Salem's Lot

Rating:
Summary: Classic King, Classic Horror.
Review: 'Salem's Lot being the second book by Stephen King one can really see the evolution of Kings work over the years if 'Salem's Lot is compared to his later work.

With the exception of "The Girl who loved Tom Gordon" never has King's work been more on top then it was here. Using classic horror elements while spinning a tale as old as the horror genre itself King has managed to create a well-written, believable and enjoyable story.

Switching narratives between several characters in the fictional Maine town of Jerusalem's Lot (nicknamed 'Salem's Lot) we see the story told mainly from the point of view of medicore success writer Ben Mears as he travels back to the town he once lived in as a boy to rediscover some happiness that has been recently denied to him with the death of his wife as well as fight some old demons that concern an eerie house that looms over the town itself like a pillar, symbolic of the horror to come.

Elegeantly written without being overwhelming or too simple, it's here where one can see the real potential King had when he began. The characters are well designed and some are likeable while others that don't take the spot light generate luke warm to cold feelings towards them much like a well written novel should have.

This book is definately up there in being reccomended, it generates action and keeps it going right until the semi-anti climactic yet oddly satisfying very end of the novel where one walks away from the book with a postive feeling of having read somthing satisfying. A sequel is hinted at but once one finishes the book it will more then likely leave them with the feeling of one not being needed.

Rating:
Summary: Stephen King dealing with vampires results in good book
Review: One of the things I like most when it comes to Stephen King is his marvellous ability to depict the daylife of ordinary people. And with intertwining the ordinary with supernatural he reaches good effect, making the reader think it's not that impossible. When I was younger and read "It" I was astonished by King's talent. And I've been scared then. I still have scenes from that book in my mind (the children going through the tunnel to kill It...).
"Salem's Lot" is another good book, written by King (his second one after "Carrie"). It deals with vampires and submits to the typical myths about these creatures, and not inventing new vampire features (another plus for me). And still it's not a banal one, for the fact that King settles a typical ancient vampire character in a modern small hamlet, located in Maine. Although this book didn't succeed in scaring me, maybe because I've lost my child imagination, I had great time while reading it. I felt like sinking into Salem's Lot town with every page read. The first part of the book isn't as dynamic as the second one, but that doesn't mean it's boring. It's very atmospheric, constructing a whole little town in your head, populated with different and individual characters. And then comes the action... You see the different reactions of those characters to the supernatural evil, while it's hard to believe vampires really exist.
You see how one by one most of the townspeople become vampires, and the vivid characters, you're familiar with disappear reincarnated now in vicious night creatures, hunting people to drink their blood. A good scene for me is when Susan (now a vampire) meets again Mark, with whom she have tried to kill the ancient vampire Barlow, because I saw the death of a character, so skillfully developed. It's not just to present you a character in some two rows and then kill it. You begin to feel for the characters. The end of Father Callahan seemed very sad to me.
Another typical feature for this book is that there are two sides - good and bad. Krocket may be concidered as an exception but he stands outside the conflict between people and vampires, and he's not so important character. Mark's father stands outside any of the two categories as well, but dies too early to make any sense. I read in another review that it would be interesting to see what's in the head of Count Barlow. Maybe the book would be a masterpiece then... I've read a book that concentrates on the vampire's character and it was very intriguing.
The only thing I didn't like in the book is the end. Find it banal and illogical. I haven't read the sequel "One For The Road" but hope it's not some kind of stupid action like "Let's kill all the vampires. No problem that we're only two and they are a whole town (and maybe more) !".
As a conclusion I will say "Salem's Lot" is a very catchy (but not simple) book. If you like vampire stories this is a must. If you like Stephen King's style it's a must too. And if you like both... I envy you!

Rating:
Summary: Salems Lot - need i say anymore
Review: I thought all that characters in this book were brilliant. From Susan Norton to Weasel Craig. I suggest not reading this if you didn't like needful things because it like Needful things does take quite a long time for the story to involve the main enemy in this case Straker and later on Barlow. If you have not read it yet you are in for a mega treat. I have already had 2 nightmares over the book. Very Very Good

Rating:
Summary: Rather Disapointing
Review: I'd been searching for this bok forever, and my friend gave it to me for christmas "This book is scary as hell" she said, so imediatley i started reading it, hoping that i would encouter some of the scariest vampires i'd ever read about.

I read this book ever night, and was not scared AT ALL. However, this book has an excellent plot, and is very entertaining. THe fact that it is relativley mild in the horror department does not lower the quality of the book very much.

ANother thing that diapointed me was the vampires. They were cookie cutter images of vampies. I'm very disapointed that Mr. King did nothing to persona;ize the vampires in away to make them HIS.

OF course, as an obsessive vampire fan, i still loved this book, and highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Salems Lot
Review: King has been so successful for so long that we may forget his early novels' immense impact. Wolf calls him "a master of `the common touch' prose style," and that mastery arguably served him better in his second book than it ever has since. 'Salem's Lot tells of a town full of commonplace Mainers being wiped out of life, if not existence, at astonishing speed by a voracious and truly loathsome vampire.

Rating:
Summary: Where King is King
Review: This is King's second novel, his first being Carrie, which was a manuscript his wife rescued out of the trash. Where Carrie is tentative, Salem's Lot is confident. By this time, King really has a handle on what he wants to do, which is to enclose his image of Maine in every paragraph. Oh, and its really scary too!

Rating:
Summary: The best book ever
Review: If you want to read a sincerely creepy book, then you absolutely have to buy "'Salem's Lot." This is the best King book ever, and it is my personal favorite book of all the books that I've read. King's older stuff is his best, and this one is his second novel. King doesn't fail in conjuring up some of the best characters he's ever written, not to mention some parts that really just freak you out. It's his most frighteneing book, and the way he writes it really gets the dark element of the story to the reader. It's basically the story of a small town and it's deep dark secrets, and when a writer goes back there to work on a new novel, strange things begin to happen to the townspeople. If you're looking for a book that has great characters and writing, but also is very terrifying, then this is definitely the one to read.

Rating:
Summary: And I thought The Shining was Scary...
Review: I'm on a Stephen King binge right now: I started with The Green Mile, then Bag of Bones, The Shining, 'Salem's Lot & right now The Dead Zone. 'Salem's Lot is the scariest by far.

'Salem's Lot is bizarre and frightening in that a whole town full of people & their secrets became "undead" in pretty short period of time, and to the outside world it doesn't seem to really matter. The big daddy vampire comes to town and has his way.

Barlow, the king ghoul, is the creepiest guy you've never seen - much, much & I must repeat MUCH more horrifying than the campy bald vamp in the movie. Straker, Barlow's human henchman, is cool and smooth, yet he makes your skin crawl.

Ben Mears is the believeable hero: honest and trustworthy guy with a semi-checkered past. His relationship with Susan is quick & passionate, so it's hard to digest her fate when it comes. All the characters are solid & the book is not campy even once, which I think could be easy to do in the sometimes overdone vampire genre.

I also really liked the prologue & the epilogue. It's interesting to get an "update" on the survivors. Excellent vampire story from the 1st page to the last.

Rating:
Summary: Pure action throughout, blending with the vampire theme.
Review: Vampires are honestly not my thing. They are highly overrated in the scare department and mainly receive their fame due to most vampires having good looks.

King tells the story of Jerusulem's Lot, a town in Maine that Stephen King made up (Also including Castle Rock and Derry) which is taken over by vampires. The plot is as follows, a moderately well known author going to his home town, meeting a girl he instantly falls for, while meeting vampires. The story is really just that, with the other survivors either leaving Jerusulem's Lot or joining the author to fight the evil force.

Anyone who has read Night Shift already knows this town's future after Salem's Lot. They know that the evil does not die, as in most of his novels, yet lingers on. Salem's Lot as a novel is just as entertaining (Well, almost) as The Dead Zone and will provide many readers with a short, but sweet romp through a land of shadows. Vampire lovers will enjoy this novel and King fans will as well. 5/5 for keeping my interest unwavering throughout.

Rating:
Summary: Salem's Lot - A pure masterpiece
Review: Salem's Lot, the second novel by horrormaster Stephen King, is a book that you won't be able to put down until you finish it. From the first page to the climactic battle scene at the end, the book holds you gripped for over 430 pages and is destined to become a classic in the horror hall of fame. Filled with cliff-hanging suspense and unexpected thrills, Salem's Lot is a must read for all vampire, horror, and King fans.

The author's second book dares to explore the secret world of vampires, as they slowly choose their victims and take them out one by one. The novel is excellent for a second book for an author and has been my favorite King book so far (I have already read Firestarter, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and am currently reading It). Though the beginning of Salem's is a bit slow, once the thrills start you will not be able to put the book down.

Salem's Lot tells us the story of Jerusalem's Lot, a small town in Maine that is slowly inhabited by a vampire, who with every victim expands his group to become colonies that plan to rid the world of human life. Unfortunately, as the characters find out, it is up to them to step these blood-sucking creatures. Armed with such weapons as crucifixes, crosses, and guns, a writer, a child, a doctor, and a teacher set out to destroy the leader before he strikes Jerusalem's Lot and other cities.

As I stated earlier, the beginning is not fast-going for the author is describing his characters but once the lead vampire (who I will not describe or give any facts about unlike other reviewers who want to ruin the reader's experience did) strikes, the novel goes under your skin and holds you gripped.

The best part about the book is surely the characters, who King explains so vividly and emotionally. Over 40 characters live in Jerusalem's Lot and each person has a slight impact on the story. The other part about the novel that will catch your attention is Jerusalem's Lot. King is an expert at creating a brilliant and gigantic city, littered with everything from shops to theatres.

Overall, Salem's Lot is a must for all horror fans. The excitement doesn't really start until you're well 50 pages into the novel but after that, it's a nonstop read that will crawl under your skin and hold you stuck to your chair. You won't be able to do anything else. And you will be sleeping with a cross for weeks.

Caution: Salem's Lot is not a good book for young children for it features despriptive scenes of sex and vampire violence such as a whole page about a vampire sucking the blood out of a human. I feel the book is OK for anyone older than 16 but keep it away from children.