English (Four Past Midnight) / Italiano

Four Past Midnight is a collection of four short novels (well, not exactly short) by one of the greatest contemporary writers. The Langoliers, which is my personal favorite, takes the reader along with the protagonists into a parallel dimension. The themes of the unknown and the fear of the unknown are central, and the atmosphere is reminiscent of the acclaimed TV show "The Twilight Zone". It's truly one of the best stories I've ever read. Secret Window, Secret Garden delves into what I assume is every writer's nightmare - being accused of plagiarism. The Library Policeman tells the story of an adult who relives a trauma from his childhood. And in The Sun Dog, a boy receives an extraordinary camera.

Four past midnight... and you'll be wide awake.

Vote: 8.5

Quattro lunghi racconti di uno dei migliori romanzieri contemporanei in circolazione. I Langolieri (il mio preferito dei quattro), trasporta il lettore, assieme ai protagonisti, in una dimensione parallela. L’ignoto e la paura per ciò che non conosciamo sono il tema principale, e l’atmosfera che si respira ricorda molto quella de “Ai Confini della Realtà”, la fortunata TV serie cult. Uno dei migliori racconti che io abbia letto. Finestra Segreta, Giardino Segreto parla di quello che immagino sia l’incubo di ogni scrittore, ossia essere accusato di plagio. Il Poliziotto della Biblioteca racconta della vicenda di un adulto che rivive un trauma avvenuto quando era un ragazzino. Ne Il Fotocane, un ragazzo riceve in dono una macchina fotografica fuori dal normale.

Quattro dopo mezzanotte... e non dormirete più.

Voto: 8.5

2020 Reread:

Overall, I rate this collection 4.75 stars. It is truly a remarkable compilation, and I have a distinct affection for each of the stories.

On this reread, my favorite story was The Library Policeman. I will be posting a review shortly to further elaborate on my thoughts.

It's time to reread this collection to see if my opinion from when I was twelve still holds true.

Probably not, as this collection has remained firmly in my memory for years.

The Langoliers is about a group of people on a plane who travel through warp space. Secret Window, Secret Garden is about an author suffering from schizophrenia. The Library Policeman is about a myth that becomes a reality. The Sun Dog is about a boy who discovers a camera that behaves strangely.

Four Past Midnight is an excellent short story collection. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single one of the stories.

It offers a diverse range of themes and ideas that keep the reader engaged from start to finish.

Stephen King has once again proven his talent for crafting compelling and unforgettable stories.

I would highly recommend this collection to any fan of horror or short stories.

A great collection of classic King novellas!

This collection is truly a treasure trove for fans of Stephen King. It brings together some of his most beloved and iconic novellas in one convenient volume. Each novella is a masterclass in storytelling, filled with King's signature blend of horror, mystery, and psychological depth. From the spine-chilling atmosphere of "The Body" to the thought-provoking themes of "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption," these stories have the power to captivate readers and keep them on the edge of their seats. Whether you're a long-time fan of King or new to his work, this collection is a must-have. It offers a unique opportunity to experience some of the greatest novellas in modern literature and discover the magic of Stephen King's writing.

“while the road of good intentions might end in hell, the people who tried to fill the potholes along the way deserved at least some credit.”

An absolutely brilliant piece of work by Stephen King. This book is a collection of four unique novellas. Each of the four stories delves into the lives of characters who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in rather strange and often difficult circumstances. They are then forced to do their utmost to deal with the less than ideal situations and the consequences that follow.

Each novella is approximately 200 pages long, and in my view, they all tell a quite cohesive story. What makes this collection truly remarkable is that each story is unique and original in its own special way. For example, one story might explore themes of mystery and suspense, while another delves into the darker aspects of human nature.

Highly recommend to Stephen King fans. However, it's important to be aware of trigger warnings, especially for The Library Policeman. This particular novella contains some elements that might be disturbing or triggering for some readers. But overall, this collection is a must-read for anyone who enjoys well-written and engaging stories.

I can't call this collection one of King's most favorite books, but it was not bad. Not quite enough for a WOW, but also not enough for a NO WAY. I hope you understand what I mean

Polpettone dal Maine

The stories that were told to him in childhood had terrified him. These stories mostly concerned a race of monstrous beings called langolieri.

"You got the thorns wrong. There are thorns, the thorns along the sides. So many thorns. And we will explore them. We will explore them together. Follow me, I'm a policeman!"

The langolieri ★★★★

Like a great episode of "At the Borders of Reality". King plays with the science fiction material to return an interdimensional adventure capable of blurring the mystery in the ancestral childhood tales; and the incursions into the supernatural so dear to the Maine writer are not lacking either.

Secret window, secret garden ★★★★

The greatest fear of a writer, plagiarism, a subject that King himself had to face in accounting to the public and critics, acquires concreteness in a psychological descent that in obsession and the impossibility of redemption finds its own condemnation.

The more shrewd reader is certainly not taken by surprise, but King's skill, a master in forcing the reader to devour pages through modalities that border on the pathological, reveals an attention to details that is anything but obvious or banal - except for the final twist, a hypergalactic trash used more skillfully in the story "The Last Case of Umney".

The library policeman ★★

A false hodgepodge of childhood nightmares, feelings of guilt drowned in alcohol and the search for lost innocence through escapades that border on the embarrassing (licorice balls and overdue books to be returned).

The main antagonistic loathsome, the library policeman - the first, a lazy rehash of the most famous entity of Derry; the second, present in the best moments (s)cult like the newspapers on the head and the use of his nightstick behind the thorns because "hey, I'm a policeman, stay still that you like to get it in the butt" issue a rather merciless verdict: unacceptable that a drama of that kind is faced with a sloppy approach.

The rest of the story is a verbose jumble of explanations and dreamy outbursts, nothing that is worth analyzing.

The photodog ★★★★

Unfairly pointed out as the worst story in the collection, the last piece stands out for a horror subject managed with simplicity and narrative ingenuity; but it is the presence of Pop Merrill, the ugly owner of an improbable bazaar, to temper the atmosphere with pleasant incursions into the trash of B-movies.

The phone call ending is included in the package.

Five big, fat stars for this collection of four of King's best novellas.

I vividly remember loving it when he first released it.

And now, many years later, it is even better.

I had nearly forgotten the last two novellas, so they were almost like new reads for me.

The Langoliers has always been one of my absolute favorites.

It's a captivating story that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

The characters are well-developed and the plot is full of twists and turns.

King's writing style is so engaging that you can't help but be drawn into the world he creates.

This collection is a must-read for any Stephen King fan or anyone who loves a good mystery or thriller.

It's a classic that will stand the test of time and continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.

Almost a perfect set of stories!

The Langoliers - This is an excellent piece of sci-fi horror! It keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The plot is engaging, and the characters are well-developed. 5/5

Secret Window, Secret Garden - I was completely mesmerized by this one too! The story has a unique and captivating premise that draws you in and doesn't let go. The writing is beautiful, and the atmosphere is eerie and mysterious. 5/5

The Library Policeman - This one is nightmarish, disgusting, and nail-biting! It's truly incredible how King can create such a sense of horror and dread. The story is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. 5/5

The Sun Dog - Now here is where King kind of lost me. The premise is so interesting, but to stretch it out into a 200-page story, it felt a bit much. There were parts that dragged, and I found myself losing interest at times. However, the concept is still good, and there are some亮点 along the way. 3/5

Overall: 4.25/5

I couldn't make up my mind about a single Halloween read for this year. As the month was quickly coming to an end, I opted for four Halloween reads all in one book instead.

All of the stories in this volume are as fully developed as those in a full-length novel, so I have no gripe regarding their length. However, with a couple of them, I would have been even more pleased if they had been shorter. It felt like King was milking the suspense for all it was worth, extracting every last drop of tension.

Just like in most of his collections, King includes introductions to each story, elucidating where he got his inspiration. I've always relished these introductions. But this time, he did a disservice to his readers with one of them, which I'll explain shortly as a caution.

My ratings for each story are as follows:

The Langoliers: 4 stars. This story centered around an unexpected incident and the subsequent consequences for a red-eye flight and its passengers. It was very much like a Twilight Zone episode, which is even mentioned in the story. I mostly enjoyed it, although I could have done without the characters contorting themselves when attempting to explain what happened on the plane and beyond, trying to put it into a scientific context. Nevertheless, those characters were well-developed, likable yet flawed, offering a good humanistic tale with hints of redemption. It was my second favorite among the four stories. The scare factor was relatively low, but the suspense was high.

Secret Window Secret Garden: 3 stars. Sadly, this story was spoiled for me by King's intro. This time, he revealed far too much when referring to another one of his books that inspired it, to the point where I knew what the twist would be. So it's difficult to determine if I would have enjoyed the unfolding of this story more had I not read the intro. Consider yourself warned - skip the intro and read it as an afterword. One thing is certain, the story was too long for my taste, especially since most of it has the reader inside the head of the unlikable main character, a writer being harassed by an accusatory reader, with little dialogue to break things up. This was my least favorite in the bunch, with a medium scare factor.

The Library Police: 5 stars. This is clearly my favorite story in this collection, in terms of its emotional impact and uniqueness. I wasn't anticipating a story about overdue books to take the turn it did. It was certainly more intense and devastating than I expected, almost too much for me, but ultimately inspiring. Just be cautious - there are trigger warnings concerning pedophilia and rape. There's also quite a bit of graphic sexual content, as another warning. The scare factor was medium-high, with a lot of disturbing content to deal with and plenty of suspense.

The Sun Dog: 3 stars. This is the story of a boy who discovers that sometimes a gift can be a burden and to be careful what one wishes for. This time, King spoils things for another of his books by revealing key details about Cujo, which I haven't read yet. So be careful when reading this story if you don't want to encounter such spoilers. Other than that, this story seemed unnecessarily long, stretching the suspense to the maximum. The ending wasn't the best either, even though it had the potential to be great. If only King had omitted the epilogue, I might have given it another star. The scare factor was medium.

Overall, this was a diverse collection of well-developed stories with memorable characters. I'm glad I read it, despite my complaints. The stories were suspenseful and kept this reader on edge and tense throughout, making it a perfect Halloween read for this year.

The fourth story within "Four After Midnight" most directly touches on the evil that dwells in the otherworldly and leads us through a whirlwind of anticipation and tension.

Right at the beginning, we meet the protagonist, Kevin Delevan, who has just turned fifteen. For his birthday, he receives a Polaroid, the Sun 660. Kevin instantly takes a shot, but instead of his family members, the photograph shows something that looks like a courtyard. Assuming the camera is broken and with the desire to keep it, instead of simply exchanging it at the local store, Kevin goes to the only person who might be able to help him - Pop Merrill. spoiler: Pop Merrill fixes all kinds of things, but that's not his main source of income. In his free time, he collects junk and engages in junking, and also nurtures another luxurious hobby - reselling "cursed" items to a certain group of people who are interested in occult artifacts. It goes without saying that Merrill was more than delighted when Kevin showed up with his Polaroid.

I must admit that what "sold" me the most was the demystification of the photograph's content and the ingenuity of that segment of the story. At the same time, I also liked the background story about Pop Merrill that Kevin's father, John Delevan, told him. And in the previous stories, we also came across the message that the greatest evil actually comes from people and their actions, and this is excellently depicted through Pop Merrill's actions. On the other hand, the criticism is the predictability of the plot twist, but I definitely attribute that to myself. Nevertheless, it's an excellent story and as a whole, "Four After Midnight" is a fantastic collection.

What can be said about this book that contains four short novels within it?

Well, it's a definite NO for me. I wouldn't recommend it even if I were sleepwalking, half drunk, or on drugs. Honestly, all the stories drag on and become extremely boring at some point. Only one of them did I come to like a little. Otherwise, I don't think it's worth investing time and money in this book when there are better ones in King's extensive catalog.

1. The Langoliers 1/5★
This short novel simply translates into something boring, dense, and flavorless. The longest of them all and it gave me absolutely nothing; not even entertainment. I hated it. It made me stall for several days and since it's the first one that opens the collection, it almost put me off. It's too linear and predictable, making the pattern that SK follows in most of his novels obvious.

2. Secret Window, Secret Garden 2/5★
With "Misery", "The Dark Half", and this short novel, "Secret Window, Secret Garden", Stephen King continues to show the role of the reader and writer for the third consecutive time. Additionally, once again, the power of fiction and reality comes into play, mixed with a bit of fantasy; where it's difficult to identify what is real or not. A novel that left me completely indifferent and it's due to the way the writer handles this same theme frequently. Thus, everything becomes too predictable (because it doesn't surprise) and repeatable to the point of boredom.

That being said, I don't rule out that someone might like it, because it has its charm for those who haven't yet touched on the idea with King.

3. The Library Policeman 4/5★
Reading the reviews on Goodreads, I've realized how little this novel is liked and how little it's talked about. Personally, it's the only one of the four that I liked. It entertained me and hooked me from the beginning with the simple premise of a horror story that's passed down from generation to generation; as simple and terrifying as that of a library policeman who will pursue you if you don't return a book on time. It's concurrent that children are scared in some way to make them comply with something and here it plays with that, only with an adult. And yes, it has a few extra pages but not many compared to the others.

I warn that it contains a very strong and delicate scene that portrays something that happens in daily life. And it's very terrible. The title of this novel encompasses something spooky, repulsive, and that makes your skin crawl. Just what I'm looking for when I read horror, which for the most part I like to generate more horror in me. And as a plus to the plot, it has some vibes with the book "It". Whoever reads it will know why I say this.

4. The Polaroid Man's Dog 1/5★
The same thing happened to me as with the first one; I was extremely bored and the number of extra pages is alarming. Seriously, I'm very serious. Sometimes you have to have a filter or everything becomes tiresome.

In conclusion, almost everything was very bad, King. You didn't start with a golden brooch nor did you end in good conditions. I'm sorry, but you didn't convince me. Not this time. Next time, there's still a lot for me to read.

This isn't my favorite King collection. However, it does possess some truly spectacular stories despite that fact.

I have a great affection for the first three stories. I believe they each stand out for very distinct reasons. They are all highly unique tales.

But I think "The Library Policeman" has to be my favorite among the four. Mainly because when I was a kid, I actually used to have nightmares about getting arrested for not returning my books. So, it offers a bit of a nostalgic scare for me.

"The Sun Dog" is definitely the story I enjoyed the least. I thought it was extremely predictable and unecessarily long. I just wished King would get to the damn point with that one. And that's why I can't give this collection 5 stars. It really drove me nuts!

Overall, while this collection may not be my absolute favorite, it still has its moments of brilliance and entertainment.