the first 4 titles from king in one book.salems lot has got to be the best vampire novel ever.the best from the best. love them all

Interesting... A little dated but I really enjoyed it. Wish I could get a copy of the 1979 movie.

I bought this collection specifically for Carrie as I'd already read the other three books included, so my review will be focused on that story. The premise of the story is known by basically every horror fan but I'll go over it anyway.

This is the story of a teenaged girl with a lot of strange aspects about her, most of which originated from her tyrannically religious mother. The book opens with Carrie having a bit of a breakdown as she experiences her first period in the girls locker room at school after gym class. Between her panicked reaction and the fact that she started her period much later than most girls, her classmates began cruelly mocking her instead of trying help her. The gym teacher finally catches wind of what's going on, breaks it up and doles out punishments, mainly detentions to all the girls involved. One girl named Sue, one of the story's protagonists, is disgusted with her own behavior after being snapped out of the mob mentality and accepts the punishment humbly. Another girl, named Chris, is outraged and refuses to go to the detention, which results in her ability to go to the upcoming prom being revoked. From there we see three storylines. We see Sue try to make up for her behavior by having her boyfriend - the most popular boy in their school - take Carrie to the dance, we see Carrie's disturbing past of abuse from both her mother and her classmates and her uncertain present as she tries to determine if this boy asking her to the prom is some kind of set up for a sick joke, and we see the psychotic Chris blame Carrie for the situation in the locker room rather than take any responsibility for her actions as she plans a twisted revenge against the unsuspecting Carrie.

This is, of course, the novel that launched King's career. We all know the famous story of how King was so certain it would fail that he threw it in the trashcan, and of how his wife Tabitha fished it out and ultimately pushed him to finish and publish the novel. There is a good reason that this book launched the career of one of the most prolific and respected American authors ever to pick up a pen. The story is moving, disturbing, and intense. It just grips you from the off and never lets go until the last word. King also does a great job of making all the characters some shade of grey in this book. Carrie is incredibly sympathetic but also commits genuine horrors in the book's climax. The mindset that leads Sue to join in on ganging up on Carrie at the start of book is completely understandable but it's really touching to see her work so hard to make up for her actions in the immediate aftermath of the situation and to see her go to bat for Carrie later on in life as media and other writers distort Carrie's story as time goes on. This is a masterclass in a couple different types of horror and still stands as one of King's greatest books.

This book was a roller coaster I couldn't get off of, no matter how much I screamed through story after story.

The Shining was intense and I do not think I will re-read it. It had a pretty simple path that it followed and was at times scary, but not too bad comparatively speaking.

Salems Lot was INTENSE. I couldn't read it at night, and refused to bring this book with me into bed. I actually started another book for when the sun set. It helped clear my mind of vampires.
It was so good though, and you can tell by the way it sticks to your brain like taffy. It was well structured and I did wind up a bit misty eyed (a feat Stephen King alone has accomplished within me ala Cujo).
I'd also like to thank this book as to bringing me to the poem The Emperor of Ice cream. An incredibly fitting poem for this book.
I will re-read Salems Lot, most likely. I feel like it has a moral that can be explored more than say The Shining.


Night Shift... I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to read it.
Just the names of the stories...The Mangler..Lawnmower Man...Children of the Corn.....
But, as I said, I couldn't get off the roller coaster, and just kept climbing up the stories to be plunged down at odd times into horror.
It wasn't so bad, and I think I would actually dive back in to certain stories.
Also it showed me I know King's formula pretty well, because as soon as he was describing a lovely day and a cheerful scene...I was white knuckling it waiting for the guillotine.

The last book within a book was Carrie.
This was difficult to read. It was painful to go through what she was going through and know what was going to happen.
Yes I've seen the movie, but don't guess you know the story because of that. Carrie White's story is as sad as it is frightening.
It was also in a formula I do not prefer; similar to Fire Starter, but in some ways better since it was softer where Fire Starter was more clinical.
Also his foreshadowing was well placed and eerie.
I would not re-read this for the world.


This is an intimidating to start, but hard to stop series of psychological insights and some amazing story telling, I tell you what.

Good vampire novel, and no sparkles involved.
The Shining is as terrifying as ever.
Night Shift is more for beginning readers of Stephen King.
And Carrie is just plain good.

I like this book because i like how stephen king writes his books. they are a bit hard to understand sometimes and some of the books like Salems lot are really scary. I would sudgest these books to anyone who likes a tough read and likes really scary books.

Rating was for the book Carrie.

This book is spooky as hell. It's funny because he makes fun if this book later in life but I think it's one of his scariest.

Currently listening to Salem's Lot, for some reason couldn't find it on here alone. I read it years ago, one of my favs, wanted to revisit.

Still scary....

All Hail the KING of Horror!

salems lot best story about vampires ....ever..loved it

Great book. It had from the very beginning to the bitter end. Well written and the plot just when you thought it would go one way goes another. It's a great homage to Dracula.