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Read this: Stephen King, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

Stephen King is back on the bestseller lists with his latest collection The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
Stephen King is back on the bestseller lists with his latest collection The Bazaar of Bad Dreams Stephen King is back on the bestseller lists with his latest collection The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

AMERICA'S greatest storyteller Stephen King has just given readers another top-drawer collection of short stories to enjoy in the form of The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.

King's short stories are often superior to his full length novels as the format forces him to keep plotting tight while working double-time at conjuring the desired atmosphere of suspense, intrigue or just plain weirdness within a limited word count.

"There's something to be said for a shorter, more intense experience," is how King describes the appeal of his often philosophically inclined shorts.

"It can be invigorating, sometimes even shocking, like a waltz with a stranger you will never see again, or a kiss in the dark, or a beautiful curio for sale laid out on a cheap blanket at a street bazaar."

This time around, he brings us 20 highly atmospheric tales featuring a man who keeps reliving the same life, a columnist who kills people by writing their obituaries, a poignant tale about the end of humanity and a firework competition between neighbours that reaches an explosive climax.

"I made them especially for you," says King. "Feel free to examine them, but please be careful: the best of them have teeth."

:: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is out now, published by Hodder & Stoughton.