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The book “You Like It Darker” by Stephen King was published in May 2024. I wanted to buy this book this summer but decided to read “Night Shift” first. My motivation increased when I found out that to earn the final badge for this year’s reading challenge on Goodreads, you must read one of the books from the given list. “You Like It Darker” is one of them. I read the book in English.

“You Like It Darker” is a collection of stories that differs from other collections of stories by Stephen King. The style is slightly different, the vocabulary is less sophisticated, and some stories in the book “You Like It Darker” are much less dynamic. 

Stephen King touches upon some topics that might trigger you. For example, aliens, the pandemic, and politics.

In addition, some stories and novellas do not have clear beginnings and endings, which I liked very much.

Many endings are not predictable. I’ve only predicted one ending in the story “The Fifth Step.” That’s it. Maybe you’ll be able to predict more. 

There are 502 pages and 12 stories.

1. “Two Talented Bastids”

(previously unpublished, novella)

One day the main character finds out that his father and father’s friend became famous after saving an alien’s life.

• Goosebumps factor: 1/5
• My rating: 3/5

2. “The Fifth Step”

(first published in the March 2020 issue of Harper’s Magazine, short story)

The main character is a guy, who is in AA and wants to confess his sins to a stranger in Central Park, New York.

• Goosebumps factor: 1/5
• My rating: 4/5

3. “Willie the Weirdo”

(McSweeney’s 66, Spring 2022, short story)

It is about a family with a weird kid, who likes to watch how insects and not only insects die. The ending is expected.

• Goosebumps factor: 2/5 (some moments were unpleasant to read).
• My rating: 2/5

4. “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream“

(previously unpublished, novella)

I didn’t finish reading this story because it was scary and too realistic. 

5. “Finn”

(first published in Finn e-book, 2022, short story)

Finn always had bad luck. One day, he collides with a man who is similarly dressed. The next minute, he is shoved into a van. He wakes up in a cell where he is tortured to give away secret information. Finn tries to prove his capturers got the wrong guy.

• Goosebumps factor: 2/5
• My rating: 2/5

6. “On Slide Inn Road”

(first published in the October/November 2020 issue of Esquire, short story)

This story is about a family who is driving to see their relative with cancer. Suddenly, they have a flat tire and see men who have killed a woman.

• Goosebumps factor: 2/5
• My rating: 2/5

7. “Red Screen”

(first published in Red Screen e-book (2021), short story)

It is about people who killed their loved ones because aliens possessed them. The phone’s screen becomes red for a second, indicating that a person is possessed.

• Goosebumps factor: 3/5 (I found the story a bit creepy.)
• My rating: 4/5

8. “The Turbulence Expert”

(first published in “Flight or Fright” (2018), short story)

The story is about a turbulence expert on a plane who tries to recruit another turbulence expert. But there is no way out of this job.

I felt like this story resonates with the story “Quitters Inc.” from the book “Night Shift.”

• Goosebumps factor: 1/5
• My rating: 5/5

9. “Laurie”

(first published stephenking.com (2018), short story)

Lloyd, a grieving retiree, bonds with a puppy named Laurie, which helps improve his health. While walking with Laurie, he discovers an alligator that has killed his neighbor and narrowly escapes an attack by the alligator. The gate warden later reveals the alligator was guarding eggs, leaving Lloyd to reflect on life’s unpredictability.

• Goosebumps factor: 1/5
• My rating: 2/5

10. “Rattlesnakes”

(previously unpublished, novella)

I didn’t finish this story as I found it too scary to read.

11. “The Dreamers“

(previously unpublished, novella)

A Vietnam veteran finds a job helping a professor conduct a research study where the subjects take some drugs and fall asleep.

• Goosebumps factor: 2/5
• My rating: 3/5

12. “The Answer Man”

(previously unpublished, novel)

“The Answer Man” is a person who can answer all your questions.

In 1937, Phil Parker comes across the mysterious “Answer Man,” who predicts his future, including marriage, a thriving law practice, and survival in World War II. Over the years, Phil experiences personal and professional success, but also tragic losses, including the death of his son and wife. Much later, Phil comes across the Answer Man, seeking closure about life and the afterlife before passing away in 1995.

• Goosebumps factor: 1/5
• My rating: 4/5

Conclusion

Overall, it was a good read. It is interesting to observe how Stephen King’s writing is changing. Stephen King is 77 years old, and I continue to be amazed by his imagination and ability to still find ideas and create plots to write about.

By the way, there is a presale for his new book “Never Flinch”, which will be released on May 27, 2025.

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