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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
DNF after 179 pages. I was not a fan of any of the stories I read. I starting this one because I loved Needful Things and I knew one of the stories was set in Castle Rock. I could not have been more disappointed. I was trying to force myself to finish it but offer the disappointment of “It Grows on You”, I didn’t see any point in going on.
4.75 stars but rounding up to 5. This is my second King short story collection (having read Night Shift but not yet Skeleton Crew) and although nothing will live up to Night Shift, this one had some fantastic stories. There were a couple that I was not a fan of and I thought were too slow-moving for my tastes. But this collection also had some very strange stories that I absolutely love. Some of my favorites from this collection include The Moving Finger, Suffer the Little Children, Chattery Teeth, and Sneakers. But to be honest, I loved most of these stories and they could all be a favorite at some point. I am a fan of weird or strange horror short stories and this collection was full of them. Definitely for fans of his other short story work and am looking forward to picking up Skeleton Crew in the future.
A very large, and very disappointing collection of stories by King. Despite its 900 something page count, none of these stories are particularly great. And some felt like filler. Why King and his editors decided to reprint a lengthy non-fiction piece about his son's little league team I couldn't tell you, but it was a slog.
My favorite story in here is probably "Umney's Last Case," a reasonably clever take on the Chandler/noir genre. But even that overstays its welcome. Most of these stories are fine. Not bad, not great. But as a whole Nightmares and Dreamscapes is a completely skippable moment in King's career. Unless you're a completest, you needn't bother.
My favorite story in here is probably "Umney's Last Case," a reasonably clever take on the Chandler/noir genre. But even that overstays its welcome. Most of these stories are fine. Not bad, not great. But as a whole Nightmares and Dreamscapes is a completely skippable moment in King's career. Unless you're a completest, you needn't bother.
I don't know how everyone else reviews this beast but mine will be in pictures.
Dolan's Cadillac
The End of the Whole Mess
Not how Bill would have done it
Suffer the Little Children
So often children are the central theme for a horror story. Maybe it is because they are eeeevil.
The Night Flier
Too much running around and not enough *bite-y bite-y*
Popsy
Oh karma...
It Grows On You
That was completely unnecessary Uncle Stevie!
Chattery Teeth
Watch out for those hitchhikers
Dedication
Oh for the love of.....come on Steve!
The Moving Finger
Sneakers
Mind your own biznus judgy-mc-judgy-face
PS what is up with that weak ending?
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
There is no denying The King.
This one honestly had promise. I am definitely seeing a trend of weak sauce endings....
Home Delivery
This one wasn't half bad.
A momma doin' what a momma's gotta do.
My Pretty Pony
An entire story about the passing of time...
Sorry, Right Number
The Ten O'Clock People
poor batman, he is just misunderstood
Crouch End
Oddly the part that stood out the most in my memory...
The House on Maple Street
Rainy Season
The Doctor's Case
Where the good Dr. gets one.
Umney's Last Case
The guy is a jerk. I can't even feel sorry for him.
Head Down
Not a baseball fan....Je-fah-fah said he liked it but for me it was...
Brooklyn August
yeah, sure...lets wrap it all up with a poem...
The Fifth Quarter
I forgot I even read this one...
the end.
I wouldn't say this was a King must read. It was very hit and miss.
I liked the idea behind "You know they got a hell of a band" and "Rainy Season".
"My Pretty Pony" was painful.
A few of the other ones were ok. Just not a winner over all.
Dolan's Cadillac
The End of the Whole Mess
Not how Bill would have done it
Suffer the Little Children
So often children are the central theme for a horror story. Maybe it is because they are eeeevil.
The Night Flier
Too much running around and not enough *bite-y bite-y*
Popsy
Oh karma...
It Grows On You
That was completely unnecessary Uncle Stevie!
Chattery Teeth
Watch out for those hitchhikers
Dedication
Oh for the love of.....come on Steve!
The Moving Finger
Sneakers
Mind your own biznus judgy-mc-judgy-face
PS what is up with that weak ending?
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band
There is no denying The King.
This one honestly had promise. I am definitely seeing a trend of weak sauce endings....
Home Delivery
This one wasn't half bad.
A momma doin' what a momma's gotta do.
My Pretty Pony
An entire story about the passing of time...
Sorry, Right Number
The Ten O'Clock People
poor batman, he is just misunderstood
Crouch End
Oddly the part that stood out the most in my memory...
The House on Maple Street
Rainy Season
The Doctor's Case
Where the good Dr. gets one.
Umney's Last Case
The guy is a jerk. I can't even feel sorry for him.
Head Down
Not a baseball fan....Je-fah-fah said he liked it but for me it was...
Brooklyn August
yeah, sure...lets wrap it all up with a poem...
The Fifth Quarter
I forgot I even read this one...
the end.
I wouldn't say this was a King must read. It was very hit and miss.
I liked the idea behind "You know they got a hell of a band" and "Rainy Season".
"My Pretty Pony" was painful.
A few of the other ones were ok. Just not a winner over all.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
It feels like it's been a bit since I read a King story collection, and I forgot how much I love his short-form writing. The stories vary in tone and depth, but I think there were maybe only three I didn't particularly care for, and one was "Head Down" (a sports essay), so that was never going to be a winner for me regardless of how (extremely) well-written it is. I don't know that many of these are going to stick with me for long, but I think "You Know They Got a Hell of a Band" probably stands the best chance. Regardless, I tore through these. Some are wacky ("Rainy Season" about a town that occasionally rains toads comes to mind, as does "The Moving Finger"). Would I like to read a novel centered around either? Not likely, but I thoroughly enjoyed the 30ish-page commitments.
A couple of standouts:
"Crouch End", "Suffer the Little Children", "Chattery Teeth", "The House on Maple Street", "Umney's Last Case", "The End of the Whole Mess", and "Sneakers"
Ones I didn't get into as much:
"My Pretty Pony", "It Grows on You" (might need a reread), and "The Fifth Element" (just not especially my genre)
A couple of standouts:
"Crouch End", "Suffer the Little Children", "Chattery Teeth", "The House on Maple Street", "Umney's Last Case", "The End of the Whole Mess", and "Sneakers"
Ones I didn't get into as much:
"My Pretty Pony", "It Grows on You" (might need a reread), and "The Fifth Element" (just not especially my genre)
Honestly this collection, more than the other short story compilations of his is truly a mixed bag. Some stories are fantastic and others are dull. I will go over them quickly.
Rainy Day- Great written but hate Yearly Smith as a reader. There is nothing scary about a story narrated by Lisa Simpson. The story itself is absurd but creepy in a gross way.
Moving Finger- Silly but good fun tale about a finger coming up from the drain in the sink.
Sneakers- A slow burn tale that is more haunting than scary
Popsy- Dark humor and suspenseful
It Grows On You- Not the best and a bit dull
You Know They Have A Hell of A Band- One of the best in the compilation
Home Delivery- Another highlight and memorable story
Dolan's Cadillac- Good story and one of the highlights of the collection as well.
Sorry, Wrong number- A rehash of an old story by Richard Matheson, forgettable
Rainy Day- Great written but hate Yearly Smith as a reader. There is nothing scary about a story narrated by Lisa Simpson. The story itself is absurd but creepy in a gross way.
Moving Finger- Silly but good fun tale about a finger coming up from the drain in the sink.
Sneakers- A slow burn tale that is more haunting than scary
Popsy- Dark humor and suspenseful
It Grows On You- Not the best and a bit dull
You Know They Have A Hell of A Band- One of the best in the compilation
Home Delivery- Another highlight and memorable story
Dolan's Cadillac- Good story and one of the highlights of the collection as well.
Sorry, Wrong number- A rehash of an old story by Richard Matheson, forgettable
dark
mysterious
sad
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
In autumn of 1994 I gave Nightmares & Dreamscapes short shrift. As a collection it is a mixed bag, the weakest of the author's publishing career. He seems to have included everything but the kitchen sink. I'll concentrate on the unread tales, or ones I do not recall reading in 1994.
"Dolan's Cadillac," "Night Flyer," and "Popsy" are three of my least favorite Stephen King stories, seconded only by "Sneakers," "Umney's Last Case," and "The Moving Finger."
("The Fifth Quarter," conversely, is Richard Starkean sublimity.)
Full:
http://jayrothermel.blogspot.com/2020/03/50-years-of-stephen-king-nightmares.html?m=1
"Dolan's Cadillac," "Night Flyer," and "Popsy" are three of my least favorite Stephen King stories, seconded only by "Sneakers," "Umney's Last Case," and "The Moving Finger."
("The Fifth Quarter," conversely, is Richard Starkean sublimity.)
Full:
http://jayrothermel.blogspot.com/2020/03/50-years-of-stephen-king-nightmares.html?m=1