Four Past Midnight
Ratings83
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings83
Average rating3.7
One Past Midnight: “The Langoliers” takes a red-eye flight from LA to Boston into a most unfriendly sky. Only eleven passengers survive, but landing in an eerily empty world makes them wish they hadn’t. Something’s waiting for them, you see.
Two Past Midnight: “Secret Window, Secret Garden” enters the suddenly strange life of writer Mort Rainey, recently divorced, depressed, and alone on the shore of Tashmore Lake. Alone, that is, until a figure named John Shooter arrives, pointing an accusing finger.
Three Past Midnight: “The Library Policeman” is set in Junction City, Iowa, an unlikely place for evil to be hiding. But for small businessman Sam Peebles, who thinks he may be losing his mind, another enemy is hiding there as well—the truth. If he can find it in time, he might stand a chance.
Four Past Midnight: “The Sun Dog,” a menacing black dog, appears in every Polaroid picture that fifteen-year-old Kevin Delevan takes with his new camera, beckoning him to the supernatural. Old Pop Merrill, Castle Rock’s sharpest trader, aims to exploit The Sun Dog for profit, but this creature that shouldn’t exist at all, is a very dangerous investment.
--back cover
Reviews with the most likes.
6 months later and this short story collection is finished 🎉 Four Past Midnight is a short story/novella collection that includes 4 stories - “The Langoliers,” “Secret Window, Secret Garden,” “The Library Policeman,” and The “Sun Dog.” Secret Window, Secret Garden was my favorite story in this collection while The Library Policeman was the most chilling. I found The Sun Dog to be a bit of a slog even for it being so short, but the story was quite good, especially if you like the Castle Rock stories. The Langoliers is wacky, weird, creepy, and may make you rethink boarding a flight. King always surprises me in some way with everything of his that I've read. It feels very fitting that I finished this last nights after coming home from Bangor.
This was my first introduction to Stephen King which I read sometime in high school. Secret Window, Secret Garden was okay (and I enjoyed the ending), but it ultimately put me off of the “lost time” trope forever. I distinctly remember actively hating The Sun Dog and having to drag my way through it. I still don't understand why that kid kept taking pictures. Maybe one day I'll try it again to see if I missed something that explained that part.
