Horror Books

Apparently Brian Keene is trying to find out. I loved the Rising. Didn't care for the sequel City of the Dead. In my opinion the need for a sequel ruined a great ending to the Rising. Dead Sea seemed to basically just be the Rising and City of the Dead with them trying to escape to sea instead of to a building. Now you have a collection of short stories basically different stories through the same events. I know the genre is somewhat limited, but I just wish Mr. Keene would branch out a little more and explore some different takes on the zombie genre. I like his writing style, but his story telling is starting to get stale.

One of the stories was very gripping and very disturbing, but it all rocked and the ending made me very happy. For those who are a fan on Keene, you will be very excited!!!! You ahve to read this is you've read the Rising series.

Brian Keene is like the Stephen King of zombie horror fiction right now, and with good reason: he took a tired out genre in the world of horror and added a few things, putting his own spin on the whole deal.

The Rising was like nothing I had ever read; it was scary and had intense storytelling blazing away on every page. The kind of good horror novel where you find yourself turning back and reading favorite scenes, even reading it slower than you are capable of, just to make it last longer. It was no fluke that it won the Bram Stoker Award.

City of The Dead, I thought, was a good sequel. Come on, I can't imagine how hard it must be to write a follow-up novel to The Rising. But if you wondered while reading those what was going on in other parts of Brian Keene's world during the zombie rising, then this collection of short stories is for you. Defintely.

You can read this as a stand alone book to get a taste of the kind of zombie horror Keene writes, but the coolest thing I liked about this, is that you can read these stories while you're reading The Rising or City of The Dead, almost like missing chapters about the carnage taking place in all the far off places around the world.

There are also a few stories that tell you what happens after the ending of City of The Dead. This is a must for any Brian Keene fan-and at a good price. A lot of his small press stuff is really priced high and with this one, any fan should be able to afford it.

I am a big Brian Keene fan that being said,This novel is only for the die hard fans.Glimpses of the "rising from around the world" short stories.If you want a zombie novel on a grander scale look to z war.

As the author states in the Introduction, this book is better understood if you have read The Rising and perhaps City of the Dead. It helps to understand the world he has created in those tales vs. going in cold. This is because Keene's vision of zombies is different than a lot of authors, with demons possessing your body at your death, not just some robotic imitation of you that craves flesh.
This book adds flavor to the two novels, giving us a more detailed world as it crumbles. The author mentioned another short story compilation called "The Rising: Necrophobia" that he also wrote and recommends that people read as well.
If you are looking for more stories of the same people that were in The Rising you will find a bit of that here but one thing that Keene mentions is that many of these stories are based on people he knows and people who actually paid Delirium Books for the priviledge of being a part of a collector's edition. I am not sure how I feel about that versus stories flowing from the author's own mind exclusively but it is pretty interesting. I never knew there were authors out there that I could pay to become a character in their book. I might actually be interested in doing that...

The book does lend insights into what happens after the events of The Rising and City of the Dead, both to the few remaining survivors and the entire planet. Keene opens the doors to a whole other series of books that he is concocting that have to do with alternate existences and realities, one of which is where The Rising takes place, another is where Dead Sea takes place, and there others still.

In that way it sort of reminded me of the Dark Tower from Stephen King (and the author does acknowledge that he is a fan of this work) in that he apparently is going to write a series of books that tie in all his different works, or at least a lot of them, like the Conquerer Worms (which I have not read) and others.

I will admit that I was never overly thrilled by this variation on the zombie that Brian Keene created. Others say he rejuvinated a tired and worn out genre and for them he probably did but for folks like me that was never the case. Zombies of all types intrigue me, including the old dumb slow moving types that can't speak or drive cars. Giving lots of credit where it is due is only fair though: Brian Keene has created not only a new variation on the zombie but a whole mythology with other demon forms and apparently alternate realities that all tie together. It takes a lot of creativity and a lot of writing style to pull this off.

Keene is a good writer, a guy who knows how to keep you interested in his stories. I guess perhaps my dislike of this zombie type is that there is literally no hope-you know the world is going to end and everything is gone. Except that in the end of this series of short stories we actually can see some infinite possibilites along the streams of time and space, alternate realities and other unique visions that the author has. I will admit it might draw me in further to the over arching story line that the author has created.

What can I say? Good for any Halo fan who likes a good comic.

I read through this book while on a short visit to the library. I had been looking forward to it and was amazed that it was even on the shelf. Once I "read" it I understood why it was there. WAY too short and WAY too hyped. I expected a lot more from the game that redifined the FPS, and has set THE STANDARD for online gaming. I am a huge fan of HALO, but I would be doing everyone a disservice if I recommended that anyone actually BUY this book. Maybe a second edition will prove a better tome.

From an outsider's standpoint looking in, they say one should never judge a book by it's cover but I will do as such nonpussed because the dynamics of the combative format is such that of such exclusite artful review that need I say more??

Wow was this a hard book to get. This was PLEASE mom and dad this is what I want for Christmas my son said. So to my dismay this is no longer in print. The first order I order through here but it was someone from the UK that ended up Cancelling my order 1 week before Christmas. Got back on and did another search for a new one it ranged from $45-$260 so we went with a slightly used book. You cannot even tell.. for $30...
The book so you all know is VERY COOL BUT it is a comic book not like the other halo books you are probably use too.

As a hardcore Halo fan, this is just downright disappointing. None of the stories follow Master Cheif, or Captain Keyes, or anyone remotely recognizable from the Halo universe except Sergeant Avery Johnson. The story with Sergeant Johnson is the only one worth viewing. This is an ok gift idea for someone you know who enjoys all things Halo, but if you really wanna get them something of value, go with one of the real novels instead.

While I do admit that these stories are no longer capable of scaring me, I also understand the fact that...this is a children's book. That being said, if you are not 12 and under, you might find some of the stories rather bland-- especially if you're a serious horror fan.

Anyway, this book is great for campfire/sleepover/Halloween party-type settings. They're pretty short, but still quite enjoyable. My father read these books to my siblings and I as children during the month of October, and they scared the crap out of us.

The illustrations....weird, scary, freaky stuff. Bottom line. In my opinion, the pictures are even scarier than the actual stories. I'm 26 now, and some of them still creep me out to this very day. So, if you're intending to read these stories aloud, then make sure that you show the pictures to add to the scare factor.

Overall, I still enjoy this collection of stories. I highly suggest giving them a shot.

It's a great book when your camping or having a sleep over. My friends always want me to read them this book! I've already meorized all the pages, but I still want to read it.

My five year old went through a phase of liking scary books. These are the best collection out there once you are past the "easy reader" scary stories. The stories are short and some are even funny and so my five year old was able to handle them despite the fact that they are listed for a 9+ age group. Do note that many stories are very scary/morbid and if your child is easily frightened, wait till they are older.

Back in about 1995, my wife bought Scary Stories for our young son. I'd turn the lights off and tell them to him as I was tucking him in for the night. He'd scream bloody murder when I'd grab him. It was a lot of fun.

It's 2008 now and our son is in the Army, but he still remembers the Scary Story nights; and he can remember most of the stories too. I'm glad this collection is still around, and I hope I get to tell them all again to my grandkids.

OMG!!! I forgot all about Scary Stories to tell in the Dark! I can't believe that this book is as old as I am! This book really takes me back to like, 1st and 2nd grade! Fun times, great stories!

Steven King is the absolute best writer that ever was. He stands right next to Edgar Allen Poe!!! If you want a book that you can't put down I recommend that you purchase any one of the many books that Steven King wrote!!!

I thought I would never get to the good part and there had to be a good part because its Stephen King after all. Well, I struggled through the not so bad part finally realizing it was a really great book. It turns out to be one of those books you have to stop 3/4 the way through and think about what you have just read. When I did that I realized no matter what he said it is quite a bit of biography. He usually tells us that what ever we are reading is not biographical but this book has quite a bit of his past life in it.Not as dreadful as the book but if you follow this with "On Writing" as I did you see the joining.I think this was a paen to his wife. She has been a great help to him in his writing, talking about it, editing, just listening. This was the book to her, for her. Then the final part zipped back to the King we are familiar with.Terror, sweat in the dark of the night, even "it was a dark and stormy night". lol To me, it's one of those books I might have to read again, at least the first part since I took it so slightingly. My strong suggestion is do not give up just because nothing jumps out at you for many,many pages. He is making the setting for the last half. The husband in the book is a very sad man with a horrible past. He shares it with her because he knows she is strong enough to take it. She doesn't think she is but finds the strenth he knew was there all along.
It's a love story with a background in Stephen and Tabitha King's life. She had to be a strong woman to put up with the child in Stephen. But he describes her as a joy in his life and enjoying going along with whatever he wanted except for the bad parts. But I digress into "On Wrinting". I have to recommend that as a quick follow up to appreciate "lisey's Story". It is a strong love story that will not disappoint.

There are moments in this book, like when the husband dies, when Lisey's confronted in the study, and also in the flashback scenes, where the old King seems to be writing and its thrilling to read because he puts you right there in the moment...3 stars for those pieces.
But then there are moments when the story just treads water and it seems like he's trying to stretch the book and is stopping to smell the roses and describe thunderstorms...very romantic. Its a far cry from the books he wrote in the past where things pick up about a 1/4 of the way through and the story just picks up speed and its all guts, death, gore and glory by the end. Love in those old stories was a tool used to conquer evil in the most desperate moments.

Lets face it King is writing for a different audience now, some who wouldn't like the rawness of IT or Tommyknockers, and they seem to like it.
Hey, SOWISA Stephen, good luck.

Couldn't get past the first few chapters. Does anybody else miss the old Steven King writing style? King used to be my favorite author. However, his last few books may be seem better to critics but to the unwashed masses..they suck.

I'm a Stephen King fan. At least, I was until I started reading this book.
I had just finished Watchers by Dean Koontz and wanted a book to read
on my trip to the Caribbean last week. The length looked daunting, but
it was Stephen King, so I knew it would be worth the effort....not. I gave
up probably around page 80 due to an inability to get a foothold on the
plot and make a viable connection with the main character. The writing
is so bogged down with self-declarations, think-alouds, ruminations,
and personal "isms" belonging the character and her husband that I
couldn't stay interested to save my life. Added to this was King's cursory
lapses into catatonic detail mode in which every detail of every dust fleck
that lands amongst the characters is exposed and analyzed. The book
needed some serious editing before going to final press. Long story short,
I cut Lisey's Story short and left it at the pool side cabana. It's not a quick
read by any means, and not a book for those individuals whose time is
precious.

To make this review short and helpful I will start by saying that "The Walking Dead" Series is perhaps the finest of all zombie comics. The characters are rich and developed slowly as part of the long serial plot. The zombies are Romero through and through, so there is none of that super human thinking zombie crap. Much like a good zombie film, the monsters help set the stage and serve as a challenge, but are not the only danger/motivator that the protagonists face. The world is dark and horrifyingly revealed by quality art. The issues in this volume are quite good, action packed, and brutal enough to make a veteran horror fan come back for more. The hard cover edition is well put together, looks nice and has the durable feel that a reader or collector will want out of a volume. Plus the gallery in the back has some nice art from covers and other sources.

Walking Dead Book 3 Hard back is missing two comic issues, according to the copy I have received from Amazon. I would recommend purchasing the comic books individually than get cheated in purchasing this hard back. The missing issues depict the main characters encountering a nearby town, then brutally tortured and maimed by the governor. The scenes in those missing issues are graphic and I guess that's why they have not been included.

The storyline is great. I must give the hard back one star for missing issues-- that is solely the Printer's fault.

If you are into the zombie genre, these stories are a must read. As the author states, this story will hopefully go on forever.

I can only recommend the three (for now) hardcover books, they are a superb finish to an already excellent story.

The third hardcover installment of "The Walking Dead" (contains volumes 5 and 6), continues to chronicle the life of Rick Grimes, ex-cop, and a myriad of other characters that attempt to survive in the sprawling adventure written by Robert Kirkman. "The Walking Dead" makes an excellent addition to anyone's zombie and/or comic collection.

The third hardcover collection of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead finds former cop Rick Grimes and his crew of survivors having made their prison home zombie-free and completely settling in to their surroundings. Things are pretty much okay until they notice a helicoptor in the sky crashing in the distance. Soon enough, Rick, Michonne, and Glen are lead to a small, hidden community run by a sadistic madman calling himself the Governor. He has plans for Rick, Glen, and especially Michonne, as we witness what is perhaps the best to come from Kirkman on the series so far. What is contained here is by far the most violent and disturbing sequences to be seen in The Walking Dead so far, and only furthers the tried and true notion that in a zombie outbreak, the most terrifying aspects aren't the zombies, but the survivors and what they have become in a new world. If you've been following the series, the third hardcover collection of The Walking Dead will not disappoint, and as usual, you'll be salivating for more once you reach the last page of the book. All in all, Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead only gets better and better, and the proof of that can be seen right here.

i forgot how good "seeds of destruction" is. i also forgot the difference between "seeds" and the first movie. the art just looks better on the bigger pages, i found myself just staring and taking it all in. my only complaint is the cover material. if you have any pets this will be covered in hair, i wish it would have come with a slip case.

This collection has to be seen to be appreciated. I actually saw this at a comix store while away on business and immediately knew I had to have it and Amazon had a stellar price I couldn't pass up. This is a beautiful compliment to the Art of Hellboy hardcover released a few years ago. I haven't placed both books next to each other (yet) but I believe they're the same size as they seem to follow the same format. This is the way the Hellboy books should be read, the larger (then the original comic book size) print and vibrant colors will make your eyes bleed with joy. That is if you get weepy looking at beautiful artwork from a master at the top of his game. 5 stars just isn't a high enough rating.

This is an amazing volume!

It contains many Hellboy stories all in one book. Each book included in this compilation included has a nice intro and dedication. There's also a very cool sketchbook section in the back and some other extras.

The stories themselves are of course amazing. If you love Hellboy but don't own the early comics, this book might be the one you want to pick up.

The binding is very well made. The cover is sturdy and coated in fabric. The book itself is big and the paper is thick and glossy. It's the most well constructed book of comics I've ever seen!

This is an astoundingly high quality edition. The quality of the binding and the paper is top-notch, a suitable match for the quality of the art and writing.

I have not read Hellboy before this. Actually I did - but it was a Chinese translation of "Seed of Destruction" that I picked up years ago. Seeing that my Chinese sucked, I wouldn't actually call that "reading". Of course, Mike Mignola's artwork is probably enough of a pull to visit the world of Hellboy and BPRD.

Picked up the "Hellboy Library Edition Volume One" some weeks back on a whim and enjoyed every single page of it. This handsome, leather-bound, oversized volume collects the first two arcs "Seed of Destruction" and "Wake the Devil". I was told that Hellboy stories got far better after these arcs (co-written by veteran John Byrne) but this is where it all began. Mignola was still "looking for his voice" here but you see the beginnings of the greatness here in these tales showing the advent of the big red guy and the early appearances of Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman (later of BPRD fame).

If you've enjoyed the movies by Guillermo Del Toro, it's time to pick up the original masterpieces. This volume also comes with loads of DVD-styled extras including Mignola's sketchbooks, convention doodles, essays, etc.

I LOVE everything I've read by Hamilton so far (Which includes all available Anita Blake and Meredith Gentry novels) and I love this one too! Granted, I may be a bit biased... but if you're into dark fantasy, Vampires, Erotica, Sci-Fi, Romance, Horror, faries, or any combination... these are WONDERFUL books! Laurell is a very good writer with wonderful attention to detail! This is book #4, I would STRONGLY suggest beginning with book #1 of course, but in my opinion any of Laurell K Hamiltons' works are a real treat!

A Stroke of Midnight is the fourth in Laurell K Hamilton's Merry Gentry series. They are best read in order, so I recommend you go back and start with A Kiss of Shadows (Meredith Gentry Novels). The series is a fun ride, so you might as well start from the beginning.

Merry Gentry is a princess of Faerie, where the Faerie are an ancient magical race that had powers which caused humans to think of them as gods. The Faerie are faded from their ancient glory and live among us, with unearthly beauty and superhuman powers bound by their treaty with our government. This fourth installment takes place over the course of a few days before the Yule holiday, when Merry returns from Los Angeles to her Faerie home.

Although Merry herself is mortal (dubious heritage on her mother's side), mysteriously she is belatedly awakening into a power that has not been seen for centuries in Faerie. Her power is manifested through sex - she is able to catalyze power in others and in her surroundings during lovemaking. This makes for erotic reading as Merry's primary mission, set by her Queen, is to have as much sex as possible with as many eligible Faeries in order to get pregnant. Pregnancy will secure Merry's place in the succession.

What makes this not pornography is that there actually is a plot and character development. The reader ends up caring about Merry and the future of the Faerie people. Even the internal Faerie politics, normally a snoozer for me, was well done and kept my interest. However, this is not a book for people who only want to read about sex inside committed relationships.

Meredith's Sidhe bodyguards, of all types and flavors are keen to have
sex with her as much as possible, as if any of them win the faerie bun
in the oven lottery, prestige awaits.

Also, it appears that doing so, brings back long unused and dormant
powers from the time when the Sidhe were top dog, not the humans.

Apart from this, they have to solve the murder, in public, at a press conference, of two people, and the Sidhe are involved.

The Meredith Gentry series makes me wish I were not such a nice person. I don't want to keep reading these books. Truthfully, they keep disappointing me. But I am a person who finishes what she starts, and four books into a series I won't give up. I just won't.

That being said, A Stroke of Midnight is by far the second best Meredith Gentry novel after the first. The last two books were more a "Faerie Court Politics for Dummies" course rather than actual novels. I get so sick of reading about how the fey will never lie. Really? I've only had it beat into my head 1,000 times, I almost forgot. Also, you should always compliment a sidhe who is trying to look nice. And when they look for comfort they touch one another. I get it! Can we get on with the story now please?

A Stroke of Midnight almost went on with the story. I'll say... about 50 pages out of the entire 366, which is a lot considering the drivel contained in the last two stories. At least this book gave me a little info about why faerie started fading, what the sithen means to the future queen, and FINALLY a taste of what Queen Andais is all about. I'm still not satisfied. I still think I'm being strung along so that I will continue to shell out $8-$20 (depending on whether I spring for the hardback) for a series that has no clue where it's going and just expects me to go along for the ride. I have to be honest, though. This ride is a little boring and I might try to get off at the next station.

Princess Meredith, the private detective and not-so-private Princess of Faerie, is back in this 4th installment in the Merry Gentry series.

The race for the throne is underway, and Merry gets busy fulfilling her royal duties of trying to get pregent by one or more of her royal guards (all of the previously celtic dieties in centures and millenia past, when the primal forces of magic were much stronger in the world) ... and in the process, the Goddess (and the presence of magic along with her) begins to show more signs of returning, and restoring vitality to the faerie realm ... a vitality that has withered over the millennia under the cruel sadism of the Queen of Air and Darkness.

Prince Cel is still in prison, but his followers (and other elements opposed to having a half-breed like Meredith take the throne) have not been idle ... there has been foul murder done within the halls of the sidhe, and further murders are attempted - and neither Princess Merry nor her Elite Guards (even as they begin to reclaim some of their old strength from ages long past) are safe.

The author tells her tale with her usual mix of steamy magically-enhanced sex, mythological fantasy, court intrigue, and forensics. It's a highly enjoyable romp.

My only memorable nit is the authoress' tendency to write, at times, in extremely short and fragmentary chapters ... such as breaking up a single continuous scene into 5 chapters, of only 3-5 pages each. There's no apparent rhyme or reason to her chapter divisions, and her plot advancement is slow.

Reading this as I am hot on the heels of George R. R. Martin's excessively long-winded and overly complex "A Song of Ice and Fire", encountering back-to-back chapters of only 3-5 pages each, and all of them a seemingly unbroken continutation of the parahraphs immediately before ... it caused an involuntary nervous twitch, and I had to repress the urge to laugh hysterically.

I have not read a lot of Stephen King novels and I
actually don't like scary movies but somehow I found
the short stories in here enjoyable.

King has a cultural shorthand, a sort of jivey patter
that substitutes for real characterization - his writing
here is full of references to rock and roll songs of the
period. If you know and like the song this creates
a sense of identification with the character.

I'm not really sure how you define horror fiction. Perhaps
King has defined his own brand of it. It's sort of
working-class folk in a world of hidden supernatural
dread.

I read this a long time ago. I think the story "The Mist"
was recently made into a film. It's a novella and it's
the part of the book that stayed with me the longest.

Unusually for genre authors, King has managed to master the short story as well as novel-length fiction. "Skeleton Crew" isn't one of those cash-in collections where the publisher throws together some old crap the author spun out twenty years ago, usually amounting to 300 pages of mediocre stories. Although some of the tales here are as old as King's first novels, the collection is a vast one with well over twenty stories, forming a heavy tome well worth the couple of quid you can get it for now.

It includes some great stories that have earned their fame elsewhere, such as "The Raft", "The Monkey" and "The Mist", the last of which is possibly the best example of rising terror I've ever read, and recently made into a film (which I haven't yet seen - it's probably rubbish anyway). As in most collections of this size there are a few less inspiring stories, but most are short and even if they don't give you the chills you were after, you'll never feel like you wasted your time reading them. King's narrative style and dialogue are as good as ever--

A great collection, dirt cheap now online so pick it up!

A quite strong collection, especially for 20 stories, averaging 3.58. The long novella to begin with is the standout, and a great story, indeed. Just about worth the price for that alone.

There are a couple of dodgy stories, but closer to half of this is 4 star work, with three of these to finish.

The majority is horror, of course, even when it is science fiction like the excellent 'The Jaunt' and maybe even Beachworld.

The odd crime story and fantasy to be found, too, for variety, although what different people see as horror stories will vary, I suppose.

Skeleton Crew : The Mist - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Here There be Tygers - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Monkey - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Cain Rose Up - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Mrs. Todd's Shortcut - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Jaunt - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Wedding Gig - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Raft - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Word Processor of the Gods - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Beachworld - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Reaper's Image - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Nona - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Survivor Type - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Uncle Otto's Truck - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Morning Deliveries - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Big Wheels: A Tale of the Laundry Game - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : Gramma - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet - Stephen King
Skeleton Crew : The Reach - Stephen King

Extradimensional army experiment mistake monster siege mayhem breakout.

5 out of 5


Big Cat Piss boy loss.

2.5 out of 5


Getting rid of an evil toy at the bottom of Crystal Lake? Wouldn't be the first location i would chose. Actually, it'd be really close to the bottom. Arkham, Dunwich, 'Salem's Lot, down around there somewhere.

3 out of 5


Flunked Going Postal.

3.5 out of 5


Holey bits.

2.5 out of 5


Long Time My Destination.

4.5 out of 5


The Big Fat Kill.

4 out of 5


Screwed, then eaten, alien symbiote style.

4 out of 5


Family addition by deletion.

4 out of 5


Death touch self.

3.5 out of 5


Exit Sandman.

3 out of 5


Mirror, Mirror, you dead next.

3.5 out of 5


Crazy for rat girl.

4 out of 5


Autocannibal.

3.5 out of 5


Is gonna get me.

3 out of 5


Milk, cream, bugs, poison...

3.5 out of 5


Pulled over better than evil milkmanned.

2.5 out of 5


Ding dong, the Elder Gods spellcasting old bag is dead. Or supposed to be, so that walking around and grabbing me stuff is a worry. Learned some cool tricks though.

4 out of 5


Typewriter elf massacre.

4 out of 5


Mainland ghost, gran.

4 out of 5

Skeleton Crew is a great collection that includes "The Mist," a classic novella, as well as a number of shorter stories. "The Mist" is an incredible story not just for its supernatural elements but more for its human development. It is - beyond just a horror story - an examination of mob psychology and the way humans act under (extreme) duress. I agree with some of the other reviewers who note that one of King's weaknesses is that he has difficulty with children. While he depicts adult drama and tension with great success, when it comes to children, it seems like King has more difficulty. Maybe his own mind has strayed so far from childhood that he finds kids hard to realistically conjure. That said, it is really only in the light of his otherwise brilliant storytelling that this slight weakness becomes apparent.
The other stories in Skeleton Crew range from superb to fair, with most of them being either very good or at least having some element of value. Mrs. Todd's Shortcut, The Reach, The Man who would not Shake Hands are all examples of King blending horror with genuine literary merit. However, there are a few weaker ones, notably Gramma (which is sort of a compact version of what happened to "Zelda" from Pet Cemetary). Likewise, King does better with terrestrial terror and with supernatural reflections of our own fears and motives than with space and time travel: The Jaunt and Beachworld do not allow King to really flex his talents. That said, this is a great place to start if you have never read Steven King before.

I could write a detailed review of each story, but those reviews tend to get rejected due to length. Thing about this book, Stephen King's "Skeleton Crew," the short stories can all be pretty much divided into four categories. I'll comment on those that warrant commenting.

GREAT
+ The Raft: All out horror without being gratuitous
+ Word Processor of the Gods: One of the most innovative ideas I've read--it's outdated, yes, but the sense of bitter loneliness the main character has rings very true
+ Nona: Beautifully frightening
+ Survivor Type: Gross... but captivating
+ Gramma
+ The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet: Hilarious, sad, and scary glimpse at how little it takes to set a man on the path towards insanity

GOOD
+ The Mist
+ Mrs. Todd's Shortcut
+ The Jaunt: King handles the flashbacks with the 'real time' narrative masterfully
+ The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands: King has an excellent handle on the tension of this story, forcing the reader to turn the page to find out what happens next

OKAY
+ Here There Be Tygers: Weird little story. Not really that entertaining, though nothing--other than the sheer absurdity--sticks out as being bad
+ The Money: Interesting horror, though it drags on way too long
+ The Wedding Gig
+ Reaper's Image: Very slow build-up to a so-so twist ending
+ For Owen
+ Morning Deliveries: Milkman #1
+ Big Wheels: A Tale of the Laundry Game (Milkman #2): Both Milkman tales are taken from a novel that King never completed, and it's pretty obvious. These read like chapters taken out of context. They almost work as standalones... but almost isn't enough
+ The Reach: The final 1/4th of this story puts the rambling beginning and middle to shame. It's sad that the entire story doesn't have the greatness of the last few pages, as this had the potential to be a great and poignant tale of accepting death.

BAD
+ Cain Rose Up: Meaningless violence. A plotless exercise in having a character--whose psychology isn't delved into--kill his dorm mates. This is like the Hostel of short stories. Never before this has King's work disgusted me, but he really crossed the line with this one.
+ Paranoid- A Chant
+ Beachworld: A failed attempt at a sci-fi/horror tale that tries to make a monster out of sand. If anyone could have done that, it's King. Oddly, this one falls flat.
+ Uncle Otto's Truck: An editor would have cut 3/4ths of this story out. That might have made it better.

It's worth a read for the good stuff, and you should probably give the okay and bad stuff a shot too, because it's Stephen King. He truly is one of the best writers, both now and back when this collection was first published. He's also one of the most helpful and interesting writers, shown by the really cool "Notes" section he provides at the end, for those interested in more insight into some of the stories.

6/10

I hate clowns, too - and this one proves my fear is grounded in ratiionality. Floppy shoes, makeup and all, the first clown in Life Expectancy immediately gives the reader chills, and it continues unabated thanks to Koontz' fine detail. Not until the moment Koontz chose to reveal it did I understand the reason for the vile bitterness leading to all the violence which nearly takes Jimmy's life and does injure or kill others throughout the novel. This one is even better at that sudden surprise at the end than most of Koontz - and that's saying something.

This story really pulled me in from the beginning and that is why I continued and with the twist & turns I committed until the end. This is my second Knoontz. I didn't fair as well with Darkest Day of the Year, which I did not complete. As strange as the story (Life Expectancy) is it has a moral lesson; eventhough, it has an element of fantasy which I think make a good combination for a great read; a little realistic but unrealistic like sweet & sour. But in the end we learn how life truly is unpredictable and unexpected, which makes the title quite appropriate for this tale. Enjoy.

The title of my review says it all. This book reminded me of why I love Dean Koontz's style of writing. It's like a 30's movie - great dialogue and character interaction built around a simple theme. I just wanted to slow down and savor this book, but, just like eating a great meal, you can't wait to see what comes next! I would recommend this book to anyone! I passed it to my husband and he agreed that it was the best book he's ever read! If you want to read a book that will just delight you and leave you smiling - this is it!

I enjoy the character discriptions, exciting adventure, and helps me to realize that my problems are not so bad.

Life Expectancy is second only the original Odd Thomas as my favorite Dean Koontz novel.

You've read the description so no rehashing of the plot needs to be done. I listened this this on audiobook and was blown away that the personalities of the characters. You're dealing with a family of bakers while at the same time a circus family complete with insane clowns.

While it definitely sounds over the top (even over the "big top") this novel is suprisingly easy to keep up with. The dialogue is hilarious at times, while the plot will keep you reading long after you should've started doing something more productive.

If you are a Koontz fan and have not read this book then you must do so immediately. Even if you haven't read any other works by him this one would be a good one to pick up along with the original Odd.