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Original poster

Which lesser known / newer Stephen King books should I read next?

61 replies

2022HereWeCome · 28/03/2022 13:43

Ok I've read all the Stephen King classics - Salem's lot, Pet Cemetery, IT, the shining, Carrie, Misery etc (all great reads). Bachman books are fantastic - especially The Long Walk.

So I've just finished The Institute - not perfect by any means but much better than I anticipated and a real page turner. So what can I read now? I haven't read many of SK newer books and I'm sure there are some older lesser known ones that are worth a read.

Any ideas? I didn't enjoy the Dark Tower series - patchy and underwhelming. I tried to re-read the Stand a couple of years ago and failed miserably - found it boring. And 'Gwendy's Button Box' is best forgotten IMO.

OP posts:
iklboo · 31/03/2022 10:13

I'm now going to download Duma Key & 22:11:63 😄

OohMrDarcy · 31/03/2022 10:04

Duma key I loved - possibly one of my favourite more recent ones of his. Reread it not long ago and still got to me, I don't often reread this genre for obvious reasons

Doctor sleep I recall really enjoying - follow up to the shining

11.22.63 was also fantastic - but been so long I can't promise.

I tend to enjoy more of his 'supernatural thriller' type books over the pure horror ones

HTH

17caterpillars1mouse · 31/03/2022 09:57

I think I enjoyed Rose Madder but found it a heavy read emotionally

17caterpillars1mouse · 31/03/2022 09:56

I really enjoyed 'the eyes of the dragon'

iklboo · 31/03/2022 09:50

Needful Things is pretty good, as is Rose Madder, like PP's have said. Dolores Claiborne is excellent.

I loved Mr Mercedes - Holly is a fabulous character. If you can, try & watch the TV series with Brendan Gleeson. The actress really 'got' Holly.

Dr Sleep is good (so is the film). The Eyes of the Dragon is pretty much unknown to a lot of SK fans. It kind of flew under the radar.

OatmilkandCookies · 31/03/2022 09:39

The Stand is brilliant but it's a real slow starter - it took me two years all in because I kept putting it down, but it's worth the slog at the start I promise.
Doctor Sleep is good too, as is the Mr Mercedes trilogy.

Original poster
2022HereWeCome · 31/03/2022 09:04

I think I may have read insomnia about 20 years ago ... I have vague memories of a tree and the fates (unless this is product of my over-active imagination)

OP posts:
Fooshufflewickjbannanapants · 31/03/2022 08:23

Insomnia is one of my all time favourites

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 31/03/2022 07:04

His most recent one. Billy Summers, is great.

Sharrowgirl · 31/03/2022 06:41

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is great.

Patbutchersarrow · 31/03/2022 06:39

Bag of bones is really good as is rose madder, as others have said 22.11.63 is a good read. He also did a few books with Short stories in the skeleton crew was one but there are a few others

Kanaloa · 31/03/2022 06:10

I like Dreamcatcher too although I know lots of people aren’t keen! Think it was one of the first King novels I read as a teen.

Kanaloa · 31/03/2022 06:09

I liked Dolores Claiborne. Liked two of the short stories in Different Seasons but I thought The Apt Pupil was drivel. I’m always surprised by how many people haven’t read The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, which I really enjoyed.

Riverhousepuppy · 31/03/2022 06:06

Another vote for 11.22.63 . Everything in my world stopped when I opened that book up
Cujo is worth a read too and Different Seasons for short stories.
I too wish I could forget 11.22.63 and have the pleasure of reading it again

Joolsin · 30/03/2022 17:19

@SausagePourHomme

22.11.63

Amazing

Yes, I don't like the horror genre as a rule, but this is an incredible book
DameHelena · 30/03/2022 17:02

I'd also say the Bill Hodges trilogy, mainly because I really like the character of Holly Gibney. She's also in The Outsider and (as the main character) If It Bleeds.

NoShitHemlock · 28/03/2022 15:58

Duma Key is a great book. Have you tried Sleeping Beauties which he wrote with his son Owen? It has the same feel as his older stuff and is a great read.

Ohhhh and on that note - I "found" an author a couple of years ago called Joe Hill and the book was Nos4R2 (since been made into a series), so I read a 2nd book of his, The Fireman, and it was even better so I had a bit of a google and turns out he is Stephen King's son and he is a GREAT writer - I would absolutely recommend giving him a go. He is the same genre as his dad and his style is quite similar so that is probably why I enjoyed his books.

Original poster
2022HereWeCome · 28/03/2022 15:38

I don't get the love for The Stand. I enjoyed it as a teenager but tried to re-read recently and it irritated the heck out of me.

OP posts:
CatNamedEaster · 28/03/2022 14:53

The Stand. The tv series is abysmal so if you've seen that don't let it put you off the book.Grin

AwkwardPaws27 · 28/03/2022 14:51

I'm also a big fan of his short story collections.

AwkwardPaws27 · 28/03/2022 14:50

@SausagePourHomme

22.11.63

Amazing

I second this.

I also really enjoyed Blaze and Joyland, quite different to his usual genre but good (& not as massive as some of his books - I like a long book but sometimes it's nice to have something shorter too!).

Time40 · 28/03/2022 14:47

The Tommyknockers

BobbinThreadbare123 · 28/03/2022 14:26

11.22.63
Seconded, thirded, fourthed!

SpaghettiNotCourgetti · 28/03/2022 14:24

I loved Rose Madder, even though it's a bit weird. And also Thinner, which is Richard Bachman.

Theregoesmyhomebirth · 28/03/2022 14:20

I really liked Duma Key