This is a different book for Stephen King, but it doesn’t surprise his fans that he did such a great job with it—a good starting place for those afraid of his books.

The Fairy Tale is a dark fantasy published on September 6, 2022. The novel follows Charlie Reade, a 17-year-old high school kid who lives with his father, George, who inherits keys to a hidden fantasy realm and finds himself leading the battle between forces of good and evil.

When Charlie was seven years old, his mother was struck and killed by a van, and the resulting grief led his father to alcoholism, from which he eventually recovered.

One day, Charlie discovers his elderly neighbor Mr. Howard Bowditch injured in his yard and calls an ambulance. Charlie agrees to watch Mr. Bowditch's German Shepherd, Radar, while Mr. Bowditch stays in the hospital and cares for him when he returns home. Mr. Bowditch shares with Charlie his .45 caliber handgun and a stash of gold pellets that he uses to pay the hospital bills. Several months later, Radar's health has significantly declined, and Mr. Bowditch suffers a heart attack and dies. He leaves Charlie a recorded message, revealing that he is 120 years old and that the locked shed in his backyard contains a portal to another world. In this world exists a magical sundial that was the secret to his longevity. He also reveals the world as the source of his gold. Determined to prolong Radar's life, Charlie seeks out the sundial and revitalizes the dog.

The fantasy world adventure is the last half of the book, and it lives up to the title. It is a skillfully crafted fairy tale.