Book Review: NIGHT SHIFT. By Stephen King *** and a 1\2 out of *****

What to do with the dilemma that is Stephen King? A prolific author, an assured stylist, and a man whose prose is so readable it is almost hypnotic. But there's also that other Stephen King, the one who writes interminable books that go nowhere, who is so politically correct to the point of blandness, and who flirts with crassness with seeming glee. Yes, I am conflicted about Stephen King. I love a lot of his work, but I also, well, don't like a lot of it. That wasn't always the case. As a younger man, I used to be a die-hard fan, saving much needed money to buy as many books of his that I could find, salivating over any movie poster that featured his name, and defending him to high-brow poseurs who called him a hack.

I still defend his work to these philistines, though, at least his earlier books. You see, I've come to realize that there are three epochs in the career of the King. There's early King (1974-1978), books that were mostly written before, but published after, he found success. All of those are great (including The Long Walk, Carrie, Salem's Lot). There's post-success King (1979-1987), books that were written and published after his breakout success with the movie adaptation of Carrie (1976). These include the much overrated The Shining, the masterpiece that is The Stand, the haunting The Dead Zone, the middling Firestarter, the awful Christine, the terrific Pet Sematary, and the masterwork that is Misery. And, lastly, there is post-fame King, books published after he became a household name all over the world (1988-Present). This period is the most problematic of all. It includes good books (Duma Key, The Colorado Kid), ok books (Cell), and books that are just terrible (the bland Mr. Mercedes, and the almost unreadable The Institute).

Which brings me to good, old, Night Shift (1978), King's very first short story collection, and a true box of wonders. In Night Shift, King showcases all his strengths, weaknesses, styles, and obsessions. From the blood and thunder Gothic horror of the opener, "Jerusalem's Lot" (a prequel to the novel Salem's Lot), to the pulpy, overheated, but terrifically entertaining horror of "Graveyard Shift" (about giant rats and exploited workers) and "The Mangler" (a truly ridiculous story about a killer laundry machine), to the forgettable but atmospheric prequel to The Stand, "Night Surf".

There are also a handful of truly original and masterfully told tales of terror and suspense. Like the disturbing "I Am The Doorway", about a man who may or may not be possessed by an alien force that just wants to kill for pleasure; "Strawberry Spring", about a man who violently kills college students in a fogbound campus; the Hitchcock Presents homage that is "The Ledge"; and "One For The Road", a terrifying and somber sequel to Salem's Lot.

But the standout is "The Last Rung on The Ladder", a heart-wrenching tale of innocence, love, and loss, about the toll time takes on the bond between a brother and a sister, and the vows they made to each other as children only to abandon them as adults. This story is a wonderfully written piece of literature, and, arguably, was the first indication that King had the ability to write masterfully in any genre, and so is a precursor to such beloved classics like the novellas "The Body" and "Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption", both featured in the collection Different Seasons.

So, if you find yourself disappointed with King's uneven output in the past two decades, travel back in time and pick up a copy of Night Shift. It features a number of duds, but it also has some stories that will chill your bones and warm your heart, and remind you that there once was a king named King.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

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Review: SALEM'S LOT (1995 BBC RADIO DRAMA) *** and 1\2 OUT OF *****

The BBC's attempt at dramatizing Stephen King's classic vampire novel Salem's Lot for radio, is a flawed but enjoyable affair. The actors playing Ben Mears and Mark Petrie are terribly miscast, delivering forgettable, monotonous performances, but the rest of the cast shines, especially Doug Bradley as the vampire master Barlow.

Writer Gregory Evans, who adapted the book for radio, pares the story down to its bare essentials, leaching it of almost all subtext, and so turning it into a simple horror story, but one that is compelling and occasionally thrilling, and which is marred only by uneven pacing. What makes the radio drama work, though, is its atmosphere, helped tremendously by the minimalist electronic score, and the clever intermingling of King's book with elements from Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Fans of King's work, the original novel, or the seminal 1979 TV adaptation, will surely find a lot to enjoy. Recommended.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2020.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer

Is Stephen King A Bad Writer?

There has been a tendency in the past decade, mostly by younger readers and writers, to over-analyze and criticize King's writing and argue that he's undeserving of his mega success. As a huge fan of King myself, and as someone who has read the majority of his works, I have a few things to say about this.

First, King, mainly due to his strong sales, has, almost singlehandedly, elevated the status of the horror genre in the past four decades from something akin to porn, to a genre that's on bestseller lists almost all the time alongside "literary fiction". That is an unquestionable fact. 

Second, King's massive and thriving popularity hangs mostly on his many popular, successful, and occasionally critically-acclaimed film adaptations. Who doesn't have fond memories of watching Salem's Lot (1979), The Shining (1980), or Silver Bullet (1985) on TV as a youngster, and getting the crap scared out of them?

Third, King's literary output has been of uneven quality in the past two decades, with novels like some of the Dark Tower books and the terrible Doctor Sleep valid proof of that. 

And, finally and most importantly, I think King is a brilliant writer when he wants to be. Books like Salem's Lot  (1975), The Shining (1977), Skeleton Crew (1985), Pet Semetary (1983), The Dark Tower VII (2004), and Duma Key (2008) are suspense/horror writing at its most stylish, flavorful, and compelling. Yes, King has a tendency to overwrite and overcook, but his voice and mastery of characterization are awe-inspiring. I have to admit that some of his recent work has been underwhelming. But I still keep up with every new release of his, and, every once in a while, I pick up one of his books and dive in, expecting magic. And, sometimes, I still find it, in spades. 

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2015