Duma Key

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: John Slattery

Winner of the 2009 Audie Award for Fiction

A terrible accident takes Edgar Freemantle's right arm and scrambles his memory and his mind, leaving him with little but rage as he begins the ordeal of rehabilitation. When his marriage suddenly ends, Edgar begins to wish he hadn't survived his injuries. He wants out. His psychologist suggests a new life distant from the Twin Cities, along with something else:

"Edgar, does anything make you happy?"
"I used to sketch."
"Take it up again. You need hedges...hedges against the night."

Edgar leaves for Duma Key, an eerily undeveloped splinter of the Florida coast. The sun setting into the Gulf of Mexico calls out to him, and Edgar draws. Once he meets Elizabeth Eastlake, a sick old woman with roots tangled deep in Duma Key, Edgar begins to paint, sometimes feverishly; many of his paintings have a power that cannot be controlled. When Elizabeth's past unfolds and the ghosts of her childhood begin to appear, the damage of which they are capable is truly devastating.

The tenacity of love, the perils of creativity, the mysteries of memory, and the nature of the supernatural: Stephen King gives us a novel as fascinating as it is gripping and terrifying.

©2008 Stephen King (P)2008 Simon and Schuster, Inc.

Typical King

Hard to believe that I've been reading Stephen King for twenty-five years, but there it is. I started with "Pet Sematary" and have read 90% of what he's written since. Does that make me a King "expert"? A dubious distinction . . .
Characterization is King's strong suit. Horror or fantasy or straight fiction -- it doesn't matter. His characters stick with you. King's ability to make us identify with his stock every-day-sort-of-guy main character represents his greatest strength as a writer. You'll like Freemantle and Wireman. You could have a beer with them. (You'll recognize Freemantle from Mike Noonan in "Bag of bones." Twins separated at birth, maybe?)

You'll also recognize King's typical build-up. Normal guy in unusual circumstances finds himself confronted with ambiguous monster out to get him (and his family) for unknown reasons. The foreplay is always more exciting that the actual act. Just like in "Dreamcatcher", King has trouble in this book moving from the heavily foreshadowed bogeyman to the real-life campaign to kill it. (Where do his monsters ever come from anyway? Do they ever have a history?) The exposition is quality, like something out of "The Stand" or "Hearts in Atlantis", but the ending melts into cheesiness, like a chapter from "Salem's Lot."

As an English teacher, I have a running row with my colleagues about whether or not King writes literature or trash. My argument has always been that he writes both. Most people don't realize that he's behind "The Shawshank Redemption" or "Stand by Me", or that his story "The Man in Black" won 1st place a few years back in "The Best American Short Story." (Ok, maybe that was a marketing ploy. But any guy who churns out a book a year, at least, is using the "win sometimes lose sometimes" strategy.) In this book he wins and loses. Great characterization and build up, unsatisfying hackneyed ending.

Raves!

I listened twice! Not only is the story perfectly Stephen King at his best, but the narrator nailed the interpretation and kept me interested. Loved it.

A joy!

Oh yea! Listened to it non-stop, ignoring friends, family and commitments. Post-hit-by-a-truck King at his best. I loved it. (One criticism - The main character was one well rounded , well educated building contractor... perhaps unrealistically so? Just something that I noticed..) (One compliment - "I became good friends with Robin Mead" Wow - That sentence conveys in a few words what it would take some people a chapter. I had to stop and write it down. I've been there myself and that was a true ROTFL moment for me if there ever was one. *probably not an exact quote*)

Good Old King

Any additional comments?

Stephen was my favorite author for many years and I read everything he wrote up through the early 90's until I started to get burnt out. In just the last few months I have started listening to some of his newer works like, "The Dome", which was great, and, "11-22-63", which was a little too long but still good. Both were more along the sci-fy genre which was okay for me but not the SK I'm used to. Duma Key reminded me of how good the old SK, scary books were, the writing was smart and believable. The minds unlimited depth is always the most interesting wonder of the universe and King has such an undeniable way of making this evident in his books. The narrative was good and the characters were destinguishable.

I don't write many reviews

Among the nearly 100 audio books I have listened to, this is one of the very best. The ending is certainly not your mundane feel good ending but King seldom ends his books that way. I have read or listened to almost everything King has done and this along with some of the Dark Tower series are his best. Don't pay any attention to reviewers that try to write like literary critics-buy this book and get ready for a great ride.

The narrator adds immensely to the book itself. I found myself feeling like some of the characters are people I wish I had as my personal friends. Jerome Wireman was the best and I will truly miss him.

Best King work in many years.

I put off buying this, because the title sounded dull. Don't be dumb like me.

The writing was top notch, and the narration was exceptional. The story moves slowly, but thoughtfully, and I was always eager to resume listening.

Thematically and structurally, it was very reminiscent of "IT", which is probably my favorite King novel. But "Duma Key" felt like the work of a more mature and introspective author.

This is easily my favorite King novel of the last 10 years.

Duma Key Part1

Great. Even the voice is perfect. Only, I am just confused if Isle is pronounced as il-e or il-se. It was not consistent with the narrator. But otherwise everything's fine.

I can do this...

For those who are seeking the "typical" Stephen King twists and frights, you may want to look elsewhere. If you're looking for the kind of truly compelling thriller of a story packed with characters in whom you'll find yourself emotionally invested, look no further. John Slattery was an inspired choice for the narration, as well. Highly recommend.

Great Story/Great Narrator

S.K. is a master storyteller and I enjoyed every minute of Duma Key. It's totally worth the credit.

Duma Key

Loved this book. Could not wait to see what happened next. I have listened to it several times.