Recommendations where to start with Stephen King books?

[HeffDoesWant]

I'm a big King reader but have always avoided Tommyknockers. Never heard anything good about it.

Great, its not just me.

Only one I never finished. Not that I've read even a quarter of his books.

Makes me wonder how many people have actually read them all.

Fyi.
King has published 64 novels, including seven under the pen name Richard Bachman, and five non-fiction books. He has written over 200 short stories, most of which have been compiled in book collections.

 

[Madmick]

I disagree

There's always a contrarian.

 

[volodya]

Of his "newer" short stories N. is really a great read.

 

[Prefect]

What was rage about? I've read it several times but the title isn't triggering any memories.

It was about someone shooting up a school. The book was read by a few people that shot up schools. King was uncomfortable with this fact and asked his publisher to quit publishing it.


One book that I have been meaning to read for awhile is 11/23/63. It is a story he wrote about a time traveler that goes back in time to stop JFK from being assassinated. It got good reviews and is not a standard Stephen King horror story.

 

[Ares Black]

There's always a contrarian.

Yeah, you

 

[volodya]

It was about someone shooting up a school. The book was read by a few people that shot up schools. King was uncomfortable with this fact and asked his publisher to quit publishing it.


One book that I have been meaning to read for awhile is 11/23/63. It is a story he wrote about a time traveler that goes back in time to stop JFK from being assassinated. It got good reviews and is not a standard Stephen King horror story.

It's really an incredible book...probably my favorite of his since the 90s

 

[Lubaolong]

Of his "newer" short stories N. is really a great read.

I liked this one, too. That led me to buying a collection of works by Arthur Machen to read The Great God Pan.

 

[Prutfis]

Salems lot
Eye of the dragon
Christine
Dead zone
The stand

The appeal for me is less waffle and it felt less formulaic. Some really interesting tie ins and story telling and I thought it was very creative. The last book is joyous, I smashed through it in a few days.

The only books/series I've read more than once are Lord of the rings, necroscope/vampire world series from Brian Lumley and the dark tower.

Holy fuck. Finally someone who knows necroscope. Awesome series

Morgan freeman and his production company have bought the rights to it and are looking at making a TV series

 

[RoadKing Custom]

The Shining
Needful Things

The Talisman
Black House
(Written with Peter Straub)

You asked specifically about Stephen King but if you’re interested try Red Dragon by Thomas Harris… if you like that, there are others with titles you’ll recognize.

 

[eighterumg5]

The Stand.

Extended version

 

[eighterumg5]

If you're not dead set on something with a more horror feel, try The Gunslinger.

"The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed"
Great series

 

[Karl_Hungus]

It's a collection of short stories? That would be ideal.

The first King book I read was short story collection called Night Shift. Was good. Also, The Stand.

 

[volodya]

The Shining
Needful Things

The Talisman
Black House
(Written with Peter Straub)

You asked specifically about Stephen King but if you’re interested try Red Dragon by Thomas Harris… if you like that, there are others with titles you’ll recognize.

OMG...how could I have forgotten black house for stuff since the 90s?

Even a blind man could thought of that

 

[rex kramer]

You asked specifically about Stephen King but if you’re interested try Red Dragon by Thomas Harris… if you like that, there are others with titles you’ll recognize.

I've read Red Dragon, SOTL and Hannibal. I enjoyed all those,

Iirc I liked Red Dragon the most out of that series (I read it before the movie came out). But I liked all 3 of them.

And I remember the ending to Hannibal the book was quite different than the movie, lol.

 

[GergreG]

Salems lot
Eye of the dragon
Christine
Dead zone
The stand



Holy fuck. Finally someone who knows necroscope. Awesome series

Morgan freeman and his production company have bought the rights to it and are looking at making a TV series

That would be awesome but I could see how difficult it could be to make - especially Vampire world. The Necroscope series could easily become confused with the Comic book movies/genre, but I'd still be very interested in seeing what they come up with.

 

[Be the ball]

The Talisman

 

[cincymma79]

Great, its not just me.

Only one I never finished. Not that I've read even a quarter of his books.

Makes me wonder how many people have actually read them all.

Fyi.
King has published 64 novels, including seven under the pen name Richard Bachman, and five non-fiction books. He has written over 200 short stories, most of which have been compiled in book collections.

I read it and it doesn’t stick out to me much other than how bad the movie was. So it couldn’t have been that good

 

[RoadKing Custom]

I've read Red Dragon, SOTL and Hannibal. I enjoyed all those,

Iirc I liked Red Dragon the most out of that series (I read it before the movie came out). But I liked all 3 of them.

And I remember the ending to Hannibal the book was quite different than the movie, lol.

I’ve probably read 90% of Kings books and have enjoyed them all.. but nothing scared me like Red Dragon did.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

I’ve probably read 90% of Kings books and have enjoyed them all.. but nothing scared me like Red Dragon did.

What did you think of 11/22/63? I think every waking Bachelor would like to step into. Talk about bitter sweet.

 

[KnightTemplar]

I like his earlier stuff,

Carrie

Firestarter

Christine

Salem's Lot

It

Pet Sematary

Cycle of the Werewolf

The Dark Half