Because that was the last time I saw him alive

**snagswolf** · October 7th, 2009

How many times has Stephen King got you with that line, or something similar? It's like a knife through the heart when it's a character that you love, and jarring even when it's just a throw-away character.

My wife and I were listening to Duma Key on CD while driving in the car, and when King used that with one of the main characters, my wife actually let out a groan.

One of my favorites is this line from The Dead Zone:

"'You plan all your life and you do what you can,' the cabbie said, and now there was honest bewilderment in his voice, a bewilderment which would not last much longer because the cabbie was embarked upon the last minute of his life."

King is the master of this.

**Bryan James** · October 7th, 2009

Writers do that when they've exhausted a segment or chapter. It's both effective foreshadowing (especially when there's an unlikely twist after what's been planted in your head--Koontz is good at that sometimes) and a writer's escape mechanism to move on to greener pastures.

And the pastures were not just green; They were vermillion, and there was a problem.

Ta-Daah!

~BJS

**JohnDalglish** · October 7th, 2009

Originally Posted by snagswolf

One of my favorites is this line from The Dead Zone:

"'You plan all your life and you do what you can,' the cabbie said, and now there was honest bewilderment in his voice, a bewilderment which would not last much longer because the cabbie was embarked upon the last minute of his life."

King is the master of this.

Hi,

Yes, he is indeed.

He's turned foreshadowing into an artform IMO.

Long days and pleasant nights

**Mr. Palmer** · October 7th, 2009

King is the master of this.

I think that should go without saying.

**Hans** · October 7th, 2009

I felt the same when reading Duma Key - I loved that innocent character and at first I couldn't believe what I just read...really felt sad for the character.

**~Ally~** · October 7th, 2009

Originally Posted by snagswolf

My wife and I were listening to Duma Key on CD while driving in the car, and when King used that with one of the main characters, my wife actually let out a groan. King is the master of this.

Yes he certainly is the master, yet I agree when it was used with this character in Duma Key I was highly disappointed.
In this instance I would rather nothing had been said about the characters future existence, or demise.
I truly wanted to believe a long and happy life was going to be lived...guess I best start reading fairytales.

**rjt65** · October 7th, 2009

yes it is like a knife but the effect it has on you (besides annoying some peeps-not me)
is to concentrate on the writing and the character more eh?

bwahahahaha

me thinks he gets us all this way!!!

**Spideyman** · October 7th, 2009

Originally Posted by JohnDalglish

Hi,

Yes, he is indeed.

He's turned foreshadowing into an artform IMO.

Long days and pleasant nights

And with each re read, especially of the DT journey, how many foreshadowings did you catch that were missed the first time around?

**MadamMack** · October 7th, 2009

Originally Posted by rjt65

yes it is like a knife but the effect it has on you (besides annoying some peeps-not me)
is to concentrate on the writing and the character more eh?

bwahahahaha

me thinks he gets us all this way!!!

Ditto . . .it doesn't bother me at all.

**Blackbeard** · October 7th, 2009

And in the case of the DT, the biggest foreshadowing of all: ka is a wheel. How many times was this heard throughout the novels. Brilliant ending. Going to start my first re-read this winter.