book review the body stephen king

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[book review] the body by stephen king.

April 13, 2019       Erica Robyn       22 Comments

The Body by Stephen King is a wonderful tale about the rise and fall of the friendship between a group of boys over the course of one morbid adventure and the aftermath of that event.

This was another book that I read for the Spring Into Horror Readathon!

Let’s dive into my review!

My Thoughts on The Body by Stephen King –

If you don’t already know, this tale is about a group of four boys that walk the train tracks to go see a dead body that they heard about. They are determined to find the body and report it to the police and newspaper so they can have their fifteen minutes of fame.

However, things don’t go exactly as planned.

I think that this tale is just so wonderful. While it only covers the course of a few days, it was so interesting to see how much the boys grew up in that short amount time.

During their adventure, the boys were faced with various intense situations including a near-death experience, being chased by a vicious dog, dealing with ignorant adults, getting covered in leeches, passing out/helping a friend that had suddenly passed out, seeing a dead body, and firing a gun to protect one another.

Each of these situations played a role in boosting the boys emotional maturity. And while it deepened their friendships, it also made it impossible for them to ever be the same…

It was a little sad to see how they all slowly realized that their friendships would never be the same after this. But at least they had one last hurrah!

One of my favorite elements of this book was that Chris was such a good friend for Gordie. The scene while they’re walking and Chris levels with Gordie, telling him to pursue his skills for writing was so wonderful:

“I wish to fuck I was your father!” he said angrily. “You wouldn’t go around talking about taking those stupid shop courses if I was! It’s like God gave you something, all those stories you can make up, and He said: This is what we got for you, kid. Try not to lose it. But kids lose everything unless somebody looks out for them and if your folks are too fucked up to do it then maybe I ought to.”

My Favorite Passages from The Body –

We knew exactly who you were and exactly where we were going. It was grand.

The last thought broke the paralysis and I shot to my feet. I probably would have looked like a jack-in-the-box to anyone watching, but to myself I felt like a boy in underwater slow motion, shooting up through five feet of air or rather up through five hundred feet of water, moving slowly, moving with a dreadful languidness as the water parted grudgingly. But at last I did break the surface. I screamed: “TRAIN!”

My Final Thoughts on The Body –

I cannot believe it took me so long to read this book! Especially because I adore the film based on this book, Stand By Me. Now I need to go re-watch that!

I really enjoyed this book! Some of it is a bit outdated, especially with the language used. But it’s a perfect time capsule that captures the friendship between young boys at that time.

Thanks for reading! Have you read this book or watched the film adaptation yet? If so, what did you think?

Reader Interactions

April 13, 2019 at 10:32 am

I really enjoyed this book and I loved the film! I’m a big fan of Kiefer Sutherland and have always had a crush on him!

April 13, 2019 at 6:40 pm

April 13, 2019 at 10:51 am

Great review! This genre isn’t really my thing, but I hear great things about this author!

April 13, 2019 at 6:41 pm

April 13, 2019 at 9:57 pm

It sounds like Stephen King has managed to do it again with writing a great horror novel which had struggles for the characters to go through. But it sounds like you could really see how the events playing out affected the boys characters and relationship… which is really masterful writing!

April 14, 2019 at 8:12 am

For sure!! Oh my gosh, I loved this one so much! I always find it so interesting when some of his books kind of drag on, but I’m still totally invested in every thing that happens!

April 14, 2019 at 12:11 am

If there’s one thing King does well, it’s stories about boyhood camaraderie and friendships! This isn’t one I’ve read, but it’s on the list.

April 14, 2019 at 8:14 am

😀 I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when you get to it!

April 14, 2019 at 1:31 am

Sounds like there was some great character development! And as I was reading your review, I was like, “I feel like I’ve seen this as a movie a very long time ago,” so I’m glad you mentioned the movie lol.

April 14, 2019 at 8:15 am

😀 Yes! Stand By Me! I’m hoping to rewatch it today. My husband isn’t sure that he’s ever seen it, so I need to change that! 🙂

April 14, 2019 at 12:54 pm

I haven’t read this in ages. Great review, Erica!

April 14, 2019 at 12:59 pm

April 15, 2019 at 12:16 pm

I need to read this – I do love the movie Stand By Me.

April 16, 2019 at 4:32 pm

Yes!! It’s a wonderful read!! 🙂

April 15, 2019 at 1:13 pm

It’s been years since I read this and I really need to reread it one day. I remember loving it back then and of course, I think Stand By Me is one of the best King adaptations (although The Shining remains my fave even if it is a horrible adaptation). Glad you enjoyed it!

April 16, 2019 at 4:33 pm

😀 I really enjoyed The Shining film as well! Different, but still a great movie!

April 15, 2019 at 3:16 pm

I saw the silhouette image in the cover and thought that it reminded me of Stand By Me, not that I’ve actually seen the film but the train tracks photograph is iconic. I had no idea the film was based on a Stephen King book! I learn something new every day 🙂

April 17, 2019 at 6:23 pm

I have never read stephen King, and never seen stand By Me, both of which kind of amaze me lol, but this sounds wonderful. And I love that quote about writing. I think so many gifts/ talents go unused in life, and sounds like he’s talking directly about that. Very cool.

April 17, 2019 at 7:20 pm

April 22, 2019 at 9:30 pm

This is one of the few Stephen King books I haven’t read yet!

April 23, 2019 at 8:31 pm

I definitely recommend it! I loved it so much!

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Book Review: The Body by Stephen King

TW: Death, violence, missing child/ren, racial slurs My family watched Stand By Me countless times when I was younger, but it w...

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Review – The Body by Stephen King

Home » All Reviews » Review – The Body by Stephen King

Looking back on my childhood summers feels like gazing through a thin, glistening veil. The sheen washes away the less desirable moments–scrapes, tears, time-outs–and shows me an idyllic scene that, in retrospect, probably contains a portion of truth and a smidgen of selective memory. Step through the veil, and some of the negatives cascade into the memories. Local “big kids” lording their size over my small faction of friends. Minor disputes ending in a measly excuse for a fistfight. The fear of consequences should an adult find out about the tomfoolery we were up to. Stephen King’s  The Body  captures both sides of the veil with equal reverence. The novella recounts a childhood summer through the memories of one who experienced them, now a full-time writer. At once,  The Body  is a delightful and harrowing experience.

Gordie and his pals–Vern, Teddy, and Chris–spend their days playing cards in their treehouse and gallivanting around their northeastern US hometown. In the 60s, anything goes, and the boys often wander for a full day before returning home. When Vern catches his older brother recounting his discovery of a dead boy near the train tracks (and his reticence to report it because they found it after boosting a car), the foursome immediately formulates a plan to seek out the body some 30 miles from their homes. Once they get the logistics in place, the boys set out on their journey, bonding over shared experiences and generally enjoying a reckless childhood summer together in the sweltering September heat.

The Body  is (surprise!) barely about the eponymous deceased child, other than perhaps a symbolic reading about the death of childhood. Instead, the story recounts summer days spent in the company of young friends whose biggest worries are steering clear of the brash older kids and dodging parental punishment for their antics. In this way,  The Body  reminds me of the films  Now & Then  and  The Sandlot , the former of which is (hot take) far superior. King captures the magic of those summer adventures with prose that transports the reader to a simpler time.

“Simpler time,” of course, can also mean a less tolerant era. Readers will encounter racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs throughout, emblematic of the 1960s setting. An important note for those looking to read this story.

Where  The Body  really shines, outside of its prose, is in character. In the space of ~180 pages, King makes you care about these kids. Their excursion into the landscape surrounding their homes allows them space to breathe, and you learn so much about kids who should by all means just be allowed to enjoy a carefree, school-free stretch of summer. But life isn’t always kind and carefree, and Gordie’s cadre knows this all too well. They can be brash, dumb, and narrow-sighted as kids often are, but their pasts–even at a paltry 12 years old–paints a broader picture of abuse, neglect, and grief. Their search for the body, their trek across an active railroad bridge, their night spent in the wilderness–it all takes on new meaning when you understand each character’s story. This, for them, is family. And it’s ephemeral. Gordie tells of how they grow apart as life trudges forward, but he still holds the memories dear. For me,  The Body  reads as a commentary on the transience of friendships, and how a relationship that fades can still be transformational in its lasting impact. Sometimes people leave us, whether on purpose or over the natural course of life, and it’s okay to let them go.

Whether you like  The Body  will inevitably be a result of your own mindset and past. It isn’t a classic King horror. It’s a “the monsters are actually people” book. Or perhaps a “we make our own monsters” book. I loved it, both for the refreshing nod that the veil of childhood is a powerful thing, and for the reminder that endings can be as impactful as the stories that spark them.

Rating:  The Body   – 9.0/10

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Stephen King | 4.43 | 33,342 ratings and reviews

Ranked #28 in Teen Horror , Ranked #63 in Stephen King — see more rankings .

Rankings by Category

The Body is ranked in the following categories:

• #66 in King
• #64 in Learn English

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"The Body" Summary

By Stephen King

horror | 80 pages | Published in NaN

Estimated read time: 5 min read

One Sentence Summary

Four friends go on a journey to find the body of a missing boy in Stephen King's "The Body."

Table of Contents

Introduction, brief synopsis, main characters, chapter summaries, main events, themes and insights, reader's takeaway.

"The Body" by Stephen King is a compelling coming-of-age novel that follows the journey of four young boys as they embark on a life-changing adventure. Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, the story explores themes of friendship, loss of innocence, and the complexities of growing up. The book takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster, filled with poignant moments and riveting storytelling that captures the essence of youth.

Plot Overview

"The Body" is set in the late 1960s and revolves around four friends: Gordie Lachance, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio. The boys, all around the age of twelve, decide to embark on a journey to find the body of a missing boy named Ray Brower. As they venture into the woods, they encounter various challenges and obstacles that test their friendship and resilience.

The story unfolds in the small town of Castle Rock, Maine, a typical New England community with its share of secrets and mysteries. The town serves as the backdrop for the boys' adventure, providing a sense of familiarity and nostalgia as they navigate through its familiar streets and wooded areas.

The novel features several main characters, each bringing a unique perspective to the story.

Chapter 1: The Discovery

The story begins with the boys learning about the body of a missing boy in the nearby woods. This discovery sparks their curiosity, and they decide to embark on a journey to find the body.

Chapter 2: The Journey Begins

As the boys set out on their adventure, they encounter various challenges, including encounters with local bullies and the perils of navigating through the wilderness.

Chapter 3: Bonds of Friendship

Throughout their journey, the boys rely on each other for support and guidance, strengthening their bonds of friendship as they navigate through both physical and emotional obstacles.

Chapter 4: Facing Adversity

The boys face numerous challenges, including personal fears, conflicts with each other, and the harsh realities of their respective home lives, all of which test their resilience and determination.

Chapter 5: The Revelation

As the boys finally discover the body of Ray Brower, they are confronted with the harsh reality of death, forcing them to confront their own mortality and the fragility of life.

Chapter 6: Coming of Age

The experiences and revelations during their journey mark a significant turning point in the boys' lives, as they grapple with the loss of innocence and the complexities of growing up.

The novel is rich with significant events that shape the narrative and characters' development.

Friendship and Camaraderie

The novel explores the deep bonds of friendship and camaraderie among the boys, showcasing the power of companionship in the face of adversity.

Loss of Innocence

As the boys navigate through the challenges of their journey, they are forced to confront the loss of innocence and the harsh realities of the world around them, marking a significant milestone in their coming of age.

Resilience and Determination

Each boy demonstrates resilience and determination in the face of personal and external challenges, highlighting the strength of the human spirit in overcoming obstacles.

Family and Home Life

The boys' respective family and home life situations play a significant role in shaping their characters, providing insights into the complexities of familial relationships and their impact on youth.

"The Body" offers readers a poignant and nostalgic journey through the complexities of youth, friendship, and the bittersweet process of growing up. The novel resonates with themes of resilience, camaraderie, and the loss of innocence, providing a compelling narrative that tugs at the heartstrings of readers.

In conclusion, "The Body" by Stephen King captivates readers with its heartfelt storytelling and evocative exploration of youth and friendship. Through its memorable characters and poignant narrative, the novel leaves a lasting impression, reminding readers of the enduring power of camaraderie and the profound impact of coming of age.

The Body FAQ

What is 'the body' by stephen king about.

The Body, also known as Stand by Me, is a coming-of-age novella that follows four boys who set out on a journey to find the body of a missing boy. Along the way, they confront personal fears, experience growth, and form a deep bond.

Is 'The Body' by Stephen King a horror novel?

No, The Body is not a horror novel. It is more of a coming-of-age story that focuses on the experiences and emotions of the young protagonists as they navigate their way through adolescence.

What is the setting of 'The Body'?

The story is set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine during the 1960s. The boys' journey takes them through the countryside and small towns of rural Maine.

Is 'The Body' part of a series or connected to other Stephen King books?

The Body is not part of a series and is not directly connected to other Stephen King books. However, it is set in the same fictional universe as many of King's other works, such as 'Cujo' and 'Needful Things.'

What themes are explored in 'The Body'?

The novella explores themes of friendship, loss of innocence, the passage to adulthood, and the complexities of family dynamics. It also delves into the impact of trauma and the nostalgia of looking back on one's youth.

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52 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Before You Read

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-12

Chapters 13-24

Chapters 25-34

Character Analysis

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Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

The Body is a 1982 novella by Stephen King. It originally appeared in the collection Different Seasons and was adapted into the popular film Stand By Me in 1986. Set in the summer of 1960, The Body tells the story of four young boys who walk 20 miles to see a dead boy’s body near a river.

Plot Summary

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Gordon Lachance—who goes by Gordie as a child—narrates the story from an undetermined point in the future. A wealthy author, he uses stories to make sense of his past. He writes The Body to grapple with the events surrounding the death of Ray Brower, who was hit by a train.

As the story begins, Gordie’s friend Vern Tessio asks his him and two other friends, Teddy DuChamp and Chris Chambers , if they want to see a dead body near another town. Vern tells them that while he was hiding under his porch he overheard his older brother talking about the body’s location. Gordie, Teddy, and Chris think it sounds like an adventure, so they create a cover story of camping in a field by Vern’s house before setting out from their hometown, the mill town of Castle Rock, to see the body.

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As he describes their long walk to the body’s location, Gordon reveals that each of his friends comes from a family that is either abusive or dysfunctional. His own trauma stems from the loss of his older brother, Dennis, who died in a car accident in the Army. His grieving parents ignore him in the aftermath.

Finding the body is like completing a rite of passage because it forces them to confront death and mortality. While they stand next to the corpse, local hooligan Ace Merrill arrives with several of his hoodlum friends. The older boys want to report the body and take credit for the find. Chris makes them leave by pointing his father’s pistol at them. After Ace and his friends leave, the boys return to Castle Rock. No one knows they were missing, and the story never gets out. However, during the weeks that follow, Ace and his friends hurt each of them badly.

Gordie concludes the story by revealing that each of his friends dies young. Vern dies in a fire. Teddy is killed in a car crash. Chris is stabbed and killed while trying to separate two arguing men in an Oregon restaurant. Gordie writes The Body to process his feelings about the weekend when they searched for Ray’s body. As the story concludes, he questions the purpose of his own work and whether it makes sense for a person to grow wealthy by writing fiction. 

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Stephen King

Ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions, gordie lechance, chris chambers, teddy duchamp, vern tessio.

Billy Tessio

Charlie hogan, eyeball chambers, ace merrill, dennis lechance, norman duchamp, milo pressman, lard ass hogan, bill travis (bill traynor).

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Book Reviews and Tours by Rachel Read it

#castlerock #bookreview ‘the body’ by stephen king.

First published as a part of the novella collection, ‘Different Seasons’ ‘The Body’ is now available as a stand alone novella, published by Hodder Books, to celebrate the Ultimate Storyteller, Stephen King.

Adapted into the successful, and acclaimed movie, ‘Stand By Me’ , directed by Rob Reiner and available in the UK on Amazon Prime, this is a coming of age story unlike any other.

It’s 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truths of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of a future.

A timeless exploration of the loneliness and isolation of young adulthood, Stephen King’s  The Body  is an iconic, unforgettable, coming-of-age story.

Subtitled, ‘ Fall From Innocence’,  ‘The Body’ is almost 4 stories in one-Gordie LaChance’s life story, the tale of looking for the missing, believed dead, Ray Brower, and interspersed with these, are two of Gordie’s published works, ‘ Stud City’  and ‘ The Revenge Of Lard Arse Hogan.’

Gordie uses a first person narration, which puts you into his life story and creates intimacy right from the start. He talks about how the friends which you had as a 12 year old were the best you would ever have, the ones you could tell anything to.

It seems as though he holds the reader in the same company as his buddies, Vern, Teddy and Chris, and with that trust comes the responsibility of holding a space for the reader to be an active participant in his tale. I think that is also why he includes  Stud City  and  Lard Arse Hogan  to both establish his reliability, but also to show he kept his childhood promise to become a writer.

Stud City  is a very early published work, almost earnestly written and highly sexualised, and, as Gordie states, pretty sexist and in need of polishing. It is also influenced by his older brother, Denny, who died whilst on basic training. Since then, in an echo of Bill Denbrough’s parents in  It,  Gordie’s wander around the house like ghosts,barely aware they have another son who needs them to be responsible for him.

Lard Arse Hogan  is the ultimate act of revenge by an overweight, bullied boy, attacked by children and adults alike for his size. It is told as a camp fire story by a 12 year old Gordie who has tired of telling the same old war stories of  Le Dio ,  wants to switch things up a gear. Lard Arse Hogan uses a pie eating contest to maximum effect (I won’t spoil how) and it is emblematic of what each child would do , if they could, to the tormentors of their lives. Chris would stand up to his father and older brother, Vern would stand up to the bullies who pick on him because he has fat and not too bright, Gordie would scream his parents into being conscious, responsible adults. And Teddy? Poor, beaten and abused Teddy would either leave, so he is no longer tarred by his father’s post war psychosis, or push his father to be a proper parent. All their responsible adults, including police, doctors, and teachers, are letting these boys down and so, it is no surprise, that they easily fool them into believing they are sleeping at each other’s houses.

And so, bags packed, off they go, to find and retrieve the body of Ray Brower, the subject of an overheard conversation by Vern’s older brother and his friends. They want to matter , for once, they want to do something big and it isn’t known when they leave, but it is the last time all 4 will be together.

There are several stand out scenes, including cutting through Milo Pressman’s junk yard (guarded by Castle Rock’s second meanest dog, Chopper, who would take poll position after ‘Cujo’ ), running across the railway bridge being chased by a train, getting covered with leeches, and a plethora of intimate details the likes of which mean so much to small boys.

And then, there is the body. None of them were prepared, or could be prepared for what they have found. It has them challenging their sense of mortality as they come face to face with a boy, their age, who will never enjoy any of the things which these 4 have done, ever again.

I won’t spoil what happens next, for anyone who has not read this, or seen  Stand By Me,  suffice it to say that this summer , this time, is unique and not to be repeated. Their friendship is such that all 4 of them being in the one adventure leads them to make a stand. Individually they can be bullied, beaten, ignored, but together, they create a force and a truth which needs to be listened to.

It is a moving, incredibly brave tale of 4 boys, told by one of them with the skill of a wonderful writer who creates such vivid images, and conversations that sound so much like the banter that young boys have. Their creative cursing, flawless ‘logic’, lack of sense of danger, all of it leads to the point where Ray becomes the focal point for their rude awakening to their potential to die.

I absolutely love this story, there is so much to enjoy, aside from the fact it is set in Castle Rock, and adds more layers of mythos to this town. It is nostalgic, yet never whimsical, forthright, and truthful , all of which makes for a timeless classic. Superb.

Links to other King works-

Pg 2- Teddy’s Uncle makes an appearance in  Skeleton Crew  story, ‘Nona’ , as does Vern Tessio, and Ace Merrill

Pg 10-Chamberlain is the town where ‘Carrie’ is mainly set.

Pg 15- Highway Patrol and Dragnet  were the favourite tv shows of one Ben Hanscom, who is one of the protagonists in ‘It’

Pg 29 -Gates Falls is the setting for Night Short  story,  Graveyard Shift

Pg 38-The appearance of a little boy, dressed in a yellow raincoat, playing in puddles, reminds me of Georgie Denbrough from  ‘It’

Pg 101- Mention of Jerusalem’s Lot, the titular town of ‘Salem’s Lot’ and Night Shift short stories,  Jerusalem’s Lot  and  One For The Road.

Pg 112-George Gamache, possibly a relative of the unfortunate Homer Gamache, from ‘The Dark Half’ , also set in Castle Rock

Pg 151-Vince Desjardins, possible relative of the gym teacher in ‘Carrie ‘, Rita Desjardins

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The Body Audio CD – Unabridged, January 8, 2009

• Language English
• Publisher Penguin Audio
• Publication date January 8, 2009
• Dimensions 5.5 x 0.75 x 6 inches
• ISBN-10 0143143921
• ISBN-13 978-0143143925
• See all details

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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Audio; Unabridged edition (January 8, 2009)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0143143921
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143143925
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.4 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.75 x 6 inches

About the authors

Stephen king.

Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His first crime thriller featuring Bill Hodges, MR MERCEDES, won the Edgar Award for best novel and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Both MR MERCEDES and END OF WATCH received the Goodreads Choice Award for the Best Mystery and Thriller of 2014 and 2016 respectively.

King co-wrote the bestselling novel Sleeping Beauties with his son Owen King, and many of King's books have been turned into celebrated films and television series including The Shawshank Redemption, Gerald's Game and It.

King was the recipient of America's prestigious 2014 National Medal of Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American Letters. In 2007 he also won the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He lives with his wife Tabitha King in Maine.

Robin Waterfield

Robin Anthony Herschel Waterfield (born 1952) is a British classical scholar, translator, editor, and writer of children's fiction. Waterfield was born in 1952, and studied Classics at Manchester University, where he achieved a first class degree in 1974. He went on to research ancient Greek philosophy at King's College, Cambridge until 1978, after which he became a lecturer at Newcastle University and then St Andrews University. He later became a copy-editor and later a commissioning editor for Penguin Books. He is now a self-employed writer, living in southern Greece, where he has Greek citizenship.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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Stephen King's Book Is Already Getting Rave Reviews

Stephen King's new book, You Like It Darker , has proven to be a smash hit in only a matter of days.

The critically acclaimed author is known for novels such as The Shining , It, and Carrie , which have all been turned into major motion pictures. King is no stranger to publishing short stories, with his new release delving "into the darker part of life."

You Like It Darker— released May 21—is a collection of 12 short stories, with "Rattlesnakes," reintroducing readers to Vic Trenton, the father of Tad, the boy who was killed by the rabid dog in King's hit 1981 book Cujo . "The Answer Man" is a short story that has taken King 45 years to write. The first few pages were written when the critically acclaimed author was 30. After long forgetting about the pages he wrote, it was rediscovered by his nephew, leading to King eventually finishing it when he was 75.

Some of the other stories included are "Two Talented Bastids," "The Fifth Step," "Willie the Weirdo," "Red Screen," "The Turbulence Expert," and "The Dreamers."

Even though the collection hasn't been available for long, it has already received a variety of rave reviews from readers. Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for King for comment on Friday.

On Amazon , the book only has 5-star ratings so far, with it being the #1 bestseller in the "Occult Horror" category at the time of writing.

"I feel this is vintage Stephen King . I have read every book he has ever written , and while he has a number of superb full-length books. I feel he is the absolute master of the short story great book highly recommended," one of the reviews reads.

Another reviewer said they "highly recommended to all Constant Readers, and newcomers alike."

It's not only on Amazon where the collection of stories is receiving excellent reviews from readers. On Goodreads , it sits at 4.34 out of 5 with over 230 ratings and 58 reviews.

The majority of reviewers, 56 percent, have given the book 5 stars.

"Stephen King is the absolute master of writing. I couldn't put it down. The writing is magic. I am immediately transported to wherever Mr. King leads me. I was captivated from the first paragraph. Stephen King does not disappoint," one person wrote.

"Always love Stephen King's collections of short stories and this one is great too! Interesting, thought-provoking and dark. My favorites were The Answer Man, Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream, Two Talented Bastids and Rattlesnakes, now you go read this book and find your favorites!" said another.

At the time of writing it had 5 1-star ratings, with the only written review being from someone who hasn't even read it. "If fans can rate it 5 stars without having even read the thing I can give it 1," the person posted.

However, a person who gave the book a 2-star rating wrote: "His worse [sic] collection of shorts IMO [in my opinion]. Rattlesnakes was good but I think that was mostly due to the constant Cujo references. Sadly, I found the rest of these stories forgettable."

Often referred to as the "King of Horror," King has authored numerous bestselling novels, short stories, and novellas that have captivated readers worldwide.

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Stephen King Heaps Praise on New Netflix Sci-Fi Series: 'Sprawling, Thought-Provoking, Immersive'

Stephen King hails the new Netflix science fiction adaptation as "awe-inspiring."

• Netflix's 3 Body Problem earns praise from sci-fi legend Stephen King for its thought-provoking, chilling storytelling and star-studded cast.
• The series sits at a modest 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with some critics pointing out flaws like a slow build-up.
• Fans hope for Netflix to renew 3 Body Problem for multiple seasons to complete the adaptation of the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy.

To have a series praised by audiences and critics is one thing, but for a sci-fi series to be praised by Stephen King (an icon of speculative fiction) is something else entirely. Netflix's 3 Body Problem , a series adaptation of Liu Cixin's science-fiction novel, has recently received such acclaim. The time-jumping series follows the fallout of one fateful decision in 1960s China, which threatens the entire world in 2024. The series was co-created by Game of Thrones showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss , as well as Alexander Woo ( True Blood ), and features a star-studded cast (featuring some GOT ex-alumni), including, Liam Cunningham, Jovan Adepo, Eiza González, Jess Hong, Benedict Wong, Alex Sharp, Marlo Kelly, Jonathan Pryce, Rosalind Chao, and John Bradley.

6 Key 3 Body Problem Book Characters Cut From the Series

Stephen King took to his immensely popular X/Twitter account to share his thoughts about Netflix's latest sci-fi epic, hailing it as "extraordinary." In the post, King wrote:

"THE 3 BODY PROBLEM (Netflix): Extraordinary science fiction series--sprawling, thought-provoking, immersive. The scenes of "first contact" are chilling and awe-inspiring."

Will 3 Body Problem Get a Second Season?

3 body problem.

While Stephen King thought 3 Body Problem was a hit, the series has yet to be officially renewed for a second season, and its future prospects are uncertain. Many critics and audiences agreed with King's description, and wrote similar reviews about Netflix's time-jumping science-fiction series. However, its critical reception was far from perfect. 3 Body Problem sits at a modest 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 84 out of 106 critics giving the show a 'Fresh' rating. However, even among those positive reviews, the critics did acknowledge the show's flaws. MovieWeb's own review pointed out how the show's "slow build-up" drags the story out before it becomes fully exciting halfway through the season.

The series also failed to dominate Netflix's Top 10 chart in the way the streamer had hoped. While it raced to the top spot upon release, it was quickly dethroned by Testament: The Story of Moses , a docudrama about the biblical figure. However, 3 Body Problem was still popular enough with audiences to bounce back to the No. 1 spot.

Fans are hoping that Netflix will renew the series for a second and third (and potentially a fourth) season, in order to complete the adaptation of the Remembrance of Earth's Past book trilogy. In an interview with Collider , David Benioff and D.B. Weiss discussed how many seasons they would need to complete their version of Liu Cixin's trilogy. The pair said:

"There are three books. The first season roughly follows the arc of the first book, and the second season would probably roughly follow the second book. The third book is massive. It's twice as long, I think, as the other two books, so maybe that's one season, maybe it's two. But I think we'd need at least three, maybe four seasons to tell the whole story."

3 Body Problem is available to stream on Netflix.

Stephen King Explains Why One Of His New Short Stories Took Him Nearly A Half-Century To Finish

Plus an update about The Monkey.

If you consider yourself one of Stephen King ’s Constant Readers, I surely don’t have to tell you why this week is special. One has to go all the way back to 1976 to find a calendar year without the release of a single King book, and his 2024 tome just arrived in stores everywhere on Tuesday. Whether you like hardcovers, eBooks or audiobooks, the new collection You Like It Darker is now available for your immediate consumption.

Appropriately, this week’s edition of The King Beat is in large part a celebration of the new omnibus – but that’s not all. Fans will also be excited to learn the latest news about director Osgood Perkins’ upcoming adaptation The Monkey and acquire some wisdom via advice from the King of Horror. Let’s dig in!

“The Answer Man” Is A Brand New Short Story In Stephen King’s Latest Collection, But He First Started Writing It In The 1970s

Given the scale of Stephen King’s body of work in the last 50 years, it might be hard to believe that the man ever writes anything that hits a creative dead end and doesn’t get finished… but that’s perhaps forgetting that King is human. His most brilliant stories have a tendency to become best-selling novels, but like any writer, he pursues some ideas that don’t develop properly and ultimately peter out. Most of these aborted projects end up being filed away and forgotten – but “The Answer Man,” a new tale featured in You Like It Darker , is an exception, as it was dead and lost for decades before being recently resurrected and completed.

Promoting his newest collection, Stephen King recently spoke with NPR ’s Mary Louise Kelly, and their conversation began with a discussion of “The Answer Man,” which is the twelfth and final story in the new book. In the afterword of You Like It Darker , King notes that he started it when it was 30 and finished it was 75, and he explained in the interview why it took so long to get done:

Well, I lost it. What happens with me is I will write stories and they usually get done, and they don't always get done. And the ones that don't get done go in a drawer, and I forget all about them. And about five years ago, these people started to collect all the stuff that was finished and all this stuff that was unfinished and put it in an archive.

According to King, the collection process for the archive dug into just about every nook and cranny of his work space – “desk drawers, wastebaskets underneath the desk, every place” – and it was during this sweep that John Leonard, the author’s nephew found six pages of a story called “The Answer Man.” Leonard shared his interest in the work with King, and the latter discovered some fresh inspiration”

My nephew John Leonard found this particular story, which was written in the U.N. Plaza Hotel back in the '70s, I think. And he said, ‘You know, this is pretty good. You really ought to finish this.’ And I read it and I said, "You know, I think I know how to finish it now.’ So I did. And I don’t think I ever decided it was a bad story. I just left that particular hotel and forgot about it.

It should be noted that “The Answer Man” isn’t unique within the Stephen King canon as a resurrected story. For example, he originally wrote 75 pages of what would become Under The Dome in the mid-1970s, but that manuscript was lost, and he brought the idea back with new ideas 30 years later. Similarly, he first conceptualized 11.22.63 in 1972 , but the trauma of the John F. Kennedy assassination was too fresh in his mind, and he didn’t have the ability to take on the amount of research required for the book due to his employment as a full-time teacher.

What does make “The Answer Man” special, however, is that Stephen King found himself communicating with himself in the past while writing it, or as he puts it in the afterword, “calling into a canyon of time and listening for the echo to come back.” Playing out in three acts, the story follows a young man who is out driving and contemplating his career as a lawyer – deciding whether to join his parents’ established firm in Boston or carve out his own path. Amid this contemplation, he sees a man sitting at a table on the side of the road under an umbrella, and he is offered a deal: pay $25 and have three of his most pressing questions answered. But does anyone really want firm answers about their own future?

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King explained in the NPR interview that finishing “The Answer Man” was in part an exercise in communicating with his 30-year-old self, saying,

When I was a young man, I had a young man's ideas about The Answer Man, and I could see the course of this story. But now, as a man who has reached, let us say, a certain age, I'm forced to write from experience and just an idea of what it might be like to be an old man. So yeah, it felt to me like yelling and then waiting for the echo to come back all these years later.

It really says something about Stephen King as a writer that a long-forgotten idea from a half-century ago can be brought back and crafted into a gem.

The Monkey Has Landed A Distribution Deal At The Cannes Market And Is Planning A 2025 Release

Two weeks ago, I noted here in The King Beat that Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk was launching sales at the Cannes Film Market, and while we sadly haven’t heard any update about that project yet, the event has produced good news for another upcoming Stephen King adaptation – namely Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey . It was previously reported in March that the new movie based on the short story of the same name had secretly completed production , and it was revealed this past week that the project has been picked up for domestic distribution by Neon.

Deadline provided the scoop on The Monkey this past Saturday, noting that Neon only acquired the project following a “a multi-buyer tug of war” and that the deal is in the “high seven figures.” As previously reported, the movie stars Theo James as a pair of identical twin brothers who are forced to reunite when they discover that a sinister toy from their childhood – a cursed cymbal-banging monkey that seems to cause death whenever it turns on – has resurfaced and needs to be destroyed forever. The short story on which it is based is featured in the 1985 collection Skeleton Crew , and the film co-stars Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy.

Neon seems like it’s probably a good fit for The Monkey given that the distributor is all set to release Osgood Perkins’ next film, Longlegs , this July. That being said, the unfortunate part of this news is that Neon apparently doesn’t want to release two of Perkins’ movies in the same calendar year. Per the trade report, a theatrical release is being planned for 2025.

Because of this distribution strategy, it may be a minute before we actually get a trailer for The Monkey – but we’ll hopefully hear more about the project very soon.

Stephen King Shares Some Wonderful Advice In Esquire’s What I’ve Learned Interview Series

Stephen King is a font of great advice – and not just for aspiring writers. The man has lived an extraordinary life, full of incredible success and battled demons, and he’s admirable for not just his talent but also his dedication to his family and charity. The man knows quite a lot, and this week, he shared some of his knowledge as part of Esquire ’s “What I’ve Learned” interview series.

The piece touches on a lot of different topics, including fame, reading reviews, and marriage – but, as you would expect, the number one subject is writing. There is some terrific advice for those in the profession of putting words on a page, such as this message about self-importance:

You can’t think of writing as an adult pursuit or anything that’s important. That’s a good way to turn into a gasbag and start to think that you’re really fucking important. You’re not. You just do your work.

Stephen King also explains the importance of having a dedicated work ethic and why it’s important to keep pegging away every day. If you slow down, your perspective on what you’re working on is apt to change – or as he puts it,

I have to work every day because I have to keep it fresh. If you take a few days off, it all starts to look kind of tacky—like an old campaign poster that’s running in the rain.

Of course, failure happens. When it does, you have to be comfortable moving on:

It doesn’t always work. I’ve got stories that just ram up against a brick wall. They’re in my right desk drawer. I don’t look in there.

Admittedly, that last bit of advice is funny given the aforementioned development of “The Answer Man.” Perhaps he should do a bit more digging in that drawer once in a while.

Recommendation Of The Week: “Two Talented Bastids”

I decided not to get too fancy with my Recommendation Of The Week for this edition of The King Beat. If you pick up a copy of You Like It Darker and flip past the title page and the dedications, the first story you’ll find is the tale “Two Talented Bastids” Makes sense to start at the start, right?

The story is told from the perspective of a middle-aged man named Mark Carmody, who has spent the majority of his life aware of a certain mystery surrounding his father, Laird Carmody, a famous author, and Laird’s best friend, Dave “Butch” LaVerdiere, a beloved artist. What makes Laird and Dave so strange is that they both came from humble beginnings and didn’t find success in their respective fields until reaching middle age. It’s only after Laird’s death that Mark starts to uncover the truth – which begins with the contents of a manila envelope in a locked desk drawer.

That wraps up this week’s edition of The King Beat, but be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend next Thursday for my latest column. Meanwhile, you can learn about the full history of Stephen King’s stories in film and television with my series Adapting Stephen King .

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.

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