Stephen King actually put his name to this?……….    *

I am a Scotch drinker. I drink it neat. Neat means no water, no ice, nothing to dilute the nectar of the gods.  I have read all of Stephen King’s novels and short stories. I love his writing, except for Duma Key.  He is the god of horror.  So why would he dilute his great writing with someone else, in this case, Richard Chizmar, and produce what can only be labeled as an elongated short story not worthy of attaching his name?

This “novella” is a composite of The Monkey’s Paw (which, at least, King does admit in the story), The Black Box from the New Twilight Zone, with a hint of Carrie. King adds the character Mr. Farris who seems like he just stepped out of the Dark Tower series.

This story is listed as Horror/ Occult and Suspense. It should have been listed under Teen and Young Adult Fiction. It is a coming of age story with a bit of paranormal thrown in. The plot is weak, and the level of writing is juvenile. The ending is all roses and daffodils. The main character, Gwendy, is destined to become a famous writer. Really?

I can understand Stephen King wanting to help lesser known writers like Richard Chizmar. But this story does a disservice to both of you.

This one gets one star.