Elevation by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


ELEVATION
Stephen King
Scribner
October 30, 2018
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello again dear readers, it’s your old pal Skull with another review. As you know, I usually spend my time reviewing works by independent writers and presses. But sometimes it’s fun to see what the popular crowd is up to. Today’s review subject is Elevation by Stephen King. Obviously, Mr. King is not an author who needs me to say good things about his work. But I enjoyed this novella a great deal, and think most of my readers will, too. Let’s check it out!

For a few minutes, “Constant Readers” might think that they’ve entered a different version of King’s hit novel, Thinner. However, in Elevation Scott Carey is losing weight with no visible alterations to his middle-aged body. He’s a divorced man who lives alone and definitely didn’t get to enjoy any fun activities before being cursed. Scott doesn’t feel poorly or weak, either. Instead, there’s a bizarre buoyancy to his good-sized frame that initially gives him almost superhuman abilities. What doesn’t make him feel super is his neighbors letting their dogs crap in his yard every time they go running. When Scott approaches them about it, they are unnecessarily cold about it. Initially he’s pretty miffed about it, until he learns that Deirdre McComb and her wife Missy are the victims of some uncalled-for discrimination. Small towns are not always the warm and fuzzy places depicted on TV. Vegetarians might have slid by, but being lesbians doesn’t fly in Castle Rock

Scott discusses his strange medical situation with friend, Dr. Bob. The doc might be retired, but he’s sharp enough to know that something unique is going on. There’s no practical reason to explain why Scott is losing weight or why things he touches become weightless. That adds fear to his already depressed life. Sometimes it feels like the only true friend he has is Bill the cat, who he can’t touch anymore due to his odd condition. Talk about a bummer! With no treatment plan, Scott is free to mope and be bummed out. But instead he chooses the new route of supporting his neighbors, even if they don’t want him to. Why not? He doesn’t have much to lose. But when it becomes obvious that time is getting short, Scott realizes that he might have been wrong about that.

Elevation by Stephen King is a 5 STAR must-read novella in this reviewer’s opinion. King’s storytelling skills are as good as ever in this story that you’ll want to share with family and friends. Maybe even give a copy to folks who aren’t entirely convinced that what a person eats or who they love doesn’t change their status of being human. One thing that struck me about Elevation was the hard reception it got from a lot of reviewers on multiple sites. Complaints that it wasn’t long enough or dark enough prove that too many people come to a book with preset expectations. For me it made Elevation attractive, something I could read in the car during trips. There was also a lot of noise about the “political correctness” of the novella and insinuations that King was pushing agendas. Oh, the horror! This guy thinks we should be kind and try to understand our neighbors instead of immediately labelling them and slamming the door in their faces. Got news for ya, haters. That has been one of Stephen King’s “agendas” for his entire writing career. He didn’t start life with a silver spoon in his mouth and hasn’t forgotten it. What all those comments prove is that Elevation is a sorely needed book. Ignore the haters and check this one out.

And don’t forget to follow me, your old pal Skull, at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com which will help your favorite independent authors, poets, and publishers. This is an inclusive blog where everyone is valued, except for haters who are heartily encouraged to climb into the nearest industrial trash compactor and press start. My human host, Brian James Lewis is a disabled poet and writer with PTSD who has 3 new Beat Generation style poems in Trajectory Journal issue 23, available now! As is issue 22 which contains his terrifying short story Following My Destiny about misguided mass shooter Chance McCandless. We’re also on Twitter @skullsnflames76 and Goodreads. See you soon!




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Your Old Pal Skull