Book #5
Everything's Eventual is a collection of 14 short stories written by Stephen King and published in 2002.
This is a collection of short stores I was really excited about reading, but I have come away with mixed feelings. There were no stories in here which I found to be in any way outstanding. Some were good, some were terrible, and some were beyond the pale.
I always find it difficult to review anthologies for no other reason than the fact of sheer variety. It would make perfect sense to go through all fourteen stories and review them all on their own merit, but my passion for this book is so low that I couldn’t do this. My favourite story was the collection's namesake, Everything's Eventual, although I felt it should have been expanded. I also enjoyed The Road Virus Heads North and Riding the Bullet. These were the creepiest two for me, and were very subtly linked, which I really liked. King also gave us a prequel to the Dark Tower series, The Little Sisters of Eluria. I didn't enjoy this one, either, and I must admit it has somewhat dulled my desire to read the series.
I love King. I really do. I think he is one of the best commercial writers of our time, and his appeal to our odd alter egos is nothing more than delicious. I just wasn't enthralled, I wasn't excited, I wasn't as "Get this book in the freezer or so help me God," as I was when I read The Shining. Despite this, King is marvellous, and although these stories did make me think and shiver, maybe this collection just wasn't for me. I couldn't engage with the characters, I wasn't dying to pick the book up again; it almost felt like a chore. I really didn't want to feel like this because I've loved everything else I've read by King.
This is a very negative review, one which I didn't anticipate having to write, but one which I feel is required. I doubt everyone will agree with me on this one; it's not you, Stephen, it's me.