The Bazaar of Bad Dreams Book Reviews

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stephen king. stephen king

Loved every perfectly placed word. I'm a constant reader who got jaded after 20 years of horror. Stephen unleashes tools of the trade with unrequited vengeance. I loved every coitus interrupted short terror. I am so glad that this book was 700 pages!

These teeth are sharp!. In the foreword Stephen King writes that the best of these stories have teeth and he wasn't kidding. Some of them have very sharp teeth. All the stories are well written and most are quite dark and nasty. If you're willing to go there you won't regret it

Can’t stop reading!. I can not stop reading! All of the stories are well writen and always have a crazy twist! Ill be honest I didn’t care much for the poems

Sweetly shortly. I like a long story. I love the Dark Tower Series the best. BUT these stories are wonderful and Drunken Fireworks was pure T bliss and euphoria!

Bad dreams. Enjoyed the book each story was different and keep you wondering.

Good collection. This is a strong collection of King's short work. Not his best, but a far cry from the worst. As King continues to mature as a writer and becomes less shy about straying from horror, it strengthens his writing in all genres, all of which are represented in this collection.

A Bit of a Letdown Honestly.... I have to say, The Bazaar from Uncle Steve was a bit of a letdown. Stephen King is, obviously, one of the most-hyped authors of today, which is why the fall from so high can be so hard for his readers. This collection of previously published works, in itself, had a range like open arms – from eye-roll-warranting clunkers that never took off and seemed rather (dare I say it?) juvenile for such a master wordsmith to others that truly took my breath away and really explored the mental and emotional crevices of humanity in a way that was breathtakingly clear and surprising – similar to reaching the summit of a huge roller coaster and seeing the landscape around you for those vivid two seconds before being dragged back down again. Billy Blockade, Bad Little Kid and Under the Weather, I’m looking at you now. Overall, I will remember this collection as a hodgepodge that had some really great highlights – and those highlights are what I will take from it. The short introductions to each story were a real treat. Those anecdotes and revelations were the extra seasoning that this collection needed to thread it all together. However, it would’ve been cool if the original place of publication had been added to those intro snippets; after all, we all knew that most of them were previously published anyway. Mile 81 – This story was surprisingly and glaringly amateur. I appreciate that he led us into that with the knowledge that it was one of his earliest works, but it left an awful taste in my mouth and a hesitation to continue on with the collection. Not the best choice for starting out; better to bury that one somewhere in the middle. No stars. Premium Harmony – Deliciously dry and sardonic. The dialogue hit the nail on the head in that matter-of-fact sort of way that makes you laugh out loud, and the title – fittingly ironic indeed – tied the humor and storyline all together. Great story! **** 4 stars Batman and Robin Have an Altercation – The father-son storyline warmed the heart, but there wasn’t much else here. * 1 star The Dune – This story had a setting and cadence that really made the story, but this one would’ve been more compelling if it had showcased action scenes (which King definitely seems to have shied away from in this collection on a whole). At minimum, it would have carried more resonance if the narrator hadn’t described the deaths in such a half-removed-from-the-situation fashion. Nonetheless, the voice and pace were very steady and controlled, allowing me to trust both the author’s hand and the narrator’s voice. **** 4 stars Bad Little Kid – Awesome story! Sinister, slow and, at times, somber, but never too much. It was a true King story for his avid readers, his hand for the disturbing on full display here. ***** 5 stars A Death – A great “period” piece mixed with a little “local color” – sorry King, I know you have “no use for that.” This one was an excellent example of how dialogue and regional slang can really set the scene and shape a work! **** 4 stars The Bone Church – I’m all for contemporary poetry that doesn’t follow the rules, but the two poetry selections presented here proved that I am not a fan of King’s attempts at that particular form of art. Disjointed and confusing, this one gets no stars. Morality – This story was very well written, but anti-climactic for sure, particularly the ending. Sure – it was a real-world sort of ending, but it didn’t live up to the hype at all, and the “crime” that was so central to the story’s theme was so minor, I couldn’t believe all the hyperventilation they were doing over it! Good story telling, but not much there to sink my teeth into. ** 2.5 stars Afterlife – This story had a biting humor, juxtaposed by the two main characters’ past interactions with women, that added a new an unexpected layer to this story. The 50s setting and various decades referenced as they discuss the mistakes of their past gave this one body and made it more memorable and 3-D. Good story. *** 3.5 stars Ur – UGH! This story was great for the sort of Super Bowl celebrity selling out that we expect to see in commercials, but this one SERIOUSLY took away a lot of King’s street cred! Great for Kindle/Amazon propaganda, but an otherwise ridiculous attempt with a cop-out, oh-this-story-is-getting-to-be-way-to-long-so-let’s-just-end-it-now sort of finale. Definitely warranted more than a few eye rolls. One star for referencing the cool possibility of authors writing new and previously unexplored works in other dimensions, but that’s about it. * 1 star Herman Wouk Is Still Alive – I LOVED the blunt and unornamented examination of life that this one provided. It was so real, in fact, that it was almost pure. This look at real life aimed for the authentic and came from a character’s POV who was really examining it all for the first time. Thought-provoking and funny, this one was a winner. The story would’ve really hit the mark if it hadn’t been watered down by the elderly couple’s POV. **** 4 stars Under the Weather – AWESOME story; definitely one of the best of the bunch! I felt a nod to “A Rose for Emily” in this one that I loved; it was macabre in a delectable way that resonated loudly at the end. It had all of the elements of a good short story and a King-worthy ending. The thread about the dream really tied this one together. ***** easily 5 stars Blockade Billy – This one was another long one, but I truly did not mind it being long at all! The jargon here was thick as molasses, which I didn’t always get, but it didn’t take away from the story; in a lot of ways, it made the story. I felt like I was a part of their world, which is the whole reason that people read when they could just watch a movie. The ending was KILLLER. Really. Killer. ***** easily 5 stars Mr. Yummy – This one didn’t live up to the intro that King wrote for it; it was neither about desire nor AIDS (for that matter), which made it a bit of a letdown.

Great read!. A fantastic collection of short stories...all in the true Stephen King style. I liked the short explanation of the idea of the story prior to each one

Bad dreams is perfect!. I am the same age as King and read his books all these years.He has his magic touch with words and tales. .He knows the human heart.He has looked into the abyss,and when it looked back he took a picture .Then he wrote the vision of it.I will read until I die or he puts down the pencil.I told my daughter to bury me with one of Stephen's books. She said not pet Cemetery! Liz32906

Ms. Luv the short stories. Makes for quick reading

Love some, others are meh. Some of the short stories in this collection are just plain incredible, while others leave me bored. It’s typical of such a large volumn of work, and I think it’s not possible for someone to like absolutely everything an author makes. But otherwise it’s a great book and I’m so glad I bought it!

Stephen King strikes again. Some of the stories left me longing for more, but if someone had given me the book to read without an author’s name, I would have known- ‘this is a book full of Stephen King’s schtuff’. I read Salem’s Lot when I was 8, in 1979. Stephen King has always been and will always be my favorite author. He brings horror to paper, and that’s the best way. The imagination is so much better than even CGI.

So good that it’s bad.. Mr King was at his best - alternately horrifying and amazing me. The stories that weren’t based in the supernatural - and thus were possible - were haunting and horrifying. This one gets a “thumbs up”, with a blanket pulled over my head.

Chilly. A book filled with little stories of different realities. Some are ain’t that bad but some are so good, they will give you shivers down your spine.

Love Bazaar!!. I am a fan of Stephen King's short stories, being that they last a few mere pages, and aren't always scary, and this current leg was awesome. He has such a passion for baseball, makes you wonder why he didn't go into broadcasting. But I am very happy to loose myself in his stories. Now don't get me wrong about the other full length books, like IT, Salems Lot and the like that were scary and excellent in their own creepy ways, which I love all the more, but being able to read various stories on one book is nice to have from time to time.

Another side of King. I enjoyed his book of short stories, usually I'm not fond of that style. King never disappoints though and I think he is the type of writer who will never retire!

Best King collection yet!. I am always sad when I come to the end of a King book because I never want it to end. This time, I may just turn right back to page one and begin again. Mere words cannot express the depth of this "Constant Reader's" appreciation for this bazaar. The intros to each story lent the feeling that it was a conversation with Stephen himself. Just...wow. Thank you, Stephen King.

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. Stephen King's latest effort is a book of stories. Some are relatively short, while others a little longer. They range from around 30 pages in length to 100+ pages in some of the longer ones. The stories are very entertaining tho. For people who love sports like I do, I would recommend the Blockade Billy story, as it is about an old time baseball player/team. None of the stories are exactly alike, but all are written in typical King fashion. I would definitely recommend this book to any King fan, and it is definitely worth reading.

Fun read. Some great stories!!!!!

Quantity over Quality. I was hoping for more horror or twilight zone twists and turns or irony. Many of the stories seemed to promise this but ended anti-climatic. I liked Full- Dark better even thought it had less stories they were richer and more twisted.

Depressingly good. A collection of short stories and a poem, with comments from Mr King before each story. Some of the stories have been published before (individually in magazines, the internet, etc) and are conveniently collected here. The rest are new. I've been a Constant Reader since Carrie was published, and I found this book to be very different from previous published books. More clinical, and much more depressing. The new short stories ended rather abruptly, and seemed odd. Still added to my collection for completeness.

Good book!. I enjoyed it. Some of the short stories were harder to follow and get through but overall it was a very enjoyable read. It captures a lot of Kings different writing strengths. I did skip the poem sections though 😅

Nice Collection of Short Stories. I enjoyed reading this Stephen King book , some stories made me think and one even made me laugh. Good read.

Enjoyable. I really like this collection, but I must admit that I skipped the poem and Blockade Billy.

Great book. Great stories

I loved this book!. It had the normal twist and turns that Stephen King can only hand you. Make you mind wonder what’s going to happen on the next page while tapping the page to continue your reading!

Not his best collection, but still great!. This collection of short stories from Stephen King disappointed me in only one way: Most of the stories were not as scary as they could have been. Otherwise, the book is totally enjoyable! Every story is a good story, but these are the best if you’re mainly looking for horror stories, as I was: Mile 81, the first story in the book, and quite a stunning opener, The Dune, which can best be summed up in one word: CREEPY, Bad Little Kid, which proves why there is probably no horror writer who handles the “bad seed” sub genre than King, Under the Weather, which is creepy and sad, The Little Green God of Agony, which seems to redefine the word TERRIFYING, That Bus is Another World, which is nothing short of horrifying, and Obits, which is compelling and disturbing! I received The Bazaar of Bad Dreams as a Christmas gift; I wanted the book because, while I am a huge Stephen King fan, I’m a bigger fan of his short stories than his novels. I’m a fan because I love horror stories, which is why I am a huge fan of his first two short story collections, Night Shift and Skeleton Crew, the only other short story collections I’ve read by him. This is the only reason I was slightly disappointed with this book. Still, I highly recommend it not only for his horror fans, but for any fan of his short story collections! Main reason: These 21 stories are all amazing!

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