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Original poster

whats the best Stephen King book?

92 replies

juicychops · 27/04/2012 21:29

I fancy giving one a go as not read any of his since i was a teenager. I read Carrie, The Shining, and some other one which i seem to remember was about a girl walking through the woods imagining herself at a baseball game? can't really remember that one!

anyway, recommendations please...

OP posts:
fivegomadindorset · 27/04/2012 21:31

The Stand closely followed by The Dome, just read 11.22.63, which was OK but took a while to get into.

AnneOfCleavers · 27/04/2012 21:33

The one in the wood is The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon I think.

I haven't read all of King's books (I have quite a few in my to-be-read box). But my favourites are probably The Stand and Under The Dome. The Green Mile is also great.

The Dark Tower series is pretty good as well. I've read 5 of the 7 books and am going to start book 6 sometime soon.

boringnickname · 27/04/2012 21:35

I used to love Stephen King, but i got sick of the apocalyptic endings that seemed to be a variation on the theme. It is a great shame because he has amazing imagination but it would always end with an epic battle with some alien, malevolent being - i mean, wasn't it a giant spider in "it"

In terms of what was my favourite though, if you guage it by terror factor then it has to be pet semetary, but i woudnt recommend this if you are sensitive about bad things happening to children (i coudlnt read this now), but i read the book twice as a teenager and recall being too scared to turn the page at one point Blush

Needful things was good, but i dont know if i got to the end of it and cant remember what happened - probaby an apocalypse of some kind Hmm

Springforward · 27/04/2012 21:36

My favourite is Under the Dome, but I also really liked Lisey's Story. The Kennedy one mentioned above was good too.

I'm less keen on his earliest stuff tbh, with the possible exception of Christine.

DilysPrice · 27/04/2012 21:37

Misery and The Dead Zone

ladygogo · 27/04/2012 21:41

Definitely Misery... A very good read from beginning to end

bananasarebeautiful · 27/04/2012 21:41

I agree with boring about Pet Sematary-I used to LOVE that book (don't know how I'd cope after having kids though!). IT was another favourite but I tried to reread that recently and I didn't appreciate it as much as I used to. I also enjoyed some of his short stories-The Running Man, The Long Walk, The Mist and the one set on a raft (The Raft?!). Oh and the one about the doctor marooned on an island who ends up having to eat himself-that was great!

VivaLeBeaver · 27/04/2012 21:42

The stand and under the dome.

bananasarebeautiful · 27/04/2012 21:42

And Misery.

southeastastra · 27/04/2012 21:42

short stories are by far the best, straight to the point in one chapter

what he's best at

Original poster
juicychops · 27/04/2012 21:44

AnneofCleavers, thats it!! the girl who loved tom gordon - its ringing bells!

i remember watching the film of the Stand years ago and i used to have the book but never read it and now i no longer have it. its really mega thick i seem to remember...

OP posts:
InstructionsToTheDouble · 27/04/2012 21:45

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LST · 27/04/2012 21:46

Dreamcatcher! Amazing!

SillyBeardyDaddyman · 27/04/2012 21:48

The stand
Misery
Needful things
The dark tower series

BooMagoo · 27/04/2012 21:48

Misery
Needful things
Christine
None of them apocalyptic.

Springforward · 27/04/2012 21:49

Ooh, and Hearts in Atlantis

Popoozle · 27/04/2012 21:50

The Eyes Of The Dragon - love it, could re-read it over and over.

Also loved Thinner (although can't remember why).

Have also asked DH (who owns all of them) - he recommends The Stand and The Dark Tower series.

AnneOfCleavers · 27/04/2012 21:53

Rage is no longer included in new editions of The Bachman Books. Stephen King had it removed after a school shooting in America.

Luckily my mum managed to find an old copy of The Bachman Books in a Charity shop which contained Rage because it is one of my favourites.

garlicnutter · 27/04/2012 21:55

The Dark Half. It's about 25 years since I read it, but it still haunts me sometimes.

This thread's made me look at how many of his books I haven't read yet! Thanks, OP. I forecast sleepless nights in the house of Garlic ....

petitfiloser · 27/04/2012 21:55

best book is the stand by a long way, best short story is the long walk, best author, ever

InstructionsToTheDouble · 27/04/2012 21:56

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balia · 27/04/2012 22:00

Rose Madder

Insomnia

Original poster
juicychops · 27/04/2012 22:01

i think il buy a couple tomorrow then. i really do prefer to read books that are brand new from a shop but maybe i should be good and get them from the charity shop

OP posts:
MissPricklePants · 27/04/2012 22:02

The Stand
The Dark Tower Series

I own all the Stephen King books!! Huge SK fan!!

Duckypoohs · 27/04/2012 22:02

I really like Insomnia, Cujo is a good one too, also Bag of Bones. I like the stand but for some reason it took me a few goes to get into it. Geralds game is another gripping one.

I re-read Pet Semetary lately and it is much more disturbing than I remember, the film is pretty good too.