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Just After Sunset Review

Stephen King, American, Anthologies, Fiction, Horror, Literary, Literature, Mystery, Short Stories, Suspense, Thriller

Just After Sunset

Published: 11, November 2008
Author: Stephen King
Genre: American, Anthologies, Fiction, Horror, Literary, Literature, Mystery, Short Stories, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:
Just After Sunset Summary


The Review

Stephen King's Just After Sunset, is his fifth collection of short tales. Scribner published it as a hardback on November 11, 2008, with a holographic dust jacket. Just Past Sunset was unveiled as the title of the collection on the author's official website on February 6, 2008. The title was altered to Just After Sunset about a month later. Pocket Rockets and Unnatural Acts of Human Intercourse were previous names cited in the media by Stephen King himself.

I believe it is one of his best short story collections. While the stories aren't all winners, King covers a wide variety of narrative topics, demonstrating his incredible ability to elicit feelings ranging from dread, contempt, humor, and, most impressively, an uncomfortable sensation that his tales might actually happen. 

These pieces, when compared to his previous works, show an astonishing maturity that makes them well worth reading.

King has an incredible capacity to communicate with his audience/readers, which is most noticeable in his introductions. 

In this section, he discusses what sparked the collection and why the short tale is significant. Despite his nearly nasally voice, King is a terrific reader of his own work and has a distinct folksy manner about him, which means you will undoubtedly like the audio version of this book as well.

End notes, which I'm sure all of King's readers enjoy, are also included, as are a few comments from King about writing. 

When I read these additions by King, I fall in love with them. This is a compilation for fans of Stephen King's uncanny ability to create believable, engaging characters.


The following are the titles of short stories from this collection, along with some details:

01 - Willa
Stephen King's story about the afterlife and the fear of what we can't comprehend. Many of these stories deal with the unknown; sadly, it is one of the weaker stories in the collection; however, keep in mind that it is the weakest of the best collection of stories, so you can't really call it a bad story when compared to stories outside of this book. And one thing is certain: this narrative gives you goosebumps of a different type.


02 - The Gingerbread Girl
It is an excellent illustration of two things King excels at: tension building and painting amazingly complicated and varied characters. 

This suspense story is strengthened by a strong psychological profile of the main character and King's flair, which provide a nice touch to everything. 

The title references the fairy tale The Gingerbread Boy, also known as The Gingerbread Man.


03 - Harvey's Dream
Another narrative with good depiction, but this short story doesn't have much else going for it. It's a good read, with language that conveys the same matter-of-fact sense of late-life sadness and tragedy. It is worth reading and especially listening to since Stephen King read this story to us.


04 - Rest Stop
This is the narrative, about a writer who relies on his alter identity in a pinch, is amusing, and may be regarded as a decent story; but, I don't think it would come over as well without O'Hare's delivery in the audio version. A strong, no-nonsense reading elevates this narrative from unremarkable to memorable.


05 - Stationary Bike
This is the story of an artist who is tormented by his work and whose addiction has been smoothed out through time. Another terrific character makes the narrative easier to swallow, despite a somewhat sad finale.


06 - The Things They Left Behind
This is a fantastic narrative that, unfortunately, resolves too quickly and then drags towards the finish. 

There are many unsettling concepts in this story, and the main character has some of the most compelling expressions. 

There's one amazing anecdote here; King knows how to make us uncomfortable in the most delectable ways! 

If you have the audio version and are in the mood to experience a wide range of emotions, this is a terrific listen.


07 - Graduation Afternoon
It's a short story about a girl who sees a catastrophe. The tale isn't particularly interesting, but King maintains his streak of exceptional character development. However, because the character has nothing to do, this one is forgettable, albeit it can be a memorable read in rare situations.


08 - N.
This story, which appears for the first time in this collection, is another King nod to Weird fiction, and it ranks among the finest of the bunch. 

King may have been thinking about Machen here, but Lovecraft devotees will recognize several clichés mastered by the master himself. 

The plot revolves around a man seeking therapy for OCD and explaining why he's suddenly got the ailment. The story's structure, which has the eponymous man discussing his life and experiences, is an exceptionally perceptive examination of OCD, but with a supernatural twist. 

This is so brilliant that it almost makes you angry that King can still wield the pen with such accuracy, intelligence, and ingenuity. This narrative deserves to be at the top of the list of stories in this book. 

I'm using the author's words here, but merely modifying the way they were expressed to avoid the Copywrite issue: In interviews and in the book, King stated that the story was inspired by Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan: "It's not Lovecraft, but a play on words of Arthur Machen's 'The Great God Pan,' one of the finest horror stories ever written. The greatest in the English language, maybe. My writing is nowhere near that brilliant, but I enjoyed the opportunity to combine neurotic behavior—obsessive/compulsive disorder—with the concept of a monster-filled macro verse."


09 - The Cat from Hell
This is one of King's shocking stories that works because it blends absurdism and graphic, primal gore in such a manner that you have to take it seriously until the trigger is pulled and you know the joke is on you. 

It doesn't exactly fit in with the rest of the book, but it's good to have this classic included in an official collection. 

The audio version of this story is also excellent. This story was also adapted for film in the anthology film Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990), and I loved it. 

I remember my cousins' faces when one of the craziest scenes from the book happened on screen, the eyes of all my cousins looked like they were going to pop out and one of them threw up with sheer terror of it but I was laughing so I think it really depends on who is reading or watching this story and that determines how they will react.


10 - The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates
This is similar to Harvey's Dream. This seems like a fragment of a wonderful narrative that isn't long enough to please you, and you're left wanting a lot more of this amazing idea and plot. 

In this one, a phone call from beyond affects a recent widow, but there's not enough to it. A film project was in the works, but it became stalled and has remained dormant for a long time.


11 - Mute
This is another story that appears to be a snoozer at first but then turns out to be extremely good towards the conclusion. A powerful character propels a narrative of betrayal, rage, and bewilderment that takes a softer approach to organized religion than King is renowned for. It's not a terrifying narrative, but it has a tremendous emotional pull.


12 - Ayana
A narrative about miracles and their positive and negative aspects with a good plot that is greatly aided by King's ability to generate almost lyrical passages in a narrative.


13 - A Very Tight Place
Another absurd tale But this one is a slam dunk! With one character spouting hate speech in the beginning, I was already uneasy, but as the tale progresses, it becomes a compelling thriller that is skillfully written behind all the awful stuff. 

There is an Easter egg for Stephen King fans. The numerals on the main character's dog's collar total up to 19, an important number that appears throughout King's novel worlds, most notably in the Dark Tower series.


Final Thoughts

The stories themselves exhibit King's distinct blend of horror, pop culture, and music allusions, all laced with King's tremendous sense of humor. 

Almost all of the stories are excellent and innovative in the King tradition. Nobody writes like King, and it pays off, as seen by this compilation. 

This compilation will be quite entertaining and even interesting for both first-time King readers and those who have read huge portions of his literature.

You know how it is with short stories: we don't all like the same ones, but there are always a few that you enjoy. 

I used to feel the same way after reading all of Alfred Hitchcock's short story collections. This book featured some extremely fantastic stories and some that were just okay. 

I also enjoyed how Stephen King wrote a little bit about how he wrote each story, which is near the finish but I would not read it till the end so they are not spoiled.

In a nutshell, this is a compilation of short stories that all kept me fascinated from beginning to end. 

I've never read anything by Mr. King that didn't grab my interest and keep me wanting more.

He's been doing it since I was a kid, and he still does it now. I can't imagine growing up without being both bewildered and delighted by The King. This is a fantastic collection of short stories, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.


Synopsis

The following synopsis is taken from the book's audio version.

“Who but Stephen King would turn a Port-O-San into a slimy birth canal, or a roadside honky-tonk into a place for endless love? A book salesman with a grievance might pick up a mute hitchhiker, not knowing the silent man in the passenger seat listens altogether too well. Or an exercise routine on a stationary bicycle, begun to reduce bad cholesterol, might take its rider on a captivating -- and then terrifying-journey. Set on a remote key in Florida, "The Gingerbread Girl" is a riveting tale featuring a young woman as vulnerable -- and resourceful -- as Audrey Hepburn's character in Wait Until Dark. In "Ayana", a blind girl works a miracle with a kiss and the touch of her hand. For King, the line between the living and the dead is often blurry, and the seams that hold our reality intact might tear apart at any moment. In "N", which recently broke new ground when it was adapted as a graphic digital entertainment, a psychiatric patient's irrational thinking might create an apocalyptic threat in the Maine countrysideÉor keep the world from falling victim to it.

Just After Sunset -- call it dusk, call it twilight, it's a time when human intercourse takes on an unnatural cast, when nothing is quite as it appears, when the imagination begins to reach for shadows as they dissipate to darkness and living daylight can be scared right out of you. It's the perfect time for Stephen King.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Christian Slater, David Johansen, Deborah Harry, James Remar, John Harrison, Left Behind, Mitchell Galin, New York, Paramount Pictures, Rae Dawn Chong, Richard P. Rubenstein, Richard P. Rubinstein, Stationary Bike, Tight Place, William Hickey, York Times


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

Tales From the Darkside: The Movie (1990) (R)

1408 (2007) (R)

Stand by Me (1986) (R)

Apt Pupil (1998) (R)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) (R)

Secret Window (1994) (PG-13)

The Langoliers (1994) (PG-13)

Under The Dome - Season 1 (2013) (13+)

Dreamcatcher (2003) (R)

Cell (2016) (R)

Bag of Bones Season 1 (2012) (13+)

Dolores Claiborne (1995) (R)

It (1990) (R)

It (2017) (R)

It Chapter Two (2019) (R)

Needful Things (1993) (R)

Desperation (2006) (16+)

Silver Bullet (1985) (R)

The Tommyknockers (1993) (M)

Christine (1983) (R)

The Dead Zone (1983) (R)

Misery (1990) (R)

Carrie (1976) (R)

Firestarter (1984) (R)

Mr. Mercedes Season 01 (2017) (TV-MA)

Thinner (1996) (R)

The Running Man (1987) (R)

The Dark Half (1993) (R)

The Green Mile (1999) (16+)

Salem’s Lot (1979) (G)

Salem’s Lot: The Miniseries (2004) (NR)

The Dark Tower 8 Book Boxed Set (Paperback)

The Dark Tower (2017) (PG-13)

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Everything's Eventual Review

Stephen King, American, Anthologies, Fiction, Horror, Literary, Literature, Mystery, Occult, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Supernatural, Suspense

Everything's Eventual

Published: 19, March 2002
Author: Stephen King
Genre: American, Anthologies, Fiction, Horror, Literary, Literature, Mystery, Occult, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Supernatural, Suspense

Check the summary of this book here:
Everything's Eventual Summary


The Review

Stephen King's Everything's Eventual is a collection of 11 short stories and three novellas. The title of this book is derived from what is possibly the best tale in the collection. It's a strange story about a young man who has the capacity to influence others through symbols and writing. He tells the narrative himself, sounds like the village fool, and has the oddest job conceivable.

L.T.'s Theory of Pets is a close second. It's a narrative about marital strife, pet incompatibility, and the art of storytelling. It's quite good, far better than any storyline explanation could possibly do credit to. You'll laugh, weep, and have a good time.

The longest tale is a prelude to the Dark Tower series, and lovers of that series will undoubtedly like it. Another interesting story is "1408," which was made into a film. This, I admit, was my driving force, and it's well worth reading. Because it is a factual short tale, it has less twists and turns than the movie and concludes more neatly.

The most suspenseful story may be Autopsy in Room 4. It depicts a paralyzed guy on an autopsy table, and you don't have to be the most imaginative person on the planet to understand how terrifying that idea might be.

King discusses the peculiar process he used to categorize the stories in the book's preface (the following phrases are not precisely his words; I simply put his words in basic form): I removed all of the spades from the deck, as well as the joker. 1-13 from ace to king. Joker has a value of 14. I dealt the cards after shuffling them. Based on their position on the list my publisher supplied me, the order in which they came out of the deck formed the sequence of stories. It also served as a great counterpoint to the literary tales and the all-out screamers. I also included an explanation note before or after each story, based on which place looked most appropriate. Tarot has chosen the next collection.


There are 14 short stories in this book, and I'm sharing names and information about each one here:

01 - Autopsy Room Four

After being bitten by a rare snake on a golf course, a guy is paralyzed. Everyone believes he is dead, which is why he is in an autopsy room. 

This narrative gives you the uneasy feeling that you would have if you were buried alive. King is a virtuoso at making his readers feel the same emotions as his primary characters. 

This is an excellent story and an excellent way to begin the book. However, owing to the theme of this narrative and what is going on with the bitten individual, it may make you uneasy at points. 

The storyline is based on the setup of Louis Pollock's short tale "Breakdown," in which the protagonist is incapacitated in a car accident and must show that he is still alive. At one point in King's narrative, the protagonist reflects his focus in a television adaptation of "Breakdown" that appeared on Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1955.

The short tale, together with "The Road Virus Heads North," was adapted into an hour-long episode of the Turner Network Television mini-series Nightmares and Dreamscapes in 2006, and was almost as remarkable and effective in causing the readers to forget about breathing in many scenes.


02 - The Man in the Black Suit

Consider encountering the devil in a very real-world context. In a nutshell, this is the plot of this narrative. It's a lot better than it sounds. This piece earned King a prize for best short fiction, and it was well deserved.


03 - All That You Love Will Be Carried Away

A disturbing narrative about a traveling salesperson who is on the edge of attempting suicide. This is a story that makes you ponder if we all have a predetermined fate or if we have the ability to change the course of our life. An intriguing narrative, not the finest but certainly not the worst.


04 - The Death of Jack Hamilton

This narrative is based on the actual story of a member of John Dillinger's first gang's death. Normally, I enjoy westerns or outlaw stories, but King drew me in even more with this one. It was a fantastic novel, and I was delighted to read it. King does an excellent job at describing the story in the first person.


05 - In the Deathroom

An odd King narrative involving something that does not generally occur in his stories. Throughout most of the novel, however, it does not appear that this will be the case. 

Again, King makes you feel as though you are the main character. He manages to make the scenario both sympathetic and terrifying. 

I had a feeling I knew the twist and finale from the beginning, but I won't reveal anything here. 

It was initially published in textual form in Secret Windows in 2000. As stated by Stephen King this is a little Kafkaesque narrative about a torture cell in a South American version of Hell.


06 - The Little Sisters of Eluria

This is a narrative about the Dark Tower series. I've read this series several times and want to read or listen to it again as soon as I get some spare time. 

Dark Tower is a fantasy series with a western flavor, related to a gunslinger. I'd like to say a lot more about this extension of that story, but I'll let the admirers of the series read and decide for themselves.


07 - Everything's Eventual

In my view, this is one of King's greatest stories. It's about a tormented child who discovers his abilities and fights back against the bullies. 

This is a guy with abilities, unlike Carrie or Firestarter. The main guy is a nerd, yet he is easy to sympathize with. The narrative will undoubtedly leave you wondering and yearning for more.

The inspiration for this short tale came from a dream about someone dumping coins down the storm drain, according to King's foreword.

Dinky, like Ted in the novella Low Men in Yellow Coats, is a "Breaker," according to Stephen King, who thereby connects this story to the universe of The Dark Tower, The Stand, and other King Dark Tower works. 

Dinky and Ted also featured together as minor characters in the Dark Tower series' last novel.


08 - L. T.'s Theory of Pets

An intriguing story about the dissolution of a marriage and how dog and cat interactions are comparable to those of married couples. 

I am confident that the readers will be surprised at the conclusion of this story. This is the type of story to tell over a campfire because it puts you on an emotional roller coaster ride. This story, like Everything's Eventual, is one of King's greatest.


09 - The Road Virus Heads North

This is another narrative based on a picture owned by King. Those paintings that appear to move in front of your eyes. 

Unlike the other drawings or paintings, the author, who purchased it at a yard sale, is haunted by it. 

After a period, he attempts to get rid of the picture, only for it to return to torment him, and the driver of the automobile in the painting tracks down the author. 

The primary premise of the narrative is that we are all doomed to our own fate.

In 2006, the short tale was turned into an hour-long episode of the Turner Network Television mini-series Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From Stephen King's Stories. Kinnell was played by Tom Berenger in the episode.


10 - Lunch at the Gotham Café

This story is about a couple going through a divorce and how much of the journey is a waking nightmare. This is a twisted narrative, but you can envision something like this occurring. Another excellent story in this compilation!


11 - That Feeling, You Can Only Say What It Is in French

A woman traveling with her husband witnesses a reenactment of events, beginning with flying on an airplane and ending with riding in a limo to the flight. This story demonstrates how repetitive occurrences may be exhausting, yet it is still a good story.


12 - 1408

This is a narrative about a haunted hotel room that King began in his work On Writing. It was simply to demonstrate to fans how to compose a narrative that has been told a thousand times but in a way that makes it seem new and creative. 

You nearly get the impression that this narrative is set in one of the rooms of the Overlook hotel The Shining. Anything else would ruin the plot; therefore I'm not going to say anything further.

Based on the short tale, Swedish film director Mikael Hfström adapted the film 1408, starring John Cusack as Michael Enslin and Samuel L. Jackson as Mr. Olin. It was a great blockbuster when it was released on June 22, 2007.


13 - Riding the Bullet

It began as an online book. A straightforward story about a character confronting death. He's hitching to see his mother, who has recently had a major stroke. 

He falls asleep in a cemetery, unaware that the gravestone he is sleeping near is the next driver who will come to pick him up. 

Alan Parker the main character is compelled to confront his mother's death. If he does not pick her to die, Alan will be the one to die. 

A wonderful story that reminds us that neither we nor our loved ones are immune to death. Much better than the dreadful 2004 film adaption.


14 - Luckey Quarter

In a casino hotel, a man tips a woman a lucky quarter. She imagines herself wagering the quarter and winning again and again. 

The woman has two children, a teenage daughter, and a sickly younger boy. I don't believe it's a good idea to say anything further after this to avoid giving away the entire narrative, but it was a nice story. 

A pleasant upbeat narrative, which is unusual for King. Neither one of the greatest nor one of the worst.


Final Thoughts

Reviewing a collection of short stories may be difficult since there are so many stories in the book, and each one is an experience in its own right. 

Three or four are absolutely exceptional, and the majority of the rest are still extremely good and well worth reading. 

There were a couple of stories that didn't grab me, but the beauty of a short story is that you don't have to devote as much time, so the lesser pieces don't detract from your pleasure of the book.
 
Stephen King, one of the finest pure storytellers of the last several decades, isn't bound by narrative length: he'll produce short stories, novellas, short novels (like the Different Seasons collection), lengthy novels, and epic series (The Dark Tower). As a result, he can appeal to the reader in nearly any length of time and deliver.

This collection of short stories is intended for those who wish to read something in a single sitting. 

King is a writer who has had his quality highs and lows, but these pieces were written when he was at one of his peaks. 

As a result, the majority of these stories are decent, and a handful are outstanding. It comes highly recommended. One of King's greatest efforts to date! I'd suggest this book to anyone who enjoys Stephen King or the short tale style.


Synopsis

“Includes the story “The Man in the Black Suit”—set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King, the iconic, spine-tingling story collection that includes winners of an O. Henry Prize and other awards, and “Riding the Bullet,” which attracted over half a million online readers and became the most famous short story of the decade, as well as stories first published in TheNew Yorker, “1408,” made into a movie starring John Cusack.

“Riding the Bullet” is the story of Alan Parker, who’s hitchhiking to see his dying mother but takes the wrong ride, farther than he ever intended. In “Lunch at the Gotham Café,” a sparring couple’s contentious lunch turns very, very bloody when the maître d’ gets out of sorts. “1408,” the audio story in print for the first time, is about a successful writer whose specialty is “Ten Nights in Ten Haunted Graveyards,” or “Ten Nights in Ten Haunted Houses,” and though Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel doesn’t kill him, he won’t be writing about ghosts anymore. And in “That Feeling, You Can Only Say What It Is in French,” terror is déjà vu at 16,000 feet.

Whether writing about encounters with the dead, the near dead, or about the mundane dreads of life, from quitting smoking to yard sales, Stephen King is at the top of his form in the fourteen “brilliantly creepy” (USA TODAY) tales assembled in Everything’s Eventual. Intense, eerie, and instantly compelling, they announce the stunningly fertile imagination of perhaps the greatest storyteller of our time.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Autopsy Room, Black Suit, Heads North, John Cusack, Lionsgate, Little Sisters, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Lunch At The Gotham, Man In The Black, Mary McCormack, Mikael Håfström, Road Virus, Samuel L. Jackson, Virus Heads


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

Free With Free Audible Trial

1408 (2007) (R)

Stand by Me (1986) (R)

Apt Pupil (1998) (R)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) (R)

Secret Window (1994) (PG-13)

The Langoliers (1994) (PG-13)

Under The Dome - Season 1 (2013) (13+)

Dreamcatcher (2003) (R)

Cell (2016) (R)

Bag of Bones Season 1 (2012) (13+)

Dolores Claiborne (1995) (R)

It (1990) (R)

It (2017) (R)

It Chapter Two (2019) (R)

Needful Things (1993) (R)

Desperation (2006) (16+)

Silver Bullet (1985) (R)

The Tommyknockers (1993) (M)

Christine (1983) (R)

The Dead Zone (1983) (R)

Misery (1990) (R)

Carrie (1976) (R)

Firestarter (1984) (R)

Mr. Mercedes Season 01 (2017) (TV-MA)

Thinner (1996) (R)

The Running Man (1987) (R)

The Dark Half (1993) (R)

The Green Mile (1999) (16+)

Salem’s Lot (1979) (G)

Salem’s Lot: The Miniseries (2004) (NR)

The Dark Tower 8 Book Boxed Set (Paperback)

The Dark Tower (2017) (PG-13)

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Different Seasons Review

Stephen King, American, Classic, Coming Of Age, Drama, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Psychic, Psychological, Shape Shifter, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, Werewolf, Witches, Wizard

Different Seasons

Published: 27, August 1982
Author: Stephen King
Genre: American, Classic, Coming Of Age, Drama, Fiction, Horror, Literature, Psychic, Psychological, Shape Shifter, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, Werewolf, Witches, Wizard

Check the summary of this book here:
Different Seasons Summary


The Review

Different Seasons is a compilation of four Stephen King short stories that are more dramatic in tone than the horror fiction for which he is well known. The four novellas are linked by finer points related to each of the four seasons. The collection is significant for the fact that virtually all of its novellas have been adapted into Hollywood films, one of which, The Shawshank Redemption, was nominated for Best Picture at the 1994 Academy Awards.

There is also a small afterword written by King on January 4, 1982, at the conclusion of the book. He explains why he hadn't previously submitted the novellas (Essentially, all four were written at different times.) for publication in it. 

Early in his career, his agents and editors voiced worry that he would be labeled as a horror writer. His horror works, on the other hand, proved to be highly popular, putting him in high demand as an author. 

Novellas that did not deal largely with the supernatural, on the other hand, were extremely difficult to publish since there was no mass market for straight fiction stories in the 25,000 to 35,000 word range.


This book's short tales are as follows:

01 - Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption
Subtitle: Hope Springs Eternal

This was an exciting and well-written story. The novella and the film are practically similar, with the novella having more details, as is almost typically the case with book versions. 

I loved both the film and the book, which is uncommon for me to appreciate both the film and the book. The book was turned into a film, The Shawshank Redemption, starring Tim Robbins as Andy and Morgan Freeman as Red, as well as a stage play of the same name. 

A gritty, dramatic jail story that had me riveted from beginning to finish. I really enjoy this type of storytelling because it seems like you're sitting with someone and listening to a story that keeps you captivated by the narrator's voice.

The film adaptation is widely regarded as one of the most reputable films of all time, having been nominated for seven Academy Awards at the 67th Academy Awards in 1995, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Freeman. In an interview, Morgan Freeman remarked that this novella is his favorite book.


02 - Apt Pupil
Subtitle: Summer of Corruption

Apt Pupil is divided into 30 chapters, many of which are represented by months. The novel takes place across four years in a fictional Southern California neighborhood named "Santo Donato," with most of the action taking place in the first year and the latter months. It's the only novella in Different Seasons that's told in the third person.

A connection to "Strawberry Spring," a short tale published in the King collection Night Shift, is mentioned, which isn't anything major but is nevertheless an Easter egg for the faithful fans.

Another similarity is the hotel room number 217, which is the same as the famed Overlook Hotel room in The Shining. 

Furthermore, in The Shining, Jack Torrance is working on a play with a character named Denker, which is the same name as Dussander's alter ego. 

As a result, some fans believe Apt Pupil is Torrance's play. In the afterword to Different Seasons, King recounts writing Apt Pupil right after The Shining, which might explain why it has such a direct link.

The tale differed from the film in that it was darker and had more violence, which was typical. I thought it was almost perfect, but not quite on the level of Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, but it was still a fantastic book.

This is more in line with what we've come to expect from King. By no means a horror story, but rather a thriller; a psychological thriller. I couldn't exactly recall the narrative at first, but as I began to read, it all came flooding back to me. Because these are sick people, it might be difficult to read at times, but it is an extremely well-written read!


03 - The Body
Subtitle: Fall from Innocence

This is a coming-of-age narrative about four twelve-year-old boys who were searching for the body of a missing boy. It lacks the conclusion of the previous stories, it's a very well coming-of-age narrative with a lot of well-written language depicting childhood friendships, all situated in the heart of rural America.

This is the narrative that inspired the film Stand By Me. I enjoyed the film and the story. The plot clearly provides a lot more depth, and it departs significantly from the book in some areas.

The plot is, of course, fantastic, but it is quite lengthy and retrospective rather than action-packed. We are privy to the narrator's thoughts, and this is a work of literary coming of age. 

I'm pleased I read it again since it made me feel nostalgic and sorrowful. This tale includes links to the Stephen King world, with Sheriff Bannerman named multiple times, however, given it takes place in the 1950s, he is just a Constable at this point, and Shawshank Prison is now part of the canon, being mentioned twice.


04 - The Breathing Method
Subtitle: A Winter's Tale

This is a horrific story that comes closest to what we would anticipate from King in this collection. There is a lengthy prelude outlining a man's life and how his employer invites him to a club. 

Finally, the club has certain mystical properties that are never explored. The focus is on an engaging narrative recounted by a character in the story, which concludes with a great spooky twist. 

I'm not surprised there isn't a film for this one. The content just does not appear to be fit for adaptation into a film. But film adaptation may occur soon, however, there has been no further news regarding the project since 2019.


By the time this book came out, Stephen King had established himself as a master of genre fiction up to this point in his career, including the Bachman volumes, which, although not horror (in my mind,) are nevertheless diverse genres. 

With four novellas included in this book, King returns to straight fiction, offering some of his best work to date and demonstrating that he can write pure fiction and even literature.


Final Thoughts

First and foremost, you should not be comparing three of these novellas to Stephen King's more conventional tales. I think King is a wonderful writer, but there's a considerable difference between his horror stories and even his fantasy and this work, which I believe belongs more squarely in the area of literary fiction. 

Some of the tale and location features remind me of Richard Russo, who has a number of stories where the setting or town is nearly part of the action, and the coming of age sections remind me of many Tobias Wolff short stories.

I believe that all four novels in this collection deserve full points and recommendations, but one additional opinion is that the first Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption is deserving of that ranking, and makes the complete collection worthwhile to purchase. 

Overall, this is a brilliantly written book with a variety of topic matter and storytelling methods... Three of these pieces have been adapted into films, some of which have been nominated for Academy Awards, and the writing is both sharp and memorable.


Synopsis

“Includes the stories “The Body” and “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption”—set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine

A “hypnotic” (The New York Times Book Review) collection of four novellas—including the inspirations behind the films Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption—from Stephen King, bound together by the changing of seasons, each taking on the theme of a journey with strikingly different tones and characters.

This gripping collection begins with “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption,” in which an unjustly imprisoned convict seeks a strange and startling revenge—the basis for the Best Picture Academy Award-nominee The Shawshank Redemption.

Next is “Apt Pupil,” the inspiration for the film of the same name about top high school student Todd Bowden and his obsession with the dark and deadly past of an older man in town.

In “The Body,” four rambunctious young boys plunge through the façade of a small town and come face-to-face with life, death, and intimations of their own mortality. This novella became the movie Stand By Me.

Finally, a disgraced woman is determined to triumph over death in “The Breathing Method.”

“The wondrous readability of his work, as well as the instant sense of communication with his characters, are what make Stephen King the consummate storyteller that he is,” hailed the Houston Chronicle about Different Seasons.”


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Rating: 100/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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Stand by Me (1986) (R)

Apt Pupil (1998) (R)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) (R)

Secret Window (1994) (PG-13)

The Langoliers (1994) (PG-13)

Under The Dome - Season 1 (2013) (13+)

Dreamcatcher (2003) (R)

Cell (2016) (R)

Bag of Bones Season 1 (2012) (13+)

Dolores Claiborne (1995) (R)

It (1990) (R)

It (2017) (R)

It Chapter Two (2019) (R)

Needful Things (1993) (R)

Desperation (2006) (16+)

Silver Bullet (1985) (R)

The Tommyknockers (1993) (M)

Christine (1983) (R)

The Dead Zone (1983) (R)

Misery (1990) (R)

Carrie (1976) (R)

Firestarter (1984) (R)

Mr. Mercedes Season 01 (2017) (TV-MA)

Thinner (1996) (R)

The Running Man (1987) (R)

The Dark Half (1993) (R)

The Green Mile (1999) (16+)

Salem’s Lot (1979) (G)

Salem’s Lot: The Miniseries (2004) (NR)

The Dark Tower 8 Book Boxed Set (Paperback)

The Dark Tower (2017) (PG-13)

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