# Anyone reading Stephen King's Duma Key ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570 "2008-02-14T05:43:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/1 "2008-02-14T05:43:52Z")
It’s his newest book, quite long, but seems pretty good so far. It’s about a man who was doing very well in his business but was then severely injured and becomes an amputee. His marriage crumbles, and he moves to a beach house in Florida and takes up painting again. That’s as far as I’ve gotten. There are also bits from the point of view of a small girl who has trouble getting her words out. I don’t know yet how she figures into the story, but I’m sure that she and the disabled man will be merged at some point. It does not appear to venture into supernatural territory. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/2 "2008-02-14T07:04:57Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] It does not appear to venture into supernatural territory. [/QUOTE] IT WILL. This is one of scarier books of his I’ve read. Very well done. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/3 "2008-02-14T12:59:05Z")
I read it a couple of rainy Saturdays ago, and had a rare opportunity to completely immerse myself in it. That may be one of the reasons I really dug it, but it was good. Also, at one point near the end of the book, the lights went out at my house and scared me half to death! Wireman’s awfully likable, isn’t he? I think it’s interesting that the main character is rolling in dough. Have Steve’s memories of poverty grown too faint to be useful anymore? He’s probably been a millionaire for thirty years now. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/4 "2008-02-14T13:29:06Z")
A good read. One of his better in recent years. I still remember reading Salem’s Lot when it first came out. Late at night. During one of the chapters where the vampires were banging on the windows to wake up little Richie, one of my kids woke up crying. Scared the crap out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/5 "2008-02-14T13:57:16Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] I think it’s interesting that the main character is rolling in dough. Have Steve’s memories of poverty grown too faint to be useful anymore? He’s probably been a millionaire for thirty years now. [/QUOTE] The protagonist recounted some of his lean and hungry days in the book, before he ‘made it’. I figured it paralleled SK’s own track. Rich, powerful, nearly killed in an accident. ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/6 "2008-02-14T15:16:04Z")
Hooray! Finally another good spooky King novel. I guess I’ll shell out the cash for it. I couldn’t get into _Lisey’s Storey_ and _The Cell_ bored me. I used to love reading his stuff and getting so into it that everything would set me off. While reading the short story _Gramma_ I tuned out everything around me and didn’t notice that a severe thunderstorm had started building. At one point in the story lightening crashed and simultaneously thunder crashed outside my house. I threw the book across the room and couldn’t calm down for about 10 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/7 "2008-02-14T15:56:50Z")
I loved it too. At first blush, one of his best, I think. I thought it was very effective. Nicely spooky, good characterization, and no bloat. The writing itself is fine too. It’s not often that King comes up with quotable stuff, but there’s some good craft here. I haven’t heard any negative comments about Duma Key, unlike his last few books. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/8 "2008-02-14T16:27:17Z")
I’m about a third through it and enjoying it immensely. I wish I had time to just sit and read. \ (I’ve had it about two weeks.) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/9 "2008-02-14T18:20:53Z")
I have it, but I have to finish Colleen McCullough’s \*The October Horse \* and get through \*Antony and Cleopatra \* first, otherwise all those Roman names start to run together and I forget who is who. It’s on my list. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/10 "2008-02-14T19:00:28Z")
Two major complaints: 1. King has gotten out of control with the accident stories. This is, what, the fifth book in a row that’s a thinly-veiled roman-a-clef for his own accident? 2. Yet another “magic negro.” King is starting to sound like David Duke in reverse. ---
**Author:** ![Potato\_Pancakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Potato\_Pancakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potato_Pancakes)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/11 "2008-02-14T19:27:57Z")
Would this be a good book for someone who is a longtime King fan but was quite disappointed in Lisey’s Story? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/12 "2008-02-14T19:39:07Z")
**Potato Pancakes** , yep. I’m a longtime fan who was disappointed with Lisey’s Story. I managed about 50 pages and put it back on the shelf. Duma Key is “old King”, without the self-indulgence. **TLDR** , which five books were about his accident? I’m drawing a blank here. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/13 "2008-02-14T19:51:41Z")
[QUOTE=TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW] 1. Yet another “magic negro.” King is starting to sound like David Duke in reverse. [/QUOTE] But they were balanced by magic Caucasians! ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/14 "2008-02-14T19:56:03Z")
[QUOTE=AuntiePam] **TLDR** , which five books were about his accident? I’m drawing a blank here. [/QUOTE] Sorry, it’s only the fourth. _Song of Susanna_ _From a Buick 8_ _Lisey’s Story_ _Duma Key_ ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/15 "2008-02-14T19:59:36Z")
I might read it. Just tell me this: Does it have the word “smucking” in it? If it does, no way. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/16 "2008-02-14T20:31:40Z")
No smucking! No made-up words at all, praise be. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/17 "2008-02-14T20:36:32Z")
[QUOTE=TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW] Sorry, it’s only the fourth. _Song of Susanna_ _From a Buick 8_ _Lisey’s Story_ _Duma Key_ [/QUOTE] You could also probably count ‘On Writing’ in that group ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/18 "2008-02-14T21:11:07Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] I think it’s interesting that the main character is rolling in dough. Have Steve’s memories of poverty grown too faint to be useful anymore? He’s probably been a millionaire for thirty years now. [/QUOTE] I haven’t read a ton of his books, but from what I have read this doesn’t seem to be a overwhelming theme. The main characters in _Pet Semetary_, _Misery_ and _Salem’s Lot_ were successful and well off. Poverty was essentially a non-factor in _The Stand_. I’m not sure it’s really a cliche in his works which appears to be the implication. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/19 "2008-02-14T21:15:12Z")
[QUOTE=AuntiePam] No smucking! No made-up words at all, praise be. [/QUOTE] But it has a Mystical Negro and another thinly veiled retelling of King’s accident. Thanks, but no thanks. He’s clearly out of gas. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570/20 "2008-02-14T21:30:40Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] The main characters in _Pet Semetary_, _Misery_ and _Salem’s Lot_ were successful and well off. Poverty was essentially a non-factor in _The Stand_. I’m not sure it’s really a cliche in his works which appears to be the implication. [/QUOTE] No, I just think it’s interesting. This character has an ability to handle his problems differently because of his wealth, and that’s okay. I think Steve deserves to be a millionaire. But it’s been a while since there was a character constrained by his financial situation in the way that most of us are. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-reading-stephen-kings-duma-key/437570.md?page=2)