Stephen King stands among those contemporary writers deeply engaged in pondering the essence of horror, joining a lineage that traces back to Sigmund Freud's exploration of the uncanny. Since the 1970s, horror in fiction, film, and television has sparked vigorous critical debate, as scholars increasingly turned their focus to popular culture. Despite this burgeoning interest, few creators of horror have shared their insights on popular forms extensively. However, King breaks this trend with Danse Macabre, offering a unique lens through which to view the genre and his role within it. The book not only evaluates horror but also serves as a self-reflective exploration of King’s own experiences and techniques as a preeminent writer in the field.

In Danse Macabre, King ventures beyond the typical boundaries that confine other analyses, which often focus exclusively on a single medium such as film, television, or fiction. Instead, he unites these diverse expressions of horror, illustrating how they share fundamental themes, archetypes, and the capacity to deliver a thrilling blend of entertainment and catharsis to audiences, whether they are readers, viewers, or listeners. This approach highlights the universal aspects of horror, regardless of its form, positioning King’s work as a valuable supplement to his fiction and a more approachable gateway to understanding horror's role in popular culture compared to more academic treatments.