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Drunken Fireworks
Alden McCausland and his mother are what they call “accident rich”; thanks to an unexpected life-insurance policy payout and a winning Big Maine Millions scratcher, Alden and his Ma are able to spend their summers down by Lake Abenaki, idly drinking their days away in a three-room cabin with an old dock and a lick of a beach.
Across the lake, they can see what “real rich” looks like: the Massimo family’s Twelve Pines Camp, the big white mansion with guest house and tennis court that Alden’s Ma says is paid for by “ill-gotten gains” courtesy of Massimo Construction. When Alden’s holiday-weekend sparklers and firecrackers set off what over the next few years comes to be known as the Fourth of July Arms Race, he learns how far he and the Massimos will go to win an annual neighborly rivalry—one that lands Alden in the Castle County jail.
Read by beloved Down East storyteller Tim Sample—praised by Stephen King for his “wit and talent and good-heartedness”—Drunken Fireworks makes for explosive audio listening.
Across the lake, they can see what “real rich” looks like: the Massimo family’s Twelve Pines Camp, the big white mansion with guest house and tennis court that Alden’s Ma says is paid for by “ill-gotten gains” courtesy of Massimo Construction. When Alden’s holiday-weekend sparklers and firecrackers set off what over the next few years comes to be known as the Fourth of July Arms Race, he learns how far he and the Massimos will go to win an annual neighborly rivalry—one that lands Alden in the Castle County jail.
Read by beloved Down East storyteller Tim Sample—praised by Stephen King for his “wit and talent and good-heartedness”—Drunken Fireworks makes for explosive audio listening.
2 pages, Audiobook
First published June 30, 2015
27 people are currently reading
3038 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,391 books889k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 676 reviews
April 25, 2023
Not his best
June 6, 2017
Fear not - this is a funny one by the King.
When some poor white trash hit it big with a scratch-off ticket, they buy a cozy cottage by the lake.
Alden and his Ma like nothing more than to spend a summer evening sitting on the dock, sipping an array of alcoholic beverages. But just across the lake sits the palatial home of the Massimo family, some "Eye-talians" (King uses an even less flattering term) who undoubtedly have mob connections.
One 4th of July, Alden and Ma light some sparklers. The Massimos light some even bigger sparklers. And the arms race begins! Where will it end?
Oh, please - let narrator Tim Sample tell you. His "Pepperidge Farm Remembers" voice makes you feel like you're down at the general store, gathered round the pickle barrel, shootin' the shit with the old timers.
This was a pretty doggoned hilarious listen that made my morning commute a little less dreadful.
Highly recommended.
When some poor white trash hit it big with a scratch-off ticket, they buy a cozy cottage by the lake.
Alden and his Ma like nothing more than to spend a summer evening sitting on the dock, sipping an array of alcoholic beverages. But just across the lake sits the palatial home of the Massimo family, some "Eye-talians" (King uses an even less flattering term) who undoubtedly have mob connections.
One 4th of July, Alden and Ma light some sparklers. The Massimos light some even bigger sparklers. And the arms race begins! Where will it end?
Oh, please - let narrator Tim Sample tell you. His "Pepperidge Farm Remembers" voice makes you feel like you're down at the general store, gathered round the pickle barrel, shootin' the shit with the old timers.
This was a pretty doggoned hilarious listen that made my morning commute a little less dreadful.
Highly recommended.
October 22, 2019
Stephen King does funny. It's not bust-a-gut funny; it's funny.
It takes place over several 4th of July Holidays. Two families are trying to out-do each other with fireworks displays. Each year the ante is upped.
It's a New England setting with some great characters. I had a fun time with this quick listen.
I see this is also in the 'Bazaar of Bad Dreams' book.
It takes place over several 4th of July Holidays. Two families are trying to out-do each other with fireworks displays. Each year the ante is upped.
It's a New England setting with some great characters. I had a fun time with this quick listen.
I see this is also in the 'Bazaar of Bad Dreams' book.
October 4, 2023
WOW! A book all politicians need to read - more relevant even today with the missile launching contest going on all over the globe. What starts out as just a competition turns into something that was not expected. The chilling part about this story is that it is very relatable; we see what the characters should have done differently - but it is too late.
October 18, 2023
Drunk people and fireworks … what could possibly go wrong? An entertaining short story by Stephen King, although without any of King's usual horror. It was actually sort of … fun?
June 10, 2021
Super short and unKing like. This seems like one of his throwaway stories published. 1 of 10 stars
June 19, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I had every intention of reading this on Independence Day. All hail Goldblum . . . .
But when I found myself about to pass out from heat stroke and 15 minutes to spare before my oldest’s baseball game this past weekend I decided to bump this to the forefront in an attempt to keep my brain occupied before it fried inside my skull.
King begins this tale with a little anecdote about a golden oldie cruising the local grocery in her Hoveround Scooter who stopped him in order to tell him she’s not a fan of horror stories and seeks out stuff like Shawshank Redemption instead . . . . and then proceeded to tell King “no you didn’t” when he pointed out he wrote that one too. King states . . . .
“You write some scary stories and you’re like the girl who lives in the trailer park on the edge of town: you get a reputation.”
Basically, if you’re a sissybaby like the Grocery Store Golden Girl, this might be a King story for you.
When I first saw the title for this (courtesy of my pal, Melki), my mind instantly went to . . . .
Turns out I was a bit off the mark.
Ever since a combo of Alden’s Dad dropping dead, leaving a pile of loot from insurance money, and Ma hitting it big on a scratch-off lottery ticket, the two have been living high on the hog, spending their evenings watching the lake and sipping on fineries such as “Dirty Hubcaps” while continually being irritated by the “Eye-talians” who reside in a McMansion across the way. It was bad enough listening the fun and frivolity of their weekly barbecues – mainly in the form of one of the Massimo man-boys who liked to accompany any singing by (literally) tooting his horn . . .
“Someone ought to dip that trumpet in olive oil and stick it up his ass. He could fart out ‘God Bless America.’”
(If you read that in Shelby’s voice, you’re not the only one.)
But when those [racial slur redacted] tried to one-up Alden and Ma’s 4th of July celebration of black cats and sparklers, it was on like bing bong and the following year (as well as the year after that and the year after that), the feuding families waged an “arms race” like no other . . . .
This story is strictly for shits and grins. After reading Melki’s review, I think the paper version was probably lacking quite a bit in comparison to the audio. It was still great fun, though. I mean, who doesn’t want to blow the hell out of stuff in order to show their neighbor up on the 4th?????
If you don’t? Well, you probably ain’t very patriotic . . . .
God bless ‘Murica!
I had every intention of reading this on Independence Day. All hail Goldblum . . . .
But when I found myself about to pass out from heat stroke and 15 minutes to spare before my oldest’s baseball game this past weekend I decided to bump this to the forefront in an attempt to keep my brain occupied before it fried inside my skull.
King begins this tale with a little anecdote about a golden oldie cruising the local grocery in her Hoveround Scooter who stopped him in order to tell him she’s not a fan of horror stories and seeks out stuff like Shawshank Redemption instead . . . . and then proceeded to tell King “no you didn’t” when he pointed out he wrote that one too. King states . . . .
“You write some scary stories and you’re like the girl who lives in the trailer park on the edge of town: you get a reputation.”
Basically, if you’re a sissybaby like the Grocery Store Golden Girl, this might be a King story for you.
When I first saw the title for this (courtesy of my pal, Melki), my mind instantly went to . . . .
Turns out I was a bit off the mark.
Ever since a combo of Alden’s Dad dropping dead, leaving a pile of loot from insurance money, and Ma hitting it big on a scratch-off lottery ticket, the two have been living high on the hog, spending their evenings watching the lake and sipping on fineries such as “Dirty Hubcaps” while continually being irritated by the “Eye-talians” who reside in a McMansion across the way. It was bad enough listening the fun and frivolity of their weekly barbecues – mainly in the form of one of the Massimo man-boys who liked to accompany any singing by (literally) tooting his horn . . .
“Someone ought to dip that trumpet in olive oil and stick it up his ass. He could fart out ‘God Bless America.’”
(If you read that in Shelby’s voice, you’re not the only one.)
But when those [racial slur redacted] tried to one-up Alden and Ma’s 4th of July celebration of black cats and sparklers, it was on like bing bong and the following year (as well as the year after that and the year after that), the feuding families waged an “arms race” like no other . . . .
This story is strictly for shits and grins. After reading Melki’s review, I think the paper version was probably lacking quite a bit in comparison to the audio. It was still great fun, though. I mean, who doesn’t want to blow the hell out of stuff in order to show their neighbor up on the 4th?????
If you don’t? Well, you probably ain’t very patriotic . . . .
God bless ‘Murica!
August 21, 2020
Story 3 stars**
Audio 3.75 stars**
Narrator Tim Sample
Audio 3.75 stars**
Narrator Tim Sample
August 24, 2015
OMGobsmaking goodness gracious!
An annual 4th of July firework competition across the banks of Lake Abenaki between the got rich quick McCausland’s, Alden and his Ma, and the born moneyed Massimo family, ignites with hilarious results in this short story by Stephen King. I’m a fireworks fanatic and live in a lake community, so could really relate to the story. I also got a kick, not a literal one yet, out of the drinks Alden and his Ma consumed.
Fireworks, Stephen King and the 4th of July; not quite as American as apple pie, Drunken Fireworks is a pop, bang, sizzling good read.
I won this Simon & Schuster audio exclusive from Bookreporter.com. Tim Sample, acclaimed Down East Storyteller, delivers an accent perfect and witty reading. I doubt anyone could have done it better than he. King, betting that this experimental release will bring new fans to narrated books has a winner. Drunken Fireworks will be included in the not yet released The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. Sit back and listen as the sparks fly.
An annual 4th of July firework competition across the banks of Lake Abenaki between the got rich quick McCausland’s, Alden and his Ma, and the born moneyed Massimo family, ignites with hilarious results in this short story by Stephen King. I’m a fireworks fanatic and live in a lake community, so could really relate to the story. I also got a kick, not a literal one yet, out of the drinks Alden and his Ma consumed.
Fireworks, Stephen King and the 4th of July; not quite as American as apple pie, Drunken Fireworks is a pop, bang, sizzling good read.
I won this Simon & Schuster audio exclusive from Bookreporter.com. Tim Sample, acclaimed Down East Storyteller, delivers an accent perfect and witty reading. I doubt anyone could have done it better than he. King, betting that this experimental release will bring new fans to narrated books has a winner. Drunken Fireworks will be included in the not yet released The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. Sit back and listen as the sparks fly.
July 12, 2015
Audiobook - Narrated by Tim Sample – Exceptional!
I’m not a great fan of King’s short stories, but this one was a lot of fun.
Going back to Castle County I was predisposed to like this story and I did, but for reasons other than that.
After the first few words I felt a smile spread across my face and there it stayed until the end, except for the many, many laugh out loud moments.
It will be interesting to see, when I read the story, how it stacks up against the audio. I think it will hold it’s own because I’m sure, as I read, I’ll hear Tim Sample’s voice. He was brilliant.
For me, this was King at his best.
“The Great Fourth of July’s Arms Race”…Priceless!
June 28, 2019
This is one of my favorite Stephen King short stories.
Language Alert: not appropriate for children
Free Audiobook below:
https://tokybook.com/drunken-fireworks/
Language Alert: not appropriate for children
Free Audiobook below:
https://tokybook.com/drunken-fireworks/
May 15, 2017
I love Stephen King! He's one of my favorite authors and I typically enjoy his narrative voice and dialogue. In this short story, I think he goes a little overboard with the main character's dialect. The dialect would have been fine in small snippets of dialogue, but not in the entire short story. After a while, it was hard to understand what the narrator was saying.
July 1, 2015
3.5 Stars....... Stephen King's Drunken Fireworks is basically a fireworks pissing contest between crazy neighbors that does have an explosive outcome, and is a fun audio book appropriate for the 4th of July, but, unfortunately did not blow me away!
(only my second audio book ever so I'm pretty much a newbie critic here)
February 27, 2018
omg, this was hilarious. Extremely short story and not horror at all, I look forward to reading it again when I get to the book itself.
November 11, 2018
Hey guys, Steve can be funny too ok?
July 20, 2015
One of things you have to admire about Stephen King is how he is willing to keep pushing the boundaries of the publishing world. He's not just content to churn out best-seller after best-seller in hard-cover format, but instead he's willing to take a chance or two along the way to challenge not only himself but his readers. Some of them work very well (The Green Mile) and some have withered on the vine (The Vine).
King has also been releasing stories via audiobooks for the past dozen or so years and every once in a while he puts out an exclusive audio only story. (King has admitted he's a an audio reader himself). Sometimes it's a fairly straight-forward short story and then other times it's something like Drunken Fireworks.
And while the story will be part of his upcoming short story collection, King said in an interview that this one was meant to be listened to.
It certainly shows.
Thanks to an insurance and lottery windfall, Alden McCausland and his mother spend the warmest months of the year at their three-room cabin on Lake Abenaki. One fourth of July, Alden and his mother light up a few sparklers and other fireworks, setting off an inadvertent contest with their neighbors across the lake, the Massimos. Each summer, Alden tries to find the next big thing to shoot off, only to have the Massimo family ready to counter them with something just a bit better. It would all be in good fun for the two families if Alden and his mother didn't feel like one member of their family was taunting them with his trumpet.
Listening to the story, I couldn't help but be reminded of the first season of True Detective and the brilliant interview sequences. From the start, we know that something has clearly gone awry this this year's celebration but it takes Alden a good hour to set things up and give us the background before we get to exactly what happened.
Drunken Fireworks doesn't have a supernatural twist or element to it like many of King's stories do. Instead what it gives us is King having a damn good time, crafting a story that is meant to be heard more than it is read. Part of what makes the story work is the voice he gives Alden. The voice is brought to life by Tim Sample, who does some great work here.
As a solid, entertaining short story Drunken Fireworks succeeds on just about every level. It's also made me that much more curious and enthusiastic about King's upcoming short story collection. If this one is just a sample of what we're going to get there, we are in for a treat.
King has also been releasing stories via audiobooks for the past dozen or so years and every once in a while he puts out an exclusive audio only story. (King has admitted he's a an audio reader himself). Sometimes it's a fairly straight-forward short story and then other times it's something like Drunken Fireworks.
And while the story will be part of his upcoming short story collection, King said in an interview that this one was meant to be listened to.
It certainly shows.
Thanks to an insurance and lottery windfall, Alden McCausland and his mother spend the warmest months of the year at their three-room cabin on Lake Abenaki. One fourth of July, Alden and his mother light up a few sparklers and other fireworks, setting off an inadvertent contest with their neighbors across the lake, the Massimos. Each summer, Alden tries to find the next big thing to shoot off, only to have the Massimo family ready to counter them with something just a bit better. It would all be in good fun for the two families if Alden and his mother didn't feel like one member of their family was taunting them with his trumpet.
Listening to the story, I couldn't help but be reminded of the first season of True Detective and the brilliant interview sequences. From the start, we know that something has clearly gone awry this this year's celebration but it takes Alden a good hour to set things up and give us the background before we get to exactly what happened.
Drunken Fireworks doesn't have a supernatural twist or element to it like many of King's stories do. Instead what it gives us is King having a damn good time, crafting a story that is meant to be heard more than it is read. Part of what makes the story work is the voice he gives Alden. The voice is brought to life by Tim Sample, who does some great work here.
As a solid, entertaining short story Drunken Fireworks succeeds on just about every level. It's also made me that much more curious and enthusiastic about King's upcoming short story collection. If this one is just a sample of what we're going to get there, we are in for a treat.
July 17, 2015
The last narrated work by Stephen King that I hands down loved, was Blaze. I read it during my drive back and forth to my family's home during Christmas in 2007. I loved ever aspect of it and just kept switching the CDs in and out while driving and found myself lured by the voice of Ron McLarty. Too bad I can't say the same for Drunken Fireworks.
This short story is narrated by Tim Sample and as it goes on, it becomes increasingly hard to decipher what Sample is saying. Speaking in a typical Maine accent, Tim is the voice of Aiden McCausland. Occasionally he switches over to Aiden's mother and his voice gets worse when he "acts" like an older woman. If you are going to have a short story audible only release, I think it behooves someone to make sure that the narrator has an engaging voice. I keep reading other people's reviews and that seems to be the main problem that people had with this story.
Besides the narration, the entire plot of Drunken Fireworks was ridiculous. The plot is that Aiden and his mother sit around drinking a lot. We find out that they became rich and like many of the new rich feel slightly inadequate about that fact. They get a new neighbor named Paul Massimo who is a wealthy Italian from Rhode Island. I guess there's some sort of thing between people that live in Maine and Rhode Islanders. I pretty much mentally shrugged and went about my business. We find out that Aiden wants to have bigger fireworks than Paul and the whole story is about him having bigger fireworks.
The only part that I thought was clever was the framing device of having Aiden giving a deposition about what exactly went on between him and his neighbor and the race to have bigger fireworks than one another.
I would say that if you are a fan of Stephen King's horror books that you are going to want to pass on this one. There is some fantasy element in it (at the end) but this really didn't read like a King book to me besides the setting being in Maine.
This short story is narrated by Tim Sample and as it goes on, it becomes increasingly hard to decipher what Sample is saying. Speaking in a typical Maine accent, Tim is the voice of Aiden McCausland. Occasionally he switches over to Aiden's mother and his voice gets worse when he "acts" like an older woman. If you are going to have a short story audible only release, I think it behooves someone to make sure that the narrator has an engaging voice. I keep reading other people's reviews and that seems to be the main problem that people had with this story.
Besides the narration, the entire plot of Drunken Fireworks was ridiculous. The plot is that Aiden and his mother sit around drinking a lot. We find out that they became rich and like many of the new rich feel slightly inadequate about that fact. They get a new neighbor named Paul Massimo who is a wealthy Italian from Rhode Island. I guess there's some sort of thing between people that live in Maine and Rhode Islanders. I pretty much mentally shrugged and went about my business. We find out that Aiden wants to have bigger fireworks than Paul and the whole story is about him having bigger fireworks.
The only part that I thought was clever was the framing device of having Aiden giving a deposition about what exactly went on between him and his neighbor and the race to have bigger fireworks than one another.
I would say that if you are a fan of Stephen King's horror books that you are going to want to pass on this one. There is some fantasy element in it (at the end) but this really didn't read like a King book to me besides the setting being in Maine.
July 8, 2015
Amusing
July 6, 2020
This was fine, I didn't particularly like or dislike it. I listened to it strictly because of the title. I wanted to feel a little festive for the 4th of July holiday, and it was only about an hour long. It was performed really well on audio.
August 24, 2015
My first Stephen King audio book, the story itself is not a roman-sized vehicle but a short tale that lasts two Cd's.
The story in itself is quite funny and well constructed even if the ending is somewhat forced. It is about two families in a battle of whom has the most impressive 4th of July fireworks with an inescapable bad ending. Let's say that King has written better short stories and leave it at that.
The brilliance of this audio-book lies no so much in the tale but the performer Tim Sample. His telling and performing this audio-book makes it a pleasure to listen to and he makes you feel the story and laugh with the story. At first his accent did make me pay attention & difficult to understand at times. But after a while his style made me relax and find the story that more authentic.
The fourth star is easily on Tim Samples shoulders he made me enjoy the audio book and possible seek out his other "readings"of King novels. That much he impressed me.
The story in itself is quite funny and well constructed even if the ending is somewhat forced. It is about two families in a battle of whom has the most impressive 4th of July fireworks with an inescapable bad ending. Let's say that King has written better short stories and leave it at that.
The brilliance of this audio-book lies no so much in the tale but the performer Tim Sample. His telling and performing this audio-book makes it a pleasure to listen to and he makes you feel the story and laugh with the story. At first his accent did make me pay attention & difficult to understand at times. But after a while his style made me relax and find the story that more authentic.
The fourth star is easily on Tim Samples shoulders he made me enjoy the audio book and possible seek out his other "readings"of King novels. That much he impressed me.
October 30, 2025
Drunken Fireworks — can you think of anything scarier than a bunch of drunks shooting off fireworks?? Hahahaha. This book is not scary actually. It is a funny little short.
August 18, 2017
3.5 stars
A nice little short story - sans horror - told in the Stephen King fashion.
A contest, if you will, between the down-home good ole boy and his rich Italian neighbor across the lake. Each year, for four years, they try to out do each other in shooting the biggest and best fireworks off across their mutual lake. Finally Alden thinks he has the answer.
This final year the fireworks take control.
A nice little short story - sans horror - told in the Stephen King fashion.
A contest, if you will, between the down-home good ole boy and his rich Italian neighbor across the lake. Each year, for four years, they try to out do each other in shooting the biggest and best fireworks off across their mutual lake. Finally Alden thinks he has the answer.
This final year the fireworks take control.
July 8, 2025
I didn’t expect to love this one so darn much. I downloaded the audiobook on the library app and was instantly hooked. It was funny,quirky and it was perfect for Fourth of July.
Want to read
June 30, 2015CBS Corp., intends to stream the audiobook for Stephen King’s short story titled “Drunken Fireworks” FREE on July 2 across its new audio platform Play.it. Narrator Tim Sample describes the story as “funny,” it’s fair to say that Mr. King has a darker sense of humor than most. The set-up for the tale is a summer fireworks rivalry gone awry.
January 3, 2025
It was a fun, short little audio jaunt through Stephen King's musings about the Fourth of July.
The narration was very true to the character and brought the story to life.
It's not really something you need to experience multiple times, but it was good for the one time.
3 Stars
The narration was very true to the character and brought the story to life.
It's not really something you need to experience multiple times, but it was good for the one time.
3 Stars
September 24, 2015
Stephen King has a new short story out only available in audiobook from Simon and Schuster, narrated by Tim Sample, and it’s called “Drunken Fireworks”.
After having experienced the audiobook of his novel 11/22/63, and finding it one of the best I’ve heard, I was excited to see what King had in mind with this project. King’s reputation all but promises to bring characters that come alive through their dialogue, and if Tim Sample and his audio producers create an experience half as powerful as 11/22/63, then I figured to be in for a treat.
One thing I wasn’t sure about coming in was the title, “Drunken Fireworks,” and what it meant for the story. In a way, King both exceeded and met my expectations. When I read that title, I thought, what kind of interesting story can come about from drunken people lighting off fireworks? It seemed too simple.
Unfortunately, that’s how I felt afterwards, as well. King delivers with some hilarious one liners and yet another display of why he writes the best dialogue in the business. Tim Sample did a terrific job adding accent and inflection to our narrators’ voices. I couldn’t ask for a better performance in that regard. Unfortunately, beyond the vocals and the cool fireworks descriptions, the ending fell flat, leaving me thinking, that’s it?
3.5/5 Stars for an enjoyable experience that could give or take on how high I recommend it. If you’re a diehard King fan, you should, and you’ll be rewarded for new characters to laugh with, but you might be disappointed with his ending.
Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for a review.
After having experienced the audiobook of his novel 11/22/63, and finding it one of the best I’ve heard, I was excited to see what King had in mind with this project. King’s reputation all but promises to bring characters that come alive through their dialogue, and if Tim Sample and his audio producers create an experience half as powerful as 11/22/63, then I figured to be in for a treat.
One thing I wasn’t sure about coming in was the title, “Drunken Fireworks,” and what it meant for the story. In a way, King both exceeded and met my expectations. When I read that title, I thought, what kind of interesting story can come about from drunken people lighting off fireworks? It seemed too simple.
Unfortunately, that’s how I felt afterwards, as well. King delivers with some hilarious one liners and yet another display of why he writes the best dialogue in the business. Tim Sample did a terrific job adding accent and inflection to our narrators’ voices. I couldn’t ask for a better performance in that regard. Unfortunately, beyond the vocals and the cool fireworks descriptions, the ending fell flat, leaving me thinking, that’s it?
3.5/5 Stars for an enjoyable experience that could give or take on how high I recommend it. If you’re a diehard King fan, you should, and you’ll be rewarded for new characters to laugh with, but you might be disappointed with his ending.
Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for a review.
June 30, 2015
King delivers an explosive little story that is both hilarious and enthralling. Definitely perfect for the 4th of July. King has the uncanny ability of sucking you into the story, and creating characters that are so familiar and relatable. Don't miss out on this new gem from the Master!
June 2, 2017
I have no idea how I got this audio book, usually I only get Memoirs on audio, so mystery.
January 28, 2021
Funny for a Stephen King short story.
October 22, 2023
Cute little story!
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