Episode 26: I’m back! with talk about Ray Bradbury and “Keyhole”
Yes, I’m back. Been tackling a lot of new things – teaching part-time, a new venture in the works, and new clients for my day gig. This podcast was one of the things that “gave.” But I’ve been thinking of it. And you.
Ray Bradbury as I will remember him.
But this weekend is the final PAB conference. PAB was originally “Podcasters Across Borders.” And I’ve been to several of them. So as I prepared to present at the final PAB, podcasting has been more and more on my mind. So I’m back.
This is episode 26, right? So where is episode 25? I have episode 25 half done. I will get it completed and posted VERY soon, I promise. Then we’ll be back on track.
In any case, this episode is also brought to you by the sad loss of Ray Bradbury this week, at the age of 91. He will be missed, by me and many others. Thank you, Ray.
There’s also some thoughts about “Wind Through the Keyhole.” And you might not want to have your plot spoiled, so be careful.
Enjoy.
Great to have you back, Bob. I agree with your thoughts on The Wind Through The Keyhole–it’s a nicely spun yarn, but it just doesn’t have the feeling that it’s essential. I think King sensed this in some respects which is why he puts in some (SPOILER) resolution with Roland’s mother, as a bone to DT fans.
I liked “The Wind Through the Keyhole” more than you seem to have liked it (I think), but I can see where you’re coming from on the subject of it seeming unnecessary. In another way, though, it points the way toward the idea that future tales of Mid-World could be written, maybe without even needing to involve Roland and his ka-tet.
I’d also argue that certain details of the timeline in the skin-man sections make it 100% evident that at least two arcs of the Marvel Comics series cannot (now) be reconciled with King’s books. For me, that came as a bit of a relief (and, therefore, felt at least semi-essential), seeing as how I was extremely ambivalent toward the comics dealing with the fall of Gilead and the battle of Jericho Hill. And ultimately, the fact that King here distances himself from those comics makes me begin to hope that we might, someday, get a novel from King i which he tells the real version of those events.
So, maybe not “necessary,” per se, but definitely welcome. And apart from that, I just really enjoyed the Tim Stoutheart story (this despite “The Eyes of the Dragon” being one of my least favorite of all of King’s books).
Nice to have you back!
(Also enjoyed your thoughts on the passing of Ray Bradbury, by the way. I’m a fan of his, but I’ve only read a few of his books, and I’ve been feeling nagging guilt about that for a solid decade and a half. He’s good enough that I feel the need to try and own and then read all of his books. And eventually, that’s going to get moved higher up on my list of priorities, but for now, it’s the familiar refrain: so many books, so little time…)