Eli > Recent Status Updates

It’s fun re-reading the trilogy after watching the movies so many times. I like noticing the differences. First one is that there’s a huge gap between Bilbo’s farewell party and Frodo’s departure. Frodo turns 50 when he finally leaves - that’s 17 years later! And it’s a meticulously planned process, not as rushed as it is in the movie.

It’s very interesting to read the book after watching the movies so many times. I enjoy noticing the differences so I’ll focus on that.
First thing is that there’s a huge difference in the gap between Bilbo‘s farewell party and Frodo’s departure. In the book, it’s a 17 year gap. Frodo goes from celebrating his 33rd birthday to turning 50. It’s also a meticulously planned departure, not a rushed one.

Lost interest in it the first time. Now it’s getting a little more interesting, but I’m still on the fence. I’ll see how it goes. Maybe the series is worth it. Maybe not.

Rattlesnakes
More of an epilogue to Cujo and Duma Key.
Loved the closure for Donna and Thad. ‘Seeing’ him as a grown up ghost was precious, since he’s one of the more tragic innocent victims of King’s imagination.
Now I have to re-read Duma Key. Forgot all about it.

Rattlesnakes
Finally - a Cujo “sequel”.
I knew I recognized the name Tad as soon as it was mentioned. But it took the mention of his death in a car, and a Saint Bernard for me to understand.
Love it!!!

Willie the Weirdo
Great twist. Did not see that one coming.
Another one that feels like old school Zking writing.

The Fifth Step
A short story that is so reminiscent of his earlier works. The level of chills slowly creeps up right until the explosive ending.
Didn’t find it to be a surprise or a twist, but that only made it better. It felt like the perfect tempo, mood, and character development for a quick Stephen King treat.

Two Talented Bastids
A funny little thing just happened. King’s character mentions how his father voted for Biden “in the second election”.
That’s such a great example of how things just took such an unexpected turn in 2024.

At their meeting the man in black says to Roland:
“…You have no idea how close you stand to the tower now, as you resume your quest.”
“What do you mean ‘resume’? I never left off” replies Roland.
“At this the Man in Black laughed heartily, but would not say what he found so funny.”
Well, that would be the biggest spoiler of them all - The actual end of Book 7.

“He rolled it between fingers that would all too soon be gone.” - The Drawing of the Three’s opening foreshadowed!

The Crimson King is mentioned in a sermon at Tull’s church.
The pastor may have arrived on a train - a possible reference to Blain.

Speaking Ring is mentioned when he’s asking directions in the city of Tull. Rolland is asking about what beyond the desert.
At the end of the desert is a green ocean with monsters, some say. -
Sheb, Susan, and reaping night when they burned her at a steak. That one roll and actually says when he sees Sheb. Eldred Jonas and the coffin hunters are all mention in one conversation. Love it.

Interestingly, the number 19 is presented as a very important number. What that will provide a key to the afterlife. The key to another world.
Such a nice foreshadow.

The number 19 is mentioned for the first time in a note the Man in Black left for the bartender.

The Man in Black says “once more with feeling, as they say in the world next door”. A great reference to The Drawing of the Three.

Sheemie and his mule (Wizard and Glass)
Mid-World (The Wastelands)
Billybumblers (Oy - The Wastelands)

More of the foreshadowing -
Friends, horns and hat lost in battle (Wizard and Glass)
A Taheen - a man with a raven’s head (Wolves of the Cala and The Dark Tower)

This being my ???th time reading the first book, I started noticing how many different ways Stephen King foreshadows a variety of future storylines. He does it by mentioning characters, events and locations. Either through conversations or flashes of memories, recollections.
So far …
The Mannies who are the Holy Men are mentioned as religious cultists who search for holes in space.

“Time, apparently, did nothing but blunt grief’s sharpest edge so that it hacked rather than sliced.”

This time around I’m finding that I’m really disappointed with the movie version. So many things were left out. The experience of watching the movie is now tainted for me.
Don’t know why it took me this long.
The maze alone is so different that I’m not sure I want to watch it again on screen.

Having just read If It Bleeds, I feel like I know Holly Gibney’s family well. Her mom Charlotte, her uncle, and her grandmother.
I like the fact that there is mention of the uncle this early in the story. Not just this book, but rather the story of Holly. It just makes it feel like it was well planned ahead of time. Four books ahead of time!!!

So far I am enjoying reading this a second time. I love how it just starts with Bill, and so far there’s only been a brief mention of Jerome. I am really looking forward to getting reacquainted with the gang.
Already there are connections made. First to Christine and then to IT. Both in the same “scene”. Awesome.

Rat
Slow going at first, and then Bam! Kerchunk! Splat!
Love the twists, even though you can see their shadows approach ahead of time.
Except for the Rat.
That was just fantastic, and I found myself with my mouth dropped open. Later, with a constant smile.
A great short story.

If It Bleeds
The fact that the title of the book is this one, is very fitting.
It is thorough, suspenseful, gory, and just perfect. I also realized that it forms a trilogy of its own. A trilogy of “outsiders”.
Brady Hartsfield, the entity they actually called The Outsider, and this shape shifter version.
I also like how Ralph Anderson was “off screen” the whole time, and how often Bill Hodges was mentioned.

If It Bleeds
First off - this is coined “Holly Gibney #5.
How great is that!!
Secondly - it begins as if it is a direct continuation of The Outsider. Starting the story with an update on Ralph Robertson and a link to Finders Keepers. Awesome.

The Life of Chuck
First off - telling it in three acts was great. The fact that it was told in reverse chronological order, was excellent.
I also enjoyed how King explored the concept of “there are multitudes within us”.