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Apt Pupil
#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s timeless coming-of-age novella, Apt Pupil—published in his 1982 story collection Different Seasons and made into a 1998 Tristar movie starring Ian McKellan and Brad Renfro—now available for the first time as a standalone publication.If you don’t believe in the existence of evil, you have a lot to learn. Todd Bowden is an apt pupil. Good grades, good family, a paper route. But he is about to meet a different kind of teacher, Mr. Dussander, and to learn all about Dussander’s dark and deadly past…a decades-old manhunt Dussander has escaped to this day. Yet Todd doesn’t want to turn his teacher in. Todd wants to know more. Much more. He is about to face his fears and learn the real meaning of power—and the seductive lure of evil. A classic story from Stephen King, Apt Pupil reveals layers upon layers of deception—and horror—as finally there is only one left standing.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 1982
1634 people are currently reading
21982 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,296 books891k 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 2,382 reviews
September 24, 2019
This is Stephen King doing his creepy, nasty thing. The main character, Todd Bowden, is a brilliant creation - a psychopath in the body of a fourteen year old, all American, blonde haired, blue eyed boy. The other main character is an ex Nazi, one who was actually in charge of a concentration camp and gas chambers. Together they are just plain evil as they egg each other on through varying degrees of wrongness.
I nearly always enjoy a good Stephen King book and this is a good one. Only short at 178 pages but always gripping and intense and very readable!
I nearly always enjoy a good Stephen King book and this is a good one. Only short at 178 pages but always gripping and intense and very readable!
April 7, 2017
I wanted a Stephen King book that wasn't very popular or long and this was it. Super creepy and entertaining. King messed with my mind as per usual. Lol
November 18, 2025
وحدهم الخاسرون تتم محاكمتهم كمجرمي حرب لأنهم قاموا بتنفيذ الأوامر و التعليمات.ذهب الصبي تود ذو الأربعة عشر ربيعا لترويض الوحش الكامن في مجرم الحرب النازي دوسندر فكان لابد من إطلاقه من مكمنه أولا لترويضه و لكنه بدلا من ذلك تحول هو نفسه إلى وحش لن يفلح أحد في ترويضه أبدا.
وحدها وفاة دوسندر يمكن أن تكشف عن الحقيقة النهائية. يوما ما في غضون السنين الخمس التالية و ربما قبل ذلك. ربما يأتي هذا اليوم في غضون ثلاث إلى خمس سنين ... يبدو الأمر كما لو أنه حكم بالسجن. يا تود بودين: حكمت عليك المحكمة بقضاء ما بين ثلاث إلى خمس سنين بجرم مزاملة مجرم حرب معروف. ثلاث إلى خمس سنين ما بين الأحلام المزعجة و العرق البارد.و نافخ الكير إما أن يحرق ثيابك و إما أن ترى منه ريحا خبيثة. و في حالتنا تلك فقد أحرق تود ثيابه و التهبت أنفه من الروائح الخبيثة و صار هو نفسه نافخا للكير.
July 13, 2024
"Games were done; storytime was over. This was survival. Kill him and it's all over, he whispered in the darkness. Whispering made it seem real." pg. 96
I really enjoyed this psychologically dark story. Todd Bowden was a teenager, who through detective work of his own, discovered an old German man in his neighborhood to be a former Nazi in hiding. Kurt Dussander was the old man who was an SS officer and commandant of a concentration camp during WWII. Initially Todd made a deal with Dussander: to tell him stories from the concentration camps and he wouldn't tell the police. But their relationship soon deteriorated to the point of no return.
Todd began to internalize feelings of antisemitism, sexual sadism, and developed antisocial personality traits to include homicidal urges.
The two main characters developed a codependent relationship based on extortion, lies, and lack of trust. Eventually they need each other to hide the truth as the lies continue to mount in personal and social settings.
I was engaged the whole time and thought the story was suspenseful up until the very end. Stephen King strikes again! Highly recommended! Thanks!
I really enjoyed this psychologically dark story. Todd Bowden was a teenager, who through detective work of his own, discovered an old German man in his neighborhood to be a former Nazi in hiding. Kurt Dussander was the old man who was an SS officer and commandant of a concentration camp during WWII. Initially Todd made a deal with Dussander: to tell him stories from the concentration camps and he wouldn't tell the police. But their relationship soon deteriorated to the point of no return.
Todd began to internalize feelings of antisemitism, sexual sadism, and developed antisocial personality traits to include homicidal urges.
The two main characters developed a codependent relationship based on extortion, lies, and lack of trust. Eventually they need each other to hide the truth as the lies continue to mount in personal and social settings.
I was engaged the whole time and thought the story was suspenseful up until the very end. Stephen King strikes again! Highly recommended! Thanks!
December 16, 2019
Disturbed..dark..l couldn't endure it..It is hard to give King one star
but I only give it when I fail to continue any novel.
It is about an old Nazi and a completely disturbed teenager. .with tons of violence. .there is a dark movie about it..both of them for strong ruthless hearts.
but I only give it when I fail to continue any novel.
It is about an old Nazi and a completely disturbed teenager. .with tons of violence. .there is a dark movie about it..both of them for strong ruthless hearts.
this-aint-it-sis
November 2, 2018DNF 50 pages
This was one of those weird cases where a book was disturbing and well-written, but I struggled with how dull I found it. I spent several nights trying to get into what was happening and failing miserably each time.
So this creepy little white bread kid is way into Nazi stuff, and he blackmails an old Nazi dude into reliving the experiences. Ehhhh. I just wasn't feeling it.
Maybe I'll come back to it later?
This was one of those weird cases where a book was disturbing and well-written, but I struggled with how dull I found it. I spent several nights trying to get into what was happening and failing miserably each time.
So this creepy little white bread kid is way into Nazi stuff, and he blackmails an old Nazi dude into reliving the experiences. Ehhhh. I just wasn't feeling it.
Maybe I'll come back to it later?
July 14, 2019
What would you do if you found out your neighbor was a Nazi and wanted war criminal?
Most people I would HOPE would immediately turn him in.
But not Todd Bowden, the young main character of our story. Todd Bowden is a deeply disturbed individual. He decides to blackmail his Nazi neighbor into telling him about all the unspeakable acts he committed. The neighbor going by the alias Arthur Denker was a SS officer and he was in charge of "efficiency" at a Nazi death camp and he was very very good at his job. He was responsible for thousands of murders. After the fall of Hitler, Arthur like a lot of other Nazi collaborators fled to South America but eventually ended up in America.
Apt Pupil is less a horror novel and more of a character study of two truly evil people. Arthur the Nazi despite being elderly is still an truly heinous person and Todd is a monster in the making. I liked this book but I understand why a lot of people don't. Apt Pupil is a slow build. Not a lot happens during the bulk of the book but I felt that the slow way the story was told added to the sense of dread and unease I felt.
I watched the film YEARS ago for one reason and reason only..
Brad Renfro (R.I.P)
I had such a huge and probably unhealthy crush on him when I was a pre-teen. I had no business watching this film when I was like 11 but....BRAD RENFRO!
No rec because I don't think this book is for everyone but if you prefer a slower more character driven read, pick up Apt Pupil I think you'll like it.
Most people I would HOPE would immediately turn him in.
But not Todd Bowden, the young main character of our story. Todd Bowden is a deeply disturbed individual. He decides to blackmail his Nazi neighbor into telling him about all the unspeakable acts he committed. The neighbor going by the alias Arthur Denker was a SS officer and he was in charge of "efficiency" at a Nazi death camp and he was very very good at his job. He was responsible for thousands of murders. After the fall of Hitler, Arthur like a lot of other Nazi collaborators fled to South America but eventually ended up in America.
Apt Pupil is less a horror novel and more of a character study of two truly evil people. Arthur the Nazi despite being elderly is still an truly heinous person and Todd is a monster in the making. I liked this book but I understand why a lot of people don't. Apt Pupil is a slow build. Not a lot happens during the bulk of the book but I felt that the slow way the story was told added to the sense of dread and unease I felt.
I watched the film YEARS ago for one reason and reason only..
Brad Renfro (R.I.P)
I had such a huge and probably unhealthy crush on him when I was a pre-teen. I had no business watching this film when I was like 11 but....BRAD RENFRO!
No rec because I don't think this book is for everyone but if you prefer a slower more character driven read, pick up Apt Pupil I think you'll like it.
April 27, 2020
Gruesome, dark and gut-wrenching. One of the most disturbing books I have ever read. King at his very freaking best!!
Apt Pupil is the story of Todd Bowden, a brilliant kid that somehow finds out that a Nazi war criminal, Kurt Dussander, lives nearby. But instead of turning him out, Todd decides to feed his own psychopathic tendencies and so he learns from Dussander.
Apt Pupil has two of the best characters Stephen King has ever created in my opinion. Both are inhumanly evil - one a bad-tempered Kraut in hiding, and the other an all-American golden boy with the secret personality of a sociopath. Both are so vividly realistic and so out of the realm of King's usual supernatural boogeymen and demons that this book is definitely worth noting. These two characters aren't demons. They're humans, which makes them all-the-more frightening.
Stephen King says that he wrote this novel in 2 weeks just to "decompress" after he finished "The Shining" which goes on to show what an amazing storyteller he is. He has an amazing voice for his characters. The old man Arthur Denker (Dussander) comes off sounding as authentic as if written by a seventy year old, the young kid Tedd Bowden sounds as authentic as if written by a fourteen year old.
I have seen a few one star review of this book, not because the writing was bad or the story wasn't great but they found it too dark and gruesome to continue. So make sure you know what are you dealing with before you decide to pick this up.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Rape, multiple murders, anti-Semitic talks, animal abuse, torture and a lot of disturbing deviant behaviour and thoughts.
Apt Pupil is the story of Todd Bowden, a brilliant kid that somehow finds out that a Nazi war criminal, Kurt Dussander, lives nearby. But instead of turning him out, Todd decides to feed his own psychopathic tendencies and so he learns from Dussander.
Apt Pupil has two of the best characters Stephen King has ever created in my opinion. Both are inhumanly evil - one a bad-tempered Kraut in hiding, and the other an all-American golden boy with the secret personality of a sociopath. Both are so vividly realistic and so out of the realm of King's usual supernatural boogeymen and demons that this book is definitely worth noting. These two characters aren't demons. They're humans, which makes them all-the-more frightening.
Stephen King says that he wrote this novel in 2 weeks just to "decompress" after he finished "The Shining" which goes on to show what an amazing storyteller he is. He has an amazing voice for his characters. The old man Arthur Denker (Dussander) comes off sounding as authentic as if written by a seventy year old, the young kid Tedd Bowden sounds as authentic as if written by a fourteen year old.
I have seen a few one star review of this book, not because the writing was bad or the story wasn't great but they found it too dark and gruesome to continue. So make sure you know what are you dealing with before you decide to pick this up.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Rape, multiple murders, anti-Semitic talks, animal abuse, torture and a lot of disturbing deviant behaviour and thoughts.
December 1, 2020
This is a novella that was published in the collection 'Different Seasons' by Stephen King. I know there are a lot of people who think this is a great story, but I'm not one. This novella collection is a great place to start reading Stephen King books because it's not horror. He was showing off his prose in these stories and they are the best short story collection he has. 3 of the 4 novellas were made into popular movies.
The writing is strong here and of course King's character work is amazing, he is the King of characters. The subject is about evil. I mean the story is set up well.
I guess I'll throw up a Spoiler Warning:
Spoiler:
A boy finds out his neighbor, an old man, used to be a Nazi. We think the Nazi is going to be the bad guy, but its the boy that keeps pushing the old man and we see that its the boy who is really evil in this story. It's a nice study. I should add a star just for the set-up.
I see why people like the story, but I had no fun reading it. It was an interesting look at how we can slip off the moral high ground.
I think Stephen has his stories that sort of predict where the country would be in 30-40 years and this is one of those that is right on the mark. Kids with good grades and good home life devolve into darkness. It's sort of how the Orange Monster started.
Anyway, I do suggest reading this. It's a quick read and worth reading. I still didn't enjoy the story, but there is a whole lot of craft going on here, so I am going to give it one more star making it a 3 star story.
The writing is strong here and of course King's character work is amazing, he is the King of characters. The subject is about evil. I mean the story is set up well.
I guess I'll throw up a Spoiler Warning:
Spoiler:
A boy finds out his neighbor, an old man, used to be a Nazi. We think the Nazi is going to be the bad guy, but its the boy that keeps pushing the old man and we see that its the boy who is really evil in this story. It's a nice study. I should add a star just for the set-up.
I see why people like the story, but I had no fun reading it. It was an interesting look at how we can slip off the moral high ground.
I think Stephen has his stories that sort of predict where the country would be in 30-40 years and this is one of those that is right on the mark. Kids with good grades and good home life devolve into darkness. It's sort of how the Orange Monster started.
Anyway, I do suggest reading this. It's a quick read and worth reading. I still didn't enjoy the story, but there is a whole lot of craft going on here, so I am going to give it one more star making it a 3 star story.
April 3, 2013
I don’t know what my fascination is with Stephen King. The fact all of his fifty-plus books have been worldwide bestsellers. The fact he wrote The Long Walk, a great short story, at the age of eighteen. The fact the paperback rights to his debut novel Carrie (though actually the fourth he’d written) was picked up in 1974 by New American Library for $400,000. The fact he has a seemingly limitless imagination. The fact every novel feels unique, the characters ridiculously vivid, the plots engrossing. The fact he writes like a demon on speed. Apparently he wrote Carrie in two weeks. After finishing his second novel, ‘Salem’s Lot, he popped out The Body (Stand By Me) just to cool down. After finishing his third novel, The Shining, he popped out Apt Pupil in another marathon two-week period. After his fourth novel, The Dead Zone, he had enough juice left in the tank to deliver Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption…and so on and so on.
The guy’s either a genius or possessed by aliens, like his lead character in The Tommyknockers, Bobbi Anderson, who writes a full-length manuscript overnight, apparently in her sleep.
Anyway! Enough a**-kissing. We all know King can write. So how was Apt Pupil? Pretty brilliant. It was about the unlikely union of a golden schoolboy and a nasty old man caught in a parasitic relationship. King writes confidently about Nazis, World War Two, and everything in between. He has an amazing voice for his characters. At the time he wrote this story he must have been thirty or so, but the old man Arthur Denker (Dussander) comes off sounding as authentic as if written by a seventy year old.
The guy’s either a genius or possessed by aliens, like his lead character in The Tommyknockers, Bobbi Anderson, who writes a full-length manuscript overnight, apparently in her sleep.
Anyway! Enough a**-kissing. We all know King can write. So how was Apt Pupil? Pretty brilliant. It was about the unlikely union of a golden schoolboy and a nasty old man caught in a parasitic relationship. King writes confidently about Nazis, World War Two, and everything in between. He has an amazing voice for his characters. At the time he wrote this story he must have been thirty or so, but the old man Arthur Denker (Dussander) comes off sounding as authentic as if written by a seventy year old.
September 14, 2020
Full Video Review Here: https://youtu.be/NfvWevO1Fag
You'll always find people who say things like "King's scariest story yet!" and it usually isn't. But as a longtime Constant Reader, know that when I tell you that Apt Pupil is one of the most disturbing tales Sai King has ever written, I don't say that without meaning it.
I've constantly said that King is the absolute best at the coming of age story and this is no different. It's just in the reverse way that he usually does with Todd. His obsession with The Holocaust borders on sickening and the extremes he goes to for his own wiles with Dussander makes you really question which one of them is the true monster in the room whenever they're together.
It's a story I find even more relevant today, but not in the way that you're thinking. People who throw out the word "Nazi" and "Fascist" without considering the true weight behind it really need to read this tale and see what true human monsters were. Hint: they weren't people who didn't like a movie or political candidate that you do.
Yes, this is an uncomfortable read...and that's personally the best kind of King story there is.
You'll always find people who say things like "King's scariest story yet!" and it usually isn't. But as a longtime Constant Reader, know that when I tell you that Apt Pupil is one of the most disturbing tales Sai King has ever written, I don't say that without meaning it.
I've constantly said that King is the absolute best at the coming of age story and this is no different. It's just in the reverse way that he usually does with Todd. His obsession with The Holocaust borders on sickening and the extremes he goes to for his own wiles with Dussander makes you really question which one of them is the true monster in the room whenever they're together.
It's a story I find even more relevant today, but not in the way that you're thinking. People who throw out the word "Nazi" and "Fascist" without considering the true weight behind it really need to read this tale and see what true human monsters were. Hint: they weren't people who didn't like a movie or political candidate that you do.
Yes, this is an uncomfortable read...and that's personally the best kind of King story there is.
April 11, 2023
infinitely better than the film.
the novella sticks the landing with a spectacular ending, which is where the movie adaptation fumbled a near-perfect story right at the finish line.
the piece crescendos in an inevitable and doomed finale that you’ll likely never forget.
thematically perfect.
the novella sticks the landing with a spectacular ending, which is where the movie adaptation fumbled a near-perfect story right at the finish line.
the piece crescendos in an inevitable and doomed finale that you’ll likely never forget.
thematically perfect.
April 19, 2017
Σε ένα φαινομενικά ήσυχο προάστιο μιας φανταστικής πόλης στη Νότια Καλιφόρνια (Santo Donato) ένας δεκατριάχρονος νεαρός, ονόματι Τοντ Μπόουντεν, ανακαλύπτει το ένοχο παρελθόν ενός συμπολίτη του, του Άρθρουρ Ντένκερ. Κι αποφασίζει να τον επισκεφτεί και να του αποκαλύψει όλα όσα ξέρει για εκείνον. Ο Άρθουρ Ντένκερ είναι εβδομήντα έξι ετών και ζει μόνος. Το πραγματικό του όνομα είναι Κουρτ Ντουσάντερ και διετέλεσε αξιωματικός των Ες-Ες με θητεία σε μερικά από τα μεγαλύτερα ναζιστικά στρατόπεδα συγκέντρωσης/εξόντωσης: Μπέργκεν – Μπέλζεν, Άουσβιτς – Μπιρκενάου, Πατίν.
Ο χερ Ντουσάντερ, ένας πρώην εγκληματίας πολέμου, διάγει πλέον ένα φαινομενικά ήρεμο βίο με μόνη ανησυχία –κι όχι τόσο έντονη πλέον/τα χρόνια έχουν περάσει- να μην αποκαλυφθεί η αληθινή του ταυτότητα. Ο μικρός, όμως, ξέρει. Κι εκβιάζει τον χερ Ντουσάντερ. Δεν τον ενδιαφέρουν τα χρήματα, τον ενδιαφέρει μόνο η αλήθεια: «…θέλω να ακούσω για τότε. Αυτό είναι. Αυτό θέλω μόνο. Αλήθεια…». Ενδιαφέρεται να μάθει όλες τις λεπτομέρειες σχετικά με τα εκτελεστικά αποσπάσματα, τους θαλάμους αερίων, τους φούρνους• «Για εκείνους που έσκαβαν οι ίδιοι τους τάφους τους κι έπειτα στέκονταν στην άκρη για να πέσουν μέσα… Για τις εξετάσεις. Για τα πειράματα. Όλα. Ό,τι ξέρεις και δεν ξέρεις…».
Ο χερ Ντουσάντερ διηγείται τα νοσηρά στιγμιότυπα του τερατώδους πρότερου βίου του και μια παράξενη σχέση οικοδομείται μεταξύ του ηλικιωμένου άνδρα και του εφήβου Τοντ. Πρόκειται για έναν αμφίρροπο αγώνα επικράτησης και κυριαρχίας, μια διελκυστίνδα, μια διαπάλη σε ένα περιβάλλον απειλών, εντάσεων και εκβιασμών που δεν θα αφήσει ανεπηρέαστο κανέναν. Hint: Το μικρό όνομα του εφήβου (Todd) είναι ομόηχο της γερμανικής λέξης Tod που σημαίνει Θάνατος.
Από τις καλύτερες στιγμές του Stephen King. Ένα καθηλωτικό ψυχολογικό θρίλερ που, δίχως ίχνος παραφυσικού στοιχείου, προκαλεί έντονο τρόμο στον αναγνώστη του, θυμίζοντας το ‘τέρας’ που υπάρχει μέσα μας κι αναμένει απλά την αφύπνισή του.
Ο χερ Ντουσάντερ, ένας πρώην εγκληματίας πολέμου, διάγει πλέον ένα φαινομενικά ήρεμο βίο με μόνη ανησυχία –κι όχι τόσο έντονη πλέον/τα χρόνια έχουν περάσει- να μην αποκαλυφθεί η αληθινή του ταυτότητα. Ο μικρός, όμως, ξέρει. Κι εκβιάζει τον χερ Ντουσάντερ. Δεν τον ενδιαφέρουν τα χρήματα, τον ενδιαφέρει μόνο η αλήθεια: «…θέλω να ακούσω για τότε. Αυτό είναι. Αυτό θέλω μόνο. Αλήθεια…». Ενδιαφέρεται να μάθει όλες τις λεπτομέρειες σχετικά με τα εκτελεστικά αποσπάσματα, τους θαλάμους αερίων, τους φούρνους• «Για εκείνους που έσκαβαν οι ίδιοι τους τάφους τους κι έπειτα στέκονταν στην άκρη για να πέσουν μέσα… Για τις εξετάσεις. Για τα πειράματα. Όλα. Ό,τι ξέρεις και δεν ξέρεις…».
Ο χερ Ντουσάντερ διηγείται τα νοσηρά στιγμιότυπα του τερατώδους πρότερου βίου του και μια παράξενη σχέση οικοδομείται μεταξύ του ηλικιωμένου άνδρα και του εφήβου Τοντ. Πρόκειται για έναν αμφίρροπο αγώνα επικράτησης και κυριαρχίας, μια διελκυστίνδα, μια διαπάλη σε ένα περιβάλλον απειλών, εντάσεων και εκβιασμών που δεν θα αφήσει ανεπηρέαστο κανέναν. Hint: Το μικρό όνομα του εφήβου (Todd) είναι ομόηχο της γερμανικής λέξης Tod που σημαίνει Θάνατος.
Από τις καλύτερες στιγμές του Stephen King. Ένα καθηλωτικό ψυχολογικό θρίλερ που, δίχως ίχνος παραφυσικού στοιχείου, προκαλεί έντονο τρόμο στον αναγνώστη του, θυμίζοντας το ‘τέρας’ που υπάρχει μέσα μας κι αναμένει απλά την αφύπνισή του.
July 10, 2018
Absolutely gripping tale of a young pupil discovering an old Nazi he wants to learn from. You can't put down this novella!
November 12, 2020
Damn that was good.
13 year old kid fascinated by death, pain & destruction happens to discover that an ex nazi criminal wanted for war crimes is living in his hometown. Instead of turning him in tho, he confronts him, wanting something in particular that only he can provide.
I always hear about how Stephen King’s endings are shit, but that was not the case here. That was a nearly perfect ending to a nearly perfect story. I think I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of the end scene rather than simply reference it, but it felt like one of those endings where when you close the book, you realize it never could’ve ended any other way.
It was a very strange thing tho, to be reading a book about two sociopathic, truly evil characters and yet find them not entirely....unlikable? It was almost as if I was...rooting for them? Not quite, but almost.
A strong 4.5 stars.
13 year old kid fascinated by death, pain & destruction happens to discover that an ex nazi criminal wanted for war crimes is living in his hometown. Instead of turning him in tho, he confronts him, wanting something in particular that only he can provide.
I always hear about how Stephen King’s endings are shit, but that was not the case here. That was a nearly perfect ending to a nearly perfect story. I think I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of the end scene rather than simply reference it, but it felt like one of those endings where when you close the book, you realize it never could’ve ended any other way.
It was a very strange thing tho, to be reading a book about two sociopathic, truly evil characters and yet find them not entirely....unlikable? It was almost as if I was...rooting for them? Not quite, but almost.
A strong 4.5 stars.
January 25, 2026
If I learned one thing from this novella, and one thing only it would be that | True terror is reality. |
Apt Pupil may be one of the most brilliantly disturbing things Stephen King has ever written, and it’s not because of gore or supernatural entities but because of how accurately he depicts the core reality of evil.
Following Todd’s transformation was a gradual psychological descent into darkness that I don’t ever want to embark upon again! It took a while for me to encounter the direction the story was heading and the twist spiraled far beyond what I ever could have imagined!
This was an easy 5☆ read. Thrilling overall with a handful of downright unforgettably chilling moments that will stay with me whenever I recall this story. This novella will make you feel uncomfortable.
Unsettled.
Disturbed.
Misled.
Check your trigger warnings!!!
It honestly feels like it should belong inside a Criminal Mind episode. On more than one occasion, I found myself wondering what kind of profile the BAU would create with the information from this book!
THE ENDING
The ending hit me hard. After hitting rock bottom with everything that unfolded, it then denied me any relief and only further reinforced the novella’s central theme. Left in the darkness after I flipped the last page, I realized it was King’s intentions to lack responsibility in the finality by denying us readers closure. Did I sit there for a few minutes with my jaw dropped? Indeed, I did. Did I reread the last section to make sure I didn’t miss something? Sure did. This brilliant King did it again! He took my brain and scrambled it, tested it, then filled it up with horrors only to withhold any peace. This is what has me addicted to his work and coming back for more!!
THE MOVIE 📽️
(1998) – Of course, I had to watch the movie after I finished the novella. Though it captured some of the essential themes, it was very subdued compared to the novella which offered an overall much tamer experience. Brad Renfro as Todd and Ian McKellen as Dussander won me over though with their great performances!
This is the 2nd novella from Different Seasons, of which I am choosing to read and rate each novella separately as well as the collection overall. Just finishing Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, I was so excited to catch a little Easter Egg reference within Apt Pupil:
“A little General Motors, a little American Telephone and Telegraph, a hundred and fifty shares of Revlon. All this banker’s choices. Dufresne, his name was—I remember, because it sounds a little like mine. It seems he was not so smart at wife-killing as he was at picking growth stocks. The crime passionel, boy. It only proves that all men are donkeys who can read.”
Do I recommend?
Yes! If you are interested in behavioral psychology, love true crime, don’t mind exploring psychological horror wrapped in realism, or are just one of the many constant reader fans of Stephen King…then this one is for YOU! I do NOT recommend this if you are new to Stephen King and would not recommend it as a first reading choice.
A FAVORITE QUOTE
“Oh, I know how the Americans have distorted that,” Dussander muttered. “But your own politicians make our Dr. Goebbels look like a child playing with picture books in a kindergarten. They speak of morality while they douse screaming children and old women in burning napalm. Your draft-resisters are called cowards and ‘peaceniks.’ For refusing to follow orders they are either put in jails or scourged from the country. Those who demonstrate against this country’s unfortunate Asian adventure are clubbed down in the streets. The GI soldiers who kill the innocent are decorated by Presidents, welcomed home from the bayoneting of children and the burning of hospitals with parades and bunting. They are given dinners, Keys to the City, free tickets to pro football games.”
Apt Pupil may be one of the most brilliantly disturbing things Stephen King has ever written, and it’s not because of gore or supernatural entities but because of how accurately he depicts the core reality of evil.
Following Todd’s transformation was a gradual psychological descent into darkness that I don’t ever want to embark upon again! It took a while for me to encounter the direction the story was heading and the twist spiraled far beyond what I ever could have imagined!
This was an easy 5☆ read. Thrilling overall with a handful of downright unforgettably chilling moments that will stay with me whenever I recall this story. This novella will make you feel uncomfortable.
Unsettled.
Disturbed.
Misled.
Check your trigger warnings!!!
It honestly feels like it should belong inside a Criminal Mind episode. On more than one occasion, I found myself wondering what kind of profile the BAU would create with the information from this book!
THE ENDING
The ending hit me hard. After hitting rock bottom with everything that unfolded, it then denied me any relief and only further reinforced the novella’s central theme. Left in the darkness after I flipped the last page, I realized it was King’s intentions to lack responsibility in the finality by denying us readers closure. Did I sit there for a few minutes with my jaw dropped? Indeed, I did. Did I reread the last section to make sure I didn’t miss something? Sure did. This brilliant King did it again! He took my brain and scrambled it, tested it, then filled it up with horrors only to withhold any peace. This is what has me addicted to his work and coming back for more!!
THE MOVIE 📽️
(1998) – Of course, I had to watch the movie after I finished the novella. Though it captured some of the essential themes, it was very subdued compared to the novella which offered an overall much tamer experience. Brad Renfro as Todd and Ian McKellen as Dussander won me over though with their great performances!
This is the 2nd novella from Different Seasons, of which I am choosing to read and rate each novella separately as well as the collection overall. Just finishing Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, I was so excited to catch a little Easter Egg reference within Apt Pupil:
“A little General Motors, a little American Telephone and Telegraph, a hundred and fifty shares of Revlon. All this banker’s choices. Dufresne, his name was—I remember, because it sounds a little like mine. It seems he was not so smart at wife-killing as he was at picking growth stocks. The crime passionel, boy. It only proves that all men are donkeys who can read.”
Do I recommend?
Yes! If you are interested in behavioral psychology, love true crime, don’t mind exploring psychological horror wrapped in realism, or are just one of the many constant reader fans of Stephen King…then this one is for YOU! I do NOT recommend this if you are new to Stephen King and would not recommend it as a first reading choice.
A FAVORITE QUOTE
“Oh, I know how the Americans have distorted that,” Dussander muttered. “But your own politicians make our Dr. Goebbels look like a child playing with picture books in a kindergarten. They speak of morality while they douse screaming children and old women in burning napalm. Your draft-resisters are called cowards and ‘peaceniks.’ For refusing to follow orders they are either put in jails or scourged from the country. Those who demonstrate against this country’s unfortunate Asian adventure are clubbed down in the streets. The GI soldiers who kill the innocent are decorated by Presidents, welcomed home from the bayoneting of children and the burning of hospitals with parades and bunting. They are given dinners, Keys to the City, free tickets to pro football games.”
May 28, 2020
Turning to another of my Stephen King novellas, I wanted to see about the hype this story has received over the years, as I fit it into my reading experience. Todd Bowden is a great student, who has mastered many of his classes at school. He is also quite intuitive, something he likes to show those who pay him some mind. While delivering a newspaper to one of his customers, Todd confronts the elderly Mr. Kurt Dussander. Todd explains that he knows Dussander is not who he purports to be, but rather a Nazi war criminal hiding in plain sight. After some deflection, Dussander admits to it, allowing himself to be extorted as Todd asks many questions about the time running one of the concentration camps. Dussander thinks that he might be beholden to the boy, until Todd begins having horrible nightmares about what he is being told and his grades take a nose dive. Todd and Dussander enter into an agreement with one another to keep both their secrets safe, growing closer as they do. From there, the story moves into a set of odd occurrences, whereby both Todd and Dussander target those who are less fortunate for their own sick joys, still extorting one another in a way. Dussander’s ultimate secret remains under wraps, though time might push the truth along faster than anyone could have expected it. A chilling tale that King tells so well. Recommended to those who love a good dose of Stephen King, as well as those who enjoy novellas filled with masterful narratives.
The versatility of Stephen King’s work is on display here with something that is less horrific in its true sense, yet still spine tingling. King portrays the interaction between two characters with little in common yet almost a match made in heaven, where they must rely on one another. Todd Bowden is a sharp student who has everything going for him. His curiosity gets the best of him and he soon finds himself caught up in a web of lies and horrible tales that he could not likely fathom on his own. This spiral out of control leads to many an issue and Todd is soon trapped inside a game of blackmail tug-of-war with an old war criminal. On the flip side, Kurt Dussander finds that the life he has tried to keep hidden from everyone is one telephone call from being revealed. Though elderly, Dussander knows that he would not be handled gently and wishes to take his horrible past to the grave. Both characters engage in some highly suspicious behaviour, as though feeding their secrets with the pain of others. The handful of secondary characters work well in this piece to serve as backdrops to keep the story moving, though none make too much of a lasting impact. The story works well and King is able to develop it in such a way that the reader cannot know what to expect, while knowing the end result at the same time. These secrets have a way of getting out, even if Dussander and Todd try to keep them hidden. Even an apt pupil will sometimes speak of the lessons his instructor inculcates through daily interactions!
Kudos, Mr. King, for another winning novella. I cannot get enough of your work and will keep devouring the stories whenever I can.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
The versatility of Stephen King’s work is on display here with something that is less horrific in its true sense, yet still spine tingling. King portrays the interaction between two characters with little in common yet almost a match made in heaven, where they must rely on one another. Todd Bowden is a sharp student who has everything going for him. His curiosity gets the best of him and he soon finds himself caught up in a web of lies and horrible tales that he could not likely fathom on his own. This spiral out of control leads to many an issue and Todd is soon trapped inside a game of blackmail tug-of-war with an old war criminal. On the flip side, Kurt Dussander finds that the life he has tried to keep hidden from everyone is one telephone call from being revealed. Though elderly, Dussander knows that he would not be handled gently and wishes to take his horrible past to the grave. Both characters engage in some highly suspicious behaviour, as though feeding their secrets with the pain of others. The handful of secondary characters work well in this piece to serve as backdrops to keep the story moving, though none make too much of a lasting impact. The story works well and King is able to develop it in such a way that the reader cannot know what to expect, while knowing the end result at the same time. These secrets have a way of getting out, even if Dussander and Todd try to keep them hidden. Even an apt pupil will sometimes speak of the lessons his instructor inculcates through daily interactions!
Kudos, Mr. King, for another winning novella. I cannot get enough of your work and will keep devouring the stories whenever I can.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
June 20, 2022
**4.5 stars**
'For a kid the whole world’s a laboratory. You have to let them poke around in it. And if the kid in question has a healthy home life and loving parents, he’ll be all the stronger for having knocked around a few strange corners.'
Not just by Stephen King, this probably might be one of the most disturbing tales I’ve ever read, and that's saying something to be honest. Who was it now that said Different Seasons isn’t a horror collection? I’m coming for you.
Given how fewer people have read this one compared to King’s other works, it’s probably unwise to discuss the plot here, but this much can be told: it is a sadistic coming-of-age tale that has its roots in Nazi ideology and Fascism. In the process, it also shows us how ignorant most of us are with regards to what psychosomatic effects even revelations of violence can have on us, and also about what really happened in those concentration camps.
'The things that happened in those camps still have power enough to make the stomach flutter with nausea. I feel that way myself, although the only close relative I ever had in the camps was my grandfather, and he died when I was three. But maybe there is something about what the Germans did that exercises a deadly fascination over us—something that opens the catacombs of the imagination. Maybe part of our dread and horror comes from a secret knowledge that under the right—or wrong—set of circumstances, we ourselves would be willing to build such places and staff them. Black serendipity. Maybe we know that under the right set of circumstances the things that live in the catacombs would be glad to crawl out.'
Of course, as with the majority of his works, the best aspect of this novella is the psychoanalytic part. It could’ve been a transitional tale, but it feels more like the story of two persons at polar opposites, coming to accept themselves for who they really are. Sick as it may be, the plot is rather simplistic, to be honest, and suffers from a bit of predictability.
Also, it is not one of those books that I will probably read in the near future. A bit too disturbing for me. I doubt it would’ve been so if I weren’t roughly the same age as Todd Bowden. So the best age to read this is something between Bowden and Dussander’s ages. Go figure.
In his MasterClass, Gaiman said that a person can become an author only when he isn’t afraid to walk down the street naked. This is the kind of story that proves that SK could do that any day. And also the kind of story that can demotivate aspiring authors of the genre. Still a long way to go, even if we can find the courage to show so much of splatterpunk, it’s likely that I, personally, shall be kicked out of my house.
'Why . . . I want to hear about it. That’s all. That’s all I want. Really.'
'Hear about it?' Dussander echoed. He looked utterly perplexed.
Todd leaned forward, tanned elbows on bluejeaned knees. 'Sure. The firing squads. The gas chambers. The ovens. The guys who had to dig their own graves and then stand on the ends so they’d fall into them. The . . .' His tongue came out and wetted his lips. 'The examinations. The experiments. Everything. All the gooshy stuff.'
Dussander stared at him with a certain amazed detachment, the way a veterinarian might stare at a cat who was giving birth to a succession of two-headed kittens. 'You are a monster,' he said softly.
'For a kid the whole world’s a laboratory. You have to let them poke around in it. And if the kid in question has a healthy home life and loving parents, he’ll be all the stronger for having knocked around a few strange corners.'
Not just by Stephen King, this probably might be one of the most disturbing tales I’ve ever read, and that's saying something to be honest. Who was it now that said Different Seasons isn’t a horror collection? I’m coming for you.
Given how fewer people have read this one compared to King’s other works, it’s probably unwise to discuss the plot here, but this much can be told: it is a sadistic coming-of-age tale that has its roots in Nazi ideology and Fascism. In the process, it also shows us how ignorant most of us are with regards to what psychosomatic effects even revelations of violence can have on us, and also about what really happened in those concentration camps.
'The things that happened in those camps still have power enough to make the stomach flutter with nausea. I feel that way myself, although the only close relative I ever had in the camps was my grandfather, and he died when I was three. But maybe there is something about what the Germans did that exercises a deadly fascination over us—something that opens the catacombs of the imagination. Maybe part of our dread and horror comes from a secret knowledge that under the right—or wrong—set of circumstances, we ourselves would be willing to build such places and staff them. Black serendipity. Maybe we know that under the right set of circumstances the things that live in the catacombs would be glad to crawl out.'
Of course, as with the majority of his works, the best aspect of this novella is the psychoanalytic part. It could’ve been a transitional tale, but it feels more like the story of two persons at polar opposites, coming to accept themselves for who they really are. Sick as it may be, the plot is rather simplistic, to be honest, and suffers from a bit of predictability.
Also, it is not one of those books that I will probably read in the near future. A bit too disturbing for me. I doubt it would’ve been so if I weren’t roughly the same age as Todd Bowden. So the best age to read this is something between Bowden and Dussander’s ages. Go figure.
In his MasterClass, Gaiman said that a person can become an author only when he isn’t afraid to walk down the street naked. This is the kind of story that proves that SK could do that any day. And also the kind of story that can demotivate aspiring authors of the genre. Still a long way to go, even if we can find the courage to show so much of splatterpunk, it’s likely that I, personally, shall be kicked out of my house.
'Why . . . I want to hear about it. That’s all. That’s all I want. Really.'
'Hear about it?' Dussander echoed. He looked utterly perplexed.
Todd leaned forward, tanned elbows on bluejeaned knees. 'Sure. The firing squads. The gas chambers. The ovens. The guys who had to dig their own graves and then stand on the ends so they’d fall into them. The . . .' His tongue came out and wetted his lips. 'The examinations. The experiments. Everything. All the gooshy stuff.'
Dussander stared at him with a certain amazed detachment, the way a veterinarian might stare at a cat who was giving birth to a succession of two-headed kittens. 'You are a monster,' he said softly.
February 9, 2026
Wow this was a deeply dark and profoundly disturbing read. Young boy blackmails an ex Nazi concentration camp commandant. I felt I had seen as a film and noted after that the novella was made into one. King never fails to deliver.
April 4, 2017
Το "Καλοκαίρι της διαφθοράς" είναι ένα δυνατό και τρομακτικό βιβλίο. Από τα πιο ιδιαίτερα του Βασιλιά.
Δεν θα βρείτε τέρατα στις σελίδες του, ούτε βρικόλακες ή νεκροζώντανους. Δεν θα βρείτε παράξενα πλάσματα από άλλους κόσμους. Δεν θα βρείτε φαντάσματα - τουλάχιστον με την "κλασική" τους μορφή. Θα βρείτε όμως τέρατα του ανθρώπινου είδους, βρικόλακες που έχουν χύσει αίμα έχοντας μια εντελώς συνηθισμένη μορφή (ενός φίλου, γείτονα, γνωστού). Θα βρείτε παράξενα πλάσματα που μένουν στο διπλανό σπίτι ή στο επόμενο τετράγωνο και κρύβουν σκοτεινά μυστικά. Και φαντάσματα περασμένων και άλλων εποχών, που παραμονεύουν στις σκιές του ύπνου και του παρελθόντος για να στοιχειώσουν τη μνήμη.
Το τρομακτικό στο συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο αφορά στο ότι και οι δύο κεντρικοί ήρωες, ο Κουρτ Ντουσάντερ και ο Τοντ Μπόουντεν, αντιπροσωπεύουν ένα μεγάλο μέρος της κοινωνίας μας. Ο πρώτος παλιός Ναζί που ποτέ δεν ξέχασε τις...παλιές 'καλές' του συνήθειες και ο δεύτερος ένα από τα χιλιάδες σκ@@@μαθημένα έφηβα παιδιά που θεωρούν πως ξεχωρίζουν απ' όλους τους υπόλοιπους. Είναι τρομακτικό γιατί σε όλους μας θυμίζουν κάποιον γνωστό μας, ή κάποιον για τον οποίο έχουμε διαβάσει ή ακούσει στις ειδήσεις. Είναι τρομακτικό γιατί θα υπάρξουν αναγνώστες που δυστυχώς θα ταυτιστούν με αυτούς τους δύο. Είναι τρομακτικό γιατί, ειδικά στην εποχή μας, όπου έχουν αυξηθεί η ξενοφοβία κι ο εθνικισμός κι ο φασισμός και τόσα ακόμα αρνητικά συναισθήματα, ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο 'ταράζει' τα νερά.
Για όλους τους παραπάνω λόγους όμως είναι και υπέροχο. Γιατί μας θυμίζει τους κινδύνους που παραμονεύουν γύρω μας και μας δείχνει πώς ΔΕΝ πρέπει, πώς ΔΕΝ θέλουμε να γίνουμε. Και αποδεικνύει, φυσικά, για μια ακόμα φορά το διαχρονικό συγγραφικό μεγαλείο του Kινγκ, ο οποίος για μια ακόμα φορά είναι πολύ μπροστά από την εποχή τους και είναι άξιος να βγάζει 'ζωντανό' τρόμο ακόμα και από τις συνηθισμένες καταστάσεις.
Δεν θα βρείτε τέρατα στις σελίδες του, ούτε βρικόλακες ή νεκροζώντανους. Δεν θα βρείτε παράξενα πλάσματα από άλλους κόσμους. Δεν θα βρείτε φαντάσματα - τουλάχιστον με την "κλασική" τους μορφή. Θα βρείτε όμως τέρατα του ανθρώπινου είδους, βρικόλακες που έχουν χύσει αίμα έχοντας μια εντελώς συνηθισμένη μορφή (ενός φίλου, γείτονα, γνωστού). Θα βρείτε παράξενα πλάσματα που μένουν στο διπλανό σπίτι ή στο επόμενο τετράγωνο και κρύβουν σκοτεινά μυστικά. Και φαντάσματα περασμένων και άλλων εποχών, που παραμονεύουν στις σκιές του ύπνου και του παρελθόντος για να στοιχειώσουν τη μνήμη.
Το τρομακτικό στο συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο αφορά στο ότι και οι δύο κεντρικοί ήρωες, ο Κουρτ Ντουσάντερ και ο Τοντ Μπόουντεν, αντιπροσωπεύουν ένα μεγάλο μέρος της κοινωνίας μας. Ο πρώτος παλιός Ναζί που ποτέ δεν ξέχασε τις...παλιές 'καλές' του συνήθειες και ο δεύτερος ένα από τα χιλιάδες σκ@@@μαθημένα έφηβα παιδιά που θεωρούν πως ξεχωρίζουν απ' όλους τους υπόλοιπους. Είναι τρομακτικό γιατί σε όλους μας θυμίζουν κάποιον γνωστό μας, ή κάποιον για τον οποίο έχουμε διαβάσει ή ακούσει στις ειδήσεις. Είναι τρομακτικό γιατί θα υπάρξουν αναγνώστες που δυστυχώς θα ταυτιστούν με αυτούς τους δύο. Είναι τρομακτικό γιατί, ειδικά στην εποχή μας, όπου έχουν αυξηθεί η ξενοφοβία κι ο εθνικισμός κι ο φασισμός και τόσα ακόμα αρνητικά συναισθήματα, ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο 'ταράζει' τα νερά.
Για όλους τους παραπάνω λόγους όμως είναι και υπέροχο. Γιατί μας θυμίζει τους κινδύνους που παραμονεύουν γύρω μας και μας δείχνει πώς ΔΕΝ πρέπει, πώς ΔΕΝ θέλουμε να γίνουμε. Και αποδεικνύει, φυσικά, για μια ακόμα φορά το διαχρονικό συγγραφικό μεγαλείο του Kινγκ, ο οποίος για μια ακόμα φορά είναι πολύ μπροστά από την εποχή τους και είναι άξιος να βγάζει 'ζωντανό' τρόμο ακόμα και από τις συνηθισμένες καταστάσεις.
September 2, 2018
Ο δεκατριάχρονος Τοντ Μπόουντεν έχει αναπτύξει ενδιαφέρον για τα βασανιστήρια που έκαναν οι ναζιστές κατά τη διάρκεια του Β' παγκόσμιου πολέμου. Όταν ανακαλύπτει ότι ένας γείτονας του είναι καταζητούμενος ναζιστής που κρύβεται σε μια μικρή πόλη της Καλιφόρνια με ψεύτικο όνομα, αποφασίζει να τον εκβιάσει ώστε να του πει περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες για τα χρόνια που ήταν ένας απ' τους τρομακτικότερους βασανιστές. Χωρίς να το καταλάβει όμως βρίσκεται μπλεγμένος σε μια σχέση μαζί του απ' την οποία δε μπορεί να ξεφύγει όσο εύκολα πίστευε.
Η ιστορία θα μπορούσε να είναι και πραγματική. Αν με ρωτάτε κάποιος τι θα γινόταν σε μια περίπτωση σαν αυτή, η απάντησή μου θα ήταν ακριβώς αυτά που συμβαίνουν στο βιβλίο. Δε με εξέπληξε καθόλου η τροπή που πήραν τα πράγματα. Η εξέλιξη των χαρακτήρων ήταν ακριβώς αυτή που περίμενα όταν άρχισα να διαβάζω το βιβλίο. Αυτό δε με σταμάτησε απ' το να το απολαύσω βέβαια. Το μόνο που με ενόχλησε είναι η τραγική μετάφραση του βιβλίου. Καταλάβαινα ότι έχει λάθη και ελλείψεις ακόμα και χωρίς να βλέπω το πρωτότυπο.
Η ιστορία θα μπορούσε να είναι και πραγματική. Αν με ρωτάτε κάποιος τι θα γινόταν σε μια περίπτωση σαν αυτή, η απάντησή μου θα ήταν ακριβώς αυτά που συμβαίνουν στο βιβλίο. Δε με εξέπληξε καθόλου η τροπή που πήραν τα πράγματα. Η εξέλιξη των χαρακτήρων ήταν ακριβώς αυτή που περίμενα όταν άρχισα να διαβάζω το βιβλίο. Αυτό δε με σταμάτησε απ' το να το απολαύσω βέβαια. Το μόνο που με ενόχλησε είναι η τραγική μετάφραση του βιβλίου. Καταλάβαινα ότι έχει λάθη και ελλείψεις ακόμα και χωρίς να βλέπω το πρωτότυπο.
February 24, 2024
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men and women? Stephen King sure does, and this tense novella shows us and helps us understand it. Todd is just such a nice kid... only fourteen, and yet somehow he's so fascinated by Nazi death camps that he's able to focus on the operation of the camps and not their output (except to acknowledge that six million is a hell of a number). This is a brutal study and indictment of how complacent we Americans became in our safe little post-war cocoons that we could rationalize anything. By giving us so much character inner monologue and rationalization, King forces us to face up to the evil that must exist in all of our natures. It's something we really need to think about. But boy it's no fun.
August 23, 2019
Another chilling masterpiece by the master of horror! I love this story about a young boy and a Nazi war criminal. I listened to the audiobook version which was really well done. A lot of times I caught myself gasping at the drama unfolding, and saying "no, no" as the two lives intertwined and things really got cooking. I had read this short story when it first came out in one of King's collection of short stories, but had forgotten it until now. Great story!!!
May 24, 2019
A great book that had some surprising twists that I never saw coming! Highly recommend.
October 24, 2019
Φοβερό, ανατριχιαστικό, χωρίς ίχνος υπερφυσικού στοιχείου, κάτι μη αναμενόμενο από Κινγκ και ίσως το πιο αγαπημένο μου βιβλίο του από τα λίγα που έχω διαβάσει.
July 26, 2014
Like the other 3 novels in Stephen King's short story collection "Different Seasons," this story was well done. That said, I couldn't finish it because it was too dark. I gave it one star because that is for "didn't like it." I really just didn't want to read another word about a messed up kid, a Nazi as an old man, and especially the terrible things they were doing. It was just too dark for me, so I put it down. I did enjoy the story, but I just couldn't keep reading it due to subject matter. As far as craft goes, it shines with the rest. I really enjoyed his other books in this collection.
November 11, 2020
Oddly paced novella, that still feels too long and padded out for even a novella. It reads like butter, it's still Stephen King. I do get the feeling King didn't really have much of an idea where he wanted the story to go - hence the use of a big fat deus ex machina and a couple of extremely astute detectives, to move the story towards an end.
Also kept wondering whether this book moves on into exploitation territory, and I'm still not sure.
Also also, the title is repeated five or six times, by different characters. You're allowed one, mr King.
Also kept wondering whether this book moves on into exploitation territory, and I'm still not sure.
Also also, the title is repeated five or six times, by different characters. You're allowed one, mr King.
March 20, 2015
Εικοστό πρώτο βιβλίο του Κινγκ που διαβάζω. Η ιστορία είναι γνωστή: Ένα κλασικό Αμερικανάκι, ο δεκατριάχρονος Τοντ Μπόουντεν, άριστος μαθητής και αυτό που λένε "καλό παιδί", ανακαλύπτει το μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον της ζωής του: Τα πολεμικά-ιστορικά περιοδικά. Και σ'ένα από αυτά, βλέπει μια φωτογραφία. Ο άνθρωπος της φωτογραφίας είναι ο Κουρτ Ντουσάντερ, αξιωματικός των Ες Ες και εννοείται εγκληματίας πολέμου.
Ε, λοιπόν, ο Κουρτ Ντουσάντερ ζει ακόμα, και μάλιστα είναι γείτονάς του! Έχει αλλάξει όνομα, έχει έτοιμη μια ιστορία για το παρελθόν του, κανείς δεν τον υποψιάζεται! Όμως ο Τοντ βλέπει τις ομοιότητες. Και έχει δίκιο. Σαν αντάλλαγμα για να μην πει τίποτα σε κανέναν, ο Τοντ ζητάει από τον γέρο Ναζί, να του πει όλες τις ανατριχιαστικές λεπτομέρειες των εγκλημάτων του! Ο μικρός Τοντ την βρίσκει ν'ακούει τέτοιες αληθινές ιστορίες. Κάτι αλλάζει μέσα του: Οι βαθμοί του αρχίζουν να χειροτερεύουν, γίνεται κάπως ψυχρός, σκέφτεται από μέσα του κακά πράγματα για τους άλλους ανθρώπους... ώσπου κάποια στιγμή φτάνει σε άλλο επίπεδο...
Τρομακτική ιστορία, πιο τρομακτική από αυτές που έχουν μέσα τέρατα και ζόμπι. Γιατί μπορεί να συμβεί ανά πάσα στιγμή. Πραγματικά ο Κινγκ είναι μάστορας στο να πλάθει χαρακτήρες και να περιγράφει την αμερικάνικη ζωή και στο βιβλίο αυτό βλέπουμε αυτό του το ταλέντο. Η γραφή φυσικά είναι άριστη, ευκολοδιάβαστη, με αληθινούς διαλόγους και ωραίες περιγραφές. Η πλοκή ενδιαφέρουσα, είχα μια αγωνία για το τι θα γίνει παρακάτω και πως θα καταλήξει η όλη ιστορία, υπήρχαν και μπόλικες αιματηρές σκηνές, καλά δοσμένες, και το τέλος μου φάνηκε ταιριαστό με όλα όσα προηγήθηκαν.
Γενικά είναι από τα πολύ καλά βιβλία του Κινγκ, που δεν είναι τρόμου ούτε έχουν ίχνος φανταστικού, αλλά μπορούν κάλλιστα να σε τρομάξουν και να σε προβληματίσουν. Αν ενδιαφέρεστε για το βιβλίο, μπορείτε να το βρείτε σε ωραία προσφορά στην Πολιτεία. Έχει γίνει και ταινία το 1998, με σκηνοθέτη τον Bryan Singer (Usual Suspects, X-Men κλπ), με τον ρόλο του Τοντ να τον έχει ο Brad Renfro και τον ρόλο του Ντουσάντερ ο Ian McKellen.
Ε, λοιπόν, ο Κουρτ Ντουσάντερ ζει ακόμα, και μάλιστα είναι γείτονάς του! Έχει αλλάξει όνομα, έχει έτοιμη μια ιστορία για το παρελθόν του, κανείς δεν τον υποψιάζεται! Όμως ο Τοντ βλέπει τις ομοιότητες. Και έχει δίκιο. Σαν αντάλλαγμα για να μην πει τίποτα σε κανέναν, ο Τοντ ζητάει από τον γέρο Ναζί, να του πει όλες τις ανατριχιαστικές λεπτομέρειες των εγκλημάτων του! Ο μικρός Τοντ την βρίσκει ν'ακούει τέτοιες αληθινές ιστορίες. Κάτι αλλάζει μέσα του: Οι βαθμοί του αρχίζουν να χειροτερεύουν, γίνεται κάπως ψυχρός, σκέφτεται από μέσα του κακά πράγματα για τους άλλους ανθρώπους... ώσπου κάποια στιγμή φτάνει σε άλλο επίπεδο...
Τρομακτική ιστορία, πιο τρομακτική από αυτές που έχουν μέσα τέρατα και ζόμπι. Γιατί μπορεί να συμβεί ανά πάσα στιγμή. Πραγματικά ο Κινγκ είναι μάστορας στο να πλάθει χαρακτήρες και να περιγράφει την αμερικάνικη ζωή και στο βιβλίο αυτό βλέπουμε αυτό του το ταλέντο. Η γραφή φυσικά είναι άριστη, ευκολοδιάβαστη, με αληθινούς διαλόγους και ωραίες περιγραφές. Η πλοκή ενδιαφέρουσα, είχα μια αγωνία για το τι θα γίνει παρακάτω και πως θα καταλήξει η όλη ιστορία, υπήρχαν και μπόλικες αιματηρές σκηνές, καλά δοσμένες, και το τέλος μου φάνηκε ταιριαστό με όλα όσα προηγήθηκαν.
Γενικά είναι από τα πολύ καλά βιβλία του Κινγκ, που δεν είναι τρόμου ούτε έχουν ίχνος φανταστικού, αλλά μπορούν κάλλιστα να σε τρομάξουν και να σε προβληματίσουν. Αν ενδιαφέρεστε για το βιβλίο, μπορείτε να το βρείτε σε ωραία προσφορά στην Πολιτεία. Έχει γίνει και ταινία το 1998, με σκηνοθέτη τον Bryan Singer (Usual Suspects, X-Men κλπ), με τον ρόλο του Τοντ να τον έχει ο Brad Renfro και τον ρόλο του Ντουσάντερ ο Ian McKellen.
April 22, 2012
I didn't realize that I had actually read something by Stephen King. I am quite familiar with a number of his stories from discussion; others from film adaptations. I know him chiefly as an amazing font of poorly-executed ideas and The Man Who Cannot End A Story.
Apt Pupil does not suffer as greatly as his others, though much of the psychology is quite silly and overwrought. As someone who finds WWII and the Holocaust to be blown out of proportion (especially in comparison to other, ignored genocides) the book's fixation did not resonate with me. However, the exploration of the darker side of man, especially as it relates to obsession with death, did. Another work that acted as an early representation of the 'kid with a gun' who has so captured the most frightened attentions of our society.
Apt Pupil does not suffer as greatly as his others, though much of the psychology is quite silly and overwrought. As someone who finds WWII and the Holocaust to be blown out of proportion (especially in comparison to other, ignored genocides) the book's fixation did not resonate with me. However, the exploration of the darker side of man, especially as it relates to obsession with death, did. Another work that acted as an early representation of the 'kid with a gun' who has so captured the most frightened attentions of our society.
January 20, 2021
Apt Pupil is yet another dark and disturbing novella from the King himself. Off of his 1982 collection of four novellas Different Seasons , it follows a young boy who explores his inner desires toward evil through this ex-Nazi criminal.
I found this book very compelling. I love how disturbing and flawed and disgusting these characters are. It really is a well-written character study about evil and the buildup of evil inside one's mind.
My only reservation about this book is how slow it is. It is indeed a character-driven story that focuses on the psyche of a war criminal and a serial murderer-in-the-making, but, for personal preferences, it really was a challenge. Nevertheless, this book is amazing. It disturbed me on many levels, and I think that's what matters.
I found this book very compelling. I love how disturbing and flawed and disgusting these characters are. It really is a well-written character study about evil and the buildup of evil inside one's mind.
My only reservation about this book is how slow it is. It is indeed a character-driven story that focuses on the psyche of a war criminal and a serial murderer-in-the-making, but, for personal preferences, it really was a challenge. Nevertheless, this book is amazing. It disturbed me on many levels, and I think that's what matters.
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