The Dead Zone

[blunthead]

Hey everyone. I am right in the middle of The Dead Zone and I must say it is a lot better than I expected it would be. It really hits home to me and I feel for Johnny when the love of his life goes on to marry and have a child. I'm divorced from my exwife but still love her and she is pregnant with another man's child, so I can totally relate to Johnny. I find it that Johnny can actually help me walk through my pain with his circumstances. Lisey's Story does the same effect for me as well.

sK helped me out during a really, really hard time, too. Thanx for your post.

[cwalrus]

I really enjoyed The Dead Zone although I feel uncertain about the ending. The previous questions that I had were answered. I thought it was clever how the lightning rod scene earlier led to something important that could not have been predicted before. I wasn't sure if the salesman himself would turn up again, but it turns out that the interaction was important for other reasons that were not foreseen by the characters.


SPOILERS BELOW: STOP READING IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK

Johnny's decision to sacrifice himself to kill Stillson felt a little too forced. Who's to say that someone worse than Stillson could not emerge or that Johnny's gift/curse would not be needed again even to prevent other dire events. I don't think he explored enough the possibility of ruining Stillson politically before deciding to go with the assassination attempt. Afterall, he did not kill Stillson as he had intended, but it was Stillson's reaction to the attempt that cost him everything. It just seemed like Johnny was too eager to sacrifice himself when there were other options that he dismissed too easily. I know it took years to come to his decision, but he should have considered the possibility that maybe it was important for him to remain alive. I know it was later revealed that he may not have had much time to live because of the brain tumor, but maybe surgery would have helped. Plus, like I said maybe there was somebody worse than Stillson waiting in the wings.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and felt real sympathy for some of the characters. I wish things worked out between Sarah and Johnny since it would appear they were meant for each other. It wasn't easy to read those final letters at the end.

[michal]

I think it's great, the way books are mirror to our lives, and help us see ourselves better through the characters that fill them I like the Dead Zone as well, because similar to FireStarter, Carrie or The Shining, the hero's gift seems to bare as much pain as it does good.

[Checkman]

Finally read the novel. It suprised me with it's rather bittersweet flavor. I wasn't expecting the nostologia either. What's really odd is that the book was published in 1979 and is looking back on the 1970's. The book was published 30 years ago. The decade of my childhood. No point really except that perhaps memories and time have a very elastic quality to them. An intersting novel.

[Stillreading]

Frankly, knowing what we now know about the 80s, johnny should have let Stillson live.

[Checkman]

Frankly, knowing what we now know about the 80s, johnny should have let Stillson live.

Except that Stllson was going to be responsible for World War III and the ensuing Nuke party. Which is why is also sacrificed himself. He did that to ensure that many many others would live. It's a hard old world.

[jchanic]

Frankly, knowing what we now know about the 80s, johnny should have let Stillson live.

I'd like to know your reasoning as to why Johnny should have let Stillson live. One of the basic themes running throughout the book was that, if you could go back in time, would you kill Hitler? Would you, knowing what you know now, have let Hitler live? The analogy is valid.

John

[JRM]

I just finished this book last night. I overall enjoyed it. I wasn't blown away, but enjoyed it more than the last King novel I read. I loved how easy it was to get into the story. Wasn't too happy about how depressing it was and I was a little disappointed that Jhonny's mom didn't have a bigger part in it as I first thought. I liked Jhonny's character. He's a very likeable guy -- in fact, the entire main cast was very likeable. Good book.

[netta]

DZ was the first book of SK's I read waaaay waaaaay back when. (I'm not telling you how far back, so don't ask.) The end still affects me as much today as it did on the first reading.

*sniffle*

[Jake Featherston]

I always really liked the part where the protagonist shook hands with Jimmy Carter.