Do you know that feeling we have when we arrive home after a very long trip? Well, something similar is what I feel when reading certain authors, and Stephen King is and will always be one of them.

This book is composed of 3 quite different short stories, and that's what has caught my attention the most and seemed the most curious to me, the drastic difference in theme they have.

The first one, and which gives the name to the anthology, is the most well-known, especially because of the 2007 adaptation that was very successful and well-received. The plot of the story draws from the mythical同名 work of John Carpenter, but that's the only thing they have in common because although they have the same name, they tell us two different stories. Above all, I highlight King's ability to represent society as a whole in a sublime way within the four walls of a supermarket. The movie is quite faithful to the story, basically changing the ending, and I must say that although the ending of the story didn't disappoint me, I prefer the one in the movie.

"The Monkey" seemed to me the most disturbing of the three, and I would even say that it's the story by King that has given me the worst vibes. Although it felt a bit heavy in some parts and the ending, although not bad, I would have preferred it in a different way, overall I liked it and it fulfilled its purpose: to disturb me.

"Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" has been my favorite. A story that is not at all terrifying, although it is curious and in some moments disturbing. But the general feeling it transmits is one of "tenderness". It leaves a lot to the reader's imagination and that can be a double-edged sword, but in this case I think it fits perfectly with the story. Sometimes it's better not to know certain things for sure and let the imagination fly.

Three very different stories from each other, but that do have something in common: King's prose, which wraps you up and doesn't let you go until you've turned the last page of the book.

Rating 2.5

This is the first book by King that I have read and to be honest, I'm not charmed. There are definitely many better ones. However, I won't give up on his creativity.

One of the things that I didn't like was the presentation of too many heroes in too short a period. And another thing that I wasn't a big fan of was the end of the story.

Overall, I think that if this had been a historical novel instead of a novella, it would have been much better.

To admit to myself, I bought the book because of the beautiful cover!

5 Stars

I truly mean that this is one of my all-time favorite short stories. I vividly remember reading it twice in a single day because I was so completely enamored with it. In fact, I think I have now read it around five times, which is an astonishing number for me. This story never loses its charm or新鲜感 for me. And the ending - it is hands down one of my absolute favorite endings of any story EVER!

If you haven't yet seen the film adaptation, you should most definitely go and watch it too! You won't be let down. This book is a prime example that Stephen King is without a doubt one of the very best short story authors of all time!

“Dreams, after all, are insubstantial things, like mist itself.” This line really captures the ephemeral nature of our dreams.

“One of those terrible visions came to me - I think they are reserved exclusively for husbands and fathers - of the picture window blowing in with a low hard coughing sound and sending jagged arrows of glass into my wife's bare stomach, into my boy's face and neck. The horrors of the Inquisition are nothing compared to the fates your mind can imagine for your loved ones.” This passage is truly chilling and shows King's ability to create intense and vivid imagery that sticks with you.

This book is filled to the brim with horror, mystery, and the unknown. It is simply PERFECT!

It keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, and you can't help but be drawn into the dark and twisted world that King has created.

The reason it gets 3 stars has nothing to do with the story. Maybe it has a bit to do with the writing which just didn't click for me.

Mostly, it has to do with the fact that reading this for the first time in 2020 is a bit underwhelming. It just feels too familiar and predictable.

This is mostly because Stephen King has already influenced so much of the horror genre. As a result, reading some of his older works today doesn't have the same impact.

It is a bit unfair, but I always rate my books by how much I enjoyed reading them. In this case, while the story may have been good in its time, it didn't quite capture my attention in the same way as some of his more recent works or other contemporary horror novels.

However, I still recognize the significance of Stephen King's contributions to the genre and appreciate his ability to create engaging and memorable characters. Maybe if I had read this book when it was first published, I would have had a different perspective.

Overall, it was an okay read, but not one that I would highly recommend.

According to these foreigners, the Spooky Season and such things happened, and I also read a scary book because of this. Its movie is probably the first scary movie in my life. Why did my father and mother decide to watch this movie with their seven or eight-year-old child after lunch on a Friday afternoon? God knows

Starting off this year's October (horror month), we have a classic author who is sure to make you shiver: Stephen King.

I already knew the story as I had watched the movie adaptation ages ago, and I was certain I would like it.

The story goes like this: After a massive storm, the titular mist descends upon a community in Maine. But this is no ordinary mist; it brings with it unspeakable horrors, trapping a number of people in a supermarket.

Stephen King masterfully creates a very chilly and claustrophobic atmosphere in the supermarket, giving this novella a wonderfully haunting feel. The characters are somewhat authentic. I say somewhat because a certain yellow-clad old lady is almost too over the top. (On the other hand, I've seen some American preachers in tents and weird congregations that would be unthinkable here, so maybe my European mind just can't take it seriously.) And, as usual, the story delves deeper into the human mind and heart than it does into the monsters themselves (unless we consider humans as monsters, in which case we'd be right).

What really didn't sit well with me was that David had sex with Amanda. I understand they were both emotional and stressed, but I simply cannot excuse their behavior as they were both married. Moreover, like the author, I think the mind-fuck at the end of the movie was better than the ending of the novella (although this ending wasn't too bad either). It's quite funny, actually. I would have expected this kind of ending to be typically Hollywood and the movie's ending to be typically King.

There were three very powerful realizations in this story. Two of them I've already mentioned in my status updates: the horrible things we imagine can happen to our loved ones, and people following even the most bat-shit-insane person if they offer a solution (no matter how unrealistic) to a bad situation. And finally, when the group arrives at David's driveway only to discover that they cannot reach the house. To have come so far and yet be unable to make it the last few steps, to be completely helpless after clinging to hope for so long, and having to abandon your partner - it's extremely haunting.

Anyone looking for an atmospheric and creepy read will definitely find it here (along with a character study that might drive you crazy, but that's pretty "standard" King ;P).

The Mist is an outstanding monster story.

The entire plot mainly unfolds inside the supermarket (at least the largest and most terrifying one). After a foul storm, a strange mist emerges. And the things within it.

People fled from the mist and what lurks within it, and now they either have to wait for it to pass or take some dreadful action.

Not surprisingly, you encounter a few stereotypical characters (such as an old crazy doomsayer, a self-absorbed lawyer, an unassuming nice guy, and so on). The protagonist is trapped there with his five-year-old son.

As I mentioned earlier, it is a great monster story. I truly adored that aspect. Regrettably, in a story like this, I need to support the main character or at least accept his actions to some extent. That definitely doesn't occur here. I was enthralled by the story up to a certain point that was entirely unnecessary. It didn't advance the story. All it did was cause me to lose my interest.

Overall, The Mist has its strengths in the monster and horror elements, but the character development and the unnecessary plot twist detracted from my overall enjoyment.

Story 3.5 stars**

The story presented here is an interesting one. It has its own charm and manages to engage the reader to a certain extent. However, it doesn't quite reach the level of a full 5-star rating. There are some aspects that could be improved or developed further to make it even more captivating.

Audio 5 stars**

On the other hand, the audio aspect of this production is truly outstanding. It earns a full 5 stars. The quality of the audio is excellent, with clear sound and a great mix. It really enhances the overall experience of the story, making it come alive in a whole new way.

Narrator \\n  Will Patton\\n

The narrator, Will Patton, does an amazing job. His voice is engaging and he brings the characters and the story to life with his delivery. He has a great range and is able to convey the emotions and nuances of the story effectively. His performance is a major factor in the success of the audio version of this story.

Overall, while the story itself may have some room for improvement, the audio and the narrator more than make up for it. This is a great production that is well worth experiencing.

Relatos to which I had high expectations, especially because 2 of them are part of the supplementary readings of La Torre Oscura :p

I haven't seen the adaptation of La niebla, but I liked the story. I would have liked to know more about the military project, but the lack of knowledge about it made me feel like part of the group in the supermarket. Some decisions in the story seemed illogical to me, but I still enjoyed the situations presented.

The monkey, a rather silly premise, but its development I liked, despite the predictable ending.

Mrs. Todd's shortcut, many I have seen like this one... but it is the one I liked the least. I think it is because when they give me routes or directions... I get dizzy XD

My video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTJcw...

In conclusion, these relatos offered a mix of interesting and less appealing elements. While some aspects left me wanting more information or had illogical moments, others managed to engage and entertain me. The monkey story, despite its silly premise, had a development that held my attention. However, Mrs. Todd's shortcut just didn't click with me due to my personal difficulty with following directions. Overall, it was an experience that had its highs and lows, but still provided some food for thought and entertainment.

A thrilling short story by the King of Horror, which inspired a beautiful 2007 film and a terrifying TV series that fortunately ended after the first season, full of Lovecraftian elements: the diary told in the first person by the protagonist and the deadly creatures from another dimension, some so disturbing that they drive those who see them crazy, are indeed recurring tropes in the stories of the Solitary of Providence.

To these, King adds a careful and incisive analysis of human reactions in extreme and extraordinary situations: here too, there are those who give the best and the worst of themselves. The group of survivors imprisoned inside the supermarket quickly divides into two factions, one of which rapidly degenerates into a delirious congregation of bloodthirsty religious fanatics, while the other soon realizes that their companions driven mad by fear and claustrophobia are a far greater danger than the abominations waiting in the fog.

The adventures of David Drayton and his son Billy fascinated and terrified me. Being a father of a nearly four-year-old girl myself, I devoured the book in two nights and it opened up two long nights full of nightmares for me. However (heresy!), this is one of the rare cases where I much prefer the cinematic version to the literary one that inspired it. The 2007 film by Frank Darabont, the creator and showrunner of season 1 of The Walking Dead, is a brutal masterpiece, and its ending is much darker and more desperate than the open and hopeful one of the book.

It's a great story in both of its versions. Read and watch it if you're a fan of cosmic, weird, and Lovecraftian horrors. If you're easily impressionable, leave it alone.

Lovecraftian horror at the supermarket — that's an accurate description of the feel of this novella. However, The Mist is much more than that. For starters, King is a far better writer than Lovecraft. He doesn't merely astonish you with the mind-blowing impact of his otherworldly, eldritch horror. Instead, he truly makes you empathize with and care about the people going through it.

King showcases his best tricks in this classic novella. There's the extensive setup to establish the baseline of normalcy and engage your empathy with the protagonist. The cast of small town New Englanders, ranging from ordinary Joes to town eccentrics, makes the setting feel like a town you're familiar with. And finally, there's his introduction of unspeakable horror into this small town mundanity and its spine-chilling horrific consequences.

On this reread, I've reevaluated The Mist. Previously, I thought King took certain parts of the story to an extreme, especially the fanatical ravings of town eccentric Mrs. Carmody and their effects. This time, however, that behavior seems to fit within the mind-shattering influence of the unexplainable, eldritch horror these people are experiencing. In context, it works. I now believe that this novella merits a place among the top tier of King's body of work.

Definitely a great read, but I think this is one of the rare occasions where I preferred the movie to the book. They were definitely similar, sharing many common elements. However, the endings were completely different, which really made a big impact on my perception. I love Stephen King, and it's truly amazing to think that this book came out in 1980, while the movie was released in 2007. The book was very easy to visualize. The vivid descriptions allowed me to create clear images in my mind as I was reading. It was not difficult to understand at all, even for someone who is not a big fan of complex literature. Overall, both the book and the movie have their own merits, but in this case, the movie managed to capture my attention and imagination in a way that the book didn't quite achieve.