Free Audiobook : You Like It Darker, By Stephen King

“You like it darker? Fine, so do I,” pens Stephen King in the afterword to this splendid new anthology of twelve stories that probe into the darker aspects of life—both metaphorically and literally. King has, for five decades, been a virtuoso of the genre, and these tales, about destiny, mortality, fortune, and the creases in reality where anything is possible, are as engrossing and captivating as his novels, both profound in theme and a sheer delight to devour. King writes to experience “the thrill of leaving mundane day-to-day existence behind,” and in You Like It Darker, readers will feel that thrill too, time and again.

“Two Talented Bastids” delves into the long-concealed mystery of how the titular gentlemen acquired their abilities. In “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” a fleeting and unprecedented psychic burst disrupts dozens of lives, most catastrophically Danny’s. In “Rattlesnakes,” a sequel to Cujo, a mourning widower journeys to Florida for solace and instead receives an unexpected legacy—with significant strings attached. In “The Dreamers,” a reticent Vietnam veteran responds to a job advertisement and discovers that there are some corners of the universe better left uncharted. “The Answer Man” questions if foresight is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still hold meaning.

King’s capacity to astonish, astound, and deliver both terror and comfort remains unmatched. Each of these stories carries its own thrills, delights, and enigmas; each feels iconic. You like it darker? You’ve got it.