From the master of scary stories The Shining comes a new collection of short stories called The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. In this new book, Stephen King has once again demonstrated his ability to write stories that cause readers to jump out of their skins.

However, the stories are not all just spooky sci-fi tales. A few stories in The Bazaar of Bad Dreams cover other topics throughout the book, such as death and family, drawing in many different types of readers.

While the stories may be short, this does not mean the characters were plain. All the characters were very complex with their respective backgrounds and reasoning. These characters often times have an imperfect personality, shining them in a realistic aspect.

Throughout the collection, King doesn’t lack on his notorious creepy plots. From man-eating cars to a man reading names on a dune, predicting a person’s sudden death, Stephen King brings new ideas that not many writers could even think of. This collection of stories grabs the reader’s attention until the very end, leaving them thinking about each one late into the night.

However, Stephen King wrote many of these stories in a much more realistic light, a divergent path from the usual horror stories he is known for. Instead of ghosts and other creatures, he included more realistic monsters like a family member dealing with the trauma of losing a loved one. Each story has its own twist ending that is not obvious and is often times shocking.

Setting it apart even further from his other works, Stephen King included a short explanation before each story on what inspired him to write it. This is the first time he has ever done so, allowing long-time fans to see how he works and where his inspiration comes from. While some explanations are more mundane, such as seeing a near-collision between two angry drivers, others are a bit out there. This only adds to the uniqueness of each story by showing the mind behind the masterpiece.

Even though some colorful language is used throughout the book, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is exceptionally well-written and a good read. With several one-of-a-kind short stories, it is easy to read one here and there in your free time. Instead of being pushed to read a whole book at once, students who are busy with homework and extracurricular activities can read one or two short stories when they find time.

Want to read more? This book can be bought for $15 on Amazon and through Barnes and Noble as an eBook or for about $20 as a hardcover.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Bazaar-Bad-Dreams-Stories/dp/1501111671

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bazaar-of-bad-dreams-stephen-king/1121369142

Rating: 4 stars