Night Shift by Stephen King

 Night Shift

by Stephen King

Night Shift is Stephen King's first short story collection. Among the many other books I read I am working my way through Stephen King's catalog in order of publication date. Mainly in an attempt to see how his writing evolved over time. Even though I've read many of his books (and I've read this one before), I decided to start from the beginning and read them in order, even if I've read some of them already. So, before this one came Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, and The Shining. All of them were very good. 'Salem's Lot was the only one up to that point that actually gave me the physical creeps.

Night Shift contains some top-notch stories, including "Children of the Corn," "Jerusalem's Lot," "The Boogeyman," and "Sometimes They Come Back." "Children of the Corn" gave me legitimate shivers. For a horror writer, mainly, I think that is the best compliment I could give King. It takes a lot for a book to scare me and that story did it. King has a way with description that makes me, as a writer, re-read passages to try to work out how he provoked that type of response. Several of the stories have twists at the end that are surprising for a first-time reader, and he is also gifted in that way. He can turn a story on a dime to take it from a sweet narrative to a thrilling horror. "The Man Who Loved Flowers" is one such story; the violence of it at the end is unhinged, the reader can feel the action of the character by King's choice and rhythm of words.

I give Night Shift 4 stars. It is a solid introduction to King's work for a reader who doesn't want to invest the time in a novel. Just choose a story and get lost in it for a half hour or so. Psychological, gruesome, and paranormal horror are all represented.