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You Like It Darker

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You Like It Darker

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Stephen King, Will Patton
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About this listen

 WINNER OF THE 2025 AUDIO PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION AUDIE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT STORY COLLECTION

'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 ability to surprise, amaze, and bring us both terror and solace remains unsurpassed. Each of these stories holds its own thrills, joys, and mysteries; each feels iconic. You like it darker? You got it.

'As classic as King's novels are, his shorter fiction has been just as gripping over the years' - USA Today

'One of the great storytellers of our time' - Guardian©2024 Stephen King (P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Anthologies & Short Stories Crime Fiction Editors Select Horror Short Stories Scary Exciting Mind-bending

Editorial Review

Pace yourself
Did you know that May is International Short Story Month? And what better way to enjoy it than having the king of horror himself, Stephen King, release a new anthology of dark and disturbing tales. You Like It Darker features 12 short stories, some new and some fan favourites, just in time to add frightful flair to my list of short stories to binge this month. As a long-standing fan of Stephen King, I was really excited to catch the mentions of popular characters like Cujo and well-established multiverse locations like Castle Rock and Derry, Maine. You Like It Darker is one of King’s longer anthologies, so take your time. You have the whole month of May to finish! —Nicole R., Audible Editor

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Compelling and enchanting short stories that didn’t disappoint despite considerable hype and anticipation. Many of them continue to play on the mind long after they are completed. Vivid characterisation and imaginative twists and turns aplenty. Excellent narration by Will Patton.

Compelling stories

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Mr King will always be the master storyteller.
I can never get enough of them.

Superb

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all good SK stuff. some twists and some predictable but I especially loved answer man. it left me feeling quite emotional. all good reading

I loved the answer man most of all

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Rattlesnake and the answer man where my favorites! Great voice readers. The short story consept makes it so easy to listen before sleep haha

Wonderfull!

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The stories all kept me interested and the reading of them was great. I am a fan of short stories and this collection was very interesting.

Sad that it’s over

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So surprised to see so many 5 star reviews. I found 1 or 2 stories great and the rest I could barely believe that King wrote them. Narrator can be a little off putting at times as he is so breathy and always sounds ill.

Dissatisfied 😔

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I loved the difference between the stories and yet all essential Kingly! I had my favourites but none were disappointing. my absolute favourite ia The Answer Man. a brilliant story to end with.

brilliant words once again!

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Narrator good most stories very good and some even scary like rattle snakes and danny cauchglins bad dream where favoriter

Dome very good stories some not as good but recomendéis

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Historically I've loved Stephen King's work. I find his recent books less stimulating, but that could just be me and my changing tastes in literature. I don't enjoy all the references re masks etc. The stories seem more superficial than in his heyday. Compare this collection of short stories to eg Different Seasons or Skeleton Crew, and it won't come out favourably. But, I enjoyed it, I can't say otherwise. Some stories weren't memorable, others hit me hard. My favourite was the last story 'The Answer Man'. Very thought provoking and believable characters. He's good at characters and can still make readers believe that there's something more to the world that we can't always see, can't escape from and one day it might come and get us. Not a masterpiece, but a good way to spend 20 hours or so. Will I be buying his next offering? Highly likely. Once you're a constant reader, it's hard to let go...

Narration good but not so much by the author

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Respect to SK who (in the credits) talks of his ideas and grounding. Loved the answer man and TOTALLY agree with directions to follow. Strange directions and (would we really) following them. As always, worth the read… but would you end it there?? 🤷🏻‍♀️… x

Respect

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