Scariest Book!

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

Oliver8

New Member
Dec 14, 2015
1
4
Germany
Salem's Lot is one of the best books of King.
The atmosphere in the small town of Lot is very good.
In German thats:
Brennen muß Salem
I think the USA Title is better



3,3.jpg
 

amaunder

Abby
Feb 19, 2016
156
591
I almost had a heart attack! My room mate brought home 'salem's Lot from the library and I thought for sure it was a first edition, but it was the book club edition and not the *holy grail* of the four first editions that missed the last minute price change by DD. Those babies goes for 40 grand+. I am re-reading it as it was my first King novel. In 1976 I was stationed at the now defunct Presidio army base in SF and the barracks had to be circa WWII. The door to my room had a transom window up top and only God knows now, a big space at the bottom of the door...like a bathroom door in a restroom. (so the ghosties could get in) There was only one other woman who stayed there as most lived off base. Nice to see the Golden Gate bridge from my window but that was the only charm this fire trap had (mental image of a sign that says: Wanna see a big fire? Throw a match on me!) There was an overpass almost on top it and the first time a truck drove by I thought for sure we were having a freakin' earthquake. Reading this book there scared the ****e out of me!!
 

jchanic

Well-Known Member
Jul 11, 2006
3,164
6,097
79
Cleveland Ohio
I almost had a heart attack! My room mate brought home 'salem's Lot from the library and I thought for sure it was a first edition, but it was the book club edition and not the *holy grail* of the four first editions that missed the last minute price change by DD. Those babies goes for 40 grand+. I am re-reading it as it was my first King novel. In 1976 I was stationed at the now defunct Presidio army base in SF and the barracks had to be circa WWII. The door to my room had a transom window up top and only God knows now, a big space at the bottom of the door...like a bathroom door in a restroom. (so the ghosties could get in) There was only one other woman who stayed there as most lived off base. Nice to see the Golden Gate bridge from my window but that was the only charm this fire trap had (mental image of a sign that says: Wanna see a big fire? Throw a match on me!) There was an overpass almost on top it and the first time a truck drove by I thought for sure we were having a freakin' earthquake. Reading this book there scared the ****e out of me!!

It's only the first printing of Salem's Lot with the first state dust jacket that goes for $40k or more. The dust jacket has a $8.95 price on the unclipped flap and the Father Cody reference. There were only 5-8 of these dust jackets done, none of which ever hit the retail stores. They were "rescued" from a waste basket at Doubleday. The other states (second state has the Father Cody reference and a clipped dust jacket with the $7.95 price and the third state has the correction of Father Callahan reference and a $7.95 unclipped dust jacket) usually go in the $200-500 range in fine condition. Valuable, but not rare by any means.

'Salem's Lot - Trade HC - Palaver - A forum for Stephen King fans & Book Collectors

John
 

amaunder

Abby
Feb 19, 2016
156
591
It's only the first printing of Salem's Lot with the first state dust jacket that goes for $40k or more. The dust jacket has a $8.95 price on the unclipped flap and the Father Cody reference. There were only 5-8 of these dust jackets done, none of which ever hit the retail stores. They were "rescued" from a waste basket at Doubleday. The other states (second state has the Father Cody reference and a clipped dust jacket with the $7.95 price and the third state has the correction of Father Callahan reference and a $7.95 unclipped dust jacket) usually go in the $200-500 range in fine condition. Valuable, but not rare by any means.

'Salem's Lot - Trade HC - Palaver - A forum for Stephen King fans & Book Collectors

John

Thanks John!
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
82,822
47
United States
I am ready to reread this one, I think. I watched the 1979 miniseries tonight and was surprised at how spooky it was. I came out of the bathroom to check on my laundry and I jumped at my own shadow on the wall. Didn't realize I was so on edge, lol. Now I will be extra sensitive to any noises outside my bedroom window tonight. So far so good.
Does anyone have a favorite paperback cover? I liked the hefty white reissue with the neck and bite marks. I think King wrote a new foreword to this one, along with The Shining, Pet Sematary, The Green Mile and Bag Of Bones.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT

Stranger.Danger

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2016
62
224
I think it was a close tie between 'Salem's Lot and Pet Semetary as to which one scared me the most. But I think this was the book that actually gave me shivers down my spine. Probably because I've always found the idea of something sinister happening in a small insular town/village to be more believable than the Pet Semetary events happening (I've never had a pet because my dad's allergic to fur and I was basically brought up in a concrete jungle so never had the opportunity to link the events from the book to real life, whereas I sort of can imagine 'Salem's Lot happening)

Did anyone else find 'Salem's Lot to be as scary?
Haven't read pet sematary, yet. But Salem's Lot was my first Stephen King read, and I'd have to agree with GNTLGNT, that Salem's Lot was not really scary, but more along the lines of entrancing. Sure It was suspenseful at times, but not scary, at least for me.
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
Haven't read pet sematary, yet. But Salem's Lot was my first Stephen King read, and I'd have to agree with GNTLGNT, that Salem's Lot was not really scary, but more along the lines of entrancing. Sure It was suspenseful at times, but not scary, at least for me.
I think when you read a book on your life timeline has a lot to do with how it affects a person.

Where that person is in their personal life and maybe their age and personal maturity growth, and even the location at the time of reading has a lot to do with how we take in information. How rational or irrational we are at any given moment in time.

If you are in a busy airport during the day with hundreds of people around you, Salem's Lot might not be that scary.

I was scared beyond words reading this. I was sitting in a quiet house that was creaking at about 3 in the morning. Dead silent. Weird noises outside. Scared sh*tless.
 
Last edited:

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
82,822
47
United States
I think when you read a book on your life timeline has a lot to do with how it affects a person. Where that person is in their personal life and maybe their age and personal maturity growth, and even the location at the time of reading.

If you are in a busy airport during the day with hundreds of people around you, Salem's Lot might not be that scary.

I was scared beyond words reading this. I was sitting in a quiet house that was creaking at about 3 in the morning. Dead silent. Weird noises outside. Scared sh*tless.
:lol:
So true. Pet Sematary and 'Salem's Lot for me, too. Although, PS is scary any dang time! Wendigo, anyone?
 

hliasdio

Active Member
Dec 26, 2016
29
110
39
Thessaloniki,Greece
I found about salems lot by the back cover of needfull thinks saying that in needfull thinks sk made an ending ever more epic than salems lot. So i just call my brother( i wad warking at a camping then. Staying in an old caravan. In the woods. Alone. No lights outside rge caravan. Hahahaha) and told him sent me that book! He did. I didint have no info about the story of the book so all of the events strike my like a train!!! Piss my pants!!!!!! :)
 

raperm

Active Member
Aug 22, 2016
28
112
53
This is still one of my favorite King books, regardless of how old it is. Loved the characters, the story...everything. But it's not the scariest one to me. That would be Pet Semetary. Damn that book is creepy.
 

clyee0227

Active Member
Oct 3, 2017
32
87
New Orleans, LA
I think it was a close tie between 'Salem's Lot and Pet Semetary as to which one scared me the most. But I think this was the book that actually gave me shivers down my spine. Probably because I've always found the idea of something sinister happening in a small insular town/village to be more believable than the Pet Semetary events happening (I've never had a pet because my dad's allergic to fur and I was basically brought up in a concrete jungle so never had the opportunity to link the events from the book to real life, whereas I sort of can imagine 'Salem's Lot happening)

Did anyone else find 'Salem's Lot to be as scary?
Oh absolutely!! It is the only book to this very day that gave me a nightmare. And that's saying a lot bc I never have nightmares (unfortunately....I actually like having them...I know...weird huh?). I've read Salem's Lot about 8 times since I first read it in 8th or 9th grade about 30 years ago....lol. I lived in the sticks the first time I read it, so I can relate to the small town scenario. (Not the New England small town setting though so I live in the muggy south.) Stephen King has an incredible knack for making the unbelievable seem VERY believable. And I think that his style of writing is somewhat hard to covey to film. He's able to make you really understand how his characters are feeling and thinking....and that's tough to get across. At least I think so. I'd be the first in line to buy tickets to a new Salem's Lot movie done at the extremely high caliber of translation that the IT movie was done.
Have you read The Shining yet? It's pretty scary in it's own right....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Neesy and GNTLGNT