Synopsis: Author Ben Mears returns to ‘Salem’s Lot to write a book about a house that has haunted him since childhood only to find his isolated hometown infested with vampires. While the vampires claim more victims, Mears convinces a small group of believers to combat the undead.
This is Stephen King’s second published novel and it was the first of King’s books that I grabbed off the shelf to read. Needless to say, this is the story that dug its hooks (or fangs) so deep into me that I’m now on this dark road trip through SK’s written world. My first real encounter with ‘Salem’s Lot came when I was just a kid. I remember going with my Dad, who you’ll find is almost always my guide into the realm of all things horror which I love him even more for, to a video store that used to be in our local mall here in Asheville, NC called Suncoast Motion Picture Co. That will surely bring back memories to some of you 90’s kids. We lived in the horror movie section. As I was checking out covers and trying to find the scariest ones, my Dad reached out for one and I distinctly remember him being so excited, like he found something he had lost years ago. It was a VHS copy of ‘Salem’s Lot which contained two tapes because it was a made for TV movie back in 1979 and lasted a total of 3 hours. We went home with it immediately and watched it. I was glued to the TV. The story, the characters, the buildup, the music… everything had my young attention in its hands. So, the day that I walked into Mr. K’s Bookstore for the millionth time this summer, something pulled me into a different direction. I’m always going in there to see what used vinyl they may have or cool graphic novels and comics that may be in. Never straying from my usual routine. But I found myself in the fiction section. In the K’s. Looking directly at a white cover copy of ‘Salem’s Lot. And just like my Dad had years ago, I reached out excitedly, like I had found exactly what I had been looking for, and took the book home without thinking twice. Until then, I had never been a big reader. Things have since changed drastically. 
I loved this book. Since I had seen the movie before reading it, I had faces to visualize for the characters I was reading about which made the large book even easier to engage with. But the thing I loved the most and what I’m finding that King is so good at doing is making the town of Jerusalem’s Lot (‘Salem’s Lot to the locals) a character itself. His description of the streets and side streets, the buildings and cars, every little detail. You can actually see it and as you read throughout the book you almost don’t realize that you know exactly where you are in the town without even being told. Another object yet a character is the old Marsten House on the top of the hill that overlooks the entire town. This house is the whole reason the main character, Ben Mears even goes back to The Lot to write his new book because it’s the base of where his fear lies. The house scared him so bad as a kid that he needs to write about it in order to release the demons he has in his memories of this place. And I’m always a sucker for a good haunted house story or a vampire story. Put those two together and I’m sold. We meet a town full of characters which in the beginning you almost feel is a bit overwhelming but you quickly learn who everyone is and can place them without trouble the rest of the book because the descriptions of them are done so well you can’t get them confused. Ben makes a few connections when he comes back into the town such as Susan Norton, his love interest, Matt Burke who is the local English teacher at the high school, Father Callahan, the town priest who will later have a much larger role in The Dark Tower Series, Jimmy Cody who is the local doctor and Mark Petrie who is a kid in town who ends up helping Ben and the gang when it comes down to battling the vampire horde. Our antagonists include Kurt Barlow, the main villain and vampire who is behind all of the terror in this town. Richard Straker is his right hand man who is in charge of their cover story and being the face for them during the daytime. And then, there’s all the vampires. This book makes you feel like you’re part of this little community, like you have investment and roots there. Then King slowly and ruthlessly starts to take your loved ones away. Starting with the children. It’s a classic vampire story in which the ripple effects from the events that take place in it, reach out to books King would write years later which to me is just smart and well thought out writing.
What are the major differences? (SPOILERS)
- I’d have to say that the largest change in the film from the book is the way they portray our Vampire baddy, Mr. Kurt Barlow. Being that I watched the film before reading the book, I was already used to the idea of him being this Nosferatu type vampire. Pale, bald and with long claw like fingers. He doesn’t speak in the film at all either. And let’s not forget those pointy ears! In the book he’s much more Dracula like. Very clean cut, smooth with his words, and handsome. A wealthy type. I actually like the film version of Barlow best. It adds a creepier tone to the entire story and makes him more of a creature and unpredictable.
- In the book we’re given a ton of backstory on the Marsten House. We learn about how Mr. Marsten who owned the home had ties to the mob in New York and had retreated to Jerusalem’s Lot to hide out. He’s also the one who got mixed up with Barlow and told him about the town and is the entire reason why Barlow decides to make it his next home and breeding ground.
- When the group goes to the Marsten House to put a stake through Barlows heart in the book, they find his nest in the cellar. Dr. Jimmy Cody opens the hatch and doesn’t realize the stairs have been removed. He falls into the cellar and onto a bed of knives which the vampires had set as a trap to protect them while they slept. In the film, Dr. Cody (Also Susan Norton’s father) is poking around upstairs when Straker comes out of a bedroom, picks him up like he weighs nothing and shoves him into a wall covered in deer antlers. A much lamer death in my opinion.
- The film actually mashes some characters together in order to make less characters. For example, in the movie Susan Norton’s father is basically turned into Dr. Jimmy Cody. It didn’t make a huge change to the story but one that was defiantly noticeable.
There was a sequel made in 1987 called A Return to ‘Salem’s Lot which makes zero sense and has no connections to the book or even the original film other than it takes place in the same town. Then they did a remake in 2004 which was also a made for TV film starring Rob Lowe as Ben Mears. It claimed to be a closer adaptation to the book than the original but it still fell short and wasn’t given the best reviews. For me personally, the 1979 film will always reign supreme due to my nostalgic love for it. I give the book a 4.5 out of 5 stars and the film a 4 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a good Stephen King book to start with I HIGHLY recommend this one. It just has that classic horror feel to it. The next book and film up for review will be one of my all-time favorites… The Shining. So pack your bags and get ready for an extended stay at the lovely Overlook Hotel. Leave your comments and thoughts below and until next time, Happy reading!
Keys to the Kingdom 