The day that changed the world begins like any other August morning. This is day when terrorists manage to acquire, transport and detonate nuclear weapons in American cities in operation 8-69-9. In the chaos and anarchy that follows, the government can't help, and people turn on one another. It's up to average citizens from all walks of life to hold civilization together and destroy those who have launched the plot.

Stephen King, "America's Favorite Boogeyman," has sold over 350 million copies of his books, becoming in effect the face of horror fiction. His influence on popular culture has drawn both strong praise and harsh criticism from reviewers and scholars alike. While his popularity cannot be overstated, his work has received relatively little critical attention from the academic world. Examining King's fiction using modern literary theory, this study reveals the unexpected complexity of 22 short stories and novels, from Carrie to End of Watch. The author finds King using fantasy and...