Customer Reviews

'Salem's Lot

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Today's readers, first becoming introduced to Stephen King, are jaded. They have been spoiled by the explosion of more graphic and explicit entertainment of late. When I first read 'Salem's Lot as a young teen, I was horrified, terrified, petrified. It was (and still is) brilliant storytelling. I was scared, not by the graphic scenes (which were few) but by the *implications* and the unwritten horror, there between the lines.

I feel sorry for today's readers who seem to have little or no imagination left. For us old fogies, who discovered King in the dark, under the sheets and with a flashlight after Mom went to bed and knowing she'd take the book away *for good* if she found you reading it, 'Salem's Lot is a delicious masterpiece of terror.

This Kindle edition was a great treat. I downloaded it without reading much about the edition...what was there to "know?" It was 'Salem's Lot, the only King novel to give me NIGHTMARES. As I was reading, I remembered a short story about "The Lot" from one of King's other books, about a guy who left his wife and kid in a snowbank in the car...and I was straining to remember the name of the story or the book it was from....imagine my delight at the "end" of 'Salem's Lot to discover it wasn't THE END...there was MORE! The story I was trying to recall was "One for the Road" and there was another one I hadn't read before called "Jerusalem's Lot" and then there were the "deleted" or edited scenes from King's original plan for 'Salem's Lot....oh the joy! You hate to see a good book end, and so I was happy that 'Salem's Lot didn't end quite so soon. :)

For unimaginative readers who desire an author to spell out lot of blood and gore and graphic sex, 'Salem's Lot is not for you. For the rest of us, who love to curl their toes at the unspoken, who break out in goosebumps at the subtlety, who long to feel the emotions and terror of the characters....'Salem's Lot welcomes you.

Salem's Lot was the very first Stephen King book I ever read. I was 13 years old and already had an overactive imagination before this book walked right in to that imagination, smacked it around and demanded recognition and respect.

For many weeks after reading this book, I was petrified to look out my bedroom window at night lest I see a vampire hovering there, asking to be let in. To this day, I cannot watch that particular scene in the movie adaptation.

I love a good thriller; a book that will scare the ever loving garbage out of me and this is THE book that did it. This book had such an impact on my 13 year old mind that I have been too scared to pick it up and read it again in over 20 years. However, now that I have a Kindle on the way, I'm adding it to my soon to be built up electronic SK library. And I will read it again.

This time I'm leaving all the lights on.

This book is an extremely scary read. But excellent. I couldn't sleep but finished the relatively long read in about 2 days. The kindle version is very well done and I didn't really notice any problems. I recommend this book for sure if you want a book that will keep you up at night!

Stephen King did what no-one else could do; he re-wrote the classic vampire novel. Everything about this novel is deep. Deep character development, deeply disturbing, with a creepy feeling that grows from deep within. He makes vampires believable again. It is bound to remain one of the top 2 or 3 vampire novels of all time.

I heard great things about Salem's Lot. And that much is true, that it is a great book. However, my expectations for book were so high I could only be disappointed. Overall, a good read, occasionally scary, frequently fascinating. But I was expecting to be greatly moved, either with terror, or with hopelessness, or something. I won't give away the ending, but I felt rather "meh" about it.

This is the first Stephen King book I read almost 40 years ago. It is an excellent book and it explored a theory I long had about vampires - whout would happen if a vampire came to a community and started infecting the town folk who would then become vampires and infect more people. I have read it many times and I have never gotten bored with it. If it is your first Stephen King Book, you will probably become one of his "Constant Readers." A true vampire tale where the vampire is EVIL, not some Hollywood version which make vampires nice and cuddly. A great read!

From about 1975 to 1985, Stephen King could do no wrong. Those ten years saw the release of modern day horror classics such as Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, The Shining, The Stand, The Long Walk, Night Shift, Firestarter, Christine, Pet Sematary, and It, among others. It was King's golden era. Not to say that he hasn't written some fantastic novels since then (Different Seasons, The Green Mile, 11/22/63...) but he seems to have lost a bit of his flair for scaring the pants off of me. Perhaps I am too familiar with his work.

'Salem's Lot is not my favorite King chiller (that honor goes to Christine) but that is no nail in its coffin. It is a magnificent, hauntingly beautiful story, and the greatest modern vampire novel next to Richard Matheson's I Am Legend.

Like most King tales, 'Salem's Lot is set in a small, off-the-main-road Maine burg. The large cast of characters is introduced gradually, ensuring that the reader isn't confused as to who is who. The central cast of characters is likable, fleshed out, flawed, and most importantly, genuine. As the ancient evil descends upon the town and the horrifying reality of the situation is unveiled, the reader feels as if he is in the midst of all the chaos, hunkered down behind a barricaded door with a cross and a vial of holy water clutched tightly in both hands. The best horror is the horror that upends your sense of safety and well being and makes you wonder just what might be lurking beyond the edges of darkness that descends upon your house at night...

The first time I read 'Salem's Lot, my cellar turned into a den of nightmares. I took pains to avoid going down there weeks after I turned the final page. I wish something had the power to scare me that bad these days.

'Salem's Lot is the antidote to the oversexualized vampires now running rampant in books, tv shows, and movies. This classic Stephen King novel (his second book) is also a classic piece of horror that is more deeply frightening in a read-this-book-in-the-daylight-and-you'll-still-be-creeped-out sense than most any vampire fiction written. The story of writer Ben Mears return to a childhood town to research a book makes vampires both terrifyingly evil and utterly believable.

I am in by night fall, and lock all my windows. This was terrifying. A must read for all King fans.

this story was amazing i was incredibly satisfied with the whole story. its suspensful and creepy. you should definitely buy this book