Everything's Eventual 14 Dark Tales Author:Stephen King The first collection of stories Stephen King has published since Nightmares & Dreamscapes nine years ago, Everything's Eventual includes one O. Henry Prize winner, two other award winners, four stories published by The New Yorker, and "Riding the Bullet," King's original e-book, which attracted over half a million online re... more »aders and became the most famous short story of the decade.
"Riding the Bullet," published here on paper for the first time, is the story of Alan Parker, who's hitchhiking to see his dying mother but takes the wrong ride, farther than he ever intended. In "Lunch at the Gotham Cafe," a sparring couple's contentious lunch turns very, very bloody when the maitre d' gets out of sorts. "1408," the audio story in print for the first time, is about a successful writer whose specialty is "Ten Nights in Ten Haunted Graveyards" or "Ten Nights in Ten Haunted Houses," and though Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel doesn't kill him, he won't be writing about ghosts anymore. And in "That Feeling, You Can Only Say What It Is In French," terror is deja vu at 16,000 feet.
Whether writing about encounters with the dead, the near dead, or about the mundane dreads of life, from quitting smoking to yard sales, Stephen King is at the top of his form in the fourteen dark tales assembled in Everything's Eventual. Intense, eerie, and instantly compelling, they announce the stunningly fertile imagination of perhaps the greatest storyteller of our time.
Introduction: Practicing the (almost) lost art --
Autopsy room four --
Man in the black suit --
All that you love will be carried away --
Death of Jack Hamilton --
In the deathroom --
Little sisters of Eluria --
Everything's eventual --
L.T.'s theory of pets --
Road virus heads north --
Lunch at the Gotham Cafe --
That feeling, you can only say what it is in French --
i have several family members that can't STAND stephen king, so i thought i'd try him out. i don't see why they're hatin! i enjoyed the short stories in this book, and i've got another short story collection from king to try, too. some of the stories were better than others, and i found the way he addresses his readers to be a little bit odd, but that's not why i got the book. some of the stories definitely spurned me to think, and some of them were a little spooky!
If you've only read Stephen Kings novels or seen his movies, you are missing out. His short stories are my favorite of all his writing. Even more than The Gunslinger. Although this is not my favorite collection of his (Night Shift is), it is one of his best books in my opinion. Read this and then read Night Shift!
Fine collection of King short stories, most involving ordinary people who suddenly find themselves in very non-ordinary situations. The title story is a standout, revisiting one of King's earliest themes -- the teased and tormented youngster uses his (in this case) special powers for revenge on his tormentor. Also supremely creepy is "The Road Virus Heads North", about a very special and malevolent picture. Includes "1408", which was the basis for the current (2007) movie.
Richard M. reviewed Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales on
Helpful Score: 1
Stephen King is one of my favorite authors, and he doesn't fail to delight/chill the reader in this anthology. Of course, I've never read anything by him I didn't like.
This was a great book. Quite a few of these stories scared me pretty good. All in all a great book!! Have to say though I was a little dissappointed when I reached the story 1408-as many of you know that movie just recently came out. I had only seen the movie, never read the story. And I was rather dissappointed in it. But Stephen King is an awesome writer and I love all of his books. I would definetely recommend this book to anyone.
Julie M. reviewed Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales on
there is a hidden gem in this book...a roland deschain story. the dark tower series is my favorite book series and i was so excited to come across another little chapter in roland's life. the rest of the stories are pretty good, but i forgot them all as soon as i found roland's story!
If you are buying this book for the movie tie-in to 1408, you might be disappointed because the trailer for the movie and the plot of the short story really don't seem to mirror each other, so I have a feeling the two don't resemble each other down to the smallest detail. Word is that King gave approval to the movie version, so perhaps it maintains the emotional resonance of the short story which is, by the way, as spooky and eerie as you'd expect, so much so that it is easy to forget how well King writes.
In addition to the stories, one of my favorite parts of this book was the preface and author's notes on the stories, by King. Budding writers in this genre of horror or psychological suspense/horror should focus carefully on his writing advice. He doesn't give it lightly and he also doesn't mince words. You may primarily buy this book for the great and riveting tales within, but you may also find yourself equally fascinated by what King writes about...ssbout HOW to write and his own perspective on his craft. He confesses that he has been surprised that some stories which he considered less than stellar have won awards, showing that he is still capable of being surprised by his readers and reviewers. I expect that is part of the thrill of what he does, discovering what touches readers and what does not.
In the preface, for example, he brings up an important subject, the evolution of the short story and its possible demise. He writes so deftly about such a serious subject! I happen to be equally concerned, coming from a time when short stories filled so many magazines I read, from Atlantic to Redbook to Saturday Evening Post. I grew up reading them in magazines my parents had around the house. Try to find a typical, mass market magazine that contains short stories anymore, especially by writers whose words will become classic. Pretty hard, isn't it? Sad - at least to me and, based on what he wrote, to King as well.
He also touches on an E-book he wrote and his concern about how well it did. He was both fascinated and...yes, horrified. You'll have to read this book to find out why.
Anyway, this book is well worth reading, perfect for those who only have limited time and who find the idea of an entire book on one subject too daunting. I have a feeling you'll read this one straight through, even if you THINK you're going to only dip into one or two of the short stories. You'll be hooked and enthralled before you know it.
Some of the stories pay homage to other writers and if you are queasy when it comes to reading graphic details, consider yourself forewarned. I found the first story "Autopsy Room Four" to be particularly hard going but stuck it out - and I'm glad I did. Its genesis was an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, something I'd never have known if King hadn't pointed it out. Once he did, I actually remembered the particular episode with Joseph Cotten and- like King - agree that it was one of the spookiest Hitchcock episodes out there.
I adore Stephen King but I had a very hard time enjoying some of the stories in this book. there were a couple of good old King, shiver in your shoes stories but I don't think that you should pay a lot for this book just to get a couple of good stories out of it.
King is at his best with these stories, some short and sweet (?) Some longer, more evolved and creepier for sure. I always think that short stories, or novellas are a good way to introduce yourself to any author, if they are available. And this collection is a good way to get started on Stephen King.
If you don't already know, Stephen King is very verbose. While that's awesome if you like the story he's telling, it's not so awesome if you find it boring (I'm looking at you Bag of Bones and Gerald's Game). That said, Stephen King is a master storyteller. If you are not drawn into one of his books in the first few chapters, move onto a different one. He has many absolutely fantastic novels. As for this one, some stories are great and some are mediocre, but the best part is that they are all short so there are no long drawn-out boring scenes. By the time you realize that you don't really like a story it's almost over.
Edit Review: Enter a nightmarish mindscape of relenting horror and shocking revelations that could come only from the imagination of the greatest storyteller of our time.
Stephen King's #1 Bestselling Story Collection...Everything's Eventual Features the tale "1408," now a Dimension Films Motion Picture, starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.
Also, inside is the blockbuster eBook "Riding the Bullet," the original audio story "In the Deathroom," plus eleven more boudary-pushing fiction masterworks that will keep you away until daybreak.
"USA Today.... Brilliant Creepy." "The New York Times...Unpredictable." "The Washington Post...Well-Crafted, Nuanced Stories."
Introduction: Practicing the (Almost) Lost Art
Tale 1: Autopsy Room Four
Tale 2: The Man in the Black Suit
Tale 3: All That You Love Will Be Carried Away
Tale 4: The Death of Jack Hamilton
Tale 5: In the Deathroom
Tale 6: The Little Sisters of Eluria
Tale 7: Everything's Eventual
Tale 8: L.T.'s Theory of Pets
Tale 9: The Road Virus Heads North
Tale 10: Lunch at the Gothom Cafe
Tale 11: That Feeling, You Can Only Say what It Is in French
Tale 12: 1408
Tale 13: Riding the Bullet
Tale 14: Luckey Quarter
STEPHEN KING is the author of moare than fifty worldwide bestsellers. Among his recent are "Lisey's Story, The Dark Tower Novels, Cell, From a Buick 8, Everything's Evenual, Hearts in Atlantis, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Bag of Bones" and his acclaimed nonfiction book, On writing. He is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medel for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
