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Arrives
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At a glance
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Dimensions
- 6.12 x 1.5 x 9.25 in
- Weight
- 2.31 lb
- Publisher
- Scribner
- Publication date
- May 21, 2024
- Edition
- 1st Edition, 1st Printing
- Language
- English
Description
NAMED A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW TOP 10 HORROR BOOK OF 2024 WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR HORROR FINALIST FOR THE 2025 LOCUS AWARDS “Stephen King knows You Like It Darker and obliges with sensational new tales” (USA TODAY): From legendary storyteller and master of short fiction Stephen King, an extraordinary collection of stories that are “a master class in tension and full of King’s dark humor” (The New York Times Book Review)—now with a bonus story, “The Music Room.” “You like it darker? Fine, so do I,” writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the darker part of life—both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. King writes to feel “the exhilaration of leaving ordinary day-to-day life behind,” and in You Like It Darker, readers will feel that exhilaration too, again and again. “Two Talented Bastids” explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. In “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” a brief and unprecedented psychic flash upends dozens of lives, Danny’s most catastrophically. In “Rattlesnakes,” a sequel to Cujo, a grieving widower travels to Florida for respite and instead receives an unexpected inheritance—with major strings attached. In “The Dreamers,” a taciturn Vietnam vet answers a job ad and learns that there are some corners of the universe best left unexplored. “The Answer Man” asks if prescience is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful. “King’s skills as a storyteller remain undimmed” (The Minnesota Star Tribune) and his ability to surprise, amaze, and bring us both terror and solace is unsurpassed. “The titular darkness promised is as riveting and all- consuming as ever” (New York magazine). You like it darker? You got it. Read more
Specs 9
| Publisher | Scribner |
|---|---|
| Publication date | May 21, 2024 |
| Edition | 1st Edition, 1st Printing |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 512 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1668037718 |
| ISBN-13 | 13 |
| Item Weight | 2.31 pounds |
| Dimensions | 6.12 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches |
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Top Amazon Reviews
A superb collection of a dozen stories, including some that are quite exquisite!
Format: Kindle
Most non-fans of Mr. King think of him as a horror writer (usually thinking of gore - which he does very well), and are unaware he gave the world The Green Mile, (Rita Hayworth and) The Shawshank Redemption, Dolores Claiborne, and (The Body) Stand By Me. When I was a bookstore owner, I used those as a comeback to the countless customers who told me they did not like King's writing. In this set of stories "Two Talented Bastids" is wonderful literature masquerading as a bit of SciFi. I wish I were very wealthy so I could buy movie rights to this one, as that would be an excellent investment. I'm sure many "friends of Bill" will not like what Mr. King has done for the 12 Steps in "The Fifth Step," but I found it to be an extremely funny look at an idea. The main character here is going to have real problems when it comes to making amends, though. "Willie the Wierdo" actually is a horror story, but it is also close to Jacob's hundred-plus year old classic "The Monkey's Paw". "Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream" is another I would love to have enough money to invest in the movie/TV rights. It is going to be an excellent production. I could see exactly the right actors for the cast all the way through it. It is also the second story here that felt to me like exquisite writing. The story "Finn" reminds me very much of a Faustian idea I once had for writing a book, but I never got around to writing it. Thank you, Mr. King for doing the hard work for me. There is no horror or supernatural in "On Slide Inn Road". It is just a very good, very tight action short story that is very satisfying. Mr. King gives a nod to O'Connor, so I guess I'll have to try reading some. "Red Screen" is a brief glimpse into a world and some characters that you know how things are going to be, but you want it to go on anyway to find out how right or wrong you are. I have to say "The Turbulence Expert" is one that just did not impress me all that much. It was an interesting idea, and I liked the characters, but it just did not take me anywhere. "Laurie" is a nice story that moves a little slowly, but that's ok because it doesn't seem to have anywhere that it wants to go. It just introduces you to some diverse characters that are very much like people in your neighborhood and family. There is a bit of excitement, but no horror or supernatural to it. "Rattlesnakes" is another that will be a good production, either movie or TV. Again I would be willing to invest in the rights for it. It comes with a tip of the hat to John D. McDonald, who is another writer whose every work I read voraciously. This one does drift into the world of supernatural and good versus evil, but not as heavily as some of Mr. King's gargantuan novels. It brings back a character from Cujo in a setting close-by Duma Key, but you don't need to have read either of those to enjoy it (to be honest, I did not recall the character actually making an appearance in Cujo). The TV/movie script will be enormously bolstered by the very real, likable ancillary characters that work throughout this novella. "The Dreamers" was an interesting idea, but for whatever reason it did not do it for me. I really liked, and felt for the narrator, but the story left me flat. I did not grasp Mr. King's reference to Cormac McCarthy, whose beautiful prose in horrific, sometimes painful to read stories, I love. The advice to performing artists is to "Always leave 'em wanting more." And Mr. King certainly does that with "The Answer Man" as the finale for this publication. As a better reviewer remarked this story "reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful." At the conclusion of this beautifully written piece, you definitely want more while at the same time it gives a great feeling of satisfaction. And that is good writing!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2024 by A Constant Reader
You Like It Darker
Format: Hardcover
Ya’ll know my love for Stephen King and the anticipation I feel for each new release. I’m on pins and needles each time I know a new one is on the way. This one, however, I looked forward to more than most. Again, HUGE Stephen King here, so you know I’ve read everything he’s published, so when I heard that a sort-of sequel to Cujo was in this book, I about wet my pants. Of course, it wasn’t the first story in the book (dammit), but the stories that came before it were good enough that I don’t resent him (much). Two Talented Bastids This was a thoroughly enjoyable short story that included all the necessary elements of a story and didn’t make me dream up with half of it on my own. I loved the main character, and he genuinely seemed like a decent guy who seemed deserving of the “gift” he had been given. My favorite quote from the book came out of this story. On page 48, the visitor, while explaining what with cause the end of humanity on Earth, says, “When intelligence outraces emotional stability, it’s always just a matter of time.” It made me think. The Fifth Step King isn’t known for sappy, happy endings, so I knew he was building up to something with this story. However, when we got to that something, my jaw hit the floor. It was completely shocking and I loved it. Willie The Weirdo This one was decidedly odd, and definitely my least favorite in this book. It felt like it was there as a filler, like stock footage at the beginning of a TV show. Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream This was the most involved story in this book, and I almost feel like it should have been a stand-alone novel. The build-up of anticipation was amazing and propelled this story like a torpedo. Danny was another genuinely likeable character that I wanted desperately to be exonerated, possibly even hailed a hero. With Jalbert, who was CLEARLY painted to be similar to another well-known literary villain, King blurred the lines between good and evil. While I wish that King had gone a little deeper with the connection between Danny’s dream and Catholicism, the story was really entertaining. Finn I didn’t love this one, it felt like another filler to me. On Slid Inn Road I loved this one. I was on the edge of my feet from start to finish with this story. I appreciated the hero, and I loved that the “evil” in this one was human rather than any other type of entity. King does a great job with the supernatural or the monsters, I find real monsters to be the scariest. Red Screen This is another great example of why I don’t like short stories. It was a great premise, but it left so much to the imagination, I was just irritated. The Turbulence Expert I take notes while I read so that I’m able to refer to them when I sit down to write a review, rather than having to flip through pages. My notes for this story were short and simple: “Didn’t love this one. Again, left me hanging.” While I agree with my initial assessment, I have changed my mind about whether or not I loved this one. When I think back to this book, and especially when I have had discussions about it, THIS is the story that sticks out most in my memory. It’s such an odd little story, yet something about it just stuck with me. I wish there was more, but that’s the gripe I have with most short stories. I wanted to know how this guy got the job…why does that job even exist? I had so many questions! While this one did indeed leave me on a ledge, for me, it was the most memorable in this book. Laurie This is a great example of a “man vs nature” storyline with a lovely build-up to the climax. I felt like the dog was going to be a bigger player, but alas, the dog was just a bit-player in the story. Regardless, it was satisfying. Rattlesnakes FINALLY, I got to the Cujo follow-up. I read the entire book (worth it) to get to this one. Wanting to know what happened with Donna after the end of Cujo was so overwhelming, that when I finally uncovered the full story, it was a bit of a let-down. I’m glad they were able to work out the trauma that led to their initial separation, but Donna’s end felt like an injustice to the character. The story itself held some similarities with Laurie, except this one was a ghost story. It was sufficiently creepy, and I did appreciate the references King made about his former works, but as a whole, I was a tad disappointed (see what I did there…). There were two other stories in this book, but I have zero memory of them and it seemed I didn’t even deem them worthy of notes. Yes, it’s still getting five stars, despite my not loving every story in this book, because I ones I did love carried the entire thing enough for me. Plus, it’s Stephen King…and ya’ll know how I feel about Stephen King.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2024 by Kristen Claiborn
Great Stories- Wish King would stop talking about Covid in his books
Format: Hardcover
Overall, I really liked most of the short stories in this book. They are classic Stephen King- always gnawing at something unpleasant that's under the surface. With some of these short stories, that unpleasantness is a typical monster/ghost/ghoul, in other cases the biggest antagonist is sometimes is the character themselves- in terms of their personality or flaws that get in the way of their story. Before going into the individual stories- one thing that has bothered me about the last few Stephen King books is the fact that he continues to bring up Covid. In several stories within this book, Covid comes up and plays some role in the story, sometimes minor, sometimes just mentioned and nothing more. I wish that King would stop doing this. I read Stephen King to escape from the horrors of real-life, and I really would prefer to move on from that two years of my life- and not have to read about it within the short stories/novels that I read, especially from King. My favorite short story within this book really wasn't scary at all- Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream. In this story, a man dreams of finding a dead body- then ventures out and finds it exactly where it was in his dream. He then finds himself in a situation where he's struggling to prove that he isn't the killer- as his dream starts to derail his whole life. This was an excellent story- kinda in the genre of King's true-crime novels. It's one of the longest stories within this book- but it was a very quick read because I couldn't put it down. Another favorite was Rattlesnakes- which is typical King horror. You'll meet a character that connects with a novel from King's early years- and that alone added a lot to the story line. The only thing that I didn't like abou this one was the whole Covid thing that came up a few times. The Answer Man was the final story- and it was also enjoyable. Not scary at all- but interesting and engaging nonetheless. As a bonus, King talks about that short story a bit in his afterword. If you are a King fan, this won't disappoint. I've struggled with a few of his short story collections- losing interest or putting it down for a few weeks between readings. Not this one- it keeps your interest and you really are able to connect with the characters. It's worth a read.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2024 by Luther
Yup, he's still got it!
Format: Kindle
My relationship with Stephen King books has become rather complex over the years. Having read more of his works than most any other author, I tend to hold him, rightly or wrongly, to a different standard than I would those others. Thus, stories that would easily net a four or five-star rating if penned by another might only warrant three or four in my estimation, given all the other top-notch examples I have to compare them against at this point. Is that fair? Maybe. Maybe not but for me, that's the honest truth of the situation. Consequently, when I first started reading "You Like It Darker" shortly after its release in 2024, I was immediately put off by the first story, "Two Talented Bastards," which, again, if written by most other authors, I would have been genuinely impressed by, but that struck me as a rather middling effort as Stephen King tales go. Fortunately, I did eventually circle back around to give the rest of the book a try and enjoyed most of the other stories quite a bit more. There are several strong entries that I'd put right up there with King's best efforts from the past, such as "Willy the Weirdo," "Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream," "Finn," "On Slide Inn Road," "Rattlesnakes," "The Dreamers," and "The Answer Man." I also quite enjoyed the little bonus story "The Music Room," which was originally published in Playboy back in 2016, and would have liked to see it go on longer as it had one of the stronger hooks but it was also fun to ponder all the details of it that are otherwise left to a reader's imagination. All things considered, "You Like It Darker" ended up being a worthwhile and largely-satisfying read for me. There were some elements I didn't love but I found much more to enjoy. I'm giving this one a 4.5, rounded up so as not to underrate it.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2025 by Michael Shotter
Good stories.
Format: Hardcover
Good reads.
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2026 by Orlando Berlanga
Amazing collection, "The Answer Man" stands out above the rest though
Format: Kindle
The collection is wonderful, but The Answer Man takes the cake. Probably my favorite piece The King has ever written, this short story left me entirely speechless. I will avoid discussing the plot entirely, it is a short story and shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to finish, but I will say that although this is my favorite King story, it is not a horror story in any way. Make sure to read the afterword upon completing the book, it contains personal insights on The King's journey of writing this particular story and adds to the experience.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2026 by Adam
New vintage Stephen King
Format: Kindle
Disclaimer, to start with: I am a Stephen King fan. I have read everything that he has written (that I could find) and most of it multiple times. For whatever reason, Stephen’s writing has always been fascinating to me, from the very first book of his that I found (“Firestarter”, in case you’re interested.) As a younger man, I identified with the younger protagonists, and as I’ve gotten older, I found myself identifying with the progressively older protagonists in more recent books. In “You Like It Darker: Stories”, I was able to empathize with several of the characters in a way that almost alarmed me. I am planning a trip to New York City in a few months, and could easily picture myself being accosted in Central Park in just this way by a stranger, and the protagonist’s replies to the stranger would have been my replies as well. I don’t want to spoil any of the story for you, but you a see how REAL this story was for me. Likewise, the other stories in this new collection rang the truth bell for me over and over again. That’s something that I find remarkable about Stephen’s writing - how he can connect so thoroughly with me no matter what the subject matter, and how the TRUTH of his fiction is so grounded in reality that it is recognizable to the average person. Even in the most fantastic of stories, there is still truth: of character, of response, and of story. I had pre-ordered “You Like It Darker: Stories” from Amazon, and in anticipation of its arrival, I revisited his older works, starting with the first collection of short stories that Stephen ever published, and was slowly working my way through ALL of his short story collections. (I had to stop when this book was published and immediately read this one!) From the beginning of his career to the present time, the quality of Stephen’s stories is consistently in the top 5% of any modern writer. This current collection presents a grand bouquet of goodies for enthusiasts, guaranteed to provoke a nightmare or two, or at least one good session of goose-bumps!! Once I started reading this book, I did not stop until I had finished. One thing that you should know about Stephen King, if you didn’t already: the man knows how to TELL A STORY. And that is who we listen to in life, isn’t it? The person who tells a story that you want to hear. If you are a first-time reader, or if you are (like me) a lifetime Stephen King fan, do not hesitate to purchase this book. I know you will enjoy it as I did!!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2024 by Mike E
Stephen King Short Stories
Format: Hardcover
I am a fan of Stephen King's writing - Especially his short stories. I just finished his latest short story collection "You Like It Darker". The book has some very short stories such as "The Turbulence Expert" or "Red Screen" and some longer stories such as "Rattlesnakes". The shorter stories get developed quicker and are focused on one concept, though you may not know where the story is going until you've half way through it. The longer stories let the terror and horror build up more slowly and are more multi-dimensional. I enjoy both. One thing I appreciate in a Stephen King story is that you really don't know where the plot is headed for after the first few pages so instead of trying to puzzle the upcoming events out, you just hang on for the ride. Some stories are about seemingly mundane things - The kind of thing that you might learn about on the evening news - But now you know the rest of the story. And in some stories like "The Dreamers" you get a glimpse of something terrible behind our day to day experiences and hope you never encounter that. One of the things that makes many of these stories "work" is that the main character is seemingly an ordinary person like you or me. But that person has an unusual encounter that brings them to the brink of destruction like in "Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream". There are relatively few "heroes" in this book - Mostly are average seeming people experiencing extraordinary things but usually finding a way to survive their brush with the darker side of our universe. Stephen King was born 3 years before me and I am now 74. If you are a senior you will recognize the aches and pains and difficulties of being older in some of the characters in the story. For me that rings true. But that doesn't mean most of the main characters in the story are all elderly - But it does mean that some are, at least at some point in their story. Several stories explore the concept of "Do you really want to know?" Such as what if you dreamed you knew exactly where a murder victim was buried - How would you let the authorities know? And then what would happen? (Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream). If you could take a peek on the other side of our "reality" would you, should you? (The Dreamers). If you encountered "The Answer Man"what questions would you ultimately want answered? Or even why has my spouse become so cranky? (Red Screen). I very much enjoyed this latest book by Stephen King. Its not my most favorite - Nightmares and Dreamscapes Is my favorite. But its enjoyable in that Steven King sort of way if you enjoy stories that start off like "real life" but somehow take a turn from the ordinary into a gripping tale. I do recommend the book if you like the genre.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2024 by Charles W.