Six Scary Storiesselected and introduced by Stephen KingNumber 1 bestselling horror author Stephen King introduces and presents six gripping and chilling stories in this captivating anthology!Stephen King discovered these stories when he judged a competition run by Hodder & Stoughton and the Guardian to celebrate publication of his own collection The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. He was so impressed … Dreams. He was so impressed with the entries that he recommended they be published together in one book, which Cemetery Dance Publications and Hodder & Stoughton are pleased to report has become a reality. The six stories are:
WILD SWIMMING by Elodie Harper
EAU-DE-ERIC by Manuela Saragosa
THE SPOTS by Paul Bassett Davies
THE UNPICKING by Michael Button
LA MORT DE L’AMANT by Stuart Johnstone
THE BEAR TRAP by Neil Hudson
Reader beware: the stories will make you think twice before cuddling up to your old soft toy, dipping your toe into the water or counting the spots on a leopard…
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I am a fan of King, but these stories don’t hold a candle to his work.
More morbid and dark than actually scary. No need to read with the lights on like I had originally planned! The title mislead me, but the cover art, that I’m assuming is for the opening short story “Wild Swimming” is not only gorgeous but extremely fitting- that’s what drew me to this book, that and Stephen King’s stamp of approval.
“Wild Swimming” by Elodie Harper was my second favorite short in this anthology. I loved the style and anticipation it created. I also thought the ending was clever. This was a fun read for me. I’ll definitely be checking out her gothic thriller, set in a Norfolk prison, “The Binding Song”.
“Eau-De-Eric” was definitely the one I am identifying as morbid and personally, my favorite. The way scent can trigger memories and things such as PTSD was eerily spot on and crafted in a brilliant manner. Including children along with these aspects always makes for that extra freaky factor. I love stories that are so close to real life they walk the lines of reality. —”Eau De Eric” by Manuela Saragosa does just that.
“The Spots” by Paul Bassett Davies, honestly went right over my head. I just didn’t connect with it, but feel Mr. King did because of the political undertones. Idk, if I wasn’t smart enough to understand this one or maybe I’m just not the right audience.
“The Unpicking” by Michael Button really reminded me of the strange put-back-together doll from the movie: Toy Story. In this short, toys come alive, humans are involved and things get dark. I liked the beginning of this story more than the end. I really liked the title tie-in, the wording of the rest of the story is what I had a little trouble keeping clear. This one was alright for me.
“La Mort De L’amant” by Stuart Johnstone was interesting. I love stories that make a reader anticipate and think, but dislike easy saved by the bell situations. This one feels like there is a part two, or leaves the reader wanting more? You’ll have to see for yourself.
“The Bear Trap” by Neil Hudson had some qualities that I treasured and others that I thought didn’t really work. The overall plot was good, some of the other aspects were just meh. Gotta love some crazy, or is the character an underlying genius? I guess it depends on the reader’s perspective.
Three of these stories dealt with stuffed animals, which I find pretty funny. As a child, I FEARED any type of stuffed or plastic Chuckie dolls. Stuffed teddy bears may not be all that scary, but children whispering ritualistically or sadistically gives them an entirely new quality, maybe one you should fear. While these are not King’s own works, I do see why he has put his stamp of approval upon this set of authors. I think each one of them has shown their inspiration and love for Stephen King in their own way, even if just a glimmer.
There were great stories! So original and I can understand why Stephen King thought they should all be published together. Each is so unique and wonderful to read.
Six quick and scary stories – all of them good
This group of tales began as a crowd-sourced promotional contest to celebrate the launch of Stephen King’s The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.
800 entrants, winnowed down to the six best, and Stephen King picked the winner.
What does this mean? It means there are six diverse tales, and all of them are good.
In no particular order – because again they are all good –
Wild Swimming
This was the one that Stephen King picked as the winner – and you can see why. It sets an atmospheric tone – a tale told through a series of emails, with a unique premise.
You can tell that the premise holds danger, even though the main character can not, but still – the premise is unique.
Eau-de-Eric
This one was apparently thematically related to Dolores Claiborne, due to its themes of a strained relationship between a mother and a daughter.
Great tale – not a lot of fun due to its gravitas, but great tale.
The Spots
This is what you get when you bring in tales from 800 people. This one is the most unique, and quite possibly the most unique I’ve read in some time.
Is it scary? Only when you think about it.
The Unpicking
A nasty little premise seen all the way through. It is fortunate that this is a short story – whoo great tale but glad it ends quickly.
La Mort De L’Amant
Cliches form the basis of this tale – and perhaps unsurprisingly, that deliberate style of writing leads to a remarkably uncliched short story.
The Bear Trap
This one isn’t fun, and hits all the marks like a tale like this should – but it also ends this collection in the way that it should.
In short, this collection is worth your time
It’s great, and it’s brief – you can read it in a night. Every tale is great, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a bit of horror in a book.
Be warned though – these are horror tales, and each one delivers something that might leave you shaken.
But great book! I recommend it!