UR

A very enjoyable story, a clever and interesting twist on the Kindle paradigm from Stephen King. As other reviewers have mentioned, the college professor main character finds his new Kindle to be behaving differently than he was expecting; cameo's from characters familiar from other King novels are another treat that King fans will appreciate.

I also think it is worth noting that after the very first generation Amazon Kindle was released in November 2007, the second generation then came along in February of 2009 and this Stephen King story was released exclusively on Amazon and essentially concurrent with that new evolution of the Kindle. It was obviously a cooperative promotional effort with King supporting Amazon's Kindle franchise (not that it necessarily needed much help) in two ways, both by releasing a story just as the new Kindle model was being released, as well as making the Kindle itself the central character. Here we are now in 2014, and the Kindle along with Amazon continue to be a very disruptive forces in the publishing industry, with many authors and publishers having what seems to be a rather conflicted and antagonistic relationship with digital publishing. But King seems to have embraced it from practically the very beginning, no doubt taking some heat for doing so.

As a final comment, this story is more generous than many Kindle 'singles' to be found here on Amazon, many of which can be devoured in what seems like 15 minutes or so. Two of the Lee Child Kindle singles ran to only 40 pages equivalent, for example, so at least in a certain sense this is a reasonable value by comparison. Depending upon your reading speed this will probably give you one or two hours, more or less, of enjoyment.

Enjoyable and a worthwhile purchase, for King fans and others who might be interested in sampling his writing.

With King, the mighty, word-savvy, page-turning King - You get what you paid for.

The story follows a 35 year old lit professor who, out of spite, buys a kindle. The kindle arrives and looks like all the others expect for one thing. It's pink. And it apparently has a direct line to different, literary dimensions. What if Hemingway wrote just one more book? Or what if Shakespeare wrote five more plays before his death? Even though this title is a novella, it works at an even pace, getting you comfortable with the story as well as the new techno gizmo that is the Kindle. I could just imagine King tinkering with it, jumping from his seat and bolting to his writing den to pound out the story as he examines every button on the kindle. But that's the draw of King. He gets us where we live. He always starts fresh with what is new, foreign or, quite possibly, alien to us.

I mean, think of it. A plastic box which holds thousands of books that you can just have zapped to you every time you press a button? Imagine what it was like in that pitch room. Look out Radio and TV, there's a new revolution in town. But such is the Pop of King. He tackles the things of today, haunts them tomorrow then serves them to us thick with the aroma of mystery, intrigue and horror. Twice already he's terrified me with vintage cars: From a Buick 8, Christine. He's turned the common cold into a plague: The Stand. He's turned our phones against us: Cell. Our dogs are against us: Cujo. Any way you slice it; nothing is safe from King.

With UR (read in two sittings) I'm glad King has stuck to his guns when it comes to having story be the key driving point and wait for plot later. There were a couple of times where I thought I could predict the outcome, but he cornered me with my suggestions and addressed what we were all thinking in the story. Not only does the Kindle device have lost literary titles but it also has alternative newspaper articles...I'm going to leave it at that. One reviewer called it brain candy and I'm willing to agree with them. It was so intriguing I didn't want it to end. All I can say is that I can see a second part to this fantastic tale. But what would the title be? Kindle 2: UR IT? Or maybe Pinky's Revenge? In any case, this is one title I'm willing to re-read over and over again.

By the way, there were, in King's own way, hints of other books. I'm noticing a lot of connections and crossovers in his works. Most notably, the Dark Tower Series has some relevance to the plot. I guess there's never a stand alone work when you're as prolific as the master storyteller himself.

Thanks, King. I've had the Kindle for less than two days and already you have me edging away from it in some cases and watching it from a distance the next. Will I discover another, terrifying literary underworld? One can only hope.

"UR" by Stephen King is a novella that was written exclusively for the Kindle. Wesley Smith is an English professor that, though he isn't completely opposed to technology, adheres to the idea that there is nothing quite like a good book -- the look, the weight in the hand, the smell of the paper. His girlfriend doesn't understand his narrow-mindedness when it comes to his resistance to embrace e-book readers. After an explosive fight where she hurls his copy of Deliverance across the room, she walks out on him. When he catches a student in one of his classes reading the assignment on a Kindle, he decides out of spite to purchase a Kindle if for nothing else to make her mad. When his Kindles surprisingly arrives the next day and Wesley opens the box, he begins to realize that the Kindle he received is a special Kindle. The first thing he notices is that his Kindle is pink while (at the time the story was written) the only available color for the Kindle was white. The color was only the tip of the iceberg, though. When he finally explores the Kindle, he discovers a special UR menu that contains glimpses into books written in alternate universes. Upon further investigation, he discovers that he can also access copies of the New York Times from the various dimensions, each slightly different. When he investigates the UR Local menu (under construction) menu that accesses his local newspaper, he is notified that he can only enter future dates. What follows is a desperate flight to save the woman that he still loves from certain doom.

"UR" was riveting, fascinating, and fun all in one. Reading it on a Kindle added to the uniqueness of the novella -- it was fun as King talked about the various features and menus of the Kindle to be able to see what he was talking about while reading. I read the story completely in one sitting because I simply couldn't put it down. Although the story seemed reminiscent of other King works and other stories in the genre, it was different enough to stand on its own. It was also a little predictable in parts, but that also did not detract from the story. The only other negative was it felt a little anti-climatic in the end and open to interpretation, but that isn't always a bad thing. I found "UR" to be enjoyable and entertaining and would highly recommend it to anyone with a Kindle that is looking for a quick read.

When I first heard that Stephen King was releasing a Kindle-exclusive, I felt a little disappointed. As I do not own a Kindle I settled in for what I expected to be a long wait--most likely in an upcoming short story collection.

It actually came as a complete shock when UR was released on audio; I hadn't heard anything about it, and it just sort of happened. I was ecstatic, though and I bought it right away, even though I've got no prior experience with Audio Books. And I was glad I did.

First off, I felt it was a very original tale: What if you were given access to a whole wealth of unpublished literature, books and articles that don't even exist in our dimension? Newspapers, (local and global), events that run parallel to what we accept as reality? What if we could read novels, that right NOVEL, written by the greatest Gothic Romantic writer of all time in Poe? Four of them! Or imagine a world in which Hemingway is not the classic writer that is held in such high esteem now. What if he was a writer of dime-store detective novels (with The Old Man and the Sea as his seemingly constant novel in all worlds). All of this, accessible through the use of a rare, pink Kindle. Where did it come from? Why has it been given to Wesley, and what are the ramifications of having a device that can, quite literally, open up worlds of information?

These are precisely the questions King seeks to answer in this two-hour story.

I popped this into my CD player the first chance I got, and listened to it all in one sitting. Holter Graham did an acceptable job as the reader, though he seemed to lack emotion at time. And I can't even begin to describe the strangeness of having someone else read King's work to me. The pauses and pace are much different, so it might be jarring to anyone who has no experience whatsoever. For those of you who do, I don't imagine it will be much of a problem.

There were also some pretty heavy Dark Tower references throughout, and for anyone who is a fan of that series (as I am) I'm sure these little inside references will be a welcome delight.

My only real gripe about it (actually there are two) is that, once the main conflict is made evident, it is not too difficult to predict what road the story is going down. Anyone who has ever read much fiction dealing with those who know of future/alternate events probably won't be terribly shocked. Also, (POTENTIAL SPOILER) . . . . . . . . The main antagonists of the piece will be quite familiar to Constant Readers. They've made appearances in numerous King stories before, and I'm not a big fan of this. It seems that King has a penchant of reusing villains from previous works and it is fun at times, but the reader is robbed of the chance to get to know a brand new villain. This isn't a huge detriment, but it's just enough of one to prevent a five-star review.

Anyways, I highly recommend this story, and despite what people may say, this does NOT read like an infomercial for the Kindle.

I'm a dedicated King fan, but I'm not one who thinks all of his stories are equally great or all 5 star master pieces. I have no issue with stating if one of my favorite author's works didn't work for me. That said; this novella (as it's more than a short story, but less than a novel) is a wonderful - almost 5 star product. I'll skip the summary of what the book is about as that is readily available, and quite accurate on the product description summary and get to my review.

UR keeps true with King's talented style of in-depth characterization. Our primary character, I shall call the Professor, is a fully fleshed out person despite the fact this is not a 500+ page read, but rather under 80 (on my Kindle with the current font settings). The Professor is presented with all the plumage and personality that one would expect from a master of his craft known to draw creations so vividly; you feel as if you know them.

Equally, the setting of the story - a rather unknown and unremarkable college and its town - is presented just as fully formed. And aside from the events which unfold during the duration of the story, is a very believable setting.

The writing is crisp, clean, witty, and engrossing. The editing - top notch.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect with UR. Horror? Sci-Fi? Perhaps a little of the obscure that can come from King's imagination on occasion? Touching ala Shawshank Redemption? Parallel universes and the races to save them? The response, I found, was a little bit of each with emphasis on sci-fi and parallel universes and a dusting of thrills that combine wonderfully.

The story started not so much slow but it doesn't immediately throw you into other worlds or make you scared to investigate that noise downstairs. It builds upon itself, steadily, until you are so immersed wanting to know what will happen next; you don't want to put it down.

The tension builds ever so slightly until you're enraptured.

As I neared the end of the story I was 30 minutes late to an engagement because I HAD to know what happened. Waiting was simply not an option. While this was a brief tale, it was well told, organized, suspenseful, detail oriented, and exciting. (But again, it's paced a bit slower to start. Think of a 2 inch fused unknown type of firecracker as opposed to 1 inch fused known one. The colors and bang are just as great, and perhaps a tad bit more gratifying because you knew an explosion was coming, but not what or when!)

I could anticipate some directions of the plot, but not all. And it wasn't a detractor because of how well the story is told and there were still some facets I clearly wasn't anticipating when the time came. I really enjoyed the small tie in to some previous King works that were present. If you haven't read those stories I'm alluding to, it won't take away a thing from this story or leave you confused in any way. If you have, you'll instantly see what I mean when the time comes.

I also enjoyed the relatable fact of the Kindle usage. For those of us who have owned Kindles from the earliest days - or the more basic non-HD/color versions - there are very identifiable aspects of the story. Technophobes will easily relate to the Professor as well, as this story deals with a Kindle and technology. But you need not have either experience to become fully immersed or understand the journey we are on together with this tale.

I would readily suggest this to anyone who enjoys sci-fi, Stephen King, persons who love a great all around story of any genre, and really almost anyone. Depending on how quickly you read, it is a relativity rapid read however don't be fooled by the lack of pages. There is plenty of story present and you will think about the what-ifs after the last word is devoured.

I'm not sure I will ever pick up my Kindle again without thinking of this story. UR is a splendidly told tale which engages on many levels. There isn't gratuitous sex, violence, over abundant obscenity, car chases with stolen nuclear devices, ninjas, or superheroes. Just a fabulous, at times humorous, chilling, suspenseful on occasion, thought provoking, and engaging story that will capture your attention and keep it. An average guy in an unusual situation which yields a phenomenally above average read.

I think UR going to love it, I did!

I hate to talk about other reviews in a review, but I think this time it's warranted. More than one person has said that this felt like an ad for the Kindle (in fact, at least one just assumed that it was an obvious plug for the device). Thing is, King is certainly not going to limit the sale of this story to Kindle-only forever. Eventually it will be reprinted in a magazine, an anthology, etc. When that happens it will be read by people who have never heard of a Kindle, much less used one. So, since a Kindle is an integral part of this story, King obviously needs to spend some time explaining what the device is and how it works. After all, couldn't parts of "Christine" be seen as an obvious plug for a 1958 Plymouth Fury?

All that aside, I really enjoyed this story. I am a big fan of King's work, and there are very distinct reference to some of his other universes (I won't say which ones because some readers may not want to have the story spoiled for them). I don't think you need to have read any of his other books to enjoy this, but if you're a fan it makes the experience that much sweeter.

The basic concept, as I'm sure you can tell, is that a professor of English buys a Kindle that is slightly... wrong. This idea of technology that doesn't work exactly right is something of an old standard for King (see his story "The Word Processor of the Gods" for a great example). This story spends a little time setting the scene and describing the Kindle, and then takes off running. I really enjoyed the situation and the fact that the characters almost all acted the way I think I would act in that situation. The only exception was Ellen, who was a bit too intractable (especially during one phone call); but that isn't a writing flaw because I know many people who would act the same way, so it's realistic.

These people became very real to me in a very short span, which is part of King's genius. If the characters seem real then the reader actually cares about what happens to them when the weird stuff starts happening (and it will). Some people complain that King goes "off topic" in his writing, but this is not exactly correct. The little details that he throws in are all there to flesh out the characters and make them feel like they have a life outside of the page.

In fact, in this story King was quite sparing and to the point. Almost every piece of information that was introduced was actively used in some way. I note that several of the people who complained about King being too wordy here also said that they didn't finish the story. That means that they read the parts where the dominoes are being set up, but didn't stick around to watch them all fall (and that's the fun part).

In short, give this one a try. It's not very long, and it's a tightly written tale that will have you looking very carefully at your Kindle's "Experimental" menu.

This was the very first book that I paid for on my Kindle. I hate to admit it took me this long to read it. Although, at the time, I was working my way through Stephan King's many tomes. I was reading them chronologically. I had intended to read this, when its time came. Unfortunately, I got stuck after Insomnia. I don't own the next book, Rose Madder. It was one of many that was destroyed when my mom's basement flooded while I was relocating to another state and had stored what I couldn't immediately take with me. My local library doesn't have it. I have requested it several times, but have never received it. I swear the librarian hates me, but that is a different story.

I'm not sure what UR stands for. Wes Smith relates it to the city of Ur. It seems to be a gateway between alternate realities. But let me start at the beginning. Wes is a bibliophile. I had to laugh because while defending books vs. Kindle to his Literature class, he mentions that books have a smell. It is true, while I can't describe the scent as anything other than "comforting". For reasons that I won't go into, you'll just have to read for yourself, Wes buys a Kindle. I guess at the time, they only came in white and Wes's is bright pink. It has many more experimental features than mine does, I must say.

At first look, this extraordinary Kindle seems relatively harmless. Though you can search over 10 million different URs and find unknown books published by world renowned authors depending on different realities within that UR. But the master of horror cannot give us a completely harmless new toy to play with.

Without disappointment, King spins a yarn of incredible improbability while making his readers believe that it could definitely happen, at least in King's UR. A few parts made me think of different stories, which I'm not sure was entirely on purpose. References to The Tower were too obvious to be ignored. There was also a scene that reminded me of Library Policeman and a little bit of The Dead Zone.

Stephen King's mind is just unfathomable and his talent of bringing the reader into his world is matched by very few others. I want a pink Kindle so I can read ALL of his works and to see what Dickens, H.G.Wells, and so many other authors are up to in other realities.

Allow me a moment of imaginary dialogue.

"Mr. King, it's Amazon calling. Would you be willing to write a story showcasing the Kindle, our new ebook technology? You'd have to be sure to include all of its capabilities. Not just books, but access to newspaper publications."

"Eh, okay."

Mr. King proceeds to dash said story off in a weekend.

This is pretty much how UR reads, which is not to say it's bad. Just a bit on the predictable side, and it has dated a bit in the past ten or so years. I recently downloaded it while traveling and enjoyed it. After reading it my first thought was that if Kindle technology had existed when Rod Serling was alive, this would have wound up as a Twilight Zone episode. Basically, a fellow comes into possession of advanced/otherworldly technology, exploits it (though for the best of reasons) and then has to stand judgement for what he has done.

The story stands out in a couple of ways: first, the characters who track our hero down - I will call them the Time Police - are scary but reasonable. Mr. King makes it clear that they are completely removed from our universe and utterly creepy. However, they are willing to listen to the main character's defense of his actions. (The main character, incidentally, is not a superhero, just an ordinary guy. This is another reason I liked the story.) Besides that, there is a very effective moment when the hero and his pals discover an alternate timeline wherein the New York Times ceases publication after a certain date. If you know your history, you will know why as soon as you see the date... and figure out that we had a very narrow escape.

There is also an interesting portrayal of an alcoholic who has the potential to cause a tragedy. I hesitate to play Freud here, but I detected a fair amount of self loathing in Mr. King's description of this character.

Overall I'd mildly recommend this story. It's a nice way to pass some time if you are in an airport or similar situation, and has some intriguing plot points. However, Mr. King has certainly written better things.