You Like It Darker (2024)

willowlove

The final review, from Publishers Weekly:

King proves he’s still a master of short fiction in his sterling seventh collection (after The Bazaar of Bad Dreams). Standouts from the five previously unpublished entries include “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” in which the title character has a psychic vision and then accidentally incriminates himself in a murder he didn’t commit, and the eerie yet touching “Two Talented Bastids,” in which a young man discovers the dirty secret that helped his famous father and successful best friend develop their artistic prowess. Among the notable entries previously published elsewhere are “The Fifth Step,” about a recovering alcoholic making amends for his more sinister impulses, and “On Slide Inn Road,” which traces a family’s wrong turn en route to a family reunion in Maine. Themes of fate, morality, and heartache crop up again and again in these tightly coiled tales, and King expertly utilizes them to make every twist of the knife all the more terrifying. This remarkably assured collection will thrill the author’s fans. Agent: Liza Darhansoff, Darhansoff & Verrill. (May)

BevVincent

Read an Excerpt from You Like It Darker

When a famous writer dies at ninety, his son investigates the defining friendship of his life. Turns out the old man kept his friends close—and his secrets closer.

BevVincent

My review

GNTLGNT

....well done, and bonus points for the Certs reference....

Grant87

Amazon delivered mine a day early! Starting it tonight!

Kurben

Got mine!! Started on Two Talented Bastids. First rate King!!!!!! And as a bonus i got the first ex!! The first that that store sold that is but still.

not_nadine

not_nadine

https://stephenkingbooks.co.uk/2024/03/15/exciting-news-about-you-like-it-darker/

I didn't get one of these.

GNTLGNT

not_nadine said:

https://stephenkingbooks.co.uk/2024/03/15/exciting-news-about-you-like-it-darker/

I didn't get one of these.

....not much chance unless you went to the UK......

Kurben

I got the one with the crocodile. Really nice cover!!

Hedda Gabler

I picked up my copy along with Strand Magazine.  I brought it home and first thing I did was put a Brodart on it. Then I read everything ahead of the stories — all the bits of business — then I read the Afterword. I’ll read the Afterword again when I’m done. 

But, now I’ve set it aside. I love Stephen King. I get cranky with him occasionally, but he doesn’t mind. He and I are connected. Just as you guys are. We all have our Stephen King origin story. My connection has flared and faded since the beginning. He didn’t notice. I’m one in a bazillion— a number in sales to him, nothing more than a reader.  But, like music, he’s been a soundtrack through some important shit in my life. A constant voice. 

Unfortunately. I can’t claim constant reader as I self-sabotage when it gets right down to it. Because as macabre as it sounds, there might be a day I have nothing new of his to look forward to, and that sort of kills me.  So, i have many of his works sitting here unread.  

If he were to leave us, I’d have at least a few new things to enjoy.  But, what if I go first and leave something on the table? That would be a sin. 

The choices we make …..

GNTLGNT

....whew!....philosophical and very gripping post.....damn, that was strong....

Hedda Gabler

GNTLGNT said:

....whew!....philosophical and very gripping post.....damn, that was strong....

Aw, just babbling. But thinking about this, it might be wise to finish up what he has out. 

I don’t want to be on my deathbed trying to read The Dark Half with my synapses firing and adding shit to it.  

I mean — one pill makes you larger and one pill makes you small and the words Stephen gives you won’t make any sense at all when you’re floating in fentanyl and dead relatives show up to escort you and they all look like George Stark. 

Wait, the birds are flying again and you’re taking me where?

GNTLGNT

....I just kinda figure ole Tom Cullen will be my guide....M-O-O-N, that spells I'm a goner....

Grant87

Those that have read it - what did you think? I liked this collection a lot. It has a little bit for every type of King fan. It had a few short, punchy stories that reminded me of Night Shift. It had a few longer stories that felt more in line with recent King output, including a couple stories set in Florida. If you're into King's crime fiction, there's a story in here for you too. 

As with any short story collection, I liked some stories more than others. That being said, I don't think there's a dud in here. Even the stories I was just lukewarm on kept me engaged. I liked/loved most of the stories in here. "Two Talented Bastids", "The Dreamers", and "The Answer Man" are top-tier King. Overall, a great collection, in this Constant Reader's opinion.

Kurben

Grant87 said:

Those that have read it - what did you think? I liked this collection a lot. It has a little bit for every type of King fan. It had a few short, punchy stories that reminded me of Night Shift. It had a few longer stories that felt more in line with recent King output, including a couple stories set in Florida. If you're into King's crime fiction, there's a story in here for you too. 

As with any short story collection, I liked some stories more than others. That being said, I don't think there's a dud in here. Even the stories I was just lukewarm on kept me engaged. I liked/loved most of the stories in here. "Two Talented Bastids", "The Dreamers", and "The Answer Man" are top-tier King. Overall, a great collection, in this Constant Reader's opinion.

I agree! I really liked or loved most of them. It was perhaps two of them that didn't awake that kind of feeling in me but neither of them was a dud and kept me engaged. All in all in all a very good collection. Among the longer stories i think that Two Talented Bastids are my fave and of the shorts i think it is The Fifth Step but all were a joy to read.

GNTLGNT

....I'm encouraged by your guy's reviews....not that I figured King would allow a collection of cow flop to be published anyway....but per usual, I bought mine through CD to help support Chiz, and it always takes a lot longer to get here.....

Grant87

Kurben said:

Grant87 said:

Those that have read it - what did you think? I liked this collection a lot. It has a little bit for every type of King fan. It had a few short, punchy stories that reminded me of Night Shift. It had a few longer stories that felt more in line with recent King output, including a couple stories set in Florida. If you're into King's crime fiction, there's a story in here for you too. 

As with any short story collection, I liked some stories more than others. That being said, I don't think there's a dud in here. Even the stories I was just lukewarm on kept me engaged. I liked/loved most of the stories in here. "Two Talented Bastids", "The Dreamers", and "The Answer Man" are top-tier King. Overall, a great collection, in this Constant Reader's opinion.

I agree! I really liked or loved most of them. It was perhaps two of them that didn't awake that kind of feeling in me but neither of them was a dud and kept me engaged. All in all in all a very good collection. Among the longer stories i think that Two Talented Bastids are my fave and of the shorts i think it is The Fifth Step but all were a joy to read.

I'm with you on The Fifth Step. I'd read it before, but I still loved it on a re-read. That was one that felt like it would have belonged in Night Shift.

Grant87

GNTLGNT said:

....I'm encouraged by your guy's reviews....not that I figured King would allow a collection of cow flop to be published anyway....but per usual, I bought mine through CD to help support Chiz, and it always takes a lot longer to get here.....

It's definitely worth the wait. It felt like a return to form for King, in a way. For me, it was refreshing to read some newer King that wasn't about Holly. I don't dislike Holly, necessarily, but I've had my fill of her. You Like it Darker was like a breath of fresh air, in that regard.

Hedda Gabler

And this is why I love Stephen King so much. Just a sentence that taps into my here and now. This made me cry and I don’t expect anyone to get why. 

“I’m sorry for you. Your world is a living breath in a universe that is mostly filled with deadlights.” — Two Talented Bastids

Hedda Gabler

Oh and this:

”I blew on the wave. A line appeared in the middle of the case… held for a moment… and then disappeared. I stood there for awhile, holding the case, then put it back on the mantel. 

I remembered the young man saying ‘nothing can give you what isn’t already there.’”

This was really interesting to me. For years, I had this strong feeling I was supposed to be doing something. Not something famous or something that would bring me wealth — just a strong urge for purpose, fulfillment. 

And as time went on, that urge faded and faded to nonexistent. And not till I read Kobi Yamada’s children’s book for all ages, What Do You Do With A Chance, did I realize that the overwhelming feeling for purpose was gone. I hadn’t noticed the feeling had gone away. Did I miss it? Did it bump into me many times and I ignored it? Didn’t recognize it for what it was? or was it just not in me to begin with? 

Amazing story. 

Grant87

If you want a thorough breakdown of You Like It Darker, check out this video. Mike has a great Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpKpvjtEOyg

Hedda Gabler

Grant87 said:

If you want a thorough breakdown of You Like It Darker, check out this video. Mike has a great Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpKpvjtEOyg

Really interesting video.  I haven’t read the whole thing but I am curious on the stories they didn’t like or were baffled by. That’s always fun to me. What am I seeing, thinking, feeling compared to others? Humans are fun. 

Grant87

Hedda Gabler said:

Grant87 said:

If you want a thorough breakdown of You Like It Darker, check out this video. Mike has a great Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpKpvjtEOyg

Really interesting video.  I haven’t read the whole thing but I am curious on the stories they didn’t like or were baffled by. That’s always fun to me. What am I seeing, thinking, feeling compared to others? Humans are fun. 

Agreed. Neither one of them liked "Red Screen", but I actually thought that one was pretty good. 

Hedda Gabler

Grant87 said:

Hedda Gabler said:

Grant87 said:

If you want a thorough breakdown of You Like It Darker, check out this video. Mike has a great Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpKpvjtEOyg

Really interesting video.  I haven’t read the whole thing but I am curious on the stories they didn’t like or were baffled by. That’s always fun to me. What am I seeing, thinking, feeling compared to others? Humans are fun. 

Agreed. Neither one of them liked "Red Screen", but I actually thought that one was pretty good. 

My reading pace is slow these days, but I’m really happy for every one of them.