Just finished Mr Mercedes

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Kimbo996

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Jul 22, 2014
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What a great story. It's almost like Stephen King just wants to tick off the genres now. What's next, romantic fiction?? But back to Mr Mercedes, it contains an obvious and intriguing factual error.

The car after whom the antagonist is named, the SL500, is referred to as such four times in the novel and once in the author's note. The car's identity is key to the plot: "This baby's a tank". The SL500 is an icon of motoring history, and its identity is as intertwined with its unruffled V8 performance as it's freedom-loving open top. Think Richard Gere in the opening scene of American Gigolo. Yet three times in the novel the car is referred to a a twelve cylinder, including once by the mechanic who serviced it, and at least eight times as a sedan. A V12 Mercedes sedan would be an S600, a limo suitable for heads of state but hardly the sort of car a rich single lady would aspire to.

What's going on?? The great Stephen King writes (another) novel about a car, then gets the model name wrong? And his editor doesn't pick it up?? He SHOULD have written the novel about an SL500, a car Olivia Trelawney might have driven. Instead he writes about a S600 but calls it an SL500.

The error must be deliberate. Is there some hidden meaning there? Or is he just having having fun winding up the trainspotters?
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
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The High Seas
Hi Kimbo. First off, welcome! Second, I think Steve writes stories in all genres. All his books contain elements of everything. Third, lots of car talk about what you ask here, just look around for the others. I think the answers lie there.
 

prufrock21

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
2,956
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The Caribbean
Welcome. No error at all. Another instance in which he alerts you to the notion that in a world which has "moved on," such a situation happens. Otherwise, it's a typo.
 
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Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
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What a great story. It's almost like Stephen King just wants to tick off the genres now. What's next, romantic fiction?? But back to Mr Mercedes, it contains an obvious and intriguing factual error.

The car after whom the antagonist is named, the SL500, is referred to as such four times in the novel and once in the author's note. The car's identity is key to the plot: "This baby's a tank". The SL500 is an icon of motoring history, and its identity is as intertwined with its unruffled V8 performance as it's freedom-loving open top. Think Richard Gere in the opening scene of American Gigolo. Yet three times in the novel the car is referred to a a twelve cylinder, including once by the mechanic who serviced it, and at least eight times as a sedan. A V12 Mercedes sedan would be an S600, a limo suitable for heads of state but hardly the sort of car a rich single lady would aspire to.

What's going on?? The great Stephen King writes (another) novel about a car, then gets the model name wrong? And his editor doesn't pick it up?? He SHOULD have written the novel about an SL500, a car Olivia Trelawney might have driven. Instead he writes about a S600 but calls it an SL500.

The error must be deliberate. Is there some hidden meaning there? Or is he just having having fun winding up the trainspotters?
Yes there is a hidden meaning - it means:

(you are taking every word too seriously - just go along for the ride and try not to be too "nit-picky") - no offense intended.

Welcome to SKMB - you can join the board without finding an error in one of his books - it is not a prerequisite for membership 'round these parts!

wolf and raven.jpg
 
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