Giving Up on Duma Key. Talk Me Down.

[bigrobdeezey]

Please...Somebody...I don't know where else to turn. Just tell me it's worth it in the end. I hate to put down an 800-page story after 500 pages, but I don't know what else to do. I find myself skipping pages, and I don't do that with SK. They just took Elisabeth to the hospital. Tell me it picks up from here...Please.

[Spideyman]

Do read on, the best is yet to come. Like a good adventure/mystery, you will be drawn in and the ending, is well..... keep reading. It is worth your time. Sai King won't let you down. And don't skip pages, you just might miss a critical clue.

[smooth operator]

Don't give up. If they just took Elizabeth to the hospital, then you don't have long to wait. Get ready to perch on the edge of your seat.

[jack12k8]

I thought it was a terrific book, but one man's treasure is another's pile of junk I suppose. If you havn't caught on by 500 pps, not sure what to suggest other than maybe starting over. I finished Duma on Fri. night and it left me wanting more.

[lil lisey 1127]

[/COLOR]

trust me it picks up really fast in the last little bit or atleast i thought it did Duma Key id definately a worth while read and finish dont give up just yet =)

[Terry B]

It's classic Stephen King. It's a wonderful book. Stick with it. You will not be disappointed.

[Black Suit]

Dude.. just keep reading.

[Kim L.]

If the books isn't working for you, put it down and try it again in a few weeks. You're 500 pages into it, you've put in a good effort. I think it's a great book but that's just me. You may just not be in a place to like it right now.

[MadamMack]

Please...Somebody...I don't know where else to turn. Just tell me it's worth it in the end. I hate to put down an 800-page story after 500 pages, but I don't know what else to do. I find myself skipping pages, and I don't do that with SK. They just took Elisabeth to the hospital. Tell me it picks up from here...Please.

Welcome to the Board. Stop skippin' pages . . .you're missing the story! To me it was a great book. Maybe LIFE's got more of your attention and you just can really get into it right now.

[the_last_gunslinger]

I would keep going.

The part you are on was lagging a little bit, but the book really is worth it. There comes a time, when everything is coming together, where the main characters are starting to figure things out, that is particularly creepy. It was one of those rare times when I am reading that I say to myself, "Man, I'm glad I'm not in that situation." Not only was it well written, but it was atmospheric as well. It was good enough, in my opinion, to challenge IT as possibly my favorite King book.

I hope you stick with it. The final conflict really makes it worth while.

[tess4da]

Didn't like it at first, then read it a second time. Got it better at a slower pace. :)

[Mr Nobody]

It picks up. :smile2:
My own opinion was that there was a fair bit of fluff in there...and yet, thinking back on it, I can't see how the arcs would have come together without it. So it was 'apparent fluff'. I guess it's the difference between reading it ('where's this going? Why is that even there?') and having read it.
Tbh, I felt the same way about Lisey's Story. I was waiting for the switch-up and I still think maybe it came too late in both cases, but with hindsight, everything you read is there for a reason.

[Ubasti]

Duma Key was one of my favorites. I would just stick with it if I were you.

[tiger67]

hmm - I personally can't understand why you're skipping pages - I thought Duma Key was brilliant.
All I can say, is if you've got this far, you may as well finish.

[Prince of Darkness]

Hi,

It's completely worth it, IMO.

It is really one of Sai King's best works, ever. I found the end to be one of the best he has ever written, and it truly is an amazing journey. You are more than halfway through it, JUST FINISH IT, and then you can at least have said you finished it.

Please, please, please, just finish it.

Duma Key is magnificent.

Long days and pleasant nights

[Haunted]

Many, many wise words here. I can only add if you know Mr. King's stories surely you know he's got a hook waiting for you. Who knows, maybe on the next page.:biggrin2:

If it is not a good time in your life to concentrate on the written word and let those awesome images explode in your mind; put DK aside and promise you will return soonest.

[ms.darkside]

Wow, I loved Duma Key! Keep reading, the pieces will fall into place. :smile2:

[fireice74]

I also had a hard time on Duma Key around the Elizabeth part. it does pick up a bit... not one of my favorites but I'm glad i finished it.

[Srbo]

Don`t know...

I found it superb.

And...reading 500 pages of ANY book with only 300 to go...I just couldn`t live with that.

I`d have to read it to the end, good or bad, don`t matter.

And Duma is good, trust us.

[jackson992]

It was a good book but not my fav. It is kind of slow until the end.

[sueb84]

I agree with Kim L. I found it a great read, but perhaps you're not in the mood for this type of book. Try something lse and give it another chance.

[LadyLyn]

I must agree with most of the others here about DK being absolutely brilliant. The only thing I can say are the things that have already been stated. If you've already invested enough time to read as far as you have, then you really should just see it through to the end.
Stephen King never lets you down in the end IMO, but I also agree that if it's not a particularly good time for reading and getting absorbed into the book at the moment, then let it sit for a while until you can focus on it better.
It really is a great book.
Good luck!

[blunthead]

The idea is to enjoy sK. If this isn't happening and you can't find the key, put it down and go to another book or short story, one which sounds good to you, something which seems more to your liking. Don't be discouraged. His books are so varied in subject matter and style, especially in chronological terms, that it may be unreasonable for every fan to like every story. You can always pick it up later, and see what happens then.

Duma Key is one of my favorites, but sometimes it's hard to say why a person has a favorite in the first place. As you read the posts here you're bound to hear titles which sound interesting to you. Get ready to make a long list!

[Zenjamin]

seek help...


Seriously though. There was not a single instant in this book where I was not completely absorbed.
If your skipping pages, its because you find it difficult to relate to the interpersonal relationships of others at this point in your life.

[agent4CK]

Continue reading on. I know that there are some parts of Duma Key that get somewhat slow, but continue on. The whole book ties together amazingly quick, but you need all the back story for it to make sense.

I don't know if the page reference that you gave is relevent, since I have the hard cover.

[~Ally~]

Hi, i really hope you manage to stick with this but if you are skipping pages you may be missing important plot developments so perhaps it would be best to leave this story until another time, when you can give it the attention it fully deserves.:smile2:

I hope you do manage to get through the story though as Edgar and Wireman are two of my recent favourite characters, good luck.:smile2:

[bopropadop]

Please...Somebody...I don't know where else to turn. Just tell me it's worth it in the end. I hate to put down an 800-page story after 500 pages, but I don't know what else to do. I find myself skipping pages, and I don't do that with SK. They just took Elisabeth to the hospital. Tell me it picks up from here...Please.


Can you give us an update on your decision to continue or not? Hope you found some words of wisdom here that helped you on your way...

Good luck!

[ladyraven]

please don't give up...it really was a great book

[LittleRedKing]

seek help...


Seriously though. There was not a single instant in this book where I was not completely absorbed.
If your skipping pages, its because you find it difficult to relate to the interpersonal relationships of others at this point in your life.

Same here. :smile2:

The joy is in the journey a lot of the time, and Duma Key is a great example of that concept. I was hooked from page one, so I honestly have a hard time relating to this idea.

Now, if it were The Stand, I could see where the first part of the book is hard to get into and would say "Keep going!" but I just don't see that here.

Maybe this is just not the right book for you? :wow:

[mrsbu09]

Ok, I´ve been where you are. I am stubborn so I kept on reading - luckily enough.
Get ready for the big dive of the roller coaster....It is worth it....I agree with the last gunslinger, it has challenged my fav´s...and given me the creepiest nightmares so far....

[pixiedark]

I would keep reading. The book most definitely gets much scarier after the part you just read. Everything ties in together and there is definitely some HUGE surprises! I would also try to go back and read the pages you skipped, because you could have missed a major clue to the entire novel.
I understand what you are going through, the first time I read Duma Key I was neutral about it and I skipped some pages also. Then on the second read I liked it much better. It is now one of my top favorites of SK and on the second read I realize it is a classic Stephen King book.

[deltadog32]

You really need to finish it or you will regret not knowing how it turned out. It was a book that took quite a while to build up but I am glad that I finished reading it. It was an adventure that was worth taking the trip for.

[michal]

It was a hard book for me to read as well, and I too found myself struggling with it, which is funny because of the the way so many Constant Readers seem to list it as their absolute favorite.

Well, ITS NOT MY FAVORITE, far from it, but if you've lasted this long -may as well hear the story through. The ending may compensate for you displeasure so far, and even if not, at least you'll know what happened.

[robdraggoo]

I found this book hard to read and I almost gave up on it myself. The 1st 100 pages were really good. The it got slow with the art gallery stuff. that was the next 150 pages. Then it kind of pulled out of it and moved much qwicker around the 250 page mark. I am now at 370 pages and im getting hooked more and more after every page. it pays off so keep reading

[Charms7]

I am loving every minute of reading Duma Key. I'm not quite halfway through, but I am enjoying each and every morsel of adventure from my favorite wordslinger!

[Violet]

Don't give up on the book. It really is an excellent book.
Keep reading it get's better.

[xforce11]

Thanks for sharing everyone. I too started the book and then stopped. I will read it again soon. I like the original poster started reading and stopped. I did the same think with Bag of Bones (which I ended up liking). It was just the main character's state of mind at the beginning of BoB that made it hard to. I'll start Duma soon and push through.

[Stillreading]

yeah, this was an interesting one. This is arguably one of the easiest Sk books by which to examine his prodigious literary talent. In most of his novels (and this is primarily the problem for many critics) it is easy to be overwhelmed by the horror, or the violence, or the supernatural elements of the stories that his ability to write poignant characters while exploring the many depths of human behaviour (canadian spelling, folks) gets overshadowed or outright ignored. On the contrary, for most of Duma the typical sensational elements of gore, horror, and the supernatural are conspicuously absent. As a result, he just writes a very intimate and touching story that relies entirely on his skills to create a typical human character experiencing a not so uncommon tragedy and his subsequent attempt to find peace with that. There are obviously undercurrents present that push to the surface and reveal themselves by novels end, but I was actually a little disappointed when that happened. This is to say that I understand a person who looks to Sk for something a little more sensational, but if you like a more overtly intimate human story this is a great book for that.

[SharonC]

I found the book very difficult to get through as well, but I did finish it. It was not one of my favourites. After a year or so I read it again, and perhaps because I knew where the story was heading, I found it a better read. It is still not one of my favourites, but it is not one I entirely disliked either. If I was 500 pages in, I would have to finish it just to see how it ends. But the decision is yours, my friend.

[A Guest from Roanoke]

I read the first 100 pages and was given 'Night Shift' to read so I went with it ... In the end I came back to Duma Key and am so glad I did ... The journey through the book was worth it in the end in my opinion .... Not my favorite book of SK but it is good .... Stick with it :wink2:

[Pucker]

I was about to ask, "Why would anyone continue reading a book they weren't enjoying?"

But then I remembered how hard it was for me to get through Insomnia (twice), and how I kept thinking it must certainly get better.

In my opinion, it didn't, but there is something to be said for finishing what you start.

[Rayne]

iT MAY SEEM LONG BUT I ASURE U IT WILL BE WORHT IT

[goodwitch]

It was hard for me to get thru at first but persistence pays off! Keep reading it will be worth it in the end.

[lynncollins]

It is one of Stephen's BESTS, in my opinion, but I am a big fan of art, and I live in close proximity to the described location of Duma Key, which could have a bearing on my feelings towards this book. I DO think the characters are well-developed, and I find myself caring what happens to them. DO NOT GIVE UP! It is well worth the time!
Please...Somebody...I don't know where else to turn. Just tell me it's worth it in the end. I hate to put down an 800-page story after 500 pages, but I don't know what else to do. I find myself skipping pages, and I don't do that with SK. They just took Elisabeth to the hospital. Tell me it picks up from here...Please.

[Kimberly88]

MY FAVORITE BOOK... BUT YOU HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING WITHOUT SKIPPING.:grinning: JMO.

[rosematters]

I would suggest you READ ON, this was one of my all time favs!! It will be worth it in the end!!:y:

[steve-w]

I finished this last night. I enjoyed most of what you have read so far, but I really enjoyed it after that. Keep reading, IMO, it's worth it!

[hustle111]

i had the same problem, around the same time too... but the ending was totally worth it

the end and the first 2/3 of the book felt completely separate imho

[shipoffools]

I had a problem getting into this book at the beginning, must have started it and given up on it three or four times. But now I'm 500 pages in (just got past where you were), and I'm really intrigued by the plotline. I'm kind of interested to find out what's in the picnic basket, and why it's so important to the story.

[since75]

I had to get my paperback copy of DK to see what was happening on or about page 500, and I see it is the Art Show of Edgar's work. But on page 501.. the ride is getting ready to start. I don't know if we are allowed to post word for word of SteveK, so I will sort of paraphrase.. Elizabeth says 'I'll be getting all the rest I need very soon' and smiled. Her eyes returned to me, 'Trixie pixie nixie,' she said. 'To her, it's all a game. And to all our sorrow, she's awake again'. 'Edgar, she's awake!'

You know how a roller coaster has that first very long chuggy slooooow hill that starts the ride, up up up it goes, so slow you could probably run faster to the top than the car is inching along. Like the little engine that could... puff puff puff I think I can I think I can.. then whoooooooooooosh down you go when you got to the top and the ride starts! whip around the turns, upside down, around the curves wheeeeeeeeeeeee.. yeah, like that. Keep going, you made it up the hill and it's gonna be a fun ride.

[CCAL]

I am just wondering if our reading friend ever finished Duma Key....dont see mention here. I didnt have a slow moment in this book. It took off for me like a runaway train! I know some of SK's physical pain came thru for our main character. He suffered so! This was one amazing story here and the way SK presented it was spell-binding. I stayed for a while (before reading Duma Key)near Dolphin Island-right after hurricane. So the images brought much of the story alive for me! I just loved Wireman too. What a guy,huh?

[CCAL]

o dear me! I typed Dolphin Island---I meant Dauphin Island! Didn't realize mistake til later.My apologies to all. This is perfect example of what can happen when you listen to a nature show on tv while typing! I'm sorry about that.

[Roland17]

I think this is honestly one of King's best books! I absolutely loved the setting, the mysteries, Wireman and especially the tension towards the end but as others have suggested above, if by 500 pages you're totally involved, start it again because I fell in love with Duma Key from the very first chapter!