Possibly picking up Stephen King again

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I was a huge Stephen King fan back in the day, although I never read The Dark Half or The Talisman, I enjoyed all of his other books up to The Tommyknockers. I remember trying to read that on holiday in 1989 thought it was terrible and gave up. I didn't like Dolores Claiborne, The Dark Half, Rose Madder. The last one that I enjoyed was Gerald's Game. So, I pretty much stopped reading his new stuff in the mid 1990s although I've re-read most of the earlier ones several times.

If you're familiar with much of his work, do you think it would be worth me trying some of his more recent stuff and if so can you suggest a few titles, or should I just accept that his style is no longer for me?

Mr Mercedes trilogy - is the one titled Mr Mercedes the first in the trilogy?

Yes.

I too prefer his earlier stuff - I was scared shitless by most of his long-ago books, particularly "Cujo" back in the 80s.

My favourite by him is "The Stand", as others have mentioned already.

Read lots as a teenager. Had forgotten completely about Cujo. Misery and Carrie were particular favourites.

SK has written some turkeys, but you can't dismiss all his later work. I really, really love Duma Key - am re-reading it at the moment. I also like Under the Dome, 22.11.63, Lisey's Story and Doctor Sleep. Haven't read the Mr Mercedes trilogy though I probably should.

Revival was awful.

Under the Dome good, except for the v v silly ending.

I liked Mr Mercedes - the other two in the trilogy are fine, but not as good.

Oh the talisman I think is brilliant. The green mile and Christine I think are my favourites, along with the long walk and stand by me.

Also stand out short stories are the jaunt, the raft, one about a cat that wouldn't die and ate you, and prob more I can't think of.

I ❤️ Stephen king. Reading him is like putting on my fave slippers and dressing gown

I was always a huge King fan but 'went off him' for a long time after The Green Mile. I read the occasional book, but seriously struggled with the JFK story and Full Dark.

I've since joined a fan group on FB and have started reading him again - recently re-visited It, The Dark Tower books and, an old favourite, The Stand.

Have just finished Mr Mercedes and am now tackling the next one.

I thought I had 'outgrown' him, but am glad to re-discover him- and my daughter is turning into a fan too

Skeleton Crew is excellent. "Survivor Type" is genius if you've not read it.

The stand is my favourite book (apart from Harry Potter!), 11-22-63 is really good too. Full dark no stars was quite good, under the dome was ok (the tv series was rubbish though). I enjoyed dr sleep as well although I've not read the shining.

Survivor Type is superb.

I also really like The Langoliers.

Survivor Type is wonderful

Survivor type may be my favourite short story ever.

It's also one of my favourite conversation starters when drunk...

I really liked Lisey's Story, although you do need a good dollop of 'willing suspension of disbelief' as the premise is a bit, well, silly..... But I found it a very warm hearted book.

Duma key I found a bit slow to start off with - I think because the main character isn't particularly likeable. But it's still a decent read and I did end up enjoying it.

Wasn't a fan of revival.

Mr Mercedes is more of a crime thriller and not one of my favourites, but an enjoyable enough read.

Loved 1963. I felt it had a similar feeling to The Dead Zone although I can't articulate why.

Also really enjoyed Joe Hills books, Horns, Nos4r2 and Heart shaped box.... But the Fireman is absolute Arse - the most boring end of the world ever....

If you like short stories, there's an excellent anthology by Robert shearsmith (I think) called 'remember why you fear me'.... Most of the stories are great, although there are one or two duds in there.

There were definitely paragraphs in it when I typed it

John Conolly is good. Not as scary, or as fine writing as King for me, but very, very readable. As an aside, I love the way King intersperses his prose with the thoughts of his characters (usually in brackets).. Sometimes it I'm deep in thought I can "see" my random thoughts "written" like that, and hear them like the way I always heard his characters. Anyone else get that? Yes, I guess I am strange.

I love his old ones best, particularly Christine, Salmen's lot and The Shining ( which I've just finished reading again) now on Dr Sleep.
I also love James Herbert, particularly the Rats trilogy -gives me the shivers thinking about those books.

Just re-read Misery again - was definitely worth it. 11.22.63 was amazing - I was sad when I finished it. Been reading King for 31 years now ☺

I read my 1st when I was 14 and am now...ahem...not 14.

I feel it's time to show off my bookcase again:

NoS4R2 is awesome. Went to a boom signing with Joe Hill, he was funny.

Really loved DarkTowet but the movie was meh.

Dean Koontz also worth a try, I liked the Odd Thomas series and the Frankenstein series.

Finding Bazaar better than Neil Gaimans short story collection, both ate currently on the go

I was a huge fan in my teens, devouring It, The Stand, Salem's Lot etc.

I got back into him a couple of years ago by reading an antholigy - something like 'around midnight' cant recall title but Little Driver (I think it's called is on there) and I read Duma Key, which was good fun.

I read The Dark Half when younger. I'm trying Revival but struggling, for me my faves are the big guns I first mentioned, along with Misery. I picked up Pet Cemetary from a charity shop and plan to re-read. Making up for years lost not reading him.

It was Full.Dark No Stars (not around midnight) mentioned upthread.

How can I forget 11-22-63

Ooh , I'm a huge SK fan. Some are better than others but The Stand and The Dark Half were my favourites.
Just finished the last of the Mr Mercedes trilogy. Did anyone else wonder about the fact that it seems to be since he wrote that that terrorists have started driving cars into crowds of people? I do wonder if he might feel bad about that, as if he might have given them the idea.
For me I love the way he develops his characters. His writing draws you in somehow

Apparently one of the reasons that some of the SK books are a bit hit and miss is cos he genuinely doesn't remember writing them. I read an interview where he talked about his massive substance abuse problem during the 80s/90s. I can't remember which one it is, but he said that he was off his face for most of it (possibly Tommyknockers)

Anyway, the Stand is my absolute fave of all time but 11 22 63 is brilliant too. Much better than the tv series imo.

I love that he says he's definitely not writing another one, no way...and then it's like he can't stop himself!

I am definitely a confirmed Constant Reader

He must remember some of them, because of the recurrent characters and locations.