I'm actually glad it's only 175 pages. After reading SK for over 40 years I think he (and I) does much better in short format these days.I only wish it were a couple hundred pages longer!
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I'm actually glad it's only 175 pages. After reading SK for over 40 years I think he (and I) does much better in short format these days.I only wish it were a couple hundred pages longer!
Perhaps the man at the top of the stairs is none other than Randall Flagg?HMMMMMMMMMMMM
The summary says.
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The little town of Castle Rock, Maine has witnessed some strange events and unusual visitors over the years, but there is one story that has never been told... until now.
There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974 twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong (if time-rusted) iron bolts and zig-zag up the cliffside.
At the top of the stairs, Gwendy catches her breath and listens to the shouts of the kids on the playground. From a bit farther away comes the chink of an aluminum bat hitting a baseball as the Senior League kids practice for the Labor Day charity game.
One day, a stranger calls to Gwendy: "Hey, girl. Come on over here for a bit. We ought to palaver, you and me."
On a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat like for a suit, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat...
Journey back to Castle Rock again in this chilling new novella by Stephen King, bestselling author of The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, and Richard Chizmar, award-winning author of A Long December. This book will be a Cemetery Dance Publications exclusive with no other editions currently planned anywhere in the world!
Gwendy's Button Box: Stephen King, Richard Chizmar: 9781587676109: Amazon.com: Books
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Question, has any SK character ever said 'lets palaver' or 'hold palaver' that wasn't from mid-world or visited there? I know Mid-World folk use it a lot more than normal world folk.
I do not believe it wrong to believe the weird guy in the suit is from there?
Perhaps the man at the top of the stairs is none other than Randall Flagg?
Or Robbie Flobby.Makes sense. under his new guise Ralphusworldjumpertotallynotevil Familymanflanngian.
That's actually a good analogy in a sense -- imagine if King co-wrote many novellas and started a Patterson-like book line? It's also in a sense like that line Patterson has now, with the shorter books.
The analogy probably breaks down a little because, in Patterson's case, I honestly don't believe he does much writing...I'm not sure I even buy that he writes 70 page outlines, or however long they are supposed to be. Maybe he does, but I'm skeptical. With King, I think he truly co-wrote this new novella, and I also believe that with the eventual third part of The Talisman, as you mention, he will be doing actual work on that. Patterson can't possibly write everything attributed to him at this point; it's amazing what he has out there (do you know he has YA books as well?).
However, I'm not knocking Patterson...far from it! I am in awe of what he set up for himself. If King set up a machine like that, it might be a neat experiment...so long as he was the one coming up with the ideas. That way, he can get as many ideas out of his head and to us as he can; the delivery system, though imperfect, would be co-authors. Remember that idea about a world where rain turns people into cannibals? Hand that off to someone in the field that he respects...Vincent, Chizmar, whomever. Or find an up-and-comer. Maybe use it as a charity vehicle...find a poor high-school student who is good at writing, give the person an idea, and then pay for college tuition with the royalties. Help a college student who can write get out of debt with the scheme. King could start a Patterson-like machine and do very charitable things with it. And he could of course still write his own stuff; win...win! </Thought Experiment>
Perhaps the man at the top of the stairs is none other than Randall Flagg?
Anyone picking up the audiobook? It's going to be released 2 weeks before the hard copy version.
That was a very tempting review......... anticipation grows by leaps and bounds!Thanks to Bev Vincent for passing along the link to this review in Publishers Weekly.
Better order quick as they just sent out an email saying it's over 90% pre-sold and they will be going into a second printing, so if you want a first printing do it soon.I'll be pre-ordering this on Friday. I hope it'll still be available.
I saw that email. I don't want to have to use my credit card, but I might have to.Better order quick as they just sent out an email saying it's over 90% pre-sold and they will be going into a second printing, so if you want a first printing do it soon.