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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
It took me almost a full year to finish this book on audio but I loved every minute of it. It is kind or ironic that I finished on election day with the last story Summer Thunder, which is about 2 men and a dog slowly succumbing to radiation poisoning after nuclear war following the breakdown of peace talks in Geneva. A year ago I wouldn't have thought twice about that. Tonight, as I wait for election returns, the idea doesn't seem so far-fetched.
I am not a fan of short stories at all, however I am a fan of Stephen King and his ability to create such vivid stories. After reading one of his longest novels (and possibly one of the biggest novels ever to have existed since the start of time) earlier this year (It) I decided to see if his short stories could thrill just as much as his long ones.
Now normally I rate a book on the overall feeling I got at the end of it however there were so many different stories in this book - some of which I loved, some I didn't - that I felt I had to review them individually then give a summary rating at the end.
So here are my short (there are a lot of stories in this and I don't have the energy to give a full review for each and I don't think you'd want to read 500 words on each story!) reviews for each of the stories:
Mile 81 - This one for me got repetitive quickly, great concept and would have really enjoyed it but there were just too many deaths. Probably could have gotten away with a few less, would have made a much more enjoyable story - 3*
Premium Harmony - Really didn't see the point in this one, was really short and not a lot really happened. Felt more sorry for the dog than the woman - 1*
Batman and Robin Have an Altercation - I enjoyed this, definitely a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Could have been better though, felt a bit rushed - 3*
The Dune - Really liked this! I thought I could see where it was heading the whole way through but was definitely shocked with that twist! - 4*
Bad Little Kid - Also enjoyed this one, a bit longer than the others so therefore had a bit more depth, it was definitely a bit strange but that's what King does well - 4*
A death - EWWWWWWW did not see that coming, made me shudder at the ending - 5*
The Bone Church - I don't have a clue what happened with this one. Couldn't even tell you what it is about - 1*
Morality - This one I found was a bit confusing, however think it has a deep undercurrent for such a short story - 3*
Afterlife - Interesting story about life after death, reminded me of Beetlejuice and the waiting room after they die - 4*
Ur - Liked this, not the ending I expected, definitely made the reading experience better as I was reading it on my ipad - 4.5*
Herman Wouk Is Alive - meh, pretty pointless but interesting, not great though 3*
Under The Weather - Saw the ending coming at the start, still good though, kept you hooked to see just what would happen - 4*
Blockade Billy - This one I didn't think was great, nothing overly shocking, seemed a bit boring to be honest - 2*
Mister Yummy - I liked this one, sad but nice - 5*
Tommy - Too short, didn't really get the meaning, felt it needed more depth - 3*
The Little Green God Of Agony - Loved this! Was creepy and unexpected - 5*
That Bus Is From Another World - Confusing, didn't really see the point. Main character extremely unlikeable from such a short story - 2*
Obits - Hmm surprisingly good but did think the ending was a bit meh - 3*
Drunken Fireworks - Predictable, did make a fun read though - 4*
Summer Thunder - Surprisingly really enjoyed this! Definitely enjoy dystopian stories 5*
My overall rating for this averaged out at 3.4 stars therefore I'm giving it a 3 because although some of the stories were really good (Summer Thunder and The Dune especially), most were just ok and not great.
Read more on my blog at: https://bookgeek2015.wordpress.com/
Now normally I rate a book on the overall feeling I got at the end of it however there were so many different stories in this book - some of which I loved, some I didn't - that I felt I had to review them individually then give a summary rating at the end.
So here are my short (there are a lot of stories in this and I don't have the energy to give a full review for each and I don't think you'd want to read 500 words on each story!) reviews for each of the stories:
Mile 81 - This one for me got repetitive quickly, great concept and would have really enjoyed it but there were just too many deaths. Probably could have gotten away with a few less, would have made a much more enjoyable story - 3*
Premium Harmony - Really didn't see the point in this one, was really short and not a lot really happened. Felt more sorry for the dog than the woman - 1*
Batman and Robin Have an Altercation - I enjoyed this, definitely a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Could have been better though, felt a bit rushed - 3*
The Dune - Really liked this! I thought I could see where it was heading the whole way through but was definitely shocked with that twist! - 4*
Bad Little Kid - Also enjoyed this one, a bit longer than the others so therefore had a bit more depth, it was definitely a bit strange but that's what King does well - 4*
A death - EWWWWWWW did not see that coming, made me shudder at the ending - 5*
The Bone Church - I don't have a clue what happened with this one. Couldn't even tell you what it is about - 1*
Morality - This one I found was a bit confusing, however think it has a deep undercurrent for such a short story - 3*
Afterlife - Interesting story about life after death, reminded me of Beetlejuice and the waiting room after they die - 4*
Ur - Liked this, not the ending I expected, definitely made the reading experience better as I was reading it on my ipad - 4.5*
Herman Wouk Is Alive - meh, pretty pointless but interesting, not great though 3*
Under The Weather - Saw the ending coming at the start, still good though, kept you hooked to see just what would happen - 4*
Blockade Billy - This one I didn't think was great, nothing overly shocking, seemed a bit boring to be honest - 2*
Mister Yummy - I liked this one, sad but nice - 5*
Tommy - Too short, didn't really get the meaning, felt it needed more depth - 3*
The Little Green God Of Agony - Loved this! Was creepy and unexpected - 5*
That Bus Is From Another World - Confusing, didn't really see the point. Main character extremely unlikeable from such a short story - 2*
Obits - Hmm surprisingly good but did think the ending was a bit meh - 3*
Drunken Fireworks - Predictable, did make a fun read though - 4*
Summer Thunder - Surprisingly really enjoyed this! Definitely enjoy dystopian stories 5*
My overall rating for this averaged out at 3.4 stars therefore I'm giving it a 3 because although some of the stories were really good (Summer Thunder and The Dune especially), most were just ok and not great.
Read more on my blog at: https://bookgeek2015.wordpress.com/
It took me almost a full year to finish this book on audio but I loved every minute of it. It is kind or ironic that I finished on election day with the last story Summer Thunder, which is about 2 men and a dog slowly succumbing to radiation poisoning after nuclear war following the breakdown of peace talks in Geneva. A year ago I wouldn't have thought twice about that. Tonight, as I wait for election returns, the idea doesn't seem so far-fetched.
favorites Marks with a *
* Mile 81 3.75/5
Premium Harmony 2.5/5
Batman and Robin Have an Altercation 3.5/5
The Dune 3/5
* Bad Little Kid 4/5
A Death 3/5
The Bone Church 2.5/5
* Morality 3.5/5
* Afterlife 3.5/5
Ur 3.25/5
Herman Wouk Is Still Alive 2.75/5
* Under the Weather 3.25/5
Blockade Billy 1/5
Mister Yummy 3.25/5
Tommy 1.5/5
* The Little Green God of Agony 3.5/5
That Bus Is Another World 3/5.
Orbits 3.25/5
Drunken Fireworks 2.75/5
Summer Thunder 3/5
* Mile 81 3.75/5
Premium Harmony 2.5/5
Batman and Robin Have an Altercation 3.5/5
The Dune 3/5
* Bad Little Kid 4/5
A Death 3/5
The Bone Church 2.5/5
* Morality 3.5/5
* Afterlife 3.5/5
Ur 3.25/5
Herman Wouk Is Still Alive 2.75/5
* Under the Weather 3.25/5
Blockade Billy 1/5
Mister Yummy 3.25/5
Tommy 1.5/5
* The Little Green God of Agony 3.5/5
That Bus Is Another World 3/5.
Orbits 3.25/5
Drunken Fireworks 2.75/5
Summer Thunder 3/5
Excellent book. As always, Stephen King's writing is impeccable.
This is a book filled with short stories. It was so fascinating to see him move from perspective to perspective and from one writing style to the next. I loved the little explanations before each of his stories explaining where his inspiration for them came from. It was an eye-opening peek into the life of a writer.
I think as an educator, this taught me some interesting things about how to foster better writing in my students. It also taught me patience in writing, as good stories don't come from forced thought.
I would recommend this book to all readers who have ever enjoyed or been intrigued by Stephen King's writing. It is not scary in the shock factor, as one might expect from ghost stories told around the campfire. Rather, these stories stay with you, rattling around in your brain as you ponder human behavior and what if's.
This is a book filled with short stories. It was so fascinating to see him move from perspective to perspective and from one writing style to the next. I loved the little explanations before each of his stories explaining where his inspiration for them came from. It was an eye-opening peek into the life of a writer.
I think as an educator, this taught me some interesting things about how to foster better writing in my students. It also taught me patience in writing, as good stories don't come from forced thought.
I would recommend this book to all readers who have ever enjoyed or been intrigued by Stephen King's writing. It is not scary in the shock factor, as one might expect from ghost stories told around the campfire. Rather, these stories stay with you, rattling around in your brain as you ponder human behavior and what if's.
Yet another Novel I nailed down thanks to a review from Brad: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4213258-brad
check out his blog when you get a chance. You can find it here: http://danrymes.blogspot.ca/
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a collection of Stephen King short stories. I'm not a huge horror and thriller fan but after reading this maybe I am in need of expanding my reading endeavors. If you are not used to Stephen King and his massively over sized books then this is a great way to introduce yourself to this author of great renown.
I will do a brief review for each short story and do my best to avoid any spoilage.
Mile 81:
Typical King. Maine Setting. Teenagers. Story runs like a stream. A killer car.
5 stars
Premium Harmony :
Dark, beautiful, and a case study to use for character development. King displays his eloquent writing here, some of his best work.
Previously released as an article in THE NEW YORKER
5 stars
Batman and Robin Have An Altercation:
Seems like something of a filler or leftovers from another King novel. If I ever wanted to reference road rage written into literary prose then here it is.
From HARPER'S MAGAZINE
3 stars
The Dune:
Not that good Stephen. Not good at all. Trust me skip this one if you are in a hurry.
2 stars
Bad Little Kid:
SK followings up his worst short story with possibly his best. Just like his novels. Whenever this guy pumps out a stinker that only means his next book will be a game changer. Intrigue, bizarre scenarios and gorgeously designed characters.
5 stars
A Death:
A western SK style. The dialogue is wonderful here! I loved this story. This could also be considered a case study into Western American justice circa 1860's.
5 stars
Bone Church:
Stephen King writes poetry? Who knew? worth a second read. Easy to get lost in this one but it was enjoyable.
4 stars
Morality:
Something about this one made me start to reflect back on my reading of [b:The Shining|11588|The Shining (The Shining, #1)|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353277730s/11588.jpg|849585]
5 stars
Afterlife:
Yeah. Stephen's perception into what the afterlife's purpose is going to be for. Oblivion or play it again Sam!
3 stars
Ur:
a new hidden feature in a kindle. Epic time travel along with the often cited rule of not manipulating a time line.
5 stars
Herman Wouk is Still Alive:
Exceptional tempo balanced by enjoyable characters. This one leaves you longing for more.
4 stars
Under the Weather
Peter Fredman's narration here is simply perfect!
The writing here gave me goose bumps. The sensation building. A wonderful thriller.
5 stars
Blockade Billy:
A baseball story. The catcher who can stop anything. Inspired by a playoff brawl at Turner Field.
5 stars
Mister Yummy:
Old Folk's Home stories can be quite enjoyable. I used to volunteer my time actually reading tales to the elderly. Story of a man looking back at his gay lifestyle. In his older age he is now a 1 percenter and ultraconservative.
4 stars
Tommy:
Another poem originally from Playboy magazine. Read by Stephen King
A poem reminiscing the 60's. Bell bottom jeans and tie dye t-shirts. Ummm yeah. "Let's toast the mother fucker!"
3 stars
That Little Green God Of Agony :
The aftermath of Stephen King being hit by a car in 1999. How to manage pain and turn it into entertainment. The 6th richest man in the world has become bedridden after a horrible plane crash. His nurse believes that if he tried to work through the pain he would be healing faster.
5 stars
The Bus Is Another World:
I didn't really get this one. Went over my head. Strangers getting a glimpse into each others world separate by a bus passing by.
2 stars
Obits:
A techie type writes obituaries for an online magazine. The spin is he writes mean obits. He discoves something unique about his column after he gets angry with his boss.
5 stars
Drunken Fireworks:
A simple short story about a mother and son team of alcoholics. A drunken ride with fireworks. Woohoo!
5 stars
Summer Thunder :
End of the world and end of the book apocalypse. It all ends with a lovely portrayed nuclear summer.
5 stars
check out his blog when you get a chance. You can find it here: http://danrymes.blogspot.ca/
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a collection of Stephen King short stories. I'm not a huge horror and thriller fan but after reading this maybe I am in need of expanding my reading endeavors. If you are not used to Stephen King and his massively over sized books then this is a great way to introduce yourself to this author of great renown.
I will do a brief review for each short story and do my best to avoid any spoilage.
Mile 81:
Typical King. Maine Setting. Teenagers. Story runs like a stream. A killer car.
5 stars
Premium Harmony :
Dark, beautiful, and a case study to use for character development. King displays his eloquent writing here, some of his best work.
Previously released as an article in THE NEW YORKER
5 stars
Batman and Robin Have An Altercation:
Seems like something of a filler or leftovers from another King novel. If I ever wanted to reference road rage written into literary prose then here it is.
From HARPER'S MAGAZINE
3 stars
The Dune:
Not that good Stephen. Not good at all. Trust me skip this one if you are in a hurry.
2 stars
Bad Little Kid:
SK followings up his worst short story with possibly his best. Just like his novels. Whenever this guy pumps out a stinker that only means his next book will be a game changer. Intrigue, bizarre scenarios and gorgeously designed characters.
5 stars
A Death:
A western SK style. The dialogue is wonderful here! I loved this story. This could also be considered a case study into Western American justice circa 1860's.
5 stars
Bone Church:
Stephen King writes poetry? Who knew? worth a second read. Easy to get lost in this one but it was enjoyable.
4 stars
Morality:
Something about this one made me start to reflect back on my reading of [b:The Shining|11588|The Shining (The Shining, #1)|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353277730s/11588.jpg|849585]
5 stars
Afterlife:
Yeah. Stephen's perception into what the afterlife's purpose is going to be for. Oblivion or play it again Sam!
3 stars
Ur:
a new hidden feature in a kindle. Epic time travel along with the often cited rule of not manipulating a time line.
5 stars
Herman Wouk is Still Alive:
Exceptional tempo balanced by enjoyable characters. This one leaves you longing for more.
4 stars
Under the Weather
Peter Fredman's narration here is simply perfect!
The writing here gave me goose bumps. The sensation building. A wonderful thriller.
5 stars
Blockade Billy:
A baseball story. The catcher who can stop anything. Inspired by a playoff brawl at Turner Field.
5 stars
Mister Yummy:
Old Folk's Home stories can be quite enjoyable. I used to volunteer my time actually reading tales to the elderly. Story of a man looking back at his gay lifestyle. In his older age he is now a 1 percenter and ultraconservative.
4 stars
Tommy:
Another poem originally from Playboy magazine. Read by Stephen King
A poem reminiscing the 60's. Bell bottom jeans and tie dye t-shirts. Ummm yeah. "Let's toast the mother fucker!"
3 stars
That Little Green God Of Agony :
The aftermath of Stephen King being hit by a car in 1999. How to manage pain and turn it into entertainment. The 6th richest man in the world has become bedridden after a horrible plane crash. His nurse believes that if he tried to work through the pain he would be healing faster.
5 stars
The Bus Is Another World:
I didn't really get this one. Went over my head. Strangers getting a glimpse into each others world separate by a bus passing by.
2 stars
Obits:
A techie type writes obituaries for an online magazine. The spin is he writes mean obits. He discoves something unique about his column after he gets angry with his boss.
5 stars
Drunken Fireworks:
A simple short story about a mother and son team of alcoholics. A drunken ride with fireworks. Woohoo!
5 stars
Summer Thunder :
End of the world and end of the book apocalypse. It all ends with a lovely portrayed nuclear summer.
5 stars
What a bazaar of bizzare stories this book turned out to be. Some of these tales weren't all that Kingly, but some of them definitely made you uncomfortable in skin.
I read this book for my book club on Facebook, Monthly Book Club :books:
I read this book for my book club on Facebook, Monthly Book Club :books:
My favorite parts of these stories are the intros of each story where King opens up about the history and/or inspiration of the stories. It is almost like an autobiography at times.
I listened to this as an audiobook; it is narrated by several different people with King just giving a little intro to each story. Honestly, if it was solely narrated by him I’d have read it in hard copy because, honestly, that man doesn’t read as tory well. He can write, for certain, but I learned long ago not to listen to books narrated by him. I enjoyed all the readers for this collection save one; his bad Boston-esque accent was so horrible I had to skip the story. I just couldn’t take it. Anyway, the stories as a whole are, as usual in a collection, good and bad. Overall, I enjoyed it. Good to pass the time while driving.