Duma Key by Stephen King

[Hourglass]

I read and absolutely loved this book. Not all of King's books appeal to me and normally wouldn't have read if mother hadn't suggested it to me.

The more I read it, the more I started being afraid to read for fear I might let something loose, but at the same time, I couldn't put it down.

Has anyone else read it?

[Ant]

Yes I read it as soon as it was released...I really liked this book, the way he described the beach-side setting, I wanted to move there.

[Hourglass]

Me too. Of course, Duma Key is a made up Key, but I bet the others are just as beautiful.

I found a pic one day that always makes me think of Duma Key. It's in my photobucket, but it says I'm too new to post such things. When I can, I will post it.

[Ant]

I'm disappointed now you have told me it's not a real key , I had my suspicions but didn't want to know the truth. I will have to wait for your picture of it now and see if it matches the one in my minds eye.

[Hourglass]

Yeah, he says in the front of the book that Duma isn't a real Key. I went looking for it anyway,lol

-- 06 Jun 2012, 12:02 --

Lets see if it lets me post this



-- 06 Jun 2012, 12:04 --

Okay, it let me post the img code from photobucket, but it has to be approved by a mod first. Understandable. So when/if it is approved, it will be here. As soon as I saw it I thought, Perce...

[StephenKingman]

Yes I really liked this book and it was the first of his different style of writing that many fans commented on- much more of a character-based, slow burning story which built to his trademark terrifying crescendo. I thought the plot was one of his most intelligent and his characters well rounded and memorable, and for those worried his horror had taken a back seat, even the mental image of the long dead ghost ship or the two unfortunate girls stalking the condo, not to mention the final confrontation with the demon, cemented King's place as the undisputed King of Horror

[Hourglass]

I agree. I think it is probably my favorite book by him.

[Ant]

I agree. I think it is probably my favorite book by him.

Quite surprised by that Hourglass, he has written so many great books, 11/22/63, The Stand, The Green Mile and Christine are in my top list of his but Pet Semetary, Insomnia and Cell were also excellent.
It's one of the great things about King, he has something for everyone, peoples top lists vary because there are so many facets he draws on, one minute he's pulling on your heart strings, then has you tensed up expecting something unspeakable then on the next page he will have you laughing....a true master, the first books I read of his that truly got me hooked were Salems' Lot and Carrie, seems a life- time ago now....aah great books, great memories.

[Hourglass]

The Stand ranks up there with Duma Key.

[gothique]

This is the only King book I had to set aside once I started it, for the simple fact that the theme of loss was too strong for me to deal with at the time, as my father had just passed away.
I was going to pick it up about a year later, and then my son died.
Someday, I will return to this novel, but I fear it's going to be many years down the road due to the associations I have with it.
Fortunately I've got The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and 11/22/63 to take care of my King fix.

[Ant]

So sorry to read about your losses Gothiqe, I don't think I would be able to read a book like Duma Key ever again if it were me, that's the trouble with King....he knows how to scare you, make you laugh and make you have a tear in your eye when you least expect it.

[gothique]

Thank you Ant.
I know I may never be able to pick up Duma Key again, but I'm hopeful.

[Ant]

Also sorry for spelling your user name wrong

[ambvoz1920]

" but Pet Semetary, Insomnia and Cell were also excellent"

I agree wholeheartedly, he has a fantastic range of characters. When people ask who my favorite writer is, I always say Stephen King, and when they look at me dumbfounded and ask why, I always bring up Pet Semetary. The whole point of being a writer is to draw someone into a story based on how their characters react to a given circumstance, regardless of how bizarre it is. Pet Semetary is a great example of a writer using a fantastical situation that could be incredibly hokey, and making it plausible through his characters. I wish I could write a story about a haunted burial ground for resurrecting domestic animals and make someone feel "Hell! That's exactly how I would feel in that, however impossible, situation". The characters resonated with me, and I feel like that's what sticks.

[danakisor]

Do you think it's better to use a ficticious location, like Duma Key, or a real location? One of the compromises I am making in my book is to use a ficiticious location, but tie it directly to a real on - in this case, my home town.

What do you think?