Duma Key (Stephen King)

[Rob]

You know those cartoon snowballs that start off small at the top of the hill and end up giant house flattening boulders by the time they come to a stop? Well that's the only thing I can think of to describe the spectacular pacing of "Duma Key." I cherish each King novel as they come out. I'm reading his latest short story compilation right now: "Duma Key" is as good as anything he's ever written (sounds like faint praise but for me, it isn't). In "Duma Key" Edgar Freemantle tells the tale of how his "other life" ended and his new one began. Nearly crushed to death in a construction accident the multi-millionaire suffered brain damage, lost an arm and his wife left him. Considering suicide Edgar decides to take his therapists advice (his therapist doesn't try to talk him out of it, just suggests he wait awhile so his family and friends will believe it was an accident), take up a hobby and a change of scenery. Edgar discovers he can draw. Man can he draw; and with the evil power of Duma Key, Florida and his itchy, sometimes there, sometimes not phantom limb he begins to create masterpieces of art that predict and even affect reality. His gift quickly becomes his curse as he unravels the mysteries of the island and the horrors of the past that will lead to his only chance for survival. I started reading this book slowly, taking in forty to fifty page gulps here and there but by the time I was three hundred or so pages in it killed me to put it down.

[Rob]

FYI, King released another book (so much for retirement) called "Just After Sunset" which is another short story collection and a lot of fun to read. Watch for my review.