Usually short-story collections, especially those by the same author, often receive a three from me. This is because they are almost always a combination of the good, the bad, and the indifferent, following the bell-shaped curve of the normal distribution. However, this collection is different. King's early stories in this collection are filled with the excellent, the very good, the good... and a few that are mildly good. The distribution leans heavily towards the terrific.

It has been a long time, but many of the stories still linger in my mind. In my opinion, the seminal one is The Boogeyman. This story points to the basic concerns behind King's writing and any horror story in general. The author does a great job of walking the tightrope between psychological horror and pure, gut-wrenching terror, maintaining the suspense until the very end.

Another story that still haunts me is The Children of the Corn. The wild children of the cornfield and their twisted religion are one of the finest examples of creeping horror in the traditional sense.

I am the Doorway and Sometimes They Come Back are two other stories that really scared me. The remaining ones, although not as frightening, gave me pleasant shivers and "delicious nightmares" (to borrow a phrase from Alfred Hitchcock). I return to this collection again and again whenever I feel that life has become too safe and dull... just to remind myself that the boogeyman is always close by, behind the closet door.

(P.S. BTW, if you ask me to pick one story from this collection as my favorite, I would choose the only one that is \\n  not\\n a horror story - The Last Rung on the Ladder. The reason is personal. I too have a kid sister like the protagonist of that story, who knows that the hay will always be there.)

How is it possible for the red, dark, sweet and bitter fragrance of POOU ENTGAAR-ALAN (POE) to intoxicate you, for the extraterrestrial taste of astral and undersea substances of the dead life of LABKRAFT CHAOURNT-PHILIPS to delight you, with the elixirs of supreme pleasure from the vessel of the soul of KING that overflows with collections of shocking stroboscopic effects between terrestrial and metaphysical states?

From a fragrant spring to

a nightly heavy tremulous bias

and incredible production of terrifying metamorphosis into other forms of life, and not to passionately love this book.

It is almost impossible.

I have read many books of the king,

but this one just took the first place in my heart and firmly confirmed his magnificent discoveries.

In all his stories, there is a constant orientation towards fear

but also where the box turns the other way

again the imperative and special essence

that is reflected in his writing

flows like a greasy poison of psychotic lobotomy into the mind, which is unable to counterbalance the macabre and hateful with a logical explanation.

"Night Shift" is the first of the collections of unheard-of stories by KING that was published in 1976, but it surely entered the pantheon of timeless tales of fantastic and supernatural horror.

Resurrections of dead life, closets of dead infants, mutated farmers who live and thrive in the basements of old buildings, from those

that decay from the moisture of the mold and the stench of rot from the foundations.

Iron machines with rabid desires for human skin.

A wicked conspiracy of machines, trucks, dolls, bulldozers and three-axle monsters that attack humanity.

A group of dead murderers who return from the grave to avenge the schizophrenic fear of the

victim.

Battles between soldiers and military raids on a man who fights with toys.

The worker in the chlorination service company who is the creation of the mythical God Pan.

The mafia of the anti-smoking program company will send many smokers into absolute ethical paralytic horror.

The children of the scarecrow and the woman in the room are excellent stories of psychological and conscious omission.

Of course, the beginning and the end honor the great forms of the written horror with the holy dedication to the stories that refer to the "famous" abode in Jerusalem's Lot and constitute an immortal tribute.

Accompanying are hillbillies and ordinary people who suddenly have their worst fears realized.

Many of them are writers.

The action takes place in small, quiet towns, always in the state of Maine: the three fantastic towns of Derry, Jerusalem's Lot and Castle Rock give birth to evil like the gothic lovers who inexorably suck blood and nocturnal shadows of the dead.

5/5 is too few.

Twenty! That's right, I'm talking about TWENTY short stories. This collection contains some major classics such as Trucks, Quitters, Inc, The Mangler, Sometimes They Come Back, and The Ledge.

It also includes a Salem's Lot follow-up - One for the Road: An Illustrated Story. This is a classic collection from the 1970s! It's a must-read for Constant Readers. The collection has an impressive legacy with six films (including Lawnmower Man borrowing the title of one of the short stories!), four TV adaptations, and ten short films.

It was only on subsequent readings that I truly appreciated the creativity and cross-book continuity of this collection, especially considering the time it was written. I rate it 8 out of 12.

I decided to reread this book. The reason is that I am on the verge of commencing work on my very own collection of short stories. And I desired to reestablish that connection with the book which had inspired me to become a writer a whopping 35 years ago.

As an adult, I found myself enjoying it to a far greater extent than I did during my childhood. This is because I have lived through more experiences, and thus have a wealth of my own encounters to draw parallels with the stories, characters, and experiences presented in the various chapters.

However, the aspect that I adored the most about this rereading was the profound inspiration it provided me to pen my own stories. Moreover, it served as a powerful reminder regarding plot, structure, and narrative within stories that typically span around 5000 words each.

I am truly elated that I chose to read this book again. Thank you, Stephen King!

I am on a mission to read through all of Stephen King’s books. I have a particular preference for novels as I find short stories often leave me feeling unsatisfied. I crave a good, in-depth story that I can truly get lost in. One of the most captivating aspects of SK’s writing for me is his remarkable character development. Obviously, within a short story, there isn't much room for that kind of detailed character building. I think this is probably why I have been hesitant to read the short story collections.

However, I recently decided to give one a try and found it to be a real mixed bag. Some of the stories were brilliantly creepy, sending shivers down my spine, while others felt a little predictable and lacked that element of surprise.

I really enjoyed the stories that had connections to some of King’s other books. These were like little offshoots from the well-established full-length novels. My favorites from this collection were;

Night Surf - This story follows a group of students who turn out to be among the few survivors of ‘Captain Trips’ from ‘The Stand’. As they realize they may not be immune as they had initially believed, their outlook becomes pretty grim. I absolutely loved this little tale and the interesting links it had to ‘The Stand’.

The Lawnmower Man – Harold Parkette is in search of a lawn mowing company but gets more than he bargained for with the Lawnmower man and his new method. This story just gives me the creeps! It's really quite spooky!

Quitters, Inc. – Here, you'll learn what might be the most effective way to quit smoking in the history of the world. Quitting smoking must be the hardest thing ever, unless you go to Quitters Inc.

One for the Road – A family finds themselves stuck in a snowstorm in Jerusalem's Lot. I loved this one too, as it again has links to the full length novel of Salem’s Lot. Although this is set years after the original story, it provides a nice little insight into what happened to the town after. There are some really creepy images in this story that will stay with you.

6.0 stars.

This book holds a very special place on my list of "All Time Favorite" books. It is second only to Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman, which is my ultimate favorite short story collection of all time.

Every single story in this collection is truly excellent. It is an extremely difficult task to pick out favorites, as each one has its own unique charm and appeal. However, if I had to narrow it down, I would definitely say that "Boogeyman", "Strawberry Spring", "Children of the Corn" and "Jerusalem's Lot" are among the absolute highlights.

The writing is captivating, the characters are well-developed, and the plots are engaging and full of twists and turns. This collection is a must-read for any fan of short stories or horror fiction. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It truly deserves the highest possible recommendation!!!

The third experience I had with "Stephen King" came with the short story collection "Night Shift", which consists of 20 stories of varying lengths; from a very long story that is almost a novel, to a very short story, and the latter was few in the book, so most of the stories were relatively long compared to any other short story collection, as you are talking about a short story collection with 564 pages.

And just as the stories were of varying lengths, they were also of varying quality. The remarkable thing about this short story collection is that it was published in the late 1980s, specifically in 1978. Nevertheless, when you read it, you will not feel that the stories carry the stamp of the past or that the years have passed them by. The stories were fresh, with good and interesting ideas, and full of details, as is the case with "King" usually. Even the horror and the supernatural were diverse. Sometimes we were with ghosts, vampires, and unknown beasts, until we reached psychological horror and real horror, and for me the latter was more terrifying because of the possibility of it happening.

Some of the stories had complex endings that made you doubt the hero of the story. Was he leading? Was he involved? Did that really happen to him? And some of the stories had wonderful twists, and some were ordinary and could be seen from the beginning of the story.

The two main distinctive features of the stories were the first being King's enjoyable narration, and the second being his vivid imagination and how he turns some materials into causes for horror and turns those stories into symbols of real things, like the story "Trucks" for example, which is a clearer example of the idea of writing symbolic horror.

The translation was good by the translators, and it is clear that they put in a lot of effort to translate this collection as King's words and expressions are a mixture of the common and the formal. Although I was afraid of the idea that there were translators, the stories carried two different spirits for translation, and they were both good, and more.

In the end, it is an excellent short story collection, full of horror, excitement, arousal, and symbolism. And the more I read "King", the more I found that I liked this world that he draws me into. And the article with which the short story collection begins will make you understand more the nature of horror literature and writing in general for King.

It is recommended.

As I continue my Stephen King binge, I find myself increasingly drawn towards his short story collections. As I've previously mentioned, Stephen King is truly one of the finest short story writers in the literary world.

Night Shift, while a bit of a mixed bag, contains far more outstanding stories than lackluster ones.

My favorite tales include "The Boogeyman," where a man discovers the importance of keeping his closet doors shut. "Grey Matter" teaches us that beer can have some rather unexpected consequences. "Sometimes They Come Back" shows a teacher that one can never truly outrun their past. In "Quitters, Inc.," a man realizes the importance of reading the fine print. "Children of the Corn" reveals that kids can be monsters and that corn holds a strange significance. And "The Man Who Loved Flowers" introduces us to a young man who refuses to give up on love.

However, I did have three stories that I didn't particularly care for. The first was "The Lawnmower Man," which was simply awful and I don't even want to discuss it further. The second was "Trucks," which I found to be incredibly boring. And the third was "Graveyard Shift," where those darn rats made the story less enjoyable.

Night Shift is a classic read, and while some of the stories may seem a bit dated, as I've said before, there are far more great and timeless stories in this collection than there are duds.

There's no specific recommendation here. Either you're a fan of Stephen King and will enjoy this collection, or you're not and it may not be to your taste.

In making my way through Stephen King's extensive body of work, I've come to a significant realization. His short story collections almost invariably manage to captivate me. However, I must admit that I might be in the minority when I say that I didn't enjoy this particular collection quite as much as "Nightmares and Dreamscapes". Nevertheless, it still had several truly great stories that left an impression on me.

Some of my absolute favorite stories from this collection were: "The Last Rung on the Ladder", which had a powerful and poignant narrative. "Children of the Corn" was spine-chilling and disturbing, as only King can do. "The Lawnmower Man" was a unique and engaging tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. "Jerusalem's Lot" had an eerie and atmospheric quality that added to its allure. And finally, "The Man Who Loved Flowers" was a story that was both strange and fascinating.

Overall, while this collection may not have been my absolute favorite, it still had enough great stories to make it well worth the read. Stephen King's talent for crafting engaging and unforgettable short stories is truly remarkable, and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future. 3.5

I've spent the past week engaged in an interesting literary journey, alternating between two remarkable King books (alongside approximately 500 others!). I've been slowly making my way through The Stand, reading a few pages every morning. Immediately after that, I delve into about three or four stories from his anthology, Night Shift.

Night Shift is a collection of his shorter fiction and was published just prior to The Stand. The stories within vary in length, none exceeding forty pages, and all revolve around the theme of fear. You might be thinking that this is a common focus in much of King's writing, and you'd be correct. However, this anthology specifically zeroes in on the protagonist's individual fears and their diverse responses when these fears materialize into reality.

I absolutely adored every single story in this collection, which is a rather rare reaction from me. I usually find it much more challenging to form a connection with anthologies compared to full-length works of fiction. But King, with his irresistible magic, managed to make me mourn over characters with whom I could only spend a few pages and fear such disparate creations as possessed laundry machines and trucks communicating via Morse code.

Here are my ratings for each story: Jerusalem's Lot - 3/5 stars, Graveyard Shift - 4/5 stars, Night Surf - 4/5 stars, I am the Doorway - 4/5 stars, The Mangler - 5/5 stars, The Boogeyman - 4.5/5 stars, Grey Matter - 4/5 stars, Battleground - 4/5 stars, Trucks - 4.5/5 stars, Sometimes They Come Back - 5/5 stars, Strawberry Spring - 3.75/5 stars, The Ledge - 3/5 stars, The Lawnmower Man - 2/5 stars, Quitters, Inc - 4/5 stars, I Know What You Need - 3/5 stars, Children of the Corn - 4/5 stars, The Last Rung on the Ladder - 5/5 stars, The Man Who Loved Flowers - 5/5 stars, One For the Road - 4.5/5 stars, The Woman in the Room - 3/5 stars.

This is a truly excellent and creepy collection. Just like in many short story books, the author appears to have strategically placed the best stories towards the end.

My personal favorites are those that completely lack any supernatural elements. For instance, "The Ledge" is a captivating tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat with its intense plot and well-developed characters. "The Last Rung on the Ladder" is another gem that explores deep emotions and human relationships in a way that is both touching and eerie. "The Man Who Loved Flowers" presents a unique and disturbing perspective that lingers in your mind long after you've finished reading. And of course, the very last story, "The Woman in the Room", is a masterful piece that ties the entire collection together in a spine-chilling way.

King is truly a king when it comes to描绘 the horror and devastation that we experience in real life. His ability to tap into our deepest fears and insecurities makes his stories not only entertaining but also plenty scary. This collection is a must-read for any fan of horror or anyone looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking read.

**"An Excellent Anthology"**

This anthology is truly remarkable.

When our daughter promised to be home by eleven and it's already twelve fifteen and the snow is beating against the window like dry sand, we sit and pretend to watch the Johnny Carson show and look at the silent phone from time to time, experiencing the emotion that blinds us, the emotion that reduces the intellectual process to a wreck.

I say goodbye to a companion I used to visit before going to sleep. This anthology has been a great experience, marked as the best of King's. And well, why would I say it's not? I had already read some of the author's stories and they seemed very ordinary to me, which made me approach this anthology with caution despite its good reviews. However, and fortunately for me, nineteen out of the twenty stories here seemed very outstanding to me. Obviously, some I liked more than others, and only one seemed to me that if it wasn't there, I wouldn't have missed anything, but I'll talk about that later.

King initially presents his perception of fear, the variety of fears that a human can have, and how in the end it reduces us to moving away from logic and making us enter a state that we never want to enter again. And I feel that most of the stories narrated here are fears that the author himself has experienced, or otherwise, would never want to experience. In addition, they are narrated in a very fluid way, giving each story just the right length. There are neither too many nor too few pages. Brilliant.

It goes without saying that I highly recommend this anthology. You will have a great time in some cases, or a very bad time in others, depending on the type of fear you don't want to taste. I will leave my perception of some, some data about others, and my favorites, which I will surely reread frequently.

**Some Perceptions and Data**

"The Man Who Loved Flowers": This story is the one that for me, if it wasn't there, I wouldn't have missed anything. Fortunately, it's short, but compared to the rest, it's a bit weak. I think it's there to round out the number of stories in the anthology, as it wouldn't be the same to say that this book has nineteen stories as to say it has twenty.

"A Cup of Finality": A story that takes place in Jerusalem's Lot, and I have the slight feeling that this story takes place after the events of "The Mystery of Salem's Lot". I can't say for sure because I haven't read that novel. But that's the feeling it gave me. It's a good story and makes me eager to read that highly acclaimed novel by King.

"Nocturnal Tide": A story that served as inspiration for one of King's most famous novels, "Apocalypse". I've noticed that very few people like this story. I must say that I liked it. "Apocalypse" is my current read and I couldn't stop thinking about the story as a story within that novel. For me, it was very interesting to have that feeling.

"The Children of the Corn": I had already listened to an audiobook of this story, and I thought I would remember the story, but to my surprise, in the audiobook they changed the ending. It was very different from the story. A good move by the producers. So I went back to the audiobook and read the description where it said it was an adaptation of the story. So if you've listened to that material and haven't read the story, I invite you to read it and compare. In general, both seem very good to me, but in my opinion, the story is better executed.

**My Favorite Stories**

As I said before, some stories I liked more than others, so here are the ones that for me deserve a place of honor:

"Battlefield": A story with a very original idea. It has of course been seen in movies, but King gives it a more serious and raw touch, where the toys come to life, but don't expect that to turn out well.

"I Am the Doorway": I liked it a lot because it's the first story by the author that I read where he describes a part of space, and it immediately caught my attention. But if some terrestrial travels have consequences, space travels won't be left behind.

"Quitters, Inc.": There are methods to stop smoking, but none as阴森 as the one you'll find in Quitters, Inc.

"The Crate": The bloodiest story, and one of many where King explores what would happen if certain machines that help us in our daily lives came to life.

"The Last Rung on the Ladder": What lives beneath a factory won't be to the liking of some readers, including me. The rodents are well away from me.

"Trucks": One of those stories that made me see these vehicles in a different way. In addition, I must confess that I have a bit of a fear of them, and with this story, my fear increased a little more.

"The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill": My favorite story, without a doubt. Although King blurs his style a bit to pay a pronounced homage to Lovecraft, I must say that he imparts something that gives this story great dynamism. I loved the atmosphere described by King, the mystery he imparts to each page. A story that also takes place in Jerusalem's Lot, and at the time, it's clear that it's a story that takes place before what happened in "The Mystery of Salem's Lot". I must add that one part reminded me a lot of the story "The Gold-Bug" by Poe. But without a doubt, King shows his great narrative skills in this story. Phenomenal.