Includes bonus story, "Morality."
Even the most die-hard baseball fans don't know the true story of William “Blockade Billy” Blakely. He may hav...
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May 12, 2011
Gavin
rated it: 
I have many pleasures in life, but two that really make me smile are Stephen King and baseball. Now I’m not going to write this review in hopes of changing your mind about Stephen King—he is what he is. You may like him. You may not. For my own two cents, I think he is a wonderful storyteller. Sure, one could peruse his body of work and find numerous examples where he stunk up the place; but, and I am saying this not only as a King fan but also as a fan of literature, one could also find nu
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Jan 27, 2012
Kathy
rated it: 
Blockade Billy:
Ok, now I hate being hard on Stephen King books, but this book confused me a bit. I am not a baseball person at all (any kind of sport really) and throughout alot of the story he is describing games. So much of that was over my head. I did love the conversational tone, as if Granny was telling the story to Uncle Stevie, and that did help a bit. Well, that's my only complaint there. Thought I was gonna trash it didn't ya? lol. I was pretty surprised by the twist and ve More...
Ok, now I hate being hard on Stephen King books, but this book confused me a bit. I am not a baseball person at all (any kind of sport really) and throughout alot of the story he is describing games. So much of that was over my head. I did love the conversational tone, as if Granny was telling the story to Uncle Stevie, and that did help a bit. Well, that's my only complaint there. Thought I was gonna trash it didn't ya? lol. I was pretty surprised by the twist and ve More...
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Aug 31, 2011
Bonita
rated it:
An uncomfortable tale of a troubled marraige and the lure of the easy money - with a catch. Yeah, there's always a catch, isn't there? I liked it. Different. Unusually and brutally honest. Particularly enjoyed the debate (in the Stephen King Fan's Group) of humanity, what constitute's right and wrong, and a the motivation behind yielding to the secret pleasures of your 'dark half' during desperate times.
Read online at: http://www.esquire.com/fiction/fiction/s...
sorry. as More...
Read online at: http://www.esquire.com/fiction/fiction/s...
sorry. as More...
Jul 28, 2011
This edition brings together two long stories from the pen of Stephen King. The first, Blockade Billy, is set in the mid-1950s world of baseball, and tells the unlikely story of a rookie ballplayer assigned as replacement catcher for the New Jersey Titans. Billy makes an impressive start in his first game creating a wall with body for runner's to get past in their attempts to reach homeplate. But the first game also comes with an injury to a runner, one that raises some questions about Billy.
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Jan 20, 2012
Sam
rated it:
Baseball fans or no, the best of the two short stories in this slim volume (a rarity with Stephen King) is without question "Morality". A young married couple is given the moral choice of going through with a nefarious deed for $200k by an elderly Priest. It smacks of Richard Matheson's story "Button, Button" (recently filmed as "The Box"), and is one of King's best stories in a while. It shows how a deed can change a person and how a secret can tear apart a marriag
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Sep 30, 2011
Lily
rated it:
Even the most die-hard baseball fans don't know the true story of William “Blockade Billy” Blakely. He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first--and only--player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history.
Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good rea More...
Sep 30, 2011
Carl
rated it:
I found it a little weird when I read the flap for Blockade Billy and found it to really, really appeal to me. I'm not a baseball fan, but I am a fan of Stephen King (I like his writing a lot, his stories... not so much) and I am especially a fan of dark secrets. So I ordered the book and was, as per usual with a King-story, a little disappointed by the dark secret. But I didn't hate the story. I liked the feel of it, the descriptions, the writing. I liked the way it was told, the way the secret
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Sep 27, 2011
Shelley
rated it: 
Blockade Billy could have been a great novel, especially in Steven King's hands, if he'd gone that route. But as a novella/short story, it's mediocre. It's not horrible, it's just not great either. It starts with a great premise, but in the end is too short and shallow.
Blockade Billy is the story of Billy Blakely, a small (well smallish build for a catcher) but very talented player who is unexpectedly called up to the majors when a team loses both their starting and back up catcher. More...
Blockade Billy is the story of Billy Blakely, a small (well smallish build for a catcher) but very talented player who is unexpectedly called up to the majors when a team loses both their starting and back up catcher. More...
Aug 12, 2011
Alice
rated it:
I listened to an audio edition which contained the additional short story, "Morality."
Both of these stories were classic King, in that they took something ordinary and everyday and put a creepy spin on them. In this case, it's not inanimate objects coming to life or being possessed. There isn't even a supernatural element in either story. The stories are no less chilling for the lack of an unexplained monster, though.
Blockade Billy is about a miraculous catch More...
Both of these stories were classic King, in that they took something ordinary and everyday and put a creepy spin on them. In this case, it's not inanimate objects coming to life or being possessed. There isn't even a supernatural element in either story. The stories are no less chilling for the lack of an unexplained monster, though.
Blockade Billy is about a miraculous catch More...
Feb 18, 2011
Anthony
rated it:
First of all, yes $25 dollars is a bit steep for a 112 page novella. It's a limited edition, first printing, that came with a baseball card of the title character. (And yes, I realize that by opening the wrapping, I've already decreased the value.) If you didn't pre-order the book from Cemetery Dance, chances are good you'll either pay a lot more than that on the secondary market, or you'll wait for the end of May when Simon & Schuster release the audiobook and a hardcover edition with a "
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Feb 02, 2011
Paul
rated it:
This is a story that Stephen King wrote, "for every guy (and gal) who ever put on the gear", especially catchers.
This is a baseball story about a young man, William Blakely, who is pulled out of the minor leagues because the New Jersey Titans have lost both of their catchers. Billy is only brought up until they can get a seasoned catcher signed.
Billy astounds everybody, not only with his play, but also with his hitting. He quickly becomes a fan favorite and i More...
This is a baseball story about a young man, William Blakely, who is pulled out of the minor leagues because the New Jersey Titans have lost both of their catchers. Billy is only brought up until they can get a seasoned catcher signed.
Billy astounds everybody, not only with his play, but also with his hitting. He quickly becomes a fan favorite and i More...
Jan 04, 2011
Rachel
rated it:
1.5 stars, rounded up simply because I actually finished the book.
Very meh, and frankly disappointing for such a master of the short story.
This was actually two works: Blockade Billy and a short called Morality. BB was better than Morality, but not by very much.
I suspect I might have appreciated BB more if I were a baseball fan, as it seemed very much like a love song to the game. My problem with it--and with Morality as well--was that the actual stories, and the dr More...
Very meh, and frankly disappointing for such a master of the short story.
This was actually two works: Blockade Billy and a short called Morality. BB was better than Morality, but not by very much.
I suspect I might have appreciated BB more if I were a baseball fan, as it seemed very much like a love song to the game. My problem with it--and with Morality as well--was that the actual stories, and the dr More...
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Dec 18, 2010
Chris
rated it:
This book is actually two long-ish short stories. First, the story that carries the book's title. Ostensibly a book about major league baseball in the 1950's, it's an 80 page read that goes down even faster than that. The baseball detail is entertaining for the baseball fan (like me) but the "King-esqe" touch on the story felt like King might have been watching a Red Sox game while he wrote it: not terribly creative for a man who has written some of my favorite stories of all time. Sti
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Nov 23, 2010
Traci
rated it:
This is a special hardcover edition by Cemetery Dance of this never-before-published novella by King. Now, normally I really enjoy King's short works. This wasn't my favorite, though, and I think it's simply because of the subject matter - baseball. Not a sport I personally play or enjoy.
The style is nice, though, with the former equipment manager of the New Jersey Titans narrating to "Mr. King" as if King is a reporter. George Grantham ("Granny" to the players) h More...
The style is nice, though, with the former equipment manager of the New Jersey Titans narrating to "Mr. King" as if King is a reporter. George Grantham ("Granny" to the players) h More...
Oct 28, 2010
Chibineko
rated it:
I've always considered myself more of a casual Stephen King fanatic. I'll read his books as they're released, but not really go out of my way to read them during the first week or so of its release. Since this was a relatively short book & I had time to read it, I decided to fit it in with my other reading.
The book contains two short stories, "Blockade Billy" & "Morality". The first story is a mixture of baseball & thriller, with an emphasis on the baseball aspect More...
The book contains two short stories, "Blockade Billy" & "Morality". The first story is a mixture of baseball & thriller, with an emphasis on the baseball aspect More...
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Aug 25, 2010
Tristan
rated it:
Had not a friend given this book to me, I'd probably not have read it. I'm not all that much a baseball fan; still more, I'm offended as hell at the idea of paying fifteen bucks retail for about 130 pages of well-spaced text. And not that long ago, King was proselytizing about mistrusting "fingernail paring"-sized books. Oh well; when you get that rich and famous, I guess you can break all the rules, and get only more rich and more famous.
This book consists of two stories - More...
This book consists of two stories - More...
Aug 18, 2010
Desiree
rated it:
Once upon a time, I wanted to be a horror writer, because of Stephen King. "It" grabbed my heart, kept it warm, then squeezed it cold whenever it grew talons. "Carrie" just plain scared the living shit out of me. "Different Seasons" put short stories in a different light, then freaked me out when the light went out. And so on... there was a time I actually rented "Christine" on VHS and enjoyed it.
But now, I much prefer writing non-fiction, alth More...
But now, I much prefer writing non-fiction, alth More...
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Aug 12, 2010
Jeff
rated it: 
Stephen King and baseball. What more could you ask for?
Blockade Billy is a short story, published in this small book, with a "bonus" story in the book, called "Morality."
I can't say much about "Blockade Billy" without spoiling it. Since it's so short, almost anything I say would be giving away important information, and I don't want to do that. But the story is set in the 50s when baseball was still a pretty rough game. The New Jersey T More...
Blockade Billy is a short story, published in this small book, with a "bonus" story in the book, called "Morality."
I can't say much about "Blockade Billy" without spoiling it. Since it's so short, almost anything I say would be giving away important information, and I don't want to do that. But the story is set in the 50s when baseball was still a pretty rough game. The New Jersey T More...
Jul 15, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
Blockade Billy by Stephen King (pp. 144)
In 1958, a rookie nobody named Billy Blakely joined the New Jersey Titans. Not expected to be much more than filler, he becomes an overnight fan favorite. Hitting almost .500 and becoming a human barrier to home plate as the Titan’s catcher, he’s a force to be reckoned with and yet really doesn’t grasp the gravity of his skill and contribution. An odd bird to be sure.
Blockade Billy’s story is presented by the aging voice of Georg More...
In 1958, a rookie nobody named Billy Blakely joined the New Jersey Titans. Not expected to be much more than filler, he becomes an overnight fan favorite. Hitting almost .500 and becoming a human barrier to home plate as the Titan’s catcher, he’s a force to be reckoned with and yet really doesn’t grasp the gravity of his skill and contribution. An odd bird to be sure.
Blockade Billy’s story is presented by the aging voice of Georg More...
Jun 30, 2010
Joshua
rated it:
I saw this on the shelf, picked it up (because I'm a Stephen King fan), and read it in a day. This is not surprising. It's not Under the Dome in length, a mere 130 pages, including two short stories or novelettes called Blockade Billy and Morality. Neither of the two stories is what you'd consider a Stephen King story, in the sense that neither one relies on some kind of paranormal twist or monster. The monsters here are all human in nature, so the two stories are more along the lines of his
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Jun 22, 2010
Adam
rated it:
The new book recently released by Stephen King is actually two of his short stories put together. The book is only a 130 pages and surprised me with the easy way it read and the quick beginning to end rush unlike most of his books. He really showed me unlike his earlier collection of short stories Just After Sunset that he can swing along a short story just like any other.
The short that is the namesake of the book , Blockade Billy, was one of the best short stories I have ever read. More...
The short that is the namesake of the book , Blockade Billy, was one of the best short stories I have ever read. More...
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Jun 21, 2010
Amy
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jun 03, 2010
Thomas
rated it:
So, if you read the back of this book, you get a pretty good sense of what you’re getting into. This is a collection of two long short stories, one the story of Blockade Billy, a catcher for a baseball team that has been OMG ERASED FROM HISTORY because he did an OMG HORRIBLE THING, which was so bad that even he was OMG ERASED FROM HISTORY. Not literally, so much as the history books just didn’t mention him, but dang if you don’t get this sense of dread reading the story, waiting to see what th
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Jun 03, 2010
U.L.
rated it:
A respectful behind the scenes look at baseball and its nuances.
But to tell you honestly, that's about it. The language used is great in this little story. About 80 something pages. A two sitting, easy and fun read. Even though it does leave you a little empty.
Blockade Billy, as you learn to call the main character, is an idiot but he can play ball better than anybody. Boy can he block that plate. Man oh man can he hit the ball. This guy can really excite a crowd. But wh More...
But to tell you honestly, that's about it. The language used is great in this little story. About 80 something pages. A two sitting, easy and fun read. Even though it does leave you a little empty.
Blockade Billy, as you learn to call the main character, is an idiot but he can play ball better than anybody. Boy can he block that plate. Man oh man can he hit the ball. This guy can really excite a crowd. But wh More...
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May 27, 2010
Yael
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Billy Blakely is a 6" tall, skinny young man from Iowa who answers a call by the New Jersey Titans for a catcher to replace their regular catcher, who is out of the game for the duration due to serious injury. At first, George Grantham, equipment manager and third-base coach for the Titans, has his doubts about Billy, who, slow-witted and a little "off," doesn't seem big enough, tough enough to cut the mustard. But the very first game in which the boy plays proves his mettle in
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May 25, 2010
Carmaletta
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Apr 25, 2010
Donald
rated it:
Stephen has a way with words that comes (must come?) with ruthless self-editing.
Blockade Billy is a novella at best and should probably be considered a novelette. The size, coming after “Under the Dome”, is a bit of a let down. But it is appropriate. Particularly in it’s hard-bound state. And you do get a trading card...
The story is told from the perspective of the Titans third base coach, George Grantham aka. Granny, telling the whole thing to Mr. King. The first bit of More...
Blockade Billy is a novella at best and should probably be considered a novelette. The size, coming after “Under the Dome”, is a bit of a let down. But it is appropriate. Particularly in it’s hard-bound state. And you do get a trading card...
The story is told from the perspective of the Titans third base coach, George Grantham aka. Granny, telling the whole thing to Mr. King. The first bit of More...
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Dec 02, 2011
Jason
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I'm glad I checked this out from the library because, while a fun read, it is not worth its $25 cover price. This story (although it says it is a novella, don't be fooled) would have been better published in one of King's collections as opposed to a separate publication. Personally, I feel this is another ploy for the publisher's to make money off of Stephen King's name by slapping a hard cover on one of his stories, increasing the font, and marketing it as an "original, never-before-publis
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May 31, 2010
Chad
rated it:
Some of my favorite Stephen King stories are his shorter works. "The Body", "The Mist", "The Colorado Kid", and "The Long Walk" are all amazing pieces of literature and serve to remind that Stephen King can do the short story just as effectively as he can do long form. The prospect of him putting out a few short stories in lieu of a full collection or a new novel (which I'm sure is being worked on as I write) isn't one that bothers me a bit.
S More...
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May 28, 2010
Randy
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Blockade Billy is a short book with two novellas, neither of which has any supernatural elements. The horror here is that of which humans are capable.
The title story is about the brief, meteoric career of a young major league baseball player in baseball's early days and the reasons why, if you look, you'll never find the first word about him in the record books. Only those that were there know.
The second tale is about a young couple that are offered one of those deals whi More...
The title story is about the brief, meteoric career of a young major league baseball player in baseball's early days and the reasons why, if you look, you'll never find the first word about him in the record books. Only those that were there know.
The second tale is about a young couple that are offered one of those deals whi More...
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