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I read this selection as I noted above and I am happy to engage in any group discussions.

I loved You Like it Darker. But then, I'm a big fan of Stephen King's writing because I find his character development and world building to be exemplary and realistic (apart from the supernatural, of course).

For authors who have been published for decades, their motivations over a lifetime will change. IMO, you can't compare King's books written when he was in his 30s with those written in his 50s or 70s. All of us have life experiences commensurate with different times in our lives, and with King in particular, he's gone through unique life experiences that most of us will not share. With that said, the recurring themes I felt run through many of these stories are (view spoiler)[questioning your place in life, regret, grief, and end of life. So it makes sense that these are themes King will think of as darker because really, being haunted by the loss of one or more children and beloved spouses, and your own mortality are dark and deep thoughts that can weigh heavy on our psyches and drive us to some really dark places. (hide spoiler)]

Very well said, Ruth! And you reflect my thoughts on the perceived darkness of these stories. In fact, I said just about the same thing in my review. :)

Ruth, that was very well expressed. I felt very much that King was centering on these issues. I too have been a fan of Stephen King going back to Carrie's publication in paperback. He has amassed such an impressive body of work. There are many of his books that I missed reading through the years. I will be reading Duma Key in the near future. Insofar as "You Like It Darker" there were stories I loved, and others that did not resonate with me on that same level.

About half done myself. I definitely agree on the open to interpretation use of dark here. Nothing has been scary. Surprising, yes and interesting, I've enjoyed most of the stories so far.

Finally going to start this.

Finished the first story, and it was classic SK storytelling. Really liked it until the end, where I got confused. Things didn't seem to be explained/wrapped up so well. Also, typical of classic SK.

“Two Talented Bastids��

(view spoiler)[At one point during this story, the narrator’s father, Laird, makes mention of the folklore surrounding legendary blues guitarist Robert Johnson and his crossroads meeting with the Devil. Laird and Butch don’t actually meet the Devil, but, as we eventually learn, they meet someone very like the Devil in terms of the impact the encounter has on the subsequent course of their lives. I didn't particular care for this “E.T.�� aspect of �����Բ�’s story, but I did find interesting the ���ܳٳ�ǰ�’s musings on the nature of artistic talent, a theme that crops up in a fair number of his tales. (hide spoiler)]

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“Weird Willie��

(view spoiler)[Competently written rehash of the ���ܳٳ�ǰ�’s 1984 story, “Gramma��. (hide spoiler)]

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“The Fifth Step��

(view spoiler)[A serial killer has joined AA and is working his way through the tweleve-step program. Once you understand that premise (and I figured out where this one was headed fairly quickly), there’s not much left to say. Well written, but not one I found particularly interesting. (hide spoiler)]

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Alan wrote: "Finished the first story, and it was classic SK storytelling. Really liked it until the end, where I got confused. Things didn't seem to be explained/wrapped up so well. Also, typical of classic SK."

That's exactly how I felt about it. Loved the flow, but the end wasn't "the best".

I'm on a book buying ban, but Everand came in clutch with the audiobook and I'm starting it now! 🥳

I just finished the first story 'Two Talented Bastids' and really enjoyed it. I've seen a lot of you and people elsewhere say this collection isn't scary, but it almost makes me wonder (based on some of the content in the first story) if "darker" - sad/bleak in this collection? I'll be interested to see if my theory holds up at all!

Finished "The Fifth Step" - seems innocuous enough, but you soon figure out what's going to happen, but keep reading all the same -
"Willie the Weirdo" - kind of a weird story, def not one of my faves, though the ending was classic.

Reading it now, can't say as I am a fan so far, not creepy or scary enough

I'm thinking the "Darker" theme (view spoiler)[ for the most part pertains to loss, and sorrow, more than horror here. (hide spoiler)]

Evil is unspectacular and always human, and shares our bed and eats at our own table. W.H. Auden

I’m currently reading You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen and the book opens with this Auden quote. When I saw it, I immediately thought of how fitting it is as part of the conversation we’ve been enjoying regarding different interpretations of whether or not �����Բ�’s book truly does cover themes and storylines a reader might consider as “dark.��

Ruth wrote: " Evil is unspectacular and always human, and shares our bed and eats at our own table. W.H. Auden

I’m currently reading You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen and the book opens with this Auden quot..."

Great quote to add here!!

Ruth wrote: " Evil is unspectacular and always human, and shares our bed and eats at our own table. W.H. Auden

I’m currently reading You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen and the book opens with this Auden quot..."
Ruth wrote: " Evil is unspectacular and always human, and shares our bed and eats at our own table. W.H. Auden

I’m currently reading You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen and the book opens with this Auden quot..."

The whole concept of what is considered "dark" is so interesting. This collection really made me think about it, and those small, sometimes personal nuances of fear for people in your life that you love are the biggest hit of dark for me.

The last story had me in tears when I put myself in the main character's shoes.

Finished "Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream." It had The Outsider" vibes to it. Likely to be one of the best in the book. However, it was too long, mostly because there was too much of detective's arithmomania. We get it, He doesn't need to spend whole pages rattling off numbers.

Just finished Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream, too. Really loved it after the kinda lackluster first three stories and I couldn't put it down. Nothing darker and more frustrating than people in a position of power out to get you and not believing in your innocence.

Finished -
"Finn" - kinda claustrophobic and different kind of story, but the ending was sorta meh
"On Slide Inn Road" - masterful storytelling/world building in a short time, but another weak ending
"Red Screen" - kind of like a short from an Outer Limits episode
"The Turbulence Expert" - sounded familiar and about halfway through realized it was from the Flight or Fright anthology, but a decent tale
Skipped "Laurie" because I know I read it when he gave it away free on his website
There stories were all over the place, and mostly engaging reads, but like many of his novels, the entry and body were great, but they just didn't stick the landing.

Finished last night. I think "Rattlesnakes" and "The Dreamers" were the best stories overall, though the former felt like a full-sized novel and I had trouble finishing it - just cause it felt like it would never end despite the fact that I liked it - and the latter could have gone on longer and still been great.
For all the complaints that the title said "Darker" but it wasn't scary, first off "Rattlesnakes" and "The Dreamers" certainly were classic scares, while other stories were more realistic scares, like being suspected of committing crimes when you were trying to be a good citizen. But darker �� scary, it equals bleak, sad, disturbing, the opposite of "feel good" and all the tales definitely met that criteria, save for maybe "The Turbulence Expert" though it still touched on some dark territory.
I don't think these were necessarily some of King's best stories, but for the most part they were still masterful storytelling.

Curious to read this on paper next time I do a re-read since I did the audiobook, great write up Alan, thank you for taking time for these breakdowns, I enjoy those so much and it's fun to compare.

Canavan wrote: "“Two Talented Bastids��

[spoilers removed]
I just finished reading that story. You have some good observations. Well said.

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Late start for me, and I'm reading several other books at the same time. However, this is the way I prefer to read short story collections. Read one, reflect. Read some other book. Come back to YOU LIKE IT DARKER in small doses. Read another story or more. Reflect, etc.

Interesting observations by all in this group. I've found that many of King's story collections are not just horror, but cover a lot of ground. Just finished "Two Talented Bastids" and admire how King pulls you into the heads of his characters so you can quickly empathize and even feel warm towards them. He's done it again. That is what I love most about King: his characters.

So far for YOU LIKE IT DARKER (only one story in): Not dark. Not horror. Science fiction works, or even fantasy for "Two Talented Bastids". Who needs labels?

I'm halfway through (6 stories down, 6 to go, I think) and I definitely feel that my initial impression was correct: King didn't mean "darker" as in scarier, but "darker" as in bleaker. There's a real sense of disillusion and an emotional weight to a lot of the contents of this collection so far and I love it, though I can definitely see why it hasn't been up to par for some readers!

destiny �� wrote: "I'm halfway through (6 stories down, 6 to go, I think) and I definitely feel that my initial impression was correct: King didn't mean "darker" as in scarier, but "darker" as in bleaker. There's a r..."
I tend to agree with your definition. I skipped to the Afterword to see if King explained what he meant, and he doesn't. All he says is that his stories often deal with dark matters. Also, he copped the title from a Leonard Cohen song he liked - - "You Want It Darker."

All of us seem to be grappling with the meaning of "darker" in this collection. I think we can all agree that "darker" is subjective, and will mean whatever we want it to. I agree with Destiny who calls it "bleaker" rather than "scarier".
However some of the stories so far don't seem "dark" in any definition I can think of. For fun, I'm going to rate my impression of the stories. They are either "Light" (not dark at all), "Dim" (tending towards darker/bleaker) and genuinely "Dark" - - in my subjective opinion of course.

I'm at Page 83 now, having finished the first three stories.
Here's my quick impression of them . . . . .
TWO TALENTED BASTIDS - - - A shared, life-changing experience. Light
THE FIFTH STEP - - - Park bench encounter. It was a light-hearted, warm story until it wasn't. . . . . Dim
WILLIE THE WERIDO - - - Misfits. Covid. Aging grandparents. . . . Dark

Michael wrote: "destiny �� wrote: "I'm halfway through (6 stories down, 6 to go, I think) and I definitely feel that my initial impression was correct: King didn't mean "darker" as in scarier, but "darker" as in bl..."

As soon as the title for this collection was announced, I thought about that song and have been wondering if it was a coincidence (and assuming probably not) - thank you for mentioning it! It's a good song.

Just finished the third story and it's the one I've liked best so far. The second one was interesting in the sense that Jack reminded me so much of our Jack Torrance, as if it were another, darker version of him (I know it's not Jack Torrance, it's just the "rubbing on the mouth" thing was a curious thing) as in, him being a murderer, probably a psychopath in disguise.

I just finished reading Laurie's story.
(view spoiler)[ Damn, I was so scared for the dog. Sad business that Don died that way but animals are a sensitive topic for me, so I was at the edge of my seat throughout the whole story waiting for something bad to happen to Laurie. (hide spoiler)]

Atteneri wrote: "I just finished reading Laurie's story.
[spoilers removed]"

Me, too!

Just finished the novella "Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream". Brilliant. I loved it. Truly a Five-Star story. King is still the master of story-telling and characterization. He's still got it. This is the evidence. DARK.

I have been unable to figure out how to insert my review directly into the discussion with a link. So, I will repost my two reviews for the main selections this month. Hope this is okay. I liked King's new story collection, and his novel "Misery" is nothing short of a classic, pure psychological horror.

I'm about halfway through and just finished Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream. This story was intense and I really liked it. We were trapped between rigidity, obsessiveness and a situation that challenges belief, mixed up with the power of perception and social influence. The fact that there were so many real life horror applications of this story made me appreciative of the supernatural aspects. Too dark!

I finished last night! I loved this collection - an easy 5 stars. From my review:

I enjoyed every story in this collection, with only one lesser favorite: 'Rattlesnakes' was a 3-star piece for me that dragged slightly. Otherwise, I gave each individual piece 4-5 stars, with a few standout favorites: 'Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream', which I've noticed seems to be a popular fan fave (and which genuinely disturbed me �� what a horrible position to be in!); 'Red Screen', which hit home as someone who has always been terrified of my loved ones being body-snatched or abruptly changed; 'Laurie', which yanked all of my heartstrings as a dog lover and totally made me cry; and 'The Dreamers', a cosmic horror piece that in turns nauseated and intrigued me.

Read FINN today. Off-beat, odd ball tale about an unlucky man and mistaken identity. I'm wondering what point King was trying to make with this one, as interesting as it certainly was. Love the punch line . . . . . DIM.

THE SLIDE INN ROAD: Dysfunctional family trip. Never underestimate the abilities of a grandpa. DARK.

Finished RED SCREEN, my least favorite story of the collection so far, but still well-written. Kind of a one-note short story, with a little twist at the end. Wife murderer blames it on aliens. LIGHT.

hello
I'm only on the first story - I've been checking the groups thoughts and enjoying them- but every comment is influencing my thinking and I'll have to stop - but excellent work everybody!

THE TURBULENCE EXPERT. Unusual premise, but interesting. Kind of a one-note story. May end up being my least favorite of the collection. LIGHT. There's really not much hint of that King touch. This story could have been written by anyone.
Observation: The shorter stories in here are not as strong as the longer pieces. I think maybe King needs a higher word count in order to do what he does best- - - rich characterization. Coincidentally or not, the longest story in here is novella length, DANNY COUGHLIN'S BAD DREAM, and remains my favorite of the bunch.

I really enjoyed LAURIE, but I'm a sucker for a good heart-warming dog story. . . . LIGHT.

"You Like It Darker" is a great collection of short stories/novellas, but I wouldn't consider many of them "Darker". I loved the sweetness" of "Laurie", about the relationship between a man and his dog. IMO, "The Answer Man" is the best of the group.

I posted a review earlier.

Finally finished this today! I thought there were some really good stories in here. Rattlesnakes was by far my favorite, but I also really enjoyed The Fifth Step, Willie the Weirdo, Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream, On Slide Inn Road, Laurie, and The Answer Man. Glad I joined in on this!

RATTLESNAKES is one of the better stories in this collection. Very creepy with squeamish moments. A solid Five Stars.
King pays homage to both DUMA KEY and CUJO within the novella, as readers learn what's happened to Donna after the St. Bernard attack - as related by the narrator of RATTLESNAKES, her former husband. . . . . . DARK.

THE DREAMERS is a nice departure from the rest of this collection, and dabbles in cosmic horror with Lovecraft elements. It was another favorite of mine. Four Stars, for sure, and . . . . DARK

THE ANSWER MAN is a clever premise, but the story itself with the history of the family far surpasses it. While there are uplifting moments, this is essentially a sad story that nearly brought me to tears. For that reason, I rate it . . . . . DIM.
This collection ended with a strong finish. Those last four stories were especially good.

Michael wrote: "I recently finished this and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then again, I've always been partial to Stephen King's short stories and novellas. Because everything is more focused and self-contained. There i..."
I agree! My two favorites and my least favorite are the same as yours.