Everything's Eventual

Published: 2002

Everything's Eventual (2002) is King's fourth major collection of short fiction, containing fourteen stories written between 1997 and 2002. The collection demonstrates King's range with tales spanning multiple genres—from traditional horror ('The Road Virus Heads North,' 'The Little Sisters of Eluria') to literary character studies ('All That You Love Will Be Carried Away') and supernatural drama ('Riding the Bullet'). Several stories connect to King's larger mythology, particularly 'The Little Sisters of Eluria,' a Dark Tower novella featuring Roland Deschain, and '1408,' which became a successful film. The title story follows a young man with the psychic ability to kill people through elaborately designed email messages, who discovers the organization employing him may not be as benevolent as claimed. In his introduction, King groups the stories by 'star ratings' according to his personal assessment of their quality. 'Riding the Bullet,' originally published as the world's first mass-market e-book in 2000, made publishing history by demonstrating the commercial viability of the format. Critics generally praised the collection's diversity and depth, with particular attention to the more literary pieces that showcased King's growth beyond genre boundaries. The book debuted at #1 on bestseller lists, proving King's commercial draw extended to short fiction. King has expressed particular pride in stories like 'All That You Love Will Be Carried Away' and 'The Death of Jack Hamilton,' which venture beyond horror into literary and historical fiction. For readers, the collection highlights King's versatility and willingness to experiment with form and genre, containing some of his most critically acclaimed short fiction. The stories reflect themes consistent throughout King's career—mortality, the supernatural intersecting ordinary lives, and the power of storytelling—while demonstrating his continued evolution as a writer.

Themes

• Death
• Supernatural abilities
• Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances
• Technology
• Literary aspirations

Adaptations

• 1408 (2007 film)
• Riding the Bullet (2004 film)

Collector Notes

Contains 'The Little Sisters of Eluria,' a novella set in the Dark Tower universe. 'Riding the Bullet' made publishing history as the first mass-market commercial e-book in 2000.