A Book A Week

There's no denying the fact that I'm a Stephen King fan. Be it his doorstop sized horror novels or the crime novels he's turned to more recently, I always look forward to reading his writing. He has the ability to suck the reader into a story and connect with characters in a way few other authors do. All that being said, I've never read his collections of short stories or novellas. Sure, I've enjoyed his shorter works like Elevation and Joyland, but I've yet to cross paths with any of his collections. Enter his latest release If It Bleeds. This collection of 4 novellas was the perfect excuse to explore a new to me side of King's writing.

Mr. Harrigan's Phone sees King flashback to 2007, the year the iPhone was released. This one reads like something from The Twilight Zone! A young boy, Craig, is encouraged to read at church and catches the attention of the local billionaire Mr. Harrigan. The elderly Harrigan is in the twilight of his investment career and is losing his eyesight. For a few bucks each day, Craig reads to the man each day. Harrigan also gifts the boy scratch-off lottery tickets. When Craig strikes it big (a couple thousand bucks) he buys an iPhone for himself and another for Harrigan. This opens up a new world for the man, foreshadowing the way technology would impact the lives of many. When Harrigan dies, the boy places the iPhone in the casket with him. Days later and really missing his mentor and friend, the boy decides to call Harrigan's phone. Unsurprisingly, the call goes to voicemail. When the boy texts him, though, he is shocked to receive an answer!

The Life of Chuck is Kings most ambitious entry to the collection. Told in three acts going in reverse, it teases the end times and focuses on the life of Chuck Krantz. The earth is being ravaged by extreme weather and the failure of the grid. Advertisements line the streets with the strange message "39 great years! Thanks, Chuck!" Told backward, King answers the questions of the reader just as each act gets to a peak. While I enjoyed the structural ingenuity of this one, I felt like it was the weakest of the bunch.

The titular novella If It Bleeds is worth the price of admission alone. It sees the return of King's go-to hero of the last several years, Holly Gibney. This is the same socially awkward private detective from the Mr. Mercedes trilogy and The Outsider. If you haven't read either of those books, you might be better off skipping this story for now. There are spoilers aplenty about the ends of both of those narratives, so consider yourself warned. This novella sees Gibney face the kind of monster she thought she was rid of in The Outsider. This one feeds on the suffering and grief of others and takes the form of a news reporter to satisfy its hunger. This is easily the best entry in the entire book. I loved being able to revisit the characters from the previous novels, and I thought King did an excellent job of expanding the mythos of the monster he created in The Outsider. King seems to love writing about this character. If every work featuring her is this strong, I say bring them on!

If Mr. Harrington's Phone was like an episode from The Twilight Zone, then the final entry Rat is more like something from Tales from the Crypt. It tells the story of author Drew Larson and his obsession with trying to write a novel. You see, Drew has been acclaimed for his short stories, but attempting a novel-length work always ends in the kind of mental breakdown that causes him to rethink his entire life. But now he has an idea for a new novel. The kind of work that could really put him on the map. Drew convinces his wife to allow him to travel to his father's isolated cabin to write the book. At first, the words come easily, but then the familiar downward spiral begins. In a last-ditch effort to save the book and finally finish a novel, Drew makes a dark deal with a rat in exchange for finishing the novel and then...well you'll just have to read to find out!

If It Bleed is yet another solid piece of writing from the famed Stephen King. I found three out of the four stories to be completely engaging and inventive. The really great thing about this book is that it shows a variety of the kind of books King can write. You've got the moral fable of Mr. Harrington's Phone, the formal inventiveness of The Life of Chuck, the hard-boiled mystery tinged with the supernatural of If It Bleeds, and the pure psychological horror of a classic King novel in Rat. As with any collection that features different styles throughout, your mileage may vary with some of these, but I think they are all worth a read. I can finally check off a Stephen King story collection from my list, and I'm happy that If It Bleeds was the one I chose to read.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2020, 21)

"The supernatural may exist in books and movies but not in the real world."

Although Stephen King is known mostly for his horror-filled novels that feature the kind of supernatural monsters that keep us awake long after we finish reading them, his most recent books have focussed more on the nightmares of the real world. With his latest release, The Outsider, King again roots his story in an unthinkable reality. The quiet town of Flint City has been rocked by the gruesome discovery of a murdered child. The scene is grim. The boy was sexually violated, murdered, and unceremoniously left in the city park. Only a monster could commit a crime so heinous. Fortunately for law enforcement, they have enough irrefutable evidence to lock that monster up for a very long time.

Terry Maitland is a pillar of his community. He's a loving father, husband, and teacher. Terry is in the midst of coaching the local Little League team into a championship game. The entire town is watching with respect and admiration. Suddenly the townspeople see this affection turn to confusion and disbelief. Detective Ralph Anderson arrives at the field with police lights flashing. He approaches Terry, reads his rights, and cuffs Terry's hands behind his back. With the whole town looking on in bewilderment, Terry is arrested for the appalling murder of the young boy.

Authorities know the case is a lock. It is hard to believe such a well-regarded citizen could commit such an unimaginable crime, but the evidence doesn't lie. If the multiple witnesses seeing a blood-soaked Terry leaving the park aren't enough, the DNA evidence placing him at the scene should solidify his guilt. There's only one glaring problem. Terry and his team have an equal amount of irrefutable evidence that points to his innocence. He wasn't even in Flint City during the murder. How can a man be in two places at once?!

I've always been a fan of Stephen King. I know he's seen as one of the greatest horror authors of all time, but I'd argue he is one of the greatest authors period. His penchant for well-drawn characters and intriguing plotting defies the confines of genre and makes his writing some of the best in modern literature. The first half of The Outsider solidifies this point. King presents Terry's situation in a way that allows the reader to empathize with both sides of the situation. Detective Anderson is dealing with the shock of seeing evidence that reveals an upstanding citizen and friend to be a murderer. On the other side, Terry is desperately trying to prove his innocence. He even has evidence that cements his alibi. King masterfully keeps the pages turning as he explores this impossible situation.

The second half of the book sees the narrative shift in a way that takes away a bit from the drama of what precedes it. It almost reads as if King wasn't sure how to explain the impossibility himself. To be fair, the ending is still well written, but I left me wanting a little bit more. King continues to build his own world by incorporating a character from his Bill Hodges trilogy. Having read many of King's novels, it is always fun to spot little easter eggs from his other works. The Outsider falters a bit in the end, but it is still a reminder of Stephen King's extraordinary storytelling prowess.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2018, 36)