OMG, Vin… I would have crapped my pants if that happened to me on a walk. I didn’t know those two books were related (haven’t read either). Great discussion. I hadn’t planned on reading this, but I think I might now.
Yeah, that bear encounter has made me very weary and on alert whenever I’m outside. The book won’t knock your socks off, but I overall liked it. I’m glad I read it now and not when I was in my 20s or as a teen; I think I am able to appreciate what it was going for better.
Aw c'mon Dave, what could you possibly have to fear with a fierce bodyguard like Olive at your side? Olive would make Xena, Warrior Princess seem like Xena, Warrior Princess's comedic sidekick, whatever the hell her name was. 😉
@@BryanM.R.-prionic1 you make a good point, Bryan. Olive would tear that bear to shreds. Her name was Gabrielle… I loved that show and was possibly a little in love with her 😜
Just finished it myself. I could have done without some of Kemp’s… eccentricities in the story, but I’m surprised how much it has stuck with me. It feels like the reading equivalent of drying out in the hot sun after being soaked, but somehow all comes together into something very interesting. Seems to get to the idea that everyone has monsters in their closet, be they the ones that scare us at Tad’s age, family problems, or Roger’s fear of passing 40 and not being able to support his family.
Bitter discontent over unfulfilled expectations? This phenomenon is unfamiliar to me. Must be some kind of human thing. 👽 Cujo and The Dead Zone are two of King's earlier novels that I haven't read, but you've definitely made me curious -- even if it was probably impossible to grow up when I did without seeing the Cujo movie. 😉 That had to be a pretty startling encounter with the bear. I'd been hearing scattered and questionable accounts about bears returning to this area, but this past summer there's been several pieces of indisputable video on the local news. I guess encountering one is a possibility I should at least be aware of now. Thanks for the video!
@@BryanM.R.-prionic1 We get a lot of wildlife around us. The coyotes are LOUD at night. This past Spring a mother bear liked to frequent the neighborhood with her two cubs. One day we found the cubs playing in someone’s treehouse. They’re cute… from a distance.
Great analysis of the book. Personally, I think Cujo is the most bleak, depressing book I have read by Stephen King. I agree the book is not just about the rabid dog but the characters. The bear story is crazy, as a field guide I once was face to face with a full grown elephant, frikken terrifying but you can't back off. The message in the book for me is that life sucks and bad stuff happens,. Bear 😂 in mind that Stephen King was high as a kite when he wrote the book and cannot remember most of the writing. If you consider his addiction problems at the time I would say he was venting, raging at how much life is messed up and everything that happens is just so random. I would need to give the Dead Zone a re-read before agreeing on the serial killer subtext. Still a very insightful review. Cujo was such a good dog. 🥲
@@CliffsDarkGems I think it’s top-tier, one of his very best. Some people disagree, but they suffer from that great malady of modern times, being wrong. :)
OMG, Vin… I would have crapped my pants if that happened to me on a walk. I didn’t know those two books were related (haven’t read either). Great discussion. I hadn’t planned on reading this, but I think I might now.
Yeah, that bear encounter has made me very weary and on alert whenever I’m outside. The book won’t knock your socks off, but I overall liked it. I’m glad I read it now and not when I was in my 20s or as a teen; I think I am able to appreciate what it was going for better.
Aw c'mon Dave, what could you possibly have to fear with a fierce bodyguard like Olive at your side? Olive would make Xena, Warrior Princess seem like Xena, Warrior Princess's comedic sidekick, whatever the hell her name was. 😉
@@BryanM.R.-prionic1 you make a good point, Bryan. Olive would tear that bear to shreds. Her name was Gabrielle… I loved that show and was possibly a little in love with her 😜
@@BookBlather Who wasn't? 😁
I feel you, man. I also have about 30 Stephen King books that I haven’t read sitting on my shelves 😂 Nice review!
Thanks!
another nice edition of Fresh Read Kills!
Just finished it myself. I could have done without some of Kemp’s… eccentricities in the story, but I’m surprised how much it has stuck with me. It feels like the reading equivalent of drying out in the hot sun after being soaked, but somehow all comes together into something very interesting. Seems to get to the idea that everyone has monsters in their closet, be they the ones that scare us at Tad’s age, family problems, or Roger’s fear of passing 40 and not being able to support his family.
@@DarkKnightDude The hot sun analogy is apt; this is a good horror novel to read in the steam of Summer.
Bitter discontent over unfulfilled expectations? This phenomenon is unfamiliar to me. Must be some kind of human thing. 👽
Cujo and The Dead Zone are two of King's earlier novels that I haven't read, but you've definitely made me curious -- even if it was probably impossible to grow up when I did without seeing the Cujo movie. 😉
That had to be a pretty startling encounter with the bear. I'd been hearing scattered and questionable accounts about bears returning to this area, but this past summer there's been several pieces of indisputable video on the local news. I guess encountering one is a possibility I should at least be aware of now. Thanks for the video!
@@BryanM.R.-prionic1 We get a lot of wildlife around us. The coyotes are LOUD at night. This past Spring a mother bear liked to frequent the neighborhood with her two cubs. One day we found the cubs playing in someone’s treehouse. They’re cute… from a distance.
Great analysis of the book. Personally, I think Cujo is the most bleak, depressing book I have read by Stephen King. I agree the book is not just about the rabid dog but the characters. The bear story is crazy, as a field guide I once was face to face with a full grown elephant, frikken terrifying but you can't back off. The message in the book for me is that life sucks and bad stuff happens,. Bear 😂 in mind that Stephen King was high as a kite when he wrote the book and cannot remember most of the writing. If you consider his addiction problems at the time I would say he was venting, raging at how much life is messed up and everything that happens is just so random. I would need to give the Dead Zone a re-read before agreeing on the serial killer subtext. Still a very insightful review. Cujo was such a good dog. 🥲
An elephant!? Damn, you win 😂 I agree about King venting; there’s an air of nihilism in the book.
Revival is a good rival to Cujo in bleakness, but Cujo is right up there for sure.
@@GentleReader01 Revival is one of the 10/15 books I still need to read of King's work.
@@CliffsDarkGems I think it’s top-tier, one of his very best. Some people disagree, but they suffer from that great malady of modern times, being wrong. :)
@@GentleReader01 Look forward to reading it! 🤣