Which Stephen King book should I read first

[Mellowyellow22]

I am feeling in need of a bit of horror, have not read any since the 'point horror' books when I was a teenager.
Am I right in thiking that Stephen King books are horror stories? Which would you reccomend for me to start with?

Thanks

I re-read Cell a couple of weeks ago (having hated it when it came out) and it was much better on second read. Am now re-reading Hearts In Atlantis and can remember absolutely nothing about it.

LOVE Firestarter, which is a shorter one. It is terrifying. The Stand is my all-time favorite.

I mean "It" is terrifying. :) Firestarter isn't terrifying, but it is v good.

I think 'It' is terrifying because of the child's eye perspective - King does that so well.

In Firestarter I find myself really rooting for the father/daughter team and it's so sad.

I do also like the Desperation/The Regulators pairing - definitely worth a read (one is a King book, the other a Bachman book, but they do link into each other).

I've read everything he has ever written, and despite the fact that he does produce the odd turkey, I will continue to read everything he writes.

Insomnia was a Steven King book that i found really tough to continue reading but about half way it clicked and was an amazing read.

I really liked Insomnia too - especially liked the fact that the main characters were not young, slim and sexy.

Back in the day I did my dissertation on Stephen King. He hadn't written quite so much then!

He's sooo much more than a slash and burn horror writer - but definately scarey. 'The Shining' is excellent, the uncut version of 'The Stand' is one of the best books out there. My personal favourite is the novella 'The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon', very subtle and creepy. I love everything he writes - it's very hard to choose - just dive in and go for it. Don't believe anyone who says the films are better - always read the books.

If you can get hold of any of his wife's books - Tabitha King - they are brilliant. She's a very different writer, but no less talented - and sadly little known.

Dean Koontz is just so shite in comparison to King. DH and I always laugh that his books are so predicta-plot! The characters are always the same - the 'baddies' are rich and have appalling interior design taste, the 'goodies' are poor but very tasteful!!!

I've just read 'Horns' by Joe Hill, King's son - not a patch on his daddy!

Oooh - haven't read that one - will give him a go. Why do the off spring of excellent writers do it? You're always going to be compared. Is King jnr's stuff horror?

Supposedly - it was more like realist fantasy a la Gaiman but not as well done. The main character was good and there were some well realised moments but the villain was totally cartoonish.

Mmmm - does sound iffy - but will give it a chance.

I've gone so far off Dean Koontz that I don't even bother getting his stuff from the library and will only read his old ones. He is so predictable - the villain will be a mad atheist, there will be an enormous government conspiracy and somewhere along the line there will be a golden retriever, but no-one ever shoots it or shags it. Big thumbs down to Koontz these days.

As for Joe Hill - I've read 'Heart-shaped Box' and thought it was OK, but not a patch on the old man.

Don't forget the misunderstood but saint-like child and the handsome but evil perpetrator.