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Which Stephen King book?

26 replies

HoraceWimpIsThisYourLife · 12/10/2018 09:38

I’m about halfway through The Stand and really enjoying it. I’ve never read one of his books before so I’d like to go with it and have another ready to start once I’ve finished this.
Which book would you recommend? I quite fancy something a bit scarier.

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Puppylucky · 12/10/2018 09:48

Oh you are so lucky! He is one of my favourite authors and you have got 40 odd books to explore (including some stinkers but never mind Smile)
I would move onto The Shining or Pet Semetary- some of his scariest books - or maybe one of his early short story collections such as Skeleton Crew. A surprising number of his books aren't put and out horror though - just really good reads - enjoy!

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PepeLePew · 14/10/2018 07:53

Oh lucky you! I’d love to have the whole Stephen King canon still ahead of me. And The Stand is one of my favourite books - I recommend it to dubious friends all the time and no one has ever not enjoyed it.

The Shining and Salem’s Lot are both true horror. I think The Shining is the better book in many ways but Salem’s Lot I read as a teenager and have a soft spot for. I’m also a big fan of Carrie and Firestarter from his earlier career. And his short stories are pretty terrifying - almost more so than his novels, I think.

If you get to the end of The Stand and still love it, then I’d try some of his other big reads - IT is the obvious one but I don’t think of it as horror. There are lots of scary bits but it’s about childhood and growing up more than scares. 11.22.63 for me is the book most like The Stand in terms of its scope and ambition, though not horror.

But really, with a couple of exceptions (for me, Rose Madder which I hated and found dull in equal measure after the very good first half and Revival which was just a bit meh) you can’t really go wrong. He’s written so much and though his endings are sometimes a bit wonky - almost as if he just gives up - I love reading him, because although there are so many different ways he tells stories, I really do think he writes better than almost anyone about those human emotions that don’t always get airtime in literature, and in particular about children.

That was a bit of an essay, sorry. But I do think there is a lot of snobbishness towards King but only from people who have never read him, so I'm always keen to spread the word.

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Puppylucky · 15/10/2018 06:46

Agree with every word Pepe - beautifully put!

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Eminybob · 15/10/2018 06:49

I would recommend the sort stories - Skeleton Crew and the Bachman Books.

I like some of his more recent stuff more so that his classics, I really enjoyed 11.22.63 and Duma Key.

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PipeTheFuckDown · 15/10/2018 06:56

For scary I’d recommend

IT
Carrie
Pet Semetary
The Shining

For epic reading I’d go for The Dark Tower series. I reread these every year.

My other favourites are

Needful Things
Doctor Sleep
Low Men In Yellow Coats
Secret Window
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Black House

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BigRedBoat · 15/10/2018 06:59

The dead zone or needful things are good. Christine is quite creepy or Misery. The newish one that's sort of a sequel to the shining was good too but I can't remember the name! Also 11.22.63 and under the dome, the books were better than the tv series.

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Lorddenning1 · 15/10/2018 07:05

I'm so jealous you are reading the stand for the first time :) it's one of my fave books.
I would recommend the dark tower books after.

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StoorieHoose · 15/10/2018 07:08

Doctor Sleep is the follow up to The Shining and I loved it

I too reread The Dark Tower when I get a chance. The Bachman books are ace but not scary

For scary it has to be IT, Salem’s Lot and The Shining. I have read alll three many times as they are so good

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MickHucknallspinkpancakes · 15/10/2018 07:27

Needful things for definite.
I also loved The Dark Half and Desperation.

Actually I haven't read one I didn't enjoy. But I'm so sad I've even visited Ogunquit beach from The Stand. Blush

Incidentally I have the audiobook narrated by King, and also the audiobook of Carrie narrated by Sissy Spacek.

Both are an excellent accompaniment to drudgy housework. 😀

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Igorina · 15/10/2018 07:31

I would definitely go for The Shining next.

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5ambreakfastclub · 15/10/2018 07:40

I would definitely recommend The Shining ! I thought it was one of the scarier books he has written and I also enjoyed Dr Sleep which is the follow up to it. I would also recommend his short story collections - Full Dark, No Stars being my favourite. The Girl who loved Tom Gordon was the first Stephen King I ever read ( my dad bought it for me when I was a teen!) and it frightened the life out of me!

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par05 · 15/10/2018 07:49

Dolores clarbone and Geralds game are really good to read as they sort of jump in to each other's book at one point, trying to explain it as best I can, also bag of bones is good.

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PhilODox · 15/10/2018 10:11

The Stand is such a good book!
I've had a thirty year hiatus, but I'm going to read The Bachman Books next (when I finish the book I'm on).
Looking forward to Running Man, to see just how much went over my head the first time I read it.

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SgtFredColon · 15/10/2018 10:14

The Shining definitely. I still can’t look at a topiary without getting scared Grin

Revival is one of his newer ones and is a bit scary. And Salem’s lot for classic vampires

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5ambreakfastclub · 15/10/2018 11:28

@PhilODox I recently re read the Bachman books , I remember now how much I loved The Long Walk and The Running Man- definitely understand them a bit better now!!

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HoraceWimpIsThisYourLife · 15/10/2018 20:25

Thanks, think I will go for pet sematery next although tempted by the shining. Is it anything like the film?

I love a good story and he tells it so well!

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SymphonyofShadows · 15/10/2018 20:29

I love Stephen King, IT and Needfull Things are favourites. I read The Cell recently, I enjoyed it but it played on my mind for ages.

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TufVoyaging · 15/10/2018 20:38

I loved Tommyknockers and Needful things. The Dark Tower series. Thinner and Insomnia.

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LurkingLizzy · 16/10/2018 11:06

There are a LOT of differences between The Shining book and film. Probably why King hated the latter so much.

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pointythings · 20/10/2018 20:56

The book of the Shining is MUCH better than the film.

I would also seriously read Duma Key - it's scary, and the portrayal of someone dealing with the aftermath of traumatic brain injury is beautifully done.

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codswallopandbalderdash · 22/10/2018 21:38

Oh I love stephen king. This year I re-read it and the shining before reading Doctor Sleep. Loved them all. And the Long Walk which is the first in the Bachman Books is an absolute classic.

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snozzlemaid · 22/10/2018 21:45

Cujo stayed in my mind for quite a while. Really freaked me. I could imagine the horror of the situation too well.

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LisbonFalls1958 · 24/10/2018 07:23

11.22.63 is my favourite Stephen King book (my MN user names are all usually based on that book Grin). I think it's most like The Stand in terms of length and scope - it's a wonderful story. I've read and listened to it countless times and never get bored of it.

I love most of his books, but I'd also recommend On Writing for a fascinating insight into how he became a writer and his tips on writing.

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trickandtreat · 24/10/2018 07:40

I would recommend The Shining next. It's a masterpiece compared to many of his other books, which usually begin brilliantly but completely unravel into chaotic nonsense by the end.

Many of King's short stories and novellas are excellent; my favourite is The Long Walk.

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Magpiefeather · 24/10/2018 07:49

The shining
Misery
Carrie
The green mile

All faves of mine.

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