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I Am the Doorway
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Stephen King
2,143 books898k 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 130 reviews
July 29, 2026
من السهل أن يشعر الإنسان بالغرور عندما يصبح أول من يطأ أرضا لم تطأها قدم قبله. وأن يظن أن الكون كله أصبح مفهوما لمجرد أنه رآه بعينيه. لكن ماذا لو كان طوال الوقت هو من تتم مراقبته؟
في أنا البوابة يوجه ستيفن كينج ضربة قاسية لمركزية الإنسان. فرائد الفضاء الذي خرج ليستكشف المجهول يكتشف أنه لم يكن سوى وسيلة استخدمها المجهول ليصل إلينا. وأكثر ما أرعبني لم يكن الكائنات الفضائية. بل فكرة سلب الإرادة. أن يتحول الجسد إلى مجرد أداة. كسيارة لا تملك أن تعترض على السائق مهما كان ما يفعله بها.
الفكرة ذكية وتحمل تأملات جميلة عن الغرور الإنساني وثمن المعرفة. لكنني شعرت أنها أكبر من حجم القصة نفسها. فبعيدا عن رمزيتها اعتمدت في النهاية على صدمة رعب جسدي أكثر من اعتمادها على بناء درامي متماسك.
نجمتان للفكرة. ونجمة للتنفيذ.
رابط مجموعة وردية ليل التي وردت فيه القصة
في أنا البوابة يوجه ستيفن كينج ضربة قاسية لمركزية الإنسان. فرائد الفضاء الذي خرج ليستكشف المجهول يكتشف أنه لم يكن سوى وسيلة استخدمها المجهول ليصل إلينا. وأكثر ما أرعبني لم يكن الكائنات الفضائية. بل فكرة سلب الإرادة. أن يتحول الجسد إلى مجرد أداة. كسيارة لا تملك أن تعترض على السائق مهما كان ما يفعله بها.
الفكرة ذكية وتحمل تأملات جميلة عن الغرور الإنساني وثمن المعرفة. لكنني شعرت أنها أكبر من حجم القصة نفسها. فبعيدا عن رمزيتها اعتمدت في النهاية على صدمة رعب جسدي أكثر من اعتمادها على بناء درامي متماسك.
نجمتان للفكرة. ونجمة للتنفيذ.
رابط مجموعة وردية ليل التي وردت فيه القصة
December 28, 2019
3,5 stars. An audio version in Portuguese. I found it bizarre and strange. Wikipedia: "I Am the Doorway is a science fiction short story by American writer Stephen King, first published in the March 1971 issue of Cavalier magazine, and later collected in King's 1978 collection Night Shift.
The story relates a disabled former astronaut's account of the terrifying change he undergoes after being exposed to an extraterrestrial mutagen, during a space mission to Venus. Arthur, the narrator, begins the story with his hands bandaged, and complains of a terrible itching both after the mission and currently. The change takes the form of numerous tiny eyeballs which break out on his fingertips. These eyeballs act as the titular "doorway" for an alien species, allowing them to see into our world, but, seeing from an alien perspective, they view humans as horrifying monstrosities which, Arthur perceives, they fear and hate intensely.
Soon, the alien presence is not only able to see through this doorway, but take control of Arthur's shattered body, using him to commit terrible murders."
The story relates a disabled former astronaut's account of the terrifying change he undergoes after being exposed to an extraterrestrial mutagen, during a space mission to Venus. Arthur, the narrator, begins the story with his hands bandaged, and complains of a terrible itching both after the mission and currently. The change takes the form of numerous tiny eyeballs which break out on his fingertips. These eyeballs act as the titular "doorway" for an alien species, allowing them to see into our world, but, seeing from an alien perspective, they view humans as horrifying monstrosities which, Arthur perceives, they fear and hate intensely.
Soon, the alien presence is not only able to see through this doorway, but take control of Arthur's shattered body, using him to commit terrible murders."
August 29, 2020
3.5*
"Era una sensación que no tenía parangón en el mundo: como si yo fuera un portal entreabierto a través del cual espiaban un mundo que odiaban y temían. Pero lo peor era que yo también podía ver, hasta cierto punto. Imaginad que vuestra mente es transportada al cuerpo de una mosca común, una mosca que mira vuestra propia cara con un millar de ojos. Entonces quizás empezaréis a entender por qué tenía las manos vendadas incluso cuando no había nadie cerca, nadie que pudiera verlas"
Es un relato dentro de otro relato. En el que un astronauta cuenta sobre una misión, y sobre posteriores hechos extraños que involucran a sus propias manos y una muerte.
Se debate entre el terror y la ciencia ficción. Con ciertos aires de ser un guion concebido por Rod Serling o una obra de Richard Matheson, aunque un tanto menos sutil y mas burda.
"Era una sensación que no tenía parangón en el mundo: como si yo fuera un portal entreabierto a través del cual espiaban un mundo que odiaban y temían. Pero lo peor era que yo también podía ver, hasta cierto punto. Imaginad que vuestra mente es transportada al cuerpo de una mosca común, una mosca que mira vuestra propia cara con un millar de ojos. Entonces quizás empezaréis a entender por qué tenía las manos vendadas incluso cuando no había nadie cerca, nadie que pudiera verlas"
Es un relato dentro de otro relato. En el que un astronauta cuenta sobre una misión, y sobre posteriores hechos extraños que involucran a sus propias manos y una muerte.
Se debate entre el terror y la ciencia ficción. Con ciertos aires de ser un guion concebido por Rod Serling o una obra de Richard Matheson, aunque un tanto menos sutil y mas burda.
February 4, 2017
Here we are again. This is the fourth entry in my Stephen King short story reread series, and I am having the time of my life. I hope you are, too. King's short tales are woefully underrated, and I'm having a ball going back and rediscovering them.
I must admit King's sci-fi stories tend to be a bit hit or miss. Sci-fi isn't my favorite genre, and some of King's attempts at it are especially weak. His best is "The Jaunt"; his worst is probably Dreamcatcher (or maybe the ending of Under the Dome). "I Am the Doorway" falls somewhere in between.
Told in first-person narration, this is the tale of an ex-astronaut who caught a 'space virus' on a mission to Venus, and . . . well, has become a doorway (as he puts it) to some sort of cosmic space entity something. It's not made especially clear what exactly it is our protagonist has been infected with, nor do we ever know what it is that is controlling him, forcing him to perform unspeakable acts — but that's okay. It adds to the intrigue. King's lack of explanation does wonders here because space! Space is hella scary, and it is so mysterious. I am able to suspend my disbelief long enough for this story to work its magic.
I like this story. It doesn't quite chill me like others in Night Shift do, and I feel it is supposed to terrify me. It doesn't. Yeah, the imagery is unsettling; the eyes in the hand bit always turn my stomach. But it doesn't fully 'get there'. And I don't really know why. It's just one of those things, I suppose. Hence my docking a star. On the whole, though, this is a totally solid story and is one certainly worth checking out.
King Connections
None that I noticed, though this does take place at the Keys. Tenuous connection to Duma Key? Highly unlikely, though it is fun to think about.
Favorite Quote
"I wouldn't have to wake up anymore into the creaking darkness and stifle a scream as I felt them watching, watching, watching."
Up Next
"The Mangler"
I must admit King's sci-fi stories tend to be a bit hit or miss. Sci-fi isn't my favorite genre, and some of King's attempts at it are especially weak. His best is "The Jaunt"; his worst is probably Dreamcatcher (or maybe the ending of Under the Dome). "I Am the Doorway" falls somewhere in between.
Told in first-person narration, this is the tale of an ex-astronaut who caught a 'space virus' on a mission to Venus, and . . . well, has become a doorway (as he puts it) to some sort of cosmic space entity something. It's not made especially clear what exactly it is our protagonist has been infected with, nor do we ever know what it is that is controlling him, forcing him to perform unspeakable acts — but that's okay. It adds to the intrigue. King's lack of explanation does wonders here because space! Space is hella scary, and it is so mysterious. I am able to suspend my disbelief long enough for this story to work its magic.
I like this story. It doesn't quite chill me like others in Night Shift do, and I feel it is supposed to terrify me. It doesn't. Yeah, the imagery is unsettling; the eyes in the hand bit always turn my stomach. But it doesn't fully 'get there'. And I don't really know why. It's just one of those things, I suppose. Hence my docking a star. On the whole, though, this is a totally solid story and is one certainly worth checking out.
King Connections
None that I noticed, though this does take place at the Keys. Tenuous connection to Duma Key? Highly unlikely, though it is fun to think about.
Favorite Quote
"I wouldn't have to wake up anymore into the creaking darkness and stifle a scream as I felt them watching, watching, watching."
Up Next
"The Mangler"
July 17, 2026
القصة الرابعة من وردية الليل.
في رأيي، لا بأس بها. كانت ممتعة إلى حدّ ما، ومخيفة قليلا.
تتحدث عن رائد فضاء وصديقه، ذهبا في رحلة إلى كوكب الزهرة، لكن صديق رائد الفضاء مات هناك. وعندما عاد رائد الفضاء، اكتشف أنه أصيب بعدوى غريبة أدت إلى ظهور عيون في يديه، لتتضح لاحقًا أن تلك العيون لكائنات فضائية تستعمر جسده.
في رأيي، لا بأس بها. كانت ممتعة إلى حدّ ما، ومخيفة قليلا.
تتحدث عن رائد فضاء وصديقه، ذهبا في رحلة إلى كوكب الزهرة، لكن صديق رائد الفضاء مات هناك. وعندما عاد رائد الفضاء، اكتشف أنه أصيب بعدوى غريبة أدت إلى ظهور عيون في يديه، لتتضح لاحقًا أن تلك العيون لكائنات فضائية تستعمر جسده.
July 13, 2026
القصة الرابعة من ورديـة الليـل،
بتحكي عن رائد فضاء راح مهمة على كوكب الزهرة مع صاحبه واستمرت المهمة أكتر من شهر
صاحبه توفى هناك وهو رجع بإصابة مش هيخف منها طول حياته
القصة بتتكلم عن كائنات فضائية التصقت بجسم رائد الفضاء ، وبتبدأ تظهر عيون في إيديه ، عيونهم هما ، علشان يراقبوا الأرض من خلالها
وبالتالي هو بيقرر يفضل رابط إيديه بضمادات ، وبتبدأ الأحداث تكمل
القصة ماعجبتنيش ابداً ، وحتي النجمة كتير عليها ، ولسبب ما حسيت بقشعريرة وعدم ارتياح وأنا بقرأها وما صدقت خلصتها
بالنسبالي ، لحد دلوقتي دي اضعف قصة في المجموعة
بتحكي عن رائد فضاء راح مهمة على كوكب الزهرة مع صاحبه واستمرت المهمة أكتر من شهر
صاحبه توفى هناك وهو رجع بإصابة مش هيخف منها طول حياته
القصة بتتكلم عن كائنات فضائية التصقت بجسم رائد الفضاء ، وبتبدأ تظهر عيون في إيديه ، عيونهم هما ، علشان يراقبوا الأرض من خلالها
وبالتالي هو بيقرر يفضل رابط إيديه بضمادات ، وبتبدأ الأحداث تكمل
القصة ماعجبتنيش ابداً ، وحتي النجمة كتير عليها ، ولسبب ما حسيت بقشعريرة وعدم ارتياح وأنا بقرأها وما صدقت خلصتها
بالنسبالي ، لحد دلوقتي دي اضعف قصة في المجموعة
January 24, 2024
'I Am the Doorway' by Stephen King.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
A part of Stephen King's 1974 short story collection 'Night Shift', 'I Am the Doorway' reads as if the author wrote it while being high on coke (he was). And that, in a way, explains a lot. It is a creepy, bone-chilling tale that meshes elements of space exploration with those of the horror genre.
After being exposed to an extraterrestrial mutagen during his time on an exploratory mission in outer space, Arthur, now a crippled astronaut, experiences strange aftereffects. Starting from his hands, his body slowly turns out to be a strange doorway to some sort of cosmic entity that tries to control him occasionally. Earlier, when I used to browse through Stephen King vintage book covers videos, I was flummoxed by a particular book cover depicting a bandaged hand containing a dozen or so eyes within it. Now, after having read this short story, I do appreciate the haunting beauty of the cover.
'I Am the Doorway' is a creepy, bone-chilling tale of cosmic horror that gripped me right from the first line. The imagery is highly unsettling – the eyes erupting out of the hands always turn my stomach. In fact, while reading this short story, I almost felt tingling sensations over my hands, which, although psychological, attests to Stephen King's writing prowess. It is a tale of stark horror and grotesque imagination that has a gruesome twist at the end. It almost made me wish for a much longer novel with a similar concept.
I know what I thought.
I thought I had peeked over the rim of the universe and into the fires of hell itself.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
A part of Stephen King's 1974 short story collection 'Night Shift', 'I Am the Doorway' reads as if the author wrote it while being high on coke (he was). And that, in a way, explains a lot. It is a creepy, bone-chilling tale that meshes elements of space exploration with those of the horror genre.
After being exposed to an extraterrestrial mutagen during his time on an exploratory mission in outer space, Arthur, now a crippled astronaut, experiences strange aftereffects. Starting from his hands, his body slowly turns out to be a strange doorway to some sort of cosmic entity that tries to control him occasionally. Earlier, when I used to browse through Stephen King vintage book covers videos, I was flummoxed by a particular book cover depicting a bandaged hand containing a dozen or so eyes within it. Now, after having read this short story, I do appreciate the haunting beauty of the cover.
'I Am the Doorway' is a creepy, bone-chilling tale of cosmic horror that gripped me right from the first line. The imagery is highly unsettling – the eyes erupting out of the hands always turn my stomach. In fact, while reading this short story, I almost felt tingling sensations over my hands, which, although psychological, attests to Stephen King's writing prowess. It is a tale of stark horror and grotesque imagination that has a gruesome twist at the end. It almost made me wish for a much longer novel with a similar concept.
February 24, 2023
A crippled astronaut experiences strange biological mutations after being exposed to an extraterrestrial mutagen during his time in outer space. His body has become a doorway for some form of alien intelligence to peer into our world from millions of miles away. They don’t like what they see, and they may become hostile using the astronaut’s body as a conduit.
A decent short cosmic horror story with a gruesome little twist at the end. It would be a cool concept for a much longer novel.
My rating: 2.3/5
A decent short cosmic horror story with a gruesome little twist at the end. It would be a cool concept for a much longer novel.
My rating: 2.3/5
October 28, 2015
5 stars for sure. I love that even though it was short, it didn't feel like the story was underdeveloped. it had the perfect amount of detail.
September 13, 2017
Playlist
Wagner
The Beatles
May 21, 2026
সাই ফাই তেও যে স্টিফেন কিং যে "কিং" তা প্রমাণ করলাম।দারুণ ছিল ছোট সাই ফাই গল্পটা।একদম চখাম।
February 20, 2016
A short story from the Night Shift collection. A very enjoyable way to kill a half an hour at lunch break. I'll have to hunt down the movie adaption.
June 22, 2017
Definitely creepy. The kinds that make me lose some sleep. While reading the story, my hands started to itch, which I know is psychological, but maybe it's just good writing.
November 13, 2016
OH MY GOD !!! This was sickening :S
June 12, 2022
من أحسن قصص الرعب اللى قراتها مخيفة جدا و مكتوبة بشكل خفيف و جميل
موجودة فى كتاب The Night Shift
موجودة فى كتاب The Night Shift
November 17, 2019
*3.25 stars
I had a horrible sense of dread while reading. The premise is once again creepy: an astronaut is crippled after reentering the earth's atmosphere goes horribly wrong. Having gone deeper into space than anyone else before, our main character gets much more than he bargained for.
Anyone with trypophobia beware!Imagery is unnerving. The way in which the story is told is interesting. Again, a bigger page count to have developed the idea would have enabled me to rate higher. All in all an enjoyable read.
I had a horrible sense of dread while reading. The premise is once again creepy: an astronaut is crippled after reentering the earth's atmosphere goes horribly wrong. Having gone deeper into space than anyone else before, our main character gets much more than he bargained for.
Anyone with trypophobia beware!Imagery is unnerving. The way in which the story is told is interesting. Again, a bigger page count to have developed the idea would have enabled me to rate higher. All in all an enjoyable read.
July 26, 2021
Story four in King's Night Shift.
This was a different kind of read. I can't say I expected to encounter a more science fiction slanted horror story in here.
The most interesting part of this story is the beginning in how it unfurls. Mostly, you just don't really know what's going on in the story as the details and context slowly trickle in. How that's crafted in conjunction with the ending is what made this story work for me.
This was a different kind of read. I can't say I expected to encounter a more science fiction slanted horror story in here.
The most interesting part of this story is the beginning in how it unfurls. Mostly, you just don't really know what's going on in the story as the details and context slowly trickle in. How that's crafted in conjunction with the ending is what made this story work for me.
July 1, 2023
Okay this was just...weird.
Some alien entity takes over the narrator, giving his hands eyes and able to do murderous things...and it gave me the ick.
I don't feel this short story needed to be short. I'd really like an extended version, more narration, more exploration of this frightening identity.
However I enjoyed it, and the ending gives plenty of room for further interpretation. Oddly, it put me in mind of The Thing and the sci-fi movie Life.
Some alien entity takes over the narrator, giving his hands eyes and able to do murderous things...and it gave me the ick.
I don't feel this short story needed to be short. I'd really like an extended version, more narration, more exploration of this frightening identity.
However I enjoyed it, and the ending gives plenty of room for further interpretation. Oddly, it put me in mind of The Thing and the sci-fi movie Life.
February 1, 2024
Wow, this was an interesting story. As you read, it gets strange pretty quick, then it gets weird in ways that keep you curious.
5 stars.
5 stars.
March 13, 2024
I wasn't a fan of the ending. Assigned reading for a "horror" unit? I wasn't very horrified.
April 9, 2014
Not great, not bad. This short story nets a zero for me.
"I Am The Doorway" is the source material for the 'Night Shift' paperback cover with the eyeballs on the bandaged hand.
Written from a first-person perspective, our narrator is a former astronaut recounting his space trip to Venus and some unexpected side effects he's had to deal with since coming back to Earth.
Again, this isn't a bad story. It's just not one of my favorites. Middle of the road material as far as Stephen King short stories go.
"I Am The Doorway" is the source material for the 'Night Shift' paperback cover with the eyeballs on the bandaged hand.
Written from a first-person perspective, our narrator is a former astronaut recounting his space trip to Venus and some unexpected side effects he's had to deal with since coming back to Earth.
Again, this isn't a bad story. It's just not one of my favorites. Middle of the road material as far as Stephen King short stories go.
December 30, 2017
I really enjoyed this short story by Stephen King. In it, we the reader are learn about a disabled, former astronaut who's body(hand) seems to host the gateway to something otherworldly and sinister.
While I live short stories as a means to be keep busy in a short down time I wish this story would've been flushed out even more. The premise was interesting and I really wanted to see how far this could go.
SIDENOTE:I definitely started to itch while reading this which was very disheartening.
While I live short stories as a means to be keep busy in a short down time I wish this story would've been flushed out even more. The premise was interesting and I really wanted to see how far this could go.
SIDENOTE:I definitely started to itch while reading this which was very disheartening.
January 9, 2017
Sometimes I just want to get in other world to be free and to start as a new person, this story just made me a new person it was like I was in his body... And I could feel what he was feeling, I knew what he was done, I was like a virus knowing everything. That's one well made stort Story by Stephen King.
August 30, 2017
Listened to the audiobook. I cant figure out how to rate it. My first thought was 2. Then 3. I dunno. 2.5 stars?
This story was.... weird. Sad.
What was this story really about? A guy with mental disease that couldn't cope? Drug abuse?
"I don't expect having any trouble putting the shot gun in my mouth and pulling the trigger."
This story was.... weird. Sad.
What was this story really about? A guy with mental disease that couldn't cope? Drug abuse?
"I don't expect having any trouble putting the shot gun in my mouth and pulling the trigger."
June 2, 2015
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Was this man snorting coke?... Oh, you mean he was? I see. Well, that explains this. Very enjoyable sci-fi/horror jimmy-jank. Aliens (kind of). Parasitic disease (kind of). Malevolence (definitely). Check it out.
Was this man snorting coke?... Oh, you mean he was? I see. Well, that explains this. Very enjoyable sci-fi/horror jimmy-jank. Aliens (kind of). Parasitic disease (kind of). Malevolence (definitely). Check it out.
October 23, 2022
4 Stars! Excellent! The first time I read it was in the Night Shift collection and I felt it was maybe the strongest one and rated it a 5. While I do still enjoy it, I’m not sure it deserves that 5 anymore.
Read: 10/17/22
Read: 10/17/22
Read
November 3, 2014Breath taking, air gasping, hair standing, heart stopping piece.
January 21, 2014
nice short story!
March 4, 2014
A LITTLE DITTY OF A STORY
July 29, 2022
From Cavalier, Mar 1971 collected in Night Shift then in Gray Matter and Other Stories from Night Shift
latest re-read 1-5-2015
latest re-read 1-5-2015
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews