Stephen King Book Reviews:

BLACK HOUSE

BAG OF BONES

BLOOD AND SMOKE

COLORADO KID

CYCLE OF THE WEREWOLF

CARRIE

CUJO

CELL

CHRISTINE

DANSE MACABRE

DARK HALF

DEAD ZONE

DESPERATION

DIFFERENT SEASONS

DOLORES CLAIBORNE

DREAMCATCHER

DRAWING OF THE THREE

EYES OF THE DRAGON

EVERYTHINGS EVENTUAL

FIRESTARTER

FROM A BUICK 8

FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT

GERALDS GAME

INSOMNIA

HEARTS IN ATLANTIS

IT

MISERY

Stephen King Book Reviews:

NEEDFUL THINGS

NIGHTMARES AND DREAMSCAPES

ON WRITING

PET CEMETERY

RAGE

REGULATORS

RIDING THE BULLET

ROADWORK

ROSE MADDER

SALEM'S LOT

SKELETON CREW

SONG OF SUSANNAH

STORM OF THE CENTURY

THE DARK TOWER

THE GREEN MILE

THE GUNSLINGER

THE LONG WALK

THE PLANT

THE RUNNING MAN

THE SHINING

THE TALISMAN

THE TOMMYKNOCKERS

THE WASTE LANDS

THINNER

TOM GORDON

WIZARD AND GLASS

WOLVES OF THE CALLA

 Nightmares and Dreamscapes joins Night Shift and Skeleton Crew in a number of published collections of Stephen King’s short works. While not as memorable as the former two, Nightmares and Dreamscapes still offers fans of both King and the horror genre in general something to chew on.

While Nightmares and Dreamscapes pales in comparison to King’s other collections, it also offers selections well versed in what King does best: gore tinged horror and the waking of the dead. King does take chances within the collection and whether readers come away from the collection feeling cold or warm, they will probably at least admire his audacity throughout some of the tales.

One such tale in the collection is You Know They’ve Got a Hell of a Band. In the story, a couple ventures into a seemingly charming little town on a road trip by the name of Rock and Roll Heaven. What they encounter there are the undead remnants of such popular musicians as Janis Joplin, Buddy Holly and Jim Morrison. The town’s mayor, Elvis, soon informs the couple that they will be required to become a permanent resident of the town and will be forced to attend the constant concerts of the town’s elite musician population. It’s an audacious story and, as such, it will either endear readers or revolt them. However, the story is so amusing and original that many readers might find it hard to feel hatred toward the execution.

It is, however, The House on Maple Street that will most likely strike a chord with most readers. The story of a group of children, oppressed by an abusive and cruel stepfather, find a way to rid themselves of the tyrannical authority figure who sets about making both their lives and the life of their mother a living hell on earth. Tinged with strokes of science fiction and touching on one of the concepts that King handles best – the strong ties that are formed in childhood – this is a beautiful and amazing tale that might just be the best within the collection.

Nightmares and Dreamscapes will, at the very least, entertain many readers. Some stories will, however, lose the readers attention. But there are good stories to be found within the collection and deserve at least one read.