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Mile 81: A Stephen King eBook Original Short Story featuring a never before seen excerpt from 11.22.63, Stephen King's new full-length novel coming in November 2011
 
 
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Mile 81: A Stephen King eBook Original Short Story featuring a never before seen excerpt from 11.22.63, Stephen King's new full-length novel coming in November 2011 [Kindle Edition]

Stephen King (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews) |
Kindle Price: £1.99 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
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Product Description

Product Description

A Stephen King eBook Original Short Story featuring a never before seen excerpt from 11.22.63, Stephen King's new full-length novel coming in November.

With the heart of Stand By Me and the genius horror of Christine, MILE 81 is Stephen King unleashing his imagination as he drives past one of those road signs . . .

At Mile 81 on the Maine Turnpike is a boarded up rest stop, a place where high school kids drink and get into the kind of trouble high school kids have always gotten into. It's the place where Pete Simmons goes when his older brother heads off to the gravel pit to play 'paratroopers over the side'.

Pete, armed with only the magnifying glass he got for his tenth birthday, finds a discarded bottle of vodka in the boarded up burger shack and drinks enough to pass out. That's why he doesn't notice a freshly mud-spattered station wagon (which is strange because there hadn't been any rain in New England for over a week) which veers into the Mile 81 rest area, ignoring the sign that reads 'closed, no services'.

The driver's door opens but nobody gets out . . .

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 222 KB
  • Print Length: 64 pages
  • Publisher: Hodder (1 Sep 2011)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language English
  • ASIN: B005HJAOLY
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #3,187 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
I loved it! 8 Sep 2011
By cait
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have to admit upfront that I love Stephen King - been reading his books for 23 years and have at least LIKED everything he's written. For me, reading his stories is always a pleasure because I love the way he writes. Not everyone likes short stories and by their nature, they are always going to be less satisfying than a full length novel. But that isn't the same as being less ENJOYABLE. And this little story is classic King in my opinion. King's ability to write from a child's perspective is evident here and in answer to the previous reveiwer's criticism of him for trying to be "hip" by mentioning Justin Beiber: why wouldn't he?!! As the mother of a 12 year old girl, I can assure you that he used the reference correctly and placed Beiber in exactly the context in which he exists for most post 8 year olds! Since when did pop culture references in a popular author's writings become something to criticise?

I think that far too many Amazon reviewers complain about short stories they've downloaded to their Kindles for a nominal sum (or for free) simply because they are short. These people should read the description before they download!! Keep them coming Mr King - I'll always want more!
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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Blame the Editor! 10 Sep 2011
Format:Kindle Edition
King is so legendary that criticising his writing feels like questioning your doctor or correcting your kid's teacher. Sometimes, though, it has to be done. And I'm sure he gets very tired of being surrounded by sycophants, don't you think?
I love the early King books but haven't been keen since `From a Buick 8', if I'm honest. But King generally pens a good short story so I pre-ordered `Mile 81' on my Kindle. I liked the start of the tale, King is fond of - and good at - putting teenage boys together and observing the dynamic that runs between them.
`Mile 81' has car/unidentified demon horror running through it...we like. The story ends in such a way that it might happen to someone else....maybe even us or that annoying neighbour with the dog that barks at 3 am. We like this more because we know it won't really. King satisfies on a number of fronts in the story, he gives us what we know and love...some of the time.
However, King has an infuriating habit of clarifying what he says in brackets, like he doesn't trust the reader to get it first time. He's always done it to some extent but outdoes himself in `Mile 81' to the detriment of the story. When our young hero Pete skulks round the abandoned truck stop, we are told that Pete is careful not to run his bike tyres over any broken glass. Okay, fine....we understand. We don't need - (in brackets) - `there was a lot of it on this side of the fence'. When Pete lifts his bag, which holds a bottle of vodka, up onto a loading dock, King goes on to explain - (in brackets) - `being especially careful on account of the half-full vodka bottle'. It's okay! Stop fretting Legendary One! We remembered what was in the bag because you told us that just a few pages ago. Two examples here of the countless occasions it happens in this one story. I think King is probably aiming for a conversational-type of storytelling but the brackets only serve to irritate and distract.
Short story rule: don't include anything that doesn't move the story along. So the reading tension wasn't particularly cranked up by details about Pete's ant-farm project and the grade his friend got for it at school. We can let that go, it's Stephen King. The rules don't apply to him, right?
When Pete finally gets inside the disused restaurant, he wanders around looking at stained mattresses and posters of naked women constantly laughing, giggling....laughing and giggling....laughing and giggling....OVER AND OVER AGAIN!! Yep, he's a young lad, stuff makes him laugh and giggle. We got it the first few times.
So, a good start, over-waffling in the middle section where scary stuff happens and then quite suddenly, the whole dilemma is resolved and the story is finished. And what's strange is that our hero is never in danger, he sleeps through the whole thing....so why make us care about him in the first place?? With better editing and pacing, the story could have been great. Instead it was just okay. But I'd almost forgive Mr King anything....and I'd never criticise him to his face.
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mile 81 30 May 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have red this book with my breath on hold, I don't know how big immagination You need to have to create such a stories. Stephen King, for sure he's'the writer of a century. Anyway, it is a fantastic book, would recomend to any book lover :)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
wanted some more
the story is fantastic but it is very short, definitely was left wanting more than what stephen king gives out
Published 3 days ago by ManicMyna
Wanted more
Big fan of King so I guess I was expecting a lot more.
Finished this book in a couple of hours and was left wanting more. I felt cheated with the ending. Read more
Published 2 months ago by dnm
Book review
A good story - keeps you interested till the end and wanting to read way after bedtime! Interesting twist at the end, King does it again
Published 4 months ago by eljahara
What happened to the ending?
Okay, lets be honest. I'm a fan of Stephen King's work, but I think I can be critical without prejudice. Read more
Published 4 months ago by James O'Kane
A fine story
I've always considered the short, or maybe the not that long, writings of Stephen King as his best. No matter how much I enjoy his novels some of them I find kind of heavy, if you... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Lakis Fourouklas
Nowhere near his best
Some of Stephen King's best work are his short stories so I was excited to read this new Kindle-only exclusive. Read more
Published 7 months ago by KM
great quick read
It has been a wee while since I read a Stephen King short story and I really enjoyed this one. Despite the "monster" not being given a where it came from or why or anything in... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Lainy
A Few Miles Too Far
Stephen King has spent what seems a disproportionate amount of time and energy writing about evil cars. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Niall Alexander
Nothing special. King can do better. I hope 11/22/63 is good!
The best part of this Kindle ebook is the sample excerpt from 11/22/63 and even though time travel thrillers normally don't appeal to me, I still hope it will be good. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Laura B. Tuchman
After King's "Christine" and "From a Buick 8" did we really need...
After King's "Christine" (which is even mentioned by a character in this story) and "From a Buick 8" did we really need another story about an otherworldly/monster car? Read more
Published 9 months ago by J. A. Holten
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