A Tour Through Castle Rock

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ThatEndDown

Member
Jun 27, 2011
19
83
Recently, I reread Needful Things, and it has put me in mind of taking a reading tour of Castle Rock, reading all of the novels and short stories set in Castle Rock. That would mean a list consisting of:
  • The Dead Zone
  • Cujo
  • “The Body”
  • “Uncle Otto's Truck”
  • “Mrs. Todd's Shortcut”
  • The Dark Half
  • “The Sun Dog”
  • Needful Things
  • “It Grows on You”
Two questions I have for everyone: has anyone ever done this or considered doing so? and, if this list were to be read chronologically — not in terms of publication but when the stories take place — how would that be done? Would it be “Uncle Otto's Truck” first, followed by “The Body” and then the rest of the list?
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Recently, I reread Needful Things, and it has put me in mind of taking a reading tour of Castle Rock, reading all of the novels and short stories set in Castle Rock. That would mean a list consisting of:
  • The Dead Zone
  • Cujo
  • “The Body”
  • “Uncle Otto's Truck”
  • “Mrs. Todd's Shortcut”
  • The Dark Half
  • “The Sun Dog”
  • Needful Things
  • “It Grows on You”
Two questions I have for everyone: has anyone ever done this or considered doing so? and, if this list were to be read chronologically — not in terms of publication but when the stories take place — how would that be done? Would it be “Uncle Otto's Truck” first, followed by “The Body” and then the rest of the list?
....can't recall anyone taking on such a task and without spending more time than I care to, to do the research-I ask, why bother? Not being rude, but as a CR since the beginning, I can tell you from my viewpoint that it won't enrich the stories or experience a whit...
 

not_nadine

Comfortably Roont
Nov 19, 2011
29,655
139,785
Behind you
Interesting reading task. Is there a Stephen King locations map out there somewhere? If not, someone should slap one together so I may view it. :nevreness:

Found Derry.

Derry3.jpg
 

ThatEndDown

Member
Jun 27, 2011
19
83
....can't recall anyone taking on such a task and without spending more time than I care to, to do the research-I ask, why bother? Not being rude, but as a CR since the beginning, I can tell you from my viewpoint that it won't enrich the stories or experience a whit...

Why bother? Why do we bother reading at all — for enjoyment. And that's what this would be, pure enjoyment.
 

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
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Castle Rock is one of Uncle Stevie's best little towns, for me. I love it. If not for the freakish things that sometimes happen there, it's the place I'd like most to live in. I'd like to see this map when it's done.
I agree. Castle Rock is mentioned considerably in Lisey's Story, too. It put to rest the idea that he was done with The Rock (even though I doubt he'll choose this location to be prominent in another novel) and that it was destroyed as we last saw in Needful Things. I really get a kick out of these occasional references to this town and its occupants even if only obliquely. Is someone drawing a map?
 

AchtungBaby

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2011
3,856
15,540
I agree. Castle Rock is mentioned considerably in Lisey's Story, too. It put to rest the idea that he was done with The Rock (even though I doubt he'll choose this location to be prominent in another novel) and that it was destroyed as we last saw in Needful Things. I really get a kick out of these occasional references to this town and its occupants even if only obliquely. Is someone drawing a map?
IIRC it's also mentioned at the end of Gerald's Game and in Bag of Bones. Other novels and stories, too, I'm sure.
 

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
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United States
In Pet Sematary, Jud tells Louis about the rabid St. Bernard "down state". Thereore, Castle Rock is south of Ludlow. Ludlow is also about twenty miles from the Bangor International Airport. Next question is how far is the airport from Castle Rock. It'd be fun to see just how accurate the distances between (and placement of) towns might appear on a map.