Recommend me some Stephen King

Feek

Feek

Feek

Commissario
Joined
16 Oct 2002
Posts
343,477
Location
In the radio shack
I know it’s a tricky one because he’s written so many books.

I’ve just finished Billy Summer and enjoyed it. I’ve been reading various Amazon free self published books recently and they’re generally pretty awful, it was nice to read something by a ‘real’ author again.

So spec me some Stephen King books and justify your suggestions.

/edit - I don't particularly want 'horror' books.

Ta.
 
IT - awesome
The Shining/Doctor Sleep - awesome
The Dark Half - very good.
The Dead Zone
The Stand
Dolores Claiborne
Dreamcatcher
Four Past Midnight - short stories, but some have stuck with me.
Gerald's Game
The Green Mile
Just After Sunset
The Langoliers - very good.
The Lawnmower Man - good.
Misery - awesome.
The Mist
Needful Things - awesome.
Night Shift
Pet Sematary - awesome.
Rose Madder
The Running Man
Secret Window, Secret Garden
Thinner
The Tommyknockers

ETA Salems Lot.

Don't forget Dean Koontz and Clive Barker.
 
Last edited:
Have you tried his books under the Batchman pseudonym? I can't remember all the names, but it was a book with 3/4 stories called "The Batchman Books', pretty dark ones, it has The Long Walk, The Running Man and one about this school shooter kid, weird books but good!
 
I've been going through them in publication order.

Next one on the list is The Dead Zone.

The Stand was my favourite so far. The Long Walk (Bachman book) was also excellent. To be fair, they've all been great reads so far apart from Rage which was just weird.
 
godinman said:
Have you tried his books under the Batchman pseudonym? I can't remember all the names, but it was a book with 3/4 stories called "The Batchman Books', pretty dark ones, it has The Long Walk, The Running Man and one about this school shooter kid, weird books but good!
Click to expand...
Yes, The Long Walk is one of my favourite books.
 
Different Seasons is a collection of 4 novellas that include The Body (Stand By Me) and Rita Hayworth & the Shawshank Redemption (the Shawshank Redemption). Shows King at his best outside of horror genre.
Misery is a brilliant thriller, all the more scary as it has no supernatural elements.
 
There are tens I could suggest simply for being compelling reads, but I'll pick my 4 favorites and try to justify why best I can. None are purely 'horror' stories.

Pet Semetary. One of if not my favorite books of all time. I'd actually dismissed it for the longest time because for whatever reason I'd discounted it as some slubby 'b' horror novel, but it's far, FAR from it. It's barely a horror for 3/4s of it's length and even when it crescendos I wouldn't say it was traditionally horrific. But man do those themes hit hard... Some might think it's a little slow in the build up but it all serves the ending beautifully.

Misery. Again, not a traditional King 'horror', but it's definitely one of his more harrowing stories. Very gritty and extremely easy to read. There's a reason it tops all the lists of fan favourites.

The Stand. Once again, one of my favourite books of all time. Yes, it's long and yes one could accuse King of over investing in certain characters, but man is it hard to put down once it get's going. Traditional story of good vs evil but with that magical King twist that makes it all so compelling and original.

Mr Mercedez. No horror tropes at all in this one. Just a straight up modern detective story. It's not particularly original, but it's a true page turner and has the best cold opening to any book I've ever read. I was sweating hard by the end of the first chapter.
 
Last edited:
well, he has written a lot of books - most are horror of some kind but all his non-horror ones are worth reading.

i think the only book i didn't like by him was 'cell'.
 
I absolutely hated The Dark Tower and it nearly put me off King forever.

However I’d highly recommend The Stand, Cell, Salem’s Lot and definitely 11/22/63.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom