Stephen King continues to be prolific. King was hit by a car and seriously injured in June of 1999 and many thought he was down for the count. After each novel that he has put out people still say, “I thought Stephen King retired.” If anything, King has ramped up his writing putting out sometimes two novels in one year.
Original Short Stories by Stephen King
One thing that has been missing from Kings recent writings is a short stories collection. This gap has now been filled with King’s newest collection called Just After Sunset. For years King didn’t even write a short story.
After a stint as guest editor for the Best American Short Stories, the fire had been lit. King says he “got excited all over again, and I started writing stories in the old way. I had hoped for that, but hardly dared believe it would happen.” So did he still have what it takes?
Just After Sunset Tackles the Afterlife
There is no surprise that Stephen King writes a wee bit about life after death. Just After Sunset does have some stories that have the afterlife as a theme. The first story, “Willa” introduces us to a group that had an unexpected stop while riding the train. No bogeymen here, just a nice, slow ease into death the sudden realization of what happened.
“The Things They Left Behind” is about a man who was supposed to be in the World Trade Center on September 11. He keeps stumbling across items from his late coworkers, items that were in the building and were lost. “Ayana” is a little girl who gives the gift of life and the story of one man she touched.
Just After Sunset Tackles the Evil of Men
Unfortunately some things men are able to do are scarier than any otherworldly story. King plumbs the depths of men’s souls and sees what darkness lies there. It’s not a pretty picture.
“The Gingerbread Girl” is running as fast as she can for her life. After taking up running to cope with the death of her baby, a crazed lunatic tries to hunt her down. In “Mute” a man tells a hitchhiker he assumes is deaf his heartbreaking story. What the supposed deaf man does shocks the driver. King puts a man in “A Very Tight Place” when a psycho tries to use a porta-potty as a coffin. It makes the reader wonder who King hangs out with to come up with this stuff.
King of Short Stories
Stephen King proves he is still on top of his game with Just After Sunset. He is able to craft a short story as well as any novel. With each story the reader is drawn into Kings world. It might not always be a comfortable place, but it is exciting. At least we can always come home.
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