| Plot Summary of Salem's Lot |
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""This book was probably the best vampire novel I ever read. Move over Rice! You see, King returns to the basic vampire formula...Read on!""
John Arterbury, Resident Scholar
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"Salem's Lot describes the destruction of a small New England town by Barlow, Vampire King. Barlow's only opponents are Ben Mears, a local writer, Mark Petrie, a teenage boy, and four of their friends. Led by Ben, these six people gradually become aware that the townspeople are being turned into the undead. Although Ben and Mark ultimately kill the King Vampire, this victory comes at great personal cost. All their friends die along the way, including Ben's girlfriend, and the town itself is overrun by the vampires."
Thomas, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Salem's Lot |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- scarey (primal ax-wielding fear)
Time/era of story:
- 1960's-1970's
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Horror Story?
Yes
Horror plotlets
- the vampire chased me!
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- student
- writer
Age:
- a kid
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- soggy whimpering jelly muffin
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- long-lived adults
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- is very quick
- can change shapes
- can talk to animals
- mind reading
- mind control
- super strength
- can cast all sorts of spells
- can read emotions
Eccentric:
Yes
- wild
- eccentric
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- cults
Monster of some sort?
Yes
Kind of monster:
- vampire
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- bulging muscles
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Forest?
Yes
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
- dumb rednecks, like Gomer Pyle
- hostile, like Gomer Pyle on steroids
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- very gorey descriptions deaths/dead bodies
- very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture
How many deaths?
- 8 or more
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- descript of kissing
- touching of anatomy
- descript. of breasts
Unusual forms of death
- flamed
- impaled
- perforation--bullets
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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