Regardless of the fact that this book was published in 1975, this is one of the best Vampire stories I’ve ever read. Stephen King is a master at fleshing (pardon the pun!) out a character like nobody else. And his portrayal of small town American life is spot on as well. I’m also a fan of the way he portrays kids as being strong, opinionated, and brave human beings and often they are the ones in his stories to be reckoned with. A word of warning : with the summer months upon us, you may not want to read this book at night, with your windows open – or you could, if you dare!