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Nero
September 8th, 2009, 12:45 PM
I'm reading Blaze for the first time.

A couple of things so far.

The wallet that Blaze and John find at the theater, with the initials RKF... Randall Flagg?

And with the bare bones style of the book, there seemed to be a lot of detail and time taken to describing the baby's "Joe's" eyes... were they gunslinger eyes?

And why does Blaze himself feel "spoilt" or "ruint", like he belongs in a Calla somewhere?

Still reading, just making observations as I go...

teejay17
September 10th, 2009, 08:23 AM
I'm reading Blaze for the first time.

A couple of things so far.

The wallet that Blaze and John find at the theater, with the initials RKF... Randall Flagg?

And with the bare bones style of the book, there seemed to be a lot of detail and time taken to describing the baby's "Joe's" eyes... were they gunslinger eyes?

And why does Blaze himself feel "spoilt" or "ruint", like he belongs in a Calla somewhere?

Still reading, just making observations as I go...
Those are some good observations. I'm going to have to go back and reread this novel.

jules17330
October 6th, 2009, 03:05 PM
I'm reading it right now but can't get into it for some reason. Perhaps I'm a little distracted by my own book I'm writing at the moment but for some reason I'm just not bonding with this character. I need to keep trying.

Bryan James
October 6th, 2009, 03:33 PM
There may be some tenuous connection, but I think synchronicity is at play here.

Did Jack London write only one story about a dog? Did Andy Warhol paint only one ugly picture? Did Jenna Jameson...well, you get my point.

~BJS

michal
October 7th, 2009, 02:44 AM
I think it's interesting that you find so many DT hints in that book, considering that it was written so many years before the people of the calla were created. Personally I found this book to be a mixture if Mr. King and J. D. Salinger (and I was hardly the first one to spot THAT connection :laugh:).

Perse Jr.
October 19th, 2009, 10:41 AM
I did catch some of those DT connections, but most of all, I have to admit I'm a teeny tiny bit bored. :eek: It's not easy to admit that; I am an avid, die-hard SK fan. But, here I am on page 218, Blaze just took off from the shack with Joe, and I'm kind of tapping my foot and checking my watch. I'm already thinking about what to read next, and that RARELY happens during an SK novel. Hopefully it'll turn for me soon. I am hoping Blaze comes out on top because overall he's had some tough breaks and seems to have a kind (if not, dim or ignorant) heart.

jules17330
October 21st, 2009, 08:36 AM
I just finished it yesterday and have to say, I kinda liked it. At first it was a hard book to get into, the main character just wasn't speaking to me, but I found so many little things about this story that reminded me of Mr. King himself (from things he's revealed through On Writing), his other stories (referencing Shawshank, etc...) and then, wonder of all wonders, Blaze really got to me. I started to like him. And then the end came and I was disappointed. Overall, I really liked it. Not high up on my faves list but it was a good story.

Perse Jr.
October 22nd, 2009, 09:14 AM
I have to say I change my mind! I'm really enjoying Blaze now, and I am really bummed because I've only got about 20 pages left. Wish it was longer now! The whole part about Bluenote's farm really got me sucked in (I loved the whole summery-kid, good-old-days feel about it).

And I found a "bool!" on page 258!

He had a panicky moment when it seemed he had no change, but he found two quarters in his pants and another in his coat pocket. Then--bool!--his money came back in the coin return. Directory Assistance was free.

doowopgirl
October 26th, 2009, 09:53 AM
I'm reading Blaze for the first time.

A couple of things so far.

The wallet that Blaze and John find at the theater, with the initials RKF... Randall Flagg?

And with the bare bones style of the book, there seemed to be a lot of detail and time taken to describing the baby's "Joe's" eyes... were they gunslinger eyes?

And why does Blaze himself feel "spoilt" or "ruint", like he belongs in a Calla somewhere?

Still reading, just making observations as I go...

Keep reading it should become apparent

Bluey Lunger
November 12th, 2009, 06:27 AM
reread this a week or so ago. want to check out the stand and see what theater that was. probably no relation to where j & blaze went, but that "lost" in the classified reminds me of hearts/wolves of the calla. but why is reagan described as 'old white elvis daddy,' george's term for him. guess i'm looking at when blaze was written and lacking any other "date" info in the story, i presumed a time-line from say the 60s. and ronnie, as we came to know him, was where, in hollywood winning one for the gipper? or was that earlier, during the black and white era?

i liked the use of george's voice, blaze making doo by imagining george there, offering advice, etc.

randallFlaggfan1
December 10th, 2009, 12:50 AM
I loved Blaze, felt it has great potential, especially when one considers it's vintage King, written years before becaming a household name.

aliciasimon
January 5th, 2010, 09:53 PM
I thought it was a great book. I felt sorry for the main character - he just isn't terribly bright. But he tries to be a good guy in his own way.

teejay17
January 6th, 2010, 10:36 AM
I thought it was a great book. I felt sorry for the main character - he just isn't terribly bright. But he tries to be a good guy in his own way.
It's like he had goodness in his DNA.

TBlack
January 6th, 2010, 01:50 PM
Did Andy Warhol paint only one ugly picture? ~BJS
[/URL] (http://www.stephenking.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lostateminor.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/andy-warhol-marilyn.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lostateminor.com/2008/04/05/the-philosophy-of-andy-warhol/&h=482&w=480&sz=60&tbnid=Is6uZh0a-RppqM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dandy%2Bwarhol&hl=en&usg=__-IEjB7_gtD1VKLLNZAwij6t7WQw=&ei=dudES5jqI5Gb8Ab4qvSDBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&ved=0CBgQ9QEwAw) (http://www.stephenking.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alt-web-design.com/photo-tutorials/images/andy-warhol-effect-all.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alt-web-design.com/photo-tutorials/efekt-andy-warhol.html&h=289&w=300&sz=50&tbnid=PSgBdXH4J-prTM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dandy%2Bwarhol&hl=en&usg=__t00ENhOJlXBoDtDkF8Du5lATgnI=&ei=dudES5jqI5Gb8Ab4qvSDBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=6&ct=image&ved=0CBwQ9QEwBQ) (http://www.stephenking.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rockrags.us/img/andy-warhol.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sjlartfacultylinks.blogspot.com/2007/01/andy-warhol.html&h=398&w=350&sz=13&tbnid=0LZyHxSm0mZlaM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=109&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dandy%2Bwarhol&hl=en&usg=__xgIrH4ycHbRMeqnHjnz61GIToZY=&ei=dudES5jqI5Gb8Ab4qvSDBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=8&ct=image&ved=0CCAQ9QEwBw)
Andy was ugly....
his paintings were rather purdy though!
I think he musta done some wicked bad recreationals early on
... heightened his perceptions...[URL="http://www.stephenking.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2Z9Kxv7YNNw/SSMETWhxWeI/AAAAAAAAARw/mf43VxtaMOQ/s400/Andy-Warhol-Mickey-Mouse-8380.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tenfoldcollective.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html&h=400&w=400&sz=30&tbnid=B8UbuvpngBNnCM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dandy%2Bwarhol&hl=en&usg=__rTYLXu3MCt-T9QahYpmkiFSm2pI=&ei=dudES5jqI5Gb8Ab4qvSDBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=10&ct=image&ved=0CCQQ9QEwCQ"]
...farked his gallbladder!

Doc Wilson
January 6th, 2010, 03:24 PM
It was a slight book by SK standards but I really enjoyed it. I'd put it somewhere in the top half of all SK works, but not the very top tier.

91rewoT
January 6th, 2010, 04:49 PM
Geez, I'm going to have to reread this one next! I hardly remember any of it, but I do remember I liked it a lot.:oh:

davemelnick
January 6th, 2010, 08:50 PM
I not only saw TDT & RF/Randall Flagg hints thru Blaze, but Lost phrases. :cool2: * Thanx for noticing the eye reference also.

Poodlemum
January 26th, 2010, 08:32 PM
I LOVED Blaze - been a while now since I read it but, to me, it was one of those books where you just don't want it to end!

Girl87
January 27th, 2010, 12:46 PM
I liked Blaze very much. Blaze wasn't a long book, so it only took a few days to read it. But it was a great one. :smile2: