You Like It Darker

Last updated
You Like It Darker
You Like It Darker by Stephen King.jpg
First edition cover
Author Stephen King
Audio read by
LanguageEnglish
Genre Horror
Publisher Scribner
Publication date
May 21, 2024
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover), eBook, Audiobook
Pages502
ISBN 978-1668037713
Preceded by If It Bleeds  

You Like It Darker is a collection of twelve stories by American author Stephen King, published by Scribner in May 2024. It delves into the darker aspects of life, both metaphorically and literally. Exploring themes such as fate, mortality, luck, and the unexpected turns of reality, the book comprises a mix of new and previously published stories. Each narrative, distinct in its approach, collectively contributes to this volume, marking its first comprehensive assembly. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] The book was announced on November 6, 2023, via Entertainment Weekly , which provided a look at the book's wraparound cover, table of contents, and an excerpt from "Rattlesnakes", a sequel to King's 1981 novel Cujo . [8]

Contents

Stories

#TitleOriginally published inType [9]
1Two Talented BastidsPreviously unpublishedNovella
2"The Fifth Step"March 2020 issue of Harper's Magazine Short story
3"Willie the Weirdo" McSweeney's 66 (Spring 2022) [nb 1] Short story
4Danny Coughlin's Bad DreamPreviously unpublishedNovella
5"Finn"Finn e-book (2022)Short story
6"On Slide Inn Road"October/November 2020 issue of Esquire Magazine Short story
7"Red Screen"Red Screen e-book (2021)Short story
8"The Turbulence Expert" Flight or Fright (2018)Short story
9"Laurie"stephenking.com (2018) [10] Short story
10RattlesnakesPreviously unpublishedNovella
11The DreamersPreviously unpublishedNovella
12 The Answer Man Previously unpublishedNovella

Selected stories

The collection has a diverse range of stories, each delving into aspects of the human experience, often through a lens of supernatural or psychological horror. [8] Each story in You Like It Darker offers an exploration of themes such as fate, grief, the supernatural, and the line between the known and the unknown. [4] Notable stories within the collection include:

Rattlesnakes

Serving as a sequel to King's 1981 novel Cujo , this tale follows a grieving widower who, in search of solace, travels to Florida. However, his journey takes an unexpected turn when he receives a peculiar inheritance, accompanied by significant conditions. [8] [11]

Two Talented Bastids

This story unravels the concealed secret behind the remarkable abilities of the titular characters, offering a narrative rich in mystery and revelation. [8]

Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream

Focusing on the impact of a sudden and unprecedented psychic event, this tale explores the profound upheaval caused in numerous lives. [8]

The Dreamers

A narrative centered around a reticent Vietnam veteran who, upon responding to a job advertisement, discovers that certain realms of the universe are better left undiscovered. [8] Stephen King said that though it's very rare that he scares himself with what he writes, a story in the upcoming collection titled The Dreamers was "so creepy" that he "couldn’t think about it at night". [12]

The Answer Man

This story probes the dual nature of prescience, contemplating whether it constitutes good fortune or a curse, and reflects on how lives marked by profound tragedy can still hold significance. [8]

Publication

The collection was published on May 21, 2024 by Scribner. It is available in physical, digital and audio book formats. [13]

Critical response

The book debuted at number one on The New York Times fiction best-seller list for the week ending May 25, 2024. [14]

In his USA Today review, Brian Truitt commends Stephen King's You Like It Darker for its array of twelve dark and engaging stories. The collection is praised for revisiting familiar characters and settings while exploring new horrors, such as deadly snakes, ghosts, and mad scientists. Truitt highlights King's ability to blend horror with deeper themes of talent, unrealized dreams, and existential musings. Despite some less impactful stories, the collection is noted for its gripping narrative and ability to evoke fear. [15]

Kirkus Reviews points out that while some stories might feel less developed, the overall collection remains engaging. The review appreciates the familiar "King staples" and notes that the stories successfully revisit old haunts and characters, providing a mix of suspense and horror. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen King</span> American writer (born 1947)

Stephen Edwin King is an American author. Called the "King of Horror", he has also explored other genres, among them suspense, crime, science-fiction, fantasy and mystery. He has also written approximately 200 short stories, most of which have been published in collections. His debut, Carrie (1974), established him in horror. Different Seasons (1982), a collection of four novellas, was his first major departure from the genre. Among the films adapted from King's fiction are Carrie, Christine, The Shining, The Dead Zone, Stand by Me, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and It. He has published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman and has co-written works with other authors, notably his friend Peter Straub and sons Joe Hill and Owen King. He has also written nonfiction, notably On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.

There have been many books published about Stephen King and his works.

<i>Cujo</i> Novel by Stephen King

Cujo is a 1981 horror novel by American writer Stephen King about a rabid Saint Bernard. The novel won the British Fantasy Award in 1982 and was made into a film in 1983. Cujo's name was based on the alias of Willie Wolfe, one of the men responsible for orchestrating Patty Hearst's kidnapping and indoctrination into the Symbionese Liberation Army. King discusses Cujo in On Writing, referring to it as a novel he "barely remembers writing at all." King wrote the book during the height of his struggle with alcohol addiction. King goes on to say he likes the book and wishes he could remember enjoying the good parts as he put them on the page.

<i>Salems Lot</i> 1975 novel by Stephen King

'Salem's Lot is a 1975 horror novel by American author Stephen King. It was his second published novel. The story involves a writer named Ben Mears who returns to the town of Jerusalem's Lot in Maine, where he lived from the age of five through nine, only to discover that the residents are becoming vampires. The town is revisited in the short stories "Jerusalem's Lot" and "One for the Road", both from King's story collection Night Shift (1978). The novel was nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 1976 and the Locus Award for the All-Time Best Fantasy Novel in 1987.

<i>At the Mountains of Madness</i> Novella by H. P. Lovecraft

At the Mountains of Madness is a science fiction-horror novella by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in February/March 1931. Rejected that year by Weird Tales editor Farnsworth Wright on the grounds of its length, it was originally serialized in the February, March, and April 1936 issues of Astounding Stories. It has been reproduced in numerous collections.

<i>Tales from the Darkside</i> 1980s American anthology horror TV series

Tales from the Darkside is an American anthology horror television series created by George A. Romero. A pilot episode was first broadcast on October 29, 1983. The series was picked up for syndication, and the first season premiered on September 30, 1984. The show would run for a total of four seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Rock (Stephen King)</span> Part of Stephen Kings fictional Maine

Castle Rock is a fictional town appearing in Stephen King's fictional Maine topography, providing the setting for a number of his novels, novellas, and short stories. Castle Rock first appeared in King's 1979 novel The Dead Zone and has since been referred to or used as the primary setting in many other works by King.

<i>The Dark Tower</i> (series) Series by Stephen King

The Dark Tower is a series of eight novels, one novella, and a children's book written by American author Stephen King. Incorporating themes from multiple genres, including dark fantasy, science fantasy, horror, and Western, it describes a "gunslinger" and his quest toward a tower, the nature of which is both physical and metaphorical. The series, and its use of the Dark Tower, expands upon Stephen King's multiverse and in doing so, links together many of his other novels.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Hill (writer)</span> American writer (born 1972)

Joseph Hillström King, better known by the pen name Joe Hill, is an American writer. His work includes the novels Heart-Shaped Box (2007), Horns (2010), NOS4A2 (2013), and The Fireman (2016); the short story collections 20th Century Ghosts (2005) and Strange Weather (2017); and the comic book series Locke & Key (2008–2013). He has won awards including Bram Stoker Awards, British Fantasy Awards, and an Eisner Award.

<i>Doctor Sleep</i> (novel) 2013 horror novel by Stephen King

Doctor Sleep is a 2013 horror novel by American writer Stephen King and the sequel to his 1977 novel The Shining. The book reached the first position on The New York Times Best Seller list for print and ebook fiction (combined), hardcover fiction, and ebook fiction. Doctor Sleep won the 2013 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel.

<i>Elevation</i> (novella) Novella by King, Stephen

Elevation is a novella by American author Stephen King, published on October 30, 2018, by Scribner. The book contains chapter-heading illustrations by Mark Edward Geyer, who previously illustrated King's first editions of Rose Madder and The Green Mile.

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"On Slide Inn Road" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the October/November 2020 issue of Esquire. It was collected in King's 2024 collection You Like It Darker.

"The Fifth Step" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the March 2020 issue of Harper's Magazine. It was collected in King's 2024 collection You Like It Darker.

<i>Flight or Fright</i> Short story anthology edited Stephen King and Bev Vincent

Flight or Fright is a horror anthology edited by Stephen King and Bev Vincent, published by Cemetery Dance Publications on September 4, 2018. All of the stories within the anthology are about flight-based horrors.

"Laurie" is a short story by Stephen King, first published as a free download on his website on May 17, 2018. It was collected in King's 2024 book, You Like It Darker.

"The Turbulence Expert" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the 2018 horror anthology Flight or Fright. It was collected in King's 2024 collection You Like It Darker.

"Finn" is a short story by Stephen King, first published on Scribd on May 25, 2022. It was collected in King's 2024 book, You Like It Darker.

"Willie the Weirdo" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in Bifrost in September 2021. It was collected in King's 2024 book, You Like It Darker.

References

  1. Pride, Philippa (2024). "YOU LIKE IT DARKER, A NEW COLLECTION OF STORIES, IS COMING IN MAY 2024". Stephen King Books UK. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  2. Constant, Paul (January 18, 2024). "The most anticipated books of 2024: from Stephen King to Kathleen Hanna". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  3. "You Like It Darker". Stephen King's Official Website. 2024. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  4. 1 2 "You Like It Darker: Stories by Stephen King". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  5. King, Stephen (2024). You Like It Darker. Stories by Stephen King. Scribner. ISBN   978-1-6680-3771-3 . Retrieved 2024-01-21.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  6. King, Stephen (2024). You Like It Darker: Stories. Scribner. ISBN   978-1668037713.
  7. "You Like it Darker, by Stephen King". Cemetery Dance Publications. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Collis, Clark (November 6, 2023). "Read the start of Stephen King's Cujo sequel in excerpt from story collection, You Like It Darker". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  9. Vincent, Bev (May 20, 2024). "Bev Vincent explores You Like it Darker by Stephen King". CemeteryDance.com . Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  10. King, Stephen. ""Laurie"" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-01-22.
  11. Lynn Tozan, McKenzie (7 November 2023). "We're Screaming: New Stephen King Short Story Collection & 'Cujo' Sequel: 'You Like It Darker". Lit Shark. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  12. Reed, Betsy (August 16, 2023). "Stephen King says he may continue the Talisman series". The Guardian . Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  13. "You Like It Darker: Stories". Kazoo Books. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  14. "Combined Print & E-Book Fiction". The New York Times. June 9, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  15. Truitt, Brian (May 21, 2024). "Review: Stephen King knows 'You Like It Darker' and obliges with sensational new tales". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
  16. "You Like It Darker by Stephen King. The disturbing stories in King's latest collection will seep into your psyche and haunt you". Kirkus Reviews. May 1, 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-31.

Notes

  1. Originally published in French in Bifrost #104 (October 2021)