Just After Sunset. What do you guys think of it

[urrutiap]

I got the hardcover for christmas but havent gotten around to it since I'm busy doing a Star Wars novel marathon where I've been reading from the Darth Bane books and up to Heir to the Empire. Plus I still have the Hand of Thrawn duology books and Vector Prime which I also had bought from Barnes and Noble during November.

Anywayz back to Just After Sunset. Just wondering what you guys think of the stories. The Cat from Hell I know very well since its in Tales from the Darkside the Movie

[Cowboy]

Loved it, blew through it pretty quick.

[Sundrop]

I'm loving it--I'm almost finished, and kinda wish it would keep going

[Terry B]

Haven't read it yet. Almost done with the Talisman and will get back to Black House. LRH will be next in line.

[nowshere]

wow! Now that was a page turner. I started reading it and could not put it down until I was finished. It was a breath of fresh air after reading Liseys Story. That took me forever to get through the first 100 pages and then I couldnt take it anymore. It didnt seem to have been written by King. Maybe Tabitha wrote it.

[bopropadop]

Hello and welcome to the board!

Loved it. N. in particular. Doesn't get much better.

[Born In Sin]

I am really enjoying it so far, not too far along tho only at Rest Stop. The first two had a hard time putting the book down. I am still reading Wizard and Glass as well, so I try not to spend too much time on JAS

[Jax]

I really enjoyed it. I liked them all, but my favorites were N., and Harvey's Dream. I like the short story collections. To me when I get a novel it has the feel of a gift on Christmas morning. So it's all the better with the short story collections-there are several gifts wrapped up for me to open and discover. I also feel like I've accomplished a goal after reading a novel. So with the short stories I get to achieve several goals. May sound silly, but that's how I look at it.:smile2:

[Mr Nobody]

wow! Now that was a page turner. I started reading it and could not put it down until I was finished. It was a breath of fresh air after reading Liseys Story. That took me forever to get through the first 100 pages and then I couldnt take it anymore. It didnt seem to have been written by King. Maybe Tabitha wrote it.

Ouch! Harsh closing comment, don't you think? :eek2:

For me, the overall quality in JAS wasn't as high as in his other short story collections - though if he 'lost the knack', it's more understandable. It seemed (and reading between the lines, it was the case) that some of them had been lying around and getting in the way a little, either as written stories or as ideas, and JAS was a way of tidying up. The fact that SK's 'tidying up' is still publishable material that people want to read speaks volumes, though!
There were standouts (N., for example), but it was no Skeleton Crew.
IMHO, of course. :smile2:

[LeeAlexander]

I absolutely loved The Cat from Hell, and actually creeped me out. Especially when my kitty came in the room, and jumped on the bed:eek2:. I really liked Mute, A Very Tight Place, and Willa even though I've heard alot of people complain about Willa. N. in my opinion is the single best short story SK has ever written. It was amazing...I felt like I was reading a modern day Lovecraft. I enjoyed Just After Sunset alot, but I can't say that it will ever beat out Everything's Eventual for me even with N. in its pages.

[Samantha_]

I absolutely loved The Cat from Hell, and actually creeped me out. Especially when my kitty came in the room, and jumped on the bed:eek2:. I really liked Mute, A Very Tight Place, and Willa even though I've heard alot of people complain about Willa. N. in my opinion is the single best short story SK has ever written. It was amazing...I felt like I was reading a modern day Lovecraft. I enjoyed Just After Sunset alot, but I can't say that it will ever beat out Everything's Eventual for me even with N. in its pages.

I liked Willa, as well.

To me, Willa is a kindred spirit to the child in The Emperor's New Clothes.

Willa could see through false images to face death and reveal its true nature to the rest of the group.

The child in The Emperor's New Clothes, too innocent to be afraid of society's conventional wisdom, told the crowd the truth.

Though Willa had limited success in convincing those surrounding her, she could see through illusion. But why? The story made me curious about her life. Somehow, while living, her soul found the skill to discern the truth or maybe she was just born with the talent.

[nowshere]

i did not intend for the comment about, maybe Tabitha wrote it, to be negative. She has a markedly different writing style than Mr. King. Maybe it was his writing from a womans prespective that I didn't find enjoyable. I meant no disrespect to Mrs. King.

[petalpea]

I hate to say it but J.A.S. was disappointing for me. More times than not SK's books really stick with me, for example when I'm not thinking about books or anything at all on my drive home and see road work then I think of Dolan in his Cadillac. With the stories in J.A.S. none of them really stick out or made me ponder the ins and outs of what had happened or why. Not that any of the stories are "bad". They just didn't affect me in any way at all.:dunno:

[Haunted]

I am not fond of short stories. But I thoroughly enjoyed JAS. I think that you will like them too.:biggrin2:

[crazycrashink]

I bought this about 2 months ago, and was going to try and savor it. I did manage to keep from opening it right away, but once I did I was flying through. My favorite stories were Willa, Gingerbread Girl, oh heck all of them haha!:smile2:

[Chatterbox]

I didn't like all of the stories but Willa was great and stationary bike just awsome^^

[Dallas Riley]

I liked Gingerbread girl a lot. I listened to it while i was out getting sun burnt. I wish the rest were available on itunes, short stories are fun to listen to while laying out.

[tragic losses]

I sat down and read it in a single session.To me it wasnt one of his better books and definitely the worst of his ss books.

[OhmyGod!]

I liked it a LOT!!! My fav. stories: gingerbread girl, N., stationary bike and In a very tight place (i lovelove all the florida-key survivin' stories!!).

And yeah, it's different than his old stuff...but he can't write the same after all these years. I like the way stephen king goes. But that's my view. ( I was afraid after from a buick 8 and dreamcatcher...but things just worked out fine. Really fine!)

[the_last_gunslinger]

I think Just After Sunset had some good stories. "Willa" was excellent and "N" was thoroughly enjoyable. But I also felt that the collection was kind of forgettable. Often times after I finished one of the stories, I was left with a sort of, "what was the point" feeling. Then again, I just haven't been able to get into King's short stories as much. Maybe it's just a personal preference.

[Terry B]

OK - I love this book and just finished the story "The Things They Left Behind" and I have to say that it really rattled me. Anyone else get that feeling?

[Antony butterworth]

Hello fans of the king


in a word awsome

[michal]

The book was great and some of the stories in it really stayed on with me. I think that's the best thing about books of short stories - you get plenty of different stories and can change scenes and characters in a flick of 10 pages.

[Teddy Duchamp]

I loved this book - and I have to agree with the other poster who said it was a breath of fresh air after Liseys Story.

Especially loved the Gingerbread Girl - which I think could have been expanded into a great novel..........and could make a great movie!

Liseys Story was too "off the wall" for me - too much gunky stuff and bools .........but it would be boring if we all liked the same wouldnt it!:eyebrow:

[K4driver]

read it a bit ago. Willa Stuck out because of the illusion of a False life. makes me wonder "is this all an illusion?" oh and it involves a train

Gingerbread Girl not so much

Rest stop was good

Stationary Bike Creeped me out...I had started exersising when i started reading that story, that kinda hung with me

The Things they left behind:deffinatly not left behind in my memory, it was a good one, gave me the 'bumps that chattery teeth, and Dolans Cadilac can do.

Graduation Afternoon freaked me out because it could happen anyday and I was listening to a repeat of Jericho

N.The dark tower reference was creepy

The Cat From Hell:spooked me out, because I am a cat lover

the New york Times at special Bargain rates:interesting to think that might have happened in those days after 9-11

Mute:interesting, but lost interest
Ayana: why would anyone like the pirates
A Very tight place: did not read it yet

all and all, 8 out of 10 For a book. better then eventual, But not as good as Nightmares and Dreamscapes.

[The Outsider]

If you were looking for some scare you sh**less horror, this is the wrong book. However, these were some amazingly well written stories, with some good dabs of horror thrown in. Willa, N., The Things They Left Behind, Graduation Afternoon, and Ayana are some of the best short stories I've ever read. Definitely a worthy read, I give it an A++, and the writing never fails to amaze me, Sir King. I'm about to pee my pants waiting for Under the Dome, I know it'll do much more than live up to the standards of us all.

[SuzannaDean]

I think I must be the only person in the world that doesn't like this book AT ALL! I hated it, I really did, I mean out of all the stories in the book maybe only 2 or 3 at most really stuck out for me. The rest was average, or rubbish. I think though I always preferred the old King so maybe this new stuff just isn't for me! Yet to read Liseys story/Blaze and Cell though so am undecided on that point. But no, I didnt like this one at all.

[Denise Marsden]

This is the one story collection I missed but now have the chance to read ,Could you recommend it?

[JohnDalglish]

This is the one story collection I missed but now have the chance to read ,Could you recommend it?

Hi,

Yes, very much (and the UK paperback apparently has a taster for UtD as well).

Long days and pleasant nights

[Manxkitti]

I just read this one in June. I loved it. I've read Stationary Bike in another collection, but enjoyed reading it in this collection. "N" scared me. I thought it was really creepy. An area of the woods that I think was in this demention and in the next at the same time, maybe? :oo:

[Denise Marsden]

It is a book full of gems,I came across it only a few weeks ago and am making my way through it slowly so as to make it last as long as possible. One of the very few works I missed , I was like a child when I found this book and am savouring every one of these great stories.

[Denise Marsden]

Just after Sunset has been a delight for me. In danger of sounding like Forrest Gump when I say, I have savoured every story like very tasty chocolates that you want to eat slowly and never finish.I am now down to the last one,A Very Tight Place , Ive been advised not to be eating when I read this so maybe the chocholate anology won't work in the end.I have loved every one of the stories and am recommending it to all my freinds.:smile2:

[Glassman]

The Things they Left Behind was great and touching and powerful. I read it on the plane back from Orlando and I had to keep looking up from the book to keep from tearing up.

Thank you Stephen King for being the best writer of my time.

You have the ability to take our lives, describe them to a t, and then thrust the supernatural into them.

This is the only reason I joined the message board so I could thank you.

Best,
Glassman

[rev. rick]

loved it

[peaceluvnsploosh]

LOVED IT---- my favorite in the collection was the Gingerbread Girl

[Alexis Bragia]

I just finished the Just after Sunset short stories and I loved them! I told my husband they are a must read. I know in his notes Stephen King said Willa was not the best but it was one of my favorites. The moment they realized they were dead was the coolest. Thanks for all the entertainment over the years Mr. King. Although I must admit when I was ten I put your books down for a couple of years ( too scary). Now though...some of my very favorites!

[rjt65]

Finished my 2nd reread of JAS---love it!!!! find SS collections easier to reread. Lot gr8 stories in there IMO!

[pike747]

I loved it and do not believe for one second that Steve has "Lost the Knack" of writing short stories. Maybe I am just easy. Maybe I am a fanboy but I was being floored by small phrases as well as the stories. I have likened these to the short, controlled, bursts of accurate automatic weapons fire. In this collection, as in most of his writing, he finds me where I live and gets to the heart of things. I found the story about the artist who has high cholesterol and then becomes "too fit" actually helpful in real life. I am one of the guys who wears the workboots, an adrenaline junkie and sometimes I <u>guilty</u> of "killing the job." Keep up the good work Steve you are always getting me right in the viscera!

[Patricia A]

I read JAS when first came out last year, and now I'm listening to the audio book. I'm up to "N" and noticing some really interesting parallels between "N" and UtD.
That's a nice buzz. :smile2:

[antihero]

Willa was the best one in here for me. Beautifully eerie and atmospheric. Loved it.

[Jojo87]

Just After Sunset was a great book. Cat from hell and A very tight place was my favorit.

[nate_watkins]

I thought it was another great short story collection by Mr. King. A few stories make you think... and N. was certainly very interesting.

[ArthurKidd]

I just finished reading JAS last week - it's the first one of SK's short story books that I've read, so I can't really compare it to the other ss's that he's done. I read it and prefer the longer stories. I thought the stories were good and well written, but I can't help feeling that most of them ended quite abruptly.

[Jack Roman]

I thought Just After Sunset was horrible, except for Rest Stop, and N.

[Lina]

I finished reading Just After Sunset today. I think it's a great book, really! I enjoyed almost every story, except maybe Rest Stop. I don't know why it is do, but I simply failed to understand it. But I liked all the other stories. Most of all I liked The Gingerbread Girl, Harvey's dream, N. and The Cat from Hell.

[deroche]

I couldn't get into most of the stories because nothing really made me go oooooo.... this is exciting. They just all seemed to be ho hum O.K. some were just downright dreadfully boring.
The only ones that got my attention were N. The Cat from Hell, and Willa.

[Hamiltev]

I was totally in love with this collection. It really knocked me out. After I read the paperback, I bought the audio-book version which has an
amazing production value to it. My favorite pieces from the collection where the ones most recently written by King. I love King's work from every era of his career. That being said however, I have a bleeding soft spot for the style of writing he's produced in the 2000's. It's just my perspective, but his most
recent work has to me such a holistic, unmarred, life-affirming quality to it. I've never been able to find those qualities of the right balance in any other
writer. In terms of full-length novels, I think the 2006 Cell is just about as a perfect as a novel can be.

But back to Just After Sunset: my faves were Willa and The Things They Left Behind. I know that Willa is a controversial choice, some thinking it overly simplistic. But I loved the simplicity of it. I think a lot of writers rely on clever plot twists and devices to propel their work. But at the end of the day if a story doesn't have the underpinning of character development, I don't think it is worth much. And it may be a sentimental choice for me because Willa's character reminded me a bit of myself, and I was so impressed with King being able to write a female so well. In the end I think it was a beautiful, sad piece.

I think that The Things They Left Behind might be equally controversial in terms of subject matter. I've never been a fan of writers who attempt to capture the essence of 9/11 in fiction. I'm not sure the event will ever be captured successfully through art, it is too multi-faceted and enormous a tragedy. But if anything came close, I think this story did. I really can't say anything more than that, other than it moved me tremendously. I loved all the stories in this book and I could go on an on about them but I'll just wrap it up with that.

[Ericw]

I have read Stephen King since I was a ninth grader in 1979. Stephen King's short story collections, as he has said, are the perfect thing to get you over the boring study hour, lazy afternoon, etc. When you read one of Stephen's stories, like Willa, one of my favorites, you see that he does, indeed, have a penchant for creating fiction that draws you in quickly and lets you visualize the scene unfolding before you. Read Chattery Teeth, Word Processor of the Gods or even Gray Matter, one of Steve's early stories. You won't be disappointed. I try to write in my spare time, and Stephen King inspired me to this goal. But you also have to read horror every day. And Steve's stories are an excellent place to start!

[chestertherocker]

Willa is my favourite story and N is creepy. I haven't the nerve to re-read the cat from hell