Skeleton Crew [NOOK Book]

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Overview

In this brilliant collection of stories, Stephen King takes readers down paths that only he could imagine...A supermarket becomes the place where humanity makes its last stand against destruction...a trip to the attic becomes a journey to hell...a woman driver finds a scary shortcut to paradise...an idyllic lake harbors a bottomless evil...and a desert island is the scene of the most terrifying struggle for survival ever waged.

... See more details below

Overview

In this brilliant collection of stories, Stephen King takes readers down paths that only he could imagine...A supermarket becomes the place where humanity makes its last stand against destruction...a trip to the attic becomes a journey to hell...a woman driver finds a scary shortcut to paradise...an idyllic lake harbors a bottomless evil...and a desert island is the scene of the most terrifying struggle for survival ever waged.

Editorial Reviews

Susan Bolotin
Skeleton Crew, a fat collection of short fiction and two forgettable poems, as indiscriminate in its assemblage as its author can be with words, shows off Mr. King's virtues and failings. . . . Mr. King is a real talent: his scary tales are fun to read and, I would argue, accurate gauges of our deepest nightmares.
New York Times
Publishers Weekly
This hefty sampler of King's shorter works, from all stages of the horror master's career, demonstrates the range of his abilities. Some of the stories here rank among his best, and ``even the less successful ones are fun.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781101138106
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Publication date: 6/3/1986
  • Sold by: Penguin Group
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 576
  • Sales rank: 18,251
  • File size: 597 KB

Meet the Author

Stephen King
Stephen King

Stephen King, the world's bestselling novelist, was educated at the University of Maine at Orono. He lives with his wife, the novelist Tabitha King, and their children in Bangor, Maine.

Biography

Fiction powerhouse Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947. As a student at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, became active in political causes, and met his wife, the former Tabitha Spruce. In the early years of his marriage, King augmented his meager teacher's salary by selling short stories to men's magazines. Then, in 1973 he hit pay dirt: his novel Carrie was accepted for publication, and a major paperback deal provided the means for him to leave teaching and concentrate full-time on writing. Since then, the prolific author has never looked back.

Dubbed the Master of the Macabre for his domination of the horror genre, King has also written bestselling thrillers, mysteries, fantasies, novellas, and short stories, many of which have been turned into blockbuster films and miniseries (A partial list includes Carrie, The Shining, The Stand,, Misery, It, The Shawshank Redemption, The Langoliers, Stand by Me, and The Green Mile). He also has two works of nonfiction to his credit: a gorgeously crafted memoir/scribbler's how-to (On Writing) and Faithful, a chronicle of the Boston Red Sox' stellar 2004 season, cowritten with Stewart O'Nan. In 2003, he received the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

In between books, the indefatigable King performs in the Rock Bottom Remainders, a rock band that includes among its rotating personnel fellow authors Dave Barry and Amy Tan; attends as many Boston Red Sox games as is humanly possible; and contributes with his wife, Tabitha, to many local and national charities.

Good To Know

Don't believe everything you read about Stephen King. Among the gossip circulating about the scribe is the rumor that he is going blind. King assures his fans that while he is genetically predisposed to a disease called macular degeneration, which could result in blindness, he is not actually going blind.

King is probably one of the most easily recognizable authors alive, and it's not just because of his string of bestsellers. King has appeared in a number of films based on his work, including Pet Semetary, Thinner, and The Stand.

If you've ever wondered why Stephen King has written several books under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, there is actually a very simple explanation: King is so prolific that he felt it necessary to create an alter-ego so that he could publish more than one book a year. The name was a hastily hobbled together combination of writer Richard Stark (ironically, a pseudonym for Donald Westlake) and Randy Bachman of rock group Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

    1. Also Known As:
      Richard Bachman
      Stephen A. King
      Stephen Edwin King
    2. Hometown:
      Bangor, Maine
    1. Date of Birth:
      September 21, 1947
    2. Place of Birth:
      Portland, Maine
    1. Education:
      B.S., University of Maine at Orono, 1970
    2. Website:

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 116 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(47)

4 Star

(36)

3 Star

(21)

2 Star

(5)

1 Star

(7)

Your Rating:

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 116 Customer Reviews
  • Anonymous

    Posted August 15, 2007

    Selections...

    Skeleton Crew is the latest book I have read from Stephen King. I usually don't like to read short stories because most of the ones I've read were bad. This suprised me though. There were several stories that I thouht were really good and some that I didn't. Some of the stories didn't feel like they were written by King, but by someone else. Not that they were bad. They just weren't as weird and as intertaning as his others. Overall, this is a book worth buying. My favorite stories are 'The Mist', which is like a short novel, about people getting trap in a grocery store by a mist that is full of creatures that kill anyone who leaves the store. 'The Monkey' is about a man that has this windup toy monkey that kills people when it is on. 'The Raft' is about four college students that get trap on a raft out in a lake that has a murderous blob in it. The other stories were good too, but those were the ones I liked the most. I will be looking forward to reading Kings other short story collections.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 9, 2007

    This book is the epitome of imagination.

    Rarely do I read everything a short story collection has to offer. I normally prefer a good-sized novel, reserving a short story or two for the in-between times when I can't decide which novel I'd like to read next. I approached Skeleton Crew in this manner. I skipped ahead (ignoring many fine stories in the process), read the story Gramma, and placed the book back on my shelf. The next day at work, however, I couldn't get the story out of my head. It was maddening, but in a good way. I decided to give a few more of the stories a chance. I soon devoured The Jaunt, The Monkey, Uncle Otto's Truck, and The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet. They all had Gramma's staying power, and Skeleton Crew became somewhat of an addiction. I decided to read every story, and I spaced them out one per day (excluding The Mist, which is of novella length). Once I'd finished them all, I found just how imaginative Stephen King can be in short bursts, and how valuable and overlooked a meduim the short story is. They're the literary equivalent of a television show. Both can be experienced in one sitting, but the short story won't rot your brain or fatten your posterior. And although some people seem to harbor nothing but disrespect for Stephen King, he really is a good writer with a great imagination. Skeleton Crew is one of his best offerings.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Skeleton Crew, Short Stories/Collections

    Coming soon.

    1 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 27, 2005

    Wow...

    I've been reading SK since 4th grade. The Jaunt was simply brilliant. 'Gramma' is the only story of his in 26 years that I cannot read again....purely horrifying. Just remembering it gives me the shivers...but I suppose that's the point? Ayuh.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 21, 2012

    First of 2012

    I love all of king's work. The mist however, may be my favorite one of all time.

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  • Posted January 14, 2011

    totally amazing

    i love the stephen king novels! this one especially has you on the edge of your seat

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 10, 2008

    I Also Recommend:

    skeleton crew

    It was a very good book.You have to read some of the short stories very closely otherwise it gets confusing.my favoritse were were: the mist,the monkey,mrs todds short cut,the raft,word processor of the gods ,survivor type,uncle ottos truck,and the ballad of the flexible bullet.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 13, 2008

    Skeleton Crew

    Great book, i loved the short stories, and the poem paranoid is one of my faveorites.

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 10, 2008

    Great Short Stories!!

    This is my favorite collection of short stories by Stephen King!! I have read it several times. My favorite story is 'The Mist', which I always thought would make a great movie, and it did!! You won't be disappointed.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 26, 2006

    Awesome

    This was awesome. Pure perfection of the horror short story. My favorites had to be 'The Mist,' 'The Monkey,' and 'Gramma.' Amazing stuff. And deliciously frightening.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 8, 2003

    Your #1 Fan

    Skeleton Crew is absolutely the best of the short story series. The Mist is my favorite and unforgettable. Every time I see a mist or fog, I think of this short story. The Jaunt is so clever, Beachworld is sci-fi, The Raft is chilling, there are too many great short stories in this collection to mention, yet each and every one brings something different to the table. This is a must read for anybody who is into sci-fi, (The Mist) or horror, (The Raft).

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 5, 2002

    skeleton crew is great

    the mist is the best story in this book... there are alot of other good ones too.. i cant wait til the movie comes out....

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 6, 2001

    Steven RULES!!!

    This book was amazing. My favorite story was The Mist. It was so awsome and left me with so meny questions about where the mist in the book came from and what will happen. The ending just left me wanting more! and I just can't get enough of Steven Kings books!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 22, 2001

    THE MIST=GREAT SUSPENSE

    Of the many short stories in this collection, 'The Mist' is by far the best. I first found this book after discovering that 'The Mist' took place in Naples, Maine-my favorite camping spot. My family spends two weeks up there every year, just relaxing on beautiful Long Lake. A family friend told me that Stephen King lived on the lake while he was younger and wrote a story about it. Upon returning home, I immediately went to the local library and searched through all of Kings' novels until I found 'Skeleton Crew.' I read 'The Mist' that night, and was scared out of my wits. The story includes so many real life places in the Lakes Region, it was incredible. If anyone has spent time up there, please drop me a line via email. For those who haven't, 'Skeleton Crew' is a great book, although slow at times, it is sure to give you the chills. Get SOME

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 24, 2001

    Plenty of meat on these bones.

    My very first stroll down horror lane with Stephen King was his book Skeleton Crew, a collection of creepy short stories I would strongly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good scare. These short horror stories were written earlier in King's career, offering much to his army of fans. You can tell that he was still a hungry writer and was able to hook you early and reel you into his dark imagination. King will take you to ghoulish places and will go straight for your jugular with such stories as 'Survivor Type' about a man who is stranded on a remote island and has to resort to eating parts of his own body in order to keep from starving to death. Join a band of people who are holed up inside a supermarket while a mysterious fog swirls outside where strange creatures are lurking in 'The Mist'. Ride along with some teens to a remote lake which is off limits for a cool refreshing swim - and then learn to scream when the creature in 'The Raft' comes for you. Witness death each time 'The Monkey' claps his cymbols together. Or try one of my favorites, 'Word Processor of the Gods' where a man who is unhappy with his life gets a new beginning with a djinie-like computer. Find out why a young boy fears staying home with his 'Gramma' and learn true horror. These stories will entertain and quench your thirst for things that go bumb in the night. There were only a few (ones I didn't mention) which were weak. Ever since reading this collection, I was craving more Stephen king and was soon buying his books. I think Skeleton Crew was a good way to break my way into the world of King. Some of his short stories are far better than some of his full-length novels - no kidding. Check this book out and you'll be hooked on King, if you aren't already. I read it back in 1987 and am a devoted fan.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 6, 2000

    This book isn't too bad.

    I'm a 15 year old freshman. I love stephen king. i don't get much time to read book with basketball and baseball and football and track, but when i do get time, i love to read. only stephen king books though. i rate skeleton's crew at a 3 because i have read almost every stephen king book put in front of me, and i just didn't think skeleton's crew was up to king's usual standard. it would be ok for an old geizer, but not a high school athlete, or a high schooler at all, in my opinion. you need to read gerald's game! that is truelly a great book!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 21, 2000

    The Tales of the Insane.WONDEFUL!!!!

    I have recently finshed this book.I must say that i am an avid reader of King and he never lets me down.In all the other books by him that i have had the pleasure of reading,he has given somewhat a sense of reality but in this book,i must say that he went way beyond my configurations and surpassed m imagination.His insanity is what keeps me sane.I highly recommend this to all that like to get lost in the world of the unknown!!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 11, 2000

    Stephen Sinks

    This book takes forever to read but overall a good book. The stories are still filled with suspense and horror.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2000

    This book was dumb

    I thought this book was going to be good. I was wrong. I have loved all the other Stephen King book I have read, and this was a let down. The stories were dumb. I didn't even finish the book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 12, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 116 Customer Reviews

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