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Faire Verlängerung: Story aus Zwischen Nacht und Dunkel (Story Selection 29)
Der schwer krebskranke Streeter geht einen teuflischen Pakt ein. Seine Genesung und sein Glück scheinen fortan Unglück und Untergang für andere zu sein. Kann er dem Einhalt gebieten? Will er das überhaupt?
»Faire Verlängerung« ist No. 29 der Stephen King Story Selection (aus: Zwischen Nacht und Dunkel). Sie umfasst ca. 53 Manuskriptseiten.
»Faire Verlängerung« ist No. 29 der Stephen King Story Selection (aus: Zwischen Nacht und Dunkel). Sie umfasst ca. 53 Manuskriptseiten.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
7 people are currently reading
606 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,394 books888k 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 111 reviews
January 28, 2022
misfortune from Hell indeed
أن تشعر بالحسد هو أمر إنساني،ان تستمتع بالشماتة هو أمر شيطاني
تبدا الرواية على الطريق حيث يجلس"بائع اطالات!؟يتفق مع البطل على ان يساعده على الشفاء من السرطان في مقابل مادى و اخر معنوى
اللهم عافينا ..كمية الامراض اللعينة و مضاعفاتها التي تحتوى عليها النوفيلا لا تصدق حقا.. موسوعة امراض استثناءية
و المؤلم اكثر منها هو الاسهاب فى وصف شماتة صديق الطفولة في آلام صديقه..
مع الاستيحاء من سفر ايوب قرب النهايات
إحدى تلك القصص التي تعتمد على الاتفاق مع الشيطان. نوع من الجرائم التي قد يفلت مرتكبها من عقاب دنيوى مؤقتا
Fair extension
*من روايات مجموعة ظلام دامس بلا نجوم ؛اكثرهم مكرا و لكن اقلهم تفضيلا عندى و يشوبها ملل ممزوج بالمرارة
أن تشعر بالحسد هو أمر إنساني،ان تستمتع بالشماتة هو أمر شيطاني
تبدا الرواية على الطريق حيث يجلس"بائع اطالات!؟يتفق مع البطل على ان يساعده على الشفاء من السرطان في مقابل مادى و اخر معنوى
اللهم عافينا ..كمية الامراض اللعينة و مضاعفاتها التي تحتوى عليها النوفيلا لا تصدق حقا.. موسوعة امراض استثناءية
و المؤلم اكثر منها هو الاسهاب فى وصف شماتة صديق الطفولة في آلام صديقه..
مع الاستيحاء من سفر ايوب قرب النهايات
إحدى تلك القصص التي تعتمد على الاتفاق مع الشيطان. نوع من الجرائم التي قد يفلت مرتكبها من عقاب دنيوى مؤقتا
Fair extension
*من روايات مجموعة ظلام دامس بلا نجوم ؛اكثرهم مكرا و لكن اقلهم تفضيلا عندى و يشوبها ملل ممزوج بالمرارة
October 2, 2025
كلام معقول جدا ولا يتناقض مع قانون بقاء المادة و قانون بقاء الطاقة.
عليك إلقاء القذارة على شخص أخر إذا كنت تريد رفعها عنك.
إننا نعيش بالفعل في كون تحكمه نظرية الأواني المستطرقة إن كنت لا زلت تتذكر درس العلوم من الصف الرابع. الأنابيب موصولة ببعضها البعض و لكن أشكالها مختلفة لذا فإن منسوب الماء واحد في كل الأنابيب رغم اختلاف كل أنبوب و اختلاف حجم الماء بداخلها. كلنا متساوون يا عزيزي رغم اختلاف المظاهر و كما قال أحد الحكماء قديما فإن كل منا يملك فدانا كاملا به أربعة و عشرون قيراطا. أحدهم أخد سبعة قراريط حظ و أربعة صحة و عشرة أبناء ثلاثة راحة بال و الأخر أخذ تسعة زوجة صالحة و ثمانية سُلطة و سبعة قراريط عقل و حكمة و أنت أخذت خمسة قراريط صحة و أربعة سعادة و اثنان مال و ستة بنون و سبعة علم و خبرة. في النهاية كل منا لا ينظر إلى ما عنده و لكن يتحسر على ما ينقصه.
و من منا سيرفض بعض التطويل فيما قصر عنده في هذا العالم المليء بالأشياء القصيرة.
في أقصر قصص المجموعة و أكثرها رعبا يطل علينا بائع الأحلام بعروض مميزة قد تقلب حياتنا و حياة أبغض الناس إلينا في الوقت نفسه.
كانت هذه هي القصة الثالثة في مجموعة ظلام دامس. لا نجوم
April 5, 2020
One of the best deal with the devil stories I ever came across (it's included in the anthology Full Dark, No Stars). Streeter has terminal cancer and life expectancy is down to 6 months. When he meets a shady street vendor named Elvid (you can certainly guess his real name) he hears an option how to get rid of his cancer. He has to name someone he really hates. There is an old school mate of his who had all the luck so far. Does Streeter make a deal with the devil? How changes life for the school mate of his? This is a very compelling story with many uncanny elements. Loved to read it and it's among Stephen King's best stories. Highly recommended!
June 1, 2023
Fair Extension is a novella by Stephen King. It was published in his collection “Full Dark, No Stars” in 2010: a well-named collection of four very dark stories. Fair Extension too is an apt title, being a take on the Faust legend, where the protagonist makes a deal with the Devil. It is set in Derry, Stephen King’s name for Bangor in Maine, the furthest northeastern state of the U.S.A. Stephen King has a house there, and has set six of his novels including “Salem’s Lot” in “Derry”, as well as this novella.
Dave Streeter is fifty-one, and works at a bank in Derry. He also happens to be dying of lung cancer. We know this from the start, as Stephen King begins his story:
“Streeter only saw the sign because he had to pull over and puke.”
A few graphic paragraphs later, Dave is now outside his car in a no-man’s land of motels and warehouses. He has stopped part way along along the Harris Street Extension near the Derry Municipal airport. Catching sight of a sign across the road: “Fair Extension: Fair Price”, he glances down. Under it sits a pudgy man, who is watching a small portable television, which is set on a card table. The man is shielded by a large umbrella. People sometimes set up their stalls in that spot, because it is near the airport, but Dave cannot see that there is anything on sale.
He goes over, and introduces himself to the man, who says he is called George Elvid. They start to chat, and the man tells Dave Streeter that his business is to sell extensions of various types. He has sold extensions of all sorts over the years, he says: height extensions, love extensions, and even time extensions. Dave is sceptical but curious, and jokes with George Elvid, whose claims seem to get more and more ridiculous. George Elvid claims to have lived for hundreds of years, doing this for centuries. Perhaps Dave should have paid a little more attention to his surname. It is of course an anagram; two other words could be made from those letters, but we can bank on it being the Mephistophelian one.
Dave Streeter doesn’t hide the fact that he is on chemotherapy, finding as many people do, that it is easy to be frank with a total stranger. The odd pudgy little man offers Dave a deal:.
This diabolical idea proves strangely attractive to Dave Streeter. What would be the problem? Of course it must be a joke, in which case what does it matter? So since George Elvid has stressed that it has to be someone whom Dave Streeter truly hates, he chooses . So they make the deal. Why not?
We know now what to expect in broad terms from this story. Dave Streeter is another sort of Everyman. He is a sort of Street(er)wise chancer; some one down on their luck. He is just the type to make a deal with a strange little person who promises all sorts of impossible things … The story is a staple of folk tales in many cultures: from “Jack and the Beanstalk” to the Faust legend and beyond.
There is a savage sort of humour about this twisted story. We recognise the “Why me?” syndrome, and can believe that someone in this position would be tempted by a diabolical deal. The specific choice he makes at this point reaffirms our suspicion that Dave Streeter is a nasty piece of work. His devious intentions insinuate themselves into our minds. We are privy to his thoughts all the way through this helter-skelter of good luck (or is is bad luck?) We cannot quite believe how far he will go, and yet we are sucked along this jubilant, (or cataclysmic) tale. How can it possibly end?
In fact the ending, plus the black humour throughout, makes it clear that this is a pastiche. In a classic “deal with the Devil” tale there is always a catch.
However, in tales where the protagonist makes a deal with the Devil, there is usually some sort of trick; a clever way out for our antihero. This has now become a kind of trope, and we are waiting for the ending to be a twist.
George Elvid had distanced himself, by telling Dave Streeter that he “wouldn’t know a soul if it bit me on the buttocks”, but we witness Dave Streeter becoming more and more evil, as if his soul is being sucked out of him with every event, a little at a time. He feels no guilt; none whatsoever. As the story continues, Dave Streeter remains completely self-centred and focused; increasingly incapable of empathy or compassion. He has lost his humanity, and looks for a loophole, The Devil portrayed here is a fair trader, and will stick to his side of the bargain. An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth; a life for a life.
This is a brutal story with a dark edge, yet it is witty and satisfying. I enjoyed the way Stephen King placed it in context, constantly referring to well known events which were happening at the time; some wonderful achievements and some tragic, to echo what was happening to the main characters here. The “extension” keeps on extending, both in the action, and in
This is the shortest of the four novellas in the book “Full Dark, No Stars”. I’m not a great admirer of Stephen King, but I do think this is one of his better stories. What always puts me off a little is the sheer unpleasantness of his language. Stephen King’s writing typically uses coarse language, and vulgar expletives. Graphic descriptions seem to go with the territory, but we do not all use profanities as a matter of course, as his ordinary Joes and Jills do. He once said that if he couldn’t terrify a reader, then he would settle for grossing them out. Well this habit feels almost as if he attempts to shock by the language he chooses, rather than the events he describes! In fact I suspect the truth is that it may either alienate some of his potential readers, or just become tiresome. This may also be why I feel that some of his stories works better as films, than on the page.
Stephen King is often considered to be one of the best popular writers in America. I admit that his popularity does surprise me, as his stories often seem rather derivative to me, or reworkings of an old legend or trope—as this one is. Neither is his writing very original, in terms of imagery. What he is skilled and successful at though, is pacing his story. He writes gripping page-turners, and keeps a tight hold on the reins, playing out the tension bit by bit.
Stephen King once said: “I’m always more interested in the people than I am in the monsters.” I think here the reader is left wondering, if I was in the position of Dave Streeter, would I be tempted?
So would you?
****
“In Bangor, where I live, a thoroughfare called the Hammond Street Extension skirts the airport. I walk three or four miles a day, and if I’m in town, I often go out that way. There’s a gravel patch beside the airport fence about halfway along the Extension, and there any number of roadside vendors have set up shop over the years. My favorite is known locally as Golf Ball Guy, and he always appears in the spring. Golf Ball Guy goes up to the Bangor Municipal Golf Course when the weather turns warm, and scavenges up hundreds of used golf balls that have been abandoned under the snow. He throws away the really bad ones and sells the rest at the little spot out on the Extension (the windshield of his car is lined with golf balls--a nice touch). One day when I spied him, the idea for Fair Extension came into my mind. Of course I set it in Derry, home of the late and unlamented clown Pennywise, because Derry is just Bangor masquerading under a different name.”
- Stephen King
Dave Streeter is fifty-one, and works at a bank in Derry. He also happens to be dying of lung cancer. We know this from the start, as Stephen King begins his story:
“Streeter only saw the sign because he had to pull over and puke.”
A few graphic paragraphs later, Dave is now outside his car in a no-man’s land of motels and warehouses. He has stopped part way along along the Harris Street Extension near the Derry Municipal airport. Catching sight of a sign across the road: “Fair Extension: Fair Price”, he glances down. Under it sits a pudgy man, who is watching a small portable television, which is set on a card table. The man is shielded by a large umbrella. People sometimes set up their stalls in that spot, because it is near the airport, but Dave cannot see that there is anything on sale.
He goes over, and introduces himself to the man, who says he is called George Elvid. They start to chat, and the man tells Dave Streeter that his business is to sell extensions of various types. He has sold extensions of all sorts over the years, he says: height extensions, love extensions, and even time extensions. Dave is sceptical but curious, and jokes with George Elvid, whose claims seem to get more and more ridiculous. George Elvid claims to have lived for hundreds of years, doing this for centuries. Perhaps Dave should have paid a little more attention to his surname. It is of course an anagram; two other words could be made from those letters, but we can bank on it being the Mephistophelian one.
Dave Streeter doesn’t hide the fact that he is on chemotherapy, finding as many people do, that it is easy to be frank with a total stranger. The odd pudgy little man offers Dave a deal:.
This diabolical idea proves strangely attractive to Dave Streeter. What would be the problem? Of course it must be a joke, in which case what does it matter? So since George Elvid has stressed that it has to be someone whom Dave Streeter truly hates, he chooses . So they make the deal. Why not?
We know now what to expect in broad terms from this story. Dave Streeter is another sort of Everyman. He is a sort of Street(er)wise chancer; some one down on their luck. He is just the type to make a deal with a strange little person who promises all sorts of impossible things … The story is a staple of folk tales in many cultures: from “Jack and the Beanstalk” to the Faust legend and beyond.
There is a savage sort of humour about this twisted story. We recognise the “Why me?” syndrome, and can believe that someone in this position would be tempted by a diabolical deal. The specific choice he makes at this point reaffirms our suspicion that Dave Streeter is a nasty piece of work. His devious intentions insinuate themselves into our minds. We are privy to his thoughts all the way through this helter-skelter of good luck (or is is bad luck?) We cannot quite believe how far he will go, and yet we are sucked along this jubilant, (or cataclysmic) tale. How can it possibly end?
In fact the ending, plus the black humour throughout, makes it clear that this is a pastiche. In a classic “deal with the Devil” tale there is always a catch.
However, in tales where the protagonist makes a deal with the Devil, there is usually some sort of trick; a clever way out for our antihero. This has now become a kind of trope, and we are waiting for the ending to be a twist.
George Elvid had distanced himself, by telling Dave Streeter that he “wouldn’t know a soul if it bit me on the buttocks”, but we witness Dave Streeter becoming more and more evil, as if his soul is being sucked out of him with every event, a little at a time. He feels no guilt; none whatsoever. As the story continues, Dave Streeter remains completely self-centred and focused; increasingly incapable of empathy or compassion. He has lost his humanity, and looks for a loophole, The Devil portrayed here is a fair trader, and will stick to his side of the bargain. An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth; a life for a life.
This is a brutal story with a dark edge, yet it is witty and satisfying. I enjoyed the way Stephen King placed it in context, constantly referring to well known events which were happening at the time; some wonderful achievements and some tragic, to echo what was happening to the main characters here. The “extension” keeps on extending, both in the action, and in
This is the shortest of the four novellas in the book “Full Dark, No Stars”. I’m not a great admirer of Stephen King, but I do think this is one of his better stories. What always puts me off a little is the sheer unpleasantness of his language. Stephen King’s writing typically uses coarse language, and vulgar expletives. Graphic descriptions seem to go with the territory, but we do not all use profanities as a matter of course, as his ordinary Joes and Jills do. He once said that if he couldn’t terrify a reader, then he would settle for grossing them out. Well this habit feels almost as if he attempts to shock by the language he chooses, rather than the events he describes! In fact I suspect the truth is that it may either alienate some of his potential readers, or just become tiresome. This may also be why I feel that some of his stories works better as films, than on the page.
Stephen King is often considered to be one of the best popular writers in America. I admit that his popularity does surprise me, as his stories often seem rather derivative to me, or reworkings of an old legend or trope—as this one is. Neither is his writing very original, in terms of imagery. What he is skilled and successful at though, is pacing his story. He writes gripping page-turners, and keeps a tight hold on the reins, playing out the tension bit by bit.
Stephen King once said: “I’m always more interested in the people than I am in the monsters.” I think here the reader is left wondering, if I was in the position of Dave Streeter, would I be tempted?
So would you?
****
“In Bangor, where I live, a thoroughfare called the Hammond Street Extension skirts the airport. I walk three or four miles a day, and if I’m in town, I often go out that way. There’s a gravel patch beside the airport fence about halfway along the Extension, and there any number of roadside vendors have set up shop over the years. My favorite is known locally as Golf Ball Guy, and he always appears in the spring. Golf Ball Guy goes up to the Bangor Municipal Golf Course when the weather turns warm, and scavenges up hundreds of used golf balls that have been abandoned under the snow. He throws away the really bad ones and sells the rest at the little spot out on the Extension (the windshield of his car is lined with golf balls--a nice touch). One day when I spied him, the idea for Fair Extension came into my mind. Of course I set it in Derry, home of the late and unlamented clown Pennywise, because Derry is just Bangor masquerading under a different name.”
- Stephen King
October 25, 2020
This is a chilling story about a man making a deal with the devil. Streeter has terminal cancer and he has about 6 months left. He meets street vendor named Elvid (the name has it) and strikes a deal with him for a “life extension". The price? Streeter has to name someone he really hates whom he wants to transfer his ill fate to.
King's short story abilities continue to amaze with another completely unique tale. The story's idea is simple, its delivery seamless. The readers are fascinated by the way Streeter relishes the horrible things that happen to his best friend. The ending is done really well. It's dark, chilling and surprisingly humourous at times.
Another great piece of short fiction from King!
King's short story abilities continue to amaze with another completely unique tale. The story's idea is simple, its delivery seamless. The readers are fascinated by the way Streeter relishes the horrible things that happen to his best friend. The ending is done really well. It's dark, chilling and surprisingly humourous at times.
Another great piece of short fiction from King!
December 27, 2014
King's short story abilities continue to amaze with another completely unique tale, with strong undertones of his past classic NEEDFUL THINGS. Dave Streeter is riddled with cancer and feeling the affects of chemotherapy. During a drive through Derry, Streeter comes across a small kiosk where George Elvid is running Fair Extensions. Ever the curious consumer, Streeter seeks to learn more about what Elvid might be peddling. After some innocent inquiries, Streeter learns that Elvid is in the business of offering extensions to people, whatever they might need more of in order to live a happy life. In return, a percentage annual fee is negotiated and the customer is on their way. Thinking of the cancer that is sure to take his life, Streeter tells of a friend who seems to have it all going for him and how it was, at least partially, based on ill-gotten gains. Streeter enters into the agreement with Elvid and begins to see changes in his life, as well as that of his purported friend. King delineates the rise of Streeters fortune and how, for a fee, an apparent fair extension to his life is within his grasp. Delightful as much as it is entertaining, King has unearthed another short story classic.
The story's idea is simple, its delivery seamless, and the outcome appears effortless. King takes the reader into one of his rabbit-hole storylines, where the impossible can happen at the drop of a hat; a snake-oil salesman always willing to offer up the solution that no one else can proffer. As the pages of the story rush by, the reader is taken on a short journey through the lives of the characters and, in true King fashion, someone always ends up suffering plight akin to the life of Job (as is plainly referenced in the text). At times humourous as well as glimpse into fate's capabilities, King shows how the power of belief can turn the tables on any roadblock.
Kudos, Mr. King for another entertaining piece of fiction.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
The story's idea is simple, its delivery seamless, and the outcome appears effortless. King takes the reader into one of his rabbit-hole storylines, where the impossible can happen at the drop of a hat; a snake-oil salesman always willing to offer up the solution that no one else can proffer. As the pages of the story rush by, the reader is taken on a short journey through the lives of the characters and, in true King fashion, someone always ends up suffering plight akin to the life of Job (as is plainly referenced in the text). At times humourous as well as glimpse into fate's capabilities, King shows how the power of belief can turn the tables on any roadblock.
Kudos, Mr. King for another entertaining piece of fiction.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
October 8, 2015
A chilling and unflinching look at hatred and the 'fairness' of the world. A dark mirror of the tragedy of Job.
The final line is killer.
The final line is killer.
April 2, 2017
"Faire Verlängerung" ist eine knapp fünfzig Seiten lange Kurzgeschichte, die in Deutschland in der Kurzgeschichten-Sammlung "Zwischen Nacht und Dunkel" erschienen ist. Da ich schon viele Kurzgeschichten aus der „Story Selection“-Reihe von Stephen King gelesen habe, musste auch diese unbedingt auf meinem Reader landen und ich muss sagen, das mich Stephen King wieder einmal überzeugen konnte.
Stephen King überzeugt wieder einmal mit seinem einmaligen Schreibstil, der mich direkt wieder in den Bann ziehen kann. Obwohl es hier an Horror fehlt, konnte mich die Geschichte dennoch überzeugen, denn die Geschichte lebt von einem bösen Humor, gut ausgearbeiteten Dialogen und interessanten Figuren, sodass ich "Faire Verlängerung" viel zu schnell ausgelesen hatte.
Hierbei geht es um Streeter, der unheilbar an Krebs erkrankt ist und sich nur schwer damit abfinden kann. Als er dann jedoch eines Tages auf George trifft, keimt in ihm neue Hoffnung auf, denn dieser behauptet, dass er sogenannte Verlängerungen, u.a. auch Lebensverlängerungen, verkauft und den Menschen damit Gutes tun möchte. Mal hat er Menschen bessere Sehkraft geschenkt und auch das liebe Geld spielt oftmals eine gewisse Rolle. Als er Streeter eine sogenannte Lebensversicherung anbietet, lässt sich dieser auf den Deal ein, allerdings hat er nicht damit gerechnet, dass er damit einen Pakt mit dem Teufel schließt und einen hohen Preis zahlen muss.
Interessant ist hierbei, dass die Geschichte ganz ohne den King-typischen Horror auskommt, sondern vielmehr eine gesellschaftskritische Geschichte ist, die aufzeigt, was Menschen alles tun, um ein besseres Leben zu erhalten. Zwar kann man stellenweise verstehen, wieso sich Streeter auf den Handel einlässt, allerdings ist es interessant zu sehen, wozu Menschen zu allem fähig sind, wenn es dabei um sie selbst geht. Dies hat Stephen King meiner Meinung nach gut hinbekommen, sodass mich die Geschichte trotz des ganzen Humors auch oftmals zum Nachdenken anregen konnte.
Das Cover ist nicht besonders ansprechend und enthält lediglich den Namen des Autors und den Titel. Die Kurzbeschreibung hat mich dagegen direkt angesprochen, denn diese liest sich so interessant, dass ich direkt mehr erfahren wollte.
Kurz gesagt: "Faire Verlängerung" ist insgesamt eine spannende und ereignisreiche Geschichte, die mich durchweg in den Bann ziehen und unterhalten konnte. Ich bin wieder einmal begeistert und kann diese Kurzgeschichte somit nur empfehlen.
Stephen King überzeugt wieder einmal mit seinem einmaligen Schreibstil, der mich direkt wieder in den Bann ziehen kann. Obwohl es hier an Horror fehlt, konnte mich die Geschichte dennoch überzeugen, denn die Geschichte lebt von einem bösen Humor, gut ausgearbeiteten Dialogen und interessanten Figuren, sodass ich "Faire Verlängerung" viel zu schnell ausgelesen hatte.
Hierbei geht es um Streeter, der unheilbar an Krebs erkrankt ist und sich nur schwer damit abfinden kann. Als er dann jedoch eines Tages auf George trifft, keimt in ihm neue Hoffnung auf, denn dieser behauptet, dass er sogenannte Verlängerungen, u.a. auch Lebensverlängerungen, verkauft und den Menschen damit Gutes tun möchte. Mal hat er Menschen bessere Sehkraft geschenkt und auch das liebe Geld spielt oftmals eine gewisse Rolle. Als er Streeter eine sogenannte Lebensversicherung anbietet, lässt sich dieser auf den Deal ein, allerdings hat er nicht damit gerechnet, dass er damit einen Pakt mit dem Teufel schließt und einen hohen Preis zahlen muss.
Interessant ist hierbei, dass die Geschichte ganz ohne den King-typischen Horror auskommt, sondern vielmehr eine gesellschaftskritische Geschichte ist, die aufzeigt, was Menschen alles tun, um ein besseres Leben zu erhalten. Zwar kann man stellenweise verstehen, wieso sich Streeter auf den Handel einlässt, allerdings ist es interessant zu sehen, wozu Menschen zu allem fähig sind, wenn es dabei um sie selbst geht. Dies hat Stephen King meiner Meinung nach gut hinbekommen, sodass mich die Geschichte trotz des ganzen Humors auch oftmals zum Nachdenken anregen konnte.
Das Cover ist nicht besonders ansprechend und enthält lediglich den Namen des Autors und den Titel. Die Kurzbeschreibung hat mich dagegen direkt angesprochen, denn diese liest sich so interessant, dass ich direkt mehr erfahren wollte.
Kurz gesagt: "Faire Verlängerung" ist insgesamt eine spannende und ereignisreiche Geschichte, die mich durchweg in den Bann ziehen und unterhalten konnte. Ich bin wieder einmal begeistert und kann diese Kurzgeschichte somit nur empfehlen.
January 15, 2026
Fair Extension
📜 ⚖️
|Rating: 🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑|
“We never cease wanting what we want, whether it’s good for us or not.”
Themes:▪︎Envy▪︎Greed▪︎Misfortune▪︎Faustian Bargain▪︎
⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Emesis, Extreme Misfortune, Terminal Illness
𝔏𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 ℑ𝔪𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫:
🔦In my opinion, misfortune is more terrifying than anything in the entire horror genre itself. This novella really made me wonder if misfortune can be displaced and cast unto others such as under that of a supernatural force of some sort. Some people appear to just breeze through life with little to no misfortune or suffering while others battle one thing after another it seems. Is there something more to this?
🔦I love that this novella takes place in Derry, Maine. George Elvid did remind me of It on a few occasions, especially here: “Elvid’s smile widened, and Streeter saw a wonderful, terrible thing: the man’s teeth weren’t just too big or too many. They were sharp.” 🤡
🔦This one was disturbing but not at all in the way I expected it to be. There were a couple of super shocking lines that had my mind firing. IYKYK. At first though, I could understand the main character’s choice and even emphasize with his desperate decision. Envy is something we are all familiar with, some of us more than others. It is far too easy to be consumed by it especially when we live in a society where comparing your life to others has become the norm. But at what cost would fulfilling envy be worth it?
🎥🎞Movie Adaptation: Does Not Exist (Sadly)
Favorite Quotes
“Life is fair. We all get the same nine-month shake in the box, and then the dice roll. Some people get a run of sevens. Some people, unfortunately, get snake-eyes. It’s just how the world is.”
📜 ⚖️
|Rating: 🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑|
“We never cease wanting what we want, whether it’s good for us or not.”
Themes:▪︎Envy▪︎Greed▪︎Misfortune▪︎Faustian Bargain▪︎
⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Emesis, Extreme Misfortune, Terminal Illness
𝔏𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 ℑ𝔪𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫:
🔦In my opinion, misfortune is more terrifying than anything in the entire horror genre itself. This novella really made me wonder if misfortune can be displaced and cast unto others such as under that of a supernatural force of some sort. Some people appear to just breeze through life with little to no misfortune or suffering while others battle one thing after another it seems. Is there something more to this?
🔦I love that this novella takes place in Derry, Maine. George Elvid did remind me of It on a few occasions, especially here: “Elvid’s smile widened, and Streeter saw a wonderful, terrible thing: the man’s teeth weren’t just too big or too many. They were sharp.” 🤡
🔦This one was disturbing but not at all in the way I expected it to be. There were a couple of super shocking lines that had my mind firing. IYKYK. At first though, I could understand the main character’s choice and even emphasize with his desperate decision. Envy is something we are all familiar with, some of us more than others. It is far too easy to be consumed by it especially when we live in a society where comparing your life to others has become the norm. But at what cost would fulfilling envy be worth it?
🎥🎞Movie Adaptation: Does Not Exist (Sadly)
Favorite Quotes
“Life is fair. We all get the same nine-month shake in the box, and then the dice roll. Some people get a run of sevens. Some people, unfortunately, get snake-eyes. It’s just how the world is.”
January 23, 2018
Good and easy read. It gives you a slight chill down your spine as Streeter gets happier and happier the more horrible things happen to Tom. King has such dark humor, and it shows in the way he "naturally" wrote this story.
April 10, 2018
A very short read. I wasn't prepared for how depressing it was to witness one character take such relentless joy at his 'friend's' misfortune. The story ended on a sour note. Life isn't fair.
March 20, 2016
This story is fantastic!!! Loved every bit of watching Streeter get happier as he watched the demise of his buddy.
I love how King marked the years with famous tragedies. The one I'm not sure about is the plane crash with 2 members of Blink 182. I remember Travis Barker being in one but I don't think the other guy was a band mate. I could be wrong though.
This story was just plain awesome!!! Think of a backwards Thinner that reads like a reality show!!!!
I love how King marked the years with famous tragedies. The one I'm not sure about is the plane crash with 2 members of Blink 182. I remember Travis Barker being in one but I don't think the other guy was a band mate. I could be wrong though.
This story was just plain awesome!!! Think of a backwards Thinner that reads like a reality show!!!!
August 21, 2025
Zgodbo Fair Extension sem našel čisto po naključju na eni spletni strani. Prenesel sem jo na računalnik in začel brati. Kasneje sem ugotovil, da je del zbirke Full Dark, No Stars. Je kratka, nekoliko črnogleda, a ima srečen konec, kar jo naredi posebno. Nikoli še nisem bral Kinga, a ta zgodba me je povsem navdušila. Zagotovo se lotim še kake njegove knjige :)
March 7, 2024
It wasn't bad but it was lack luster. Did not really see the point of it.
June 2, 2017
*BEWARE OF SPOILERS*
The book is surprisingly scary. The main character ended up perfectly fine after dealing with the Devil. Sorry, I meant with George Elvid :) However, the story is terrifying exactly because of that.
Nothing appears out of nowhere, and nothing disappears without track. That's the cliche rule that received a new fair extension of life in this story.
I can't even put into words how flabbergasted I was to realize that I am actually horrified by the simple "I hate you, so I want to live good, if you and everyone you love live bad" story-line. And how pitiful is the main hero in the beginning of the story, but how hypocrite he turns in the end.
Can you actually build your happiness on someone else's misfortunes? On someone's pain and loss? On jealousy and hate? In real life, as an optimist and a person kind by heart, I would say - No. In the Stephen King's short story though, the answer seems to be a Yes.
The book is surprisingly scary. The main character ended up perfectly fine after dealing with the Devil. Sorry, I meant with George Elvid :) However, the story is terrifying exactly because of that.
Nothing appears out of nowhere, and nothing disappears without track. That's the cliche rule that received a new fair extension of life in this story.
I can't even put into words how flabbergasted I was to realize that I am actually horrified by the simple "I hate you, so I want to live good, if you and everyone you love live bad" story-line. And how pitiful is the main hero in the beginning of the story, but how hypocrite he turns in the end.
Can you actually build your happiness on someone else's misfortunes? On someone's pain and loss? On jealousy and hate? In real life, as an optimist and a person kind by heart, I would say - No. In the Stephen King's short story though, the answer seems to be a Yes.
January 20, 2021
This was viciously fun to read and really made me think at the end. The protagonist got everything he wanted, but still loses. He still measures the quality of his life by comparing it to others. He is doomed to always want more and never be satisfied. He freaking turned sadist for real - taking pleasure from the pain he caused his best friend (and most gut wrenching, the innocent children of best friend.)
Awesome subverted 'don't make a deal with the devil' story.
Awesome subverted 'don't make a deal with the devil' story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2025
I don’t typically read horror, but a good friend recommended I read some of Stephen King’s stories. I very much liked the first two stories in the anthology Full Dark, No Stars, 1922 and Big Driver .
This story, a Faustian tale, was not as good, in my opinion, but overall it was OK.
This story, a Faustian tale, was not as good, in my opinion, but overall it was OK.
October 24, 2018
Sorry, this is the very first Stephen King story I cannot even finish, bored out of my mind.
December 3, 2018
"long days and pleasant nights"
August 25, 2020
Wow. I am so mad. Its not possible to get so angry. Just wow.
King continues to get on my nerves.
King continues to get on my nerves.
June 23, 2022
King is fucking weird but in a good way! Review to come
December 23, 2022
This short story reminded me "Thinner"; However it´s better than "Thinner.
January 19, 2023
A very clever thought out story
May 28, 2024
A short and eerie tale about making a deal with the devil. Strangely comical in moments, it seems obvious that King enjoyed creating this and I can't help but imagine him chuckling to himself while writing this on a dark and rainy night.
March 1, 2021
Fair Extension is the shortest novella in Steven King's collection Full Dark, No Stars but the one that left the biggest impression. It follows the inspiration of the common deal with the Devil storyline but what makes Fair Extension great is that its ending is anything but common. Here we have a man who deals with the Devil and wins at the expense of an innocent family, gets no comeuppance, and feels no remorse for his deeds. Some may balk at the less than likable lead character getting no retribution for his sins, but that's what makes the story really work. The whole story I took it for granted that the main character would get fleeced somehow by the Devil-like character he makes a deal with and yet King makes it abundantly clear that his deal, at least for the protagonist, was a real bargain. By going against the traditional storyline Fair Extension delivers in both interest and surprise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2020
I feel like in these kinds of stories, the main character always gets their comeuppance— their punishment for their greed. What is amazing— in a horrifying way— about this story is that that is not the case at all. Instead we get to read about how Streeter gleefully lives his life, enjoying watching his best friend suffer. It is chilling to think that someone could truly “get off” on someone else’s pain.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2022
Very short read, but really really enjoyable. It’s the classic “make a deal with the devil” story but trickled in with humor, lots of good imagery, and an evolution that makes you feel worse and worse as Streeter continues to benefit from his friends suffering but shows no remorse. I’d definitely read this one again. The ending did make me really sad though, haven’t felt that from a book before
May 27, 2018
Till the Elvid (or Devil) was in the picture(so to say), it was an interesting read. After the deal is done, its just a "series of unfortunate events" happening one after the other. Expected something towards the end. Quick read though.
April 10, 2023
I thought this book was ok. I thought the main character was really unnecessary vindictive about his best friend though! But it just sort of built the character more. I also felt it ended too abruptly. I was kind of hoping the main character would pay for his actions! Decent book
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