Stephen King - didn't like Carrie, what are the others like?

[SineadTemptation]

I will be buying a kindle soon and want to stock up on book titles to download I've heard a lot of people recommending Stephen King but I started reading Carrie and didn't like it. I think it was the whole court room drama thing that put me off because I hate that kind of book anyway.

I'd like to read The Shining but have been somewhat put off SK books by Carrie! Anyone read both? are they similar?

I was wondering about the reading order for The Dark Tower. The SK website forum advocates reading certain books in between books of the Dark Tower as they are connected, I was wondering if anyone had done this? Lots of people suggest reading Salem's Lot and Hearts of Atlantis before book 5. I haven't read either, would it enhance my reading experience of The Dark Tower to do so?

I don't think it adds much, just that they have some of the same characters so you get more of their story and it rounds out the overall tale. You could also read The Stand, Insomnia, The Talisman, Black House and The Eyes of the Dragon as they also connect to the series.

I don't think it makes much difference if you read them before or after though!

Thanks Tilly. I'm not sure I could bear to drag myself away from The Dark Tower to read the other. I might save reading all of the connected books for when I re-read The Dark Tower. I'd imagine this will be quite soon anyway, it is ages since any books have grabbed me the way these have.

I would, which one are you reading now? Plus if you read them after you'll have that 'Ohhhh' moment which is much nicer than 'Eh'!

I'm right at the end of The Waste Lands at the moment. It seems like every time I put my Kindle down I'm at a cliff hanger. I really can't wait until I can read them again! As I have a 14 month old DS it has been ages since I've been this engrossed in a book

Oh, you've got Wizard & Glass next, probably my favourite one

And there's apparently going to be another one Dark Tower 8

Yes I saw book 8 mentioned when I was looking at the reading order stuff. Sounds like it won't be out for a while though as, apparently, SK is writing a sequel to The Shining first. Looking forward to Wizard & Glass. I think each book has been better than the previous one but that may be because I am getting more engrossed

Dark Tower eight is already written, it seems.

It looks at the time between the end of book four (Oz) and their arrival at the Calla at the beginning of book 5.

One of my favourite books is The Stand and I've recently read Under The Dome which was also very good.

Cycle of The Werewolf was also made into a film and worked better in the comic form which I had - that probably wouldn't work on kindle.

I read all his books when I was a teenager, loved his short stories too which could sometimes be scarier than the full novel.

I love Stephen King - if anyone remembers an 80's kids movie called The Monster Squad then you may like this as worn by one of the kids in it

Lots of good reccomendations for you here SineadTemptation and I would like to add to definately avoid Cell. Just bizarre.

Apparently King's own favourite of his works is Bag of Bones which I reread recently, and is very good, and very scary.

CoteDAzur I am currently re-reading Firestarter (got it out the library) - it is all kinds of aces.

I might have to buy Firestarter again. I have no idea where my copy could be.

I read it when in my late teens and moved between four cities since then.

Because of this thread I've started Dark Tower again from the beginning, its been a while since I read them. Only started yesterday but am onto The Waste Lands today