Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King

[pontifex]

I saw the movie based on this book a while back and loved it so I decided to get the book. I didn't read it until now.

I read through the first part with Bobby, Ted, and the low men. Again, loved it and didn't want to put it down. That part ended about halfway throught the book.
Also, in the movie, I seem to recall more a part where Bobby is an adult but didn't see anything about that in the book. I know that books and movies don't always mesh, but was just wondering if that comes later or if I'm remembering some other movie instead?

The 2nd half of the book shifts to a story about people in a college in 1966. So far, there's no mention of anything or anyone from the first book except for 1 character, Carol Gerber.

Without giving anything away, is this all tied together eventually? Is anything about the first half of the book in the 2nd half?


Also, there is mention of the Dark Tower and the gunslinger. I've heard about the Dark Tower series by King from some of you guys on here. Was this book written before that or after that? Is this book sort of an introduction to that? I now want to read the Dark Tower series anyway!

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

I read this when I flew to Denver and had to waste 4 hours at the airport when I arrived. I didn't really get into it, probably cos I was pissed off with waiting around and stuff. Those bloody announcements for the white courtesy telephone did my tits in too, felt like telling her where to stick it.

Edit: This was 6 years ago so I don't remember anything about the book except for an old dude and a kid, then a story about a protest group at a college or something.

 

[Deeko]

Yes, there is more about the first story later in the book - and yes, the entire story is basically an offshoot of the Dark Tower world.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Yes, there is more about the first story later in the book - and yes, the entire story is basically an offshoot of the Dark Tower world.

Are you supposed to read Dark Tower first?

 

[dishawbr]

Most of Kings stories are based on the events happening to reality in The Dark Tower series. While each story doesn't need to be read after reading The Dark Tower series, I've found them to be richer after doing so. He ties in that world into most of his books very subtlety and some of his books it's painfully obvious, The Stand comes to mind.

I'd say give it a read, it's a longer series but well worth the time.

 

[pontifex]

ok, cool. i'll keep reading then. i was just really confused as to why he switched to what seemed to be a completely different story all of a sudden.


how many books in the Dark Tower series are there? looks to be 7 of them on Amazon. Is that all or is King still writing them?

 

[Deeko]

Dark Tower is 7, it's finished. A very long 7, but very good.

What dishawbr said is true, but hearts in atlantis is a little different. In most cases, he ties the existing story into the Dark Tower universe - such as The Stand. Hearts of Atlantis, though, is basically an offshoot story involving the Dark Tower plot. I'm sure it's still enjoyable to read first, but you'd understand so much more if you'd read the dark tower.

 

[Andy22]

Hearts in Atlantis was one of my favorite King books...I just loved nearly all the main characters. I really felt like I was there with them in college when they were "chasing the bitch". The tie-in to the Dark Tower as fun also but the stories stand on their own.

 

[jonks]

Hearts is a connected series of novellas/short stories. Other characters from Low Men appear in later stories, and yes, it ties together some of them in the end.

I thought Low Men was really good, but the second story that takes place in college really sucked me in. I played endless nights of hearts in high school and college and related quite a bit.

The Dark Tower series IMO starts off a little slow with The Gunslinger, books 2-4 are pretty amazing, 5 wasn't bad, and then 6-7 it felt like he wanted to just finish the freaking thing already. Book 7 was a big disappointment for me, especially the last 100 pages.

As has been mentioned, many if not most of King's novels tie in to the Tower series at least peripherally. And some were not when they were written, but the Tower series then coopted them, i.e. The Talisman. My favorite tie-in was Insomnia. Fantastically imaginative. I've read every King novel and his last few haven't been that great unfortunately, but his best ones are among my favorite fiction.

 

[Deeko]

I thought The Gunslinger was the best book of the series, and stood on it's own. Book 2 was kinda dry IMO...necessary to set up the story, but slow and didn't really advance the plot very much. Books 3-5 I thought were great, I wasn't a huge fan of 6, 7 I liked but wasn't overly pleased with the ending.

Still a good read, definitely recommended.

 

[Nitemare]

one of the few King books I have not read

 

[pontifex]

**** possible spoilers ****







Finished the book last night. So the rest of the book contains stories about some of the supporting characters when they are older. While I still enjoyed those parts, why did he do this? It really has nothing to do with the main story in the first half of the book.

The 1st story of the 2nd half is about a bunch of guys that play Hearts in college. It focuses on mainly one guy that wasn't int he original story and Carol Gerber is really only a small part in this story.

the 3rd story is about Willie Shearman, one of the kids that beat up Carol when she was a kid. It's just really odd.

The 4th story is about John Sullivan. all kinds of household objects are falling from the sky, killing people. He gets hit by Bobby's glove, that Willie had. Where did this come from? John dies and Bobby and Carol go to his funeral and then meet up afterwards. They look at the glove and its like its from the future and there's a page ripped from the book that Carol gave to Pete with stuff she wrote in on it and other stuff.

Whats the point of all this? I loved the book and I didn't want to put it down but I wish there was some kind of explanation.