Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King (Scribner's and Cemetery Dance's ...

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King (Scribner's and Cemetery Dance Publications' editions)

Reviewed by Robert Brouhard for Mark Sieber's Horror Drive-In

Yes, you read the title correctly, and I currently consider myself one lucky son-of-a-gun.  I not only got to read Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King recently, I also got to see all of the exclusive artwork that Cemetery Dance is putting into their Gift, Limited, and Lettered Editions.  When the manuscript arrived, my wife said I squealed like a little girl, and I don’t doubt that for a moment.  I proceeded to lock myself in my room for many hours after that and I read and read and read…

As of today, Full Dark, No Stars is available as a Scribner's trade hardcover, a Kindle edition, a Cemetery Dance Slipcased Limited Edition, a Cemetery Dance Signed Limited Edition, a Cemetery Dance Signed Lettered Edition, and an Unabridged Audio CD (read by Craig Wasson and Jessica Hecht).

While reading Full Dark, No Stars, I slowly realized that this was a darker and bleaker Stephen King than I am used to.  Each story seems to drip with a deep sense of dread… very dark, without much in the way of stars or light to guide the way.   The stories are strongly emotional and each one got a big response from me.

"1922" is the story of one man's year of decline. An almost "Murphy's Law" of a story; whatever can go wrong for this man, does.  The reader follows this man on his downward path and gets sucked right down along with him.  The main character is coldblooded at times, but the reader can still identify with his pain and suffering.  This is a difficult thing for a writer to do, but Mr. King pulls it off with grace.

"Big Driver" is, in a nutshell, - and sorry if this spoils it a little - a rape and revenge story.  First, let it be said that I am not fond of rape in what I choose to read.  Thankfully, Stephen King doesn't dwell on the act itself; more on what psychological changes happen in the victim because of it.   You feel her pain and you feel her rage.  This twisty little story wrapped me around its warped finger quite well.

The third story, "Fair Extension," (which is located in Derry) has to do with a deal with the Devil; or “Elvid” (in this case).   A man with a terminal disease makes a deal with a roadside seller of “extensions.”   There are no “souls” involved, but the man’s suffering must be given to someone else.   I ended up really disliking the main character as a person, but I can see how his desperation led him to where things go in this tale.   Also, this story is very short compared to the other three in “Full Dark, No Stars.”  I’d call it a novelette as compared to a novella.   The story doesn’t work its way out the way you’d expect.  This isn’t “The Devil and Daniel Webster” or “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”  In many ways, it is more real.  More real than you and I would want it to be.   Ask yourself after you’ve finished it, “what would I have done?”  Just remember, not to hate yourself for the way you answer.  Maybe that is why this story was my least favorite of the four… I didn’t like my answer.

“The Happy Marriage” deals with a wife’s discovery of her husband’s secret stash:  A naughty magazine and something else; something possibly sinister.  Shawshank prison is mentioned in this one for the Constant Readers.    Stephen King’s strong main female heroine in this story and in “Big Driver” are much more likable then his main male characters in “1922” and “Fair Extension.”  The women are still victims, but they are strong victims with a lot of gusto.   The men in the other two stories fit the “anti-hero” bill.

Each story in Full Dark, No Stars has a laugh out loud moment which helps to break the dark downward spiral of them; or at least make the four journeys have less of a hellish drop.   Since the laughs are few, I am not going to spoil them by listing any of them in here.

There are plenty of little moments for his Constant Readers.  A scene that harkens back to when Mike Hanlon was cranking up the Model A in Stephen King's It, Mr. King’s usual towns and locations (Shawshank, Derry, etc), and more.  There are even moments between the stories in this volume; two characters from different stories both start thinking that if they were in a horror movie, “X” would happen to them.

Cemetery Dance Publications is releasing 3 different versions of Full Dark, No Stars (announced earlier today): A beautiful Gift Edition (1,750 copies), a Signed Limited Edition (750 copies), and a Lettered Edition (52 copies).  Their version of the book is due a month or so after Scribner’s edition.   It features 4 black and white and 1 color piece from Glenn Chadbourne (very creepy, sense filing artwork…three with skin crawling rats), 3 black and white and 1 color piece from Jill Bauman (one that almost made me cry, and one that was so unique it gave me a good pause for over five minutes), 2 black and white and 1 color piece from Alan M. Clark (using a little bit of his controlled accident method mixed with amazing visuals that will give you double…triple…quadruple- takes), and 2 black and white and 1 color piece from Vincent Chong (digital art that made me gasp).  Tomislav Tikulin’s wraparound cover is an amazing mirror image that shows the duality of human kind, and really captures the overall feel of what the book conveys.  I haven’t held a final edition of the book (of course), and anything could change between now and then but I doubt it.  I wouldn't doubt that the traycases and slipcases will be pieces of art unto themselves.  Keep an eye on the Cemetery Dance website to see updates and pictures (I am sure they will post some).  Overall, 15 pieces of unique art from some of the best horror artists in the field, plus the awesome cover, equal an amazing package.

Scribner’s version of Full Dark, No Stars doesn’t have any artwork inside of it, and its trade cover is kind of odd.  To me, it looks like a person creating the number “9.”  Maybe this is a way to advertise that it is coming out on November 9^th? Maybe it is a way to show the sharp realness that the book contains without giving anything away.  It is unique, and Scribner’s version is the most affordable way to read the book.

There are book trailers on YouTube.  Go check them out.  The British publishing company is releasing four excellent ones that really capture the feel of the stories (they aren’t all out yet, but keep checking for them... here is the first CREEPY one for "1922").

Let it be known that I do not recommend reading all four stories in one sitting.  Chew each one slowly, and take some time afterword digesting it.   Did the characters do the right thing?  What would you do if faced with these extraordinary situations?  How would you feel if you or someone you knew were one of the victims?  These aren’t easy trains of thought, and these aren’t easy to deal with stories.   I do recommend reading each separate story in its entirety in one sitting.   Preferably in a comfy chair lit with one light in an otherwise dark and spooky house.   That way, you’ll feel more of each story’s power.

This is not fun-fantasy-filled or science-fiction-y Stephen King.  This is brutal-and-deep King, and this collection is all the better for it.  Mr. King wants you to make you feel in this one.  Whether it is good or bad feelings is up to you.  He isn’t trying to coddle anyone here, and many people may get the willies more with these truer-to-life stories then they would with slimy monsters stories.  There are times that you may find yourself squirming or even revolted at points, but the stories will keep you turning pages.  You’ll have a need – a deep nagging desire – to know what path the master of horror is taking you down.  Will it be Hell or redemption for these characters?  Will you choose to go there with them?  These journeys are worth taking.