Roadwork (SOME SPOILERS)

**cwalrus** · February 25th, 2009

It took me a while to finish Roadwork, but I really enjoyed it. I found it very poignant and sad, and maybe it took me long to finish because I knew it was going to end badly. All in all, a very touching and moving story that I think most average people could relate to, and between this story and The Long Walk I think SK's nonsupernatural storytelling is vastly underrated. I read this story because it's part of the Bachman Books collection, which I got primarily for Rage, but The Long Walk and Roadwork are both excellent stories displaying a great deal of SK's range and craftmanship.

Bart's dialogues with Sal Mgliore were my favorite part of the book, particularly the Mr. Piazzi's dog story. I couldn't help but envision James Gandolfini portraying Sal Magliore if Roadwork were to ever become a film. I wonder if Sk would ever consider returning to this character because even though he doesn't appear often in Roadwork, I found him to be one of the more memorable supporting characters that I've read so far in SK's books.

Also I read on Wikipedia that Drake, the "street priest" is actually Father Callahan, but I'm not totally convinced of it. Drake is described as having a "scarred wounded hand" and I don't quite remember if that happened to Father Callhan. Still, Drake just doesn't feel like the same character as Father Callahan to me, but I'd be interested in what people have to say about this.

My only critique of Roadwork is that I found it hard getting into the story and all of the laundry characters at the beginning were a blur when I began the story and it wasn't until Bart met with Ordner the first time that the story started to take shape for me. Once it did, everything that came before that started to make more sense and I got into the story. The only thing is that I knew it was going to end tragically and I didn't want it to. I wanted Bart to get his act together just as he said he was towards the end even though he had no intentions of doing so. The heartbreak involved of losing a child was just too much for him, I suppose. Still, I found myself hoping that he'd be stopped before using the explosives or that maybe Magliore sold him duds and that he'd get the help he needed once he was captured.

For anyone who hasn't read Roadwork, I'd highly recommend it. Just be aware that you might get so attached to its main character that you may not want it to end.

**JohnDalglish** · February 25th, 2009

Hi,

Yes, I think it's a much under-rated story too, and so plausible.

But some amount of bang for the bucks with the Bachman Books, ain't it?

Long days and pleasant nights

**wally wonder** · February 25th, 2009

Have you read Thinner? There's some interaction between two characters in that story that is a kind of doubling of the action you enjoyed in Roadwork, only more of it, and though I don't know who the actor is that you mention--I should google the name to see if it's the same one I'm thinking of--guy squints a lot? thin hair, seems like he's always tan? or is that blood telling? anyway, yeah, agree with you, great story.

**cwalrus** · February 26th, 2009

Originally Posted by Bluey Lunger

Have you read Thinner? There's some interaction between two characters in that story that is a kind of doubling of the action you enjoyed in Roadwork, only more of it, and though I don't know who the actor is that you mention--I should google the name to see if it's the same one I'm thinking of--guy squints a lot? thin hair, seems like he's always tan? or is that blood telling? anyway, yeah, agree with you, great story.

I haven't read Thinner yet, but if there's more of some of the elements I enjoyed in Roadwork, I'm sure I'll like it.

**mercop14** · March 4th, 2009

I just finished Roadwork an hour ago. It's one of King's best novels I think. The book is very underated.

**tillyn** · March 4th, 2009

I agree, the Bachman books are greatly under rated. Great stories, i always recommend new readers read SK's short stories, because he doesn't just write horror story's he is great at all topics.

**cwalrus** · March 5th, 2009

As a huge Met fan who takes the 7 train everyday at Shea Stadium, it was somehow oddly appropriate for me to be reading Roadwork while Shea Stadium was being deconstructed peice by peice. They couldn't implode it because of the surrounding area so it had to literally be disassembled and broken down one section at a time. I actually finished the book around the same time that the final section of Shea Stadium came down. Talk about coincidences.

I look forward to Citifield and the 2009 Mets season, but there was a little Bart Dawes inside of me that didn't want to accept the outcome of the building which held so many memories for me. Of course, it's different circumstances, but reading that story while watching Shea come down just made it more bittersweet. I actually went to the final game at Shea which if anyone knows anuything about baseball last season, if the Mets had one that game, they would have at least had a one game playoff afterwards meaning that the stadium would host at least one more game. Alas, it wasn't meant to be and my heart was broken as the lights went out.

**blunthead** · March 19th, 2009

I liked Roadwork very much. It's right up there when I think of memorable sK novels. It was heavy, timely, and I really like the ending. I tend to like sK's endings. Roadwork was sad, but satisfying.

**JackTheRipper** · August 27th, 2009

I finished this last night. Beautiful. I felt tears

**savvy** · August 31st, 2009

Can anyone clue me in to the ending of Roadwork?

It's been awhile since I read it, and I'm having trouble remembering...

Thanks!

Thread: Roadwork (SOME SPOILERS)

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