At dusk - Stephen King (2008) 
Al Crepuscolo è una raccolta di 13 racconti, la maggior parte dei quali già editi in riviste o come brevi novelle (Torno a prenderti).
Il libro ha pochi meriti e tanti, troppi limiti. Il fatto di utilizzare materiale già edito o risalente alla prima giovinezza del Re, makes this collection work cheap and good just to draw more than 20 € from the pockets of those who return in large group of his loyal readers (who certainly did not expect the release of kinghiani novels in paperback).
The stories go from amateur to passable without ever touching a peak of almost memorable. You will not find anything comparable to or collected as sometimes returns Skeletons. There was no desire to surprise and originality, everything but everything here reminds read novels or short stories.
But let us analyze the stories actually.
1) Willa : history that reveals its best cards in a few pages from the beginning. The twist is all there, in the fourth or fifth page, therefore the story loses bite almost immediately. Classic theme of ghosts but are treated in Ghost Wisperer sauce ... but alas will not be alone in this short collection.
2) I'll be back to pick you : woman running to escape the pain of the loss of her daughter. Crazy man who wants to kill. Modesto, not entirely valid, a few jerks.
3) Harvey's dream here is a story that started with some good background, good drama, the atmosphere of impending tragedy and then poof all gone in an open-ended. Apart che mi ha ricordato molto ma molto da vicino un altro racconto intitolato “Spiacente è il numero giusto”, ma non si può davvero far finire un racconto con mezza gamba.
4) Area di sosta : classico tema dell’uomo codardo che diventa un vero duro dopo aver preso possesso della sua parte più cattiva. Non vi ricorda forse La Metà Oscura? Anche qui ci si aspetta grandi cose ma non si ottiene nulla.
5) Cyclette : dopo tanto arrancare si arriva finalmente ad un racconto originale, ben scritto e con una buona dose di aspettative, per una volta non deluse. Il finale lascia spiazzati perché è veramente qualcosa che non ti aspetti. Sobering, especially if you are about to make a diet or if you have many years of slave diets drives.
6) Things that have left behind : here is instead addressed the issue of 11 September. Here too we are witnessing a tale worthy of the best King. There is poetry, there is tension, there is sentiment. A novel result of a non-trivial reflection on an event that hit around the world.
7) Afternoon diploma : I did not understand. A meaningless jumble, fortunately short-lived. By far the worst of 13.
8) N .: Strange, disturbing, perhaps a bit 'long shot for me but honestly the only one who has caused problems in sleeping peacefully. Surely too inspired by the Lovecraftian mythology, so heavy in long stretches.
9) The cat of the devil: a bad story, especially since no final. Disappointing but also very pretentious so quickly forget after all.
10) The New York Times Special Deals : this perhaps inspired by 11th September. Beautiful, poetic, if not for an ending that in this case is not final.
11) Muto : the construction of the pleasant story to tell half the story for half sequence of events in real time.
12) Ayana : the original explanation of how miracles happen. Beautiful especially the way in which family relationships are described, certainly close to reality for all of us.
13) To narrow : the best, the icing on the cake came evil. It has irony, rhythm, anxiety and all that is needed to close the book with more satisfaction as it is open. It does not save the cabin, but raises the overall average even though the game is very reminiscent of Gerald.
Summing up, the book disappoints. It could serve as a spot of dirt on a clean shirt and more branded. Stephen King certainly does not need to prove anything to anyone but should certainly show more respect to those who continue to follow paths in increasingly inaccessible. E 'curious because in recent years has managed to improve in the long novels and short stories that were rather deteriorated in one of his greatest pride. Unforgivable is the fact that it is antiquated tales, bad and ugly years ago now, dug up to put together 500 pages.
Rating: 6
