First, a confession…I took some time off from reading in the second half of December, 2024. That was probably the longest break I’ve taken from reading since Army basic training in 1980, and was very out of character for me. Reading is my safe place, my security blanket, the way I center myself. As a rule, not reading for me is like not breathing.

But December found me overwhelmed by a combination of things—mostly family and work obligations, and the coming hellscape of the next four years. I felt out of sorts, even hopeless, and for once reading did not give me solace.

Something had to be done. As the new year dawned I turned to an author I first discovered when I was 14 and have happily read ever since, an author who has rarely disappointed me.

It worked. You Like It Darker by Stephen King sucked me in from the first story, and by the end I was already looking forward to the next book I would read with enthusiasm. As dark as these stories are—and they are, the title doesn’t lie—they gave me hope back.

I realize this isn’t much of a book review so far, so…You Like It Darker is a vintage Stephen King short story collection, immensely satisfying. The stories are a nice mix of short, sharp shots to the solar plexus and longer, more involved tales. There’s something for everyone here, and your mileage may differ, but these are my favorites:

Two Talented Bastids: Starts the collection out on a high note, with the tale of two elderly, talented artists, and the secret way they both got that way.

The Fifth Step: A short, nasty little piece of work. Felt a little Joe Lansdaleish to me, which is high praise.

Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream: The first of the three longest stories in the collection, and quite simply one of the best things King has written. When Danny Coughlin has a possibly psychic dream, he tries to do the right thing, and as the saying goes, the road to hell…

Rattlesnakes: Another long story, the centerpiece of the volume, is a masterful and sometimes chilling meditation on grief. It’s also a sequel of sorts to Cujo.

On Slide Inn Road: A family on a collision course with bad men, and what they’re willing to do to survive.

The Answer Man: This long story closes out the collection, and makes it clear that King is still working at the height of his powers. The life story of one man, and three encounters that change the course of that life. Or do they?

Those are my favorites, but you may have completely different ones. Like I said, there’s something here for everyone. It’s been said plenty of times before, but King is a national treasure.

To end on a personal note: Thanks, Mr. King, for giving me the joy of reading back. I missed it.