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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
There aren't any tentpole stories in this collection like King's previous ones, but there is a lot of variety. Pretty middle of the road.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
It’s hard to review a collection of short stories. There were certainly five-star stories in there, but not all of them were, so I’ll go with an overall four-star rating. My favorites were (in no particular order): Chattery Teeth, You Know They Got a Hell of a Band, My Pretty Pony, The Ten O’Clock People, and Crouch End. This book was also yet another reminder of Stephen King being genuinely good with prose! There were a couple pages I dog-eared because I was so impressed by certain turns of phrase.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Gore, Blood
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Though I had read only Gothic and more traditional Horror, I picked up this book with no pre-concieved notions simply cuz i liked the title. I did not expect any castles or tombs or noblemen, I excused his horrible language (F-word overdose), was even brave enough to read his totally revolting descriptions of vampires peeing and graphic descriptions of vomit but seriously dude, where's the horror! Not a single story made me shiver the teensiest bit...I havent finished it but Im not sure I want to. I liked the intro but thats about the only thing I liked... DID ANYONE ACTUALLY FIND THIS CREEPY??
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I listened to many of these stories back when I got the book in 1993, yeah, I don't remember them. And now I am listening to some of them on the chattery teeth collection. And then I found a few other of the audio collections, so I am on to Dolan's Cadillac and now (10/08/13) on to The End of the Whole Mess -- so, moving on to (10/15/13) Sorry, Right Number -- started The House on Maple Street on 10/20/13...started It Grows on You on Oct 25th -- and now I just need to read the notes, and then I can count this book as Done!!
**Note** As I am listening to the musical interludes on the CDs, they seem to be in odd places, and then it occurs to me, these stories were originally released on cassette tapes (i know, I had them) and I am thinking the interludes were the end of the tape. Seems pretty lazy to me that they didn't remaster the CDs so the musical stuff came at the end of them instead of randomly in the middle of stories. weird.
My plan is to update on the ones I can remember, and read (or listen to) the ones I don't and get this book out of the house...
Introduction - read by Stephen King - he never fails to have this Constant Reader smiling. He is not trying to change the world or just make money (of course he wants to make money..we all do right?) he is just trying to tell some stories, and hopefully you will get a shiver, or a smile, or a passing thought about those stories.
Dolan's Cadillac - read by Rob Lowe - Stephen King's take on The Tell-Tale Heart, though it ends a little differently. I enjoyed this one quite a lot, Rob is a gread reader.
The End of the Whole Mess- read by Matthew Broderick -- first hearing Broderick's voice takes me back to the 80's and War Games, a happy time :-). I liked this story as told by someone partially responsible for the End of the Whole Mess. Reminds me of the same theme in Jurassic Park, just because we can doesn't mean we should -- and the consequences that come with that decision.
Suffer the Little Children - read by Whoopi Goldberg - a creepy story. At the end you just aren't sure.
The Night Flier - read by Frank Muller - pretty much a straight up vampire tale. I was neither excited nor traumatized by this tale. It was okay.
Popsy - read by Joe Mantegna - seems appropriate for one of the current Criminal Minds to read this story about a kidnapper. There is a disturbing sideline that you don't know what happens after the Boat Ride...but, the kidnapper at least gets his due
It Grows on You - read by Stephen King - and okay story...like a prelude to The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer and her saga of living at Rose Red (which may or may not have been written by Stephen King)
Chattery Teeth - read by Kathy Bates - about what I expect from King. Just a touch of supernatural in an otherwise ordinary world
Dedication - read by Lindsay Crouse - A bit of an odd story. About some voodoo, and some faith, and a little bit of Rose Madder thrown in for good measure
The Moving Finger - read by Eve Beglarian - DISTURBING. I loved this story (mostly because of how it ended) -- The ending is what made this story so creepy -- it just ends...you are not really sure if our hero saw what he saw or is just crazy...but there are clues to lend to the truth that he is not crazy...
Sneakers - read by Daniel Cronenberg - an honest to goodness ghost story -- my favorite of the four in the Chattery Teeth collection (Chattery Teeth, My Pretty Pony, Dedication)
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band read by Grace Slick - this is the one that the reviews I read when they mentioned gross had to be speaking of, and um -- not really. Yeah, some gross things, but not really a major part of the story, and certainly not on level with some of his books. Anyway, I liked this eerie tale of getting lost in the woods.
Home Delivery - read by Stephen King - NEVER underestimate a pregnant woman. This story was a little sad, but also good. Another end of the world story, this time it is not our fault though...damn aliens.
Rainy Season - read by Yeardly Smith - not a big fan of Yeardly as a reader, and after listening to this story, think I know where Scott Sigler got his inspiration for Iowa Monsoon -- different, but lots of similarities
My Pretty Pony - read by Jerry Garcia - eh. I think part of it was I didn't enjoy the reader, but mostly it was just boring
Sorry, Right Number - performed by a cast - a nice story, something I would expect to see on Twilight Zone, which is high praise from me. A little time travel, and some scares (mostly just in your mind)
The Ten O'Clock People - read by Joe Morton - An interesting idea - that having just the right amount of nicotine in your system allows you to be the lucky ones to see the take over crew...
Crouch End - read by Tim Curry - first let me say Tim Curry could read the dictionary to me and I would be happy, and this story is creepy in the what you don't see kind of way. Reminded me of King's rats in the sewers story a bit --
The House on Maple Street - read by Tabitha King - I like the stories where the kids get to save the day, so yeah, I liked this one. I would like to know where Lou ended up though.
The Fifth Quarter - read by Gary Sinise - I wish this one had been longer. It felt like there was more story that wasn't told. I felt cheated, a lot like the characters in the book.
The Doctor's Case - read by Tim Curry - as I mentioned in another review, I could listen to Tim Curry read the dictionary...so it was a pleasure to listen to this Sherlock Holmes story. I have not read any ACTUAL Sherlock Holmes stories, only those written by folks other than Arthur Conan Doyle, perhaps I should remedy this, as I enjoyed this story quite a lot.
Umney's Last Case - read by Robert Parker - I think this was one I listened to with my original collection of audio cassettes. I like this idea of escaping into your story, for real. You just have to be careful whose place you take.
Head Down - read by Stephen King - this is an essay, not a fiction story. Although I am not a baseball fan, I found this story about King's son's little league team charming
Brooklyn August - read by Stephen J Gould - a poem. It was okay.
Notes - I didn't listen to the NOTES in Sorry, Right Number as I want to finish all the stories before I ruin them for myself. -- I read the notes last night, and they were as enjoyable as I wanted them to be...although there are not notes on all the stories. I like knowing the story behind the story.
The Beggar and the Diamond - read by Domenic Custern - I wasn't overly fond of this fable. I don't even think I want to find the original. Reminded me of the Book of Job in the Bible, which is a mean story all the way around.
**Note** As I am listening to the musical interludes on the CDs, they seem to be in odd places, and then it occurs to me, these stories were originally released on cassette tapes (i know, I had them) and I am thinking the interludes were the end of the tape. Seems pretty lazy to me that they didn't remaster the CDs so the musical stuff came at the end of them instead of randomly in the middle of stories. weird.
My plan is to update on the ones I can remember, and read (or listen to) the ones I don't and get this book out of the house...
Introduction - read by Stephen King - he never fails to have this Constant Reader smiling. He is not trying to change the world or just make money (of course he wants to make money..we all do right?) he is just trying to tell some stories, and hopefully you will get a shiver, or a smile, or a passing thought about those stories.
Dolan's Cadillac - read by Rob Lowe - Stephen King's take on The Tell-Tale Heart, though it ends a little differently. I enjoyed this one quite a lot, Rob is a gread reader.
The End of the Whole Mess- read by Matthew Broderick -- first hearing Broderick's voice takes me back to the 80's and War Games, a happy time :-). I liked this story as told by someone partially responsible for the End of the Whole Mess. Reminds me of the same theme in Jurassic Park, just because we can doesn't mean we should -- and the consequences that come with that decision.
Suffer the Little Children - read by Whoopi Goldberg - a creepy story. At the end you just aren't sure.
The Night Flier - read by Frank Muller - pretty much a straight up vampire tale. I was neither excited nor traumatized by this tale. It was okay.
Popsy - read by Joe Mantegna - seems appropriate for one of the current Criminal Minds to read this story about a kidnapper. There is a disturbing sideline that you don't know what happens after the Boat Ride...but, the kidnapper at least gets his due
It Grows on You - read by Stephen King - and okay story...like a prelude to The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer and her saga of living at Rose Red (which may or may not have been written by Stephen King)
Chattery Teeth - read by Kathy Bates - about what I expect from King. Just a touch of supernatural in an otherwise ordinary world
Dedication - read by Lindsay Crouse - A bit of an odd story. About some voodoo, and some faith, and a little bit of Rose Madder thrown in for good measure
The Moving Finger - read by Eve Beglarian - DISTURBING. I loved this story (mostly because of how it ended) -- The ending is what made this story so creepy -- it just ends...you are not really sure if our hero saw what he saw or is just crazy...but there are clues to lend to the truth that he is not crazy...
Sneakers - read by Daniel Cronenberg - an honest to goodness ghost story -- my favorite of the four in the Chattery Teeth collection (Chattery Teeth, My Pretty Pony, Dedication)
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band read by Grace Slick - this is the one that the reviews I read when they mentioned gross had to be speaking of, and um -- not really. Yeah, some gross things, but not really a major part of the story, and certainly not on level with some of his books. Anyway, I liked this eerie tale of getting lost in the woods.
Home Delivery - read by Stephen King - NEVER underestimate a pregnant woman. This story was a little sad, but also good. Another end of the world story, this time it is not our fault though...damn aliens.
Rainy Season - read by Yeardly Smith - not a big fan of Yeardly as a reader, and after listening to this story, think I know where Scott Sigler got his inspiration for Iowa Monsoon -- different, but lots of similarities
My Pretty Pony - read by Jerry Garcia - eh. I think part of it was I didn't enjoy the reader, but mostly it was just boring
Sorry, Right Number - performed by a cast - a nice story, something I would expect to see on Twilight Zone, which is high praise from me. A little time travel, and some scares (mostly just in your mind)
The Ten O'Clock People - read by Joe Morton - An interesting idea - that having just the right amount of nicotine in your system allows you to be the lucky ones to see the take over crew...
Crouch End - read by Tim Curry - first let me say Tim Curry could read the dictionary to me and I would be happy, and this story is creepy in the what you don't see kind of way. Reminded me of King's rats in the sewers story a bit --
The House on Maple Street - read by Tabitha King - I like the stories where the kids get to save the day, so yeah, I liked this one. I would like to know where Lou ended up though.
The Fifth Quarter - read by Gary Sinise - I wish this one had been longer. It felt like there was more story that wasn't told. I felt cheated, a lot like the characters in the book.
The Doctor's Case - read by Tim Curry - as I mentioned in another review, I could listen to Tim Curry read the dictionary...so it was a pleasure to listen to this Sherlock Holmes story. I have not read any ACTUAL Sherlock Holmes stories, only those written by folks other than Arthur Conan Doyle, perhaps I should remedy this, as I enjoyed this story quite a lot.
Umney's Last Case - read by Robert Parker - I think this was one I listened to with my original collection of audio cassettes. I like this idea of escaping into your story, for real. You just have to be careful whose place you take.
Head Down - read by Stephen King - this is an essay, not a fiction story. Although I am not a baseball fan, I found this story about King's son's little league team charming
Brooklyn August - read by Stephen J Gould - a poem. It was okay.
Notes - I didn't listen to the NOTES in Sorry, Right Number as I want to finish all the stories before I ruin them for myself. -- I read the notes last night, and they were as enjoyable as I wanted them to be...although there are not notes on all the stories. I like knowing the story behind the story.
The Beggar and the Diamond - read by Domenic Custern - I wasn't overly fond of this fable. I don't even think I want to find the original. Reminded me of the Book of Job in the Bible, which is a mean story all the way around.