Best SK short story collection? Tough Call

[Doc Wilson]

May be impossible. Just reached Nightmares and Dreamscapes on my second trip back through the King cannon, and I'm amazed all over again. Ten o'clock People and Umney's Last Case totally rock my world, as does Home Delivery.

Skeleton Crew was amazing as well, Survivor Type would be a lifetime achievement for any other writer, as would the Raft.

But then I'd be tempted to give it to 4 Seasons just for Shawshank alone.

The later ones aren't too shabby either, just way too recent for me to reread.

can anyone else see a clear winner?

[JWP]

After reading Premium Harmony I picked up Just After Sunset which I liked. Not having
read the other short story collections you mention in years I'm tempted top go back and read Skeleton Crew to see how K's writing has matured. I think it might be a tough call
because IMO K's interests and outlook have changed over the years. One things for sure, he is not afraid to hit you below the belt now and for that reason I might say Just after Sunset is at the top of my list, especially N, which does Lovecraft proud.

[Doc Wilson]

Just After Sunset rocked, N was great, as was the Roland story and A Very Tight Place. Having just reread the early books I find it hard to put a finger on what exactly has changed about his voice in these short works, but its definitely there.

[JWP]

I think K is focusing a bit more on the terror that could actually happen to someone
in Just After Sunset, whether it's a Psycho homicidal homophobe (scares me) to a hydrogen bomb over Manhattan (scares me to death). I'll have the read the earlier
works to get a handle on the style but these new shorts seem to be stripped down a bit
as far as the prose is concerned.

[Doc Wilson]

Reading them back to back, the contrast is huge, especially between Nightshift and JAS. As you say the new tales are somwhat less fantastical for the most part but there is something more than that.

Its almost like in those early stories SK was always going for shock and awe. Every story starts with a bang and goes right for the horror jugular. The later stuff tends to be more nuanced, in terms of pace and emotional impact.

[rvialet]

For me, I truly think it would be Just After Sunset.

It is the only one of the collections where i really enjoy EVERY story. The only story in Just After SUnset that I wasnt crazy about was Stationary Bike (which I know many love). I love "New York Times at Special Bargain Rates", "Willa", "Harvey's Dream", "The Things They Left Behind", as well as the "Gingerbread Girl", "N.", and "A Very Tight Place" novellas.

Second may be Skeleton Crew, which has some of my two favorite King shorts: "Survivor Type" and "The Jaunt"

But all of them are great!

[Cowboy]

Nightshift since that was my first....don't we always have a special love for our first???

Although Just After Sunset is a close second because that was my first meeting with SK and he signed it.

[~Ally~]

So far I've enjoyed all of the short story collections but my favourite is Hearts In Atlantis. I really cared about the characters in that book, and enjoyed how the stories were all connected in some way. It is definitely due another re~read soon. Strangely I've never seen the movie, may have to buy it.

[Snaggletooth]

Indeed a difficult decision. Nightmares is my personal favorite, because Steve's writing had matured and Dolan's Cadillac. Skeleton Crew comes in second, for nostalgic reasons.

[Sigmund]

Absoultely, positively,"Skeleton Crew "(LOVE "Ballad of The Flexible Bullet," and "Survivor type".
And "Just After Sunset."
And "Everything's Eventual,",
And....