Bag of Bones or Duma Key

[Edward Cantor Dean]

Hey everyone. I have 2 different king books in my possession and I haven't read either. I am trying to pass the time until UtD comes out. In your opinion which is better Bag of Bones or Duma Key?

[michal]

I'd vote fro Bag of Bones, but let's face it: Ask 3 SK readers and you'll get 3 different answers regarding that one. Personally I enjoy more of the horror-story genre that Bag of Bones belongs to, but again it's only a matter of opinion.

PS
Why am I even blabbering on? READ THEM BOTH.

[Bogdan]

They have a similar "feel" and at points similar themes. I enjoyed both. You could just flip a coin.

[dwalters]

Why am I even blabbering on? READ THEM BOTH.

Heh, there ya go! I totally agree.

I did enjoy them both, but if I had to recommend one over the other for right now, I would say Duma Key. Don't get me wrong, Bag of Bones was great (just finished it actually), but Duma Key is mysterious as HELL and kept me guessing the entire way through it. Bag of Bones has a big mystery factor to it as well, but it took quite a while to really get rolling whereas Duma Key (for me at least) was a page turner from the very beginning.

[JRM]

Read them both, but having read both, I prefer Bag of Bones. I had a few issues with Duma Key. Both are great, though.

[KevinH]

Bag Of Bones, The best SK book I've read, I have read 12 of his books so far, I wasn't very impressed with Duma Key, but he has done worse

[JRM]

Bag Of Bones, The best SK book I've read, I have read 12 of his books so far, I wasn't very impressed with Duma Key, but he has done worse

I've also read 12 of his books, and I also think Bag of Bones is his best (that I've read). We're siblings. Lol.

[cheryl123sing]

I've read about 30 of his books, and Bag of Bones is my favorite. Although I did enjoy Duma Key, it's probably in my bottom 5.

[RJ Sevin]

I'm a big fan of reading an author's work in the order written (or the order published), whenever possible, so I'd vote for BAG OF BONES. Actually, it gets my vote either way, as it's my personal favorite of the two.

DUMA KEY is King's finest novel in years, and comes damned close to being one of his greatest works ever. A few missteps toward the end take it down a few notches, I feel, but it's a wonderful novel. BONES is consistently fantastic, and achieves some kind of perfection. It's a challenging read, and ultimately quite sad, but it's worth your time.

Interestingly enough, I think BONES and DUMA go together very well. Add LISEY'S STORY to the mix, and you have yourself a thematic/tonal trilogy of sorts. (LISEY is the most challenging of the three. Like BONES, it's strangely perfect in many ways.)

[JRM]

I'm a big fan of reading an author's work in the order written (or the order published), whenever possible, so I'd vote for BAG OF BONES. Actually, it gets my vote either way, as it's my personal favorite of the two.

DUMA KEY is King's finest novel in years, and comes damned close to being one of his greatest works ever. A few missteps toward the end take it down a few notches, I feel, but it's a wonderful novel. BONES is consistently fantastic, and achieves some kind of perfection. It's a challenging read, and ultimately quite sad, but it's worth your time.

Interestingly enough, I think BONES and DUMA go together very well. Add LISEY'S STORY to the mix, and you have yourself a thematic/tonal trilogy of sorts. (LISEY is the most challenging of the three. Like BONES, it's strangely perfect in many ways.)


I agree with EVERYTHING you said! Especially about the few missteps toward the end of Duma Key.

I haven't read Lisey's Story, but if it's anywhere as good as Duma or Bones, I'll love it.

[RJ Sevin]

It's the most dense of the three, and many have found the prose to be a challenge. King was definitely channeling a different voice with LISEY, and he succeeded. It's not forced or unnatural, and it's certainly unique among his body of work. It's also my least favorite of the three, though I think it's a more consistent work than DUMA (which is the most entertaining of the three).

[pathoftheturtle]

I agree with a lot of that, too! (Exclaiming because I really didn't expect folks to share my opinions so closely.) I have read Lisey's Story, though, and I didn't really feel that it was as consistently fantastic as Bag of Bones. However, I could just be missing something, maybe... Perhaps I'll appreciate it more if I can figure out what you mean in your idea of a thematic trilogy. :umm:

[Doc Wilson]

Lisey rocks, and it may be projection on my part, but it seems to me its SK's most personal treatment of the theme.

[Nabila]

I prefer Duma Key. Bag of Bones was a great story and really scary, but the only character I cared about there was Kira. I didn't dislike the others, I just couldn't feel much for them. I cared about all the characters in Duma Key. I felt them more maybe because there was love, friendship and humour despite the evil that was trying to take them all. And the setting of beach, ocean, palm trees and sea shells was more familiar to me. :biggrin2:

Since it's been mentioned, I also prefer Lisey's Story over Bag of Bones. Lisey was one hell of a woman! She definitely SOWISA'd (past tense)! And Scott's story as a child made me weep. I felt that this book was like an outpouring of love and gratitude for an extraordinary life.

[Audaciousfox]

Read them both, but having read both, I prefer Bag of Bones. I had a few issues with Duma Key. Both are great, though.

I'm quite interested to hear your "issues" with Duma, if you'll share. Both of the books are in my top five favorites, but Bag of Bones is my first fav or the two.

[cjlong4372]

My choice is duma key that book was awesome. Its one of those books that gets your attention and keeps it. If I could get you to read one I would say duma key and if you can get your hands on it find yourself a copy of blaze. That one is a awesome read also

[JRM]

I'm quite interested to hear your "issues" with Duma, if you'll share. Both of the books are in my top five favorites, but Bag of Bones is my first fav or the two.

This was posted a while back, lol. Sorry it's taken so long to respond. The few issues I had dealt with the climax and ending.

[Aim4 the hed 2 kill zomBs]

Both books are great. I had issues about the ending to both, but Bag of Bones ends things a little more satisfying. Read them both. What is UtD?

[mrblonde]

I have read DK & BB and LOVED them both. I think DK takes it just becasue of Wireman. He is up there with Stu Redman and Big Jim as one of the very best charicters he has ever written.

Lisey's Story....I've given it the old college try 3 times and can't get past the professor showing up looking for scott's stuff. Am I missing something?

[GNTLGNT]

They are both Spankin' good reads-but like Jimmy Buffet, I gotta go with the beach. DK wins!(now I'm hungry for a "Cheeseburger in Paradise"!):cool2:

[randallFlaggfan1]

Hey everyone. I have 2 different king books in my possession and I haven't read either. I am trying to pass the time until UtD comes out. In your opinion which is better Bag of Bones or Duma Key?

Honestly, I wouldn't say that one is better than the other. If all else fails, just read both.

[theconstantreader]

Read Both of them!! Duma Key is a terrible, crazy ride in a nighmare! Bag of Bones is just spooky, but more calm! You can't go wrong!!