Ascension

King's surprising one-liner The Ascension can safely be tasted even by non-horror-loving listeners.

Even though he himself is mysteriously losing weight, he tries to make life easier for others...

Welcome back to Castle Rock, the setting for many of Stephen King's unforgettable stories! This time, the master of horror has adopted a more civil tone, yet his narrative has an air of mystery. The hero of the novel Ascension is Scott Carey, who has a certain problem with his body weight. Even though he still looks the same - like a middle-aged fat guy - his scale shows lower and lower numbers every day, no matter how much he's eaten or what he's wearing at the moment. However, he refuses to seek medical help and only confides his mysterious condition to a few friends. And while he understandably wonders what will happen on the day he weighs zero, he is currently more concerned about the intolerance the local community shows towards his two neighbours. A lesbian couple from Boston have opened a vegetarian restaurant, but it's boycotted by the majority of Castle Rock's conservative residents, and Scott decides to lend a hand...