susan and his friends for a chance to be rid of the evil beast which lurkes at the top of the haunted hill?This novel is excellently detailed and produced that it makes flesh creep and skin shiver. This is defiently one of Kings' best work.
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LibraryThing member Edward.Lorn
This is the greatest vampire novel ever written. Forget Stoker, ignore Rice, this is it. Why? Because the vampires herein are not your friends. They are not your lovers. There is nothing remotely lovable about Barlow's children of the night. They simply want to f*ck*ng drain you.
Like many people,
My only complaint about this book is the beginning. Even after two reads, I still cannot find a purpose for the prologue. It's one major f*ck*ng spoiler and I don't like it. But that's it. Ignore the prologue and this book is perfect.
Notable character:
Chopper (It's not the same dog, but another canine with the name Chopper pops up in The Body)
Gendron (various King books. Thanks to RedTHaws for doing the research on this one.)
Father Donald Callahan (the final three books of the Dark Tower series)
In summation: A lot of people will disagree with my opening statement, but I don't care. I have not found a more frightening vampire tale, but I must admit, I stopped looking. If you would like to suggest vampire novels that you think are scarier, go ahead, but know that I have read all about Rice's slumberfests, Stoker's diaries, and McCammon's bloodsuckers. The only tale that even comes close to this is the 30 Day's of Night graphic novels. King's vamps have the bite I require, what more can I say?
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my first experience with 'Salem's Lot had to do with Tobe Hooper's amazing made-for-television adaptation. The mute Nosferatu-like Barlow of Hooper's version is nothing like the mustachioed Dracula-esque Barlow of King's book. Some even find Hooper's version of Barlow to be scarier for that reason. No words. No nonsense. Just one scary motherfucker. I remain on the fence. The Barlow of the book is cold and cunning and terrifying, but Hooper's vision can freeze the blood on site. Which is scarier? I don't know, but why can't they both be equally horrifying?My only complaint about this book is the beginning. Even after two reads, I still cannot find a purpose for the prologue. It's one major f*ck*ng spoiler and I don't like it. But that's it. Ignore the prologue and this book is perfect.
Notable character:
Chopper (It's not the same dog, but another canine with the name Chopper pops up in The Body)
Gendron (various King books. Thanks to RedTHaws for doing the research on this one.)
Father Donald Callahan (the final three books of the Dark Tower series)
In summation: A lot of people will disagree with my opening statement, but I don't care. I have not found a more frightening vampire tale, but I must admit, I stopped looking. If you would like to suggest vampire novels that you think are scarier, go ahead, but know that I have read all about Rice's slumberfests, Stoker's diaries, and McCammon's bloodsuckers. The only tale that even comes close to this is the 30 Day's of Night graphic novels. King's vamps have the bite I require, what more can I say?
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LibraryThing member KLmesoftly
I enjoyed this, but I'm a quick reader--this one took me two days to get through. If I'd spent more time on it, I think I may have gotten frustrated with the slow-build; it took King quite a while to introduce the major characters (and a lot of minor, on-off characters, too), and after the first
As it was, I read this one quickly, and quite enjoyed it. I like that the reader is kept guessing for so long as to the exact nature of the evil menacing the town, though once the culprit is revealed, the lore gets a bit muddy, and more than a few loose-ends are left hanging at the end.
Still, I enjoyed the characters, and there were enough truly clever sections in this book to offset the bits I was less impressed by. Not my favorite Stephen King novel, but I wouldn't warn anyone away from it.
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100 pages I was somewhat impatient. As it was, I read this one quickly, and quite enjoyed it. I like that the reader is kept guessing for so long as to the exact nature of the evil menacing the town, though once the culprit is revealed, the lore gets a bit muddy, and more than a few loose-ends are left hanging at the end.
Still, I enjoyed the characters, and there were enough truly clever sections in this book to offset the bits I was less impressed by. Not my favorite Stephen King novel, but I wouldn't warn anyone away from it.
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LibraryThing member marthaearly
Sorry, Mr. King, but I just could not finish this. The characters felt like thin cut-outs of real people, and instead of having a few strong cast members that I could actually care about, there is a sprawling ensemble of characters with names I confused too easily. The central love story is naive
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and annoying, and maybe it's just that I don't care about vampires. There are moments of exceptional creepiness, but otherwise, not enough to make me want to finish. Compared to the Dark Tower series, which I adore, this felt like a limp fish of a book. Show Less
LibraryThing member monkeygirl351
This is how a proper vampire novel should be. No sparkly emo vampires here. The vampires are scary monsters. It also delved into the evil that the small town held that was entirely human. Very descriptive and there were some truly creepy parts. It makes you think twice about that small town that
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you drive through on the way to somewhere else. Very good book, and probably up there as one of Stephen King's best. Show Less
LibraryThing member rsplenda477
King's take on vampires does not disappoint. I remember watching the 1979 TV movie thinking that it was pretty solid. The book definitely adds to the experience with King describing the slow decay of a small Maine town ('Salems Lot) at the hands of the gruesome vampire, Barlow. Two interesting
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things struck me when reading this: 1. King continues to show the horror of real life America by digging deep into the individual homes of families and their everyday situations. This is just as frightening as the vampires themselves. 2. I couldn't help but think that the slow decay of this small town due to the vampire takeover is a commentary on what many small rust belt towns in the US experienced during the decline of the manufacturing economy. In this case, the vampires do serve as a nice metaphor for draining the life out of these small towns over a period of time. Another fantastic book by the king of horror! Show Less
LibraryThing member write-review
A Masterwork of Horror
Ever wonder what Bram Stoker would make of the industry that has sprung from his groundbreaking 1897 Dracula? Though not the first vampire novel, it proved to be the one that launched hundreds of sharp-fanged anti-heroes. It’s an industry and a character writers, film
Which brings us to Stephen King, the writer most will acknowledge as the modern master among masters of horror and the macabre. For his second outing, he chose vampires in a small Maine town, and readers, even now, are the luckier for it. You can say this about most of King’s early works, Carrie, The Shining, and The Stand (first half): it’s a masterwork of terror.
What makes ‘Salem’s Lot, as well as these others so appealing, appealing enough to read a second time years after your first reading? It boils down to small town life, ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, clear writing, terrific pacing (at least in these early novels), and powerful, literal descriptions. King puts you in the situation and the action and because his characters are much like his readers, you can easily project yourself onto the pages. In short, he’s completely relatable.
You’ll find no better work among his pile of writing illustrating King’s strengths. Could there be a more representative American small town than the Lot? Don’t many small towns have a sinister house occupied, or once home to, the town curmudgeon (not a killer, for sure, but scary, especially in the eyes of children). The Lot has a rhythm to it, a way of living that stretches back years, a dull sameness that locals like and set their emotional clock by. Like any town, though, it’s not perfect bliss, or even close to blissful. It’s relatively poor. It’s filled with its share of misfits. It even has a town dump that many who grew up in small towns will recognize. Above all, everybody knows everybody else, maybe a virtue but which contributes to its succumbing to evil.
Even Ben Mears is a small town boy. He’s published a couple of books, true, but hasn’t achieved any kind of fame and no fortune. He returns to his roots to face a fear that has haunted him, and to get a really good book out of the experience. That fear resides in the old, abandoned Marsten House stilling atop a hill overlooking the Lot. Horrible things happened there long ago, long before when Ben was a boy.
Ben gets more than he bargained for. He gets his greatest fear multiplied a hundredfold in the form of Barlow, an ancient vampire come to establish residence in the Lot coincidental with Ben’s arrival. Poor Ben loses so much: a new love in the form of tragic Susan, new friends in the forms of Matt the high school teacher and Jim the doctor, the new novel he’s written deeply into, and most of all, any comfort and joy in living. Yet, with young Mark at his side, he does gain a new and pretty meaningful purpose in life as one who now can see behind the curtain of quotidian life, like that that the Lot enjoyed before Barlow’s arrival.
There’s one other characteristic of King’s writing that unfortunately ‘Salem’s Lot doesn’t have: stunningly memorable characters, among them religious lunatic Margaret White, rabbi fan Annie Wilkes, pyromaniac “Trashcan Man,” the list is long. Vampire master Barlow could have been such a character, ancient, big, nasty, egotistical, and above all, wonderfully bombastic. It isn’t often said about novels, but ‘Salem’s Lot would have benefited immensely from deep background on Barlow. Nonetheless, ‘Salem’s Lot is still a heck of a powerful horror yarn.
Ever wonder what Bram Stoker would make of the industry that has sprung from his groundbreaking 1897 Dracula? Though not the first vampire novel, it proved to be the one that launched hundreds of sharp-fanged anti-heroes. It’s an industry and a character writers, film
Show More
studios, and television have worked practically to death. Yet, we never seem to tire of the Count and his brethren. Which brings us to Stephen King, the writer most will acknowledge as the modern master among masters of horror and the macabre. For his second outing, he chose vampires in a small Maine town, and readers, even now, are the luckier for it. You can say this about most of King’s early works, Carrie, The Shining, and The Stand (first half): it’s a masterwork of terror.
What makes ‘Salem’s Lot, as well as these others so appealing, appealing enough to read a second time years after your first reading? It boils down to small town life, ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, clear writing, terrific pacing (at least in these early novels), and powerful, literal descriptions. King puts you in the situation and the action and because his characters are much like his readers, you can easily project yourself onto the pages. In short, he’s completely relatable.
You’ll find no better work among his pile of writing illustrating King’s strengths. Could there be a more representative American small town than the Lot? Don’t many small towns have a sinister house occupied, or once home to, the town curmudgeon (not a killer, for sure, but scary, especially in the eyes of children). The Lot has a rhythm to it, a way of living that stretches back years, a dull sameness that locals like and set their emotional clock by. Like any town, though, it’s not perfect bliss, or even close to blissful. It’s relatively poor. It’s filled with its share of misfits. It even has a town dump that many who grew up in small towns will recognize. Above all, everybody knows everybody else, maybe a virtue but which contributes to its succumbing to evil.
Even Ben Mears is a small town boy. He’s published a couple of books, true, but hasn’t achieved any kind of fame and no fortune. He returns to his roots to face a fear that has haunted him, and to get a really good book out of the experience. That fear resides in the old, abandoned Marsten House stilling atop a hill overlooking the Lot. Horrible things happened there long ago, long before when Ben was a boy.
Ben gets more than he bargained for. He gets his greatest fear multiplied a hundredfold in the form of Barlow, an ancient vampire come to establish residence in the Lot coincidental with Ben’s arrival. Poor Ben loses so much: a new love in the form of tragic Susan, new friends in the forms of Matt the high school teacher and Jim the doctor, the new novel he’s written deeply into, and most of all, any comfort and joy in living. Yet, with young Mark at his side, he does gain a new and pretty meaningful purpose in life as one who now can see behind the curtain of quotidian life, like that that the Lot enjoyed before Barlow’s arrival.
There’s one other characteristic of King’s writing that unfortunately ‘Salem’s Lot doesn’t have: stunningly memorable characters, among them religious lunatic Margaret White, rabbi fan Annie Wilkes, pyromaniac “Trashcan Man,” the list is long. Vampire master Barlow could have been such a character, ancient, big, nasty, egotistical, and above all, wonderfully bombastic. It isn’t often said about novels, but ‘Salem’s Lot would have benefited immensely from deep background on Barlow. Nonetheless, ‘Salem’s Lot is still a heck of a powerful horror yarn.
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LibraryThing member br13geva
Wow. Stephen King's masterpiece is here! He finally puts together two of the most scary things on the planet together: vampires and reporters. Although it is a long book, with deleted scenes at the end and some letters written to various people, it still is a fantastic read.
You combine the
And I'm NOT talking about little, helpless vampires. I'm talking about vampires would would love to kill you at the first opportunity than to greet you. Anyways, King delivers again with a well-paced book, and I hope he will be making a sequel to this, but this time, maybe add zombies?
I'm reading Tabitha King's One on One' book. Wonder if that's any good....
You combine the
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seriousness of reporter 'knowledge' with the sincerity of the vampires...or is it the other way around? Anyways. although I had to re-read some of the book back, King does an amazing job switching to other places. Most people would get lost in this book, but King delivers beautifully by leading all these people into the same area and by killing them off one by one. And I'm NOT talking about little, helpless vampires. I'm talking about vampires would would love to kill you at the first opportunity than to greet you. Anyways, King delivers again with a well-paced book, and I hope he will be making a sequel to this, but this time, maybe add zombies?
I'm reading Tabitha King's One on One' book. Wonder if that's any good....
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LibraryThing member briannad84
One of my favorite books and movies! To this day Mr. Barlow on the movie still freaks me out! Very good, and very original! The vampire genre has gone down-hill since Twilight!
LibraryThing member ouroborosangel
Really, I'd give this 3.5 stars. Although I have read all of King's recent books, I've read only a handful of his older books. I'm trying to remedy that now. If you don't know, Salem's Lot is a vampire story. King doesn't really bring anything new to the legend, but it is still a compelling and
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dark read. And, I will not be looking out of any windows at night for a very long time - so don't come knocking, scratching or calling out for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
Don't get me wrong--I love Buffy--but one of the things we can lay on its doorstep is the glamorization and sexing up of vampires. And we can probably blame Anne Rice too. And LK Hamilton. So nowadays vampires in one blockbuster series popular with tweens sparkle, shine and are the (rich) boy next
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door. Not King's vampires though--these are old-fashioned vampires--monsters--the ones that make you fear the dark and appear in nightmares--and that's what I love this book for. I think this book along with another Stephen King book, The Shining, are tied for scariest book I've ever read. You might want to read this one in bright sunlight--but be warned if at night it comes back to haunt you nevertheless. Show Less
LibraryThing member madam_razz
I. Loved. This. Book. It's definitely not short, and there is liberal use of slurs and turns of phrase that will probably shock new readers today, but it's so, so, so worth it. A lot of people lament the days when vampires in fiction were scary, and for those people who long for that this is
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definitely a book for you. Nothing about this book is slow, dull, or boring and it's absolutely a page-turner. And while I absolutely would recommend it to anyone who wants to see vampires be scary again, who wants a good monster hunt, who loves horror, I would definitely not recommend that you read it in the middle of the night. Especially if you happen to be at home alone. Show Less
LibraryThing member Codonnelly
As we near the end of this nightmarish year, what better way to lighten the mood than with a horror novel? Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot recounts the tale of a small town in Maine with a dark past. On a hill overlooking the town sits the Marsten House. Vacant for many years, the house is most
The novel is told in third-person limited perspective, with some characters favored over others. The reader most often reads through the eyes of Ben, who provides a unique outsider’s perspective. Ben’s love interest, Susan Norton, offers a more intimate view of the town’s culture and values, as she has lived in the town her entire life. Every so often, a chapter or two is devoted to a wide swath of the community, and the reader encounters many distinct personalities. King’s devotion to character shines immensely throughout the novel, as he gives each townsperson an incredibly intricate backstory.
Atmosphere and setting play a key role in the narrative. The lore behind the Marsten House, as well as its infamy within the town, weaves a haunting web as the story unfolds. Every strange occurrence finds its way back to the house, and as the plot quickens, its evil looms larger on the page and in the mind of the reader. King is known for his literary allusions, so it comes as no surprise that the Marsten House has parallels to Hill House from Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.
If you can, I highly recommend steering clear of spoilers, as the novel relies heavily on suspense. The reader investigates with Ben and his cohorts as they dig into the mysteries of the town and its inhabitants. While the novel is long and wordy, don’t be fooled by King’s descriptive paragraphs. One moment everything will seem calm and pleasant, and the next you’ll be abruptly pulled into mortal danger. No character is safe.
Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot is a horror classic of epic proportions. Don’t be surprised if it seems familiar, as it appears throughout much of King’s body of work, and since its publication in 1975, it has spawned many imitations. I guarantee you’ll spend many a sleepless night before and after reading it. Half of the US isn’t sleeping anyway, so why not give it a try?
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well-known for the notoriety of its former owner, a man who murdered his wife and then hung himself. When Ben Mears, a writer who spent his formative years in “the Lot,” returns to begin his new novel, strange things begin to occur. He soon learns that he and the town may be in grave danger.The novel is told in third-person limited perspective, with some characters favored over others. The reader most often reads through the eyes of Ben, who provides a unique outsider’s perspective. Ben’s love interest, Susan Norton, offers a more intimate view of the town’s culture and values, as she has lived in the town her entire life. Every so often, a chapter or two is devoted to a wide swath of the community, and the reader encounters many distinct personalities. King’s devotion to character shines immensely throughout the novel, as he gives each townsperson an incredibly intricate backstory.
Atmosphere and setting play a key role in the narrative. The lore behind the Marsten House, as well as its infamy within the town, weaves a haunting web as the story unfolds. Every strange occurrence finds its way back to the house, and as the plot quickens, its evil looms larger on the page and in the mind of the reader. King is known for his literary allusions, so it comes as no surprise that the Marsten House has parallels to Hill House from Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.
If you can, I highly recommend steering clear of spoilers, as the novel relies heavily on suspense. The reader investigates with Ben and his cohorts as they dig into the mysteries of the town and its inhabitants. While the novel is long and wordy, don’t be fooled by King’s descriptive paragraphs. One moment everything will seem calm and pleasant, and the next you’ll be abruptly pulled into mortal danger. No character is safe.
Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot is a horror classic of epic proportions. Don’t be surprised if it seems familiar, as it appears throughout much of King’s body of work, and since its publication in 1975, it has spawned many imitations. I guarantee you’ll spend many a sleepless night before and after reading it. Half of the US isn’t sleeping anyway, so why not give it a try?
Show Less
Pages
288