Stephen King has released another long-awaited collection. In a tradition akin to “Four Past Midnight,” “If it Bleeds” spawns four page-turning novellas. This time, with another surprise to his die-hard horror fans, the stories focus on the coming-of-age character, the paranormal, ghosts, and of course, death. They reflect the Stephen King responsible for works such as “The Body” and “The Green Mile.” And as anticipated, the author of “Mr. Mercedes” and “The Outsider” has reunited his Constant Readers with P.I. Holly Gibney in the book’s title story.
In “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone,” Craig is the young-coming-of-age adolescent not yet old enough to work when he’s hired by Mr. Harrigan, an elderly curmudgeon once a top-magnate in the stock-market and business world. Craig’s job is to read to him, as task he gladly performs even if some of the books he doesn’t understand like, “Lady Chatterley’s Lover.” Harrigan, old-world and set in his ways, denounces modern gadgets and technology, a mental block Craig breaks through when he buys Mr. Harrigan an iphone. The phone is a way of thanking Mr. Harrigan, since Craig struck lucky on a scratch-off ticket the old man gave him.
As Craig teaches Mr. Harrigan everything about the phone, the gadget soon becomes a guilty pleasure, and an unlikely friendship forms between the old man and the boy. But when Mr. Harrigan dies, Craig continues to talk to him and realizes by some oddity, Mr. Harrigan may be listening. All Craig has to do is dial the phone and ask for his help.
The story is both heartwarming and eerie, about an unlikely friendship so unique that it may transcend death itself. It also leaves the reader questioning reality versus imagination. At Mr. Harrigan’s casket, Craig slips the phone into his suit pocket. Then, as he stands over Harrigan’s grave and dials the phone, he swears he can hear it ringing. The coming-of-age story also sends chills down the spine, a classic King trademark.
King has brilliantly documented “The Life of Chuck” in backwards fashion, with the last chapter being the first, and the first being last. The world is ending in the first chapter. The apocalypse has commenced. The internet is failing as California sinks into the ocean. Huge sinkholes are opening on the highways, making car travel a burden. Stars are inexplicably falling from the sky. Food is now a luxury quickly fading into a famine. Yet everywhere one looks, on billboards, television screens, and signs, is the face of an unfamiliar middle-aged man named Chuck. The advertisement thanks him for thirty-nine good years with his job at the bank. But those who are living through the final end want to know—who is Chuck?
“The Life of Chuck” deals with not only the apocalypse, but the reality of ghosts and those who see them. It is about warnings from beyond that go unheeded and about living life to the fullest while you can. The subsequent chapters introduce us to Chuck as young boy living with his grandparents, his curiosity stoked by a haunted room in their house. As always, King’s characters are real and unforgettable, each of them marked by their own tragedy or circumstances. And after sneaking a peek into the haunted room, Chuck is no different. The story is surprising with unexpected twists and a mind blowing narrative that takes the reader through decades of Chuck’s life.
“If it Bleeds” begins with a package delivery, one that eventually blows up a western Pennsylvania middle-school, killing many in its wake. Affected by the tragedy is King fan- favorite, Holly Gibney. Something about the round-the-clock newscaster who just happened to be on the scene has triggered Holly’s attention and curiosity. But what is it about Chet Ondowsky? Something is different about him, something that Holly’s keen insight doesn’t miss. There’s something about his face. Could Holly be dealing with another Outsider?
With help from an unlikely source, Holly begins to put the pieces together, and while doing so, makes an audio recording of everything she knows and forwards it on a flash drive to Det. Ralph Anderson, her cohort in “The Outsider.” Not as lengthy as its predecessor, the story can definitely be considered a sequel to “The Outsider.” The same fast-paced thrill ride that existed in that book and the “Mr. Mercedes” trilogy is present in “If it Bleeds.” Soon, Holly confronts Chet Ondowsky and the heart-pounding action begins, making the reader turn page after page in hopes of Holly’s survival. “If it Bleeds” is a perfect addition into Holly’s storyline. Also, it’s hard not to miss King’s observation of the Media’s often ghoulish drive when it comes to newsworthy tragedies.
Drew Larson is a wannabe author in “Rat.” He’s had three prior failed attempts, the last one scaring everyone from his wife and children, to his mentor. Drew suddenly sees a vision, a story set in the old west that plays out in his mind. To the dismay of his wife, Lucy, he sets out to write what he claims is a sure thing. This time, he will drive miles to his late father’s cabin and work on the first draft. But Drew faces the onset of not only a storm, but a virus he picked up from another. In the midst of these obstacles, he sees a rat, one who talks to him. The rat makes a Drew a deal, a shady one, but one that bears out.
“Rat” is another exploration of reality versus imagination. The character questions it, and so does the reader. Was the rat real, or was the rat conjured by Drew’s own imagination in an effort to combat his low-confidence level? “Rat” is a unique story with authentic and true-to-life characters and a setting that remains etched in the mind. “If it Bleeds” contains well-crafted imaginative stories and will sit well alongside King’s other collections.
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Excellence Times Four
Four mystifying short stories intrigue the reader with “multitudes” of life and afterlife plots. The first story, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, brings us a heartwarming story of a young boy befriending an elderly well to do, lonely man. Years of friendship end with the death of Mr. Harrigan, or do they? Is it possible for the two to stay connected after death, via cell phone? The Life of Chuck was more inspiring than spine chilling. King takes us through Chuck’s life span, fraught with ups and downs, from end to beginning. If It Bleeds is a real treat to readers familiar with the Bill Hodges series. Holly Gibney is front and center, investigating an unlikely series of terrorism. The story will keep every reader captivated even if you’re new to the Outsider series. Rat gives insight to a budding writer. Drew Larson, English Literature teacher, previously succeeded in short stories, his true focus is to write a successful novel. Nestled in his family’s wood cabin, distanced from society, Drew finds himself ensconced in a fictional western murder. Thoughts and words begin to pour forth on paper like never before in his career. Alone one night, as a nor’easter descends upon the cabin, stricken with a feverish flu, Drew encounters a figment of his imagination (or not) which may hinder his project. Stephen King has once again provided his audience with mind boggling effects, certain to ponder once the novel ends.
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