Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Four Past Midnight by Stephen King ISBN: 0-451-17038-5 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: 12 June, 2001 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.18 (71 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Stephen King-Four Past Midnight
Comment: This novella collection (these are no short stories, people)is what you would expect from Stephen King. If you're a fan of the majority of his work, then you would probably be interested in these tales. I say interested, because at times theres good parts and bad parts in each story, and you have to trudge through some long winded stuff to get to the juicy parts. The lead story "The Langoliers" shouldn't be considered horror-the monsters sound like Critters ripoffs and the portal this, portal that, is confusing at times. But I must say, King has once again created characters that are so life like and intriguing, you just have to read it to see if they come out alright. "Secret Window, Secret Garden" was very well written, but it seems as though King came dangerously close to not being able to pull it off. You'll see what I mean. "The Library Policeman" is my favorite. Its as horrifically psychological as such King gems as Gerald's Game and Dolores Claiborne. Its scary as well as thoughtful and shocking. The last story "The Sun Dog" was something of a let down because it felt like Cujo 2, but it did have truly creepy parts and I did have a nightmare, if that helps in your purchasing decision. Pop Merril is such a character, he saves the story from total disaster. I think King should have edited some of Pop and Kevin's dad's history; I just found my mind wandering during "The Sun Dog". All in all, Four Past Midnight is worth giving a try but if youre a first time reader, its definitely not something that would define Stephen King as the great writer that he is. Stick with the novels like It, The Stand, Carrie, The Shining, etc.
Rating: 3
Summary: Should be just "TWO Past Midnight"
Comment: The first two stories in this collection were excellent, but the final two were just plain awful. "The Langoliers" was the most viscerally exciting story I've read in years, and "Secret Window, Secret Garden" featured some astonishing characterizations I didn't believe Stephen King could muster, but, after these two bonafide gems, it all goes downhill. "The Library Policeman" started off intriguingly enough, and "The Sun Dog" featured the fascinating Pop Merrill, but in my humble opinion, the disgusting rape scene in "The Library Policeman" would have been deemed child pornography if it'd been published elsewhere (like in, say, a men's magazine), and "The Sun Dog" displays King at his most narratively inept and incompetent. Both of these pathetic stories climax with eye-rollingly laughable showdowns, one involving licorice and the other a pair of Polaroid cameras duking it out, so to speak. For crying out loud, when is Stephen King going to realize that Coke machines and Polaroid cameras are NOT terrifying?
Rating: 4
Summary: Maximum Scare
Comment: Hello Dear Readers,
I'm just finishing a King novel. I devote myself to just reading one a year. That all my constitution can take. It's not that the writings is bad, but my sanity limits me from reading more.
King again frightens me with "Four Past Midnight."
Beginning with "The Langoliers," which I had the misfortune to read while travelling cross-country by air, the terror fest mounts. "The Langoliers," which had been made into a fair TV mini-series starring Michael Morse, delves into suppositions concerning rips in time and how it affects unprepared travelers. King's characters rely on their wits and luck to set things right. "The Library Policeman" shows King's power to seek out fright with any subject at any place. How could anywhere as innoculous as the library elict fear? Read and find out. Something truly sinister is involved here. Saturated with horror, "The Library Policeman" also dives deeply in some human foibles too! "Secret Window, Secret Garden," delves into the darker interior of man. King displays his understanding the human psyche into this story. Finally, "The Sun Dog" hit us head on in this tale from King's fictional town Castle Rock. The supernatural is studied as a boy's birthday camera take very unnatural pictures indeed. "The Sun Dog" prefaces King's novel "Needful Things."
I enjoy all four short stories and found each were separately scary each in their own way. It would depend on your own threshold and tolerances to determine which frighten you the most. I guarantee each will hold you from the first to last page though. My favorite was "The Library Policeman." I didn't expect that to be so. I almost expected it to be funny! However, it was anything but as the story progressed. I liked "The Langoliers" also because I'm a fan of Science Fiction and King infused some sifi whimsy into it. I think King probably was a fan when he was younger. There aren't any monsters present except that which you invent in your own imagination. The other two stories were in fine style, but didn't bring out as much interest to me.
I hope my review helped a little with your purchase. solo.
 |
Title: Skeleton Crew by Stephen King ISBN: 0451168615 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: June, 1986 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Nightmares & Dreamscapes by Stephen King ISBN: 0451180232 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: June, 1997 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Night Shift by Stephen King ISBN: 0451170113 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: December, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Different Seasons by Stephen King ISBN: 0451167538 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: January, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Needful Things by Stephen King ISBN: 0451172817 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: June, 1997 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
