← Back to search
Cover of Skeleton crew

Skeleton crew

Stephen King (1985)

Subgenre
Age groupAdult 18+
Content ratingR
Pages573 (Chunky (400-600))
SettingSecondary World
CSM age18+
Goodreads3.97/5 (139053)

Content levels

ViolenceStrong
Sexual contentMild
LanguageStrong

Positive tags

Not yet tagged

Protagonist archetypes

Anthology / Multiple Protagonists

Synopsis

From the Flap: The Master at his scarifying best! From heart-pounding terror to the eeriest of whimsy--tales from the outer limits of one of the greatest imaginations of our time! Evil that breathes and walks and shrieks, brave new worlds and horror shows, human desperation bursting into deadly menace--such are the themes of these astounding works of fiction. In the tradition of Poe and Stevenson, of Lovecraft and The Twilight Zone, Stephen King has fused images of fear as old as time with the iconography of contemporary American life to create his own special brand of horror--one that has kept millions of readers turning the pages even as they gasp. In the book-length story "The Mist," a supermarket becomes the last bastion of humanity as a peril beyond dimension invades the earth. . . Touch "The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands," and say your prayers . . . There are some things in attics which are better left alone, things like "The Monkey" . . . The most sublime woman driver on earth offers a man "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" to paradise . . . A boy's sanity is pushed to the edge when he's left alone with the odious corpse of "Gramma" . . . If you were stunned by Gremlins, the Fornits of "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" will knock your socks off . . . Trucks that punish and beautiful teen demons who seduce a young man to massacre; curses whose malevolence grows through the years; obscene presences and angels of grace--here, indeed, is a night-blooming bouquet of chills and thrills. ([source][1])

Skeleton crew: content & age rating

Intended for adult readers (18+).

This horror anthology contains graphic violence, body horror, child endangerment, death, and disturbing psychological content. Stories feature supernatural threats, curses, monsters, and humans driven to violence. Strong language and intense horror imagery throughout.

What to know going in

This book has strong violence, mild sexual content, and strong language. Content notes include child harm, graphic violence, gore, murder, and death (see the full list above).

Who'll love this

Teens who love classic horror and being genuinely scared will find King's masterful storytelling and terrifying scenarios unforgettable.

Tags

HorrorPsychological HorrorSupernaturalDark FantasyCosmic Horror