Rating: 
Summary: good, not great
Review: Stephen King's Skeleton Crew is typical of his short story collections: there are some dramatic stories, some all out screamers, and a couple plain weird ones. This book has got several of all three catagories, some great, some terrifying. The great stories make the book worth its money alone, but as a whole, this book gets heavily dumbed down by stories that are either long and boring or just too weird to comprehend. The Mist and The Monkey each scared the heck out of me, and Mrs. Todd's Shortcut proved to be very interesting and bizarre, if not scary. Survivor Type is just plain disturbing and gruesome, which is not to say that I didn't like it. Then, there were the stories like Beachworld (does this story mean anything at all, anyone?)and Ballad of the Flexible Bullet which drove me insane. (interestingly enough, the latter story is about going insane). So bottom line: a good read, but do not expect every story to be a masterpiece.
Rating: 
Summary: For the Good Times
Review: I'm giving this book four stars, but please don't take that to mean that this book is a good experience from beginning to end. It's not. There are some decided low points in this collection, but the ups outweigh the downs by a long shot.Night Shift, King's first collection, suffered in a lot of ways from being an up-and-down sort of collection. There were a few really good stories, a few truly terrible stories, and more than a few that were just kind of in the middle. With Skeleton Crew, King has moved away from that middle and divided his stories a little bit more completely. The opening piece deserves special mention, as it takes up roughly a third of the book on the whole. The Mist is a fan favorite, but I have to say that it left me feeling a little unsatisfied. King has addressed all of the ideas that he brings up in this story much better in other work (specifically The Regulators), and that led me to look at this story as little more than a slightly bloated piece of dimestore horror. More likely than not, I'm suffering from the reflection of better, more mature work, but all the same, I think that The Mist may be a little oversold by the fans. The rest of the book, as I've mentioned, is an up and down affair. There's actually quite a bit of science fiction rolling around in here by King's standards, and unfortunately most of it really isn't that great. The two stories that rise to mind as I write this piece are Beachworld and the Jaunt, both of which really aren't much from the fiction perspective and are completely off from the science take, as King admits in the afterword. I recommend this book, however, on the weight of the good stories that have been included. Pieces like Mrs. Todd's Shortcut and The Reach are more than worth the investment in time and money that this collection demands. At his worst in this writing, King still manages to tell interesting and involving stories, and at his best he provides masterpieces. For the most part, this collection should keep the reader entertained throughout (though the inclusion of the two poems is a bit questionable--all they did for me was illustrate why Stephen King doesn't write more poetry). Any reader should buy this collection for the masterpieces, but expect to enjoy the experience throughout.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic King
Review: Read this book if you have any interest in King what-so-ever. His short stories...though many aren't all that short...each have a different flavor, a different set of characters, and range from touching to chilling. Some favorites: "The Mist", (could have been sold by itself) "Word Processor of the Gods", "Survivor Type", "Gramma", and, of course, "The Raft". For some reason, I remember seeing The Raft, or a version there-of, on cable TV years and years ago as a kid. Scared me then, scared me more now reading it! A few of the stories fall somewhat flat (Uncle Otto's Truck...lame...sorry...), but you get something different with each...including a writing style. I bet Koontz wishes he could say that. This indeed ranks up among King's best. Just read it already.
Rating:
Summary: Stephen King's Skeleton Crew Will Chill..If You Want It To
Review: Stephen King is truly an imaginative and unique writer; sometimes making the simple things of everyday life seem dark and menacing. While Night Shift has to be his best short story collection, Skeleton Crew also has a few gems worth reading. It opens with "The Mist", this collection's novella that succeeds in keeping your attention, this time the villian is a mysterious fog..sounds goofy, but surprisingly its not. However, it's not one of those stories you would read again-like "Children of the Corn" from Night Shift. Then we have "Here There Be Tygers" which is pretty creepy just in its childhood fear of schools and teachers. "The Monkey" is one of the best in my opinion, just because I think those toys are scary! LOL!! "Cain Rose Up" is shocking, "For Owen" is an excellent poem about adolescence-which is in no way scary. Most of the stories seem to be free of any real horror, leaving the option to be scared or be challenged up to the reader. That's what sets Crew apart from most King works. Each story is compelling, whether you are hiding under the covers one minute or laughing hysterically the next. I think the choice is ours.
Rating:
Summary: Get a Stephen King "Quick Fix"
Review: Most book critics are less than enthusiastic over Stephen King's short story collections; but if you're a fan, youprobably don't much care. If you haven't read any of King's books, then this collection is the perfect medium for an introduction not only to the Master of Horror, but also to fiction writing at its finest. Whether you're looking for entertainment, or for a crash-course in superior writing technique, Skeleton Crew is well worth a look. The stories range from the eerie to the unsettling to the downright terrifying. What makes them so effective is their believability; the mundane "family-next-door" quality that so many of King's characters possess. These are not the brilliant lawyers, hard-boiled private eyes or blushing debutantes that form the character base of so much of today's popular fiction. King's characters are regular folks conducting their day-to-day lives in the same way we all do, and it is this quality which reaches into your imagination and takes hold of your personal fears with a grip hard to shake loose. "The Mist" is the signature piece of this collection. More of a novella, it is so poignantly authentic in its creation that you cannot help seeing your own family, summer cottage and small town as the cast and character of the tale. The pace of the story is akin to the snowball rolling downhill; slow and benign at first, speeding up to a pitch that is maniacal and devastating, testing the limits of your sanity. Whether you're looking for your next Stephen King fix, or just a shot of pure adrenaline riding the crest of crisp prose, this book is for you!
Rating:
Summary: Worth it for "The Mist" alone
Review: If you're the sort of person who likes the best story in the least amount of time, then this book is an excellent anthology of some of King's greatest short stories. The flagship story is "The Mist", which starts innocently enough and builds (in typical King fashion) to absolute terror. Don't read "The Mist" before you go to sleep.
Oftentimes, while reading this book, you'll think to yourself "where does this guy come up with these ideas?" The plots of such stories as "here there be tygers" and "morning deliveries" will leave you scratching your head until it is raw and bleeding.
Of special note is the story "Survivor Type". Here, a man washes up on the shore of a tiny, barren island, and his struggle to survive always leaves you guessing as to what's coming up next. Great stories, and a great book. Another excellent job by Stephen King.
Rating:
Summary: If You Only Read One Collection In <insert timeframe here>
Review: This book was the very first thing I ever read by King, and it truly convinced me he wasn't just another horrible, talentless, light-faire and no-brains-necissary commercial writer (ok, no names, but some initials of such writers are: MHC and DS.) This collection blew me away with it's variety and wonderful stories. To date, this is the only true Short Story collection of King's I have read (aside from a handful of stories from Nightmares & Dreamscapes, which didn't even compare.) The book opens with a lengthy (140ish page) story called The Mist; while a bit hard on one's suspention of disbelief, I loved it and felt it was a strong story. Other stories that really stuck in my mind and won't dislodge themselves are Gramma, The Monkey, Nona, Here There Be Tigers (very short and childish, but appealing in a way I can't quite put my finger on), The Raft, and Mrs. Todd's Shortcut. This is just naming a few of the stories I felt were above and beyond. Very seldom do I read an anthology or collection with such a high percentage of stories I like. Of course, like any such book, it has its duds, but they are few and far between. This is a great introduction to King, and a must-read collection if you're already a fan.
Rating:
Summary: A Few Low Points, But Mainly Great Stuff
Review: I guess there's something for everyone in "Skeleton Crew," - or at least for most people. The book contains a few tales where, as King himself puts it in one of his other short-story anthologies, "things happen just because they happen." In other words, impossible (or maybe just improbable) things become possible, and even frequent. Stories like this in "Skeleton Crew" include "The Mist," "Here There Be Tygers" and "The Raft." Interestingly enough, these are three of my favourites. I was a bit disappointed by the end of "The Mist," with a proper ending and more detail in between, it could've been a standalone novella. As it is, the ending leaves a lot - too much, in my opinion - to the imagination. We want to know what happens in the end, but that's largely unexplained. Still, it's a great story. "The Raft" is simply King at his gruesome, unforgiving best. Stories like "Here There Be Tygers" and "Cain Rose Up" held my interest, but at the end I found myself thinking "What's he trying to say with this?" In my opinion, there are no outright stinkers in the bunch, although I would say my least favourite is the sci-fi attempt "Beachworld." Another that I liked less was "The Reach." On the other hand, my favourite story of all is the other one with a sci-fi feel, called "The Jaunt." Some have called it a cautionary tale, I call it just plain brilliant. In my opinion, it's got some of the funnier moments of the whole book, but these are contrasted with some of the most frightening, which is what makes the story superior. Highly recommend it. In fact I highly recommend the whole collection.
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: As someone who's read almost every Stephen King book, I can safely say that his short story collections are by far the best things he's ever done. If you liked "Night Shift", you will definitely like this. This book is packed with great stories, but the best in my opinion have to be The Mist, The Raft, The Jaunt, and Survivor Type. The Mist is probably the longest entry (it's actually more of a novella than a short story), but I guarantee you that it will be well worth it. You'll freak out the next time you're driving in heavy fog. One word of caution, however: most of the stories in this book are great, but there are some bad ones. I would STRONGLY recommend skipping "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet", because it is EXTREMELY long and goes absolutely nowhere. King also wrote some poems which he threw in that don't really serve a purpose, so I'd skip those as well. The rest are well worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: PACKED WITH GREAT SHORT STORIES! ESPECIALLY "THE MIST"
Review: Stephen King's best book yet! One of the stories in the book, "The Mist", is the best short story I've ever read! King is a genius story-teller, and any Stephen King fan will love this book! 5 stars all the way!
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