Night Shift contains a number of short stories by
Stephen King. First published in 1978 it was nominated for the best collection
for the Locus and the World Fantasy Award’s. ‘Night Shift’ was the first book
written by King which included a foreword, he uses an informal and humorous
style- where he also humbly introduces himself and his horror themed stories.
Jerusalem’s Lot
Previously unpublished, the first novella in ‘Night Shift’
was an unread and unseen text. Set in Maine the story begins on the 2nd
of October 1850, when Charles writes a number of letters to his friend Bones.
The novella continues like this throughout, with journal and diary extracts
from a close friend, Calvin and from a late ancestor- Robert Boone.
King launches into the story using the setting of an old and
worn house- left by its previous inhabitants to collect dust. The clichéd
beginning which uses the description of the house to set the theme of a horror
story is expected… however what follows is not…
Once Charles and Calvin have moved into the house, they
begin to realise what they assume to be rats moving about in the basement and
behind the walls may be something more scary and sinister…
When Calvin finds Robert Boone’s diary, it gives the pair an
insight into the village of Jerusalem’s Lot…however at a price. The book that Robert
purchased for his brother, Phillip back in 1789, was also the day that Phillip
and the entire village of Jerusalem disappeared. Will this book titled ‘De
Vermis Mysteriss’ help Charles discover his ancestor’s secret?
And will the horror end as Charles remains the last in his
bloodline?
Rating 4* - It is no wonder King is a best-selling author-
‘Jerusalem’s Lot’ is an unexpected chilling suspense story.
When Calvin discovers the map of a ghost town, Charles finds
out more about his past history than he is expects. King really keeps the plot
moving from scene to scene, the uncertainty of what lies in the unknown makes
his writing even more spectacular.
The ‘Graveyard Shift’ was first published in 1970, in an
issue of Cavalier magazine. In 1990 it was also adapted into a film of the same
name.
A young worker named Hall lives in a small town in Maine. He
is recruited by his boss to assist with a cleaning job over the 4th
of July weekend. Happy for the overtime Hall agrees to help his boss alongside
his other workers.
The basement of the old mill has been abandoned for decades
and is infested with a large colony of rats. Cut off from the rest of nature
these rats are no ordinary colony, they are large, armoured and albino coloured.
The bizarre creatures have evolved with bat-like features in pterodactyl sizes!
They can climb the walls and burrow through the ground… and one by one worker’s
begin to get bitten…
However- Hall and his fellow workers have not seen anything
until they discover a cow sized queen rat lurking below the basement…
Rating 3* - This bizarre tale by Stephen King is totally
unexpected! Many of his more popular titles follow similar cliqued horror
plots- however King’s short stories take on a different twist! The ‘Graveyard
Shift’ suggests something spookier than an invested basement of rats… and King
never fails to disappoint!
Night Surf
First published in the spring of 1969, ‘Night Surf’ is a
post-apocalyptic short story. It first appeared in an issue of Ubris magazine
later published and heavily revised in ‘Night Shift’.
Warning: Includes
spoilers!
The brief story follows a group of teens who have survived a
deadly virus called ‘A6’, which has wiped out the entire population of the
world. The teenagers prove that they have disturbing natures, as they reiterate
a story of the group burning a man alive. They then believe this is the
sacrifice that has given them protection against the virus.
The main character- Bernie, reflects on his life- including
memories of a previous girlfriend he had taken to the very same beach.
Will the teenagers survive? Are they in fact immune from A6?
Rating 2*- Slightly more of a let-down in comparison to the
previous short stories in ‘Night Shift’. This piece is one of the considerably
shorter stories in King’s book- it keeps the reading guessing. You do not quite
realise it is a post-apocalyptic style story until King reveals it! You can
really appreciate Stephen’s style of writing in this novel- even though it is
not one of his better pieces.
I Am the Doorway
First published in March 1971 in an issue of Cavalier
magazine- the story follows an ex-astronaut’s experience of extra-terrestrial possession
which occurs after his trip to Venus.
He begins the story with his hands in bandages whilst he
tells his friend, Richard, of a boy who is buried nearby. He complains of a
terrible itch that his hands started with once he had returned from space-
however he refuses to show anyone.
His hands open a doorway that allows the extra-terrestrial
presence to take over his body- which he is adamant killed and buried the boy.
Can the ex-astronaut close the doorway between the worlds?
Rating 4* - After reading the previous stories this space
tale ticks all of boxes! King really delivers his stories on the last
lines...where he flips the ending and leaves you thinking about what will
happen next?!
The Mangler
First published in December 1972 in the cavalier magazine
and then later joined the rest of the previous stories in ‘Night Shift’.
‘The Mangler’ is set in an American town; at the beginning
of this novel we are introduced to an industrial laundrette- where we meet the
Mangler. The police follow a series of gruesome deaths caused by an industrial
laundry press machine that devours workers.
Will Detective Hunton get to the bottom of the mystery?
Rating 4* - Weirdly exciting! Although this has a strange
plot it is well worth a read, King’s short stories are a hit! They are engaging
and farfetched which makes his genre so exhilarating!
