I'm holding my hefty hardback of N&D in my hands -- nothing better than a big ole King book is there???
I'll post a few thoughts and whatnot, but won't attempt to post a serious analysis/opinion until tomorrow, when I've finished the story and let my thoughts come together, if you will...
Still, a few things:
"I waited and watched for seven years. I saw him come and go -- Dolan."
SK sure can write a hooker, can't he? This story really hits the ground running -- who is Dolan? Who is the guy stalking him? One is immediately drawn into their relationship, and as one reads the first paragraphs the conflict is perfectly established: Dolan is the reason this guy's wife is dead. Dolan is of high society and is wealthy, whereas this guy is an Everyman, a school-teacher. The fact that he's a school-teacher lets us, the readers and observers, know he (probably) isn't usually prone to mean, vengeful thoughts or actions but he's planning to get Dolan. This guy means business! And really, can ya blame him? His wife is dead. SK is so great at coming up with "What would I do in that situation?!" scenarios.
Lines like "Schoolteachers and high-priced hoodlums do not have the same freedom of movement; it's just an economic fact of life" and "His hair went silver and mine just went" let us into the narrator's world and we can truly relate to him -- haven't we all felt a tiny bit like him at some point? Haven't we all had a Dolan, albeit maybe not to such a severe degree?
I've only read the first few pages, so I won't step out anymore until I've finished the story! Heh. Those are just a few thoughts for now, I'll probably expand on those and have much more to say later....
A few quick things:
I love the Spanish parable used as an epitaph. Definitely sets the story up splendidly.
The first-person POV really draws the reader into the story -- I remember this working especially well later on.
I didn't re-read the introduction this time, but c'mon -- it's a SK intro! Of course it's gold. I still remember the Nixon stuff and it makes me chuckle.
I'll be reading you guys' thoughts. (That sounds creepy....) Can't wait to post more tomorrow!