Duma Key

[RSAvenell]

I just finished Duma Key last night, and was hoping to discuss it a bit. Particularly the ending, so POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUND BELOW!

First of all I want to applaud the fact that SK has returned to a tighter storytelling with this novel. I've been reading King since I was about 12 (25 long years ago). I love his written voice, and I love that he can bring you into a character's mind so completely. But lately, there has been a lot of meandering, and very little scares. I'm very excited about the new short story book coming up, because that is where I began with King, and he really shines with those little daggers.

Duma Key felt new to me. While it was still King's voice, it felt like he was finally coming out of the fog (or Mist, I guess). That accident did a number on him, and I'm just thankful he has barrelled through it. This was the first novel in a while that I felt King had more great stories to tell us, the constant readers.

But here lies my only problem with the novel. WHY did King find the need to take Wireman away in the last two pages? After getting through all of this story, and having created such a great relationship between Edgar and Wireman - why kill him offscreen in Mexico? Now Edgar has nothing. The wife he almost got to love him again now dispises him. The Daughter he loved more than anything is gone. His new found painting abilities are tossed aside after his one "final" painting. Wireman made it through Duma Key with 80 million dollars and a plan to live the rest of his life. Why did King feel the need to cut that new found life so short? I was so happy to have an ending where Edgar might end up in Mexico with his new muchaco. What does Edgar have to live for now? I would have actually loved to have read some further adventures of dgar and Wireman... I guess that isn't meant to be.

It was a great read, though. I couldn't stop reading for the last 1/3 of the book. Looking forward to the next.

[Flood1980]

I just finished Duma Key last night, and was hoping to discuss it a bit. Particularly the ending, so POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUND BELOW!

First of all I want to applaud the fact that SK has returned to a tighter storytelling with this novel. I've been reading King since I was about 12 (25 long years ago). I love his written voice, and I love that he can bring you into a character's mind so completely. But lately, there has been a lot of meandering, and very little scares. I'm very excited about the new short story book coming up, because that is where I began with King, and he really shines with those little daggers.

Duma Key felt new to me. While it was still King's voice, it felt like he was finally coming out of the fog (or Mist, I guess). That accident did a number on him, and I'm just thankful he has barrelled through it. This was the first novel in a while that I felt King had more great stories to tell us, the constant readers.

But here lies my only problem with the novel. WHY did King find the need to take Wireman away in the last two pages? After getting through all of this story, and having created such a great relationship between Edgar and Wireman - why kill him offscreen in Mexico? Now Edgar has nothing. The wife he almost got to love him again now dispises him. The Daughter he loved more than anything is gone. His new found painting abilities are tossed aside after his one "final" painting. Wireman made it through Duma Key with 80 million dollars and a plan to live the rest of his life. Why did King feel the need to cut that new found life so short? I was so happy to have an ending where Edgar might end up in Mexico with his new muchaco. What does Edgar have to live for now? I would have actually loved to have read some further adventures of dgar and Wireman... I guess that isn't meant to be.

It was a great read, though. I couldn't stop reading for the last 1/3 of the book. Looking forward to the next.

Thats the way life is, man, sometimes. We being to get close to the ones we're near and then BAM someone goes and takes it away. It sucks but... thats life.

[EBK357]

true dat

[Avid-Reader]

I-will-it-sometime-today

[Cowboy]

In real life, people die....thus it is in the novels. Welcome to the board!

[Smizoke]

I just finished Duma Key myself about 5mins ago. I totally agree with RSAvenell, which is why I just went to the trouble to register. It's the one thing about Stephen's novels that kill me. He always has to kill off someone at the end that I've come to love. I HATE THAT HE DID THIS!!! I don't care about real life, I've had enough loss of my own. I thought that finally I was going to have a somewhat happy ending and then, BAM, it's gone. Stephen, if you ever read this, I've been hooked on you since Salems Lot came out. Give me creepy, yeah, but also give me a good(happy) ending for once. PLEASE?!!!

[Prankmonkey9]

Well darn, I wish I hadn't checked this thread out because I now know someone dies. I'm about half way through, and as I said in an earlier post, I tend to read SK's books in dribs and drabs because they are so few and far between nowadays. But I agree with you RSA, SK has certainly tightened his reigns quite a lot with this one, which only goes to show you can never take the art from a truly gifted artist, it may get a little rusty, but it always comes back thank God. Prank

[Rhino]

Well i finished duma a few weeks ago and now i am listening to it on audio book, and still as good as the first time around

[Samantha_]

I just finished Duma Key last night, and was hoping to discuss it a bit. Particularly the ending, so POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUND BELOW!

First of all I want to applaud the fact that SK has returned to a tighter storytelling with this novel. I've been reading King since I was about 12 (25 long years ago). I love his written voice, and I love that he can bring you into a character's mind so completely. But lately, there has been a lot of meandering, and very little scares. I'm very excited about the new short story book coming up, because that is where I began with King, and he really shines with those little daggers.

Duma Key felt new to me. While it was still King's voice, it felt like he was finally coming out of the fog (or Mist, I guess). That accident did a number on him, and I'm just thankful he has barrelled through it. This was the first novel in a while that I felt King had more great stories to tell us, the constant readers.

But here lies my only problem with the novel. WHY did King find the need to take Wireman away in the last two pages? After getting through all of this story, and having created such a great relationship between Edgar and Wireman - why kill him offscreen in Mexico? Now Edgar has nothing. The wife he almost got to love him again now dispises him. The Daughter he loved more than anything is gone. His new found painting abilities are tossed aside after his one "final" painting. Wireman made it through Duma Key with 80 million dollars and a plan to live the rest of his life. Why did King feel the need to cut that new found life so short? I was so happy to have an ending where Edgar might end up in Mexico with his new muchaco. What does Edgar have to live for now? I would have actually loved to have read some further adventures of dgar and Wireman... I guess that isn't meant to be.

It was a great read, though. I couldn't stop reading for the last 1/3 of the book. Looking forward to the next.

My thought is author’s choice as in Wireman’s death itself has a purpose in the story.

One idea is fighting great evil does not give Wireman or anyone a free pass thereafter. Each day of living is a gift. So, treat it that way.

I imagined Wireman learned to live each day from top to bottom. And he died, in the open air, in a moment of simple pleasure. I hoped he would have even laughed a little at the irony.


For me, that means the writing caused enough investment in the character to care.

And too, part of Wireman and his wisdom exist in the present for Edgar. The friendship goes on as does Wireman, in a way, to shape the future as Edgar moves though life.

We all decide what an author’s choice means to us. So, that’s just my take. :smile2:

[blunthead]

First of all I want to applaud...

I enjoyed Duma Key at least as much as I'd hoped. Virtually every human emotion is represented, with imagery fantastically well-written. It was so funny at times I often laughed out loud, was sad enough at others to bring tears, and was meanwhile totally captivated with What the hell is going on? Like all of sK's books, I finished it in no time, and it's not a skinny book. As usual I wondered Where does he get this stuff? How does he do it?

...I love that he can bring you into a character's mind so completely...

I really did get to know (not only) the Edgar Freemantle character, which is saying something considering everything he went through and had to learn. Coincidentally, I identified with him, actually, in that recently I've returned to my first love, painting, and have been struggling with hip pain, severe at times. And I take care of my elderly parents, as in Wireman. So, sK managed to touch me personally--I assume without knowing he was doing so. Granted, I maintain no phantom limbs.

...Duma Key felt new to me...That accident did a number on him, and I'm just thankful he has barrelled through it. This was the first novel in a while that I felt King had more great stories to tell us, the constant readers.

Duma Key is as much a life-affirmating story as I've ever read, despite being a great horror story, after all. It's one of my top three favorite sK novels.

[ElwoodMS]

For me Duma Key followed after Lisey's Story. The auto accident without question had an effect on his writing and just took it to another level (although I wouldn’t have wished that on him just so that I could read a great book).

One reason he could have put that in the ending was because the character was no longer needed. The character had needs, but the character’s role for others was complete.

But for me, that’s not the reason. For me the reason was to satisfy the lien against the successes. The obvious good was the miracle healing. But also the good of having found joy and happiness, if only for a moment. The good arising from “the show” and the obvious good of having defeated the evil.

Someone had to pay the price for all of that good. So for me, the drowning daughter in the apartment was punishment within the antagonist’s character. But the death of Wireman was Mr. Kings way of satisfying the debt arising from the good within book. Someone always has to pay because “God punishes us for what we cannot imagine”.

[Elisterre]

Well, in the book, Wireman was constantly talking about how his life was a lottery, and he was continually winning, when would the day arrive for him to pick the losing numbers? It seemed only fitting for him to meet his demise in mexico, I felt like SK put the final piece of the puzzle in at the end, and it fit perfectly in my mind. Any other ending would have been sub-par in my opinion, I liked it the way it is, but maybe thats just me.

[Muchacha]

Well, I finished Duma Key 2 days ago (I'd been delaying the finishing of it, but it was no good, those shells under Big Pink just kept calling my name), so now I'm free to read this thread.

This book has to be in my top 3 too (along with Lisey's Story and The Tommyknockers), and had me spellbound from page one! I don't paint, I haven't had a terrible accident and I don't have a Reba to yell at, but still I was unable to stop myself from falling in love with Edgar and Wireman. The power of the story-telling just dragged me down on to those Great Beach Walks and right along into their fight against the evil of Duma Key.

My life's not so hey-ho great, and I thank Uncle Steve most sincerely for taking me places where reality gets left mercifully behind. Sometimes it's a scary ride, other times it's heartwarming and like coming home, but my trip to Duma Key was one of the best of them all. Thanks Muchacho :smile2:

[h-harris]

While I was reading it....at the end I said to myself "What Stephen actaully let a person I have come to love and respect live...!" But then by the end, I realized that I was only fooling myself. It is just his way....he lures you in, and then BAM..you're baited and finding your way up on the hook! Thanks "Oh Great One"...for not changing how you do this!!

[alan42]

wasn't it SK himself who said that you must always kill your darlings? (In On Writing I think he talks about this). Often he telegraphs the bad things - like "that was the last time I ever saw her" (Ilse); "the last time we made love" (Pam); "the last time I was happy" (before the Show). But really the way he quotes Wireman through the book - particulary in the early parts - indicated that he was no longer around. So I wasn't surprised and it wasn't as emotional as what he did to us in Bag of Bones!

[marnold]

I am still reading this and I can't help but think this is his greatest work, one above Lisey's Story. I have been enthralled since page 1. I can't help but think Jack might be a real person to SK and I wonder if Edgar's life might mirror parts of SK's...weird, huh?

[Susan]

I'm curious about something. I'm up to the part where Edgar is worried about Ilse and he calls her on the phone. In the book he uses six digit numbers to call her. Aren't all phone numbers seven digits or are some number only six digits?


My recollection is that Steve didn't want to use the fake "555" prefix and an incomplete number avoids having to make up a fake number so people won't try calling it. And, yes, they do and have in the past when he made the mistake of using an actual phone number. The State police were underjoyed. :-)

[SUDOOLE]

Steven will most always show us good's triumph over evil, but there is always price. That is one of the things I love most about his work. You can't see the things our characters have seen, do the things they have done and walk away un-scathed.

Most authors want to wrap it up in a neat little package and at the end it's like the whole damn world didn't come crashing down three chapters ago. It's dumb. Steven's writing is way too honest for that.

There always has to be a price:
Rose Madder-Bill is totally damaged at the end.
IT-Eddie dies.
Insomnia-Ralph dies.
I could go on but ya'll get it. There must be a sacrafice of some kind.


So Wireman's death was necessary like ElwoodMS said, a debt needed paid.

[Gabriela]

Thank you for this book, Stephen.
I think this was a great story and I love it all as it stays. I don't want to change a bit. If a want happy endings and stuff like this (as Smizoke), I could read books from different writers. There are lots of them, who just love happy endings.
I felt it as something real. The story was sometimes unbelievable, but as a whole piece, I almost believe, this could happened somewhere!
Keep more coming :y:

[Rhino]

Happy endings, in most cases, depending of your point of view, SK books does have happy endings

[waterlilyjaguar]

Well, I finished Duma Key 2 days ago (I'd been delaying the finishing of it, but it was no good, those shells under Big Pink just kept calling my name), so now I'm free to read this thread.

This book has to be in my top 3 too (along with Lisey's Story and The Tommyknockers), and had me spellbound from page one! I don't paint, I haven't had a terrible accident and I don't have a Reba to yell at, but still I was unable to stop myself from falling in love with Edgar and Wireman. The power of the story-telling just dragged me down on to those Great Beach Walks and right along into their fight against the evil of Duma Key.

My life's not so hey-ho great, and I thank Uncle Steve most sincerely for taking me places where reality gets left mercifully behind. Sometimes it's a scary ride, other times it's heartwarming and like coming home, but my trip to Duma Key was one of the best of them all. Thanks Muchacho :smile2:

Agree with you totally, loved Duma Key!

[Squattersandwich]

I just finished Duma Key last night, and was hoping to discuss it a bit. Particularly the ending, so POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUND BELOW!

First of all I want to applaud the fact that SK has returned to a tighter storytelling with this novel. I've been reading King since I was about 12 (25 long years ago). I love his written voice, and I love that he can bring you into a character's mind so completely. But lately, there has been a lot of meandering, and very little scares. I'm very excited about the new short story book coming up, because that is where I began with King, and he really shines with those little daggers.

Duma Key felt new to me. While it was still King's voice, it felt like he was finally coming out of the fog (or Mist, I guess). That accident did a number on him, and I'm just thankful he has barrelled through it. This was the first novel in a while that I felt King had more great stories to tell us, the constant readers.

But here lies my only problem with the novel. WHY did King find the need to take Wireman away in the last two pages? After getting through all of this story, and having created such a great relationship between Edgar and Wireman - why kill him offscreen in Mexico? Now Edgar has nothing. The wife he almost got to love him again now dispises him. The Daughter he loved more than anything is gone. His new found painting abilities are tossed aside after his one "final" painting. Wireman made it through Duma Key with 80 million dollars and a plan to live the rest of his life. Why did King feel the need to cut that new found life so short? I was so happy to have an ending where Edgar might end up in Mexico with his new muchaco. What does Edgar have to live for now? I would have actually loved to have read some further adventures of dgar and Wireman... I guess that isn't meant to be.

It was a great read, though. I couldn't stop reading for the last 1/3 of the book. Looking forward to the next.


I loved Duma Key, and have been reading SK since I could read!! Since I was 12 or so, so about 20 years. I felt the loss of Wireman too, but the loss of Jake & Oy in the Dark Tower Series hit me like a punch in the stomach! I wept while reading. Wireman didn't do that for me, but I appreciate why he did it (I think).

BTW, this is my first post, and I'm so excited!! Love SK's work and revisit The Stand about once every 2 years.l\

[falconerd]

It's obvious.... the same quote showed up many times in the story - you were'n't paying enough attention! You imagined that after all the bad 75% through the book, that all of the really bad was gone, and the heroes would triumph...

What you forgot to consider though, was that "God Punishes Us For What We Can't Imagine" so Mr. King had to throw in that last bit to keep us (the Constant Readers) on our toes - if we could figure out how the books were going to end, it would be so much less fun to read them, don't you agree?

[ifsogirl88]

I too loved this book. I just finished last week, and was sorry it was over. This book has so much heart. There were a few questions that I felt were left unanswered (like, what happened to the paintings at the Scoto? Did he burn them, or was the danger gone once Perse was drowned to sleep? Also, how could he still paint things that could come to life? Does he get to keep that power forever? Why wouldn't it go away once Perse was drowned to sleep?). Maybe King wants us to decide for ourselves. Even so, I LOVED it. Now, I am looking forward to reading the Cell, which my friend has just lent me. She says it's terrific, and I am sure she is right. Stephen King has yet to disappoint!

[babygirl1]

I really liked this book (can't beat The Stand, though). Anyway, I read it several months ago but there was something that happened that I did not quite understand and was hoping that someone might help. After "the guys" came back from dropping Perse in the lake, Ilse appears to Edgar on the beach and tries to stop him. How could she come back if Perse's power was broken?

Thanks

[Moderator]

I really liked this book (can't beat The Stand, though). Anyway, I read it several months ago but there was something that happened that I did not quite understand and was hoping that someone might help. After "the guys" came back from dropping Perse in the lake, Ilse appears to Edgar on the beach and tries to stop him. How could she come back if Perse's power was broken?

Thanks


I was confused by this, too, so asked Steve about it. This was his response It was a trap that Perse had set up before she'd been captured.

[blunthead]

wasn't it SK himself who said that you must always kill your darlings? (In On Writing I think he talks about this). Often he telegraphs the bad things - like "that was the last time I ever saw her" (Ilse); "the last time we made love" (Pam); "the last time I was happy" (before the Show). But really the way he quotes Wireman through the book - particulary in the early parts - indicated that he was no longer around. So I wasn't surprised and it wasn't as emotional as what he did to us in Bag of Bones!sK quotes another author who said that about "darlings", the context of which is that in writing, one must return to what one has written, and inevitably get rid of some of it.

My feeling about the death of Wireman is that it reinforces, though paradoxically perhaps, an underlying theme of Duma Key, that is survival through healing and with the help of others. Edgar physically survived his accident, but ended up needing help spiritually (he needed that even before the accident). Evil tried to mess up his spiritual healing, but powers greater than evil prevailed.

Wireman was part of that greater power, was indeed uniquely symbolic of it. Just as when Perse was finally disposed of, she (it) was no longer negatively influential to Edgar, after Wireman's death, he remains positively so.

Paradoxically, healing transcends even the grave.

[Jojo87]

I finished Duma Key this weekend. Great book. One of my favorit King book at this moment.

[LittleRedKing]

What you forgot to consider though, was that "God Punishes Us For What We Can't Imagine" so Mr. King had to throw in that last bit to keep us (the Constant Readers) on our toes - if we could figure out how the books were going to end, it would be so much less fun to read them, don't you agree?

That is an excellent obseravation! And I admit that I had not caught that either but now that you mention it, it sure was a recurring theme.

I too just finished Duma Key a few days ago. It hooked me from the get go; some of Sks books take a while to get into, although the payoff is worth it (It, The Stand come to mind). But this one hit the ground running; and since I had deliberately avoided learning anything about the story, even so far as to not have a clue what Duma Key even meant, it was all fresh to me.

It is now one of my favorites. :grinning:

[ifsogirl88]

I really liked this book (can't beat The Stand, though). Anyway, I read it several months ago but there was something that happened that I did not quite understand and was hoping that someone might help. After "the guys" came back from dropping Perse in the lake, Ilse appears to Edgar on the beach and tries to stop him. How could she come back if Perse's power was broken?

Thanks

I took the Ilse sand apparition to be Edgar's sand drawing come-to-life (remember when he blacks out and draws something in the sand with a stick, even though Elizabeth had told him not to do it?) And, like the things that Libbett had drawn all those years ago that stuck around even after Perse had been drowned to sleep the first time (the wild over growth for example), this one remained too. Just my take...

[ghostgirl]

I liked the book so much, as soon as I finished it, I read it again. Then I read it again.
My favorite lines from the book: "We fool our selves so much we could do it for a living."
" When it comes to the past, we all stack the deck." , and "God punishes us for what we can't imagine."
(these quotes may not be exact, I'm reciting from memory)
I thought [I]Duma Key[I] was amazing.

[gem collins]

i too was gutted to read of Wiremans death. Stephen King painted his character so endearingly well that the reader actually grieved for him ! Maybe it was to show that Edgar gained so much strength through their friendship that he can now go on no matter what he has lost, because to me the book was about recovery and the strength of human nature, and i have never read of 2 characters more humane than these two.

Interestingly, my dad read the book and he commented "What happened to Wiremans fortune?". I don't think money was an issue for him, i think King was saying that money isn't what matters, it's friendship that keeps you going, even after that friend is gone.

[michal]

I find that semi-sad endings, not completely devastating, but ones that show the sad side of life with the good, are more believable, and therefore, I enjoy them more.

I don't remember where I'm stealing this quote from (is it Mr King's? I think it appears in some version in the Dark Tower Resumption)

But while they didn't live happily ever after - no one does - there was happiness, and they did live.

[moonhoney2]

Just finished this book a little while ago. Apparently, I had started reading it when it first came out, but didn't get very far. Probably due to a slow beginning, which is usually a problem for me with his books. LOL

The last 2 days, I just could.not.put.it.down. Awesome read! While I did have a couple unanswered questions at the end, they were not earth shattering enough to diminish the experience for me. Definitely a winner! Other than a couple of minor "What happened to/with?", I was thoroughly satisfied.

[constantreader85]

i am the same. I thought the relationship between Wireman and Edgar was cool. two buddies. I thought that they were going to go to mexico and have some fun two compadres. plus Ills she was a babe and he killed her off hmm. He seems to do this with characters that get popular think Alice in the CELL

[redheadfsa]

What I love about Stephen King's method of writing is that it makes me feel like I've just been watching real people, or I just read a true story. I can picture the characters and places easily. The only thing I didn't like about Duma Key was that it had to end!

[saxguyvi]

IMHO

Remember that everytime Wireman won El Loteria Something bad happens.....

Just sayin':cool2: