Which lesser known / newer Stephen King books should I read next?

[2022HereWeCome]

Ok I've read all the Stephen King classics - Salem's lot, Pet Cemetery, IT, the shining, Carrie, Misery etc (all great reads). Bachman books are fantastic - especially The Long Walk.

So I've just finished The Institute - not perfect by any means but much better than I anticipated and a real page turner. So what can I read now? I haven't read many of SK newer books and I'm sure there are some older lesser known ones that are worth a read.

Any ideas? I didn't enjoy the Dark Tower series - patchy and underwhelming. I tried to re-read the Stand a couple of years ago and failed miserably - found it boring. And 'Gwendy's Button Box' is best forgotten IMO.

Bag of bones is really good as is rose madder, as others have said 22.11.63 is a good read. He also did a few books with Short stories in the skeleton crew was one but there are a few others

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is great.

His most recent one. Billy Summers, is great.

Insomnia is one of my all time favourites

I think I may have read insomnia about 20 years ago ... I have vague memories of a tree and the fates (unless this is product of my over-active imagination)

The Stand is brilliant but it's a real slow starter - it took me two years all in because I kept putting it down, but it's worth the slog at the start I promise.
Doctor Sleep is good too, as is the Mr Mercedes trilogy.

Needful Things is pretty good, as is Rose Madder, like PP's have said. Dolores Claiborne is excellent.

I loved Mr Mercedes - Holly is a fabulous character. If you can, try & watch the TV series with Brendan Gleeson. The actress really 'got' Holly.

Dr Sleep is good (so is the film). The Eyes of the Dragon is pretty much unknown to a lot of SK fans. It kind of flew under the radar.

I really enjoyed 'the eyes of the dragon'

I think I enjoyed Rose Madder but found it a heavy read emotionally

Duma key I loved - possibly one of my favourite more recent ones of his. Reread it not long ago and still got to me, I don't often reread this genre for obvious reasons

Doctor sleep I recall really enjoying - follow up to the shining

11.22.63 was also fantastic - but been so long I can't promise.

I tend to enjoy more of his 'supernatural thriller' type books over the pure horror ones

HTH

I'm now going to download Duma Key & 22:11:63 😄

@2022HereWeCome

Is Dolores Claiborne or Duma Key any good?

I loved both of these, Duma Key was my first SK read!

Green Mile is great, Cell was good too. But I couldn't stand Insomnia or Firestarter.

Thanks to everyone who recommended Duma Key. I downloaded it last night and while I've only read a few chapters so far it's really good.

@Sharrowgirl

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is great.

Was going ti recommend this. Loved it

I really like his short story collections, Everything's Eventual, Skeleton Crew and Bazaar of bad dreams have all got some very clever stories in them. Duma key is really good and I also like The girl who loved Tom Gordon.

Christine is one of my favourites, TommyKnockers is brilliant as is Bag of Bones. Love Dark Half and Needful things although make sure you read them in order.

The Dark Tower is also amazing, although the first book is the weakest if that's the one that put you off.

TBH if I was starting SK again I would just go through his list from the earliest published just missing out any that you have already read. I've found most of his recent work (Bill Hodges etc) not the same level as the earlier stuff - pre-accident and getting clean.

If you like the Institute I would suggest Firestarter. As pp's have said his short story collections are great.

Nightmares and Dreamscapes - short stories.

I loved Duma Key, great storytelling, scary in a good way.

Another vote for Rose Madder. I've been reading Stephen King since I was a teen but only read it recently- wish I'd read it sooner it was fantastic.

Full Dark, No Stars is one of my absolute favourites.

What is really interesting is the breadth of stuff SK writes, and how everyone has different favourites.

Yeah I agree - I think SK is really underrated as a "serious" author - he's really versatile as well as having such a great ability to create a sense of place.

I've not read any Stephen King but I stayed up all night last night to finish Billy Summers.

So so good.

Another vote for his short stories; The Jaunt (from Skeleton Crew) is absolutely terrifying but the horror only hits you in the last few paragraphs. Amazing.

Herman Wouk Is Still Alive is heartbreaking, and A Good Marriage is great, although I think the film looks rubbish. His stuff doesn’t always translate well onto the screen.

The Stand is one of my all time favourite books & Rose Madder is great.
I really loved Billy Summers,a definite page turner. Just read Revival,which I enjoyed but not on a par with some of his others.
Love his short story books too.