Skeleton Crew by Stephen King
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Book Reviews of Skeleton Crew
Book Review: If You Only Read One Collection In <insert timeframe here>
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was the very first thing I ever read by King, and it truly convinced me he wasn't just another horrible, talentless, light-faire and no-brains-necissary commercial writer (ok, no names, but some initials of such writers are: MHC and DS.) This collection blew me away with it's variety and wonderful stories. To date, this is the only true Short Story collection of King's I have read (aside from a handful of stories from Nightmares & Dreamscapes, which didn't even compare.) The book opens with a lengthy (140ish page) story called The Mist; while a bit hard on one's suspention of disbelief, I loved it and felt it was a strong story. Other stories that really stuck in my mind and won't dislodge themselves are Gramma, The Monkey, Nona, Here There Be Tigers (very short and childish, but appealing in a way I can't quite put my finger on), The Raft, and Mrs. Todd's Shortcut. This is just naming a few of the stories I felt were above and beyond. Very seldom do I read an anthology or collection with such a high percentage of stories I like. Of course, like any such book, it has its duds, but they are few and far between. This is a great introduction to King, and a must-read collection if you're already a fan.
Book Review: Great short fiction from a master storyteller
Summary: 5 Stars
The overall collection is simply superb. This is the 40th Stephen King book I've read and I still want more. In this collection we get to see King at his eerie best with such stories as "The Monkey", "Word Processor of the Gods", "Gramma", and "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet." Hard core horror shines through in "Survivor Type", "Cain Rose Up", and of course we get the masterpiece novella, "The Mist" included in this overall collection as well. These stories demonstrate King's vast talent for story telling, not just delivering bloody, evil horror but also showing us real characters. I love the way that King can get into the characters so well that I recognize people from my own life who are exactly like that.
Almost all of these stories first appeared elsewhere, having been published in one magazine or another and many of them at a time in King's early career when he really needed a paycheck. Perhaps desperation produces truly quality output because there are lots of gems in this collection. This is a must read for horror fans in general or just those that like a well-told story.
Book Review: The flavor of the old King
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a great fan of all Stephen King books. I've read more than 20 titles. Being an admirer of King's terror implies also that I really like thrilling stories. And that's this book's all about. You can really feel the taste of the old terror tales of Stephen King, the kind of flavor I think has been lessened within the years. Considering it's composed of a series of short stories, there aren't weak points when compared to full stories like Cemetery. The fellings and sensations are the same.
What really atracted me to buy this book was the first story, "The Mist". After I watched The movie "Silent Hill", I found out that movie is inspired by this tale, because both o them, the story "The Mist" and the movie, have this thick and gory fog. Considering that I love Stephen King, that really suited me up.
But, in the end, all the stories turned out to be as good as the first. That's the reason you shouldn't miss it, especially if you are a fan.
Book Review: A "Crew" Of Engrossing, Enthralling Tales
Summary: 5 Stars
Stephen King has put out quite a few story collections over the years. This one might just be the finest.
The main thing that struck me about this collection was the number (and thus length) of the enclosed stories. Whereas many of King's other collections feature 3-4 novellas or 7-8 50-pagers, this tome contains 15+ tales, many of which are only 15-20 pages long.
The shorter tales in this book are by-and-large the best. The longer-winded ones actually are the only stale parts. Those quick-hitters are easily some of (if not THE) best short fiction King ever put to press.
Without going into specifics on individual stories, "Skeleton Key" will entertain you on nearly every page. This is King at his best, weaving suspense, emotion, fantasy, and even comedy into a tapestry of multiple stories. Basically, if you are a King fan whatsoever, there is no reason why you shouldn't add this one to your collection.
Book Review: God I hate stephen king
Summary: 5 Stars
Stephen king is a terrible writer, in my opinion. Lots of times he uses rough, offensive imagery in place of eloquent writing. while I'm sure that has it's place, it usually just offends me. which is why I hate to say it, but this is a very good collection of short stories. I don't think anyone could find a better collection of pop literature. there are very many very good ones in here, which I still think about sometimes, years later. the best stories (to my recollection, I don't have the book here) are "the Jaunt" and "the Mist" and "Survivor type" and "gramma" (that one is really scary) and "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" (which is terrifying in it's own way). each of those stories merits a reading, so I recommend you purchse the book. ignore what other reviewers have said, just read the stories I've told you to read. then write to me and thank me for turning you on to them.