Salem's Lot

[Tombrun]

Just wanted to pop in and tell you that I'm currently reading Salem's Lot for the first time and I love it! The last book I read was The Stand and can honestly say that I'm enjoying Salem's Lot more. I've seen both movies/mini-series before, but I didn't like any of those, so I've waited a long time to read the book. But now I'm halfway through and it's one of my favourites already. I think it's the first time I've actually found a book scary...

[Haunted]

I just finished re-reading Salem's Lot. There were a lot of years between reads and the second time around was like it was new. I have related elsewhere on this board that I only read it during the daylight hours because those wonderful words of Mr. King's were creating such horrific and spine chilling pictures in my feeble brain I needed the sun to keep my sanity.

WHAT A MARVELOUS STORY, EH?:biggrin2:

[aptpupil]

Tombrun

Therein lies one of SK's great strengths. Ask one hundred people what their favourite SK novel is, and you'll get up to twenty different answers, because they all have quality.

Salem's Lot would be lower down my list, but each to his own.

[Tooley]

Whoa! You like 'Salem's Lot more than The Stand?! Wow. Never thought I'd hear that, but oh well - to everyone their own. This shouldn't be too big of a surprise to me though, because I've read 'Salem's Lot twice! It is one of my personal favorite horror novels as well, and I do believe I'd consider it the best vampire book EVER (take THAT (!) Twilight). I hope you venture further into the world of King and stick around for awhile on the boards!

[Tombrun]

Well I liked The Stand for what it's worth, but I guess I like "action" or "horror" books more. I'm not much of a reader, so if I'm to sustain interrest throughout a book, it better be exciting and actionfilled. I know it sounds cheap, but I better get used to reading a bit more before I take on a huge "serious" novel like The Stand again.

I will stick around here tho :-). I have around 30 more Stephen King books to read after this one, so I guess you'll be hearing more of my praise for the King!

[TheHardcase]

I have to say that 'Salem's Lot would make my top five SK books of all time. I've read it numerous times and never fail to catch a different nuance to an already heart-pounding story. Clearly, it's one of SK's best.

But The Stand is in a class by itself. A classic for all time.

[Jasonbobdude]

Just read 'Salem's lot about a week ago. I agree, I decided early on that this was one of my favorites. It's faster-paced than The Stand, which I like, but it's hard to say which one I liked more.

[Mr. Jingles]

Tombrun

Therein lies one of SK's great strengths. Ask one hundred people what their favourite SK novel is, and you'll get up to twenty different answers, because they all have quality.

Salem's Lot would be lower down my list, but each to his own.

What?? Come on, now! One of my all time faves!!! It's so good! And creeeeeepy! I can picture so clearly what that damn Barlow looks like.....spooky thing....:eek2:

[kisun]

I recently re-read it in December. I had forgotten how great it was. A bone-chiller for sure!

[Robert DeSoto]

yeah so far that's my favorite book

[cunninghamair]

Lock the windows!

[Black_crusader]

'Salem's Lot' was the first Stephen King's book I have read. If I'm not wrong I was 15. I read it usually at night hours and I remember that I was terrified. When I read it I still want more and start read next SK books. And this was the time when I have became Stephen King's fan :D!

[smooth operator]

Salem's Lot scared the living hell out of me the first time I read it. I was a teenager. I was sitting in my bed late at night with only a reading lamp on - the house was quiet and dark - the little Gluck boy was scratching at his brother's window - I was on the edge of my seat, trying to will him not to go to the window (that's not your brother any more - don't open the window) - suddenly my Mom knocked on the bedroom door - boom boom boom (well, kind of like that) - I screamed - the book flew one way and I flew the other way - my Mom screamed and jumped. It was great!! I love a good clean scare. But it is like a surprise, it really only works good the first time, when you are not expecting it.

[tillyn]

That's the book that made me sleep with the covers up around my neck. Hey the kid scratching on the window really freaked me out.

[Sawney Beane]

I loved Salem´s Lot,but I just can´t see Vampires as something scary.

[marew1]

I like The Stand better than Salem's Lot.

[Haunted]

Salem's Lot scared the living hell out of me the first time I read it. I was a teenager. I was sitting in my bed late at night with only a reading lamp on - the house was quiet and dark - the little Gluck boy was scratching at his brother's window - I was on the edge of my seat, trying to will him not to go to the window (that's not your brother any more - don't open the window) - suddenly my Mom knocked on the bedroom door - boom boom boom (well, kind of like that) - I screamed - the book flew one way and I flew the other way - my Mom screamed and jumped. It was great!! I love a good clean scare. But it is like a surprise, it really only works good the first time, when you are not expecting it.

Such a BIG HUG for you. What a picture you drew. Great story for the inside flap!!

[Haunted]

I loved Salem´s Lot,but I just can´t see Vampires as something scary.

You've not read Stoker's Dracula? The part when the sisters find Jonathan????????? AGH!!!!!!!!!!! Pure classic vampire along with:




"And yet they both knew, of course. They were not alone."

[JohnDalglish]

I loved Salem´s Lot,but I just can´t see Vampires as something scary.

Hi,

Well, as your Board name is a well-known Scottish cannibal, I don't suppose you would. LOL

Sawney Bean

Long days and pleasant nights

[Black_crusader]

Yeah scene with little Gluck scratching the window... I remember it... When I read it, it was near midnight and I pray not to heard that noises on my window :D.

[cunninghamair]

I used to sleep with the curtains open, so the sunshine in the morning would wake me up. Now I sleep with 'em closed and the window locked. If I woke up in the middle of the night and saw red eyes...........

[Jasonbobdude]

I loved Salem´s Lot,but I just can´t see Vampires as something scary.

We have Twilight to blame for that. Back when 'Salem's Lot was written, vampires actually had some self-respect.

[Cognac]

nice, i think everyone here has felt that way before. its great

[LadyDelphia]

Salem's Lot was my second book by Stephen King, the first having been Christine. I liked the Lot much better, and it was one of the only books to ever really scare me. I had to keep all the shades drawn at night and still worry about being out alone at night, lol. Although, I guess it would be kinda cool to be a vampire, those vampires were freaking scary. I could just imagine rolling over one night and seeing a person clinging to my window, looking it at me. Scary stuff!!!

[psj77]

The Lot would be in my top three with Bag Of Bones & Hearts In Atlantis. I don't think I could put them in any order though. My top 5 would be rounded out by The Stand & It.

[Sawney Beane]

You've not read Stoker's Dracula? The part when the sisters find Jonathan????????? .I have,I read Dracula when I was ten or eleven,and yes I found that particular passage quite scary,in fact,that´s the closest I´ve been to be scared by vampires.The thing is, few years later I saw Coppola´s adaptation and...er...well,let´s just say that I didn´t find that bit of the story with the sisters scary anymore.:oh:

[Sawney Beane]

Hi,

Well, as your Board name is a well-known Scottish cannibal, I don't suppose you would. LOL

.:blush:but I AM Sawney Beane¡

[constantreader85]

I read salemn's lot when i was a teenager, i thought i would buy the book after seeing the original salem's lot with david soul. the book was brilliant and i have read it a number of times.

[michal]

My favorite Stephen King book ever! I absolutely love the way all the town's stories come together, and how we get to know everyone in that place and their dirty little secrets. It's the book I've reread most (hundreds of times perhaps) and it never fails tickling my imagination as it did when I read it for the first time.

[Renzo]

Just finished this for the first time. I am definitely behind, I know. Overall, I enjoyed Salem's Lot enough to recommend it to my wife to read. I was never really big into vampires but this book gave me some hope that they can be done correctly. As was mentioned earlier, today's entertainment world has sorta turned vamps into kiddie stuff.

I think for me, I really enjoyed Mark, Father Callahan and Ben's characters. As I turned the pages, I kept trying to guess who would survive and who would meet their doom. Father Callahan's story really threw me for a loop! I took to Mark's character right away after his opening scene when fighting the huge bully. That was hilarious. :laugh:

There were definitely a few memorable scenes too. Overall, an above average book for sure. 8/10

[barbiespoodle]

One of the great things about SK's books is that there seems to be a book to scare almost anyone.

Comparing Salems lot to The Stand is like comparing apples to oranges to me. And some people like apples, some like oranges and then some, like me, like both. What I'm trying to say is that while they are both horror stories, they are totally different. Salems Lot is a classic horror story using classic monsters, The Stand is a horror story, but a 'what if this happened because of our techno age' horror story.

But what freaks us out is such a personal thing and good old SK seems to find a way to tap into most of our personal freak outs. To some it's vampires, Lord knows there are enough stories about them out right now, some it's the government letting loose a super bug, to me, it's the huge corn field behind me, I got lost in that once, never again, I swear you hear all kinds of sounds coming after you when you are lost in a jungle of corn stalks, and Children of the Corn made sure I never set foot in it again, I now walk the extra mile around it to get back to my best friends house when the corn is high, lol.

Side note, I'm glad I read both Salems Lot and The Stand before I read the DT series, sure made it easier to understand a few things.

[Ben E Gas]

I loved Salem´s Lot,but I just can´t see Vampires as something scary.

I hear ya. I wasn't crazy about the idea of reading about vampires at first, but I thought King did a great job and I enjoyed the story. I was most scared of the things within the walls and in the basement though.

I liked the idea from the Dark Tower series that vampires aren't just blood suckers but that there are other types of vampires that feed off of other things.

[Sinbad]

I recently read 'Salem's Lot' and really enjoyed it, but for me it's a book I'm going to have to re-read to really take everything in properly. :)

[thymeoperator]

i think it's just that we're generally immune to the idea of vampires these days - every generation that passes, you need newer more brutal horrible things to outdo the last monsters, don't you? because people get used to things. i didn't personally find the vampire aspect scary when i read that book, but rather the idea of losing someone so suddenly and being surrounded by impending doom...that was really unsettling.

[becks]

I've read Salem's Lot a couple of times now and I think it's one of SK's best.
Best to the King, Becks.

[E.king59]

Just about halfway thru my second reading of salems lot.Must be 15 years since last time,have to agree,its good stuff.Keep picturing david soul as ben tho.Thats a little annoying!

[Akira]

I finished this for the first time last night. I loved the book, loved the town and how it and it's inhabitants were introduced and detailed. The way he did it has left me so excited for Under the Dome with it's small town and cast of hundreds, which I shall start reading tomorrow.

With Salem's Lot it was quite shocking how quickly everything happened. It took so long for it all to develop and for characters to realise what may be happening, and once they did then it snowballed rapidly, which was great. I found it very tense and spooky in places, which I loved, and I look forward to reading it again in the future...but first, I have other King works to get through.

[Manxkitti]

I never thought I would hear or read someone saying they like something better than the Stand. Not one of his scariest (The Stand) but to each his own. I thought Pet Sematary was pretty scary, tho.