I read an
anecdote once where an author is given different common place objects by an
interviewer and told to make stories out of them.
One of the
things I have really admired in Stephen King in this compilation of short
stories, most of which are from his early days of writing, is his ability to
make common place objects and places sinister and sometimes, deadly.
Whether it
be a sentient car, an open closet, a breezy ledge, a lawnmover from hell or
just some plastic soldier toys.
They can
kill. And they will.
It’s hard
to review short stories without spoiling a key element so I will refrain from
going story by story. And just include some of my favourites.
First of
all, it was a pleasant surprise to find The Children of the Corn here. It’s a
popular Stephen King story that has been adapted into a series of movies, and
it’s amazing to see how a short story can grow into something so big.
Over the
twenty short stories in the compilation, a few render themselves dependent on
other works of King in a direct manner namely Salem’s Lot – one serves as a
prequel and the other a sequel to that novel. It makes you wonder if King
wanted to go deeper into the lore in that area, but decided against it.
The
standalone ones are much more enticing, especially one that deals with nicotine
addiction in a magnificently depraved manner. If you ever want to quit a habit,
know what you need to save. Similarly, other common place things turned mad
include a hitman fighting toy soldiers, men vs sentient vehicles, a bet over a windy
ledge and deadly lawn movers.
There is
some tragically heavy stuff as well, as we see a man dealing with the decision
to euthanize his mother or a brother coming to grips with his sister’s suicide.
They aren’t supernatural, and maybe that makes them darker.
Overall, a
lot of hits and a few misses, and that’s what good short story collections are,
I think. Given this is mostly his early work, it’s remarkable to see the versatility
inherent in King’s writing.
Highlights
(Must Reads): Battleground, The Boogeyman, Quitters Inc, The Last Rung on the
Ladder, I Know What You Need, Grey Matter, Children of the Corn
So, I give
it 8 out of 10.
+A
wonderful versatile collection of stories
+Uses
common place elements in beautifully macabre fashion
+Brilliant
display of first person and third person narratives
-The tie
ins to other novels do not add much
-Some
short stories seem to not work in the limited sense
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