Salem's Lot - Anyone read it?

[frisco]

I'm reading it for the 1st time. Just about done. Got about 30 pages left, so if my question will give away the ending, please don't tell me what it is.

One thing I'm completely confused by happened when Father Callahan and Mark were at the Petries home. Barlow has just killed Mark's parents, and it goes on to say:

And Callahan's mouth was pressed against the reeking flesk of the vampire's cold throat, where an open vein pulsed. He held his breath for what seemed like aeons, twisting his head wildly and to no avail, smearing the blood across his cheeks and forehead and chin like war paint. Yet at last, he drank.

I'm completely confused by this. It reads as though Callahan bit the vampire and drank his blood. That makes no sense. What am I missing here?

 

[JCJRSmith]

Barlow opened one of his own veins and made Father Calahan drink his blood - i.e. taking Communion from his new lord. Remember, the only reason Barlow could touch Calahan is the priest's faith failed when he most needed to be strong in his faith.

 

[JCJRSmith]

BTW - that was the first Stephen King book I ever read, it scared me spitless. What a great book.

 

[frisco]

Barlow opened one of his own veins and made Father Calahan drink his blood - i.e. taking Communion from his new lord. Remember, the only reason Barlow could touch Calahan is the priest's faith failed when he most needed to be strong in his faith.

So, what did that do to Father Callahan? Did it in essence, make him a vampire?

 

[GoodFairies]

JC is right. It's the act that "ruins" Father Callahan. His faith was tested and he failed. For more on being "ruint," you can read the Dark Tower Series. Father Callahan shows up in Book 5, Wolves of the Calla.

That's not to say Salem's Lot (or many King books) don't have editing errors. If I remember correctly there is a part in Salem's Lot where they escape from a scenario that's not exactly escapable (I think they somehow manage to walk out a door that locked and blocked). Kinda like in The Green Mile when a character who's hands are bound behind his back wipes sweat from his face, or a character in The Dark Tower who is missing her legs from the knees down gets up on her feet...

 

[GoodFairies]

So, what did that do to Father Callahan? Did it in essence, make him a vampire?

No it ruins him, and marks him (you may not have gotten to this part yet, so I will not say how). But he is not a vampire. Kind of just impure.

 

[Stitchfans]

Read this book many years ago. Forgot about most of it most likely cause it scared me to death. Reading all this brings most of it back. I used to read all of Stephen Kings books until he started to get totally wacky. Now he is too was out there for me.

 

[BalooTheBear]

Like most of the PPs I also read this book many years ago.... One of Stephen King's better stories. Not too long after the book was published there was a television mini-series movie made. You may want to look into finding it on DVD, it too was one of his better screen plays -> movies.

 

[frisco]

I've just accepted the fact that I'm pretty much desensitized to horror. I really enjoyed the book, but it didn't scare me.

I'm going to read Pet Semetary next.

 

[Heidict]

I haven't read this book in years. It scared me, but not as much as IT. Now, that one had me sleeping with the lights on.

 

[rcraw45425]

'Salems Lot and IT, along with The Shining are my alltime King favorites. As others said, he's too out there for me now, although I did find the Rose Red miniseries entertaining. The 'Salems lot miniseries runs sometime on Chiller network and is a little dated now, but it still can give you the willies.

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[irishbosoxfan]

Like most of the PPs I also read this book many years ago.... One of Stephen King's better stories. Not too long after the book was published there was a television mini-series movie made. You may want to look into finding it on DVD, it too was one of his better screen plays -> movies.

When I read the title my mind went right to that mini-series. Now I'm probably going to have a nightmare about it tonight. Lordy did that show cause issues for me!!! I was terrified to look out a window for the longest time!!!

 

[Singleminnie]

I saw the movie as a child, had an young aunt who liked this type of movies and would volunteer to babysit my borther and I a lot. This scared me to death! Then I had to read the book for a class in college, can't remember the name of the class, but had to read Poe too. I really liked that class!

Now I like those type of movies/books, such as True Blood. I have just started reading the book series that True Blood is from, great reading!

 

[swandiverpatt]

I've enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse ("True Blood") books, moreso than the HBO series, but was glad to have seen it first so I knew what most of the characters were supposed to look like.

Was Salem's Lot the one where Danny Glick was floating outside the boy's 2nd story bedroom window?? If so, yeah, that one scared me.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

I've enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse ("True Blood") books, moreso than the HBO series, but was glad to have seen it first so I knew what most of the characters were supposed to look like.

Was Salem's Lot the one where Danny Glick was floating outside the boy's 2nd story bedroom window?? If so, yeah, that one scared me.

Yep that's it. And that's the scene I was referencing in my post.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

My fav that scared the crap out of me -- The Stand -- specifically the part where he describes walking through the Lincoln Tunnel in the dark. Guess it really hit home because I commute to NYC through the Holland Tunnel and I couldn't imagine having to get out and walk in the dark, let alone under the circumstances referenced in the book.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

BTW - that was the first Stephen King book I ever read, it scared me spitless. What a great book.

For me it was one of the first but one of his best. Some of the junk he passed off after this was sold IMHO because those of us who could not put the SL thought there would be a repeat. For me there was never another
Green Mile, and Needful Things were about the only other ones he wrote that were even good...the rest I swear he phoned in. IMHO.

 

[Mikelly1221]

Salem's Lot...the Scariest. Book. Ever!

(That's all I have to say about that! )

 

[Katlyn]

Was Salem's Lot the one where Danny Glick was floating outside the boy's 2nd story bedroom window?? If so, yeah, that one scared me.

Yea knock knock knock let me in That was the creepiest part to me.


BTW The Stand / Randall Flagg scared me more