Stephen King oh how I know what to expect from you. I know I will get an easy read full of normal characters thrown into terrifying situations. I know there will be padding (lots of it) and I know that you will never blow my mind but I will be delivered a fat slice of good old entertainment. Ah Stephen you never disappoint.
Full Dark No Stars is a collection of four novellas which can be read as separate stories since they do not have a common theme or connect in any way.
Two of the stories have supernatural elements but the more terrifying stories do not. Rapists and murderers are scarier than ghosts and animated corpses (even if the corpse in question is your vengeful wife). The action that takes place in the stories is sometimes horrific, certainly dark and are just about thought provoking enough to linger on the mind. A couple of the stories cause the reader to think 'What would I do'? But even in a short Novella there is a little padding to be found. Whatever I found within this book was all that I expected.
Fans of Stephen King will not be disappointed in this collection and if you are not a fan then Full Dark No Stars will probably not be the novel that will change your mind.
Posted by Jess
I've never really thought about the phrase "you will not be disappointed," but I know exactly what to expect when someone says this. It means that you have an expectation already and this fulfills that.
ReplyDeleteI guess a lot of what we like about returning to favorite authors is the sense of fulfilled expectation.
Would you say that these stories are classic King, or the newer King that came about with Rose Madder, etc.? BTW, I thought Under the Dome was King's return to his classic style (if that helps).
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteOf course, I'm a fan.
I have never read a novel by Stephen King that didn't scare the H... out of me. Haven't finished many of them. My friend loaned me her full length edition of The Stand, but no matter how many times I begin that novel I always stop halfway. He is a master at evil, which I'm not always sure is such a good thing. Even his photograph creeps me out.
ReplyDeleteJessica,
ReplyDeleteYours is the first review I have read about this collection. Great overview; thank you
Yeah I'm a SK fan and I agree, this is probably one for fans who will relish the things they read him for, but probably not one to make new fans with. I've been reading him for so long now my favourite parts of his books are his author's notes!
ReplyDeleteI have to say I love Stephen King's short stories probably more than his full-length fiction. "Skeleton Crew" is my favorite...there are so many stories in there that are so individually horrifying. I think it's their brevity that makes them scary, because when you write a shorter story you leave a lot more to the imagination. "Nona", "The Mist" and the one about the monkey toy playing the cymbals still freak me out to this day. ALso the one where the lady took the shortcut and never got older.
ReplyDeleteI love his Different Seasons collection. That was the first fiction of his I read.
ReplyDeleteGreat review, you hit this collection head on. For King fan's (such as myself), it's a collection of stories that are new enough to be interesting but familiar enough to be comfortable. For other readers, they may not be so impressed. I particularly loved the first story - such great atmosphere.
ReplyDeletethe Ape - I thinks thats it. I dont really have an author I always go back to but I do like the odd King book and I thinks it why he has so many fans.
ReplyDeleteTi - Ive only ever read 'old' King as Ive never read the tower books or anything so I would say its more like his old stuff.
raidergirl3 - I hope you enjoy them (which Im sure you will as a fan)
Bellezza - the guy even lives in a creepy looking house LOL I find his mini series scares me more like IT.
Diane - thank you Diane
mummazappa - its funny you should say that as the authors notes in this one were really good and certainly gave dimention to the last one.
Pam - this is the first short story collection I have read of his (Ive only read his novels before) and I was impressed. Im going to check out the ones you listed there so thanks!
Avid Reader - I wll have to look those up, King is great but sometimes I dont wanna read a 900 pager
Pete - I thik my favorite was the last one but the 'scarest' one was Big Driver urg. The first one almost had a gothic atmosphere didn't it? It was very good.