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Randall, Jenn, and Justo dive deep into The Stacks to discuss what they’re reading and binging, but first they preview upcoming horror books about man-eating wasps, witches, death fugues, and underwater cults from Chuck Tingle, Christopher Golden, Megan Bontrager, and others. A heated sidebar about “Goosebumps for adults” segues into spoiler-free reviews of multiple 2026 releases, including Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear, Nick Cutter’s The Dorians, Tom Perotta’s Ghost Town, and Tom Holland and A. Jack Ulrich’s Fright Night Aftermath, among several others. Below is an abbreviated list of the episode's recs: Books: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke The Dorians by Nick Cutter Tom’s Crossing by Mark Z. Danielewski Fright Night Aftermath by Tom Holland and A. Jack Ulrich Ghost Town by Tom Perotta Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza Jaws 2 by Hank Searls Feeders by Matt Serafini The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling by David Shoemaker You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado Other recs: Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult (show) Ghostwatch (movie) Love Trapped (podcast) Physical (show) Wishy (band) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Behold, The Definitive Stephen King Book Ranking! This year, the Losers are counting down Stephen King's published novels -- specifically, novels (no collections) -- from worst to best. To cap off June, the Losers crack into the 30s with some rough choices surrounding some of King's most fantastical works and a sequel that's as divisive as always with this group. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did you know author Dennis Etchison was the first to take a crack at adapting The Mist for the silver screen? In our latest exclusive episode to The Barrens, the Losers explore this curious artifact and weigh in on the what-ifs. Hear a clip now and get the full thing at patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's always a cruel summer, but 2026 is about to get crueler. The Losers hit the road to visit all the towns in King's Dominion. Derry, Castle Rock, Ludlow, Boulder, the list goes on. They've got miles to drive and so many sights to see. At the end of the day, though, they have to ask themselves: Which one's the best? So, join them in our first bracket ranking in quite some time. PayDays and Nozz-a-La, optional. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Losers put on their cardigans and hit the college campus to take a closer look at Stephen King's college column, King's Garbage Truck. The series was published in The Maine Campus from February 20, 1969 to May 21, 1970 during King's junior and senior years at The University of Maine. There were a total of 47 installments published: 34 in 1969 and 13 in 1970. For this episode, however, the Losers focus specifically on those that ran in the Spring of 1969. Note: This episode was published in September 2021 in The Barrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here's a preview of our discussion on "Dinah's Hat", the new short story by Stephen King that you can find now in the June 2026 issue of The Atlantic. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did you know we've been recapping Widow's Bay on Apple TV? Well, you do now. Yes, for the last month, Mike and Randall have been chatting about the very Kingian show that Guillermo del Toro recently called "the best streaming series in a long time." The rub? It's all been locked away in The Barrens. To whet your appetite, though, we're unlocking our first episode, which finds the Rhys Bros. talking about "Welcome to Widow's Bay" and "Lodging." Want more? Join us at patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Behold, The Definitive Stephen King Book Ranking! This year, the Losers are counting down Stephen King's published novels -- specifically, novels (no collections) -- from worst to best. For May, the heat turns up as they round out the 40s with a handful of picks that race all around King's Dominion. One title dusts off one iconic debate within the Club. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here's a preview of our latest installment of the CrichtonCast, our Michael Crichton spinoff podcast exclusive to The Barrens. Want to hear the full track? Become a member of The Barrens (Patreon) by visiting www.patreon.com/thebarrens. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Losers' Club executive producer and co-host Michael Roffman finally unboxes this mysterious crate that's been at the bottom of his stairs. What he discovers is a stunning collection of Stephen King reissues from Vintage Books, specifically 1974's Carrie, 1975's 'Salem's Lot, 1977's The Shining, 1978's Night Shift, and 1978's The Stand. So, in this special episode, we hear from the maestros behind that makeover magic: Julianne Clancy, Senior Director of Marketing at Vintage Books; Mark Abrams, Art Director at Vintage Books; and legendary artist Ghoulish Gary Pullin. Together, they share the process of reinventing iconic covers for a new era, the timeless influence of horror, and why reading is back, baby. Killer conversation with a killer ka-tet. Constant Readers, be sure to pick up your own collection from Vintage Books from your local bookstore or straight from the publisher! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.