There have been many attempts to 'intellectualise' the horror novels of Stephen King, some better than others, and this attempt this effort is probably one of the better ones. Thankfully it does not concentrate solely on the better known novels and gives coverage to lesser known works, novellas and short stories. Some of the big themes examined in detail include religion in King's novels, the balance of good and evil, life after death and both the presence and absence of death. It' not necessarily a work you need to read cover to cover as the essays (chapters) stand as sole works and you can dip into whichever interests you. On one level it's all very interesting, but on another I take 'academic' works which study horror novels with a pinch of salt - as sometimes a wavy curtain at night is ONLY a wavy curtain at night and nothing more! In the end of the day the best book ever written about King's work is his own literary autobiography "On Writing" but this book is a worthy addition to the vastly growing critical work on the horror master.

Having been a fan of Stephen King since my early teens, I jumped at the chance to review this book for Netgalley. Mr Cowan delves into Mr Kings extensive back catalogue and delivers an excellent, thought provoking book, that explores the religious themes within some of the authors most famous novels. From Carrie to The Stand and Salem’s Lot to Pet Sematary, it’s clear that Mr Cowan has extensively researched the subject matter. Discussing why we love horror and dark things that go bump in the night, to the religion that finds itself between the pages of most of Stephen Kings novel, the author gives a wider appreciation of this master storyteller.