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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
This audiobook is a goldmine of narrators. My supervisor rolled over while I was listening to Rainy Season to ask WTF I was listening to, because it sounded like I was listening to a kid's book. I explained a) horror story, and b) the voice of Lisa Simpson narrated it. I should've stopped there, but no. I decided to tell her what that story was about. She rolled away with a look.
I first read this book when I was 11 years old. Wow. A friend of my mom's was my King dealer. When he saw what a serious reader I was, he gave me Carrie. I was 9. Should I find that creepy in retrospect?
I took my sweet time writing this review because I wanted to do individual reviews of each story. If I didn't review the story, I didn't care enough about it one way or the other. And unlike when I revisit the physical copy of the book, I didn't allow myself to skip over any chapter.
Dolan's Cadillac: (Read by Rob Lowe) Chances are good that this is my all-time favorite Stephen King story. For the very simple reason that this is the type of vengeance I daydream about. King's long windedness pays off with this story. The step-by-step methodology of Robinson's plan is what makes the story so great, and the ending even sweeter. I listened to this story twice.
The End of the Whole Mess: (Matthew Broderick) Longer than it needed to be, but what a fantastically horrifying story. Not because monsters. But because look what taking the monster out of people does to them. I read this before I'd ever heard the word Alzheimer's. It's far more powerful now.
Suffer the Little Children: (Whoopi Goldberg) Creepy little children are my kryptonite. 'Nuff said. Fuck.
Popsy: (Joe Mantegna) Such a simple story, but one I love so so hard. Takes the pedophile monster story and flips it beautifully.
Chattery Teeth (Kathy Bates) I couldn't remember this story. I think I've skipped it on re-read more often than not. I think I find it funnier than I should be allowed to.
Dedication: (Lindsey Crouse) Another I forgot about. Until....the moment. The moment that I yanked my earbuds out of my ears just before the main character talks about it. And even so doing, I started gagging violently at my desk and had to power walk to the bathroom. And bitch repeats it multiple times, too. It's not even a good enough story to deserve a review, but it gets one because of that.
The Moving Finger and Sneakers: These two shouldn't have been back to back. I'm sure King had his reasons, but they really should've been separated. There's something about them. It's another 'too long for their own good' situation. Finger beats out Sneakers for interest level, though.
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band: I love the fuck out of this story. And who narrates it? Grace motherfucking Slick. This story deserves another fuck. Fuck yeah.
Rainy Season: (Yeardley Smith) See my comment above re: narration. It was horribly amusing to hear Lisa Simpson read this story. The story itself is pretty fantastic, too.
Sorry, Right Number: I've loved and remembered this story, but was never quite sure who wrote it. Could've been a number of my favorites, including Matheson. Hearing it read by a cast, like a radio play, is offputting, but fun.
Crouch End: Four words. Read by Tim Curry. That should be enough for anyone. If fucking Pennywise the Clown narrates a book? You listen.
The House on Maple Street: (Tabitha King) Another one that stuck with me. Because we all had those dreams as children.
The Doctors Case: See above re: Tim Curry narrating anything. King does Sherlock Holmes, and does it well.
Umney's Last Case: There's a lot of phlebotinum missing from this story. But it makes me hella curious to know which of his stories King wants to slip into.
I first read this book when I was 11 years old. Wow. A friend of my mom's was my King dealer. When he saw what a serious reader I was, he gave me Carrie. I was 9. Should I find that creepy in retrospect?
I took my sweet time writing this review because I wanted to do individual reviews of each story. If I didn't review the story, I didn't care enough about it one way or the other. And unlike when I revisit the physical copy of the book, I didn't allow myself to skip over any chapter.
Dolan's Cadillac: (Read by Rob Lowe) Chances are good that this is my all-time favorite Stephen King story. For the very simple reason that this is the type of vengeance I daydream about. King's long windedness pays off with this story. The step-by-step methodology of Robinson's plan is what makes the story so great, and the ending even sweeter. I listened to this story twice.
The End of the Whole Mess: (Matthew Broderick) Longer than it needed to be, but what a fantastically horrifying story. Not because monsters. But because look what taking the monster out of people does to them. I read this before I'd ever heard the word Alzheimer's. It's far more powerful now.
Suffer the Little Children: (Whoopi Goldberg) Creepy little children are my kryptonite. 'Nuff said. Fuck.
Popsy: (Joe Mantegna) Such a simple story, but one I love so so hard. Takes the pedophile monster story and flips it beautifully.
Chattery Teeth (Kathy Bates) I couldn't remember this story. I think I've skipped it on re-read more often than not. I think I find it funnier than I should be allowed to.
Dedication: (Lindsey Crouse) Another I forgot about. Until....the moment. The moment that I yanked my earbuds out of my ears just before the main character talks about it. And even so doing, I started gagging violently at my desk and had to power walk to the bathroom. And bitch repeats it multiple times, too. It's not even a good enough story to deserve a review, but it gets one because of that.
The Moving Finger and Sneakers: These two shouldn't have been back to back. I'm sure King had his reasons, but they really should've been separated. There's something about them. It's another 'too long for their own good' situation. Finger beats out Sneakers for interest level, though.
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band: I love the fuck out of this story. And who narrates it? Grace motherfucking Slick. This story deserves another fuck. Fuck yeah.
Rainy Season: (Yeardley Smith) See my comment above re: narration. It was horribly amusing to hear Lisa Simpson read this story. The story itself is pretty fantastic, too.
Sorry, Right Number: I've loved and remembered this story, but was never quite sure who wrote it. Could've been a number of my favorites, including Matheson. Hearing it read by a cast, like a radio play, is offputting, but fun.
Crouch End: Four words. Read by Tim Curry. That should be enough for anyone. If fucking Pennywise the Clown narrates a book? You listen.
The House on Maple Street: (Tabitha King) Another one that stuck with me. Because we all had those dreams as children.
The Doctors Case: See above re: Tim Curry narrating anything. King does Sherlock Holmes, and does it well.
Umney's Last Case: There's a lot of phlebotinum missing from this story. But it makes me hella curious to know which of his stories King wants to slip into.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think I’m going to Dnf this one. I keep seeing reviews that only a few stories are good and I don’t have the will to read a long ass mediocre book
A pretty solid selection of King short stories. King exhibits some beautiful writing here, particularly, in my opinion, with "It Grows on You" and "The Doctor's Case." With vivid imagery and description, these stories run the gamut between gory physical horror, psychological paranoia, and a bit of good humor mixed in for good measure. I've been reading a good amount of King this year (2019) and I'm really enjoying his stories.
My favorites in this collection:
Umney's Last Case
Sorry, Right Number
The Doctor's Case
Some misses:
My Pretty Pony
Head Down
My favorites in this collection:
Umney's Last Case
Sorry, Right Number
The Doctor's Case
Some misses:
My Pretty Pony
Head Down
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
I might be a bit biased in my review on this one, but this might be one of my favourite shortstory collections available. I'm rather partial to it through Dolan's Cadillac because of a familial connection to the movie, but this is a banger of a set of horror. Some veers more fantasy, some more mystery, but there's always the underlying tone that I love. Again, I'm biased, but there's a reason this lived in the bottom of my high school backpack for when things got a little too quiet. By far one of my favourites out there.
A mother will do whatever is best for her children. INCLUDING KILLING ZOMBIES! :D
An actual rise-from-the-grave zombie plague begins, which is bad news for almost everywhere but a small island fishing village. The graveyard is small, and most of the graves empty of sailors, so it should be pretty easy to stop the plague. But for one woman, the fight isn't so much about defeating the undead as learning to survive without her domineering husband, and with a child growing in her belly.
This is sort of one of those fantasies I have. Not so much the island, but the lone pregnant woman surviving on her wits and mettle. All the better that the theme is her discovering if she does or does not have that mettle within her. A rather uplifting zombie story.
An actual rise-from-the-grave zombie plague begins, which is bad news for almost everywhere but a small island fishing village. The graveyard is small, and most of the graves empty of sailors, so it should be pretty easy to stop the plague. But for one woman, the fight isn't so much about defeating the undead as learning to survive without her domineering husband, and with a child growing in her belly.
This is sort of one of those fantasies I have. Not so much the island, but the lone pregnant woman surviving on her wits and mettle. All the better that the theme is her discovering if she does or does not have that mettle within her. A rather uplifting zombie story.
I was on one extreme or the other with this novel. I loved the story or I didn't care for it not much in-between.
Popsy and the Doctors Case were my two favourites. Second short story collection I have finished in the past little bit.
Popsy and the Doctors Case were my two favourites. Second short story collection I have finished in the past little bit.
Although 'Night Shift' would have to be my favorite collection, 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes' follows closely behind and collects some perfectly plotted short thrillers and chillers. Some prominent stories which I consider the best would be, 'Suffer the little children', 'Chattery teeth', 'Popsy', 'Rainy season', 'ten 'o clock people' and 'Crouch end'.