OK, so I'm in the minority.

I did remember a number of these stories that I loved as a teen. For instance, The Mist (the movie version of which is the most harrowing horror movie ending EVER), The Jaunt, and Mrs Todd's Shortcut. And you'll never hear me downplay King's writing chops.

However, my problem with this entire collection is the portrayal of the women. They are either pathetic doormats for the menfolk, or pathetic, fat, unlikeable bigots. There are also nasty, bitchy teen girls and the evil ones.

Then there's the loving Mother-of-a-boy who is too distracted by other matters to see what said son is dealing with.

Yes, King is a great craftsman when it comes to writing, and a great storyteller. But so was H.P. Lovecraft, and we all know about his predilection towards white supremacy hegemony. I haven't read any of King's latest works but I think I'll be steering clear for a while.

I'm not sure if King has improved in his depiction of women in his newer works, but based on this collection, it's a concern.

Maybe he'll surprise me and show more depth and diversity in his female characters in the future. But for now, I'm a bit disappointed.

Stephen King is a renowned author known for his diverse and captivating works. Here are some of his stories:

1. "The Mist" (1980) - Set in a supermarket and笼罩 in a mysterious mist, King creates a masterpiece. The plot and finale are better than the movie, excellent! (9.5/10).

2. "Here There Be Tygers" (1968) - A short and unremarkable story (5/10).

3. "The Monkey" (1980) - A story with a satanic children's game, I didn't rate it.

4. "Cain Rose Up" (1968) - A student at the end of exams goes to his room in the dormitory and takes something out from under the bed... (5/10).

5. "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" (1984) - Mrs. Todd is obsessed with finding the shortest route to a destination in her car and setting new records. Fantastic! (9/10).

6. "The Jaunt" (1981) - Chronicles of a future era where a family waits in the waiting room to travel from Earth to Mars by teleportation (8/10).

7. "The Wedding Gig" (1980) - Gangster and witty, set in a wedding reception in 1927 (7/10).

8. "Paranoid: A Chant" - A poem about paranoia.

9. "The Raft" (1982) - Autumn and a group of students, reminiscing about the departing summer, go for a last swim in a pool in the center of a remote lake (8/10).

10. "Word Processor of the Gods" (1983) - An uncle receives a self-made computer from his recently deceased nephew (8/10).

11. "The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands" (1981) - A man carries a curse... (I skipped it).

12. "Beachworld" (1984) - A sci-fi dud (3/10).

13. "The Reaper's Image" (1969) - Mediocre, fortunately short (5/10).

14. "Nona" (1978) - A short road trip with a young soul (6/10).

15. "For Owen" - A poem.

16. "Survivor Type" (1982) - A shipwrecked surgeon on an island, a bit of a gorefest here (6/10).

17. "Uncle Otto's Truck" (1983) - Mediocre (5/10).

18. "Morning Deliveries (Milkman #1)" - Unremarkable (3/10).

19. "Big Wheels: A Tale of the Laundry Game (Milkman #2)" (1980) - I skipped it...

20. "Gramma" (1984) - If H.P. Lovecraft read it, he would laugh (2/10).

21. "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" (1984) - One evening, an editor tells two couples how a writer's madness and paranoia gradually transferred to him (9/10).

22. "The Reach" (1981) - I skipped it...

This review is for the abridged version of the book, as that is what I had available from the library.

The Raft is a rather frightening tale. There is a really icky scene where an entity devours something. I would rate it 3.5 stars.

Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut is a story that spoke strongly to me for some reason. Maybe it reminds me of long drives on a highway bordered by endless trees. The idea of finding shorter ways between destinations by traveling through possibly dangerous paths was my favorite in this collection. I give it 4.5 stars.

The Monkey is another interesting story. King likes to play with the idea of a malevolent presence within inanimate objects. Here, it is a monkey toy. The story is creepy and I rate it 4 stars.

Gramma, on the other hand, was a story that I kept tuning out on. I would only give it 2 stars.

Overall, considering all the stories, I would rate this collection 3.5 Jangs.

The stories in this book present a rather mixed bag. Some of them truly hit the mark, while others might not quite land as well. However, on the whole, it's definitely a superior anthology compared to Night Shift.

The stories that I derived the most enjoyment from include The Mist, Cain Rose Up, The Jaunt, The Reaper’s Image, Nona, and Gramma.

Nevertheless, if I had to single out the very best stories within this collection, I would have to say that The Mist, The Reaper’s Image, and Gramma stand out. Stephen King is undeniably a master when it comes to the art of the short story. His ability to craft engaging and often spine-chilling tales is truly remarkable.

As for other anthologies of his that I have on my reading list, they are Just After Sunset, Four Past Midnight, Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales, and Nightmares and Dreamscapes. I'm really looking forward to delving into these and experiencing more of King's literary genius.

I firmly believe that there are certain matters that our brains simply reject. There exist things of such profound darkness and horror - just as, I assume, there are things of such remarkable beauty - that are unable to pass through the tiny human gates of perception.

Oh, how I have an intense love for a short story collection, and King accomplishes it so extremely well!! Among the 22 stories in this collection, The Mist, The Monkey, and Gramma are my absolute favorite tales. However, all of them are wonderfully disturbing stories that keep you on the edge of your seat. They have the power to make you question the boundaries of your own imagination and perception. Each story is like a little journey into the unknown, filled with twists and turns that will leave you gasping for breath. King's ability to create such vivid and terrifying worlds is truly remarkable, and it's no wonder that he is considered one of the greatest horror writers of all time.

Whether you're a die-hard horror fan or just looking for a good read, this short story collection is definitely worth checking out. You won't be disappointed!

I was extremely unsure about how to rate this collection, as I found two of the poems rather dull and truly despised "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut". But what about the rest? Well, it's so excellent that I can't hold myself back from awarding 5 stars.

Writing an accurate review for each individual story would be a real headache. Nevertheless, I decided to spend a "few" words on a handful of them.

I had already read "The Mist" a month ago and must say that this second reading made me appreciate it even more.

The story commences with a violent thunderstorm that cuts off the power in the town of Bridgton. The following morning, David Drayton heads to the grocery store with his young son to stock up on supplies.

A thick mist rolls in from the nearby lake, obscuring everything beyond a few feet. As more and more people seek refuge in the store, tensions escalate. Some believe they should stay put and wait for rescue, while others desire to venture out into the mist to find help or escape. As they debate their options, it becomes evident that something sinister is lurking outside.

King's writing is masterful in its capacity to create tension and suspense. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the store as people huddle together for safety is palpable. The fear and paranoia that grip the characters are contagious, making it impossible not to feel on edge while reading.

What makes "The Mist" so effective is not just its monsters, but also its exploration of human nature under extreme circumstances. As resources dwindle and hope fades, some characters become desperate and turn on each other. Others cling to their faith or attempt to maintain their humanity even as they face unimaginable horrors.

"The Raft" is likely one of the finest short stories King has ever penned.

Four college students decide to swim out to a raft on a remote lake. However, when they reach the raft, they discover that something deadly lurks beneath the water's surface. As night falls and temperatures drop, things take a turn for the worse.

One of King's greatest strengths as a writer is his ability to create vivid characters who feel like real people rather than just plot devices. In this story, he does an outstanding job of establishing the personalities and relationships of the four friends, which makes their plight all the more harrowing.

Another aspect that stands out is its use of setting. The remote lake feels like a character in its own right, with its eerie stillness and sense of isolation adding to the overall sense of dread.

"The Raft" is a classic Stephen King story that showcases his ability to create tension and terror in even the most mundane settings.

"Survivor Type" is the most gruesome story of the bunch.

King delves into the limits of human endurance and the dark side of the survival instinct. The story is written as the diary of Richard Pine, a former surgeon who is shipwrecked on a tiny island in the Pacific with no food, water, or hope of rescue.

He reveals in his diary entries that he was smuggling heroin on a cruise ship when it exploded and sank, and that he has a history of malpractice and corruption in his medical career. He blames everyone else for his misfortunes and vows to get revenge on those who wronged him. Pine's only companions on the island are his logbook, his surgical kit, and his stash of heroin. He attempts to survive by eating whatever he can find: insects, seaweed, seagulls. But soon he runs out of options and faces starvation.

As the situation becomes more dire, he begins to lose touch with reality and becomes increasingly delusional.

How far would you go to survive?

"Gramma" is truly terrifying. It plays on our fears about family relationships. We're taught from a young age that we should love and respect our elders no matter what they do, but what happens when that love and respect is misplaced? George loves his grandmother, but he's also afraid of her. He knows that something is wrong, but he doesn't want to believe that his own flesh and blood could be capable of such evil.

This one scared me so much I had to turn the lights on.

"The Monkey" is one of my all-time favorites.

It follows Hal, a man who has been haunted by a toy monkey since he was a child. He inherited the toy from his father, who was a merchant mariner and disappeared mysteriously. Hal suspects that the monkey had something to do with his father's fate. It seems to have a life of its own and begins to wreak havoc on Hal's family, as every time the toy claps its cymbals a tragedy occurs. He tried to get rid of the monkey several times, but it would always come back to him somehow.

The tension in the story builds steadily, with each new incident involving the monkey becoming more terrifying than the last.

A classic example of King's ability to create suspense and terror with simple objects and situations, the story explores themes such as childhood trauma, family bonds, guilt, and fate. It also shows how something innocent and playful can turn into something sinister and deadly.

"Beachworld" is an eerie tale taking place on an uncharted planet made of sand, where two astronauts crash-land with no hope of rescue. As they struggle to survive in this hostile environment, they begin to realize that something is not quite right about their surroundings.

As the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is something sinister at work, as the sand seems to be a sentient entity that wants nothing more than to consume everything in its path.

This story shows how a seemingly harmless environment can become a deadly trap for those who succumb to its allure.

This is a wonderful collection, well-balanced with diverse stories. There were a few weak texts, but the overall impression was mostly positive.

Quite often in the reviews, "Imlu", "Mavpu", and "Dzhont" are mentioned. They are great, no doubt, and for some reason, "Plit" - the awesome bodybuilder - is rarely mentioned. He is really cool and makes you drool.

I'm eagerly waiting for the Ukrainian translation. It's a must-have in your home library

The averaged rating for this collection is 3.4 stars. However, it has been rounded up to 4 stars. The reason for this is that some of the lower rated stories were actually quite short.

I had a great time listening to the audiobook of this collection. One of the main reasons for this was the wide variety of narrators. Each narrator brought a unique flavor to the stories, making the listening experience even more enjoyable.

Now, let's take a look at the individual ratings of the stories. "The Mist" received a rating of 3.5 stars. "Here There Be Tygers" got 3 stars. "The Monkey" was rated 4 stars. "Cain Rose Up" had a relatively low rating of 2 stars. "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" was given 2.5 stars. "The Jaunt" was a standout with a perfect 5 stars. "The Wedding Gig" unfortunately only managed a 1.5 star rating. "Paranoid: A Chant" was rated 2.5 stars. "The Raft" also received 5 stars. "Word Processor of the Gods" got 4 stars. "The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands" was rated 4 stars. "Beachworld" had a rating of 3 stars. "The Reaper's Image" was given 3.5 stars. "Nona" got 4 stars. "For Owen" had a very low rating of 1 star. "Survivor Type" was rated 4 stars. "Uncle Otto's Truck" received 3.5 stars. "Morning Deliveries (Milkman #1)" was a hit with a 4.5 star rating. "Big Wheels: A Tale of the Laundry Game (Milkman #2)" got 3 stars. "Gramma" was rated 4 stars. "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" also received 4.5 stars. "The Reach" was given 2.5 stars.

Overall, this collection offers a diverse range of stories with a variety of ratings. It's definitely worth checking out, especially if you enjoy audiobooks with different narrators.

"The Skeleton Crew" is a collection of over 20 stories and novellas by Stephen King. The same old good King, with texts from the 70s and 80s. I bought this collection on the opening day of "Sens" in Frankfurt and read it for two reasons: to enjoy good controlled horror (rather than uncontrolled horror in the news), and to take a look at the short prose of the "King of Horrors" for observation. I successfully fulfilled both desires.

Absolutely most of the texts were very much to my liking. In particular, the very cool novellas "The Mist" (there is a great movie adaptation) and "The Monkey" (has it already been in a movie?), the story about a terrifying teleportation "The Long Walk", about how a girl was saved from a black spot on a lake "The Raft", about how a letter becomes very all-powerful "The Word Processor of the Gods", about how much a person wants to survive in absolutely unfavorable conditions "The Man Who Would Not Die", and about the fact that grandmothers are not always good and bake pies "Gramma". A few more average, for King, stories, and a couple that for some reason didn't resonate at all - "Paranoid: Canticle", "Nona", "Uncle Otto's Truck" and two texts about a milkman.

Near the end, I even got a little tired of King and his immersion in the next story, in which you know that surely nothing good will happen. Therefore, I recommend reading in moderation, not in a row, if you feel something similar.

It was also interesting to look at the plot construction, the revelation of characters, the formation of suspense, dialogues and how King adds horror to reality. At the end, he himself tells how the ideas for these or those stories were born, and this was also very valuable to read.

I finished Skeleton Crew with tears streaming down my face. I had a vague recollection of having read "The Reach" before, but as it turns out, I hadn't. It was a completely new and deeply moving experience for me, hitting me right in the feels. As I pen this review, I'm still trying to gather my thoughts and emotions, so please bear with me if I seem a bit scatterbrained. My Fornit died, and now I'm left to do this job all by myself.

By the time this collection was published in 1985, Stephen King was already a literary icon. His fame was enormous, perhaps only surpassed by his struggles with substance abuse. He was like the Bruce Springsteen of the horror genre. According to King himself, his study was a nightly party for one, filled with flowing beer and readily available nose candy. It's clear that King wasn't in the best mental state during most of the eighties. He warns the reader in the introduction that writing short stories had become increasingly difficult for him over the years. Novel deadlines made it hard to find time for shorter tales, and everything he put into his Word Processor of the Gods seemed to want to expand to six hundred pages. This is painfully evident in this collection. Some of the stories here should have been left on the cutting room floor, and several others could have used a bit of trimming. However, most of what's presented is great, hence the four stars. But King really goes overboard with the verbosity in this one. It's a problem I have with a lot of his work from this decade.

After the charming and mood-setting introduction by King himself, things kick off with "The Mist," the first of several stories in Skeleton Crew about ordinary people trapped and facing almost certain death due to otherworldly circumstances. "The Mist" is a novella, and I absolutely love every word of it. King may overwrite in some places in this book, but not in this story. Thanks to "The Mist," I now have a healthy fear of mist. Some of my other favorites include "The Ballad Of The Flexible Bullet," a delightfully paranoid tale that King could only have written during his cocaine days; "The Raft," which was my favorite in this collection for a long time; "The Monkey," a story that doesn't get the love it deserves; "The Reach," the aforementioned story that brought me to tears; "The Jaunt," which, in my opinion, has one of King's most haunting endings yet; and "Cain Rose Up," a story that other reviewers seem to dislike but that I can't help but enjoy.

That being said, there are several stories here that really should have been axed. "Here There Be Tygers" makes no sense and is just a gimmick; the two "Milkman" stories also lack coherence and don't really go anywhere. "Uncle Otto's Truck," a story about a haunted truck, feels tired and overdone. King has explored this theme many times in his career. I also don't care for "For Owen" at all, and "Paranoid: A Chant" should have been incorporated into "The Ballad Of The Flexible Bullet" where it belongs. It's a shame that this collection is somewhat weighed down by so many lackluster entries, because there are several true classics here. This one just isn't very consistent. If you're looking for something more consistent, I might recommend Night Shift or Just After Sunset.

All in all, this is still a collection well worth checking out. It was released during King's "classic" period, so it's definitely a must-have for any King fan. The theme of external isolation and humanity's will to survive is explored beautifully in "The Mist," "Beachworld," "Survivor Type," and "The Raft." I also like the "Do you love?" motif in this book, which gives the collection a better sense of unity than it might otherwise have. This is definitely a strong read, and I'll be coming back to my favorites for years to come.

King connections:

("The Mist": David Clayton, the main character, describes someone as "looking like a crazy gunslinger in an existential comedy." It's theorized that The Shop is at least partially responsible for the mist. When David and others go to the pharmacy, they encounter an "otherworldly" presence in the shape of a spider. Could this be related to IT? Totally possible, as that book was published the following year.

"Mrs. Todd's Shortcut": It takes place in Castle Rock, the setting of many King novels and short stories. Joe Camber of Cujo is mentioned, and Haven gets a shout out.

"The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands": This can be seen as a spiritual successor to "The Breathing Method," even referencing the earlier novella. It involves the same strange story-telling club from Different Seasons.

"Nona": Also set in Castle Rock, firmly placing it in the same universe as "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" and other King stories. The narrator mentions getting "messed up" by Ace Merrill, and growing up in Harlow, Maine. Vern Tessio of "The Body" gets a brief mention.

"Uncle Otto's Truck": Both Derry and Castle Rock play important roles.

"Gramma": Cora Simard and Henrietta Dodd are mentioned. George, the protagonist, listens to their phone conversation. Cora's daughter, Rhonda, was a tormentor of Carrie White. Henrietta Dodd was the mother of Frank Dodd. Joe Camber gets another mention. This story takes place near Castle Rock in 1977-ish.

Favorite story: "The Ballad Of The Flexible Bullet"

Least favorite story: "Big Wheels: A Tale Of The Laundry Game (Milkman #2)"

Favorite quote: “I sit on the bench in front of Bell's Market and think about Homer Buckland and about the beautiful girl who leaned over to open his door when he come down that path with the full red gasoline can in his right hand - she looked like a girl of no more than sixteen, a girl on her learner's permit, and her beauty was terrible, but I believe it would no longer kill the man it turned itself on; for a moment her eyes lit on me, I was not killed, although a part of me died at her feet.” (from "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut")

Up next: It's everything you ever were afraid of. It's... IT.

Coming in with high expectations! Stephen King short story collections are always exceptional and I'm sure Skeleton Crew will be no different.

A few stories I've read before (like The Mist) but it's been long enough I don't mind revisiting. Might read out-of-order to prioritize \\"The Monkey\\" before the movie comes out. So I don't forget my reactions along the way, I'll update this review as I finish each story.

1. The Mist (1980) - 1000/10
Expiation! Skeleton Crew is filled with killer stories, but The Mist is an immortal classic all by itself. Most writers wouldn't set their creepy fog and beast story in a grocery store. King understands people, though. By giving them food and safety, the conflict focuses on interpersonal drama, which is far scarier than anything supernatural.

We're soon introduced to Mrs. Carmody, who I would argue is one of King's finest creations. Her ability to develop a cult following and convince skeptics of her fanaticism overnight becomes the real horror of the novel—even if it is a relatively small side plot overall. King's ability to handle a large list of characters, each with their own world of trouble, is truly remarkable. Somehow each character has their moment in the spotlight and broadens the fictional world around them.

I am convinced that, when Yellowstone erupts, the nukes drop, asteroids, or whatever real horror will one day happen, if there are people trapped in a grocery store at the time, life will play out exactly as Stephen King wrote it in this novel. It's perfectly attuned to human nature, and the uniquely human habit of making a bad situation worse.

My only critical comment is that I believe the 2007 Frank Darabont film adaptation has a better ending. Darabont's ending is devastating and shocking, but it feels more in tune with the themes of the novel: we're all one giant spider away from doing unimaginable things. Or, as the movie tagline says, \\"Fear changes everything.\\" The monsters are little more than setting. Humanity under duress is the real creepy crawly.

Despite the novel's room-for-improvement ending, there's no question it's a masterpiece. Maybe in some ways it's just a reimagining of the old Twilight Zone episode \\"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street\\" (okay maybe in a lot of ways) but King certainly puts his signature stamp on it. I might daringly say The Mist belongs in King's Top 10 novels of all time, even without the aid of numerous other standouts collected in Skeleton Crew.

2. Here There Be Tygers (1968) - 4/5
Curious! This seems to be Stephen King's way of addressing anxiety young boys have around gender. Wrought with the need to pee, a third grader (already burning with shame after his teacher embarrassed him) must choose between relieving his bursting bladder in the boys room, where there is a hungry tiger waiting to eat him, or the girls room. The girls room is nearby, empty, and tiger-free. Nevertheless, he would rather die (and he might) than risk being caught in there. Just a vignette but intriguing subject matter. Love it!

3. The Monkey (1980) - 4.5/5
Falls somewhere on the line of horror lineage that includes \\"The Monkey's Paw\\" and Richard Matheson's \\"Button, Button.\\" Only both of those stories give evil power to the owner of a cursed artifact. Here, the curse befalls anyone within general proximity of a toy monkey and there's no wish fulfillment. Only death. Seems likely R.L. Stine borrowed much from this story with his Night of the Living Dummy franchise.

It's full stars for premise, for sure. Only slightly disappointing that King didn't give us characters who jump off the page. Usually he would do a full psychological dive, and the monkey would exploit those mental weaknesses for its evil amusement. Instead, the monkey simply enjoys killing and the characters are irrelevant and interchangeable.

I just watched the trailer for the upcoming movie. Looks like they are amping up the body count, giving it a Final Destination makeover, and going for full comedy. Purists may be disappointed, but I actually think that's a smart choice of interpretation. King takes his premise seriously and goes for genuine chills, but when you step back and think about it, the whole thing is pretty silly. Switching out a cymbal-crashing monkey for a drumming monkey is disappointing, but I can imagine how a snare drum would be more visually appealing, eerie, and less annoying to the ear. I'm definitely down to give it a watch.

*Update: watched the movie and it was exactly as advertised. I thought it was hilarious while managing to even be poignant on occasion. For laughs over scares, but really well done.

4. Cain Rose Up (1968) - 3/5
Originally published when Stephen was just twenty. There's not much to this story beyond the dark image of a college student, depressed and under strain from a difficult exam, turning to mass homicide to deal with his feelings. Given the mental state of America then and now, the horror factor is largely due to its prophetic nature. Also feels like a companion to Rage, which was originally written around the same time. Very ballsy of the University of Maine to publish such a tale in their literary magazine Ubris.

5. Mrs. Todd's Shortcut (1984) - 4.5/5
Folksy King strikes again. This story is told through an exchange between two old men at a gas station. Plenty of \\"Ayuh\\" to go around with many more Maine-isms peppered throughout. The story takes time to heat up before it gets juicy. But once it does, there's no turning away. Old man Homer shares his extraordinary experience with Mrs. Ophelia Todd shortly before she vanished many years ago. Mrs. Todd had been obsessed with back roads and finding shortcuts not always printed on maps. But some of her shortcuts are so good they're otherworldly...

On its own, the story is an impressive use of ultra-realism mixed with mystical intrigue. Not everyone will love the technique. Many readers might actually give up before getting to the good part. The narrative technique is chillingly effective, however, and worth the effort.

More broadly, the story has a lot of connection to other works in the Stephen King universe. There's the Castle Rock setting and Cujo references, possibly a Chrstine-like car, but mostly I wondered if the world uncovered in Fairy Tale (2022) is the same one along Mrs. Todd's shortcuts. I think it is!

6. The Jaunt (1981) - 5/5
I see why this is a fan favorite. King imagines the invention and eventual consumerism of a teleportation-like device. Many deaths arise during the testing period, but the potential for unspeakable horror remains even after kinks are worked out. Wonderful pacing and sense of impending doom. Would be an excellent Black Mirror episode. There's already been talk of a feature film or television series. Considerable plot would need to be added for that to work, I think, but the world-building is strong enough for the premise to be easily expanded into a bigger storyline.

I would have liked the ending of King's Revival more had I read The Jaunt first. They are very different stories but play in the same sandbox.

7. The Wedding Gig (1980) - 3/5
Set during prohibition, a jazz band leader receives an odd invitation to play at a racketeer's sister's wedding. The pay is excessive, suggesting something amiss may happen. And it does. The story was originally published in the December, 1980, issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, which makes sense. There's a noir atmosphere appropriate for that magazine, but perhaps out of place in this collection.

The ending includes a brief rhapsody on the cruelty of fat-shaming and racism during the era, but only after the protagonist has filled pages with fat jokes and a regretful use of the N-word in front of his Black friend. This makes the concluding take-away message feel a bit out of left field for me. Still, cohesive or not, it's a can't-look-away story that grabs and doesn't let go. Next!

8. Paranoid: A Chant (1985) - 5/5
This poem offers the musings of a paranoid person. Maybe it's the FBI out to get them, maybe it's the CIA, but whoever they are, they're always watching, always waiting for their opportunity. The speaker is particularly disturbed by the presence of a man in a raincoat outside, smoking a cigarette. Just imagine how they'd feel if Alexa was around back then!

It's a fine poem offering disturbing imagery, noir vibes to compliment \\"The Wedding Gig\\" and a great unanswered question. Is the narrator crazy or is someone really out to get them? Feels very much like King channeling his inner Edgar Allan Poe. Dark Tower fans will also notice parallels in structure and description to the sweeping epic. Love it.

9. The Raft (1982) - 10/5
Ooh! I forget how nasty old-school King can get. What a glorious episode of gore and terror, with a very unique monster to combat. Characters are perhaps more generic than usual, but the misogyny and angst of kids in their late teens offer interpersonal conflict well-paired with the beasty.

For some reason, King (already famous by 1982) originally published the story as a bonus booklet in the nudie magazine Gallery. Of course, back then Playboy and its many impersonators were willing to spend big bucks on high profile contributors. Perhaps the venue added just the right amount of sleazy influence to make this story so deliciously wild. It might also explain the random, but highly memorable, sex scene.

Another aside to Stine fans, it's likely the inspiration for Monster Blood came from this story.

10. Word Processor of the Gods (1983) - 5/5
Only old-school King could take us on this dark journey. We dive into the mind of a father/husband/brother after a supernatural word processor gives him supreme power. What he wishes for is quite the opposite of what we see in \\"The Monkey's Paw\\" but no doubt startingly relevant to a lot of people journeying along the human experience. A slow first few pages, and it seems like there's a lot of names to memorize, but soon it becomes impossible to turn away. A standout.

For those keeping track of which Skeleton Crew stories clearly influenced R.L. Stine, I would identify The Blob That Ate Everyone and The Cuckoo Clock of Doom as titles borrowing heavily from this one.

11. The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands (1981) - 5/5
A chilling supernatural story told through the recollections of an elderly man sitting by a fire. The tone is very M.R. James and I have no doubt this story began with King challenging himself to write a story in the vein of James and other classic ghost story authors. He absolutely pulls it off. Riveting from beginning to end.

12. Beachworld (1984) - 4/5
Probably the scariest story about sand since Michael McDowell's The Elementals (1981). There's some nice Star Wars type influence here that is uncommon for King but once again proves he can write anything. Perhaps leaves the reader with too many questions and yearning for more.

13. The Reaper's Image (1969) - 4/5
Another story from King's younger, pre-Carrie days. Unsettling throughout and something to recall when shopping for antiques. The ending isn't great, but it's fine. Likely Stine lifted elements from this story as well for his popular Goosebumps title Let's Get Invisible.

14. Nona (1978) - 5/5
I fucking love this story. Takes \\"love will make you crazy\\" to a whole new level. The visuals, the characterization, the premise of a prospective lover infiltrating your brain to make you do unspeakable things... it's all superb. The body count is wild. I can't get enough. A stand-out for sure.

15. For Owen (1985) - 4/5
Aw, a cute poem about Stephen walking his son, Owen, to school. Owen ponders what type of students attend school on Fruit Street. Perhaps tardy watermelons, slowed down by their weight, and little blueberry-people who get picked on for their small size? There's a tinge of darkness where King metaphorically suggests he plagiarizes his son's youthful imagination for his own purposes (\\"I steal your face...and wear it for my own\\") but it never quite works because \\"it wears out fast on my face.\\" I suspect the aging message (\\"dying's an art and I am learning fast\\") is an overdramatic rumination of someone on the cusp of turning 40. Don't worry, young King, you've got lots of life left!

16. Survivor Type (1982) - 10/5
Oh! Now this is nasty. I love it! A guy stranded on a tiny island with nothing to eat but heroin is willing to do anything to survive. And I do mean anything. Like the \\"The Yellow Wallpaper\\" in terms of descent into madness and imagery, but also not and very male and very gory. A major highlight.

17. Uncle Otto's Truck (1983) - 4.5/5
Like Poe's \\"The Tell-Tale Heart\\" but the dismembered corpse under the floorboards rises up and fulfills his vulture-eyed revenge. Only it's a haunted truck in rural Maine. Great stuff.

18. Morning Deliveries (Milkman #1) (1985) - 4/5
A milkman drives into a nice neighborhood. The scene couldn't be more quaint. But soon it becomes clear this is a disturbed and dangerous individual. What happens next? Consider me intrigued!

19. Big Wheels: A Tale of the Laundry Game (Milkman #2) (1980) - 3/5
Hmmm... not sure about this one. It was adapted from an unfinished novel titled, aptly, The Milkman. The premise of a milkman serial killer is fun. This particular sequence feels out-of-place without more context, though, and the prior preamble does little to reduce confusion. Oh well, not all of them can be winners. Next!

20. Gramma (1984) - 10/5
So freaky, so fun! As you might guess by the title, this is a grandma horror story. The pacing toward impending doom is glorious and the imagery will haunt you for life. Not saying any more than that because you'll want to be surprised.

Another note for Goosebumps fans: R.L. Stine clearly borrowed elements from this tale when writing his Invasion of the Body Squeezers.

21. The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet (1984) - 4/5
\\"Where do you get your ideas?\\" Perhaps annoyed, and mystified, by this question every author is asked most, King offers a chilling explanation. Chilling and funny, I should clarify, because we are dealing with elves and feeding food to typewriters.

King's portrayal of madness, however, is fully frightening. The concept of madness spreading like a disease actually freaked me out. Especially in today's times, when so much of the population seems to live in a headspace devoid of reality. The story kept me rattled with anxiety and furiously reading to the end, despite being one of the longer entries in the collection. Not a favorite, but also not one I'll soon forget.

22. The Reach (1981) - 4/5
King has long been a ponderer of death and what happens after. This is one of his more uplifting visions of the afterlife that comes across as pretty nice, I must say. The premise involves a 95-year-old woman who lives on an island off the coast of Maine. She has never traveled to the mainland, feeling satisfied with her community and all that she has on the island. As her cancer progresses, however, she feels a calling to walk across frozen ice to reach the mainland. Chilling images appear along the way. It's a lovely story and good final close to the collection.

Overall......
Even with my high expectations, King delivered! These are largely all excellent stories with intriguing premises and unique adventures. It doesn't feel as \\"cohesive\\" as maybe other King collections, but a potpourri of spooky always works for me. I would recommend starting with Night Shift if you want to try King short stories for the first time, but Skeleton Crew is right behind. I'm also a huge fan of his newest story collection,

I read this a long time ago!

I don't usually have a great affinity for short stories. However, for some reason, I remember vividly that I loved all of these.

Maybe it was the unique charm that each story possessed. The characters were so vividly portrayed that they seemed to come alive in my mind.

The plots were engaging and full of twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

Even though they were short, they managed to convey deep emotions and profound messages.

These short stories truly left a lasting impression on me, and I often find myself thinking about them even now.

They have shown me that sometimes, a story doesn't need to be long and elaborate to be powerful and memorable.