The Mist

King, S. (2007). The mist. Signet.

After a devastating storm, David Drayton, his son Billy and the neighbour Brent Norton go to the local supermarket to stock up on supplies. Things quickly go south as they and the other shoppers are trapped by a thick mist that has engulfed the town. The first to try and leave are quickly torn asunder by otherworldly creatures inhabiting the mist. To make matters worse the local religious zealot, Mr Carmody, begins to convince others that this is a sign from God that they need to repent for their sins…with a sacrifice. Can David and his son make it out alive?

In my whole life, I’ve only read one horror book and it was by Stephen King, not this one though, one of his lesser-known works. From what I was able to read, the Mist is better. The details of the thunderstorms that were the precursor to the story had me on edge somehow. There were no fluffy, fancy words, just straight to the point for everything, allowing the reader to immediately become immersed in the story. Once it was established who was talking the dialogue was quick, uninterrupted, helping the reader to feel the sense of urgency the characters felt.


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