A Slow Build Vampire Story that Fell Short for Me!

Author Ben Mears returns to Salem's Lot, the place where he spent part of his childhood, to pen his next book. Little does he know that something evil lurks within the town. This was my least favorite Stephen King novel thus far. It's a vampire story, yet it managed to be so boring and uninteresting! At least the vampires didn't sparkle, I guess.

'Salem's Lot did have a few interesting characters. I liked Matt Burke and Mark Petrie, and Ben Mears was okay. However, there were far too many other characters! They were all so one-dimensional and flat, and they were thrown at me one after the other, making it hard to keep track. When bad things started happening to the townspeople, I just couldn't bring myself to care. Maybe I'm cold-hearted, but I just wasn't invested in their characters.

Barlow and Straker were scary, but they weren't in the story enough! Especially Barlow. The pace of the book was slower than a snail. The introduction was way too long and dull, seeming to go on for about 200 pages. There was so much unnecessary information, and the author would often go off on random tangents, which really irritated me. I just wanted to get to the story already!

I did like the Marsten house, which was well-described and scary. The part with the removal men also gave me chills. King did a good job of accurately describing the small town, making it easy to picture. The few action scenes that were included were well done, like the one at the boarding house and the scene in Mark Petrie's bedroom with the visitor at the window.

However, I really struggled with this book. The narration was slow and dull, and I had to increase the speed of the audio for the first time ever. In conclusion, if a vampire story can't scare or interest me, then it hasn't really done its job, has it? It pains me to rate this book low, especially since everyone else seems to love it, but this one was just not for me.

King has once again worked his magic. I find it rather amusing that I'm still taken aback when another Stephen King novel claims the title of my new favorite. But here we are, completely astonished and in awe.

Jokes aside, this book is truly outstanding. It further solidifies my belief that King in the 70s and 80s was in a league of his own.

Vampire stories have a certain allure, much like junk food. You know it's not good for you, yet you can't resist because it's just that delicious. That's exactly how I felt about vampire books this year. However, this one was more of a unique blend, a crossover between Dracula and Nosferatu, rather than the Twilight or TVD kind. And boy, was it juicy.

King is a born storyteller. In this book, he masterfully weaves the tale of an entire town by presenting special chapters that follow the different inhabitants of Jerusalem's Lot through their cursed days. As the story progresses, you can clearly see how the daily lives of the townspeople become darker and more abnormal. You can truly witness the transformation.

The only drawback is that there are so many characters at times that it can be a bit overwhelming. But fear not, as after a while, you'll get the hang of it.

I adored the eerie atmosphere, the mystery, and the internal pressure that builds up as you read, knowing full well that something might scare you. The psychological horror in this book is extraordinary, the suspense is top-notch, and the scary parts catch you off guard when you least expect them (like when it's night, you're home alone, nothing scary has happened yet, and you allow yourself one more chapter, only to find that it's the terrifying one).

Given that "Salem's Lot" is one of King's early works, if you read it after his other masterpieces like "The Shining" and "IT," you'll start to see the connections and inspirations. There are many common ideas and leitmotifs that seem to tie all of his stories together in one big universe.

I firmly believe that this is the perfect read for those who love spooky October reads and perhaps even consider celebrating KINGtober each year, as I have for the past few years. If this book is on your list somewhere, move it to the top for this KINGtober, because it's sure to become your new favorite.

I fall more in love with this book and its characters with each and every reading. It is both heart-wrenching and spine-chilling, and that's a significant part of the reason why I cherish it so deeply. I've always struggled to enjoy vampire novels, and I firmly believe that this aversion stems from my profound love for this particular book. King portrays vampires in such a horrifying manner that nothing can quite compare to Barlow after one has read this masterpiece. Despite finding him completely terrifying, I absolutely adore Barlow as a character. In fact, I think he might just be one of my all-time favorite King villains!

Another major aspect of my love for this book is the remarkable cast of characters. They are truly a group of unlikely heroes that you can't help but cheer for and perhaps even shed a tear or two when some of them meet their fates. I thoroughly enjoy the entire cast as a whole, but by far my favorite is definitely Mark. That kid is an absolute warrior and steals my heart every single time I read this book!

No matter how many times I pick up Salem's Lot, I am on the edge of my seat from the very first page until the very last. I become so completely engrossed in the story that I still get shivers when I reach the final showdown! It is such an epic and perfect conclusion to this book, playing out like a movie in my mind. I could truly go on and on about how much I love this book. It is most definitely one of my favorite works by King.

When writer Ben Mears returns to 'Salem's Lot, a quiet Maine town where he lived for a few years as a child, he discovers that he has taken on more than he can handle. 'Salem's Lot is the home of an ancient evil. Can Ben Mears and his friends stop the vampire in their midst before they become victims of his bloodlust?

One of the great aspects of growing older is that old books seem to become new again after ten years. I had forgotten most of the details of this one, so I thought it was a good time to read it again.

'Salem's Lot owes a great deal to Jack Finney's Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers. In this case, the pod people are replaced by vampires! Stephen King does an excellent job of depicting small town life and then shattering it. Although I remembered the basic plot, most of it had been lost in the passage of time, so it was a rather suspenseful read the second time around.

Ben Mears is the first example of what has become a Stephen King trademark over the years: the writer as the main character. In some ways, Mears is a prototype for the protagonists of Bag of Bones and The Dark Half. Mears, who is damaged by the death of his wife, moves back to 'Salem's Lot to try to resume writing. Good luck with that.

The characters other than Ben Mears were an interesting group. It's a pity that most of them are dead or worse by the end. I would read a second book featuring the two survivors dealing with the consequences of this one.

If I had to complain about one thing, it would be that the ending seemed a bit too easy. After everything that preceded it, it was more of a whimper than a bang. Also, I had to wonder why they didn't just burn down Barlow's hiding place and be done with it.

Forty years later, Stephen King's second book is still a great read. His tale of Dracula meeting Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just as suspenseful as it was the first time I read it. Four out of five stars.

Vampires have always been my personal bogeyman. I vividly remember watching the movie "Salem's Lot" when I was fifteen, with David Soul as Ben Mears. After that, I truly believed in the existence of vampires for at least a week. Maybe, deep down, I never really stopped believing. Sometime in my early twenties, I finally picked up a copy of the book and read it for the first time. It's been close to thirty years between reads. Some might say this book starts slow, but I didn't think so. From the moment Ben Mears, clearly haunted, comes to the Lot and tells of his childhood encounter with a ghost, I was hooked. Stephen King's vampires are truly terrifying. They can be easily characterized as demonically possessed, blood-drinking ghosts with the power to mesmerize their victims. Never, ever look into their eyes. Like some of his other stories I've read, hell is other people. The people of Salem's Lot provide a full view of themselves falling prey to both their own natures and the curse of vampires sweeping their town. On a technical note, I was completely surprised by the author's use of a deus ex machina about halfway through the novel. One of the main characters is in a tough spot, and King gives him a genius-level ability to solve the problem without any foreshadowing I could see. It really took me out of the narrative. However, if the overall story wasn't so damn good, this would have dropped the rating by a star. But I just can't bring myself to give this book, which has had such a profound impact on me on multiple levels, anything less than five stars. It's a recommended read for anyone who loves a genuinely scary, spooky, and creepy story that might just give you nightmares.

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

Two Stars for the King. In October, no less. For a vampire book. I anxiously await comments such as these. The story is about a man named Ben who lived in Jerusalem’s Lot (located about 20 miles north of Portland) as a kid. An experience with the Marsten House stuck with him. Now, as an adult and an author, he returns, hoping for a story. But his return coincides with another new arrival, and nearly the entire population becomes... something.

Sounds great, right? Well, when I was a teenager, I thought so. But now, I'm not so sure. I think I've learned my lesson about re-reading Uncle Stevie. This one definitely missed the mark. The first 150 pages were filled with one-dimensional characters, just to identify future victims. And even when it seemed to pick up, all the action was either fade-to-black or off-page. Boring vampires? That's just wrong.

This book also didn't age well. It was so campy, and not in a good way. At one point, this was considered primo writing, but now it just seems awkward. I was going to give it 3 Stars, but I read the version with the cut pages, and that's where the interesting stuff was. So, I'm giving it 2. Bottom line: save your trolling. And for those who are afraid to post their honest opinions, here's my advice.

Salem's Lot is a book that I had high expectations for, but unfortunately, it didn't quite meet them.

However, I must admit that I now have a better appreciation for Stephen King's writing skills.

The book is a fluid read, but it lacks the intense scariness that I was hoping for.

It's more of a mainstream horror, with a large cast of characters and potential side stories.

While it does come full circle in the end, it can be a bit rambling at times.

The world building and character development are excellent, but the overdevelopment of characters and the introduction of less significant personalities detract from the core horror.

The story focuses on friendly chit-chat and getting-to-know-you vibes, which can make it feel almost clean cut and convivial at times.

We know where the evil is coming from, but we never really find out why it's there.

The book gets properly going about a third of the way in when it acknowledges the existence of vampires.

It ramps up quite a bit by 40%, and there's a really mature, educational and rationalized chapter about halfway through that helps to allay any fears that things are becoming OTT or ridiculous.

However, I start to query the originality of the book when I notice the large number of throwbacks to other horror books, such as The Exorcist, The Haunting of Hill House, and Dracula.

The excessive use of crosses and bibles can also get a bit much.

Despite these criticisms, Salem's Lot is still an impressive book, especially for only Stephen King's second published novel.

I'm keen to go back and read Carrie, his first book, and then move on to his later and more mature works.

While the lack of hard-hitting splatter or gore bored me a bit, the character development is so good that it makes up for it.

I just wish I'd read this book 40 years ago when I had zero expectations.

Maybe it would have blown my mind the way Tolkien did.

But on closer inspection, it's kind of breezy and farfetched and doesn't always hold up.

Still, it's a great introduction to Stephen King, and I'm excited to see what comes next.

I have a profound hatred for vampires. I loathe not only the vampires themselves but also the books that are written about them. The way they are romanticized, sexualized, and presented in modern fiction truly irks me.

However, this book was a pleasant surprise for me. King doesn't hold back when it comes to the true nature of vampires. He presents them as the creatures of horror that they are. They are vile, violent, and seem to be无处不在. This is exactly the way I envision vampires to be.

The characters who are pitted against the vampires, especially the priest, are extremely compelling. They are almost too human to face the horrors that the vampires bring. In the end, they don't achieve a complete triumph. They manage to escape, but that's about it. The story is tragic and horrible, making it the perfect vampire book in my eyes.

It shows that vampires should be feared and not romanticized, and King does an excellent job of presenting this concept.

The last time I delved into Salem's Lot was sometime during the 1980s. However, certain aspects have remained unchanged. Back then, just as it is now, among all the elements of horror, it is the sight of a mother hitting her baby that disturbs me the most.

Another thing that has endured is that whenever the character of Straker speaks, I still envision the voice of the late, great actor James Mason, who brought the role to life in the 1979 TV movie.

All these years later, Salem's Lot remains a remarkable blend of small-town life and menacing horror, a genre that Stephen King masters with great finesse. It is an astonishingly long novel for a young author to have produced, yet, unlike some of King's later works, not a single word feels superfluous.

Salem's Lot has already been adapted into film twice. Therefore, I await the release of the new film version in 2023 with a touch of trepidation, eager to see how it will reinterpret this classic story.

I have a great affection for the easy-to-read style presented in this King novel.

It stands in contrast to some of his later works. This particular novel is self-contained, lacking the larger, interdimensional scope that characterizes some of his other writings.

The characters within it are truly engaging, drawing the reader in and making them care about what happens to each one.

The story unfolds in a manner that allows the reader to have a sense of how it will progress from the very start.

Overall, it makes for a fun read for any fans of the horror or thriller genre. It offers a straightforward and enjoyable experience that doesn't require the reader to navigate through a complex web of interconnected dimensions or convoluted plotlines.

Whether you're a long-time fan of King's work or new to his novels, this one is definitely worth checking out.

As with many King's works, I found myself loving this one even more upon reread.

This story will always have a special place in my heart. In fact, I'm seriously considering proclaiming it as my FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME!!!

‘Salem’s Lot is Stephen King’s second novel. Given the vast number of stories he has produced - with around 70 novels and 200 short stories depending on the count - this one is indeed very early in his remarkable career. And he certainly didn't experience the so-called sophomore slump.

I once thought Salem’s Lot was about witches, somehow connected to the Salem witch trials. But after learning about Father Callahan’s origins in The Dark Tower series, I realized it was actually a vampire story. In fact, after reading The Dark Tower, this one moved way up my very long TBR list for SK. Even though Father Callahan was my least favorite member of the ka-tet, I still wanted to know more. I probably should have read this one first, but oh well. (I also should have read the Bill Hodges trilogy before The Outsider - haha).

The story begins rather slowly. SK introduces numerous characters and tries to give you a sense of the small town of Jerusalem’s Lot (shortened by locals to ‘Salem’s Lot). There are many characters to keep track of, but only a few major ones. Ben Mears, a thrice-published author, grew up in SL and has returned to write a new novel and face some demons from his youth. He meets and quickly becomes romantically involved with Susan Norton. Their relationship progresses rapidly - it was the 70s, I guess