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[NotTheGuyYouKill]

I'm re-reading Everything's Eventual (been a few years). It's a collection of King's short stories.

And this stuff is... creepy. Even his couple of dramatic stories are just so good.

I find that his short fiction is much more impactful than his novels. Anyone else agree?

 

[Mononoke]

Not sure I fully agree? Like not overall. He has too many great novels, that outweigh his short stories.

I guess you have a point that maybe he does a better job with short stories than his longer narratives (in terms of them having more of an impact?). Hmmm. I do really enjoy his short stories though.

EDIT: Maybe I should go back and re-read all his short story stuff. I can see where you are coming from. His longer narratives tend to stumble. And some of his scariest stuff has been short stories. I guess I just love too many of his novels, that I still think his novels are overall better.

 

[ReAxion]

yes. better endings.

 

[Polk]

For me, biggest problems with King's novels are endings. Up until 50 or so pages to the end they are great, but then. Bleh.

 

[Yaboosh]

For me, biggest problems with King's novels are endings. Up until 50 or so pages to the end they are great, but then. Bleh.

He blows everything up when he can't figure out how to end a story.

 

[Jin]

I agree. I find some of his books way too long and just drags. I still haven't finish Insomnia and Needful Things (among others) because I lost interested halfway through. But I love Skeleton Crew, Nightmare and Dreamscapes, and Night Shift.

 

[Hilbert]

I think I disagree. IT, Cujo, Shining to name a few are all better I think than most of his short stories.

If this was about Clive Barker instead of King, I would agree.

 

[ryseing]

Short stories in general are an under appreciated art, and King is one of the masters. The only short story that has given me nightmares is one of his.

Are they better than his books? That I'm not so sure of. Before reading Revival, I might have agreed with you, but Revival changed the way I look at King's long form writing.

 

[Razmos]

I think what King does best is Short Stories, and stories set in small towns that start off normal enough and descend into utter madness, chaos and death (Needful Things, Salems Lot, Tommyknockers, Desperation, The Regulators, Under the Dome, IT, ect)

Some of his short stories are really damn creepy like The Jaunt, The Mist, ect. I recently read In the Tall Grass by King and his son Joe Hill. That was a disturbing one.

I love all his stories really, but some are more miss than others.

 

[The Culture Vulture]

Love "The Man In The Black Suit" from that collection.

King is a brilliant and prolific short story writer but I personally wouldn't rate them higher than his novels. I could see how people preferred them though.

 

[Apt101]

He changes up his writing style for many (not all) of his short stories, which I appreciate as a reader. I haven't liked any of his recent full length novels, but I always get into his short stories and novellas.

 

[Hesemonni]

The Raft > everything else

 

[Deleted member 231381]

He blows everything up when he can't figure out how to end a story.

It's not like he even just writes bad endings, either. Often he just avoids writing an ending at all. So many of his books have terrible, terrible drags just before the actual ending.

 

[Matty77]

I prefer short fiction in general, so I personally prefer his short story's, but with personal preferences put aside I still think he is a better novelist.

 

[bennywhatever]

There are some great endings in King books (

Spoiler

It

), and then there are ones that I just scratch my head about (

Spoiler

Under the Dome, parts of Dark Tower

).
His short stories are great though because he doesn't have time to screw everything up.

 

[sirap]

King is a legendary pantser, and that's why his shorts feel tighter and punchier than most of his longer works.

 

[Bulzeeb]

I haven't read many of King's works but I am really enjoying the Dark tower saga.

 

[Fuchs]

I haven't read a lot of Stephen King's work, but from what I read I mostly enjoyed more of his short stories, than the novels. Especially liked Survivor Type, which might be too disturbing for some.

 

[marrec]

I agree completely, his larger works become unwieldy by the end and often lack any decent conclusion.

I'm going to be controversial here and say that Neil Gaiman is much the same way.

 

[Red Mage]

I completely agree. Only novel of his I felt was on the same level as his short stories is 'Salem's Lot.

 

[Skilletor]

I like some of his longer works too much to say I like his short stories more, but they're both great.

 

[GeordieMark]

Agreed. 'Night Shift' and 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes' are amazing.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

I'm going to be controversial here and say that Neil Gaiman is much the same way.

...? Which one of Gaiman's works does not have exquisite pacing? Maybe I'll grant you American Gods, at a stretch, but to be honest I'd have picked him as an example of a writer who usually has absolutely excellent pacing.

 

[Real Hero]

I love most of the Dark Tower but I agree mostly. IT is very very long for that story it tells

 

[Matty77]

I agree completely, his larger works become unwieldy by the end and often lack any decent conclusion.

I'm going to be controversial here and say that Neil Gaiman is much the same way.

I actually feel the opposite about Gaiman, at least where short fiction is concerned (reading Trigger Warnings right now) if King has a tendency to want to keep writing and not stopping when he should, I feel most Gaiman is fragmented and he stops right before it really gets going. Just my opinon.

 

[marrec]

...? Which one of Gaiman's works does not have exquisite pacing? Maybe I'll grant you American Gods, at a stretch, but to be honest I'd have picked him as an example of a writer who usually has absolutely excellent pacing.

His pacing is fine (Except American Gods...), I only bring him up because he's another example of an author's short stories having a much greater quality than his novels.

Gaiman's novels are good, his short stories are phenomenal. I'd say that Stephen King's novels are mediocre, and his short fiction is good. Whereas his non-fiction work is amazing.

 

[ngower]

I have never read anything by Stephen King, *but* I believe one of my English teachers in HS read us one of his: about a lunatic maitre'd. Is that him? Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

 

[Red Mage]

I have never read anything by Stephen King, *but* I believe one of my English teachers in HS read us one of his: about a lunatic maitre'd. Is that him? Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

Pretty sure it's the story of the cover image the OP posted.

 

[ngower]

Pretty sure it's the story of the cover image the OP posted.

Well what do you know?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunch_at_the_Gotham_Café

[EDIT] We had to write stories based on this short (inspired by the tenseness) and I wrote one about basically the same thing happening at my school. Needless to say, the administration wasn't very happy about a story where someone kills a bunch of people at a high school. Whoops.

 

[old manatee]

The cover of that audio book says that one is read by Justin Long

 

[SheHateMe]

The last novel of SK that I really enjoyed was 11/22/63.

And I REALLY enjoyed that one. I recommend it to any and everyone.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Absolutely agree. He's got some all-time great novels, but his best writing, his best storytelling, his most evocative imagery is almost all contained in his shorts. He's a sprinter that was allowed to be a marathon runner, and while he can do long-distances very, very well - he's best when you have him race as fast as he can from point a to point b.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

I always thought that the Road Virus Heads North would make a great chilling film.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Agree. Especially his earlier short stories; Skeleton Crew and Graveyard Shift are filled with gems. Nightmares and Dreamscapes as well.

I didn't really enjoy the last, most recent collection.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

He blows everything up when he can't figure out how to end a story.

At least with The Stand he telegraphs it from miles away.

But yeah the 'and then everything exploded' climax is pretty tired in his prose.

 

[Sheroking]

True for the most part.

I still think The Stand is the best thing he's ever written.

 

[Yaboosh]

At least with The Stand he telegraphs it from miles away.

But yeah the 'and then everything exploded' climax is pretty tired in his prose.

And yet, that is his most literal deus ex machina.

 

[The perfect Dark]

I love most of the Dark Tower but I agree mostly. IT is very very long for that story it tells

I love his books and Dark Tower is amazing but I hate the new DT-books (all after Glass).

 

[Trashcan Man]

As you can probably tell by my name I love The Stand.