Night Shift was Stephen King’s first published collection of short stories. As someone who only relatively recently became a King fan, I was especially curious to explore his short fiction — often cited as where he truly shines. The collection contains twenty stories in total: sixteen previously published in magazines and four original to this volume.
Going into ’Salem’s Lot, I didn’t know what to expect — so imagine my surprise when I realized it was a vampire story. This could have easily gone the route of camp or cliché, but it doesn’t. Instead, King treats his vampires seriously, crafting a chilling and believable story that feels both classic and fresh.
With a few Stephen King novels under my belt, I wanted to go back to where it all began (Carrie being King’s first published novel under his own name). I’ve never seen the movie adaptations — though I new the general premise going in: Carrie is a teenage girl with telekinetic abilities and a prom scene that involves blood and revenge.
Stephen King’s It is a massive, ambitious novel that blends supernatural horror with the deep emotional resonance of a coming-of-age story—and for me, it was the latter that really made it shine. I listened to the audiobook as I read along, and Steven Weber’s narration is phenomenal. He gives each character a distinct voice, and his pacing grows more frenetic as the tension builds, adding a whole extra layer of immersion to the experience.
As someone who fancies himself a bit of a writer, I decided to read this book to close out the year that I became a Stephen King fan (2024).
After finishing Pet Sematary recently, I really wanted a chance to re-read The Shining. It’s spooky season after all! I have to say, having a few other Stephen King books under my belt really added to my enjoyment of this one.
This story was not what I thought it was going to be. I haven’t seen any of the adaptations of it so I just assumed you bury your pet and it comes back to life. It is and it isn’t. And more toward isn’t. Also, I feel dumb that I never noticed until it was pointed out in the book that it’s actually “cemetery” and not “sematary.”
I’ve been trying to get into Stephen King, but it’s been hit or miss. I’ve read The Institute – 2 stars. Thinner – 4 stars, but my memory is more in the 2-star range. Probably because I hated the main character. Of course, I’ve read The Shining and Doctor Sleep, but I never gave these ones ratings (re-reads coming soon with ratings). Hmm… may I’ve liked him more than I realized. At any rate, if you want to make yourself into a Stephen King fan, read Misery!
