July 30, 2004
26. 'Salem's Lot, Stephen King
Can you believe I'd never read this before? As long as I've been a King reader, and I'd never read one of his classics. It's referenced pretty extensively in the last couple Dark Tower books, and I watched the TNT miniseries version of it (which felt off to me). Then that same week, like fate, I found an omnibus edition of Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, and The Shining at work. So I read it.
It's been a long time since I read any of King's earlier works, and it's amazing how much he's changed as a writer. I'm not saying Lot was bad--it definitely wasn't--but the writing and storytelling were astoundingly immature in places. It gave me some hope for my own writing, even. Overall, I enjoyed it, and the story was good, if maybe a little over-shaded with Dracula imagery. For me, the best thing was finding where it ties into the DT books, and getting a glimpse of Father Callahan in his early days. Overall, not a bad way to spend a weekend.
Posted by Lisa at July 30, 2004 10:41 AM | 2004