1. I read the uncut edition so it is 300 pages longer than usual (bringing the length of this book to a whopping 1142 pages) and..
2. This was my third attempt at reading this book and you know what they say... Third times the charm!
I actually bought this book at the goodwill over on Geary St, (that's the Tenderloin in San Francisco) quite deliriously in a feverish state. The store was closing as I walked in, ran to the books in the back, grabbed it and ran up front, and the dude behind the counter felt so bad for me (as I was delirious with said fever) that he let me just have it. (saved me $1!) That night as I was on my first attempt at reading it, my fever increased dramatically, developed a severe cold out of nowhere and had to turn in for the night early. '
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this book, considered to be one of Mr. King's most well-known (and from what I have read in reviews) and one of his more controversial and most discussed works.
Opening the story with a frantic soldier, abandoning his post and running off base in the middle of the night with his wife and baby, and winding up most gruesomely deceased in the next chapter, you get to know what the characters most frequently refer to as: Captain Trips. (which is some reference I don't quite understand I must admit)
Captain Trips is a man made plague of an ever shifting "superflu." A nasty cold that transforms itself as your body produces the antibodies needed to fight it off, so quickly that it is 99.4% contagious and 100% fatal. 300 pages into the book 99% of the population is dead leaving those who are immune to deal with the shock and sudden absence of a civilization. Slowly straggling together you get to know a deaf-mute (yet highly charismatic) young man named Nick Andros, an almost rock star Larry Underwood, a young and knocked up young woman Frannie Goldsmith, Stu Redman also known as east texas, Harold Lauder, Glen Bateman (my favorite character, a college sociology professor), Tom Cullens (a most lovable and admirable retarded man who is so sweet and caring and childlike. M-O-O-N that spells Tom cullens) and many many others who are the survivors and those who for whatever reason are immune to this disease.
Fucking. Amazing. Not one of these characters are dull or 2 dimensional. Each and everyone of them have gone through several transformations throughout the story and when any (or all of them, for all YOU know) die you grieve yourself because you have witnessed their transformations and their "growing up." This seems to be a talent that most authors have not achieved, or maybe im just being biased, but Mr. King is a master of. Character development is definitely one his high points.
Anywho, I'm rambling at this point, they progress and begin having these dreams of a dark man (the representation of the devil) and Mother Abigail a 108 year old woman living in Nebraska on her small farm (the representation of God). At this point all the characters you have met meet up either in Vegas (how fitting is that for the evil side of things) or in Boulder, Colorado in terms of the "good".
I don't want to give too much of the plot away but I could talk about this books for an hour. One of the most difficult books to get through ONLY BECAUSE all three attempts at reading it I suddenly get sick with a cold of one form or another, Coincidence?!
Since 99% of mankind is now dead, The stragglers of the world go through cities described as graveyards, silent, dead, god forsaken even. The world is empty and quiet as opposed to the usual hustle and bustle of life. These days the hustle and bustle is bike riding or if you are lucky driving. (only lucky I say because of the traffic jams on most streets and highways). The world is deserted. Government vanished. Civilization waiting to be rewritten and reestablished. Do they copy the not so distant American government? do they model themselves after a new idea? a pre-established idea? what about law enforcement? jails? The dead left to rot everywhere??? Life is one huge question mark left behind after all modern conveniences are cut away. Sure electricity is set up and ready to run.. but its not. Does anyone know how to make it work? anyone left that is? Water plants. sewer systems. Plumbing. Everythign needs to be relearned and rethought. The implications it asks are down right fascinating!
For instance this one discussion between Glen and Stu really tickled my fancy. Glen (the sociology professor) was going on about how mankind has mostly perished to extinction but didn't. Same with the dogs. As far as he could tell all horses are gone, but the cats are untouched. The rats have been affected but repopulate so quickly its a moot point. The deer are untouched and now unchecked. Sure the implications affecting human population are clear enough, but what about the rest of life? The ecosystem is completely thrown off and unbalanced. Or is it rebalanced negating the effect man has on the earth?? He himself has a dog Kojak who survived but they don't know of any others. if there are more dogs will they even be able to reproduce? Can humans even reproduce? Will the babies be immune?
What I am trying to say is get off your ass and go read it. It took me 21 days to read (which is a hell of a long time in my world) but now that it is over, I am deeply saddened and if I hadn't left the damn book at work I might just be rereading it now. Towards the end it got a little too blatant in its good vs evil concept (but there is always one aspect of Stephen Kings books that just irk me to no end) but it was necessary to the plot and I cant even think of an alternative. Someone needs to read this book so I can discuss it relentlessly.
So get reading!! (maybe its time to tackle Under the Dome next). For the second attempt.
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