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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Oh, this is a good one.
In 'Later,' master writer Stephen King asks the question: what if the kid from "The Sixth Sense" really pissed off one of the dead people he sees? Or, to put it more accurately, what if he pissed off one of the dead people, and what if that woke up something much worse than a dead person - something very interested in him?
Ok, we're not talking about the actual kid from "The Sixth Sense." Though King never uses the word in this story, his protagonist has The Shine. King devotees understand that The Shine can take different forms, as can various ghosts, spirits, and other entities.
That's just a clarification, however. What really matters is that this short novel is so good that I read it in a day. This is a proper ghost story, a thoughtful coming-of-age tale, and a good crime novel - all in one. It's scary, touching, gripping, and altogether entertaining from the first page to the last. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in a Halloween scare.
In 'Later,' master writer Stephen King asks the question: what if the kid from "The Sixth Sense" really pissed off one of the dead people he sees? Or, to put it more accurately, what if he pissed off one of the dead people, and what if that woke up something much worse than a dead person - something very interested in him?
Ok, we're not talking about the actual kid from "The Sixth Sense." Though King never uses the word in this story, his protagonist has The Shine. King devotees understand that The Shine can take different forms, as can various ghosts, spirits, and other entities.
That's just a clarification, however. What really matters is that this short novel is so good that I read it in a day. This is a proper ghost story, a thoughtful coming-of-age tale, and a good crime novel - all in one. It's scary, touching, gripping, and altogether entertaining from the first page to the last. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in a Halloween scare.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Short and easy to read. Not scary at all. Entertaining enough to read but not amazing. Could be a series, I would read book two. Def not scary.
Later wasn’t what I expected at all. It’s a quick and satisfying listen. It has some of your King wrinkles you’ve come to expect and maybe throws a few more at you. It’s easy to dismiss this as a copycat of a certain movie that gets briefly mentioned. However, this has some additional aspects to it that makes it just as fun.
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
Later is Stephen King’s most recent release, and one that many people says returns to an earlier, more nostalgic style of his.
This is only my second read of a Stephen King work, the first being Salem's Lot, but after seeing a wave of praise for this as of late, I felt an urge to dive right in. This was a short, sharp, great read. Crime and horror intertwined from the retrospective view of James Conklin, whom we follow through his formative years.
James is the son of a literary agent, clever and witty for his age. He is mature and more sensitive to social circumstances than most children. This alone distinguishes him from most characters and makes him an interesting kid to follow.
Oh, and also, he can see dead people. That’s quite important.
“Twenty-two is light years from thirteen. I know more now, but I believe less.”
Adhering to his fame at honest depictions of children and teenagers, King certainly delivers that in Later, as well as an engaging plot, interesting characters and just a satisfying, page-turning read. James Conklin is the main character, and much of this story revolves around his relationship with his mother. It is problematic, and at times strained, but unlike King’s reputation would imply, it is actually quite heartwarming at times, and becomes a well-explored relationship of love from both parties.
This is a hard crime case imprint, which I would say is misleading. The first half has minimal crime aspects and is hinged more around James living with his unusual gift and his relationship with his mother. However, those who love a bit of crime will still be appeased in Later. There was a sharp shift in the final third of this story, becoming more crime orientated in a smooth and natural manner that led to a satisfying conclusion.
“Familiarity breed contempt, so they say, and in this case the saying was true.”
I would say that whilst the characters were great and well-rounded, with some powerful moments of sentimentality being explored, I did not feel attached enough to the characters to fear for them. But, in a story just beyond the 200 page mark, that is not to be expected. To have the relationship with characters, interesting plot and character growth in the short page count is impressive enough.
Later also, in classic King style, adopts a supernatural element as well. Again, interestingly, later does not rest on the genre of crime or horror enough to be firmly placed in that category, but seems to be an entity within itself, drawing inspiration equally from a variety of sources. Whilst Later does have these aspects, it seems to be trying to tell the story of a boy struggling through the turmoils of life and family, and just introduces these other aspects to see how he would react.
“You get used to marvellous things. You take them for granted. You can try not to, but you do. There’s too much wonder, that’s all. It’s everywhere.”
In that similar vein, I would say that Later is a very organic, natural story, which is character driven. There is no need to fret, fore the ending does stick the landing, and is quite a climactic, tense event, despite not constantly building towards a grand finale.
In Later, as well as telling a good story, Stephen King lightly brushes and engages with wider concepts. He looks at childhood relationships, what clarifies right and wrong, if murder can be justifiable, and far more. Whilst the book does not revolve around these issues, it certainly brings in a humane, thought-provoking angle in including such issues from the perspective of a child.
I’m really glad that I decided to read Later this month. It has definitely reawakened that desire within me to read more Stephen King, as Salem’s Lot did. He is one of the best-selling authors of all time for a reason. And just after reading two books, I can see partially why. He can write in disparate styles, he can write characters and plot. He brings heart to his story, as well as a good dose of tension and fear. I need to decide what I will read next by him….
4.5/5 STARS
Later is Stephen King’s most recent release, and one that many people says returns to an earlier, more nostalgic style of his.
This is only my second read of a Stephen King work, the first being Salem's Lot, but after seeing a wave of praise for this as of late, I felt an urge to dive right in. This was a short, sharp, great read. Crime and horror intertwined from the retrospective view of James Conklin, whom we follow through his formative years.
James is the son of a literary agent, clever and witty for his age. He is mature and more sensitive to social circumstances than most children. This alone distinguishes him from most characters and makes him an interesting kid to follow.
Oh, and also, he can see dead people. That’s quite important.
“Twenty-two is light years from thirteen. I know more now, but I believe less.”
Adhering to his fame at honest depictions of children and teenagers, King certainly delivers that in Later, as well as an engaging plot, interesting characters and just a satisfying, page-turning read. James Conklin is the main character, and much of this story revolves around his relationship with his mother. It is problematic, and at times strained, but unlike King’s reputation would imply, it is actually quite heartwarming at times, and becomes a well-explored relationship of love from both parties.
This is a hard crime case imprint, which I would say is misleading. The first half has minimal crime aspects and is hinged more around James living with his unusual gift and his relationship with his mother. However, those who love a bit of crime will still be appeased in Later. There was a sharp shift in the final third of this story, becoming more crime orientated in a smooth and natural manner that led to a satisfying conclusion.
“Familiarity breed contempt, so they say, and in this case the saying was true.”
I would say that whilst the characters were great and well-rounded, with some powerful moments of sentimentality being explored, I did not feel attached enough to the characters to fear for them. But, in a story just beyond the 200 page mark, that is not to be expected. To have the relationship with characters, interesting plot and character growth in the short page count is impressive enough.
Later also, in classic King style, adopts a supernatural element as well. Again, interestingly, later does not rest on the genre of crime or horror enough to be firmly placed in that category, but seems to be an entity within itself, drawing inspiration equally from a variety of sources. Whilst Later does have these aspects, it seems to be trying to tell the story of a boy struggling through the turmoils of life and family, and just introduces these other aspects to see how he would react.
“You get used to marvellous things. You take them for granted. You can try not to, but you do. There’s too much wonder, that’s all. It’s everywhere.”
In that similar vein, I would say that Later is a very organic, natural story, which is character driven. There is no need to fret, fore the ending does stick the landing, and is quite a climactic, tense event, despite not constantly building towards a grand finale.
In Later, as well as telling a good story, Stephen King lightly brushes and engages with wider concepts. He looks at childhood relationships, what clarifies right and wrong, if murder can be justifiable, and far more. Whilst the book does not revolve around these issues, it certainly brings in a humane, thought-provoking angle in including such issues from the perspective of a child.
I’m really glad that I decided to read Later this month. It has definitely reawakened that desire within me to read more Stephen King, as Salem’s Lot did. He is one of the best-selling authors of all time for a reason. And just after reading two books, I can see partially why. He can write in disparate styles, he can write characters and plot. He brings heart to his story, as well as a good dose of tension and fear. I need to decide what I will read next by him….
4.5/5 STARS
Really enjoyed the characters and the story. 4 star book up until the ending. Unneeded in my opinion. Some things can be left unknown.
dark
mysterious
tense
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Dementia