Rating: 
Summary: Heart -Stopping suspense
Review: Stephen King's Book "Salem's Lot" was an excellent hair raising book. This was the first novel I had ever read of Stephen King. It was a very good book. I think this was one of the best books I ever read. Many times I couldn't set a place to stop because I would go over it because I was wondering what was going to happen next. It is really hard to put this book down for a second. You are just waiting for something to happen and then Stephen twists it around and you are in shock or surprise. Stephen King truly has an eccentric mind but brings out very interesting words. At times, I was even frightened. This was the first book I had ever gotten goose bumps by. My heart was pounding throughout the entire book. I gave this five stars because it truly deserves five stars. I've gotten hooked on his collection now. The book begins with a man named Ben travelling back to his hometown to write another novel. There is an old house on the hill that everyone is scared of. He remebered that house from his childhood. The town was Jerusalem's Lot but it was nicknamed 'Salem's Lot. Many people feared the old house on the hill. It was said that the owner of the house had died in it. Ben went up to that house when he was younger and went in it on a bet. He went upstairs and opened the door to one of the rooms. He saw the old man dangling from the ceiling and he looked at Ben. This part was very freaky. Things like this keep popping up in the story until they realize that many people are disappearing and dying. Ben and a few friends figure that it is local vampires and they go in search to solve the mystery. This is truly a hair-gripping book. I recommend everyone to read it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I just recently finished this book and I thought it was great. I usually read for a while at night before I go to sleep and the last few nights of reading I had to make myself put the book down. At first it was a bit hard for me to get into the book before I read some of the comments from other readers which helped me be able to get into the book (it was a gift). I have always had an interest in vampire storied movies etc and I thought this book was great. I love the way it goes into depth with many of the characters as to how they feel about themselves and other people that live in the town. The way in which the Barlow and his associate Straker go about taking over the town so that only Ben and a few other characters notice is well thought out. One thing to know is that if you decide to watch the movie after you have read the book you may be a bit disappointed. The movie covers most of the main basis but leaves out some of the stuff that made the book so good as well as well as cut out parts which that in some cases was due to gore but it also changes some of the characters and cuts some of the characters which made the book a little more interesting. DOn't get me wrong the movie is pretty good especially considering when it was made but the book is excellent and well put together. You may not want to put it down once you get into it. The main things that made me put it down were the time of night or my eyes were blurry from reading so long.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent - VERY Chilling
Review: This book was simply excellent. A very gripping and chilling story.The story itself is classic King; slow to develop, but once you get your background the tale will fly by! The writing actually conveys the characters' feelings onto you, which left me terrified! This is very hard to put down, and definitely not a book to be reading at home alone at night! Just remember, don't invite them in!
Rating:
Summary: Best Stephen King Book I Ever Read
Review: I have only read one Stephen King books before I read this, which was "Pet Semetary", which was absolutely horrrible. I wanted to try a different book to see if any of King's books were any better, so I picked up Salem's Lot at the library. As I read it, it was a very boring beginning, as are most of King's books. This is only because he is introducing every charector in the story and really setting up the book for a great climax. Anyways, the book is one of my favorite books of all time. In fact it is ranked third on my list only not getting past The "Lord of the Rings" and "Dune". This is also one of those books that is not very scary as you read it but by the time you're trying to get to sleep, you are totally terrified. I was so scared I actually kept a crucifix with me wherever I went during the night in case I saw a vampire outside. Thats how scared King scares you. This is still a great which you can't put down the oppotunity to read.
Rating:
Summary: Darkness was never so frightening
Review: "Is that book scary?" somebody once asked me while I was reading Stephen King's 'Desperation'. I looked over at him and shook my head. I have never found a book that was supposed to be horror actually scary. Movies, yes, because they pop out at you. But not books...they are somewhat predictable. However, 'salem's Lot changed all that for me. I am a big fan of Stephen King. I have read most of his books and, to this date, have not found any scary at all. Interesting, of course, that's why I read them, but not frightening. But there was something about this book that actually made me a little scared at points. It was the "What if?" question. What if there were vampires? What if this really did happen? What if, what if, what if?! The story takes place in a New England town named Jerusulam's Lot, but is nicknamed 'salem's Lot by its citizens. It is a small town, and if something happens to one person, everybody knows by noontime that day, even earlier. When Ben Mears, a former resident, reappears to write a book based on the Marsten House, he finds things going wrong. The house, which was inhabited by a man that killed his wife then hung himself, is now occupied for the first time since the incident. But from the point he arrives, tragedy strikes. People, a lot of people, become sick and die very suddenly...some of the bodies are even stolen after awhile. When Matt Burke, an English teacher and a friend of Ben, decides this is the work of vampires, the two--along with Susan Nortan, Ben's "girlfriend"--go out to discover the truth. The book may seem a little weak because of not being amazingly popular like 'The Shining', but don't be persuaded to read something else. This--in my opinion--is the best book he has ever written. It is filled with suspense, twists in the plot, and above all, is actually scary at times! When you imagine some of the things being described, you actually think about this happening. I gave this five stars because it is very diserving of them all. However, despite the speed of the book--very fast--, and the excellent story-telling by King, there are just way too many characters. You are introduced to at least twenty or twenty-five names in the novel, and at times, you find yourself going, "Who is this again?" But that isn't bad enough to subtract a whole star. And besides, most of these names have very little to do with the story, so you can forget them quickly. (Maybe that is why I didn't remember.) So if you're looking for a great Stephen King book, pick up this one. It is filled with suspense and overall horror, and is a very quick read. I hope this was helpful to you all, and one more thing: the ending is great.
Rating:
Summary: Kings best book
Review: Ive only read 5 King books, but this book was by far the best of them. King's writing doesn't really scare me, but Salems Lot is a great story. Another reviewer noted how King and Stoker are able to put Vampires into real life situations. This is what makes this book so great, it is so believable and real. I haven't read a King book since that has grabbed me as much as this one. Salems Lot and Kings short stories are amazing reads, and if you haven't read King before, start with this one. Its short and fun to read. You could also start with his short stories, Nightmares and Dreamscapes or Skeleton Crew. (The Mist was amazing)
Rating: 
Summary: Stephen King's Maine twist on Stoker's Dracula story
Review: First thing: to really appreciate this book you have to read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" first. This is not because you need to learn about the rules for vampires; everybody pretty much knows those already. But the structure of King's novel is very much modeled on Stoker's classic. King brings to the story his ability to take the supernatural and place it in the realm of the ordinary world. In this case it means Maine, which harkens back to the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. It is interesting to think of New England as being comparable to Eastern Europe in terms of mysticism and things that go bump in the dark. This is not one of King's better novels, but it is still a good read. Just remember to read Stoker first.
Rating:
Summary: A King Masterpiece
Review: Steven King is, in this reviewer's opinion, the top horror writer of our times, and Salem's Lot is one of his finest pieces. King's gift is his ability to create two very real and believable worlds. The first world, in this case, a small town in Maine, is packed with a web of well-developed characters and living authentic lives. The plot is driven by the interactions of this town with the supernatural world, representated by a vampire, systematically preying upon the towns inhabitants. The result is bone-chiling suspense and top-notch horror. Salem's Lot, along with Ann Rice's Vampire chronicles, define our modern understanding of vampires, and their dark adventures in our world.
Rating:
Summary: Truly Frightening
Review: This is by far King's best book. Not too long, not too ambitious. Here we get a simple, direct, well-crafted story: great stage-setting, likable characters, and, above all, frightening. The characters tend to become caricatures after several readings, and the atmosphere feels dated, but I never stop getting those chills. For every trite sentence he uses, King repays us with beautiful and effective prose. (The whole of The Lot (III) reads like Steinbeck, and the dialogue is expert.) The plot is frenetic, well-paced, then satisfying. Elements from Shirley Jackson, Wallace Stevens, and the master Bram Stoker, used to great effect. Great mix of vampire-types: we get the genteel, and the beastly, the sardonic and the outright pitiful. And the truly sinister part: 'Salem's Lot is just like any other town, with its history, secrets and sins. Perfect fertilizer for supernatural evil. God, how I wish there were a sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: 'Salem's Lot is truly one of Stephen King's best books. It tells the story of Jerusalem's Lot, a small town in Maine. The book is about novelist Ben Mears and his fight to kill the evil force that has come to the town. With help from friends Matt, Jimmy Cody, and a young boy Mark, they try to discover where the vampire is living and make plans to kill it. After the whole town is cast under the spell they are basically the only people left in the town and take on the vampire, Barlow. Through a plethora of twists and plots this book will be loved by all Stephen King fans. if you are starting to read King this is a great book to start with. Read it!!
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