In the afterward of You Like It Darker, Stephen King observes the paradox that horror stories are “best appreciated by those who are compassionate and empathetic” (500). Does that excuse my love for Stephen King’s literature? Perhaps!

Ever since Jeremy, my Bible College roommate convinced me to read The Eyes of the Dragon, I’ve admired King’s ability to create a believable human being ex nihilo in a few well-worded sentences. This collection of short stories is no exception. You feel for Danny Coughlin’s unjust treatment, for the Mrs. Bell pushing her empty (or is it) double baby carriage, for Phil Parker’s aging encounters with the answer man.

More prominent in this collection is the septuagenarian’s wrestling with death and what comes after. Retirees take the spotlight—and they do not disappoint.

Are you compassionate? Empathetic? Perhaps this collection of dark tales is for you.

King, Stephen. You Like It Darker: Stories. E-book ed., Scribner, 2024. EPUB.