A Vampire Sneaks Into New England...

Salem’s Lot

By Stephen King

The book Salem’s Lot is one of my favorite novels ever written.  I read the novel every October.  The characters are old friends to me.  The spookiness fits the season.  Halloween is a major holiday at my house, so I wanted to share some spooky books on my blog this October.  I personally believe that Stephen King, the author of Salem’s Lot, is one of the best authors the United States has ever produced. One day, Stephen King will be mentioned in the same breath as Twain, Hawthorne, Dickenson and Fitzgerald. 

It was not always this way. I labored under the mistaken impression that Stephen King was a “horror” writer.  I would see the stack of Stephen King hard back novels on a bookshelf at my grandmother’s home.  She always purchased the latest King book.  I would wrinkle my nose, and silently or not so silently pass judgement on my grandmother’s lousy taste in reading.  I would even avoid physically touching the books in case one would accidently open and I would release a Pandora’s box of horror.  Oh, the righteousness of the young.  The old expression, Lord let my words be soft and tender for tomorrow I may have to eat them comes to mind. 

In the fall of 1998, I began working at Brentano’s Bookstore.  In the evenings I would work the calendar kiosks. So, I decided to pick a spooky book to read and I chose Salem’s Lot.  I enjoy vampire stories, so I chose that book.  Salem’s Lot was released in 1975, the year I was born and was Stephen King’s second novel to be published.  I fell in love with the story and since have done my research to his writing on the background of the story.  The idea for the book came from a conversation with his wife on what would happen if Dracula came to a small town. Thus, Salem’s Lot was born. 

I have never experienced an author who writes such memorable characters.  From Ben Mears to Roland Deschaine to Pennywise the Clown to Carrie White to the Walking Man to Danny Torrance—Stephen King has developed some fantastic characters.  He also invokes some other works of literature which is reflected novel, namely Dracula and the Haunting of Hill House. 

Salem’s Lot centers on the around the Marston House which is located in the tiny New England town of Jerusalem’s Lot.  The house is the embodiment of evil.  The Marston House was built by a monster, Hubert Marston.  Marston killed young boys and eventually murdered his wife before committing suicide.  The house acquired a life of its own in the minds of the towns people.  The house is like a beacon to evil that brings the vampires Straker and his master Barlow to the Lot.  The house also brings a novelist Ben Mears to town who wants to write a novel based on the Marston House. Suddenly children begin to disappear. 

One of my favorite parts of Salem’s Lot, is the chapter of the Day in the Life of the town which introduces the town characters and their back stories.  The cast of characters is very rich, which is a reason I love this book—you have the pretty Susan Norton, the alcoholic Father Callahan, a bachelor teacher Matt Burke, Richard Strecker—a Renfieldesque character, and the evil Kurt Barlow. 

The only weak point of the novel is the lack of a relationship between Hubert Marston and Barlow.  King writes of an almost assumed relationship.  

I was always interested in the idea of vampires in New England because of the history of the Puritans, the Witch Trials and their percieved fightsagainst evil.  The story also touches the idea of the Catholic Church and their fight against evil, an old evil.  The reliance of holy symbols to fight evil, such as Rosary Beads, Crosses and the Saints.  

In the Book, 1000 Books to Read Before You Die, James Mustich lists two Stephen King books, Carrie and 11/22/63. Having read both books, I disagree with his choices.  I would have chosen, The Stand, It, The Shining and Salem’s Lot.  I believe the reason Salem’s Lot has not received the attention that other King novels have are the terrible movies/miniseries.  The 1979 made for TV movie starred Bonnie Bedelia, James Mason and Lew Ayers.  The 2004 version star Rob Lowe, James Cromwell, Donald Sutherland and the late great Rutger Hauer.  With the success of the recent theatrical version of IT, a new movie is in the works for Salem’s Lot.  If you need a good scare around Halloween Season, Salem’s Lot would do that.  King released a special edition with a section of edited parts which makes the book even more interesting. 

Keep Reading My Friends!!!!