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Graveyard Shift
In a small town textiles mill with a history of grisly "accidents", a man finds himself caught up in a nightmare when he works to restore the place. Something is lurking within those decaying turn-of-the-century floorboards, something is creeping - something with a long tail and very sharp teeth.
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First published January 1, 1988
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About the author
Stephen King
2,614 books886k 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 273 reviews
January 25, 2021
Story3.75 stars**
Audio 4.25 stars**
Narrator John Glover
This was the a short story an epilogue of “Salem’s Lot”..... jumping into the full story now since it definitely got my interest.
Audio 4.25 stars**
Narrator John Glover
This was the a short story an epilogue of “Salem’s Lot”..... jumping into the full story now since it definitely got my interest.
May 6, 2021
I have to say that John Glover is the perfect reader for this collection. They were written in the late 60's - early '70s and his voice is perfect for that. I am already enjoying it more in his voice than I did in my head!
The Boogeyman - 5 stars This guy is an A, #1 A-hole, but at the same time, I don't think he did what he is talking about. It's such a creepy story and a man with his mentality wouldn't make it long in our world today, but if you listen with the idea that this took place over three decades ago, it's easy to get lost in the narrative.
I Know What You Need - 5 stars Before Beth finds the notorious closet, I can actually see myself being okay with Ed's attention. Who doesn't want what he's given her?
Strawberry Spring - 4 stars Again, Glover's voice lent something to this story that improved my enjoyment. I don't remember thinking this was worth three stars in the past, it's been one I sometimes avoid on re-read, but in his voice, it was very, very good. The little "twist" at the end is like a sucker punch to the gut!
Grey Matter 5 stars Glover laid on the Yankee accent with a trowel which is just what this tale needed. It's the perfect ghost story to be told around a pot-bellied stove in the winter, or around a campfire in the summer. Impossible, but in the right mood...maybe it could happen.
The Woman in the Room - 5 stars This is so personally topical for me right now! I am helping to care for my father-in-law who is in a state much like the mother in the story but at home. His feelings are so, so real and raw. I know King lost his mother to cancer and I can only think this book was cathartic in helping him work out the feelings associated with that.
Battleground - 2 stars I have never cared for this story. The delivery of the package and the back story is the only reason I am even giving it the two stars that I am. On re-reads, I usually skip this one but thought I would give Glover a try. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised at how listening can change my feelings for a tale, but not so in this case.
Graveyard Shift 4 stars This is another of those good old-fashioned creep fests. It's also a fun look at the past. The minimum wage was $1.78 an hour! Also, men were so desperate for employment they were willing to do what was asked during the holiday week...the thing with the rats, GROSS!!!!
The Man who Loved Flowers 5 stars This seemed like such a sweet story. Knowing King as I do, I always know nothing ends sweetly with him, but he mentions the in such an offhand way as he sets the scene, that it just doesn't occur to the reader that he is the real story.
The Last Rung of the Ladder 5 stars Children, especially siblings, form such strong bonds and attachments. They are able to trust like no adult can. This story is so sadly sweet. You just know what happened as the story begins, but you hope against hope that you finally get there you are wrong. I don't know how many times I've read this, but...I'm not wrong. :*(
Night Surf 5 stars If for no other reason than the fact that this is a soft introduction to Captain Tripps, I have always loved this story. I like how vague he is when he is describing the death of so many of us. The fact that our narrator is with a girl he would never have entertained before A6 is just so realistic. We all take what we can get when we can get it, especially when the pickin's are slim.
Jerusalem's Lot 5 stars This is King’s best homage to H.P. Lovecraft, in my opinion. He mimics the old style of writing/speaking and the story is super creepy, with the haunting of Chapelwaite; a cult worshipping a dark god; ancient texts; and an old creature that has been alive longer than humanity, waiting to be reawakened by a Boone descendant. This story isn’t as easy to read as most stories, but it’s worth the effort if only to give you a glimpse of what will eventually become Salem’s Lot, easily my favorite King of all.
The Lawnmower Man 5 stars I don't really get all of the symbolism, or probably even the message, but this is just a fun, weird story. I always imagine Danny Devito in the all-together, grass stains on his tummy and knees with that impish grin. Devito is The Lawnmower Man for me.
Sometimes They Come Back 4 stars This a pretty good tale and you don't know until the end if it's really happening or if this guy lost his nut. I am always especially thankful for my full accompaniment of fingers at the end of this tale. I am also always left not knowing how it really ends.
Quitters Inc. 5 stars I haven't even finished yet, but this has always been one of my favorite of the smaller King jewels. It's just so plausible. Many people care enough about a cause to leave the kind of funds it would take to run this. Who can argue they are doing the world a service? I have many relatives who smoke, most of whom have tried to quit, once twice, or many times. It's near impossible to hear them tell it. What is Quitters Inc. using as a cure, but love? Love can make us do, or not do, almost anything.
The Ledge 5 stars This is just a perfect, little, straight narrative. No funny stuff. It would be right at home in the pages of an Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. A good yarn.
The Mangler 3 stars This has never been one of my favorites and it may have suffered a bit in Glover's voice. His women come across as whiny, mincing, and giggly. I found it irritating. It's also a little too far-fetched for my suspension of disbelief.
The Boogeyman - 5 stars This guy is an A, #1 A-hole, but at the same time, I don't think he did what he is talking about. It's such a creepy story and a man with his mentality wouldn't make it long in our world today, but if you listen with the idea that this took place over three decades ago, it's easy to get lost in the narrative.
I Know What You Need - 5 stars Before Beth finds the notorious closet, I can actually see myself being okay with Ed's attention. Who doesn't want what he's given her?
Strawberry Spring - 4 stars Again, Glover's voice lent something to this story that improved my enjoyment. I don't remember thinking this was worth three stars in the past, it's been one I sometimes avoid on re-read, but in his voice, it was very, very good. The little "twist" at the end is like a sucker punch to the gut!
Grey Matter 5 stars Glover laid on the Yankee accent with a trowel which is just what this tale needed. It's the perfect ghost story to be told around a pot-bellied stove in the winter, or around a campfire in the summer. Impossible, but in the right mood...maybe it could happen.
The Woman in the Room - 5 stars This is so personally topical for me right now! I am helping to care for my father-in-law who is in a state much like the mother in the story but at home. His feelings are so, so real and raw. I know King lost his mother to cancer and I can only think this book was cathartic in helping him work out the feelings associated with that.
Battleground - 2 stars I have never cared for this story. The delivery of the package and the back story is the only reason I am even giving it the two stars that I am. On re-reads, I usually skip this one but thought I would give Glover a try. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised at how listening can change my feelings for a tale, but not so in this case.
Graveyard Shift 4 stars This is another of those good old-fashioned creep fests. It's also a fun look at the past. The minimum wage was $1.78 an hour! Also, men were so desperate for employment they were willing to do what was asked during the holiday week...the thing with the rats, GROSS!!!!
The Man who Loved Flowers 5 stars This seemed like such a sweet story. Knowing King as I do, I always know nothing ends sweetly with him, but he mentions the in such an offhand way as he sets the scene, that it just doesn't occur to the reader that he is the real story.
The Last Rung of the Ladder 5 stars Children, especially siblings, form such strong bonds and attachments. They are able to trust like no adult can. This story is so sadly sweet. You just know what happened as the story begins, but you hope against hope that you finally get there you are wrong. I don't know how many times I've read this, but...I'm not wrong. :*(
Night Surf 5 stars If for no other reason than the fact that this is a soft introduction to Captain Tripps, I have always loved this story. I like how vague he is when he is describing the death of so many of us. The fact that our narrator is with a girl he would never have entertained before A6 is just so realistic. We all take what we can get when we can get it, especially when the pickin's are slim.
Jerusalem's Lot 5 stars This is King’s best homage to H.P. Lovecraft, in my opinion. He mimics the old style of writing/speaking and the story is super creepy, with the haunting of Chapelwaite; a cult worshipping a dark god; ancient texts; and an old creature that has been alive longer than humanity, waiting to be reawakened by a Boone descendant. This story isn’t as easy to read as most stories, but it’s worth the effort if only to give you a glimpse of what will eventually become Salem’s Lot, easily my favorite King of all.
The Lawnmower Man 5 stars I don't really get all of the symbolism, or probably even the message, but this is just a fun, weird story. I always imagine Danny Devito in the all-together, grass stains on his tummy and knees with that impish grin. Devito is The Lawnmower Man for me.
Sometimes They Come Back 4 stars This a pretty good tale and you don't know until the end if it's really happening or if this guy lost his nut. I am always especially thankful for my full accompaniment of fingers at the end of this tale. I am also always left not knowing how it really ends.
Quitters Inc. 5 stars I haven't even finished yet, but this has always been one of my favorite of the smaller King jewels. It's just so plausible. Many people care enough about a cause to leave the kind of funds it would take to run this. Who can argue they are doing the world a service? I have many relatives who smoke, most of whom have tried to quit, once twice, or many times. It's near impossible to hear them tell it. What is Quitters Inc. using as a cure, but love? Love can make us do, or not do, almost anything.
The Ledge 5 stars This is just a perfect, little, straight narrative. No funny stuff. It would be right at home in the pages of an Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. A good yarn.
The Mangler 3 stars This has never been one of my favorites and it may have suffered a bit in Glover's voice. His women come across as whiny, mincing, and giggly. I found it irritating. It's also a little too far-fetched for my suspension of disbelief.
May 16, 2025
It may sound strange that I picked this more remote short story collective of kings to finally dip my toes into his horrific worlds and specific writing tone and style and I think for me it couldn’t have been a better move. This book comes out the graveyard gate swinging with what might be me favorite of all five of these terrifying almost Creepshow esque stories. I never would’ve been able to visualize giant mole like rat bats before today or neither will I be able to look at tea roses with quite the same beauty and not at least slightly think of serial killers… I get why people are into king so I guess I might as well start finding copies of his seemingly endless backlog and maybe I’ll be able to get it done in my lifetime.
May 28, 2024
You can’t go wrong reading King’s short stories!!
January 4, 2016
Graveyard Shift is a book that I am not sure if I read before now or not. I almost think I did back when I was a
This short story collection didn't do much for me. It wasn't my least favorite- Full Dark, No Stars. But it was by far not my favorite either- Different Seasons. The stories were decent but only 2 really stood out to me.
Instead of reviewing each story individually I will just talk about the two I liked best.
The first one that stood out to me was The Man Who Loved Flowers- a truly creepy tale. The whole time the guy is talking about getting flowers for his date and what it will mean to his girl. But what you find out is that this girl has no idea who he is. Definitely a 5-star story.
The other one that should be fairly obvious is Jerusalem’s Lot. This is not to be confused with Salem’s Lot though the two are talking about the same place. This tale is one I had read prior to reading it in this collection and is the hands-down winner in this book.
If I’ve said it once I’ve said it 100 times. King’s short stories are hit and miss with me. This collection had both. It had a couple of greats, a couple not so great and one right in the middle. It’s one of his more known works but I am not sure why. I wasn’t very impressed.
Also- if you're thinking of doing audio, I wouldn't. The narration was about as lackluster and unentertaining as my review...
January 20, 2025
Four short stories here, all with clever endings. My favorite was the first one about the big, blind, biting rats. My only regret is that I wish it was longer. The more significant one is Jerusalem’s Lot, a prequel to Salem’s Lot. It was told through a series of letters and diary entries.
September 30, 2022
So, here’s the rundown:
The Graveyard Shift: 3 stars
The Man Who Loved Flowers: 5 stars
The Last Rung on the Ladder: 3 stars
Night Surf: 2 stars
Jerusalem’s Lot: 3 stars
Out of instinct, I actually wanted to rate this collection 4 stars because the single 5-star story here stands out so much above the rest of the “meh” chapters. (Seriously, I was SHOOK. And probably grinning like a maniac to myself when I finished it).
Alas, the average rating here is only 3.2, and I have to use my 5th-grade level math skills for something.
The Graveyard Shift: 3 stars
The Man Who Loved Flowers: 5 stars
The Last Rung on the Ladder: 3 stars
Night Surf: 2 stars
Jerusalem’s Lot: 3 stars
Out of instinct, I actually wanted to rate this collection 4 stars because the single 5-star story here stands out so much above the rest of the “meh” chapters. (Seriously, I was SHOOK. And probably grinning like a maniac to myself when I finished it).
Alas, the average rating here is only 3.2, and I have to use my 5th-grade level math skills for something.
July 19, 2022
Top notch stuff yet again.
December 10, 2018
Maybe my expectations were too high because I usually love his writing. These short stories felt predictable and repetitive, however.
May 12, 2022
4th book in this collection and it's another one just for Stephen King. This anthology consists of 5 stories: the titular story -"Graveyard Shift", also "The Ledge", "Sometimes They Come Back", "The Boogeyman" and "Secret Window, Secret Garden".
Shift was an entertaining enough story but translation made it hard for me to follow it or truly understand what's going on (once more the translation is a true bane to good stories and the reason why I prefer to read in original language if possible). Ledge was a little disappointing and predictable story. Sometimes They Come Back had a great buildup but a messy ending that was disappointing. Boogeyman was once more translated just poorly and I feel like it would've been a stronger story if not for that. Secret Window, that I know is also a movie, did not impress me either. Characters are represented flawlessly in that familiar and enjoyable King style, but the ending was very predictable.
Overall - a weaker collection of King's short stories, no home-runs to speak of. However, even less than stellar King is thoroughly enjoyable King. So while I rate this quite low for plots and translations - the time spent reading these stories doesn't feel wasted.
Shift was an entertaining enough story but translation made it hard for me to follow it or truly understand what's going on (once more the translation is a true bane to good stories and the reason why I prefer to read in original language if possible). Ledge was a little disappointing and predictable story. Sometimes They Come Back had a great buildup but a messy ending that was disappointing. Boogeyman was once more translated just poorly and I feel like it would've been a stronger story if not for that. Secret Window, that I know is also a movie, did not impress me either. Characters are represented flawlessly in that familiar and enjoyable King style, but the ending was very predictable.
Overall - a weaker collection of King's short stories, no home-runs to speak of. However, even less than stellar King is thoroughly enjoyable King. So while I rate this quite low for plots and translations - the time spent reading these stories doesn't feel wasted.
June 25, 2019
Una serie de relatos cortos de Stephen King con su estilo morboso para describir hasta las situaciones más anodinas. Muy recomendable para los que queremos pasar un momento en suspense y terror del bueno.
May 13, 2023
The man who loved flowers seems to be the only story from a S.King I love. All other in this collection are much worse
November 23, 2022
Personally I just couldn’t get into this one.
It took me forever to realise this was a collection of short stories as I was listening to this novel in-between tasks so for me it felt all over the place before realising it was different stories.
DO NOT listen to a spooky novel whilst there is a bomb situation going on outside your door. What an odd morning/night it was.
Overall, I did mainly enjoy the first story most but I was expecting more from the stories as they made great longer plots.
Review: https://clife.blog/2022/12/01/book-re...
It took me forever to realise this was a collection of short stories as I was listening to this novel in-between tasks so for me it felt all over the place before realising it was different stories.
DO NOT listen to a spooky novel whilst there is a bomb situation going on outside your door. What an odd morning/night it was.
Overall, I did mainly enjoy the first story most but I was expecting more from the stories as they made great longer plots.
Review: https://clife.blog/2022/12/01/book-re...
June 25, 2023
Die Kurzgeschichtensammlung hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Einige davon kannte ich bereits durch Verfilmungen, die meisten waren dann aber doch anders im Buch als im Film. Auch wenn ich sagen muss, dass mir die Geschichten teilweise echt zu kurz waren, um richtig darin einzutauchen. Der einzige Wermutstropfen an dem Hörbuch war einer der Sprecher, der leider sehr geschmatzt hat beim Reden und auch pfeifende Atemgeräusche waren zu hören, was ich so gar nicht mag. Zum Glück gab es mehrere Sprecher, so dass es auszuhalten war.
November 24, 2025
It was ok.
A nice and interesting start, sets the tone and mystery of the whole thing, night shift, guys bored at work, have to clean up the place, then the mystery of the basement, finding a trap door and all.. and then, the reveal. Which was ok. Nothing to get excited about, without any plot twists.
A nice and interesting start, sets the tone and mystery of the whole thing, night shift, guys bored at work, have to clean up the place, then the mystery of the basement, finding a trap door and all.. and then, the reveal. Which was ok. Nothing to get excited about, without any plot twists.
August 9, 2017
I have listened to this audio for 3 days now on a loop. I can't get over how much I loved The Man who Loved Flowers...
The rest of them were okay. I was super excited about Jerusalem's Lot, but it was no 'Salem's Lot. 3.5/5
The rest of them were okay. I was super excited about Jerusalem's Lot, but it was no 'Salem's Lot. 3.5/5
February 29, 2020
Meh. I personally enjoyed so many other of King’s works way more than this one.
April 21, 2025
*Audiobook*
John Glover's narration really added something to my enjoyment of these stories. Salem's Lot is my favourite Stephen King novel, so I was particularly drawn to Jerusalem's Lot, the prequel short story. This is a great collection. I loved it!
Would I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely. It would be a great starting point for a Stephen King novice.
John Glover's narration really added something to my enjoyment of these stories. Salem's Lot is my favourite Stephen King novel, so I was particularly drawn to Jerusalem's Lot, the prequel short story. This is a great collection. I loved it!
Would I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely. It would be a great starting point for a Stephen King novice.
July 5, 2016
Another worthwhile effort from Mr King narrated by John Glover.
If you are already scared of rats, I recommend you don't listen to "Graveyard Shift" which was my favourite tale in this collection.
Things are never as they seem, as "The Man Who Loved Flowers" proves one perfect Spring evening on the sidewalks of New York.
In "The Last Rung on the Ladder" a brother becomes too busy in his career to make time for his beautiful younger sister.
"Night Surf" was my least favourite: an apocalyptic tale of the world decimated by a viral flu strain.
And in "Jerusalem's Lot" the inheritance of an old family mansion reveals a family link to unspeakable evil.
A satisfying journey - thank you Mr King. I look forward to our next encounter. 8:D
If you are already scared of rats, I recommend you don't listen to "Graveyard Shift" which was my favourite tale in this collection.
Things are never as they seem, as "The Man Who Loved Flowers" proves one perfect Spring evening on the sidewalks of New York.
In "The Last Rung on the Ladder" a brother becomes too busy in his career to make time for his beautiful younger sister.
"Night Surf" was my least favourite: an apocalyptic tale of the world decimated by a viral flu strain.
And in "Jerusalem's Lot" the inheritance of an old family mansion reveals a family link to unspeakable evil.
A satisfying journey - thank you Mr King. I look forward to our next encounter. 8:D
February 9, 2020
Knygoje 4 apsakymai ir romanas.
Kapinių pamaina - 2/5. Darbininkai valo seno fabriko rūsį pilną žiurkių. Žiurkėms tai nepatinka. Vienintelis nepatikęs apsakymas iš rinkinio. Nelabai suprantama man buvo veikėjų motyvacija. Ir nors paprastai nesu labai reiklus vertimui, bet kai vienas veikėjas klausia kito "ar nori lifto" ir pakui paveža jį namo, apie vertimo kokybę tai daug pasako :). Tiesa vertimas užkliuvo tik šiame apsakyme.
Karnizas - 5/5. Vyras privertas karnizu apeiti dangoraižio aukštą. Šis apsakymas tikriausiai patiko labiausiai iš viso rinkinio - gal dėl to, kad pat nemėgstu aukščio ir buvo lengva įsijausi į veikėjo baimę. Siužetas pasirodė kažkur matytas - gali būti, kad kažkada buvau matęs apsakymo ekranizaciją.
Kartais jie sugrįžta - 4/5. Literatūros mokytoją pradeda persekioti prisikėlę vaiduokliai iš jo praeities. Ilgiausias iš rinkinio apsakymų, toks labai kingiškas. Visai patiko.
Bukis - 4/5. Vyras pasakoja psichologui kaip baubas gyvenantis spintoje (bukis) nužudė tris jo vaikus. Vėlgi visai patiko. Įdomus pasirodė vaikų tėvo personažas, nors ir atstumiantis.
Slaptasis langas - 4/5. Maniakas apkaltina žinomą rašytoją plagiatu ir persekioja jį. Romanas lyginamas su kitu Kingo kūriniu - "Tamsioji pusė" - ir panašumų yra. "Slaptasis langas" patiko labiau, nors "Tamsiąją pusę" skaičiau gan seniai ir gal dabar skaitant susidarytų kitoks įspūdis. Šiaip pagrindinė kūrinio mintis nėra sunkiai nuspėjama - autorius duoda gan aiškias užuominas, bet nuo to ne mažiau įdomu skaityti.
Kapinių pamaina - 2/5. Darbininkai valo seno fabriko rūsį pilną žiurkių. Žiurkėms tai nepatinka. Vienintelis nepatikęs apsakymas iš rinkinio. Nelabai suprantama man buvo veikėjų motyvacija. Ir nors paprastai nesu labai reiklus vertimui, bet kai vienas veikėjas klausia kito "ar nori lifto" ir pakui paveža jį namo, apie vertimo kokybę tai daug pasako :). Tiesa vertimas užkliuvo tik šiame apsakyme.
Karnizas - 5/5. Vyras privertas karnizu apeiti dangoraižio aukštą. Šis apsakymas tikriausiai patiko labiausiai iš viso rinkinio - gal dėl to, kad pat nemėgstu aukščio ir buvo lengva įsijausi į veikėjo baimę. Siužetas pasirodė kažkur matytas - gali būti, kad kažkada buvau matęs apsakymo ekranizaciją.
Kartais jie sugrįžta - 4/5. Literatūros mokytoją pradeda persekioti prisikėlę vaiduokliai iš jo praeities. Ilgiausias iš rinkinio apsakymų, toks labai kingiškas. Visai patiko.
Bukis - 4/5. Vyras pasakoja psichologui kaip baubas gyvenantis spintoje (bukis) nužudė tris jo vaikus. Vėlgi visai patiko. Įdomus pasirodė vaikų tėvo personažas, nors ir atstumiantis.
Slaptasis langas - 4/5. Maniakas apkaltina žinomą rašytoją plagiatu ir persekioja jį. Romanas lyginamas su kitu Kingo kūriniu - "Tamsioji pusė" - ir panašumų yra. "Slaptasis langas" patiko labiau, nors "Tamsiąją pusę" skaičiau gan seniai ir gal dabar skaitant susidarytų kitoks įspūdis. Šiaip pagrindinė kūrinio mintis nėra sunkiai nuspėjama - autorius duoda gan aiškias užuominas, bet nuo to ne mažiau įdomu skaityti.
November 10, 2011
Wow. This is just what I needed. After spending around a month book-deprived I decided I'd look to Stephen King for help, seeing as how there's a whole shelf full of his books in my school library. This one just seemed interesting (and more importantly, given the ever-shortening length of time left before exams start, short). I think a scare a day is actually very healthy for me; it at least keeps my heart pumping, better than in Phys Ed, during which time I just sit around while the coach's favorites oh so skillfully (not) play basketball. In any case, some of the stories in here left me feeling as substantial as jelly. King, I think, does a better job at injecting fear when he has to keep things at a minimum. While reading It, a very long novel of his, I didn't even feel a bit spooked. In fact, most of it felt too unconvincing. But the stories in The Night Shift had just the right ammount of ambiguity and mystery to really freak me out. The stories are as follows:
-Jerusalem's Lot: It's really too bad that this is the first one, because it was so draggy and boring it almost made me return the book. It's the longest one in there, and wasn't even a bit scary. It wasn't even very well written.
-Graveyard Shift: This is one of those stories that relies heavily on visual effect where the horro is concerned; it's about an infestation of killer, mutated rats. Not as frightening as it is just plain gross.
-Night Surf: A disease that wipes out the human race. Really it's just the idea that's unsettling. The scene presented in the story does a good job of doing that.
-I Am The Doorway: Ho-lee shit did this scare me. I will forever fear the possibility of alien existence if they turn out to be even a bit like how they are in this story.
-The Mangler: This is probably the best story of the lot. A possessed machine in a laundry factory that, after getting a taste of blood, starts pulling other employees in and... well just read it. Really it's good.
-The Boogeyman: The title says it all really.
-Grey Matter: This one is scary in a repulsive, rotted-down sort of way, about a man who literally expires.
-Battleground: Only scary if your greatest fear is a tiny army of murderous toy soldiers. But I liked it all the same. Because again, the idea of this story is unsettling.
-Trucks: I really loved this one. In fact, I wish there was a whole novel for this concept (and for all I know there is one). All it is is trucks enslaving the human race and taking over the world. But I want to see an ending for that.
-Sometimes They Come Back: This one did a good job in the suspense category. And really, murderous teenage ghost punks are scary.
-Strawberry Spring: Meh. A string of high-school murders.
-The Ledge: This one was my favorite. I think it was the most cleverly crafted. It has the same agonizing suspense of Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket by Jack Finney, as well as a similar situation. But what's great about it is that, unlike most of the others, you have know way of knowing where the story's going. I was holding my breath the entire time.
-The Lawnmower Man: This one scared me because I didn't get it. It didn't make much sense. My overall reaction was "Wha? The hell?" It did make it hard to sleep afterwards but that doesn't excuse the fact that it was just weird.
-Quitter's Inc.: Does it make me sadistic that I actually liked the idea of Quitter's Inc? It's not horrific, but it's a great read, strictly as a short story. It actually kinda reminded me of a Roald Dahl short story.
-I Know What You Need: About the perfect guy, the kind that gives you everything you want - except at the same time you might be giving him everything he wants. Overall, only really scary at the end.
-Children of the Corn: This was the creepiest one in here. In a bad way. It's also the one on the cover of the copy I have, which I couldn't find on this sight. I fully expected it to be about a scarecrow. It turned out to be about... ah just read it. The important thing is it'll scare you. A lot.
-The Last Rung on the Ladder: I don't know what this was doing in here, because this wasn't even a horror story. It was a drama. There's nothing supernatural or anybody crazy, evil, or phsycotic. It was sweet though.
-The Man Who Loved Flowers: What's great about this one is that it seems totally innocent the whole time, to the point of where you start wondering where this is going - and then this one little word flips you over and hammers you in the face. My heart must've jumped to double its rate in one second.
-One for The Road: Vampires. Ho hum.
-The Woman in the Room: The title made me feel like this would be the scariest of the bunch. Well it wasn't. In fact it was pretty lame.
I read around 3 stories each day this vacation, at different intervals - a great practice. Really, Stephen King has to be a genius, because only a genius can come up with this many different ways to scare a person. And he has like forty or so other books. I think they'll fix my I-have-nothing-to-read-at-the-moment problems from now on.
-Jerusalem's Lot: It's really too bad that this is the first one, because it was so draggy and boring it almost made me return the book. It's the longest one in there, and wasn't even a bit scary. It wasn't even very well written.
-Graveyard Shift: This is one of those stories that relies heavily on visual effect where the horro is concerned; it's about an infestation of killer, mutated rats. Not as frightening as it is just plain gross.
-Night Surf: A disease that wipes out the human race. Really it's just the idea that's unsettling. The scene presented in the story does a good job of doing that.
-I Am The Doorway: Ho-lee shit did this scare me. I will forever fear the possibility of alien existence if they turn out to be even a bit like how they are in this story.
-The Mangler: This is probably the best story of the lot. A possessed machine in a laundry factory that, after getting a taste of blood, starts pulling other employees in and... well just read it. Really it's good.
-The Boogeyman: The title says it all really.
-Grey Matter: This one is scary in a repulsive, rotted-down sort of way, about a man who literally expires.
-Battleground: Only scary if your greatest fear is a tiny army of murderous toy soldiers. But I liked it all the same. Because again, the idea of this story is unsettling.
-Trucks: I really loved this one. In fact, I wish there was a whole novel for this concept (and for all I know there is one). All it is is trucks enslaving the human race and taking over the world. But I want to see an ending for that.
-Sometimes They Come Back: This one did a good job in the suspense category. And really, murderous teenage ghost punks are scary.
-Strawberry Spring: Meh. A string of high-school murders.
-The Ledge: This one was my favorite. I think it was the most cleverly crafted. It has the same agonizing suspense of Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket by Jack Finney, as well as a similar situation. But what's great about it is that, unlike most of the others, you have know way of knowing where the story's going. I was holding my breath the entire time.
-The Lawnmower Man: This one scared me because I didn't get it. It didn't make much sense. My overall reaction was "Wha? The hell?" It did make it hard to sleep afterwards but that doesn't excuse the fact that it was just weird.
-Quitter's Inc.: Does it make me sadistic that I actually liked the idea of Quitter's Inc? It's not horrific, but it's a great read, strictly as a short story. It actually kinda reminded me of a Roald Dahl short story.
-I Know What You Need: About the perfect guy, the kind that gives you everything you want - except at the same time you might be giving him everything he wants. Overall, only really scary at the end.
-Children of the Corn: This was the creepiest one in here. In a bad way. It's also the one on the cover of the copy I have, which I couldn't find on this sight. I fully expected it to be about a scarecrow. It turned out to be about... ah just read it. The important thing is it'll scare you. A lot.
-The Last Rung on the Ladder: I don't know what this was doing in here, because this wasn't even a horror story. It was a drama. There's nothing supernatural or anybody crazy, evil, or phsycotic. It was sweet though.
-The Man Who Loved Flowers: What's great about this one is that it seems totally innocent the whole time, to the point of where you start wondering where this is going - and then this one little word flips you over and hammers you in the face. My heart must've jumped to double its rate in one second.
-One for The Road: Vampires. Ho hum.
-The Woman in the Room: The title made me feel like this would be the scariest of the bunch. Well it wasn't. In fact it was pretty lame.
I read around 3 stories each day this vacation, at different intervals - a great practice. Really, Stephen King has to be a genius, because only a genius can come up with this many different ways to scare a person. And he has like forty or so other books. I think they'll fix my I-have-nothing-to-read-at-the-moment problems from now on.
March 14, 2018
I love the book but wasn't crazy about the audio version or the story selection.
August 16, 2019
4.75 stars
July 29, 2024
Can’t go wrong with King.
The Man Who Loved Flowers was my fav - short and sweet, five stars.
The Man Who Loved Flowers was my fav - short and sweet, five stars.
September 8, 2024
I think my expectations going into this were too high. The short stories weren't as chilling or impactful as expected.
May 6, 2022
Mixed bag as often the case, couple that seemed to be horror by numbers but some interesting ideas in there too. Was quite surprised at the Lovecraft inspired final story.
February 18, 2023
John Glover is an excellent narrator for Stephen King’s stories! Loved the short stories that go back to ‘Salem’s Lot and Captain Trips.
April 20, 2024
A very good teaser of what is in Night Shift. I will need to pick it up. The stories featured were:
The Graveyard Shift 3.5/5 It was fine, well written and good ending but I just felt this could have been a bit longer. And I don't wanna compare to another author but..... James Herbert did it better.
The Man Who Loved Flowers 4.5/5 Very Short but I loved it. I kinda guessed everything about it but it was just so well done.
The Last Rung on The Ladder 5/5 That was just really tense. A real emotional rollercoaster and I like the way King makes you care about characters so quickly. My fav of the collection.
Night Surf 3/5 A very weird book, and the twist is very predictive of what would happen in a certain year. Also I do like that once it clicked you could see why they did the event at the start.
Jerusalems Lot 5/5 King doing an eldritch historical horror, SIGN ME UP ! This felt like a massive love letter to a lot of great shorts of the past, and I just really enjoyed this one.
The Graveyard Shift 3.5/5 It was fine, well written and good ending but I just felt this could have been a bit longer. And I don't wanna compare to another author but..... James Herbert did it better.
The Man Who Loved Flowers 4.5/5 Very Short but I loved it. I kinda guessed everything about it but it was just so well done.
The Last Rung on The Ladder 5/5 That was just really tense. A real emotional rollercoaster and I like the way King makes you care about characters so quickly. My fav of the collection.
Night Surf 3/5 A very weird book, and the twist is very predictive of what would happen in a certain year. Also I do like that once it clicked you could see why they did the event at the start.
Jerusalems Lot 5/5 King doing an eldritch historical horror, SIGN ME UP ! This felt like a massive love letter to a lot of great shorts of the past, and I just really enjoyed this one.
April 8, 2023
Briefe aus Jerusalem: 4/5
Spätschicht: 3,5/5
Nächtliche Brandung: 1,5/5; Dass King nicht gerade für seine progressiven Texte bekannt ist ist nichts Neues, aber die Misogynie in dieser Geschichte hat mich einfach nur wütend gemacht, sodass ich der Handlung gar keine Chance mehr geben konnte
Ich bin das Tor: 4/5
Der Wäschemangler: 4/5
Das Schreckgespenst: 4,5/5
Graue Masse: 4/5
Schlachtfeld: 3,5/5
Lastwagen: 4/5
Manchmal kommen sie wieder:4,5/5
Erdbeerfrühling: 4/5
Der Mauervorsprung: 4/5
Der Rasenmähermann: 3,5/5
Quitters, Inc.: 4,5/5
Ich weiß, was du brauchst: 4,5/5
Kinder des Zorns: 4/5
Die letzte Sprosse: 4/5
Der Mann, der Blumen liebte:4,5/5; Ich war zuerst genervt von den klischeehaften und überspitzten Darstellungen (z.B. wie alle auf den Strauß reagieren), aber das Ende hat mir dann doch gut gefallen und das Foreshadowing ist meiner Meinung nach gut gelungen
Einen auf den Weg: 3,5/5
Die Frau im Zimmer: 4/5
Spätschicht: 3,5/5
Nächtliche Brandung: 1,5/5; Dass King nicht gerade für seine progressiven Texte bekannt ist ist nichts Neues, aber die Misogynie in dieser Geschichte hat mich einfach nur wütend gemacht, sodass ich der Handlung gar keine Chance mehr geben konnte
Ich bin das Tor: 4/5
Der Wäschemangler: 4/5
Das Schreckgespenst: 4,5/5
Graue Masse: 4/5
Schlachtfeld: 3,5/5
Lastwagen: 4/5
Manchmal kommen sie wieder:4,5/5
Erdbeerfrühling: 4/5
Der Mauervorsprung: 4/5
Der Rasenmähermann: 3,5/5
Quitters, Inc.: 4,5/5
Ich weiß, was du brauchst: 4,5/5
Kinder des Zorns: 4/5
Die letzte Sprosse: 4/5
Der Mann, der Blumen liebte:4,5/5; Ich war zuerst genervt von den klischeehaften und überspitzten Darstellungen (z.B. wie alle auf den Strauß reagieren), aber das Ende hat mir dann doch gut gefallen und das Foreshadowing ist meiner Meinung nach gut gelungen
Einen auf den Weg: 3,5/5
Die Frau im Zimmer: 4/5
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