Mr. Mercedes *Possible Spoilers*

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AchtungBaby

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Dec 5, 2011
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doowopgirl

very avid fan
Aug 7, 2009
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dublin ireland
Hey guys! I wrote my review (of sorts) on my SK blog if you wanna check it out. Be warned - it's rather spoiler-y, so only read it if you've finished. Don't say I didn't tell ya.

Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling: Mr. Mercedes: A Tastey Treat from the King of Horror

It's raw and kind of rough, but that's the point - I wanted to get my thoughts out there without dulling them down by editing it a bunch. Enjoy!!!
I'm loving it myself. I'm about halfway through. While it's different from what we've had from SK before, it's got his haalmarks all over it. Characters you can totally relate to, a narrative that just rolls, a couple of references to other SK stories, I could go on, but you get my drift.
 

VultureLvr45

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2012
2,650
13,707
Maryland
I just started Mr. Mercedes today. I am barely into it, but it has grabbed me already. I anticipate a fairly quick read with this one.

On a side note, I cannot stop singing the chorus to this song in my head now!
(I wouldn't be surprised though if I'm the only one on here that even remembers this song!)

Sweet Pea... I remember this one from the 80's..so many times danced from the club...oh yeah, I remember..
 
M

mjs9153

Guest
Zipping through it,loving it..find the cop stuff very good,mostly,procedurally and language..one problem I had
was that they didn't give Mrs Trelawney any credence at all in her story..I would think they would want to cross off any possibility,that is just basic police work,and thus explore the second key angle..who could have had access to it,any workmen(thinking computer repairman?)in the house in the last year,etc,if only to rule out that possibility
but other than that,excellent stuff..:grinning:
 
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booklover72

very strange person
Jan 12, 2014
731
2,995
51
Dublin
Mr Mercedes Profile: Intelligence High
Personality Dual
Ethics none
Sex provicity Possibly just makes love to attain needs. gets off of maiming/killing people.
Friends: none
Confidence: fools himself by playing mind games and thinks he is smarter then everyone else
Job low end, so he can focus on amoral doings
Psychologically: Pscyhotic, sadistic


To be continued.
 

HMW

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2012
145
744
Sweden
Done. Here is when I want to say, ”I loved it!”, but that would be a lie. It was OK, but I expected more, especially after the stellar first chapter which was absolutely horrible (in a good sense).

The main thing that bugs me about this book is that there are far too many ad-hoc solutions to the various obstacles our protagonists faces. In the real world, things simply doesn't work out the way they do in the book. Yes, good folks, I know that this is ”fiction”, but this time around King has choosen to write a book without supernatural elements, a thriller, or a criminal novel if you will. That means the rules are not the same as in The Dark Tower for instance.

Also, even though he gets a lot of the geek-speak down correctly, it is certainly not his strongest point, and at various parts it made me cringe a little.

It seems as though many of you enjoyed the book, and I am just another a$$hole, so don't take my word for anything, but of the latest ”big” books (Under the Dome, 11/22/63 and Doctor Sleep) this is the one enjoyed the least.
 
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Walter Oobleck

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Other than a few shorts, the first novel I've read on the kindle. Space is a problem out here on the perimeter. I enjoyed the story, had a blast reading it, and have since read Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice (on Double Indemnity now). I've got 12-pages of characters! That's something I've begun to take notice, the number of characters in a story. A story is more alive the more the merrier. Say like I read this story from an unknown, character in an area of Chicago that I visited, too, but there is nobody on the street. We go somewhere there is someone that makes an impression on us, whether it be a pretty girl or a hunka-hunka burnin'-love, or one of the marginal people, either the giddy heights or the broken ghost lows. With this story there's 3-pages of what I call main characters, characters with a name...and I don't mean famous, well-known people, real people or fictional characters from movies or stories...there's 3 1/4 pages of those...Euell Gibbons, Scott Pelley, and the like. Characters with no name...5-pages of them, some of these make the list even though they are characterized from the perspective of another character, say like Hartsfield, whose has his own individual take on life. He flies under the radar, doesn't he? How many people like that are in the world? Person smiles at you, says a kind word, all the while thinking that you're a lower life form and they can't wait to get home and scrub their hands under hot water.

There are a few continuity errors what have you mistakes. Probably ruined someone's Monday morning with that announcement...and I'd try to report them elsewhere...I guess one can go...to the publisher? They have something there to report stuff? If someone knows how to do that, here's the information:
Elizabeth Wharton's obituary describes her as "the son of Marcel and Catherine Sirois" That's at the 57% mark on the kindle
At the 49% mark Brady is online learning about 'Round Here. "He watches a YouTube video where a giggle of girls discusses which of the five boys is the hottest." Italics mine as the song has it. In other descriptions of 'Round Here, four names are provided. At the start of the story, the mayor is named, Ralph Kinsler...at the end, the mayor is Richard Tewky.
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
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Apr 11, 2006
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Other than a few shorts, the first novel I've read on the kindle. Space is a problem out here on the perimeter. I enjoyed the story, had a blast reading it, and have since read Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice (on Double Indemnity now). I've got 12-pages of characters! That's something I've begun to take notice, the number of characters in a story. A story is more alive the more the merrier. Say like I read this story from an unknown, character in an area of Chicago that I visited, too, but there is nobody on the street. We go somewhere there is someone that makes an impression on us, whether it be a pretty girl or a hunka-hunka burnin'-love, or one of the marginal people, either the giddy heights or the broken ghost lows. With this story there's 3-pages of what I call main characters, characters with a name...and I don't mean famous, well-known people, real people or fictional characters from movies or stories...there's 3 1/4 pages of those...Euell Gibbons, Scott Pelley, and the like. Characters with no name...5-pages of them, some of these make the list even though they are characterized from the perspective of another character, say like Hartsfield, whose has his own individual take on life. He flies under the radar, doesn't he? How many people like that are in the world? Person smiles at you, says a kind word, all the while thinking that you're a lower life form and they can't wait to get home and scrub their hands under hot water.

There are a few continuity errors what have you mistakes. Probably ruined someone's Monday morning with that announcement...and I'd try to report them elsewhere...I guess one can go...to the publisher? They have something there to report stuff? If someone knows how to do that, here's the information:
Elizabeth Wharton's obituary describes her as "the son of Marcel and Catherine Sirois" That's at the 57% mark on the kindle
At the 49% mark Brady is online learning about 'Round Here. "He watches a YouTube video where a giggle of girls discusses which of the five boys is the hottest." Italics mine as the song has it. In other descriptions of 'Round Here, four names are provided. At the start of the story, the mayor is named, Ralph Kinsler...at the end, the mayor is Richard Tewky.
There is a link here you can use for the errors, thanks Walter. :) (It can be found at the bottom of the home-page.)
 

Walter Oobleck

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Mar 6, 2013
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There is a link here you can use for the errors, thanks Walter. :) (It can be found at the bottom of the home-page.)

I've tried to submit the information. Failed. The kindle does not indicate an ISBN number, nor any other number for that matter. Scribner is the publisher of my kindle version. The form does not have options to indicate a kindle, asks for a page number. The information does not pass through w/o an ISBN number. I looked at Goodreads, the kindle version listed there, and there is an ISBN...OR AISN? number...some number is listed there. Tried that number, am told that number does not exist. Like I said, there is no number...oops...I looked in the back at the end and that is where the Library of Congress/Copyright information is located on this kindle version. It worked. After about four or five attempts to decipher the words I needed to type in the human box.
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
44,082
175,641
New Zealand
I've tried to submit the information. Failed. The kindle does not indicate an ISBN number, nor any other number for that matter. Scribner is the publisher of my kindle version. The form does not have options to indicate a kindle, asks for a page number. The information does not pass through w/o an ISBN number. I looked at Goodreads, the kindle version listed there, and there is an ISBN...OR AISN? number...some number is listed there. Tried that number, am told that number does not exist. Like I said, there is no number...oops...I looked in the back at the end and that is where the Library of Congress/Copyright information is located on this kindle version. It worked. After about four or five attempts to decipher the words I needed to type in the human box.
I hardly ever have any success with those Captcha codes, they can be really difficult. Thanks for persevering.
 

RandallFlagg19

Well-Known Member
May 5, 2014
809
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character, say like Hartsfield, whose has his own individual take on life. He flies under the radar, doesn't he? How many people like that are in the world? Person smiles at you, says a kind word, all the while thinking that you're a lower life form and they can't wait to get home and scrub their hands under hot water.
I am not sure what thoughts you are trying to express about Brady; did you like the character or think he was unrealistic.


I think their are a lot of people like Brady who are outwardly nice to people but truly deeply detest everybody.


I enjoyed that there was only half a dozen main characters which were fairly simple people, in this story. I don’t think every story needs half a hundred complex people in order for the story to be good.
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
Other than a few shorts, the first novel I've read on the kindle. Space is a problem out here on the perimeter. I enjoyed the story, had a blast reading it, and have since read Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice (on Double Indemnity now). I've got 12-pages of characters! That's something I've begun to take notice, the number of characters in a story. A story is more alive the more the merrier. Say like I read this story from an unknown, character in an area of Chicago that I visited, too, but there is nobody on the street. We go somewhere there is someone that makes an impression on us, whether it be a pretty girl or a hunka-hunka burnin'-love, or one of the marginal people, either the giddy heights or the broken ghost lows. With this story there's 3-pages of what I call main characters, characters with a name...and I don't mean famous, well-known people, real people or fictional characters from movies or stories...there's 3 1/4 pages of those...Euell Gibbons, Scott Pelley, and the like. Characters with no name...5-pages of them, some of these make the list even though they are characterized from the perspective of another character, say like Hartsfield, whose has his own individual take on life. He flies under the radar, doesn't he? How many people like that are in the world? Person smiles at you, says a kind word, all the while thinking that you're a lower life form and they can't wait to get home and scrub their hands under hot water.

There are a few continuity errors what have you mistakes. Probably ruined someone's Monday morning with that announcement...and I'd try to report them elsewhere...I guess one can go...to the publisher? They have something there to report stuff? If someone knows how to do that, here's the information:
Elizabeth Wharton's obituary describes her as "the son of Marcel and Catherine Sirois" That's at the 57% mark on the kindle
At the 49% mark Brady is online learning about 'Round Here. "He watches a YouTube video where a giggle of girls discusses which of the five boys is the hottest." Italics mine as the song has it. In other descriptions of 'Round Here, four names are provided. At the start of the story, the mayor is named, Ralph Kinsler...at the end, the mayor is Richard Tewky.
I noticed some continuity errors myself and I am only at about 37% through. Usually these things don't bother me, but some seem so blatant and are confounding me how they got through. Having worked in publishing for a number of years, I fully understand how this happens though. Especially this one:

The screen name Brady sets up for Hodges is kermitfrog19, but when Hodges actually goes to the UDBU web site he types kermitfrog19 in as the password without ever typing in a screen name. Huh?

Like I said, I usually don't ever complain about these things but... whatever. Thanks.
 
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carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
I've tried to submit the information. Failed. The kindle does not indicate an ISBN number, nor any other number for that matter. Scribner is the publisher of my kindle version.
There is a specific e-book ISBN on the copyright page at the end of the book. I just successfully submitted an error through the link Flake provided.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
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I am not sure what thoughts you are trying to express about Brady; did you like the character or think he was unrealistic.


I think their are a lot of people like Brady who are outwardly nice to people but truly deeply detest everybody.


I enjoyed that there was only half a dozen main characters which were fairly simple people, in this story. I don’t think every story needs half a hundred complex people in order for the story to be good.

Brady is not a likeable person...maybe pitied. He is a completely realistic person, alas. I've encountered far too many people like Brady. I try to avoid them but often they are unavoidable. I've read stories that contained few characters and enjoyed the stories...I've read stories that contained many characters and did not enjoy them...vice versa on both options. How one character, often a main character, views other people is illuminating--"a beefy twelve- or thirteen-year-old with an a** the size of Iowa." Or "the crying babies" on Charlotte's flight. Description that brings other people into the story and defines the person who is our witness. Troll One...Troll Two. All of the 'imaginary' characters are a plus, too, two and three-quarters pages of those listed in my index. Same thing goes for place names. You walk into anything, bar, restaurant, you know what the place is called. I think a story suffers from a lack of description if the writer gives us a generic name, bar, restaurant, diner, gas station...and I've read things like that in a story. No, a story does not need half a hundred complex people, but it does need people. I've encountered a number of people already this morning...guy across the street from where I installed a storm window...comes out on his porch I say hi howya doin he does not reply. Heh! Two little munchkins at this other place, one calling Daddy! Daddy! and Daddy telling him to wait a sec. The story doesn't need a full paragraph, but a line from time to time livens things up a tad.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
There is a specific e-book ISBN on the copyright page at the end of the book. I just successfully submitted an error through the link Flake provided.

Yeah, I found it at the back of my kindle version...looked in the front where that information often is located...and took a gander at the back as I was posting above. Maybe the fembot will call you up, or call us up? Anticipation, as Carly sang it...you're probably not there as yet.
 
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