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    Elevation
    Elevation
    Elevation
    Ebook118 pages1 hour

    Elevation

    By Stephen King

    3.5/5

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    • Friendship

    • Running

    • Mystery

    • Writing

    • Community

    • Power of Friendship

    • Power of Community

    • Outsider

    • Hero's Journey

    • Chosen One

    • Reluctant Hero

    • Underdog

    • Time Travel

    • Mysterious Stranger

    • Transformation

    • Thriller

    • Small Town Life

    • Food & Cooking

    • Suspense

    • Marketing

    About this ebook

    From legendary master storyteller Stephen King, a riveting story about “an ordinary man in an extraordinary condition rising above hatred” (The Washington Post) and bringing the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine together—a “joyful, uplifting” (Entertainment Weekly) tale about finding common ground despite deep-rooted differences, “the sign of a master elevating his own legendary game yet again” (USA TODAY).

    Although Scott Carey doesn’t look any different, he’s been steadily losing weight. There are a couple of other odd things, too. He weighs the same in his clothes and out of them, no matter how heavy they are. Scott doesn’t want to be poked and prodded. He mostly just wants someone else to know, and he trusts Doctor Bob Ellis.

    In the small town of Castle Rock, the setting of many of King’s most iconic stories, Scott is engaged in a low grade—but escalating—battle with the lesbians next door whose dog regularly drops his business on Scott’s lawn. One of the women is friendly; the other, cold as ice. Both are trying to launch a new restaurant, but the people of Castle Rock want no part of a gay married couple, and the place is in trouble. When Scott finally understands the prejudices they face—including his own—he tries to help. Unlikely alliances, the annual foot race, and the mystery of Scott’s affliction bring out the best in people who have indulged the worst in themselves and others.

    “Written in masterly Stephen King’s signature translucent…this uncharacteristically glimmering fairy tale calls unabashedly for us to rise above our differences” (Booklist, starred review). Elevation is an antidote to our divisive culture, an “elegant whisper of a story” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), “perfect for any fan of small towns, magic, and the joys and challenges of doing the right thing” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherScribner
    Release dateOct 30, 2018
    ISBN9781982102333
    Author

    Stephen King

    Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Never Flinch (May 2025), the short story collection You Like It Darker (a New York Times Book Review top ten horror book of 2024), Holly (a New York Times Notable Book of 2023), Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. 

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    Reviews for Elevation

    3.5/5

    1,090 ratings90 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a unique and emotional story that evokes tears and happiness. While some readers may find the ending predictable, others appreciate the out-of-the-box reading experience and Stephen King's world-building skills. The book is described as strange, weird, and feel-good, with perfect imagery created by King's words. However, there are a few negative reviews mentioning disappointment with the ending and the narration style. Overall, readers enjoy this short story and its connection and acceptance themes.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Very moving, and a worthy homage to Richard Matheson's "The Shrinking Man".
    • 4/5
      A wonderful little gem of a story about a lesbian couple and a man who loses a lot of weight in the town of Castle Rock, Maine. Read it.
    • 4/5
      Scott Carey has a mysterious sickness: he is losing weight but not mass. As he fades away, he grows in his closeness to neighbors and friends. A touching story, quite short by Stephen King standards.
    • 4/5
      Quick and eerie read of a man who inexplicably loses weight while appearing to be overweight. There’s so much to like about this- the power of friendship, second chances and hope.
    • 4/5
      This is more of a novella than a novel, still it was very enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      Elevation is a story about a man who starts to lose weight at a very steady pace, but no matter what he is wearing or holding his weight does not change. He starts to realize there is nothing he can do to stop what is happening. I thought this book was thought provoking, funny, charming and I loved the social commentary in it. I would recommend this book!
    • 5/5
      This was a very short book about every woman's fantasy - being able to eat anything and everything in large amounts without gaining any weight - even losing it! However, in this tale that fantasy becomes a nightmare as the main character faces his ultimate death but who chooses to make every minute count. Not only does he make each moment count, but he helps to make the lives of those around him better. This is both a sad and uplifting book.
    • 5/5
      Great small novelette! Story about a man who keeps losing weight but it doesn't show that he is losing any pounds. Not horror at all. More like Amazing Stories/Twilight Zone. Kudos to putting little easter eggs in the book. Sweet story and a sad ending. I almost teared up.
    • 5/5
      It's not a bad story...good but not great. In 147 pages it doesn't really have the time to have been either. There's going to be a host of readers that are going to slam the book for not being longer...stating on the front cover that it's a novel when in actuality it's a novella...or treading very close to Stephen Kings book [Thinner]. Overall, in spite of the length it was a good story. I liked the main character of Scott Carey and his attitude to a situation that would have certainly made most people at least paranoid if not out of their minds crazy. Read it if you aren't looking for something like [Salem's Lot] or [It]. After all the King of Horror wrote it.
    • 3/5
      Slight novella on the usual pattern: something inexplicable happens to an ordinary person, who discovers grace as a result. This is distinguished by not being horror: Scott is losing more and more weight, except his body isn’t changing. It’s just that the scale keeps showing lower numbers, and also whatever he picks up weighs nothing, so standing on the scale with a 15-pound weight produces no difference in the numbers. Oh, and he’s dealing with the hostile lesbian neighbors, whom he’d like to win over (because he’s a nice guy) before he gets to zero and they lose their restaurant to Castle Rock’s conservatism. It was definitely King, but not near his best.
    • 5/5
      I'm not going to get into whether Elevation is a novel or novella, it doesn't matter in the least to me. Neither am I going into detail on the storyline. I don't want to give anything away. I liked the book. I liked all the characters. I thought King touched on a lot of topics on everyone's mind these days, all the while building an excellent, touching story. I was sad when I got to that last page, not wanting the story to end, but thinking at the same time that the ending was perfect.
    • 3/5
      It's a good thing Stephen King is a great writer, otherwise, I would never have been able to finish this novella. The story is strung out over 146 pages in a half size book. The same tale could have been told in 10 pages. This book was just not for me.
    • 4/5
      This is a rather sweet novella about a man unintentionally losing weight but not mass, plus a short story about a widower given a puppy he doesn't want. Lightweight stuff, but a nice palate cleanser The audio version is read by the author..
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable short story. King always paints perfect images in my mind with his words.
    • 4/5
      My favorite part of the book was the way it ended
    • 5/5
      Steve King does it again--made the impossible seem plausible, and made us care for the characters. He showed us that it is possible to just float away--and everything will be alright.
    • 4/5
      I really can’t believe that King could stop at under 200 pages! That’s like a chapter to him, LOL. But he said some things that really need to be said in this story, plus it gave me the warm fuzzies. Wait, did I really say that about a King book?? Yes, indeed I did, and you should read it.
    • 5/5
      Such a sweet, touching story. Scott, a recently divorced, 42-year-old man, begins losing weight without any changes to his appearance. He consults with a casual friend who is a retired doctor. Despite any scientific explanations for the weight loss, Scott is feeling great and decides to embrace the changes. King offers so many life lessons in this wonderful story; acceptance of change, open mindedness towards others, and the strength of good friends. The emotions this story stirred were completely unexpected.
    • 1/5
      I’m shocked at all of the ratings. I expected so much more and it just ended how you would of thought about it. Again, I think I fall into a group of people who don’t get the out of box reading and analyzing. I’m so good. I was quite frankly mad when I finished.
    • 5/5
      Strange, weird and happy. A very feel good story with King's ever increasing skill guiding us perfectly to the end.
    • 5/5
      Bob Ellis is the doc in Tommyknockers also. I love Stephen King and his world building so much!!! StephenKingiverse!
    • 3/5
      Too out-of-the-box for me. Reminds me of S. King's floating-boy book. Didn't like that one at all.
    • 3/5
      It was an okay read. Wish the ending will be more dramatic ?
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed reading this short story, brought tears to my eyes.
    • 4/5
      I liked the book in general, but I’m just really curious why he was floating. Could someone explain the ending.
    • 4/5
      Lighter and more optimistic than most of his usual work, but enjoyable nonetheless.
    • 4/5
      I like it.
    • 5/5
      If someone had described the plot of this book to me and then told me I would finish it with a lump in my throat, I would have thought they were crazy, but that’s what happened. I’m not sure how Stephen King does it, but he can take the most bizarre premises and turn them into plots that not only entertain you but also make you consider life from his little world.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Might be the least "horror" Stephen King book I've encountered.

      This book contained two short stories.

      The title story Elevation follows the story of Scott. He's losing weight, but not getting any smaller. He's in a battle with his lesbian neighbor Deirdre - who has been shunned by the whole town. Her restaurant and her relationship are in jeopardy.

      Through an act of kindness, Scott "saves" Deirdre by accepting her as she is. And then the rest of the town accepts her too.

      In the second story an older widower is "rescued" by a puppy given to him by his sister.

      The only twist is Scott's strange affliction of getting lighter and lighter with no real cause.

      King has said he wrote Elevation as a protest against how gay people are treated in small towns. I feel like Scott's weightlessness was just to check the "Stephen King" box.

      The stories were sweet, but not really what I read this author for.

    • 5/5
      A clever exploration of friendship and human understanding. I have long thought that King really writes to explore human nature and the human condition. He rivets the readers attention with the bizarre events he draws from his imagination. I am always grateful when he releases something new.

      1 person found this helpful

    Book preview

    Elevation - Stephen King

    CHAPTER 1

    Losing Weight

    top of a non-digital scale reading about 211 lbs

    Scott Carey knocked on the door of the Ellis condo unit, and Bob Ellis (everyone in Highland Acres still called him Doctor Bob, although he was five years retired) let him in. Well, Scott, here you are. Ten on the dot. Now what can I do for you?

    Scott was a big man, six-feet-four in his stocking feet, with a bit of a belly growing in front. I’m not sure. Probably nothing, but… I have a problem. I hope not a big one, but it might be.

    One you don’t want to talk to your regular doctor about? Ellis was seventy-four, with thinning silver hair and a small limp that didn’t slow him down much on the tennis court. Which was where he and Scott had met, and become friends. Not close friends, maybe, but friends, sure enough.

    Oh, I went, Scott said, and got a checkup. Which was overdue. Bloodwork, urine, prostate, the whole nine yards. Everything checked out. Cholesterol a little high, but still in the normal range. It was diabetes I was worried about. WebMD suggested that was the most likely.

    Until he knew about the clothes, that was. The thing with the clothes wasn’t on any website, medical or otherwise. It certainly had nothing to do with diabetes.

    Ellis led him into the living room, where a big bay window overlooked the fourteenth green of the Castle Rock gated community where he and his wife now lived. Doctor Bob played the occasional round, but mostly stuck to tennis. It was Ellis’s wife who enjoyed golf, and Scott suspected that was the reason they were living here, when they weren’t spending winters in a similar sports-oriented development in Florida.

    Ellis said, If you’re looking for Myra, she’s at her Methodist Women’s group. I think that’s right, although it might be one of her town committees. Tomorrow she’s off to Portland for a meeting of the New England Mycological Society. That woman hops around like a hen on a hot griddle. Take off your coat, sit down, and tell me what’s on your mind.

    Although it was early October and not particularly cold, Scott was wearing a North Face parka. When he took it off and laid it beside him on the sofa, the pockets jingled.

    Would you like coffee? Tea? I think there’s a breakfast pastry, if—

    I’m losing weight, Scott said abruptly. That’s what’s on my mind. It’s sort of funny, you know. I used to steer clear of the bathroom scale, because these last ten years or so, I haven’t been crazy about the news I got from it. Now I’m on it first thing every morning.

    Ellis nodded. I see.

    No reason for him to avoid the bathroom scale, Scott thought; the man was what his grandmother would have called a stuffed string. He’d probably live another twenty years, if a wild card didn’t come out of the deck. Maybe even make the century.

    I certainly understand the scale-avoidance syndrome, saw it all the time when I was practicing. I also saw the opposite, compulsive weighing. Usually in bulimics and anorexics. You hardly look like one of those. He leaned forward, hands clasped between his skinny thighs. "You do understand that I’m retired, don’t you? I can advise, but I can’t prescribe. And my advice will probably be for you to go back to your regular doctor, and make a full disclosure."

    Scott smiled. I suspect my doc would want me in the hospital for tests right away, and last month I landed a big job, designing interlocking websites for a department store chain. I won’t go into details, but it’s a plum. I was very fortunate to get the gig. It’s a large step up for me, and I can do it without moving out of Castle Rock. That’s the beauty of the computer age.

    But you can’t work if you fall ill, Ellis said. You’re a smart guy, Scott, and I’m sure you know that weight-loss isn’t just a marker for diabetes, it’s a marker for cancer. Among other things. How much weight are we talking about?

    Twenty-eight pounds. Scott looked out the window and observed white golf carts moving over green grass beneath a blue sky. As a photograph, it would have looked good on the Highland Acres website. He was sure they had one—everyone did these days, even roadside stands selling corn and apples had websites—but he hadn’t created it. He had moved on to bigger things. So far.

    Bob Ellis grinned, showing teeth that were still his own. That’s a fair amount, all right, but my guess is you could stand to lose it. You move very well on the tennis court for a big man, and you put in your time on the machines in the health club, but carrying too many pounds puts a strain not just on the heart but the whole kit and caboodle. As I’m sure you know. From WebMD. He rolled his eyes at this, and Scott smiled. What are you now?

    Guess, Scott said.

    Bob laughed. What do you think this is, the county fair? I’m fresh out of Kewpie dolls.

    You were in general practice for what, thirty-five years?

    Forty-two.

    So don’t be modest, you’ve weighed thousands of patients thousands of times. Scott stood up, a tall man with a big frame wearing jeans, a flannel shirt, and scuffed-up Georgia Giants. He looked more like a woodsman or a horse-wrangler than a web designer. Guess my weight. We’ll get to my fate later.

    Doctor Bob cast the eye of a professional up and down Scott Carey’s seventy-six inches—more like seventy-eight, in the boots. He paid particular attention to the curve of belly over the belt, and the long thigh muscles built up by leg-presses and hack squats on machines Doctor Bob now avoided. Unbutton your shirt and hold it open.

    Scott did this, revealing a gray tee with UNIVERSITY OF MAINE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT on the front. Bob saw a broad chest, muscular, but developing those adipose deposits wiseass kids liked to call man-tits.

    I’m going to say… Ellis paused, interested in the challenge now. I’m going to say 235. Maybe 240. Which means you must have been up around 270 before you started to lose. I must say you carried it well on the tennis court. That much I wouldn’t have guessed.

    Scott remembered how happy he had been when he’d finally mustered the courage to get on the scale earlier this month. Delighted, actually. The steady rate of the weight-loss since then was worrisome, yes, but only a little. It was the clothes thing that had changed worry to fright. You didn’t need WebMD to tell you that the clothes thing was more than strange; it was fucking outré.

    Outside, a golf cart trundled past. In it were two middle-aged men, one in pink pants, one in green, both overweight. Scott thought they would have done themselves some good by ditching the cart and walking their round, instead.

    Scott? Doctor Bob said. Are you there, or did I lose you?

    I’m here, Scott said. "The last time we played tennis, I did go 240. I know, because that was when I finally got on the scale. I decided the time had come to drop a few pounds. I was starting to get all out of breath by the third set. But as of this morning, I weigh 212."

    He sat down again next to his parka (which gave another jingle). Bob eyed him carefully. You don’t look like 212 to me, Scott. Pardon me for saying, but you look quite a bit heavier than that.

    But healthy?

    Yes.

    Not sick.

    No. Not to look at you, anyway, but—

    Have you got a scale? I bet you do. Let’s check it out.

    Doctor Bob considered him for a moment, wondering if Scott’s actual problem might be in the gray matter above his eyebrows. In his experience, it was mostly women who tended to be neurotic about their weight, but it happened with men, too. All right, let’s do that. Follow me.

    Bob led him into a study stocked with bookshelves. There was a framed anatomy chart on one wall and a line of diplomas on another. Scott was staring at the paperweight between Ellis’s computer and his printer. Bob followed his gaze and laughed. He picked the skull up off the

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