Favorite King Short Story?

[booklover72]

The BreatHing Method
Jersalemn's lot
1408
Crouch end
the body

 

[keysersoze]

So many that I love but The Crate holds a special place in my heart. Childhood terrors made it extra memorable lol

 

[The Nameless]

I have mentioned earlier in the thread that I haven't read many short stories, and I still haven't - but to add to here there be tygers, and crouch end, I recently read dolans Cadillac and suffer the little children. I liked them both much more than the first 2. I liked the sound of crouch end, after reading the synopsis, but it never quite lived up to my expectations.

As for the novellas, my read list is just as short but I enjoy them more than the shorts.

 

[ghost19]

"The Jaunt" has be right there at the top for me. I don't know how he thought that one up but that is a helluva short story.

 

[Riot87]

I love his short stories that involve space/aliens those are amazing.

 

[Bryan James]

Pop Art

 

[The Nameless]

I love his short stories that involve space/aliens those are amazing.

Could you (or anyone) name some please? I was just recently thinking "has SK written many alien/space stories?" I know the Tommyknockers is about aliens, but that's about it.

 

[mustangclaire]

Could you (or anyone) name some please? I was just recently thinking "has SK written many alien/space stories?" I know the Tommyknockers is about aliens, but that's about it.

The Jaunt... Dreamcatcher I thought was a little alien-ish. And what's the name of that short story where they land a spacecraft on a sandy beach? When the main characters shipmate goes loony, looking at the sand, and never leaves?

 

[Riot87]

Could you (or anyone) name some please? I was just recently thinking "has SK written many alien/space stories?" I know the Tommyknockers is about aliens, but that's about it.

The Jaunt
I am the Doorway
Beachworld

Those ones are short stories he also has one called Dream catcher too. Thats all i can remember for now.

 

[Grandpa]

I can't say it's my favorite, necessarily. But we grind our own coffee. So you grind it, you dump it into the coffee maker, and then if you're me, you wipe out the bottom where the little Whirling Blades of Death are....

And if you're like me, you unplug the grinder first, because why tempt fate?

And then if you're like me, you wipe it out around the blades, fully expecting the grinding to come back to life anytime, unplugged or not, and rip your fingers apart.

Thank you very much, The Mangler. Thank you SO much.

 

[Riot87]

Lol i agree^^^ i am like that now too . That story was great though and creepy. Especially the part at the end

 

[The Nameless]

Thanks Claire and Riot, I shall endevour to check those out once I finnish The Regulators.

 

[Kurben]

I've made at least three failed attempts writing three different novels. So I decided to go back to short stories and essays. Trying to get back in the groove, so I've been reading Mr. King's short stories.

Do I have a favorite? That's like asking me which one of my kids I love best. I will reply to this question like I used to answer my kids, "I love you both for different reasons--you're like apples and oranges."

A good test for a short story is if your mind drifts back to the neural pathway that was burned in your brain when you read it, hours later, days later, maybe even years later.

I remember skipping over Stationary Bike five years ago when I came upon it. I think I had some idea that the bike would morph into a monster and eat him. Yes, I just listened to it in my daily commute to pick up my grandson from PreK. I come about 20 minutes early and just shut off the car and listen to "my stories"--

Not to give anything away but ZAM! POW! AND OF COURSE OMG!! I will never think of stationary bikes or lipids the same way again--who can after that? I don't want to say clever but maybe super duper clever!

Sorry for all the gushing. I really meant to start a thread so everyone can say which of Mr. King's short stories just blew them away....so which ones?

The Novellas, The Body
short stories is more difficult but to use your definition, I always find myself drifting back to that little eerie, not really frightening short story in just after sunset about ghosts that hadn't realised they were ghosts. Forgot the name. It was first in the collection i remember. He has written many others that are much more scarier but i have a fondness for that one. Am not exactly sure why.

 

[Amélie]

I'm fan of the short stories in "Full Dark, No Stars" !

 

[The Space Cowboy]

A hastily prepared top ten (no order):

The Jaunt
A Very Tight Place
Beachworld
The Monkey
Rest Stop
The Boogeyman
Gray Matter
L.T.'s Theory of Pets
The Moving Finger
Dedication

Honourable mentions of note: Sneakers, Mute, Battleground, Survivor Type, Children of the Corn

If we're allowing for novellas, I'd maybe swap Rest Stop and L.T.'s Theory of Pets for The Library Policeman and A Good Marriage. It's pleasantly surprising how his "everyman" style of narration is quite an electric fit for sci-fi Horror like The Jaunt or Beachworld.

 

[chief4db]

1922 and not sure if this qualifies as a short story but if so Blockade Billy

 

[Kurben]

Willa
Wordprocessor of the Gods
The Mangler
L.T,s theory of Pets
The Death of Jack Hamilton
The End of the whole mess
Children of the Corn
Autopsy room 4
One Hell of a Band

These are some of my fave shortstories.

 

[mal]

The Little Sisters of Eluria? I think that's close. I remember reading it and thinking about the white tent that Jack Sawyer hid in when he saw the Queen in the Talisman. I don't think that is a Dark Tower reference but one always reminded me of the other.

 

[Blake]

I don't think it's classed as a short story, but I'll say seeing I'm reading it for the Friday Reading and Discussion group, I must say, 'The Sun Dog', in Four Past Midnight. Brilliant. I bought the book back in 92', but I mustn't have read that story.

 

[Rrty]

In terms of asking for alien stories, wasn't The Reploids an alien tale? Not my favorite, but it has grown on me a bit over the years.