Stephen King: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

I really enjoyed this collection. It was interesting to compare to Neil Gaiman. While both had the essential element for a successful and engaging short story (a fascinating germ of an idea) their styles are very different. Gaiman is much more concise, pungent, often poetic whereas King is more discursive - but then he often uses a character as the narrator which Gaiman does less often.

Like any collection though this is a mixed bag - although I am in great admiration of King’s fecundity of imagination. At the worst the stories are so-so (although always worth finishing ).Mile 81, the opener was a ‘Christine’ re-working, but the following were the ones a I enjoyed most.

Batman and Robin Have an Altercation: Nicely touching - and a reminder that King can do this very well. Title suggests what it might be (which could have been marvellous) but it is not in fact - but not to its detriment

The Dune: Great idea - and a classic final line.

Bad Little Kid: Nasty (in a good way).

Ur: Good idea nicely developed

Under the Weather: Effectively slow build with grim undercurrent

Summer Thunder: Not an original idea (the end of the world) but poignantly and powerfully done as focus on individuals

But the one I most enjoyed was Drunken Fireworks which is completely atypical King. Its essentially an anecdote but very well and engagingly fleshed out and with a lovely warm and happy feeling about it. No-one dies either!

So, great summer reading.