#944 in our old book database. Not rated.

Four very good short stories.
The Langolier's: What happen's to today when it's over? A small group of traveller's finds out.
Secret Window, Secret Garden: While trying to prove his story was not plagiarized, a writer remembers a past event and feels guilty.
the Library Policeman: While borrowing books to help with a speech, a gentleman meets a strange librarian who threatens to send the Library Policeman. Why does that conjure up horrible memories.
The Sun Dog: A simple Polaroid camera causes fear in the great town of Castle Rock. No matter what you aim the camera at, the photo of a big mangy stray dog appears on the photograph.

I thoroughly enjoyed all 4 books. ( )

None of them memorable enough to remember them now, two weeks after finishing it.

I officially shocked myself with the dislike I experienced with these four stories. I remember really liking The Langoliers, and not minding Secret Garden, Secret Window. I had no memory of Library Policeman, and dimly remember thinking The Sun Dog was only okay.

This time around, quite frankly, I didn't like any of them. Maybe it was the mood I was in, I don't know, but I found all the dream sequences--a plot device that I absolutely despise--particularly frustrating, as every one of the four stories had at least one, and usually multiple sequences. I also found most of the characters, with the exception of Dirty Dave from Policemen and Kevin's father from Sun Dog.

I will say that each of the four stories had fantastic concepts, but, unfortunately, each one was buried under unsympathetic or stock King characters, interminable sidetracks, plot devices seemingly designed only to extend an already bloated story, and endings where the protagonist seems to pull the solution out of his ass. Solutions come from dreams, from dying girls, from gut feelings.

Each one of these stories are fantastic short stories of twenty-fifty pages or so, not the 200-page behemoths each one ended up being.

I'm so disappointed. I had been looking forward to this one. ( )

Classic Stephen King. Each creepy in their own way. ( )