The popular consensus is that novelistStephen King is a horror writer. With Different Seasons,however, he shows that he can create stories dealing withhope, love and redemption. This collection has four"seasons": Hope Springs Eternal, Summer ofCor-ruption, Fall From Innocence, and A Winter's Yarn; allbrilliantly portray the human spirit.

In "RitaHayworth and Shawshank Redemp-tion" a young man, falselyaccused of killing his wife and her lover, is sent toShawshank Cor-rectional Facility. There he befriends Red, aman who can get things into jail and works to bring the peoplewho sentenced him to justice. This story is the jewel of thecrown, a tender tale of hope, friendship andretribution.

In "Apt Pupil," a young boyobsessed with World War II discovers that his next-doorneighbor is the Nazi war criminal, Kurt Dussander. Over thecourse of the summer, Todd finds out more than he wants toknow about concentration camps, and the old man Dussanderrediscovers his killing tendencies. This story shows King'sability to create horror without the aid of a creature; thedarkness within our own souls is enough.

In "TheBody," a quartet of teenage boys set out on a journey ofself-discovery, leading them to take control of their livesand survive their teenage years. In the final installment,"The Breathing Method," King shows that sheer forceof will can overcome any obstacle, even death.

Thesefour novellas will leave you not only a better understandingof human nature, but also a glimpse into the darkness at theheart of our being. Above all else, these stories shatterKing's image as "just" a horror author, showing himas a masterful storyteller.