UTD -- The Tommyknockers Redeemed




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As I read Under The Dome, I find myself thinking how much it is like The Tommyknockers. Of course, in the Tommyknockers, something just didn't work. People have mentioned several times that King was high while he wrote this -- I don't know. But he also wrote Misery in the same time period, and it worked.
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It wouldn't be until Needful Things that King would really pick up his pace again and write a novel with large cast. But with Needful things, things worked!
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In a many of ways, Under The Dome seems like The Tommyknockers Redeemed.
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Note:
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1. Length: Both are very large novels.
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2. Genre: Both are essentially Science Fiction. Though a King Novel always defies genre. Fundamentally, it doesn't matter if the problem is a Dome or a spaceship, the real story is the people.
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3. Large Cast: King stopped writing The Cannibals because he says it was hard for him to handle such a large cast of characters. I think that accounts for a lot of the rambeling in Tommyknockers. But by the time Under The Dome was written, he had Needful Things under his belt, and a large cast wsan't such a problem. A story about an entire town.
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4. Degenerating Circumstances: In Tommyknockers, as the ship is dug up, the town begins to lose it. Different circumstances,but things quickly go from bad to worse in Under The Dome.
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5. Message: King wanted to give a "message" in Tommyknockers. Kind of a Dwight Eisenhower warning about technology. But the message gets muddled. In Under the Dome, there is a clear message -- and it isn't missed. Why? Because King didn't just write the message into his book, he's preached it across America! "We all live under the dome."
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6. Prose: The Tommyknockers was plagued by rambling prose, while Under the Dome is tight. In fact, several times I stopped the CD and mentioned to my wife how simple his sentences are in Under the Dome. "I wouldn't be comfortable writing things that simply, but it works."
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Essentially, I think Under The Dome is a kind of redemption for Tommyknockers. It's not in any way a 1940's scifi, but it is a town in distress from an unknown force.
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Mini-Series:.
I'm generally a fan of the Tommyknockers mini-series. I wish the spaceship were a little cooler. But over-all, I thought it was great. They managed to "fix" a lot of the problems in the book. My favorite scene: When the boy makes his brother disappear in a magic trick. . . and he can't bring him back! Ahh, that's good.
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Under the Dome will also skip the movie scene and move to the small screen. This is a good format for King. Hopefully for those of you who didn't like the mini-series of the Tommyknockers, Under the Dome will be a "redemption" in that sense also.
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Bookcovers:
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Interestingly, The Tommyknockers is also one of those books that suffers from bad covers -- in my humble opinion. Anyone pick up the Tommyknockers and say, "Wow! A green glowing strip thing! I've got to read this book!" And, "Oh, it comes in gold lettering or in red. . . I've got to buy two!"
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Under The Dome, by contrast, has a very engaging book-cover. One of the best.
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Hey, if I can ask here. . . why do the British editions so often have better book-covers  WHY?! Why do the Bridish get to have bookshelves that look better than mine? Is this coveting? No. It's complaining, which is different.
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Intentional?
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A question arises: Did King in any way intentionally "redeem" elements of the Tommyknockers? I think not. He's never said so. But what is shows is growth in his craft. Something difficult -- a large cast, whole town, scifi -- first executed with a stumble is now offered up with a hard press toward the finish line.
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King has said that it bothers him that people like The Stand best of all his books since it was written so long ago. Well, here is a fair contrast. Tommyknockers or Under the Dome? I think the growth of the artist is obvious. And in its unique way, Under the Dome redeems what the Tommyknockers lost.

14 comments:

  1. I'm reading Under the Dome right now and yes, I have noticed ties - even if it's just a feeling - to Tommyknockers. Tommyknockers put me off King for a very long time. The book felt like it had been dictated by someone who'd been on speed, awake, for two weeks.

    King's craft for organizing characters, large casts of them, is his main strength.

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  2. In King's 'On Writing' he admits that he wrote 'Tommyknockers' with cotton balls in his nose to stop the nose bleeds from doing too much speed. As to the time frame reference with Misery, I think the substance problem was around for awhile. He says in 'On Writing' that he doesn't remember writing 'Cujo' and that bothers him because he enjoys the story he wishes he could remember going on the journey with the characters, lol.

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  3. Late to this but had to comment. Tommyknockers was the first book of fiction I ever read, and it blew me away. I've been reading King ever since and can honestly say if it wasn't for that book and that man I would never have written a novel myself. Tommyknockers read pretty sweet to me, although it's been many years since I read it. I won't be reading it again as I don't want to spoil the dream.

    Great blog BTW!

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    1. Spot on, Darren. I am in the same boat...Tommyknockers was my first fictional book read and it spawned something. I am amazed with the similarities between Tommyknockers and Under the Dome. I say both are works of genius.

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  4. I'm with Darren in that I quite enjoyed THE TOMMYKNOCKERS & remember it quite fondly. I've never quite gotten the negativity that many ( most? ) express when discussing the novel.
    While it may not hold a spot among my all time fav SK novels like 'SALEM'S LOT, IT, PET SEMATARY, THE SHINING or THE MIST, it's IMO superior to some of those that many hold in a higher regard such as NEEDFUL THINGS, INSOMNIA & FIRESTARTER.
    Though, with that said, unfortunately the book has the distinction of having suffered a horrible adaption. One of the worst IMO. With Jimmy Smits & the rest of the cast simply mailing in their performances to the tune of a crap script & wooden direction.

    Jim

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  5. I've just finished rereading "The Tommyknockers," which is the first time I've read it since THE first time way back in '90 or '91. I didn't care for it back then, and I expected not to like it much now, either.

    Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. Even kinda loved it in some ways. It's got some stuff that doesn't work terribly well (a few too many character in the middle section), but: the relationship between Bobbi and Gard is hauntingly sad; the Jack Sawyer cameo (he's not named, but really, who else could it be?) is great in a depressing way; the backstory of how Haven went through multiple names before becoming called Haven is like a great short story; the stories of Ruth McCausland and Hilly Brown are engaging; and the finale is very good.

    All in all, I would have to say that I've almost totally reversed my opinion. Prior to rereading it, I'd have placed it near the bottom of my ranking in terms of King books; after, I'd put it comfortably somewhere mid-pack.

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  6. Yeah, I thought the mini-series was alright, but not read the book yet. I remember creepy happening in the film.

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  7. I really liked the Tommyknockers it gave me nightmares for months! I actually had a tooth ache and was afraid to go to the dentist.

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  8. Tommyknockers is actually my favourite King book (I say that as someone who was also fascinated by the concept of Christine, however--put with a different cast, that car would have been the stuff of nightmares). For me, the fascination lies in the way the town manages to isolate itself, and the way Gard just lets himself be driven--while never, ever once, being passive.

    Likewise, I think a reread of the book is infinitely better than the first time--once you know the whole story, that line about Bobbi never being able to throw away dead batteries somewhere near the beginning is absolutely CHILLING. And while parts of the book do ramble--I really would have preferred the story about Haven's history at the beginning of the book--I think (I'm about to commit heresy here)it's actually a much tighter, much less tangential book than The Stand, which is guilty of rambling and contrived plot device on a level that should be absolutely criminal coming from King.

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  9. I enjoyed Tommyknockers the book and the mini series. The book for me was quite engaging and even now I'll re read it (for like the millionth time haha) And I know why the mini series seems so good to me, I live in New Zealand and its kind of cool trying to pick out the scenery and the token kiwi actor.

    I haven't yet read Under the Dome but I intend to read it as soon as possible if the atmosphere is like Tommyknockers. I'm guessing that I'll enjoy it- so far the only S.K book that I've found unappealing so far is The Stand, I'll never understand why so many people rave about it. To me it just seems so long winded with not enough Trashcan Man.

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  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  11. Rambeling? Sentenses? Before you write a review, you should know how to spell. I loved The Tommyknockers, personally.

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  12. I find it hard to believe that I never read The Tommyknockers -- nor did I catch the miniseries -- ! Ha.

    This post has succeeded in encouraging me to read The Tommyknockers. I am currently on about page 200 of Under The Dome, and really enjoying it, thus far.

    I can't help but wonder how Tommyknockers compares with Dreamcatcher - another King novel I have yet to pick up.

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