Salem's Lot - The Letters to Bones

[Beano]

Hello Everyone,

I have just finished reading Salem's Lot. I have a question about the Letters to Bones from the Charles Boone character.

How does this short story tie in with the main story?

All the other short stories tie in with the main story but the series of letters dont, that i can see.

Am i missing somthing?

Thanks in Advance,
Regards,
-Beano

[staropeace]

Its a short story with a victorian flavor. It stands on its own merits.....alone.

[strange]

its a sort of prequel to the story explaining things about the town. Like One For The Road is a sort of sequel after. It's not a big tie in but just adds a bit more to our of 'Salem's Lot

[michal]

It's about Salem's Lot and there for establishes one of the book's claims - that some places are simply evil and that evil reside in them long after the people that caused it are long gone

[Prince of Darkness]

Hi,

I read both at the same time just recently. Here are the things I picked up:

The town name is the same, albeit not the histories. Charles Boone says something about Mr. Bones's friend, "Bigelow" who is perhaps "Barlow". The church that was desecrated was perhaps on the same hill as The Marsten House, which would kind of explain Hubie's evil heart and the evil nature of the house itself. Also, Mark touches a book when he and Susan venture into The Marsten House for the first time. The book he touches is the same one Charles reads that summons The Worm That Doth Corrupt (Yog-Sothoth).

I hope I helped,

Long days and pleasant nights

[Beano]

Thanks for your replies everyone

I especially liked your reply Prince of Darkness. I missed some of the subtle things you mentioned. Im deffinatly going to have to re visit Salem's Lot again.

Not for a while though, iv only just begun to get a good nights sleep without getting woke up in the middle of the night thinking there is an undead person in the walls

-Beano

[mayday10]

I liked the last 2 hits at the end of the book quite a great deal. To flash forward like that.... then flash back in an entirely different writing style. Great stuff.

[Brainslinger]

I like those two short stories. I had them in a separate collection but it was great to get them in the volume along with 'Salem's Lot.

While most horror fiction doesn't scare me that much those two stories, Jerusalem's Lot and One for the Road genuinely creeped me out. Not the Worm stuff, so much. The creepy dead people. And the little girl standing on the snow.... Come to think of it, 'Salem's Lot is one of very few King novels that creep me out too. Don't get me wrong, I really like his other work, but it's not really scary for me.

I wondered if the short story Jerusalem's Lot was a prequel but when comparing it with the brief historical account at the start of 'Salem's Lot, I noticed a number of differences, as Prince of Darkness said. For one thing, the town of Jerusalem's Lot is a ghost town in the short story of that name. Sure, it's set in Victorian times, and may well have been revived and rebuilt in later years, but it's clear from the novel that the town has been around continuously from before then.

I do wonder if Stephen King would have incorporated that history if he had written the short story first. It would certainly be fitting with the whole theme of evil places attracting evil and the cycle repeating itself albeit with different monsters. As it stands, I'd say those two stories are set in much the same area but in parallel worlds. Various worlds are a major feature in certain Stephen King books, particularly The Dark Tower cycle and The Talisman, so I think this fits. I would consider One for the Road as occurring in the same world of 'Salem's Lot though as there are no contradictions.

[mayday10]

I agree on the history. I thought it was important for 'Salem's Lot to initially paint the perfect picture of a normal small town. Then peel away a few layers and make it slightly less-than perfect. For me, I dont think it does the story much service to incorporate the Letters To Bones in the same Dimension. Its too much.

One for the Road though was great. It would be a perfect end to a Salem's Lot movie (or series). I haven't seen either series yet as I am waiting for them to arrive in the mail.

[holmes11210]

I was wondering is the boone house and the Marsten house were connected?