Later

彼にしては短めの物語ですが、持ち前の人物描写の巧さはまったく割引されておらず、例によってあっという間に物語に引き込まれて読み進めさせられます。 「IT」とのつながりもあったり、自分のような長年のフォロワーにも大サービスしてくれています。 初めて彼の作品を読んでから４０年近く経ちますが、いつもいつも、新刊を読み終えた瞬間から次の名人芸が待ち遠しくなるのでした。

Book arrived on time and in good condition. As for the story itself: Nice and fast read with a solid voice. Some of the twists didn't work for me but overall loved it. Looks lovely on my shelf beside my other Hard Case Crime Stephen King novel. Get it, and speed through it with a nice bowl of popcorn. Not among King's greatest stories but a fun read nonetheless.

Stephen King（1947～）が2021年に発表した「Later」を手に取ってみた。久しぶりにKingらしいホラー小説となっているのではないだろうか。 主人公はJamie Conklinという少年なのだが、彼には死者と話すことができるという隠れた才能がある。その特技を用いて、作家の代理人を生業とする母、そして母の友人であり警官であるLizの手助けを行なう。特に母の看板作家であったThomasが亡くなった時には、Thomasから最新作の内容を聞いて、母の苦境を救う。一方Lizは、Jamieを利用して自分の手柄を仕立てようとする。Jamieは一度、大事件を解決するために手伝うのだが、それに味をしめたLizは2匹目のドジョウを狙ってJamieを無理矢理連れ出す。さて、JamieはLizの思うままになるのか、それとも……。 Kingらしいおぞましい描写も散見され、古くからのKingファンにとってもなかなか楽しめる展開になっている。またKingにしては短くて、250ページにも満たない、また少年が語るという設定になっていることもあって、用語も易しくなっている。ひょっとすると、映像化しても良いのではないか、という動機さえ浮かんでしまうほどだ。近年のKingの中では、最も楽しめたと思うのだが、いかがだろうか。

人は亡くなった直後、亡くなった時の姿そのままで、幽霊（？）となって、本人の遺体のそばに立っているという設定がおもしろいです。しかもその幽霊を。実際に目で見ることができる能力がある人がいて、そういう超能力を持った人はその幽霊と会話ができ、幽霊のほうは質問に答えなければならないし、答えるときは嘘は言えない、という設定がさらにお話をおもしろくしています。 彼の作品に欠かせない、邪悪な人物（人でないことも）たちもシッカリ出てきて怖がらせてくれます。 同時に、心の正しい良い人たちも出てきて、怖いお話ながら、怖いと同時に、心をあたためてくれます。たとえば、隣に住む老いた教授とその奥さん。頑張って働き、なぜか認知症の兄の面倒をしっかりみるシングルマザー。（主人公の母）

次から次へと、よくもまあ面白いストーリーを 考えつくもんだ！映画化された過去の作品も ちょこっと入れて、遊び心も忘れていない。 お勧めします！

Big fan of the author and hadn't seen this one before. Really enjoyed it, just short but wish it had been longer. Great plot and characters.

Genial y a.su tiempo

King horror

Another great one from Stephen King. I adore pretty much everything he has ever written, so there's no surprise that I loved this one as well. Mr Kings greatest strength in storytelling (according to me) is his amazing ability to write believable and loveable characters, which really makes you want to get into the story. This one is very good, and I enjoyed every second.

... masterly written by The Kingster - Steven King himself. Which in MY eyes is an absolute must-read, not only for the FANS, but for all those who like a supernatural horror story, that is perfectly interwoven with the strangest coming-of-age tale some adolescent boy has to tell. And telling he does! He spills the bucket until even the most skeptical reader is hooked for sure! Jamie Conklin only wants to have a relatively quiet childhood and be a normal teenager, living with his single mother. Who is often struggling personally and financially. An uncle, too is to be looked after, struck by early inset Alzheimer's disease only in his early 40ies. That costs money. And Mum has lost her most valuable client in the finishing of the last book of a series of high success! Noone knows how that series will end - 'The Secrets of Roanoke'. The biggest mystery in the history of the US of A. But in steps Jamie. He has an 'ability' that is more that a psychic disturbance: He can see and speak to the Dead. Only to those who have left this world a short time ago and linger around their nearest and dearest. And the Dead talk back - and have to say the truth, the absolute truth. That comes in handy with Mom's best but late client and the world takes a better turn for Jamie, Mum and Uncle Harry. But there is Liz, Mum's ex-lover, who works for the New York Police Department. And Liz is bent, crooked, an alcoholic who deals coke, too. She is about to lose her job - so she uses Jamie's ability to solve an almost unsolvable task: To find the last bomb of the Thumper, to save many lives - and Liz' dwindling career. But with making Liz quasi a hero Jamie transforms his future life into a living hell: The Trumper wants his revenge - from beyond the grave and at every cost. And here the REAL horror show begins... and years have to go by, years of Jamie's tales of abnormalities, almost impossible to comprehend, of fights inside and outside - with all his might. Like a lonely teenager fighting against a gang of 'Hells Angels' - literally! LATER is really Stephen King at his absolutely best, a terrifying and yet touching story of a boy who has to grow up in great velocity. To learn fast to be able to decide what is right or wrong, to fight inner and outer demons in disguise and to stand up to evil in all the masks it wears. A great read, really worth MY time and money. Had to read through the night until the very end. I personally can only recommend this fantastic Rollercoaster ride.