The book is good - I haven't finished it yet, so I'm reserving judgement. I've been a King fan since Carrie, but most of his recent books have not moved me much. However, one thing I simply cannot understand is why these writers can't keep their political views to themselves. I don't care what his opinions are and I wish he would respect a large part of his buying public and their views - because surprise, surprise, Stephen - we don't agree with you! Liberals are not the only people buying your book. Lucky for me, I was able to borrow it. The Bush bashing is getting old and it's getting tiresome. LET IT GO! And as I said, for someone whose books have also been somewhat tiresome lately, I would suggest he can it and try to write a good book up to his old standards. Patricia Cornwell got a lot of flack for her political agenda in her last book - she blamed it, not on her own really bad book, but said it was a pentagon conspiracy to get her. Eee gads.

Steven King is a great writer at the top of his form. I was totally drawn into the life of Edgar, a wealthy contractor who looses his right arm in a terrible construction accident. Edgar's healing and leaving the cold of
the midwest for sunny Florida kept me turning the pages.

The only thing I didn't like was the pirate ghost (appearing in one scene only, but I think that it was over-done). It immediately made me think of "Pirates of the Carribean." I would give King an "A" for two-thirds of the story, and an "A-" for the last third.

Yes, I would recommend Duma Key. It's a great summer read.

I just finished reading Stephen King's Duma Key and it's the best book he's written since "The Dark Tower". The characters are as rich as you would expect in a Stephen King novel. The story is clear and direct with a strong ending - unusual for most King novels, his endings are usually disappointing. It's a great ghost story, good and scary in the latter half of the book. Cynics might find it a bit long winded but with King's clear writing I found myself falling into the story and enjoying every page. I highly recommend it.

We all know Mr. King's been writing for a long time and it seems his later post-accident stories have been successful on many levels (creepy, surreal and imaginative), but they just haven't been delivering the goods (you know, King is supposed to be a "horror" author - but don't tell him). Well, reader fear no more, or rather, be prepared to fear. I haven't been this spooked by a book in a while. This is an honest to god "read at home alone in bed at night and be prepared to jump at every creak and groan of the house" book. I dare say, King hasn't been this scary since "The Shining". And King seems to be showing off a lot of his Horror influences. The book starts off as a kind of Edgar Allan Poe story of paranoia (things real or imagined under the floorboards) and moves in to H.P. Lovecraft territory (I won't spoil with any plot points) and towards the end feels like a classic Robert Bloch/Richard Matheson pot-boiler thriller, with the cynical wise-cracking first person narrative. As a long-time reader of King (since "The Shining"), I can recommend this one heartily (uh oh, another Poe-reference!).

A long-time King fan, I couldn't wait for Duma Key to be released. I was not disappointed. Probably my favorite King novel since the Dark Tower Series, this book has all the well-loved classic King elements: colorful, hysterical language, dead-on descriptions, creepy toys, voices in the night, child ghosts, mysterious visions, a witty sidekick, tormented main character, and cursed ground. I know a great King book when I have to read late into the night so that I can get past the scary parts so I can turn off the light...when I laugh out loud at the character's choice of words...when I can't stop thinking about it for days, weeks, months afterwards...when a place comes alive in my mind and I feel like I've been there myself and know the people intimately. Duma Key delivers again and again. Bravo, Mr. King!

Stephen King's Duma Key is one of the more enjoyable books he has written in a while. With likeable characters, a steady pace slowly unfolding the events, and a nice tilt toward unexplained phenomenon, Stephen King weaves a story I got lost in completely (and that hasn't happened with his books recently).

Edgar Freemantle loses an arm and damages some memory portions of his brain in a freak accident. As a result he loses his "old life" and must start redefining himself again in a "new life" and in a new location: Duma Key, FL. Along the way he discovers new friends, new memories and a new talent that enables a sleeping evilness to take residence again on Duma Key, and into both Edgar's "old" and "new" lives.

Memory is the books central theme. Of things left behind and lost due to the passage of time. "It was like being given back your memory, and a person's memory is everything, really. Memory is identity. It's you." Memories shape our future, but sometimes they are gone forever and sometimes they come back whether we want them or not. Both Edgar and Wireman overcame past accidents that set their destinies together in motion, and Elizabeth's past is what they need to battle together. When Edgar loses his memory after the accident, mostly over words and trivial matters, it is the catalyst for his life change. However, for the rest of the novel he is searching those memories trying to bring them back. Memories of Melinda and Ilse, sleeping "like the old days" with Pam, and of course the feelings in his missing arm. "Speak, memories, that I may once more taste the green cup of the sea", Elizabeth reads to Edgar at one point. Some memories are worth keeping, but some should be forgotten and never brought out again, as Edgar realizes during his stay on Duma Key

Although I really enjoyed the first ¾ of the book an awful lot, the last ¼ seemed like a rush job to resolve the story. I would have been just as pleased if King did not feel the need to give us a charged-up carnival ride at the end. The slower paced style utilized during the majority of the book would have been sufficient for this reader. Let the conclusion slowly roll onto the beach like a lazy wave, instead of crashing like a powerful breaker.

There were a few things left unresolved, but should we expect anything less from King? Life is unresolved so why should his stories be tied-up nice and neat. Unique characters, a welcomed supernatural element, sustained creepy atmosphere and a very enjoyable read.

Two things stick out when I reflect on Stephen King's work. The first is that he is the ultimate "destroyer of worlds". In his stories, he creates the real world just as well as he creates the bizarre world, and sends them together in an explosion, where you can't see the seams and you don't want to, because you are enjoying the ride.

Anybody can write about monsters, but the stories just about monsters aren't always the stories we want to read because the first world, the real one, hasn't been built, so it makes the bizarre world unbelievable and trite.

Stephen King's worlds are built with care and precision, and it is fun to watch them crumble, seeing who survives the carnage.

Secondly, King is able to create monsters or evilness that aren't easy to define. If "It" had been solely about a killer clown, as many of us thought it was going to be when we first heard the clown described, would it have the lasting impact that still resonates in that child like part of our brain? I think not. King is able to make an evil which is not omnipresent, but can take many forms, leaving for a storyline that isn't one dimensional and characters that are rich in development.

In Duma Key, the evil again is something that isn't easy to define and both the worlds, the bizarre and the real one, are sketched out and allowed to crash beautifully.

I was a die-hard Stephen King fan. I read them all, read some of them twice. Finally, though, I just got tired. It seemed that all of King's books were kind of running together, getting muddled in my mind. It's been a long time, but when I saw King interviewed on The Today Show, I decided I would give Duma Key a try. Boy, am I glad I did! It is an outstanding book, and I haven't felt this way in a long time...scared, I mean! Its size did put me off a bit, and it took me awhile to read it, but once I got into it, I was stealing bits of time everywhere to read. Near the end, I thought that there could not be that much more to the story, but I was very wrong. This is a great book, and I think that it would make a wonderful movie.

I haven't been a fan of Stephen King's recent novels. Dreamcatcher was entertaining but also kind of farfetched and over the place. From A Buick 8 had great atmosphere and tone, but the story didn't have a pay-off. Cell started off great, but then it went nowhere. I'm happy to say that Duma Key is actually a pretty good book.

The story centers on a middle-aged man who retires early due to a severe physical injury that leaves him with one arm and difficulty with memories. The man decides to move to Florida and once there, he picks up an old hobby--drawing. I won't give away anymore of the plot, but given that it's Stephen King, the typical horror/supernatural elements follow.

Duma Key is long--a little too long--but the story builds well. King brings you in slowly--revealing little bits of info that aren't paid off until later. The book has great characters--Wireman and Miss Eastlake jump right off the page (or audio CD). The novel is told in 1st person, and the narrator (injured middle-aged man) tells the story quite well--there is a nice sense of melancholy sprinkled throughout. It was one of the sadder King books I've read, and the emotion/tone rings true most of the time.

I listened to the audio CD, and it was actually quite good. John Slattery does a pretty good job. He provides some distinct voices, which brings out the personalities of a lot of the characters--his best job is on Wireman. I was also quite impressed with his ability on the female voices--providing distinct characterizations without overdoing it. Too many male narrators try too hard to sound like a female, and it just comes off fake. Not here.

If you are a fan of Stephen King, I would give this book a chance.

Duma Key is another remarkable work from Stephen King, especially so soon after the wonderful and very different "Lisey's Story". Duma Key is more eerie than outright scary, but lightening fast in plot, and rich in character development. Edgar Freemantle has as much raw courage as any hero from King before. The explorations of creative process are very interesting. One might daydream about having Edgar's powers for a day or two.

But it's the audio performance that really blew me away! John Slattery is magnificent. His vocal quality is smooth but maintains authenticity, simultaneously hot and cool like great jazz music, imbued with humor and irreverence without really trying. Just terrific, a perfect match for this Stephen King novel.

Duma Key is another remarkable work from Stephen King, especially so soon after the wonderful and very different "Lisey's Story". Duma Key is more eerie than outright frightening, but lightening fast in the plot, and rich in character development. Edgar Freemantle has as much raw courage as any hero King's put forth. The explorations of artistic and creative process are really interesting. One might daydream about having Edgar's other-worldly powers for, say, a day or two.

But it's the audio performance that really blew me away! John Slattery is magnificent. His vocal quality is smooth while maintain authenticity, simultaneously hot and cool like great jazz music, imbued with humor and irreverence without really trying. Just terrific, and a perfect match for this Stephen King novel.

Hey, it's a Stephen King book. When the author's name is larger than the title you know you've got a great book. I don't think he could write a bad one if he wanted to.

If you're really into the old Stephen King stuff (remember Cujo, Christine & Pet Semitary) you'll be delighted with this book.

a review from an award winning children's author - Leah Orr

I am one of Steven Kings biggest fans. Have read most of his work.
loved this book. Characters are unique and believable. Great Page turner.
don't be put off by the number of pages in this book. It is a quick and enjoyable read. exciting, creepy, and mesmerizing.

Duma Key has some really wonderful parts. The first couple of chapters - the scene at the art gallery - cool - the paintings and the showdown - very cool. But there are so many bits of the extraneous that could have been edited out.

The metaphysical interludes on art I thought were effective in the same way Michael Criton's interludes were in Jurassic Park.

Duma Key is slower - like The Storm of the Century or Hearts in Atlantis or The Dark Tower books.

I liked it. I just think someone could have taken a cleaver to certain parts of the plot. Then it would have been like Cell - which I thought was an exciting ride all the way to the finish.

DUMA KEY begins beautifully. King's writing is in top form, and his ability to create powerful characters dealing with powerful themes propels the backstory with just as much juice as any literary king-pin you might find shelved in parts of the bookstore more respected than HORROR. Edgar Freemantle, after a devastating crane accident, loses an arm and his ability to think straight. During his convalescence, his wife, (a bitter and selfish woman named Pam) divorces him. Edgar, in an attempt to rebuild his life and body, moves to Duma Key, Florida, where he begins to draw some strange pictures.

Edgar's struggles with memory, the deep and protracted lessons that King draws from that struggle, and his staling relationship with reality are top-notch stuff. Even after Freemantle meets and befriends the Spanglish-spouting Wireman and his charge, the archaic Elizabeth Eastlake, things are set up for some of your typically tense, King-ish horror. In this case, the supernatural thrills come from Freemantle's increasingly uncanny ability to draw and paint soulfully disturbing images, images that may be prescient, or transportive, or signs of something larger at work.

King is a patient writer, and in many ways, this ends up killing the book. It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but King seems to think they're worth at least twice as much as that. Also, when the spiritual gears begin to slip and the ominous (and always unclear) forces of darkness begin to invade Freemantle's life, the reader is treated to no more than a sideways glance of it. Because King decided to tell the tale from Freemantle's 3rd person point of view, scenes that could have been very disturbing and moving take place off-stage. At least 90% of the book's darkest moments are explained by someone else over the phone. And the most interesting (and suspenseful) part of the climax happens outside of Freemantle's perspective. The moment is conveyed by a sort of color commentary by another character as Freemantle struggles with his own, less-engaging dilemma.

There are moving parts to the book, but (in what I am coming to believe is ever more the case with King), the rest of the novel is overfat and water-logged. By the time the plot comes around to his trademark weirdness, it's hard to keep up much interest. And that weirdness, at the last minute, is delivered with as much orchestration and panache as a role-playing Game Master. The final row of dominos falls with clean, convenient, and unremarkable precision. In fact, the trippy ending seems tacked on, out of place, hackneyed.

I was sorely disappointed because I found the beginning of the novel to be so engaging. I humbly submit that this novel would've been a hundred times better if King had simply left out the all-too-clean battle of Good vs. Evil and gone for the murkier battle of What's-Good?-And-What's-Evil? I sorta thought he was setting the book up for that -- "This is my novel about divorce," he told his editor, and divorce is nothing if not a battle over blame and control. If King had ignored the Evil Villain premise, if he'd kept the focus on Freemantle's dismantled memory, his new awareness of the power of his art, his crumbling personal relationships, he could've made a seriously powerful book, possibly even a work of art itself.

If I were you, I'd download and read the short story upon which this novel was based. It has all of the emotional power he wanted with DUMA KEY, but none of the drawn-out dramatics.

I like some Stephen King and not others but this one I really enjoyed. It is a large book but is so exciting that it goes quickly.

Mr King, you are back..... I think this is one of SK's best books in the years to come since Bag of Bones. I could not get used to reading his later stuff - the Dark Tower series ...until Duma Key came along. The minute I started it, I couldn't stop. A wonderful read.

Ah..Stephen King has done it again with this one. I had kind of left his sphere of literary horror thrillers for a more sedate greener grass. But then I read "Cell" and now this. When I finished reading Duma Key, I knew that he had caught me again...in that wide net of his.

Completely original, fast moving, plenty of twists and turns. Probably less spooky then some of his other stuff, but well written and totally entertaining.

Really, that's what it all boils down to. It's not great. It's not bad. It's just sort of all right, kind of. I really wanted it to be good. He's got good stories still knocking around in his noggin, I just wish he'd tell them. Instead, I felt like we'd been down this road before in some of his earlier books.

Pre-cognitive abilities? Dead Zone
Getting a group together to kill a baddie who's living in some watery underground area? It
An artist trapped in a haunted, solitary environment? The Shining
Talking dolls? Uh, take your pick
Amputated body parts? Misery

There just wasn't a ton of new ground explored here and that's too bad. What was even worse was that it took over 600 pages to get to that conclusion. There was so much fat in this one, it might have worked better at about 400 pages, tops. Did we really need to know that much about the history of Duma Key? Cut out that whole expository section with Mary Ire and you lose 30 pages right there. How much did the "How to Make Art" (or whatever those sections were called) add to the story? How much did they help develop character or advance the plot? There's another 40 or so pages gone. Less is more. I would have loved to see a whole lot less of a lot of things in this novel.

I'm sure it's just me, but I'd love to see him abandon all elements of horror/fantasy/mysticism and go back to focusing on stories. I think of some of his stories I like best and I find myself remembering The Body and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. And yes, I know, they're both from the same collection (and they're both of a much more reasonable length), but there's something so honest and straightforward and original about the storytelling that makes me wonder if those are the things he should be exploring. Not baddies. Not monsters. Not reinterpretations of myths. Just stories.

Just my 2 cents worth.

This was another long haunting story by Mr. King that just kept me interested in finding out what was going to happen to the very end. It wasn't scary throughout the book, but Stephen King's characterizations are so in depth that you feel you know these people and make a connection with them. You just want to find out how the plot will play out. The latter part of the book was scary as hell. I could not stop reading. I enjoy his style of writing because it is so twistedly scary.

I had been 'out' on Stephen King books for some time. It's not that I don't like his work, I actually LOVE his classic work, I just couldn't follow book after book of disappointments. Then Duma Key came out and I decided to give the ole master another run.

I am very glad I did. Duma Key is classic King. A solid main character, great supporting characters, engaging story and a satisfying ending. It's hard to believe the book runs over 600 pages, the pace is swift and the world King creates is totally immersive.

If you haven't picked up a Stephen King book in a while, now's time time. Get Duma Key.

King may be running low on the tank... he might have fully 'unbottled' to use a term from this novel. King's recurring problem is that he builds up well enough but the pay off always goes limp at the conclusion. He did it with 'The Stand', with 'It', with 'The Cell', and very much so with the Dark Tower universe. That was a notable tragedy because it took 7 books and his entire adult life to build up and then just tanked in the last chapter of the last book. Now 'Needful Things', 'Dark Half', 'Salem's Lot', 'Tommyknockers' all had better payoffs but those were a long time ago. I dunno, maybe he gets tired or bored when he's nearing the end of the job.

I also took an issue with the recurring politics that King has in this book. It lines up with the kooky things he's been saying in the press. Why write these things if it's guaranteed to tee off half the readership? It definitely doesn't help the book's longevity to be partisan in it, in four years it won't even be relevant. Do what I did, check this book out of your local library.

I am really unsure what to say about this book. I generally like King's work..The Dark Tower series is one of the best Ive read, and I also love Heats in Atlantis, The Stand, It, and The Reguators to name a few. And I dont agree with the other review that he is getting bad with age like a reverse vintage wine..I liked Cell a lot. This book just seems like a misstep. It starts off interesting, with Edgar pondering on the construction of memory, and I almost got a sense of King exploring themes with the same level of depth as he did in Hearts in Atlantis. But the exposition of these themes ends up being a tedious effort. The book feels long and unlike his longer books The Stand or It, most of it feels quite unnecessary. Furthermore, there are parts which just seem terriblly out of place, as if someone else snuck in and scribbled in his manuscript..for example, when his daughter visits for Christmas, King (as Edgar) writes "We both got just what we wanted!" (exclamation is there). Now, yes this is a trite line, but still..it seems very awkward to me. Not only random but just strangely written. Edgar uses the word "bod" in his narration. think about that one. Similar moments arise in Wireman's conversations with Edgar. I gave up at page 245. Perhaps I'll pick it up in a month when I am really bored but the thought doesnt interest me.

I'm a longtime fan of Stephen King and will continue to read his books. I think that stems from reading his earlier works: The Shining, The Stand, and many of his early short stories, which really packed a chilling punch. That said, Duma Key fell a bit short as many of his more recent books have for me. King has never failed to keep plot and narrative moving along, as in this book. But the sarcastic tone (which fades somewhat as the story goes on) was off-putting and made it hard for me to feel for the narrator and his relationships as I would have liked to. That wasn't helped by his summing up of some key relationships at the end. Still, Duma Key is a compelling read; though it may not stick with me, it was enjoyable.

I'm a pretty huge Stephen King fan, dating back to about 1979, when I first read THE SHINING. I've stuck with him through some poor times (THE DARK HALF & NEEDFUL THINGS) and certainly enjoyed the high points. DUMA KEY falls somewhere in the middle of the batch. It has some wonderful writing...aside from the story...King's ability to describe a situation (like an artist's first time gallery -opening) or a feeling (the frustration of learning to live with only one arm) is near its height. The settings and tone of the book are well-crafted and you'll have no trouble immersing yourself in the place, time, weather, etc.

Yet it also fails on a surprising level. It simply isn't all that good of a story of the supernatural.

The book starts off well enough...in fact, it's gripping for quite awhile. We meet Edgar Freemantle, a wealthy and highly successful commercial builder in the Detroit area. He's married, has two nearly grown daughters and generally is the American personified. One day, he is horribly injured in an accident with a large crane. Edgar is nearly killed, but survives...minus one arm and with some significant brain damage which leaves him struggling to remember words and seething with anger when he can't express himself. His wife can't take it after awhile, and leaves him. She also leaves him feeling suicidal...but Edgar's physician convinces him to find a nice area to relocate to and to take up something he's always been interested in...but never pursued...painting.

Edgar takes his broken body and spirit to Duma Key, Florida. This little island has a few homes on it, but is remarkably free from development. Near Tampa, it sits right on the gulf, and Edgar is moved by its beauty, and in relative solitude, he begins to work on healing his body. His mind also begins to stitch itself back together and finally does begin to draw and paint. And wouldn't you know it, Edgar is an amazing talent. You'd almost think his work was being guided by another hand...it's so remarkable and strange.

Much of DUMA KEY barely touches on the supernatural. Yet it is always just there. Edgar's stunning artistic skills CAN'T be all innate, can they? The whispering of the waves over the shells under Edgar's house can't just be random sounds, can they? And the strange behavior of his very elderly neighbor Elizabeth Eastlake can't JUST be dementia, can it?
Edgar develops a close friendship with Ms. Eastlake's caretaker, a retired lawyer named Wireman, who is also on Duma Key to overcome personal and physical trauma. The two men form a quick bond. Which is good, because things are about to get very strange on Duma Key, and they'll need each other.

I was disappointed when the supernatural elements of the book began to come to the forefront, expecting something more than what to me was a rather lame ghost story. The primary "villain" of the supernatural crew in this book is only sketchily explained, and her powers, while significant...seem to be only partially thought-out by King. He actually doesn't seem to have a full handle on what sort of creature he's concocted. I kept waiting for something to click home, for a puzzle piece to fall into place...but I was left unsatisfied. And much of the spooky stuff is explained through a somewhat awkward device of flashing back through first the memories of Elizabeth as a girl and then through Edgar's artwork. I felt like we were still being given exposition as the book was 30 pages from its conclusion. I don't have problems with flashbacks as a concept at all...but I felt like almost no NEW information was being discovered in the present. All our "heroes" have to do is figure out what happened in the past, and then do a couple of things to fix them.

Also (and I've complained about this before), King has concocted yet another hero who is an artist. I am so tired of this. Here we have painter. LISEY'S STORY gave us a writer. CELL had a graphic novelist. THE SHINING had a writer. THE DARK HALF had a writer. Even THE DARK TOWER series, it could be argued, all stemmed from a writer. I understand that King understands the lot of an artist better than most...but he also has an imagination, and could surely craft more heroes from non-artistic cloth. Heck, Stu Redman from THE STAND worked at a gas station!

Finally, the character of Edgar's friend Wireman is simply not convincing. He peppers his speech with frequent Spanish words...primarily "muchacho." I don't know too many Spanish-speakers who toss that word around in every other sentence. He's a nearly perfectly sensitive friend...never taking a misstep, always ready with sound advice and a glass of iced green tea. It's a nice concept...but I never was able to quite wrap my mind around him as an actual person.

Fortunately, the other character's King creates are vintage. Edgar's daughters are concisely and specifically drawn. His troubled ex-wife is well done. Elizabeth Eastlake's delicate hold on sanity are well-rendered.

In the end, I recommend the book. It is very long, but it is full of great King touches. He is a very good writer, after all. This makes his stumbles seem more like full-blown falls...but it's okay, because he hops back up, brushes off the dust, and moves forward again. My biggest complaint is that in this book, what he moves towards is not that great. A lot of the tone of the book reminded me of King's BAG OF BONES. If you liked that book (I wasn't nuts about it)...you should really like DUMA KEY.

This is the WORST BOOK that King ever wrote -- and
I've read nearly everything he ever wrote It seems
that the older King gets, the more full-of-himself
he gets. Oddly,in this book he seems to have lost
his ear for spoken American English, which was
formerly very good. What's with the heaps and
heaps of f-ing profanity -- to cite just one
symptom of this?

King's growing fear of old age and death is very prominent in this novel;
it's on display on nearly every page.

The book is extremely boring and off-putting
-- "Once you put it down, you can't pick it up again."

For the first 500 pages, this book was the most entertaining of the all of the Stephen King books I had ever read. The problem is that this book is about 650 pages. His ending was almost a carbon copy of Desperation, with just the setting being different. The majority of this book was a great read, but I'm starting to see King repeat himself more (I also thought Cell was also a carbon copy of The Stand). He still is the only author who's book I buy whenever a new one comes out, I'd just like to see him be a little more original.

This has got to be the best novel written by Mr. King....and I have read every one! Would make a great movie!!!

Knocked out -- first Edgar, now me. What a magnificent book, Mr. King. You've caught the wonder and ageless anxiety and pain of the human condition, for us -- the original generation of your Constant Readers -- as those of us who are still here to grapple, begin or continue to grapple. I've sat up any number of nights (can't read as fast as I once did, and I wanted to savor some of your prose), and been tired for several mornings. Don't regret it, either. One thing I don't forgive you for: while I became attached to Edgar, you made me fall in love with Wireman. Shame on you for creating such a wonderful, memorable man and ... The rest of you can just read and find out.

I tried this book to satisfy a friend who said, "King is pretty good." No he's not. He's terrible, but he thinks a great deal of himself. And he tries to protect himself from criticism with his tired ploy of having a character talk about what loser dolts critics are. But this is awful. AWFUL. Gooey sentimentality diguised as earned emotion; crazed plotting disguised as clever convolution. Harold Bloom was right to protest King's induction into the literary elite. Who cares, Stephen, if you feel, compelled, or "hungry" (the "metaphor" pounded to death in this "novel") to write? You can't do it. No matter how many books you write, you'll never be able to do it. Wireman says. . . Robot Monster and Ed Wood and the Master Moderator of the Known Universe can write better. Slogan: Stop King. How do we stop this fool who thinks his success has something to do with sustained effort?

Bravo once again to the Master!! This is a great book; one of Mr. King's best, I must say. If you are a fan of his work, you will not be disappointed. And "they" said he was retiring...HAH!

This is classic Stephen King. This story pops up around you like a 3 dimentional hologram. King takes you into the characters hearts with lots of inner dialoge. It is the story of a man who was in a terrible crane accident. (interesting since we just had two major crane accidents in New york the last couple of months)He loses his right arm and suffers brain injury. During his recovery his wife leaves him and his psychiatrist tells him to try a geographical cure. He moves to Duma Key and the Stephen King type fun starts there. I hope Stephen King lives forever and writes forever. He is one of the best.

For the record let me state that I,too, am a big King fan. I have been since the first book of his I ever read (The Shining). However, I must confess that this latest book, Duma Key, left me longing for the what I consider the "old days"; the REALLY scary days. I completely agree that Duma offers great characterization and in depth relational conflicts, but this is not a "horror" book in my humble opinion (and who am I anyway...).
I can say Mr.King is an excellent writer and this book will not in any way deter me from reading his future musings. Just don't expect the "leave the lights on" feeling you may have gotten from his other books. Personally, Duma Key made me think of Pirates of the Carribean, in so much as the description of a particular ship and the inhabitants of said ship. I was hoping for more creativity when the actual "scary" part of the story arrived.
My apologies to Mr. King. He still is the one the greatest American authors of all time. Not to mention his Entertainment Weekly gig that never fails to deliver.

After the first 300 or so pages, I was hoping the book would pick up some steam and really get going... It did, eventually - and then it petered out some 20 pages later.

The story was flat and quite predictable along with too much in the way of character development (for me)...

I was disappointed to say the least...

If you are a Constant Reader you may find more in this work than me...

TP

Since my first encounter with SK decades ago (I believe it was Salem's Lot) I have followed him ever since, greedily snatching up any and all of his books, and I have had many joyous moments (Night Shift, It, The Shining) and some where I truly did not care for the book at all (Cell comes to mind) but the latter are extremely rare.
In this latest book, I was truly stunned and surprised because while I was expecting an excellent read, I was literally overwhelmed by this story which has so much going on in it and touches so many aspects of the human condition I was speechless, and moved to tears more than once and scared witless as well.
SK not only excels at writing, he KNOWS people, he KNOWS us and what makes us tick and uses that knowledge to the maximum. He paints with words, sorry for the cliche, but in this particular book, it is very apropos.
I have been sketching since I was old enough to hold a pencil and his descriptions of his painting and the colors, how they looked to others, the reactions, etc absolutely fascinated me. I wanted to SEE them for myself and kept looking at the dust jacket wishing there had been more of Mr Freemantle's artist's eye represented.
The characters were richer and more believable and touching than in any of the previous books; Wireman was a joy as was the old lady, who reminded me very much of a lady I knew here in Florida some years ago. His descriptions are dead on and how the characters interact with each other are beyond my poor abilities to describe; suffice to say this is the most HUMAN book I have ever read from this author and it (sorry again, my cliches want out) made my soul sing to read them.
We read SK because we want to be scared out of our minds and in this respect the author does not disappoint; but here we have for the first time, people we care passionately about and situations which are frighteningly real, a combination which makes for a most unusual and wholly satifying read.
I wanted so much to savor this book and take my time, but was unable to stop myself from devouring it at record speed and now am going through it again at a more leisurely pace, because it is so good and so worth reading again so as not to miss anything.
I envy those who have not yet had the good fortune to read this book, and strongly urge any and all to do so at the earliest opportunity. You will NOT be disappointed.
As always, when reading Mr King's work, I had strong, vivid visuals throughout but in this book, it was like watching my own private DVD of the book as the pictures never left my mind and I never thought I was reading, but rather, watching an incredible story unfold.
I can't remember any other book I have ever read touching so many different emotions, from fascination to fear/dread and humor and sorrow so great it made me cry, whch is a very rare event for me.
How Mr King thought of this or how closely it follows certain events in his own life, I don't know, but he certainly brought me along for the ride, and one ride I am looking forward to repeating again and again and again.
I want to thank him from the bottom of my heart (yes, I know, another one, forgive me) and kudos for a novel which is truly brilliant from every aspect and on every level.

This is my first review of any book. I used to be an SK freak, but over the years not so much. Like some others, I heard all of the great reviews about Duma when it came out. I was excited about the prospect of reading a another great SK book. NOT! I must say that this was a simply awful book. Boring, tedious, way too long. I know this is a fantasy/fiction, but the plot devices were ridiculous. The constant referral to the shells made me nuts. The "sidekick" Wireman and his obnoxious Mexican-isms. Other characters were seemingly thrown in for fun... like Jack. What is he all about? He was there to help Edgar with day to day stuff, then becomes drawn into the whole Perse thing. He sees a rotted ghost creature and acts like, "oh well, this is another part of my job". The characters seemed flat and unrealistic. Edgar's reaction to his daughter's murder was very incongruent with how close they were to have been. The "entity" Perse was handled unevenly. It has the power to kill people, yet can be easily snatched and put into a flashlight? Do not bother with this one. He has much better books.

It starts out a little slow and it's more of an emotional story, but once the "ghosts" start to appear, it really becomes creepy. I'm still reading it, but it's already sent shivers up my spine. Great novel!

I purchased this novel upon release from a local chain book store. I set it aside upon arriving home and planned on reading it as soon as possible, but I failed to follow up. I picked up Duma Key last week, and couldn't set it down except for sleep and meals.

SK gave us better character depth than he has presented in his last few novels. From the very begining of this novel, Edgar Freemantle was my favorite "King" protagonist. His developement of the plot related relationships and the growth of the other characters in the novel kept me riveted. I believe this is novel ranks amoung Stephen King's best.

Having read most of King's work, I couldn't wait to read his latest effort. I was not disappointed. This one is a great combination of mystery, horror and an incredible journey into the mind of Edgar, the "hero," as he copes with his disabilities and extraordinary talent. As others have said, a lot of the internal story is King's autobiography. This will be a revelation to those readers not familiar with the aftermath of catastrophic accidents and is actually an interesting subplot. We follow Edgar trying to define his "new normal" in the middle of strange and spooky happenings. Just loved the Wireman character and hope to see some reincarnation in another story. The plot will leave you guessing, and the ending is sudden and not cleanly developed through the story,...but, heah..this is horror and anything can happen. Read it and find out!

'Duma Key' is my first Stephen King book. Hailed as one of the greatest living American writers, King is primarily known to pen novels in the horror genre and that kept me from picking up his books earlier. I've recently been trying to expand my reading beyond the thriller genre and thought I'd give 'Duma Key' a shot. The strong characterization and vivid imagery made it clear why King is so popular but the supernatural elements didn't do much for me and so I finished the book with mixed feelings.

Egdar Freemantle, a building contractor, loses his right hand in a construction accident. He is considerably banged up and his wife, after experiencing a few of his bouts of uncontrollable rage, divorces him. Edgar's psychiatrist advices him that a change of location would do him good and asks him to once again take up sketching as a part of rehabilitation. So Edgar moves to Duma Key, an undeveloped strip of the Florida coast. Once there, he meets Elizabeth Eastlake, a woman whose history is tightly bound with that of the area, and her helper Wireman, who seems to have a mysterious past. Edgar himself discovers a talent for painting and soon learns that his paintings have more power than he ever imagined.

King has an uncanny knack of conveying the characters' innermost thoughts and this comes in handy since the novel is a first-person narrative. We understand exactly how Edgar feels and his thoughts(about his lost hand), fears(about the house and the strange happenings) and feelings(for his ex-wife and daughters) are wonderfully conveyed. This helps, especially when the novel begins to move into the supernatural realm, since it makes things more believable. As Edgar begins painting masterpieces and slowly comes to terms with the fact that Duma Key is special, we accept it more easily since we've been with him as he discovered things. And though we meet the important characters only through Edgar, they feel well-fleshed out too since we've been privy to Edgar's thoughts about them.

As Edgar comes to grips with his talent and ponders over his relationships, the story leans towards the psychological. The suspense is also built up very well as we learn bits and pieces of Elizabeth's history and understand exactly how it ties in to all the strange things Edgar's been experiencing.

This book has made me realise that horror in written form doesn't have much of an effect of me. The pshychological aspect of the book gradually gives way to the supernatural but the supernatural elements are never scary. King is very imaginative and his imagery does create some vivid images, especially on that last action-packed mission that Edgar and Wireman go on, but since they are not scary, the book isn't intense or gripping.

This novel leaves me bemused. There are too many gaps in the story, too many things that aren't explained clearly enough. King has pushed the suspension of disbelief too far. And towards the end of the book, the narrative starts to plod. I was hoping for much more.

I admit, I don't typically find Stephen King books interesting but I couldn't put this one down. It's rather suspenseful with several suprises that actually sneak up on you. Worth the money to purchase.

This book was the best book I have read in a while. I the story is very twisted and keeps you thinking about how it is going to end. The language can get rough, but it is still a good book.

One of Stephen King's most enjoyable types of stories features an ordinary person faced with an extraordinary circumstance, whether it be aliens, vampires or ghosts. Duma Key falls within this type. However, this story dwells deep into the humanity of its main character before developing its supernatural conflict. In many respects, this is two books in one, both of which are quite enjoyable.

In part one, construction company owner Edgar Freemantle must put his life back together after he is maimed in an accident with a crane. The accident shatters his life on many levels, causing the loss of an arm, scrambling his brain and resulting in the end of his marriage. He turns to Florida for a change of scenery and for rehabilitatation. He gradually learns to walk again and discovers a latent talent for painting. He also connects with his eccentric neighbors, Elizabeth Eastlake and Jerome Wireman. This half of the book provides a diverting human interest story, but is prologue for the real action of the story.

As the story develops, Freemantle's artistic talents start to take on a life of their own as he paints surreal scenes that do not come from inside of him. As he gets to know his eccentric neighbors, he learns that he is not the first to have unusual artistic visions on the island. He also learns that there is a dark mystery dating back 80 years. By the time the reader gets to this point, the languid pace of the first half has given way to a gallop. The last 250 pages are hard to put down as the one-armed artist and his companions must face the evil which is stirring again.

This book takes a while to digest. The slow-going pace of the early pages requires the reader to take a patient attitude. However, the slow beginning gives the author time to explore the characters and locale before the action takes over and drives the story home.

____________________________SPOILER ALERT________________________________
The Florida Keys seems an odd setting for a Stephen King horror-fest. Yet he settles the reader right down amongst the high grasses, conch shells, and old money estates, makes us feel comfy even with the muggy heat, then in typical King fashion, begins slowly to unnerve us. The difference here is in the climax, which for SK is a bit dampened, although to the readers benefit. Lately, perhaps in his post-accident fiction, he's toned the gore down a bit, letting his raw narrative talent seep through. Yes there still are those scary bits, like visions of long missing teenage twins, and a lot of death, but you won't find any tsunamis, earthquakes or conflagration here (OK, maybe a hurricane).

I guess since the plot involves a novice artist who begins to paint bizarre seascapes after a horrendous accident robs him of his arm, we can logically assume that this book is really about divorce, right! Well after the accident, the character does wind up divorcing his wife of many years, and King has said that if Lisey's Story: A Novel was his "Marriage" book, then this is his "Divorce" book. You may read the story on one level as an analogy of a divorce. The protagonist suffers a loss, retreats, reawakens some long buried talents, and in so doing purges and cleanses old wounds, but not without some mishaps along the way.

The main characters in Duma Key jump off the page with King's use of idiom in the dialogs. Though he's curtailed that too, not as many cutesy phrases in this novel, or at least he's limited them to one or two principles. Having said that, many of the supporting characters are wooden and stereotypical. His lawyer, a large African-American man, draws attention with "a voice like James Earl Jones". Elizabeth an octogenarian in a wheelchair looks like "the bride of the godfather". Still, these are minor flaws. Duma Key is a solid effort from an author that I thought had retired a number of years ago.

One larger critique would be the epic length, inappropriate for the not-so-epic story. The editor, Chuck Verrill could have cut it by 150 to 200 pages.

3.5 STARS
__________________________________________________________________________

____________________________SPOILER ALERT________________________________
The Florida Keys seems an odd setting for a Stephen King horror-fest. Yet he settles the reader right down amongst the high grasses, conch shells, and old money estates, makes us feel comfy even with the muggy heat, then in typical King fashion, begins slowly to unnerve us. The difference here is in the climax, which for SK is a bit dampened, although to the readers benefit. Lately, perhaps in his post-accident fiction, he's toned the gore down a bit, letting his raw narrative talent seep through. Yes there still are those scary bits, like visions of long missing teenage twins, and a lot of death, but you won't find any tsunamis, earthquakes or conflagration here.

I guess since the plot involves a novice artist who begins to paint bizarre seascapes after a horrendous accident robs him of his arm, we can logically assume that this book is really about divorce, right! Well after the accident, the character does wind up divorcing his wife of many years, and King has said that if Lisey's Story: A Novel was his "Marriage" book, then this is his "Divorce" book. You may read the story on one level as an analogy of a divorce. The protagonist suffers a loss, retreats, reawakens some long buried talents, and in so doing purges and cleanses old wounds, but not without some mishaps along the way.

The main characters in Duma Key jump off the page with King's use of idiom in the dialogs. Though he's curtailed that too, not as many cutesy phrases in this novel, or at least he's limited them to one or two principles. Having said that, many of the supporting characters are wooden and stereotypical. His lawyer, a large African-American man, draws attention with "a voice like James Earl Jones". Elizabeth an octogenarian in a wheelchair looks like "the bride of the godfather". Still, these are minor flaws. Duma Key is a solid effort from an author that I thought retired a number of years ago.

One larger critique would be the epic length, inappropriate for the not-so-epic story. The editor, Chuck Verrill could have cut it by 150 to 200 pages.

3.5 STARS
__________________________________________________________________________

The Florida Keys seems an odd setting for a Stephen King horror-fest. Yet he settles the reader right down amongst the high grasses, conch shells, and old money estates, makes us feel comfy even with the muggy heat, then in typical King fashion, begins slowly to unnerve us. The difference here is in the climax, which for SK is a bit dampened, although to the readers benefit. Lately, perhaps in his post-accident fiction, he's toned the gore down a bit, letting his raw narrative talent seep through. Yes there still are those scary bits, like visions of long missing teenage twins, and a lot of death, but you won't find any tsunamis, earthquakes or conflagration here.

----Possible Spoiler----

I guess since the plot involves a novice artist who begins to paint bizarre seascapes after a horrendous accident robs him of his arm, we can logically assume that this book is really about divorce, right! Well after the accident, the character does wind up divorcing his wife of many years, and King has said that if Lisey's Story: A Novel was his "Marriage" book, then this is his "Divorce" book. You may read the story on one level as an analogy of a divorce. The protagonist suffers a loss, retreats, reawakens some long buried talents, and in so doing purges and cleanses old wounds, but not without some mishaps along the way.

The main characters in Duma Key jump off the page with King's use of idiom in the dialogs. Though he's curtailed that too, not as many cutesy phrases in this novel, or at least he's limited them to one or two principles. Having said that, many of the supporting characters are wooden and stereotypical. His lawyer, a large black man, draws attention with "a voice like James Earl Jones". Elizabeth an octogenarian in a wheelchair looks like "the bride of the godfather". Still, these are minor flaws. Duma Key is a solid effort from an author that I thought retired a number of years ago.

One larger critique would be the epic length, inappropriate for the not-so-epic story. The editor, Chuck Verrill could have cut it by 150 to 200 pages.

3.5 STARS

The prolific purveyor of terror, Stephen King, semi-successfully turns his finely honed, `I-know-what-scares-you' gaze from the venue of his beloved Maine to the seemingly serene retiree-haven of the Florida Keys in his umpteenth novel entitled, "Duma Key". This tale of horror explores the idea of an imaginative power so forceful that when it flexes its muscle a combination of all-hell-breaking-loose steam and creative juices gone wild collide with the impact of the construction crane that nearly ends the life of chief protagonist and narrator, Edgar Freemantle, rendering him without an arm and a severely damaged leg. In his usual easy-to-read style that makes use of the most current common day benchmarks of our 21st century culture--from the mention of items for sale from popular mail order catalogs to quotations from popular songs--King freely allows Freemantle to muse insightful with regard to his accident, the effect it had on his former life and his struggle towards a recuperation that will in his mind allow him to again live productively.

I use the prefix `semi' because although successful in his execution of creating a thoroughly believable character experiencing some pretty unorthodox events, King always writes a good book slipping in some thought-provoking big questions that still appeals to the `American Idol' watching masses. However, in terms of fashioning a novel that actually horrifies, `Duma Key' fails on some nuanced level.

Don't get me wrong--`Duma Key' provides an above average amount of entertainment. Freemantle's voice compels the reader to turn the pages; King's concept of speculative almost LSD-induced art fantasy that actually Pygmalion-izes into a complicated reality with a vengeance boggles a mind even well-versed in the painted daydreams the likes of Salvador Dali, Le Douanier Rousseau, and Yves Tanguy. From the standpoint of someone who collects art strictly for pleasure, the visual delights conceived by King titillate and amuse--this combined with Freemantle's odd clairvoyance lends an interesting blend of voyeurism that has the reader sitting on the edge of his/her seat, cheering Edgar on--willing him to become the celebrated media-darling Picasso of `Pink', the name of his rented Duma beach house.

However, when the actual `horror' of the story molecularizes into an adversary wreaking collateral damage on Freemantle's friends and family and Edgar, with the help of two well-meaning and understanding buddies formulate a triumvirate of evil-trouncing ubermen, the third-portion of the narrative casts aside the philosophical ruminations and moves into overdrive--much action with the usual King touches of slimy visceral images that worked well in "IT" but fall short here. I've mentioned my `immune' theory in some of my other reviews with regard to the way an audience well versed in the art of movie and television viewing where the inner-workings of the mind of a serial killer blending together with that of the supposed