Stephen king

[Moominfan]

So I've never read any Stephen king. Always avoided him. Had the impression he was very long winded. Currently working my way through pet cemetery and loving it. What are your SK must reads? How good is it when you find an author you love with loads of material

I adore Stephen King. I have yet to find one I didn't love and often go back to read certain novels again and again - they're like old friends. He can write a character in one sentence! I agree with a pp that Cell has one of the best opening chapters ever and there's a certain death in it that utterly breaks my heart.

The ones I think of most is 11.22.63 and The Stand. I'm currently reading The Dark Tower series which I am so happy I left he'd completed. I can't imagine how readers felt when it seemed he wouldn't ever finish them!

*until he'd completed them...

Thanks, Pointy. Yes, I also enjoyed both.

The Long Walk is superb. One of his most scary and depressing.

@ImportantWater I think you should delve into one of his new ones, I think you'll love them. 11.22.63 is one is like to recapture the pleasure of reading again. So exciting! Loved his latest The Institution and also The Outsider.

Under the Dome started well but has the worst, most ridiculous ending I have ever read. It completely ruined it for me.

Then they made it even worse for TV.

The Dark Tower series is my favourite. The first one, The Gunslinger is a bit of a slog (although short), but needs reading as it's referenced right the way through. My personal favourite is no. 4, Wizard and Glass.

Also loved IT, The Shining, Misery and The Green Mile. I thought Tommyknockers was utter tosh, but I did read it immediately after finishing IT, and that's a tough act to follow.

I just finished 'The Institute' it was fab. Just close enough to real life science and past events to make you wonder that somewhere someday some government will attempt this....🤔
Loved 'The Dark Tower' books cried buckets several times. Such a completely different approach to a story mixing fantasy and real life. I didn't want it to end.
Yes to The Stand too. Epic tale.
I love his books on writing / auto biographies too it's like having a conversation with friend. Man he really does "take you by the hand" into a different place.

I read 'It' in bed at night as a teen I was halfway through it one night and kept reading till 3am as I couldn't out it down.😁

I think people see the name and think "horror" but his books are all so different and many don't actually have any stereotypical "horror" scenes in them so people are missing out on great stories. They are all character driven and mainly set in ordinary every day places and people with ordinary lives which are turned upside down by chance. That's probably the scariest thing.
Long may he reign.

I LOVE Stephen King and am re-reading his books in order (just started Pet Semetary).

There are so many great books by him but I particularly love the following:

• The Stand
• The Dead Zone
• It
• The Green Mile
• 11/22/63
• Different Seasons
• Hearts in Atlantis

Don't forget 'Sleeping Beauties' written with his son.
I'm a lifelong SK fan - did my disertation on him. I also love his wife's books - Tabitha King. Not sure if they're easy to get hold of anymore.