BLOOD AND SMOKE

After hearing these stories, you have to wonder if the master of gore was working through some personal issues... Regardless, the result is this trio of sometimes gruesome, sometimes funny tales about the quite literal pain of escaping the clutches of nicotine. Stephen King does a marvelous job reading his own work. His subtle humor and obvious pleasure in relaying the scary parts to his audience are a thrill to hear. BLOOD AND SMOKE is not recommended for those who have recently quit smoking--King's loving descriptions of the act are enough to make non-smokers reconsider. Still, this is an extra-special addition to any listener's collection of King stories because it can be found only on audio. R.A.P. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 00]