Why the 2009-2010 timeline?

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dsurrett

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Jul 10, 2006
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Was there some reason the book is set in the specific time period instead of in the present-day? I kept wondering if there was some advancement in technology that would've changed the story if it were set today instead of just a few years ago. Or maybe SK just kept the book placed in the time period he wrote it in.
Computers are faster than a few years ago and cell phone functionalities are greater, but without bringing foreign affairs and political figures into play, I can't think of much else a writer would have to change when presenting a book as taking place now or a few years ago.
Not a criticism of the book, just a question.
 

SutterKane

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Jun 7, 2014
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Was there some reason the book is set in the specific time period instead of in the present-day? I kept wondering if there was some advancement in technology that would've changed the story if it were set today instead of just a few years ago. Or maybe SK just kept the book placed in the time period he wrote it in.
Computers are faster than a few years ago and cell phone functionalities are greater, but without bringing foreign affairs and political figures into play, I can't think of much else a writer would have to change when presenting a book as taking place now or a few years ago.
Not a criticism of the book, just a question.

I think he said in an interview he set it in 2009 because that was the peak of the recession and there were alot of the "Job Fair" things over-crowded with people.
 

Lord Tyrion

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Oct 24, 2013
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It seemed like he wanted the story set during the peak of the recession. It also allows him to write about important events as they happened, such as the BP oil spill. If he were writing about the present, he couldn't talk about current events.
 

alligatoruk

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Jul 13, 2014
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Was there some reason the book is set in the specific time period instead of in the present-day? .
Other than the recession already mentioned, I also read that this book is to be part of a trilogy, so maybe King thought it was easier to give himself a timespan to bring the other two books up to the present day (rather than guess at future real life events!). Would make more sense that Det. Bill's storylines are spread apart rather than three major incidents occurring in his (retired) life one after the other.

I enjoyed the book - very much in the vein of general crime thrillers, rather than his usual slightly more freaky stories but his past writing did give him the necessary skills to write a very disturbing killer!
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
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Apr 11, 2006
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Other than the recession already mentioned, I also read that this book is to be part of a trilogy, so maybe King thought it was easier to give himself a timespan to bring the other two books up to the present day (rather than guess at future real life events!). Would make more sense that Det. Bill's storylines are spread apart rather than three major incidents occurring in his (retired) life one after the other.

I enjoyed the book - very much in the vein of general crime thrillers, rather than his usual slightly more freaky stories but his past writing did give him the necessary skills to write a very disturbing killer!
Good point, hadn't thought of that.