stephenking.com has posted this synopsis of Doctor Sleep:
On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and tween Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the “steam” that children with the “shining” produce when they are slowly tortured to death.
Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant “shining” power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.”
Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan’s own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra’s soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of hyper-devoted readers of The Shining and wildly satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.
CB Droege at TG Daily comments on the synopsis, "It's worth noting that it seems like about as much time has passed in the story-world as has passed in the real world since the release of the first novel, likely not a coincidence. It'll be interesting to see how the lore of The Shining develops further in this story, if you can get past King's pulpy, gratuitously gory style."
I have noticed more than one website already discussing the fact that this is sure to be a movie. I'm not so quick to think so. For one thing, everything King writes does not instantly rush down the yellow brick road to Hollywood. If so, The Dark Tower would be on better footing. What about: Cell, From A Buick 8, The Talisman, and Rose Madder? Second, I think King will be to sell the property, after the Kubrick situation with the original version of The Shining.
Maybe, then again you're forgetting the Shining prequel. I don't know what the status is on that score. Either way, my prospect, or rather lack of them remain the same on both counts.
ReplyDeleteChrisC
The movie rights to "Doctor Sleep" would definitely be separate from the movie rights to "The Shining" itself. I'm obviously not familiar with the terms of Warner's deal with King for the "Shining" rights, but even if they DO possess the legal ability to do prequels and/or sequels, "Doctor Sleep" would have nothing to do with that.
DeleteI'm with David; I suspect King will refuse to sell the rights, unless it's to someone he trusts (like Darabont or Rob Reiner or -- *shudder* -- Mick Garris).
The person who wrote this apparently does not read Stephen King. King is absolutely NOT "gratuitously gory."
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't consider it a pejorative to write in the fashion of the old pulps, I never thought King's style was that. He speaks (and writes) average American.
Methinks this is just another hack who looks down his nose at horror writers and horror fans.
It certainly sounds that way, doesn't it? Seems a shame that, even this far into his awesome career, King is still receiving so many backhanded compliments.
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