Favorite scenes from Salem's Lot

[Renzo]

Having just completed this novel, I have been continually milling various scenes over in mind for the past week (a sign of a good book). Here are some of my favorites; please provide some others that you enjoyed:

1. Mark's intro and encounter with the bully
Can't remember the bully's name but I remember he was huge! A classic introduction to one of my favorite characters in the book. I loved the way he was so calm and cool whilst taking down the giant. Once his father was introduced, you could understand how he got that way.

2. Ben's return to the Marsten House
Deep down he knew he would have to bury his past but could he have imagined what he would have to do in order to accomplish this? After losing his wife, he is forced to lose another love: Susan. I can't imagine seeing your lover as he saw her inside that house, under a sheet, peacefully at rest. And what he had to do...:sad: I will not soon forget that scene.

3. Father Callahan's disgrace
Great character. Awesome, in fact. I really thought he would be a casualty in this book but was I ever wrong. Keep in mind I have only read Carrie and Salem's Lot thus far, so while I do know his character resurfaces, I do not know to what extent. I think Father Callahan's character evolved the most during this book, particularly for the amount of exposure he was given. The scene that I refer to is, of course, where he is forced to drink Barlow's blood. A horrible fate for a priest. I certainly had/have a feeling that Callahan's character is much deeper and more powerful than what we are shown in this novel...

4. The ending
About three-quarters through the book I was wondering how SK was going to wrap things up. Given the nature of the spread of vampirism throughout the entire town, I thought it was well done. I think the right characters survived in the end and am very pleased overall.

Do you have any scenes or moments that stayed with you?

[Tooley]

1) When Mears kills Barlow.

2) The funeral of Danny Glick.

[Spawn]

For me it had to be Callahans disgrace, the scene was so good, and tension was palatable, it painted such a vivid picture, I felt like I was in the book seeing it unfold, amazing scene.

I also go really scared by the scene in the woods, when they could here the twigs getting crushed beneath the footsteps, that was scary.

[michal]

Well, father Callahan's character IS deeper than we see in the novel, and he returns to us in Wolves of the Calla and tells us of what happened to him since Salem's... :biggrin2:

My favorite scene, without competition, is Mark and Suzanne in the Marsden House. I just love the nerve wrecking slowness of Mark escape. The sun setting, the slippery rope on his wrists, the voice from the cellar… Incredible!!!

[Born In Sin]

AHHH I shouldn't hit the spoiler button NOT done with the Dark Tower yet, burn my eyes out....

[Haunted]

1) When Mears kills Barlow.

2) The funeral of Danny Glick.

Doncha' mean the scenes after the funeral???:ghostface:

[Haunted]

This line describes to me the whole book.

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

[Ben E Gas]

AHHH I shouldn't hit the spoiler button NOT done with the Dark Tower yet, burn my eyes out....

Don't worry. It doesn't ruin the dark tower for you.
I hadn't even read Salem's Lot until after the Dark Tower, so for me, I didn't even know who the guy was. I'm glad they added him into the dark tower because Salem's Lot didn't give me enough in telling me what type of guy he is.

[Ophelia]

My absolute favorite scene is the one with Don Callahan and Barlow in the Petries' kitchen, and what happens to Don afterward.

[thymeoperator]

AHHH I shouldn't hit the spoiler button NOT done with the Dark Tower yet, burn my eyes out....

same here!!! i thought it'd just be something about salem's lot so it'd be okay, but i was wrong :(

my fave bit is when susan feels the hand on her shoulder and you think she's going to be killed, but it turns out to be just mark - and then later she does get killed when you're no longer expecting it. that was great - a real 'nooo!' moment, but great, well done.

[GBPack1]

I can't think of the dude's name, but he was the grave digger. Anyway, what was great was that he was basically mesmerized and kept slowing down and getting tired. You just felt this impending doom as sundown grew closer.

Sorry my explanatation is terrible. I haven't read the book for a while so names and specifics aren't in my brain right now. Hopefully you all know what I'm actually talking about :grinning:

[netta]

My favorite scenes are *SPOILERS AHEAD*





When Mark is in the Marsten House and frees himself from the ropes with which Stryker has tied him. Amazing.

Mike Ryerson at the grave of Danny Glick. OYE.

The confrontation between Callahan and Barlow.

*phew* That book spent a LOT of time in the freezer. Heh.

[kevinrodgers90]

Oh yeah...I love the scene where Mike Ryerson is trying to fill Danny Glick's grave with dirt...but he feels like he's being watched...and he somehow knows that Danny's eyes are wide open in the coffin...and time slips by without him even realizing it...and then the sun goes down and he jumps down into the grave...classic stuff!!

[ifsogirl88]

It's been a while since I read it but one scene sticks out in my mind.

I can't remember his name, but there is a scene when the guy who takes care of the dump (landfill? junkyard?) is shooting the rats and notices that the fleas are all jumping away from the dying rats "like rats abandoning a sinking ship". That little moment struck me really funny!

Sick, I know. :)

[Maedmonath]

It's not an actual scene, but rather the whole atmosphere of the book that does it for me. The description of the setting, the fact it's set during my favourite time of the year, it's almost nostalgic for me.

I do love the impending sense of doom with the onslaught of winter, it's a subtle menace in the background as the nights draw in and the days are shorter. This is the book I wish I had written. Wonderful stuff.

[aeroplane]

My favorite scene was Mark's confrontation(s) with both Susan and Danny at his window.

As for plain old character development, I loved the synopsis of how Lawrence Crockett slowly earned his fortune. The line "my, how the money rolled in" is one that really stuck with me.

[constantreader85]

The scariest scene in the book is when Young Ben Mears is dared to go into the marsten house and what happens when he opens the door. cool

[Mr. Jingles]

When Ben and Jimmy are in the morgue with Marjorie Glick....and she wakes up and bites Jimmy. Scary s*it.
Also, each time Barlow was mentioned. Creeped me the hell out, and still does :eek2:

[Er0tic NeUr0t1c]

I loved when Danny Glick was outside Mark's window that was freaky.
I loved when the dude dug up the grave because he felt Danny was looking at him and the sun slowly goes down.
I really loved when the vamps were all out on the bus and the busdriver goes on and all the kids are just looking at him.

There's one really creepy part at the end where I think it was the constable who was sitting in his house at night and could hear all the horrible things going on outside in the darkness. It really stuck out in my mind.

[Mr. Jingles]

There's one really creepy part at the end where I think it was the constable who was sitting in his house at night and could hear all the horrible things going on outside in the darkness. It really stuck out in my mind.

Me too. Can you imagine how that would feel? You hear everything going on, but don't dare look out your window. Totally 100% for real scare your hair white.

[Breger3]

I can't think of the dude's name, but he was the grave digger. Anyway, what was great was that he was basically mesmerized and kept slowing down and getting tired. You just felt this impending doom as sundown grew closer.

Sorry my explanatation is terrible. I haven't read the book for a while so names and specifics aren't in my brain right now. Hopefully you all know what I'm actually talking about :grinning:

The feeling that he was being watched, and where he's convinced he's being watched from. Totally creepy.

That, and anytime it's mentioned that something is scratching at the windows!!!:eek2:

[djbeilstein]

I loved this book! Loved it! It is still one of my favorite Stephen King novels, though not counted in the same stream of though as IT, THE STAND, MISERY, OR PET SEMETERY. Doesn't matter because it takes the vampire – something trendy as hell now – and brought him back into a modern epoch – wonderful!

[DancingCorpse]

I haven't read this book for a while so my memory is probs a bit rusty. But, some of my favourite scenes from this one off the top of my head are;

- Seeing Mark's bedroom for the first time, i really could imagine all the models and random stuff everywhere, just stuck in my head, always liked that kid.
- When the Glick boys are trying to get home in the trees and one of them is kidnapped, that whole scene freaked me out. I can relate to the feeling of terror in the closing dark because me and my little bro used to always get home when it started turning dark and you knew the safety of the house was close by, but at the same time so far, and you just don't know what could be waiting and watching you in the dark!
- Mark escaping from the Marsten House, that scene is pretty scary and full of a lot of suspense, you feel like you are there struggling with him in that hollow room.
- The descriptions of the Lot being deserted.. yet not quite. Really great use of language and advancing the narrative so effectively. You feel like something.. some cancer has leaked through and you feel powerless to stop it.

[StikBoi71]

I agree with Erotic Neurotic's post (#19). The whole "noises outside" where you just know what's going on out there. Like Breger3, anytime there were noises outside or scratching sounds on glass . . . really freaked me out! I read 'Salem's Lot when I was younger and for months I closed my eyes a little tighter at night when I heard any noises. I was really scared!

[Aarny]

For some reason the last conversation between the sheriff and Ben sticks in my head. It's just the image of them two and Danny standing beside the police car completely deserted.

[DancingCorpse]

I agree with that convo, it has a very hollow, knowing tone to it which is set at an effective point of the plot and falling of the Lot.

[kingsconstantreader]

for me, whole book as well...
I love the way SK's books all intertwine.. it's as if he's teling one huge story. I have read everything out there by him. l

[HarlequinZombie]

For me it was the scene introducing Mark. That scene stuck with me because I was always the "cannon fodder" if I may be so bold to say, to the bullies in school. :glare:

[aeroplane]

There's one really creepy part at the end where I think it was the constable who was sitting in his house at night and could hear all the horrible things going on outside in the darkness. It really stuck out in my mind.

My memory is a little rusty here but I always thought Parkins Gillespie was at the police station when this scene was going on. So he was at his house?

[Er0tic NeUr0t1c]

Um, i'm pretty sure it was at his house. it might have been in the police station but I don't have the book to check. I thought it was his house but either way it's a pretty intense part of the book.