An error in The talisman? **Spoilers**

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hpr7

Active Member
Apr 14, 2007
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I have a curiosity: I recently read the talisman , and I could not understand so- mething:

When the flipper is in his twinner's body and moves in either direction and then reverts to his world, his body will materialize in an area that correponds to the distance he traveled while he was his twinner.

In chapter Sloat in This World / Orris in the Territories (III) I’ve noted a possible incongrousness.

The mechanics with flipping get confusing with Morgan. In one instance he's lying in bed in his home and flips into the Territories where Morgan of Orris is riding along in his stagecoach. When Morgan flips back into his own world, he's back in his bed. If my understanding of flipping is right, he should have ended up some distance from home.
 

Walter Oobleck

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I don't know. As I recall there was a danger to-do with elevation...and I understand what you have written, recall Jack learning about distances when flipping. But I don't know. How are things in Italy? Italy, right? :)
 

Autumnlyn

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Feb 12, 2009
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My understanding is this. Location is relative only when the 'flipper' is single natured. If you are doubled natured, and have a living twinner, then when you flip you arrive where they are.

Saying that, I found it odd that a story was told that when Jack was little, he remembers going to look for his father in the garage, but he wasn't there, and hours later he arrived walking down the street. How the heck did that happen?
 

hpr7

Active Member
Apr 14, 2007
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Messina(Italy)
How are things in Italy? Italy, right? :)
Yes, I'm italian. We had political problems, but now the situations seems to be more positive ;;D
--------------------------------
Thanks for the answers :)
but in the final fight Morgan in order to confuse Jack "flip" from a world to another continually (He seems invisibile). In this scene we may suppose that Morgan, when moves in the Territories and then comes back in the other world, will appear in a distance that corresponds to the one he had cross during he was in his twinner.
But when Morgan Sloat moves to the Territories to attack Wolf and Jack and then fails, the two characters are able to escape and transfer in the same place the have just abandoned. Why Morgan did not the same in the final fight?

If we consider the scene in which Morgan is laying in his bed and transfer in his twinner in chapter "Sloat in This World / Orris in the Territories (III)" everything's right, but if we consider the final scene that I described everything's seems confused.
 

Walter Oobleck

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Mar 6, 2013
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Yes, I'm italian. We had political problems, but now the situations seems to be more positive ;;D
--------------------------------
Thanks for the answers :)
but in the final fight Morgan in order to confuse Jack "flip" from a world to another continually (He seems invisibile). In this scene we may suppose that Morgan, when moves in the Territories and then comes back in the other world, will appear in a distance that corresponds to the one he had cross during he was in his twinner.
But when Morgan Sloat moves to the Territories to attack Wolf and Jack and then fails, the two characters are able to escape and transfer in the same place the have just abandoned. Why Morgan did not the same in the final fight?

If we consider the scene in which Morgan is laying in his bed and transfer in his twinner in chapter "Sloat in This World / Orris in the Territories (III)" everything's right, but if we consider the final scene that I described everything's seems confused.

I think the key to understanding that scene is to consider what Autumnlyn posted. When Jack flipped he had to be careful as he is Jack in both worlds. With Morgan, since he has a twinner in the other world, he is incorporated in that twinner wherever that twinner is located. But then again, I could be mistaken and you are correct...it is a mistake. I wouldn't mind flipping over to Italy for a visit. Do you have any snow? We have about three feet on the ground...and in places it is piled high...mountains of snow although the sun has been shining. The Talisman is a favorite for me. I like how he yells in that guy's face, I was going to go right back! Heh! That was hilarious. :)
 

Autumnlyn

BOOYA!
Feb 12, 2009
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1,157
Far Nor Cal
Yes, I'm italian. We had political problems, but now the situations seems to be more positive ;;D
--------------------------------
Thanks for the answers :)
but in the final fight Morgan in order to confuse Jack "flip" from a world to another continually (He seems invisibile). In this scene we may suppose that Morgan, when moves in the Territories and then comes back in the other world, will appear in a distance that corresponds to the one he had cross during he was in his twinner.
But when Morgan Sloat moves to the Territories to attack Wolf and Jack and then fails, the two characters are able to escape and transfer in the same place the have just abandoned. Why Morgan did not the same in the final fight?

If we consider the scene in which Morgan is laying in his bed and transfer in his twinner in chapter "Sloat in This World / Orris in the Territories (III)" everything's right, but if we consider the final scene that I described everything's seems confused.


Well, this is just an opinion, but I absolutely LOVE this book, so here goes:

In OHIO Rest Area: When Sloat moves in to attack Wolf and Jack and fails: Sloat states later that he was lucky that both He and Morgan were in cooresponding locations to pull that off. And thats how I always took it.

But you're right, in re-reading that part to answer this question...King writes it as if as Sloat steps thru the rip in the fabric of reality he made with the key he becomes Morgan AS HE STEPS THRU. Odd.

As for when they are at the final fight at the Black Hotel: Both Morgan and Sloat were at the same location and the fabric between worlds was thin. There's my Kingology.

Dispite the quirks, Talisman will forever remain a favorite, Right here and now. Thanks for the excuse to reread part of it :) and sharing your thoughts Hpr7.
 

Walter Oobleck

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I liked Ghost Story pretty well, but the others I tried were just tedious. I honestly can't remember how many I tried; what's a good one?

I've read a few from Straub. The first was Koko, a story that I enjoyed and read more than once. Dark Matter is another that comes immediately to mind, as does Porkpie Hat...which is a kind of...long preface...to Dark Matter. But like everything, mileage varies among drivers. There seems to be a strong element of mystery, the unknown...in Straub's stories...and I like that.
 

Aloysius Nell

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Apr 1, 2014
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I forgot Koko - yes, a pretty good read. I just looked up his list, and had forgotten Mystery and The Throat. Both were good, but didn't induce me to reread them. I think I tried some of his short stories as well, and couldn't get into them.

So, forget meyearlier slam; I have slept many times since reading Mr. Straub and regretfully did not give him a fair shake.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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I liked Ghost Story pretty well, but the others I tried were just tedious. I honestly can't remember how many I tried; what's a good one?
...I appreciate the sentiments in your last post...I would suggest Shadowland as well...his style is a bit "thick" for me, but he crafts his words well=just not in a manner that I must have every bit he's published...unlike some hack from the wilds of Maine...
 

Michael97

Member
Feb 19, 2016
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If I recall correct, I was pretty sure Morgan Sloat was already dead in the final fight and Jack was fighting only Orris. (At least that is what I thought I remembered) So Orris was flipping as a single nature.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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Cambridge, Ohio
If I recall correct, I was pretty sure Morgan Sloat was already dead in the final fight and Jack was fighting only Orris. (At least that is what I thought I remembered) So Orris was flipping as a single nature.
....it's been quite some time since a re-read, but that sounds right...
 
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I'm not sure if the Mods want to add a spoiler on my post. Wasn't sure how to do one and I don't want to ruin it for people who haven't read it.
I've added the warning to the thread title as it would have meant going through several posts to add the spoiler notice.

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