Pet Sematary

Amazon.com Audio Review

Renowned for its superior productions, BBC radio may have outdone itself by adapting Stephen King's Pet Sematary to audio. A clamorous cacophony of talking, whining, whistling, and howling, Pet Sematary is a quick, entertaining earful for those who don't have other auditory distractions to contend with, such as a car full of talking whining, whistling, howling children. However, the melodramatic prose marries well with the acting; such is the case when one reader--whose voice bears an uncanny resemblance to Kramer's from Seinfeld--tells another about the effects of the Pet Sematary: "Heroin makes junkies feel good when they put it in their arms, but all the time it's poisoning their mind and body--this place can be like that and don't you ever forget it!" (Running time: three hours, two cassettes)

Book Description

"Sometimes dead is better...."

When the Creeds move into a beautiful old house in rural Maine, it all seems too good to be true: physician father, beautiful wife, charming little daughter, adorable infant son -- and now an idyllic home. As a family, they've got it all...right down to the friendly cat.

But the nearby woods hide a blood-chilling truth -- more terrifying than death itself...and hideously more powerful.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

This is the creepiest horror novel that I have ever read. My wife tells me she heard an interview with him once that said he actually scared himself writing this. That has to be pretty hard to do if you are Stephen King.

I am not volunteering to read this book again, I think, as he just might have done too good a job with it.

Merciless Stephen King--God Save Us.......2007-07-29

Here's another textbook example of a classic, horrifying book, written by the master of the genre, that was absolutely destroyed in its film adaptation. The good news, as King himself has been wont to say (and here I'm paraphrasing), the book is still there, notwithstanding the quality (or lack thereof) of the movie. Woe unto all those who know King only through Hollywood. The real measure of the master is in the printed page, never more so than in Pet Sematary.

The great thing about this book is something that you rarely come across in this age of pop-culture saturization, remade motion pictures, genre slavery (of which I am unapologetically guilty), and the like: a wholly original idea. As far as my limited experience tells, no one has ever had a thought like this: a kids' graveyard for dead pets that somehow, miraculously brings them back to life ...

The only problem is, it doesn't, really. The Sematary animates the dead, but the dead come back ... oh, how to put it? ... a bit--surly. As Dr. Evil would say, "Ill-tempered." This phenomenon is further complicated when parents cannot let their children pass on. Oh, boy--complicated doesn't really cut it.

What a horrendous thought this is, mashing unspeakable human grief (rendered in heartbreakingly realistic prose and dialogue) with ZOMBIES. It's sick, twisted, unforgiveable. That is to say, I liked it a lot.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire book, "Teeth: A Horror Fantasy.")

Pet Sematary by Stephen King........2007-07-28

Pet Sematary is one of Stephen King's best novels, I have read it several times and it was quite good its one of his first novels of his that I've ever read that was probably 11 years ago. Anyway the book has some great and intense drama as well as horror there are some nice scary moments and the idea of the dead coming back when they get buried in the Pet cemetary was a great idea, the storyline was very gripping as you get interested with the characters and what they go through. Pet Sematary is about a doctor named Loise Creed who moves to the town of Ludlow, Maine along with his family which includes his wife Rachel and both daughter Ellie and son Gage and their cat Church or Winston Churchill they also meet their neighbors Jud Crandall and his wife across the street whoever the street is very dangerous due to the heavy traffic where trucks are constantly driving by, its obviously not a safe place especially for a child to play this was a very well written story by Stephen King it was brilliant and it will have you on the edge of your seat as it becomes more intense especially towards the end even though some parts are a bit drawn out.

Jud Crandall then introduces the family to the pet cemetary which is located near a clear path up into the woods an old Indian burial ground where a Indian tribe called The Micmacs or something like that use to bury their dead it was then used throughout the generations by other people to bury their beloved pets, whoever gets buried there usually comes back to life the next day but something strange happens to them and they're not normal and return as a shambling semblance of life, Loise also starts having nightmares where a ghost warns him about the place he becomes a somnambulist which means that he sleepwalks at night to the burial ground.

There is also the part where Rachel tells the terrible tale of her sister who is suffering from meningitis which is a spine disease that manages to twist her body into a grotesque figure, I like the way that Stephen describes it in detail very creepy. Anyway the book was great and I highly recommend this to all Stephen King fans.

I brought you something mommy, I brought you something!.......2007-07-12

This was my first Stephen King book. I had read numerous short stories by him (Children of the Corn, The Boogeyman, The Jaunt, Sometimes They Come Back, The Mist), and was impressed. But none of them really scared me, like people had said about him, that you spent sleepless nights blah blah blah. So I was told to read novels by him, specifically Pet Sematary and The Shining if I wanted to be scared. So at the nearest used bookstore I grabbed Pet Sematary.

Wow is this book frightening. The characters are also completely fleshed out, which is sometimes unusual for Stephen King. The basic summary of the book is that a man named Louis Creed and his family moves to a small town in Maine. Louis is getting a new job at a college infirmary. He meets an old couple next door named the Crandalls, and immediately becomes friends with them. The Crandalls show to the Creeds a place called the Pet Sematary (mispelled by kids who created it). Young kids buried their pets there when they died. The book really starts when a kid named Victor Pascow collapses and dies in Louis' office. After this event, the Creeds happy life spirals into despair.

This book is really about grief, and what you would do to get something you had lost back. Would you go far enough to maybe cause the deaths of all you love and yourself? And then what would you do to get those who had died back? A deeply philosophical book with one of the best ending lines in a book ever (besides 1984, of course) I highly reccomend this to anyone who is a fan of Stephen King, or who just likes sophisticated horror.

Many sleepless nights thanks to this gem..........2007-06-30

The first Stephen King book I ever read, at the tender young age of 10 years old! (what were my parents thinking letting me read this book!) This is my favorite King novel and literally gave me nightmares for years to come. It is disturbing on so many different levels while at the same time it's absolutely gut wrenching. Its easy to lose yourself in this story as you follow Louis through his trials. Pet Sematary is the best place to start if you have never read a Stephen King novel, and the next book you should read if you are a fan.

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Pet Sematary
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1416524347

Book Description

"Sometimes dead is better...."

But the nearby woods hide a blood-chilling truth -- more terrifying than death itself...and hideously more powerful.

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Pet Sematary

Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Regulators

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ASIN: B000E51QE0

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Pet Sematary
King Stephen
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K6L0VM

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Was "Pet Sematary" Really that Scary?

Pet Sematary
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | King, Stephen | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0613592476

Customer Reviews:

Was "Pet Sematary" Really that Scary?.......2003-12-12

Pet Sematary was an overall good book. It wasn't as scary as it was lived up to be. At least one hundred pages were just describibg non-important events. The last twenty pages were the best out of the whole novel. The Creeds move into a subburb from Chicago and meet a very intelligent man Named Jud. Jud tells them about the old Pet Sematary and how the trucks go by without stopping for anyone.
What I liked about the novel was that it had a very good plot to it. Of course it had been done in another book he still made it interesting. What I didn't like about the novel was that it didn't start to get interesting until the last twenty pages.
I would not recommend this book to readers who like stories that are exciting and get to the point. I would recommend this book to readers who love discriptive reading.

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PET SEMATARY
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Doubleday & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0340341483

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Pet Sematary

Pet Sematary (Signet)
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451150244

Customer Reviews:

Pet Sematary.......2003-10-17

As the author of such books as Carrie, Christine, Cujo, and the Shining, has Stephen King ever written a book so horrifying that he did not want to finish it? Yes! This is it. This is the story of Louis Creed a young doctor, who has a happy family of two kids a wife and a lovely cat. This story takes place in a small town in Maine. It is about a pet cemetery to the left of the Creeds new home in Ludlow. There have been urban myths about the Indian burial grounds behind the cemetery. Louis doesn't take it seriously but what he finds out will be shocking, and he will be horrified down to the bone. For as he will find out the only thing that the burial ground can do for you is have you live your worst nightmare, and there is no escape not even death. As the plot of the story opens up so does the terror of supernatural being, one so chilling that it will have you locking the door and closing the blinds, and leave you lying awake in bed. At some points you will want to stop, but you can't you are unwilling to stop. Once you have read this book you are fearless against any evil you may encounter during the night. You have not yet read a good book until you have read Pet Sematary the best horror clasic written by Stephen King (the best author/director in Hollywood). This book will have you begging for more so I encourage you to buy the spine chilling sequil Pet Sematary 2.

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CASTLE ROCK: THE STEPHEN KING NEWSLETTER October 1988 , Vol.4, No. 10, Includes "Pet Sematary" Finally Converted to Celluloid; Bare Bones: A Disquieting Look at Stephen King; "Pearl" Review; "Gunslinger" T P/B Review. Castle Rock Was Published in Bango
Articles By Christopher Spruce ETC Illustrated b/w
Manufacturer: Bangor, Maine: Published By Stephen King
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unbound
ASIN: B000JD4HAW

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CASTLE ROCK: THE STEPHEN KING NEWSLETTER August 1988 , Vol. 4, No. 8, Includes Articles S.K.s Pet Sematary Scheduled for Main Production, Stephen King in Photo on Front,. ETC. Castle Rock Was Published in Bangor Maine, From 1985 to 1989, and it Was
Articles By Hank Cheever,, Jr. , ETC Illustrated b/w
Manufacturer: Bangor, Maine: Published By Stephen King
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unbound
ASIN: B000JD68GI

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CASTLE ROCK: THE STEPHEN KING NEWSLETTER August 1986 , Vol. 2, No. 8, Includes Articles In Search of the Pets Sematary"; "Why and How to Teach SK" By Bill Munster; "What It's Like Being the Daughter of SK" By Naomi King; "Say No to the Enforcers" By Ste
Articles By Bill Munster, Naomi King,Stephen King , ETC Illustrated b/w
Manufacturer: Bangor, Maine: Published By Stephen King
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unbound
ASIN: B000JD7WM2

Book Description

Hit and Run....... In New York there was a contract on his life. In Nebraska there was a plastic surgeon guarded by a punch-drunk fighter. And somewhere in New Jersey there was a red armored car stuffed with money. Parker, his appearance altered, hadn't changed a bit: he was going to take the little red wagon down. But there was a catch. There was always a catch. This one's name was Alma, a big, busty woman with anger etched onto her face and a plan to cross Parker and his crew. Now the questions were: Who was in it with Alma? And after the stealing, the shooting, and the stabbing stopped-who would be alive to make a getaway?

Customer Reviews:

Snoozefest.......2004-10-25

Huh? Did we all read the same book? I rarely do reviews on books that I didn't like, but I'll make an exception in this case. I've enjoyed many of Stark's books....really enjoy Parker's escapades and no nonsense way, but I think he kind of slept through this one. This is a very short read about one heist. The reader is forced to read through every little detail about the job, including road directions that you could actually follow, directions that are often repeated. Details are important to flesh out mission impossible style plots, but this is a very basic armored car take-down at an out of the way cafe. The adjoining plot has more potential, but never really builds up any suspense or momentum. There is a daily bathroom break for someone Parker has "on ice", and that's real exciting too. This is a short story stretched out to novel proportions. Very disappointing..........had to force myself to finish it. Won't stop reading Stark, but will research future purchases better.

Great follow up.......2003-01-13

You don't need to read the predcessor of this book to enjoy it, but you might as well. This is book is great from start to finish. It is thoroughly enjoyable.

No-Nonsense Criminal.......2002-05-31

Most people who have just had their face reconstructed would be inclined to go through a period of mourning as they lament the loss of their familiar appearance. Not so with Parker. Apart from a quick glance in the mirror to make sure he looked different, he is completely unaffected.

This reaction probably best sums up this mysterious and dark character. He always prefers to take the most prudent action rather than be ruled by his emotions, giving him a cold, calculating persona. But these same qualities also make him very efficient and strangely likable.

After receiving his new appearance, Parker goes straight back to work in planning an armoured truck heist. He has some misgivings about the job because it involves someone he has never worked with before, but this is just another contingency for him to plan around. Indeed, it appears that Parker has been built with no reverse gear installed. Once a course of action has been planned, it's full steam ahead and as obstacles rise up, as they inevitably do in this caper, he deals with them head on, scarcely breaking stride.

This is the second Parker book, following his appearance in The Hunter and is a thoroughly enjoyable story. The no-nonsense attitude of Parker, whether it's going ahead with a plan or casually shooting someone in the ankle makes for very entertaining, if a little cold-blooded, reading.

Making a buck in the early '60s.......2002-03-17

Donald Westlake writes of Dortmunder, a bumbling petty criminal it's really hard to like. Then as Richard Stark he gives us Parker, a much more competent crook who will kill when he has to, and surprisingly or not, a much more likeable character.

It was written in 1963 when the mob was "The Outfit", Exxon was still Esso and you took the ferry to Brooklyn, not the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Parker gets a new face from Dr. Adler, a plastic surgeon in Nebraska who was a pre 50s Commie, then goes back to New Jersey for an armored car heist. Skim and Elma, Skim's overbearing waitress girlfriend, set up the heist, develop an unworkable plan that Parker fixes and set up a doublecross that Parker anticipates. All would be fine except Dr. Adler has been killed, and a guy named Stubbs is sent to find the killer.

The interaction between Parker and Stubbs and their search for a swindler named Wallenbaugh, now Wells, take up the rest of the story. Parker's reasons for getting to Wells and going back to Nebraska to square things come from logic only his mind could concoct, but it makes for a fun adventure.

Parker Is Baaaad!.......2001-10-16

Richard Stark (Donald Westlake), where have you been all my life? Yes, I have read and enjoyed the Westlake capers, and particularly liked the deft and humorous touches. Who would have dreamed, this same man could come up with Parker?

Parker is impersonal, a completely professional robber and sometimes murderer. He rarely murders with any passion, unless you consider "irritation" a strong enough emotion to rate as "passion." We are not told where Parker comes from or how he became the way he is. However, he is by no means a robot. He is skillfully presented with many shadings of character.

The title refers to Parker's new face. He has undergone plastic surgery to make himself more anonymous to anyone looking for him. He is quite indifferent to this new face with not a thought to whether it is an improvement or otherwise on the original. The story is a caper that begins dubiously ("too many things to watch out for"), and he is right to be doubtful. In spite of his meticulous planning (a joy to read for sheer professionalism), more and more factors clog up the works. We are saved from a bloodbath because Parker is not a vindictive man.

Book Description

Eddie starts stealing cars long before he's old enough to get a license, driven by a force so compelling that he never questions, just obeys. After a series of false starts, interrupted by stays in juvenile institutions and a state prison term, Eddie's skills and loyalty attract the attention of J.C., a near-legendary hijacker. When he gets out, Eddie becomes the driver for J.C.'s ultra-professional crew. J.C., the master planner, is finally ready to pull off that one huge job every con dreams of ... the Retirement Score. But some roads have twists even a professional getaway man couldn't foresee ...

Andrew Vachss, a writer widely acclaimed for breathing new life and death into the crime genre, here presents a classic noir tale, relentlessly displaying and dissecting not guilt, but innocence.

Download Description

Eddie starts stealing cars long before he's old enough to get a license, driven by a force so compelling that he never questions, just obeys. After a series of false starts, interrupted by stays in juvenile institutions and a state prison term, Eddie's skills and loyalty attract the attention of J.C., a near-legendary hijacker. When he gets out, Eddie becomes the driver for J.C.'s ultra-professional crew. J.C., the master planner, is finally ready to pull off that one huge job every con dreams of... the Retirement Score. But some roads have twists even a professional getaway man couldn't foresee...

Andrew Vachss, a writer widely acclaimed for breathing new life and death into the crime genre, here presents a classic noir tale, relentlessly displaying and dissecting not guilt, but innocence.

"Vachss is a contemporary master."
   THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

"Vachss has updated the classic noir thriller, and set a new standard. The Getaway Man is taut and understated, inexorable in its deepening moral ambiguity. Eddie, the getaway man is a brilliant achievement, simple but not stupid, as steady on the wheel as Vachss' prose style, Eddie remains an honorable innocent in a world of slowly revealed depravity."
   ROBERT FERRIGNO

Customer Reviews:

Vanishing Point.......2007-01-17

Eddie is "The Getaway Man", the kid who started driving before old enough to get a license, doing time in the "kiddies" for stealing cars before his first stint, at nineteen, in the real big-house. But while Eddie may drive fast, he is, to put it kindly, "slow". A kid so clueless and naive that he knows nothing about "dames", renting a video, or making reservations in a restaurant. Andrew Vachss spins this sweet little cherry of a novel in true 50's pulp fiction style, right down to the retro cover. Were it not for modern day references to cell phones and VCRs, I'd swear I was reading Jim Thompson. The ever loyal Eddie hones his driving skills and never questions the orders of the more seasoned pros he crews with, setting himself (and the reader) up for an armored car heist that will allow early retirement.

Vachss' prose isn't simply lean - it is downright gaunt - emaciated by the ruminations coming out of Eddie's mostly empty head. But that's not a criticism, for just as Eddie's naivety begins to grind a bit, the reader begins to wonder just who the talented Vachss is really setting up here. So strap yourself in and lock down for a fast drive through a few curves that are likely to sneak up. And by the way, if you haven't read Jim Thompson's classic "The Getaway", or Duane Swierczynski's updated and more hip "The Wheelman", you'll be missing a great encore.

Good Book But Would Have Omitted the Last 2 Sentences........2006-03-18

Much has been said about the plot below that need not be repeated. I enjoyed this book. Vachss uses simple words and simple descriptions, yet paints a vivid picture. Also, simple words are best suited, perhaps, for a main character who can best be described as "simple." Clearly Eddie is not a complex thinker. His view of life is incredibly naive, but most endearing. As the story evolves, the plot develops nicely and the ending, for me at least, was unexpected. My only complaint is the last two sentences - changed what would have been a perfect resolution into a silly, unsupportable twist.

You can't go wrong with this book.......2005-11-27

This falls into the category of "one of those books you let people read so they can get hooked on the author". If you like Jim Thompson you will also enjoy this book. The storyline is tight and it has one of the better endings that I can remember.

Taut Writing and Great Plot.......2005-03-18

This book is terrific, and tells a great story about a guy who loves cars, and loves to drive. But even beyond how much I liked the story, is how much I respect Vachss' writing style, and his research quality. All of the car information, from the details of engines to the mechanics of driving, was absolutely right. Lots of wannabe tough-guy writers try hard to sprinkle in jargon, but don't bother getting the specifics right. But Vachss always gets his facts straight. I saw that whenever he discussed guns, for example, in the Burke series. Here he shows he really knows cars, too.

Four and a Half..........2004-12-25

First off, I really enjoyed this book. The plot was perfect and the pacing was awesome. The long and short of it is the protagonist is a 2 bit criminal who like most 2 bit hoods try for the one big score which is where the fun begins...Lots of plot twists and turns... Eddie started out as a car thief but then turned into the driver. And this is where my only problem with the book is. I would have easily give five stars but for the incessant repetition of the expression "I'm the driver..." that Eddie uses at every possible chance. I swear this phrase must have appeared 50 times in a 200-page book. He would refuse to be the gunman saying, "I'm the driver"... When the other bad guys tried to get him involved in planning he refuses and says "I'm the driver"... and even when he meets a woman his pick up line is "I'm the driver".... I guess that works for felon groupies. He even tries to rent movies that are about driving. Anyhow this really got on my nerves by page 50 and by the end of the book those 3 words "drove" me crazy. However, the Hitchcock-like ending does compensate for this gross repetition. I would strongly suggest taking this book for a "drive" if you want an awesome pulp story - but be prepared for it to "stall" a bit when it comes to dialogue.

THE MAN WITH THE GETAWAY FACE - A Parker Mystery

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THE MAN WITH THE GETAWAY FACE - A Parker Mystery
Richard (pen name used by Donald E. Westlake) Stark
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GVXFX2

4 Titles By William Murray - The Getaway Blues - The Self-starting Wheel - When the Fat Man Sings - The King of the Nightcap

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4 Titles By William Murray - The Getaway Blues - The Self-starting Wheel - When the Fat Man Sings - The King of the Nightcap
William Murray
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000Q5FGRQ

Product Description

4 Mass Market Paperback Titles By William Murray - The Getaway Blues - The Self-starting Wheel - When the Fat Man Sings - The King of the Nightcap

AMAZING STORIES - Volume 20, number 7 - October 1946; Volume 21, number 12 - December Dec 1947 (The Green Man; The Green Man Returns; Caduceus of Mermes; Getaway; Light of Life; Of Gods and Goats; The World Beyond Guy Archette

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AMAZING STORIES - Volume 20, number 7 - October 1946; Volume 21, number 12 - December Dec 1947 (The Green Man; The Green Man Returns; Caduceus of Mermes; Getaway; Light of Life; Of Gods and Goats; The World Beyond Guy Archette
Raymond A. (editor) (George Tashman; Chester S. Geier; Millen Cooke; Richard S. Shaver; Guy Archette) Palmer
Manufacturer: Ziff Davis Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GVW3OE

AMAZING STORIES - Volume 20, number 7 - October Oct 1946: The Green Man; The Caduceus of Hermes; Getaway; M-M-M-M-M-M

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AMAZING STORIES - Volume 20, number 7 - October Oct 1946: The Green Man; The Caduceus of Hermes; Getaway; M-M-M-M-M-M
Raymond A. (editor) (Harold M. Sherman; George Tashman; Chester S. Geier; Millen Cooke) Palmer
Manufacturer: Ziff Davis Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IA9W0Q

Hardware #13 : Weekend Getaway (DC Comics)

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Hardware #13 : Weekend Getaway (DC Comics)
Dwayne McDuffie
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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The Man With The Getaway Face
Donald writing as Richard Stark Westlake
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UUGUYK

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The Man with the Getaway Face
Donald Westlake
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000S6Q1R2

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The Man with the Getaway Face
Richard Stark
Manufacturer: Allison & Busby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MVR0DC

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