Discussion Group Read for March 25, 2020---Night Surf in Night Shift by Stephen King

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fljoe0

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Apr 5, 2008
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I like Night Surf but it is very bleak. There's not much hope in this one. I was looking at the Wikipedia page and this story was originally written in 1969 and revised later. I wonder how much of The Stand Stephen had rattling around in his head when he wrote this?

Do you think Needles lied about having A2 and there is some hope or are they all doomed? I have a feeling that they are all doomed.
 

Spideyman

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Jul 10, 2006
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Night Surf certainly fits right in with the present times. Truly an overlap to The Stand.
The imagery was spot on-- the surf ebbing and waning , against the sandswept landscape.

Agree with you fljoe0 -- very bleak. Conflict too-- the burning of the man in the car. Not all were in complete acceptance.

Definitely got the feeling all were doomed. Do not think Needles lied. My minds eye picture a totally doomed scenario.
 

fljoe0

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Apr 5, 2008
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I think the burning of the flu victim showed how casually death was viewed after the flu had taken hold.

I think the group was hanging out at the beach because that was the place where they had the most fun before the outbreak. Even though it was no fun now, they wanted to be where they had good memories.


I've been watching virus themed movies lately so this one fits right in. :)
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
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Here is the place for thoughts and discussions..........................
View attachment 34487
The scene with the man the teens find is pretty disturbing (shudder) - good story and so interesting that he said the virus came from South East Asia (even back when he wrote it which was quite a while ago) - I think fljoe said 1969?
 

cat in a bag

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Aug 28, 2010
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It is a very bleak story. The very abrupt ending. No true resolve to anything, we are just left hanging as to what happens next.

I am not sure if Needles lied. I want to say he did, so he could be with other people. But I also feel like maybe the survivors had false hope where the "Hong Kong flu" came in, and how they thought that made them immune from "A6" or "Captain Trips". (It was never called A6 in The Stand, was it? But clearly it is the same.) Also, an eerie "prediction" about how this originated in Asia as compared to current events....but also, in The Stand, it started in the U.S. So this story is a precursor to The Stand, yet different. Different level of the Tower? Or just the refining of a story?

I also thought the character telling the story was an inconsiderate azz...but how much of that is due to just being numb over seeing people you know and love succumb to an illness? I don't think he truly was an azz, he was just tired of feeling things for people who were going to die. And leave him. I think his abrasive, abusive personality was a form of self- preservation. He knew time was running out. For all if them.

Again, very bleak. Very scary. And very current. I guess anything could be "made" current, with the reach of social media and viral videos. But really, it is spooky how prophetic these type of stories feel right now.