Possible Lord of the Rings reference?

**oftencaughtreading** · February 10th, 2011

I just finished reading 'Salem's Lot a few days ago. It was my first King book to read and I really enjoyed it. I hope to read more in the future.

Not sure how this spoiler thing works but I just want to say if you haven't finished Salem's Lot, read/seen Lord of the Rings, or read Dracula: do NOT read anymore of this message.

For my question, I know that Stephen King is a professed Tolkien/Lord of the Rings fan. I was wondering if it was a coincidence that the date the town dies (as the book puts it), October 6th, also happens to be the same date that Frodo was stabbed on Weathertop. If you think about the scene from LotR, the Ringwraiths are Undead in a sense and by stabbing Frodo he is under the threat of becoming a wraith himself. Rather vampiric image in a way if you think about it. So I guess I was wondering if this was intentional on King's part? I mean, October 6th is also Hubie Martsen's birthday. It just seems that there is a lot of emphasis on that date. Also I have a lot of friends who have read King's books and they tell me a lot of them are similar to Lord of the Rings. So it seems valid to think this date might connect back to LotR.

Also, I looked up the date in Dracula, which if I remember correctly King said in his introduction to Salem's Lot influenced his writing of the book itself. It's the date Mina tells the others that she has to go with them when they defeat Dracula, after she has been bitten by Dracula. They then decide that they will leave the very next day. Every way I tried to tie that end seem to be stretching it so I thought that maybe the date does in fact relate back to LotR moreso than Dracula.

Sorry if this question/observation has been brought up before. I couldn't find anything and I'm genuinely curious. Thanks.

**JohnDalglish** · February 11th, 2011

Hi,

Welcome to the MB, and keep posting!

May I suggest you start SK's epic 7 volume story 'The Dark Tower' (start with The Gunslinger and Drawing of the Three) where he addresses this in the introduction essay 'On Being Nineteen', you'll love it IMO.

Long days and pleasant nights.

**sam peebles** · February 11th, 2011

This seems like it might be a coincidence to me. There are a lot of dates in Dracula, since it's all just journal entries, newspaper clippings, etc. I guess there are a few connections to LoTR and King's works (the palantirs and Maerlyn's rainbow, for example), but for the most part, I don't see many.

**GNTLGNT** · February 11th, 2011

Probably just a coinky-dink...

**Dan Olwell** · March 1st, 2011

Speaking of Lord of the Rings references did you notice how in 'Salem's Lot crosses and other holy items begin to glow with a blue light when vampires are near, the same way Frodo's sword (I forget it's name) glows when orcs are near?

**garygak** · June 17th, 2011

The sword is called Sting, no?

**plgordon** · June 29th, 2011

Wow, I've read LoR Twice and somehow the date of the events on Weathertop had escaped me. Salems Lot is way up there on my list of SK fav's. It was one of my first, and left a profound impression on me. The glowing crosses did occur to me, but I had dismissed it. Perhaps It means something to Stephen, Perhaps he was just having fun with refferances, or maybe just an accident. I suppose only he realy knows. It's a good question, but might be a little bit of a stretch.

**guido tkp** · September 12th, 2011

it only means something if there is a full moon and you're holding an ace and a jack...

if, however, the moon is only a halfmoon, you must, then, have a king and a queen (unless you're upon a bridge, in which case a 2 and a 3 will suffice !), or it all mean nothing...

if, however, the moon is absent, you must have a 8,9 and a 10 - all in the same suit, if you're sitting by a fast moving creek...uh, what's that other part: it's all so specific...OH, FIZZBIN, i forgot !!

oh...what ? this ISN'T the joke page...um...sorry, my apologies...