wkb@inmet.UUCP (12/31/83)
#N:inmet:11900004:000:1597
inmet!wkb Dec 30 14:20:00 1983
Stephen King's new book "Pet Sematary" is great! I think it's his
best since "The Shining."
The story revolves around the family and friends of a doctor who is
in charge of the Health Center at the University of Maine at Orono.
The writing style and story concept are reminiscent of King's earlier
works like "The Shining, "'Salem's Lot", and some of the stories in
"Night Shift." The doctor and his faimily get drawn into a horror
that exhisted there for many years. The book is so good because the
main character experinces the evil first-hand and since King is such
a good writer, so do we. In his recent novels, the evil has been
experienced second-hand: through Dennis instead of Arnie in
"Christine"; through the father instead of the mother (and Tad) in
Cujo. And there was no real hair-raising evil in "The Dead Zone,"
"Different Seasons," or "The Stand." "Pet Semetary" has the same
"feel" as the older works - I can't really explain it.
The spelling of cemetary from the title is taken from a children
created sign near an actual Pet Cemetary that kids maintain in the
woods. But there is more going on in and near the cemetary than
meets the eye... I don't want to spoil it. Read it and get caught
up like I was.
Warren Berger
...decvax!harpo!inmet!wkb
...cca!ima!inmet!wkb
P.S. The jacket of the book listed the novels written by Stephen
King and it included "The Dark Tower" saying it was written in 1982
between "Cujo" and "Christine." Anybody heard of this? I haven't.plaskon@hplabsc.UUCP (Dawn Plaskon) (01/04/84)
I enjoyed "Pet Semetary", but still feel that "The Shining" is King's best to date. I have not read "Dark Tower", but I do know that it was originally published as a three part serial in "Fantasy & Science Fiction" and was also sold as a limited edition book. This is probably why you've not seen it. There also exists another, just released, limited edition, large format book entitled "Cycle of the Werewolf". It was written in conjunction with Berni Wrightson illustrations. The illus- trations are quite reasonable, the text mediocre. The book follows one year in the life of a town being plagued by a werewolf. Unfortunately King has the traditional change occurring at the full moon, but then has the full moon occurring at wholly random intervals. As an example, the moon is full at the end of June and then again on the fourth of July. I am well able to suspend my disbelief, in general, but this asks far more than I can provide. My final opinion on "Cycle of the Werewolf" is that it is not worth the $29.95 asking price, unless you are an avid Wrightson collector.
wombat@uicsl.UUCP (01/06/84)
#R:inmet:11900004:uicsl:16700008:000:982 uicsl!wombat Jan 5 10:14:00 1984 Stephen King's *The Dark Tower*: It was published by Donald Grant in a limited edition that sold out in a few months. However, at King's request, it's just been reprinted (10,000 copies), and the second edition is expected to go as fast as the first did. It's fantasy rather than horror. I don't have an address for the publisher, but it's listed in the catalog I got yesterday from Robert and Phyllis Weinberg Books, 15145 Oxford Dr., Oak Forest, IL 60452. Price is $20, and they expect to get an extremely limited number of copies in early January. They say they've been told by various distributors that there have been well over 20,000 orders from customers and stores for those 10,000 copies. If you want a copy, get in line early at your favorite specialty book store. *The Cycle of the Werewolf* by King and Bernie somebody sold out 7500 copies in three weeks just a couple of months ago. It's a short illustrated werewolf story. Wombat ihnp4!uiucdcs!uicsl!wombat
twt@uicsl.UUCP (01/06/84)
#R:inmet:11900004:uicsl:16700009:000:250 uicsl!twt Jan 5 17:15:00 1984 I know what you mean about King's more recent works. I've gotten the feeling from some of his more recent novels that he's been putting them out faster than he should. I haven't red Pet Sematary(?) yet, but I hope it is up to his old stuff. Mary