'Salem's Lot

By Stephen King,

Book cover of 'Salem's Lot

Book description

#1 BESTSELLER • Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem’s Lot in hopes that exploring the history of the Marsten House, an old mansion long the subject of rumor and speculation, will help him cast out his personal devils and provide inspiration for his new book.

But when two young boys…

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Why read it?

13 authors picked 'Salem's Lot as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I read this book before King became a household name. It was his first big hit and set off a career unmatched in the horror genre. Read as a referral from a friend, I was immediately struck by his uncanny ability to detail a scene.

While not particularly a fan of horror stories, I certainly have read at least eight more King books. I believe him to the master of his ilk.

This was wild, complex and fun - much deeper than the romp I expected

I don’t usually love vampire books, but this one is an exception. Stephen King paints such an intricate and beloved portrait of a small town in America systematically dismantled by a parasitic creature that I was left with the pervasive feeling that it could happen here, where I am, to me.

I love the central character, Ben Mears, a writer who sees people around him one by one being overtaken and destroyed—until, almost by default, he is forced to become the Van Helsing of the piece. The sensitivity of this character, his anxiety, his horror, and his heartbreak make Salem’s…

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Victoria Unveiled By Shane Joseph,

A fast-paced literary thriller with a strong sci-fi element and loaded with existential questions. Beyond the entertainment value, this book takes a hard look at the perilous world of publishing, which is on a crash course to meet the nascent, no-holds-barred world of AI. Could these worlds co-exist, or will…

This is the first book that made me feel like I was in a fully realized location. I couldn’t put it down and continue to revisit it annually because the depth of detail in the town and its citizens draws me in and makes the events more impactful as they unfold.

I’ve always enjoyed a good vampire story, but Salem’s Lot was the first vampire story that made me a little nervous of the creaking sounds in the hallway or a tapping at a window. 

My grandparents let me watch the 1970s TV adaptation of this when I was young, maybe 7 or 8, and I was terrified! But the book is much better, much more profound. Vampires are always exciting, and King plays this as “old school” vampire stuff, no romance, no sexy glittery skin, just moral corruption, and blood-sucking.

I love these broad strokes books where seemingly unstoppable chaos spreads across an entire town. This book is a masterwork in vampire horror.  

From Christopher's list on horror that will keep you up at night.

I first scared myself with this vampire story as a teenager holidaying in a big house—trips along the dark corridor to the bathroom took on a new sense of terror! It’s a bleak story with a heart, especially in the relationship between the protagonist and a young boy who loses his family.

I wanted to choose a vampire or zombie book because it represents sudden loss, in this case, a whole town and all its inhabitants, unlike the loss of civilization over a long time in a book like The Time Machine. Sadly, human culture is vulnerable to…

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Shadow of the Hidden By Kev Harrison,

It’s Seb’s last day working in Turkey, but his friend Oz has been cursed. Superstition turns to terror as the effects of the ancient malediction spill over, and the lives of Oz and his family hang in the balance. Can Seb find the answers to remove the hex before it’s…

Personally, for me, this is the most terrifying book I have ever read.

The first time I read it, I was scared to death. If a door would creak while I was reading it, I would jump. I felt the same way the second time. King’s descriptions, his character development, and the monsters he creates are so believable. He taps into childhood terrors, like being afraid of the dark.

I truly believe it is one of the best vampire novels ever written.

I believe King is at his best in his short stories. This one in particular is masterful in its depiction of a man’s descent into madness.

Full of vivid imagery and interesting characters, this story is primarily told through letters, a device that was new to me at the time and one that works exceptionally well here. In such a short period of time, King is able to create a fully immersive atmosphere that will be burned in the reader's mind forever. I am getting chills just writing this.

This is my all-time favourite modern-day vampire novel. The reason why I love it so much is that the way King describes the horrific process by which Barlow, the Dracula-type main monster of the story, infests the town of Salem’s Lot with vampirism is so realistic, and so gripping, that it just had me on the edge of my seat right to the very end. In fact, after Bram Stoker’s Dracula, I would rate Salem’s Lot as my second all-time favourite vampire novel. If you love a good, chilling vampire story, I would say get yourself a copy of…

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Medical Hostages By Shawn Jennings,

Duke, the leader of a bike gang, is in custody for murder. He plans an escape by feigning illness and hospitalization. But an unexpected turn of events results in two gang members and Duke holding a medical floor of patients hostage. Patients will die if the police don't meet their…

This was my first Stephen King novel, and it remains my absolute favorite. As vampires quietly infest a small town, writer Ben Mears must uncover the truth and hunt down their leader. Few books create an atmosphere like ’Salem’s Lot, and even fewer manage to be so terrifying. Reading this one after dark should be mandatory, but even daytime readers will get sucked in by the suspense.

From Brandon's list on small town horror.

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