Mistakes in Books T-Z
Last Updated
31-Jan-2008

The following pages contain a list of errors, bloopers, and general mistakes in King's books. Often the errors seem small, and I mean no disrespect to King for these pages, and I am not picking on his excellent work.

Some people have pointed out that some errors appear to have been deliberate, and this may well be the case, but they have been included here for completeness.

My sincere thanks to B_Hansen at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/4612 for many of these great errors.

When an error is added, I will place a small graphic indicating that it is a new error (new) and I will leave this there for a month or so.


Talisman, The

  • Chapter 40, subchapter 5 says that Jack had lost his shoes during his swim from the beach to the ladder under the Alhambra Hotel. But in Chapter 41, subchapter 4 it says that he was wearing his shoes again. (This error was discovered by Jessica Howard. Thanks.)
  • On page 505 Interlude Sloat in this World/ Orris in the Territories (III), it says that Gardener calls Morgan from Springfield, IL (Central time) at midnight, which would place the call in Beverly Hills, CA (Pacific time) at 10PM, not 2AM as it says in the book. (This error was discovered by Matt Levine. Thanks.)

Thinner

  • The pickup truck with the painting of the Gypsy woman and the unicorn in Chapter 6 changes into a VW microbus in Chapter 18, and then later in Chapter 19 changes to camper and stays this way for the rest of the book.
  • The second error concerns the Gypsies language. Since I haven't had the pleasure of getting to know the Romani language I can't proclaim that the language isn't Romani, although I do have my doubts! Because the language that Stephen King uses in his book resembles Swedish too much. It is, if you understand Swedish, annoying that what the Gypsies say ends up being unintentionally funny, when you read the translation. Here is an example: Chapter 19, when Gina attacks Billy, a Gypsy cries: "Gina, verkligen glad!" When you translate it (in Swedish) it means something like: "Gina, really happy!"

Tommyknockers, The

  • The Poetry caravan that Jim was on pays money up front, and the rest at the end of the tour. in  Book 1, Chapter 5, subchapter 4  Jim thinks that Patricia McCardle would do more than just get her $600 back from him, if he left before the tour was over. Funny since he was only paid $300 up front.
  • A mistake in Tales of Haven, Chapter 7, Subchapter 7 says that Andy Bozeman was the towns only realtor, but Kyle Archinbourg is also mentioned as a realtor (Tales of Haven Chapter 9, Subchapter 15).
  • On page 120 (Book I, Chapter 8, subchapter 8) Gardener remembers that Bobbie didn't grow carrots in her garden, because she didn't like them. But later, on page 387 ( Book III, Chapter 1, subchapter 4 ), it says that the vibrator Sissy used, had the size of one of Bobbie's mutants carrots. So did "becoming" make Bobbie change her view on carrots, so she started growing them? (This error was discovered by Stephanie Robinson)
  • Patricia McCardle has gray eyes in Book 1, Chapter 5, Subchapter 4, but in Book 1, Chapter 5, Subchapter 7 she has blue eyes.
  • Gardener thinks of Herman Melville's Ishmael in the streets of Bedford (Book 1, Chapter 9, Subchapter 6). The true city's name was New Bedford.
  • On page 183 (Book II, Chapter 2, subchapter 5) it says that Joe Paulson was killed by 2000 volts of current. It appears as though Stephen King knows little about electricity here and it shows. Current is measured in Amperes, and it measures the flow of electricity. Voltage is the difference between two points, not a measure of current.
  • Book II Chapter 3 subchapter 6 says that Hilly started playing with his magic set on the 4th of July. Later in subchapter 7 it says that his interest in magic had been rekindled at about the same time, that the picture of Jesus began talking to 'Becka Paulson. But Book II, Chapter 2, subchapter 1 says that the picture of Jesus first began to talk to 'Becka on the 7th of July.
  • Marie Brown has a bad headache which became worse when she heard about the fire than killed Becka and Joe (Book II, Chapter 3, subchapter 7). The fire was on the 11th (worked out from Book II, Chapter 2, subchapter 1), but the headache occurred on the 8th. It is possible that the headache lasted many days, and became worse on the 11th.
  • On page 220 (Book II, Chapter 5, subchapter 3), Ralph McCausland talks about Hilly Brown. But that would be impossible, since he died in 1972, because the story takes place in 1988 and on page 185 (Book II, Chapter 3, subchapter 1), it says that Hilly Brown was 10 years old at that time, so he wasn't even born, when Ralph died. (This error was discovered by Rhi Davinroy)
  • On page 264 (Book II, Chapter 7, subchapter 1) Christina Lindley and Bobby Tremain found a picture of the town hall's tower in a magazine. That picture was later used when they created the hologram of the tower. But when a picture is printed to be used in either a magazine or a newspaper, a screen is added to the picture. (Look closely at any picture in a news paper or magazine and you will see them.) So when you magnify such a picture X-times you will at the same time magnify the screen X-times. This means that the tower would have been all dot's and the illusion of the tower would have been ruined.
  • On page 303 (Book II, Chapter 9, subchapter 7), it says that the dress Bobbie wore at Ruth McCausland's funeral was dark blue. But on page 428 (Book III, Chapter 4, subchapter 6), Gardener finds her dress in the shed. But the dress he finds there is charcoal. (This error was discovered by Stephanie Robinson)
  • On page 428 (Book III, Chapter 4, subchapter 6), Gardener finds Ev Hillman's gun. When he examines it, to see how many bullets it still contains, it says that he rolled it's cylinder. So that would mean that it was a revolver, right? But later, on page 508 (Book III, Chapter 10, subchapter 1), it says that Gardener pushed the slide on the gun, in order to get a new bullet into the chamber. So that would mean it was an automatic pistol, right? (This error was discovered by John Smozynski.)
  • In Book III Chapter Eight (Gard And Bobbi) Sub Chapter 3, Bobbi has teeth as she talks with Gard in the kitchen. The phrase is "Her lips drew back from her teeth for a moment,". This is amazing, as, earlier in Book III Chapter One (Sissy) Sub Chapter 18 on page 499 "Bobbi grinned toothlessly," at her sister Anne. I know she was "Becoming" but I'm certain that she was becoming toothless too. (This error was found by Jason Komene. Thanks)
  • On page 469-470 (Book III, Chapter 7, subchapter 6) we learn that the reason why John Leandro's car stops working is because of the electromagnetic field which is thrown off the ship. But if John Leandro's car can't drive past the Haven town line without breaking down, how could Anne then manage to drive up to Bobbi's house three days before? Her car should also have stopped working as soon as she passed over the Haven town line or at least when she got near Bobbi's house because the electromagnetic field would have been stronger there.

DOIYC

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