What Are The Quintessential Stephen King Books?
- Thread starter Shankity Stick
- Start date
I agree with farson above but a quick note:
The first book of the Dark Tower (The Gunslinger) is rough...like, "OMG How could people possibly consider this good?" kind of rough. Read through it but keep in mind that it gets MUCH better...I'm currently on "Wolves of the Calla" (book five) and have been very pleased with the series so far.
I would also recommend "Under the Dome", which I thought was pretty neat idea, although I didn't really care for the ending.
The first book of the Dark Tower (The Gunslinger) is rough...like, "OMG How could people possibly consider this good?" kind of rough. Read through it but keep in mind that it gets MUCH better...I'm currently on "Wolves of the Calla" (book five) and have been very pleased with the series so far.
I would also recommend "Under the Dome", which I thought was pretty neat idea, although I didn't really care for the ending.
The Dark Tower series
The Stand
IT
The Talisman
Black House
Eyes of the Dragon
Basically, anything Dark Tower related.
And how can anyone say "The Gunslinger" was roughly worded? If anything it's perfection in a novel.
If anything, the fifth novel was HORRIBLE because:
Sorry, but Song of Susannah was interesting and suspenseful compared to that one.
The Stand
IT
The Talisman
Black House
Eyes of the Dragon
Basically, anything Dark Tower related.
And how can anyone say "The Gunslinger" was roughly worded? If anything it's perfection in a novel.
If anything, the fifth novel was HORRIBLE because:
The only redeeming quality was Pere Callahan's tale. The entire novel is this 700 page build up to a ten page fight. And the cover gives off this impression that the Ka-Tet are going to fight every undead, vampiric, sickening abomination out of Thunderclap. What do we get? Cyborgs that looks like Doctor Doom, wield lightsabers, and throw exploding balls named after Harry Potter. 
Sorry, but Song of Susannah was interesting and suspenseful compared to that one.
I'd say his best work is Running Man, despite not really being a 'horror' book in the same sense as his other works. Unlike his other works it's also short and to the point without the endless rambling that tends to drag down some of his other books. Great premise as well, extremely brutal and memorable.
As far as straight up horror goes I'd say Pet Sematary is his best work, that book is just all sorts of disturbing. Eyes of the Dragon is also good and I very much enjoyed his book Skeleton Crew which was a collection of short stories. Of his longer books I've always thought Needful Things was the best of em, but I've always preferred his shorter works myself.
And finally The Shinning is also worth looking into. I don't think it's his best work but it's just become such a genre defining piece it's difficult to not recommend it. Ever since the Stanley Kubrick movie The Shinning has become pretty much the standard for the entire horror genre.
As far as straight up horror goes I'd say Pet Sematary is his best work, that book is just all sorts of disturbing. Eyes of the Dragon is also good and I very much enjoyed his book Skeleton Crew which was a collection of short stories. Of his longer books I've always thought Needful Things was the best of em, but I've always preferred his shorter works myself.
And finally The Shinning is also worth looking into. I don't think it's his best work but it's just become such a genre defining piece it's difficult to not recommend it. Ever since the Stanley Kubrick movie The Shinning has become pretty much the standard for the entire horror genre.
It
The Stand
Salem's Lot
Carrie
Gerald's Game
Tommyknockers
The Shining
Bag of Bones
Skeleton Crew
Four Past Midnight
Cujo
Misery
The Green Mile
The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon
Pet Sematary
Danse Macabre
On Writing
I have all those on my shelf plus a few others that aren't quite as good but I am a big fan regardless. The Dark Tower series is amazing and a fabulous opus to his career but I would really suggest you read as much of his other stuff as you possibly can before you read it. It weaves together many characters and events from his other books so being familiar with them makes the series even better.
Other books like Hearts in Atlantis, From a Buick 8 and Insomnia are also woven into the Dark Tower books but they aren't essential and you will probably only enjoy them if you are a crazy fan like myself.
If you only ever read one book by him though, make damn sure to read It. That book is amazing. I'd give second prize to Misery which is often overlooked but is an incredible book with the craziest (human) villain I have ever read.
The Stand
Salem's Lot
Carrie
Gerald's Game
Tommyknockers
The Shining
Bag of Bones
Skeleton Crew
Four Past Midnight
Cujo
Misery
The Green Mile
The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon
Pet Sematary
Danse Macabre
On Writing
I have all those on my shelf plus a few others that aren't quite as good but I am a big fan regardless. The Dark Tower series is amazing and a fabulous opus to his career but I would really suggest you read as much of his other stuff as you possibly can before you read it. It weaves together many characters and events from his other books so being familiar with them makes the series even better.
Other books like Hearts in Atlantis, From a Buick 8 and Insomnia are also woven into the Dark Tower books but they aren't essential and you will probably only enjoy them if you are a crazy fan like myself.
If you only ever read one book by him though, make damn sure to read It. That book is amazing. I'd give second prize to Misery which is often overlooked but is an incredible book with the craziest (human) villain I have ever read.