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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
54/100 (2018 Reading Challenge)
I was slightly hesitant to read this one, I have a very special place in my heart for SK stories, especially SK short stories/novellas (it’s SK not all his shorts are that short). Night Shift & Skeleton Crew in particular.
But seems I had nothing to worry about. He still spins a good yarn even if they’re a bit different, still some horror(ish) here but regardless they remain SK stories. Still his voice that love listening too all these years.
As SK says at the start of the book ‘Something else I want you to know; how glad I am, Constant Reader, that we’re both still here. Cool, Isn’t it?’
& I could not agree more.
I was slightly hesitant to read this one, I have a very special place in my heart for SK stories, especially SK short stories/novellas (it’s SK not all his shorts are that short). Night Shift & Skeleton Crew in particular.
But seems I had nothing to worry about. He still spins a good yarn even if they’re a bit different, still some horror(ish) here but regardless they remain SK stories. Still his voice that love listening too all these years.
As SK says at the start of the book ‘Something else I want you to know; how glad I am, Constant Reader, that we’re both still here. Cool, Isn’t it?’
& I could not agree more.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Stephen King’s Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a wide-ranging collection featuring short stories (and two poems) from almost every genre imaginable. King’s sheer storytelling prowess is the only thing that makes this collection worth reading, as the vast majority of the stories are extremely predictable, especially for those readers familiar with King’s typical themes and tropes. However, a couple of great stories do shine through. In particular, my favorites were The Little Green God of Agony & Cookie Jar.
Well I didn’t actually finish it and I might go back but it seems that all these stories are pretty much the same. Lots of introduction and background to the characters, where they lived, what their grandparents did, and then a little bit of a drawn out story and a twist at the end. I do like Stephen King stories but this collection seemed rather bland and uninteresting.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a collection of short stories.
I struggled with this collection a bit compared to other King collections. Some of the stories stood out and my favorite was probably Obits but I think a lot of them are going to be mostly forgettable. I very much enjoyed that each story had its own introduction whether it be why King wrote the story or what the inspiration for it was. I don't think it is fair to give this collection more than three stars because I am already starting to forget what most of the stories were about. It is also a strange collection because most of the stories aren't really horror they are more just contemporary with maybe a spooky ending to some of them. Most are really more fantasy than anything. That isn't necessarily a bad thing but I did expect more horror from this one. Probably not the King I would recommend as a first time reader but I am super glad to have checked another one off my long King journey.
dark
Actual rating: 2.8
I'm not really a short stories collection kind of reader but I do try especially when it's from authors I love. I was hoping maybe King would change my mind about that but unfortunately no success.
It's a nice enough collection and while other reviews put up a "Top 5" I really only liked 5 out of the 21 shorts. The rest I could hardly even remember what they were about. I couldn't really care about the others and wished they were over with. I also noticed that most of those I liked were the longer ones.
Don't get me wrong, they're not badly written. Prose-wise it's good and you know it's written by someone who knows his way with words. Plot-wise, I just wasn't into it. Mood? Slump? I don't know.
I'm not going to dive into details of each short, not even my top 5. The other reviews has already done that a plenty. It's enough to say that Stephen King really knows how to write a good ending (even with those that had plot I could care less about) which many authors struggle with and Mr. King is bad at poetry. No more "poetry" please.
The part I do love about this book is the introductions before each short where King tells us how/why the story came to be. It gives us a glimpse of his genius and a realization that most of his works, especially his really good ones were written some time after conception of the idea. Best of all, we get to know the author a bit more.
The only 5 stories I liked, in order of appearance in the book:
1. The Dune
2. Bad Little Kid - Favorite
3. Ur
4. Under the Weather
5. Obits - 2nd favorite
"The best of them have teeth."
-Stephen King
How true that is.
P.S. I guess I'll stick with King's longer stories. Those make me happy.
I'm not really a short stories collection kind of reader but I do try especially when it's from authors I love. I was hoping maybe King would change my mind about that but unfortunately no success.
It's a nice enough collection and while other reviews put up a "Top 5" I really only liked 5 out of the 21 shorts. The rest I could hardly even remember what they were about. I couldn't really care about the others and wished they were over with. I also noticed that most of those I liked were the longer ones.
Don't get me wrong, they're not badly written. Prose-wise it's good and you know it's written by someone who knows his way with words. Plot-wise, I just wasn't into it. Mood? Slump? I don't know.
I'm not going to dive into details of each short, not even my top 5. The other reviews has already done that a plenty. It's enough to say that Stephen King really knows how to write a good ending (even with those that had plot I could care less about) which many authors struggle with and Mr. King is bad at poetry. No more "poetry" please.
The part I do love about this book is the introductions before each short where King tells us how/why the story came to be. It gives us a glimpse of his genius and a realization that most of his works, especially his really good ones were written some time after conception of the idea. Best of all, we get to know the author a bit more.
The only 5 stories I liked, in order of appearance in the book:
1. The Dune
2. Bad Little Kid - Favorite
3. Ur
4. Under the Weather
5. Obits - 2nd favorite
"The best of them have teeth."
-Stephen King
How true that is.
P.S. I guess I'll stick with King's longer stories. Those make me happy.
dark
medium-paced
4.5 stars.
2015: Bought this first day it came out from our little bookstore in the mall (even had a gift card and coupon from Ted he gave me at lunch). As I always intend to for Stephen King. It feels so good to read a physical book which I'm not doing enough. The cover is fantastic. My favorites are Mile 81 and UR (which have already been published) along with Premium Harmony, Herman Wouk Is Still Alive, Under the Weather, Summer Thunder and to a lesser extent Obits, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, Drunken Fireworks, and somewhat Afterlife. I definitely cried a couple times during this one. I loved how much SK had commentary and notes to us and a lot of dark, depressing themes but very enjoyable.
2021: Upon reread, still as good as I remember as in my first review in 2015 (except our little bookstore is now closed and lost to the sands of time). The only ones that aren't winners for me are The Bone Church, Blockade Billy, and Johnny. Herman Wouk is more impactful now that I'm familiar with that case. I liked Batman and Robin more this time around and Mr. Yummy. Still not hugely captured by Afterlife or Morality. The ebook version which I read one night to accompany the hardcover has an additional story Cookie Jar which I enjoyed. Bad Little Kid is also great. I cried, again. I for sure cried like an SOB in Summer Thunder. Ending the collection with an end of the world story that hurts my heart AND also has a dog to further break my heart. Ouch. But well done SK.
2015: Bought this first day it came out from our little bookstore in the mall (even had a gift card and coupon from Ted he gave me at lunch). As I always intend to for Stephen King. It feels so good to read a physical book which I'm not doing enough. The cover is fantastic. My favorites are Mile 81 and UR (which have already been published) along with Premium Harmony, Herman Wouk Is Still Alive, Under the Weather, Summer Thunder and to a lesser extent Obits, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, Drunken Fireworks, and somewhat Afterlife. I definitely cried a couple times during this one. I loved how much SK had commentary and notes to us and a lot of dark, depressing themes but very enjoyable.
2021: Upon reread, still as good as I remember as in my first review in 2015 (except our little bookstore is now closed and lost to the sands of time). The only ones that aren't winners for me are The Bone Church, Blockade Billy, and Johnny. Herman Wouk is more impactful now that I'm familiar with that case. I liked Batman and Robin more this time around and Mr. Yummy. Still not hugely captured by Afterlife or Morality. The ebook version which I read one night to accompany the hardcover has an additional story Cookie Jar which I enjoyed. Bad Little Kid is also great. I cried, again. I for sure cried like an SOB in Summer Thunder. Ending the collection with an end of the world story that hurts my heart AND also has a dog to further break my heart. Ouch. But well done SK.