Stephen King books

[matmico399]

I have been an avid reader of him for several years. Which do you think are his best novels? My top two are It and The Stand. I personally wasn't a very big fan of The Shining but I love the movie. The sequel was not a masterpiece but I found it very entertaining.

[ActRaiser]

In the Dark Tower series I think my favorite was the fourth novel: Wizard and Glass. The novels toward the end of the series had some wonky writing that needed more polish. From what I gather after his car accident he flew through the last books in the series to get them done. I kind of wished he'd have polished them as much as the earlier books in the series. Having said that I'm grateful the series was completed at least.

[Steve]

It seems like it is too easy to call out his classics as my favorites although they are classics for a reason, IT being my favorite of his older novels. To give some praise for some of his latter years work or less well known, I would choose the following:
Revival (2014) - The ending still disturbs me to this day. It is literally one my true nightmares
Cell (2006) - I really liked this story. Unfortunately, the movie was TERRIBLE and kind of ruined it but it is still memorable.
From a Buick 8 (2002) - Another good story. Might be considered lesser than Christine however, I think I prefer this one.
Storm of the Century - Technically not a novel but since it is an original screenplay and considered a 'novel for television', I have to give it special mention. I thought the main character was one of the most evil in any of his stories and the TV miniseries is easily my favorite among all of the adaptations.
Skelton Crew (1985) - It's from his classic period which I didn't want to call out however, I generally prefer the short stories to the novels and this one is my favorite along with Everything's Eventual (2002)
From the Dark Tower series, I would have to pick The Wind Through the Keyhole from 2012. It comes chronologically after Wizard and Glass but was released most recently. It may not be the best of the Dark Tower but it is certainly superior to the last 3-4 of the mainline 7.

[Zack Burner]

I've read several of his works:

The Dead Zone - Nice psychological thriller about a man who can predict the fates of others through touch.

The Girl who loved Tom Gordon - Another good psychological thriller seen through the mind and eyes of a girl lost in the woods.

Carrie - Everyone know this one, and sympathises with the protagonist

It - Stephen King's Masterpiece, the embodiment of fear seen through 7 young people who grow up and face it together. Adapted twice, the one with Tim Curry is the most memorable with the right balance of terror and restraint without going too far.

[newmodelarmy]

Great topic, I have read most of Stephen King's books through 2000. I have tried to read a number of his new books but cannot get into them. Here are my favorites:

The Dark Tower Series-I think the first four books are the best for sure. My personal favorite is the second one, "The Drawing of the Three"

It-enough said.

Misery-probably the best movie adaptation of any of this books. The book is even more brutal than the movie however.

The Eyes of the Dragon-one of my favorite "fantasy" books

The Dark Half-a bit cheesy but a fun read nonetheless.

The Green Mile-you saw the movie?? Read the book, I promise you won't be able to put it down until you get through the first 100 pages.

The Dead Zone-somebody already mentioned this one, this is perhaps my favorite SK book.

Apt Pupil is a short story I believe in the Different Seasons collection. Great, quick read.

Cujo-Book is ten times better than the movie.

Tommyknockers-A lot of people I know who read this book do not like it, but I like the mixture of sci-fi and horror.

Like I said, I have tried to get through some of his newer books like "Hearts of Atlantis", "Cell", "the Dome" and so on, just can't get into it.

Anyway...happy reading!

[goldenband]

Like many others, I think his classic period was by far his best. Tommyknockers is sometimes seen as the last book of that period, and I remembered liking it at the time, but when I reread it recently, it seemed weak to me.

In those years he was simply on fire. Everything I've reread pre-Tommyknockers has held up astonishingly well. His insight into the human psyche -- his ability to follow certain trains of thought, let's say, to their ultimate end as seen in a novel like Pet Sematary -- is incredible.

After that, things went downhill fast from my perspective. I lost interest in the Dark Tower series fast after the third book, and the other newer King novels I've read have ranged from "OK" to "awful". The anthologies, like Four Past Midnight and Nightmares & Dreamscapes, were a bit better.

I should give his more recent works another chance, though. Maybe I'll check out 11/22/63 or From a Buick 8 sometime. I still can't remember if I actually read Under the Dome!

In fairness I've lost interest in recent science fiction, horror, and fantasy across the board, as once the 21st century began, most of it seemed to go in directions that just don't interest me. Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem sounds intriguing, though.

[newmodelarmy]

[quote=

I should give his more recent works another chance, though. Maybe I'll check out 11/22/63 or From a Buick 8 sometime. I still can't remember if I actually read Under the Dome!

.[/quote]

I have read a lot of good things about 11/22/63, might give that one a chance but I believe it is like 1,000 pages! I can't believe I forgot to mention "The Stand", one of my all time favorite SK books.

[Stalvern]

Late to the party, but I'm sad to see no love for Dolores Claiborne in this thread. Big fan of that one.

[evergreen13]

Love the Dark Tower series, that was some magical stuff for me back in my 20s.

I have a huge soft spot for The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. I read it while working at a summer camp, so the hiking theme and getting lost in the woods really stuck with me.

I just finished 11/22/63 and absolutely loved it. It's a long read, but it's really enjoyable.

[GeoX]

1. Salem’s Lot - best vampire tale… ever!
2. The Stand
3. The Langoliers (novella)
Too many more to think of right now…

Eric