Stephen King's Dreamcatcher -- possible spoilers (though I didn't post them!)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m a little more than a third of the way through Stephen King’s latest offering. I just thought I’d pop out a couple of observations.

  1. This novel has a couple of the most interesting characters Steve’s created in the last five years. Beav, uddis and Owen are downright intriguing.

  2. Again he’s using the “flashback” to fill in the backstory. This time he’s doing it well – intermingling it effectively as he keeps the action moving up front.

  3. Though hoping for a The Stand masterpiece, I fear we’re headed own the path which lead us before to the Tommyknockers travesty.

  4. I’ve set aside TLotR as I rip through this novel. A good sign.

What do you guys think of the book so far?

2

Half way thru and I am thinking we are headed toward something “Tommyknockerish” as well. I expect to finish it this weekend.

I find the details of Jonesy after the accident pretty interesting to read. Insights into mortality and how people cope and respond and try to deal with their own reality/mortality are, to me, intriuging.

I agree Duddits is interesting too. My thought is because a part of SK is in that character, again, I think he is coming to terms with the accident and the helplessness of not being in control.

Aside from that, the action is true SK, quick moving and kick @ss details that get into your head and stay there.

3

I’m about 1/3 through also. Once again, the character development is wonderful. However, I too, am fearful this is heading down Tommyknocker lane. This novel has given me my first tears shed while reading during the part when Beav sang to Duddits after they first met him.

I can’t wait to see how things turn out.

4

I really liked this story. The scenes with Jonesy trapped in his own body, manipulating his environment, were the best part of the book. Outside of the race to the reservoir, those scenes provided just about the only real tension.

My daughter just finished it and said “if King had tried to write this ten years ago, it would have been a real mess.” I think she’s right – King did a good job managing the characters and the plot this time around. Maybe he should write all his books in longhand.

5

I’m a lil more than 1/2 way through it now, hopefully I can finish this weekend. My first thought when I realized it was about aliens was “Oh no, not that again. Didn’t we learn anything from The Tommyknockers?” But so far I have felt a wide array of emotion from anger to fear. The beginning of the book actually made me a little frightened, something King has never been able to do for me before. So far I have really high hopes from this book. Mainly, I hope it ends as good as it started.

6

OK, I trust everyone has finished this book now? I fininshed this weekend, and thought it was the best thing he has written in a while. It seems that the “real” SK is back, and that imposter who wrote “The girl who loved Tom Gordon” is gone, for good I hope. While this book didn’t scare the bejesus outta me, it was good and the style was comfortingly familiar. I, too, was afraid we were going down the “Tommyknocker” road, and there were quite a few similarities. Overall, it was pretty good. And I loved Duddits.
So, opinions, comments…?

7

Even when I recognize that a particular King book isn’t very well-written, I still enjoy the read. A cynical person might say “you’re just hoping the book will get better”, but that’s not it.

There’s just always something in a King story to like, for me anyway.