Stephen King promised that we would like it darker and he didn’t disappoint in his latest collection of short stories, You Like it Darker. The collection includes twelve stores that each had their own identity. Some were good, others were amazing and one stood above the rest.
The collection kicks off with “Two Talented Bastids,” where he explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. This story was definitely one of the better stories in the book and had us locked in for the long haul. The book moves along are introduced to a number of stories that range in length, but a few definitely caught our attention.
“Rattlesnakes” happens to be one of the standouts of the collection. Rattlesnakes, dubbed a sequel to Cujo, where a grieving widower travels to Florida for respite and instead receives an unexpected inheritance—with major strings attached. This story was outstanding mainly due to the connection to material we already knew without staying to attached. The story was frightful, thought-provoking and masterfully written.
While Rattlesnakes was a key story, the most impressive of the lot was “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” where King showcased his unparalleled ability to craft heart-pounding stories. In Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream, a brief and unprecedented psychic flash upends dozens of lives, Danny’s most catastrophically. This is one of the longer stories in the book, but had us quickly turning the page to see what would happen. We felt for the characters as well as were frightened at moments.
Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream might be one of King’s most outstanding short stories in his long career. We would even go as far as saying it is one of our favorite short stories of all-time. We found ourselves desperately hoping for more pages, but were happily surprised with the conclusion.
Throughout You Like it Darker, King weaves together horror, mystery, and thriller storylines with his signature style. Each of the twelves stories are definitely from the mind of Stephen King, but each unique in their own right. While some of these stories have been published in one way or another a few have never seen the light of day.
We will admit that the longer novels from the King of Horror can be daunting to undertake and with You Like it Darker coming in at over 500 pages it may look the same, but the short stories give you the chance to read in one sitting and move onto the next.
You Like it Darker was one of our most anticipated books of 2024 and we couldn’t have been more correct. Stephen King has once again given us a collection of stories that are masterfully written and leave us wanting more. Fans of King will extremely enjoy this collection and those unfamiliar with his work should give You Like it Darker a try.
You Like it Darker hit bookstores everywhere on May 21, 2024. The audiobook is available at Libro.fm, narrated by Will Patton and King.
