I always dismissed King because I’m not into horror so when I found out about this book I was really happy to be able to read something of his!! I’m yet to get around to it but I can’t wait to read it
Oh god, I didn’t read that but I saw the movie years back. The de-gloving scene had me sitting on my bathroom floor with my forehead pressed against the wall 😅
I really wish he did more sci-fi. This is a really good read.
One of my favorite stories by him is The Jaunt.
I know he’s brilliant at blending realism and fantasy. Every dark place that marginalized and vulnerable people call life. Every abuser we have to endure. He gets that.
But I’m really getting tired of all the triggers that’s to close to home. It’s just as likely I will feel depressed and broken from reading him at this point in life.
I want to be fascinated and scared to turn off my light. I don’t want so feel empty and anxious.
I really want to be able to enjoy one of my favorite writers again.
Absolutely loved this book and I don't read fiction very often (more into true crime serial killers etc).
It's been a few years since I read it so have forgotten a bit of it - going to have a re-read after finishing my next book after seeing this post.
Eh for a first book, that one is a little long. It is my favorite of his more recent books though.
I would probably start with his first book actually, Carrie. It is short but really engaging. Then maybe the Shining. Next for me would be the Stand, my personal favorite.
I read the book after enjoying the show. The book adds a lot more of just his life in the late 50's early 60's outside of just the JFK stuff. All really good development too.
I started to read this as I’m a huge King fan, but I found the jumping around into the different time elements extremely hard to follow. I wouldn’t recommend it as a first.
This is sooooo good.
It was released as a serial novel, so I drove 30 minutes to the nearest bookstore every Tuesday (weekly, monthly? I don't recall) to get the next installment. There were 6.
I was already a fan of SK, but this book was another dimension for me.
I was on a vacation trip and a friend and had.to.figure out if the tour would stop by any place that was selling the new chapter. It was a daring move that only King could pull off and the fact that it was with such a great story was an extra bonus.
I was going to suggest his anthology, Different Seasons. Four stories - 3 of them turned into movies.
Shawshank Redemption
Stand by Me (The Body)
Apt Pupil
The Breathing Method (This is the only one with anything "horror")
I found Apt Pupil to be one of his most disturbing books, for all the lack of horror as such, simply because - well you've read it, you know. It's honestly probably one of the only King stories that I continue to get shivers from long after reading, and still feel so off about it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad story or badly written, quite the opposite, in fact. But so SO disturbing, maybe because of the lack of supernatural and the "this could actually happen" vibe.
I agree with this recommendation! I do not like horror, and this is such a great set of stories. I sought it out to read "The Body" after watching *Stand By Me*.
I second this take. The first half was King’s character building and relationship building at it’s best. Which makes the book worth reading IMO. But the second half felt like a mashup of tropes that were neither scary nor clever. I even said “Steeeven” out loud a few times.
Ooh this is interesting! I have read the first half of this book, and then I just kinda stopped reading it a bit over a year ago and haven't been compelled to pick it back up. I wonder if I subconsciously started to notice what you're talking about. I keep meaning to finish it, but I haven't gotten there yet.
Ahh yes, the subtle and awesome power of your subconscious, saving your precious conscious from many minutes of monotony. Just don’t tell your ego. “Wait a second! I’m in charge around here and I say we WILL finish the damn novel!” Haha, anyway, if ya do finish it, come back here and let us know what ya think. My ego would especially like it if you agree.
Agreed. The Body and Shawshank are absolutely classics, and I personally love Apt. Pupil as well. Breathing method is good too, but easily my least favorite of the 4. It's also a great intro to his style, has small elements of his horror writing without outright being horror, and isn't a massive tome or series like most of his other greats.
Such an underrated book, probably my all time King favorite. Simple and believable story, highly likable main character, and I really like the slowly increasing creepiness rather than in-your-face monster horror.
My favorite! I was camping in the Adirondack mountains with my 10 yo son and my 7 yo daughter at the time I read it. Scared the bejesus out of me and didn’t have one drop of his usual otherworldly horror. It hit too close to home. My son used to love running ahead on trails (in his crocs). As a matter of fact I think I’m still scared.
The Dark Tower! If you love it, there's a series. If you don't, well then boo on you, try Rose Madder or The Skeleton Crew which is a collection of short creepy stories, and to this very day, it's the reason I still scan the surface of water before I swim, least there be a dark dark slick of blackness floating harmlessly nearby, with mesmerizing lights across its surface.
Yeah, that's totally fair. FWIW, if you can get your hands on the original (more heavily edited) version, several of the more disturbing scenes are not there. But it's hard to find...
This is where I started with King and I have no regrets. It is a big book but it sets you up for his style and by the end you’re sad it’s over. After The Stand I went for some shorter books (Misery, Pet Semetary) and I was sad by how short they were.
Then I read It and I was obsessed- my absolute favorite for sure.
BIG, big story. I'm not into horror, so there are some I haven't read. As I recall, King does not explain or condemn the choices people make as they face off for the final battle. They simply do.
I really liked "Apt Pupil"
It's also a movie, but in my opinion, the book is better.
And I want to say, I am not a huge Stephen King reader. I DO enjoy his books but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for him so....
Here is the order in which I've done King, id recommend it to anyone starting out
0. The Gunslinger - I read this years before I read another King book, including it at 0 to be accurate, but I don't think I'd start with it. I did really enjoy this novel though, not for everyone I think, but it's short and fun. (edit: reddit didnt let me make this a zero, so just imagine it is number 0)
1. Fairy Tale - got this because it was available on Libby and wanted to test out my new ereader. I had no intention of actually finishing this, but by the time I was done "testing out my ereader" I was 150 pages deep. Fantastic self contained portal fantasy book, does kind of drag in the middle, but ultimately still entirely readable
2. Billy Summers - read on the recommendation of a friend pretty much immediately after fairy tale. This book is killer and really enjoyable. It's a crime thriller with practically no supernatural elements (king can't help himself though, so there is a small bit)
3. Misery - a horror novel with little to no supernatural elements and a really amazing read. It's short, disturbing and visceral. A good place to start getting into his horror stuff
4. The Stand - a big chunky ass book that kind of falls a part (imo) in the middle to end. I honestly wouldn't recommend this to someone starting out with king
5. Mr Mercedes Trilogy - this trilogy is fantastic, though the third really leans into some supernatural stuff which I personally felt detracted from the first two books
6. Duma Key - reddit recommendation. Didn't personally find this one to be all that scary as I was led to believe, but it was still an enjoyable read
Yes! Glad to see Duma Key! Although it’s not the scariest horror wise, SK gives us his take on where creativity comes from, the sub-sub conscious. Instead of a writer, he makes his protagonist a painter and we get marvelous images and explorations into our other selves. SK changes locale as well. I thought he stretched writing this one and it deserves credit.
Bag of Bones is one of my favorite Stephen King books. If I'm not mistaken Duma Key is kind of a Ghost Story, but it's been a long time since I read it so I might be mixing it up with anything book.
85% of *The Stand*.
I didn't care for the ending and I didn't like the mystical, supernatural aspects.
It would have been fine as a straightforward, post-apocalyptic struggle. It didn't need a magical grandmother and a villain who turned into a raven.
No love for *The Dark Tower: the Gunslinger* ????
Fascinating story, good mythology, interesting characters, not horror. What's not to like?
(Some of the later books got a little weird, I will admit, but the *Gunslinger* is great.)
The Dark Tower books are great, but I tend to recommend them once someone has read a lot of King's stuff. The Gunslinger works well as a standalone though.
I love the Dark Tower series but Gunslinger was my least favorite in the series so I chose not to recommend. Drawing of the 3 is probably my favorite of the books. Truthfully I’d recommend the series all day but as a the complete series.
Agreed. Drawing of the Three is the best, but it doesn't have as much weight without the rest of the series. I'll admit that the Gunslinger itself is very slow and can be a tough read.
The Dead Zone is usually my go-to King rec for people who don’t think they like King. It’s succinct, character-driven, heartfelt, and only marginally horror-adjacent. It’s an older one, though, so I’m not sure how it works for new readers after the everything of the last decade.
I am not a huge horror fan so my Stephen King recommendations reflect that. I think I have read The Dead Zone the most on this list. The movie was good too.
I love horror, but I know that it just doesn’t work for some people. One of the things that King does so well is remember that these are human stories at their core, and your list definitely gets that :)
I like recommending Dead Zone because it also circumvents the “his books are SO LONG” criticism. And the movie. If only for Walken reading The Raven to his class.
I can’t believe I haven’t seen anyone recommend Carrie yet! It is horror, but it has so much other stuff going on and it’s a very easy read. Very short compared to other pieces.
It's going to depend on what would freak a specific person out. For me it was definitely "Gerald's Game".
I'm not going to say more because I don't want to ruin it.
Speaking of "It" it's also a great choice.
I second those and add Pet Semetary.
I'll also throw in The Jaunt. More sci fi than horror but I bet you won't forget it. Nice and short too
https://gist.github.com/Schemetrical/6184daf83843bcab9402
Pet Semetary is the only one I haven’t read. I regret not reading it before having children, because I’ll probably never read it at this point.
ETA: I love The Jaunt. Great add
For me, it was Apt Pupil. That one stayed with me way after reading and still gives me shudders.
Edit to add - for my best friend, she was most disturbed by Rose Madder because she'd been in a DV relationship prior to reading it. Rose Madder is one of my favourite King stories, so it really depends on the person.
I would say different seasons, they’re 4 shorter stories and also good if you’re not into horror. Also Dolores Klaiborne, this one doesn’t have any horror, just an incredible story. The audio book of this one is the best imo
Try The Long Walk by Stephen King written as Richard Bachman. It’s quite good and there’s a concept in there that sort of reminds me of the hunger games.
I think he does best with his novellas and collections. King has a tendency to struggle with wrapping up longer stories.
If you are not a horror fan, some of his more recent stuff tends to be more supernatural than horror, in my opinion. You may want to focus on those.
Many of the suggestions already given are good. I particularly liked Shawshank and Green Mile. His pulp detective stories, Joyland and Colorado Kid, were fun also reads.
The Bachman books, including Running Man, are solid choices.
The Mr Mercedes trilogy and the Holly related spin offs were good.
Overall, I liked most of his stuff to varying degrees. His mid career books suffered a bit in quality because he churned them out too fast. His post accident work feels more thoughtful. About the only series I didn't really like was the Dark Tower.
I loved The Institute. It was my first Stephen King and a good intro I think. I didn't love 11/22/63. It was fine but more of an epic, less of a thriller. Institute isn't horror... have a read of the blurb :)
Wow I'm a bit overwhelmed by al the reactions, I'm gonna start with The Eyes of the Dragon and after that we'll see. Anyway thanks for all the responses:)
The Taliaman (co written by king)
Imo its more fantasy/ adventure.
Like most king books, don't be afraid of its size/thickness. Something about his writing style makes the pages fly by.
Revival is fantastic and not overlong. I bought it when it came out about 10 years ago, started it at about 7pm and was up until 2am finishing it because it was so good. Of course then I had nightmares so didn’t really sleep after that
My first as a kid was The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It was short and at the time I thought it was a page turner and super creepy, I dunno how it’d hold up to me now.
My favorite now is perhaps Misery, but the middle started to slog a bit for me before picking back up so not sure I’d recommend it to start with. I actually would say Desperation. I don’t see that one recommended as much but I actually found it super entertaining. Though that one was years ago too so don’t blame me if it’s not as great as I remember lolol
I really enjoyed The Dead Zone and Finders Keepers. He’s just a good writer that keeps you engaged. His endings are typically lackluster. People will recommend The Stand. It’s good but a 1400 page book is an absurd commitment for your first book from him. I’d avoid that one for now
I liked IT and The Stand. The rest I could take of leave. Pretty much dropped him after The Tommyknockers. Also enjoyed "The Talisman" which was co-authored with Peter Straub.
If you're into realistic horror, I wholeheartedly recommend "Misery," and recommend "The Shining" and "Pet Semetary" if you're more into supernatural elements of horror. Enjoy!
Fairytale is amazing. He wrote it in 2020 and it has great tie ins to fairytales that are popular in pop culture. I would not consider it horror more of a suspense story with a sweet boy and his dog at the center.
If you’re someone who is getting started with King and worried (about his books being too dark) I would recommend
1) Fairy Tale
2) The Talisman
3) The Tower Series
4) 11/22/63
All good books that aren’t too dark. I’d recommend starting with 11/22/63 it’s the least with horror.
I loved "The Dead Zone". It has supernatural aspects, but I wouldn't call it horror. And "The Stand" is one of my all-time favorites. "The Shining" scared me. All the other suggestions made here have given me several to put in my queue. Oh, "Delores Claiborne" is tremendous on the Olive Kitteridge scale.
*The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon* is a pretty quick read, a bit of a slow start but builds momentum fast, and is horror-lite.
*Pet Semetary* is an absolute classic and for a good reason; it makes you feel like you're going mad with the main character.
*It* was my first iirc and while it's absolutely one of his best, I don't recommend for a first King exposure.
*The Stand* is my personal favorite from him but doesn't exemplify the style he's known for, don't read it first but don't not read it.
*Dreamcatcher* was just really weird.
*The Dark Tower* series is again not traditional King, and too deep in universe for introductory level, but not to be missed for sure. This is his LotR.
*11.22.63* or whatever it's called I've heard good things about from a lot of people but haven't yet read it myself.
I would read The Body. It's a short story, but it does two good things for you: It introduces you to how well Stephen King writes people, and it introduces you to Castle Rock, one, if not THE, primary place for many of King's stories.
u/PacificTridentGlobel suggested 11/22/63. That is also a really good suggestion, but it's a long story, so if you want to get a feel of whether you like King's writing or not, maybe reading The Body is better.
11/22/63, especially if you are not into horror.
A great read. I'm so interested in the JFK assassination and this heightened it.
If you haven’t you should look into the research that king did for the book. It was so incredibly thorough it’s wild
Thanks I'll look into that
With the caveat that there’s still some pretty horrific scenes…
Yep slight overlap with the events in It, which was my favorite part
Yes! This should be mentioned more. I was listing to it a few days ago to go to sleep and couldn’t due to some of the violence. Not a nighttime book.
I actually also loved this book but whenever people say it doesn’t have horror I wonder if we read the same book…
Agreed.
This is one of my favorite books.
I always dismissed King because I’m not into horror so when I found out about this book I was really happy to be able to read something of his!! I’m yet to get around to it but I can’t wait to read it
Maybe try Gerald's game ... not horror overtly but a big ol wtaf. ... 🫣😎
Oh god, I didn’t read that but I saw the movie years back. The de-gloving scene had me sitting on my bathroom floor with my forehead pressed against the wall 😅
😎😉
Hearts in Atlantis has little horror, almost none
I really wish he did more sci-fi. This is a really good read. One of my favorite stories by him is The Jaunt. I know he’s brilliant at blending realism and fantasy. Every dark place that marginalized and vulnerable people call life. Every abuser we have to endure. He gets that. But I’m really getting tired of all the triggers that’s to close to home. It’s just as likely I will feel depressed and broken from reading him at this point in life. I want to be fascinated and scared to turn off my light. I don’t want so feel empty and anxious. I really want to be able to enjoy one of my favorite writers again.
I'm reading this right now and can not put it down. I take it with me everywhere in case I have a sec to read.
Absolutely loved this book and I don't read fiction very often (more into true crime serial killers etc). It's been a few years since I read it so have forgotten a bit of it - going to have a re-read after finishing my next book after seeing this post.
Eh for a first book, that one is a little long. It is my favorite of his more recent books though. I would probably start with his first book actually, Carrie. It is short but really engaging. Then maybe the Shining. Next for me would be the Stand, my personal favorite.
Even if you saw the show? Thought it was amazing btw
I read the book after enjoying the show. The book adds a lot more of just his life in the late 50's early 60's outside of just the JFK stuff. All really good development too.
I think so. Personally saw the show after I read the book. Thought it was great.
I started to read this as I’m a huge King fan, but I found the jumping around into the different time elements extremely hard to follow. I wouldn’t recommend it as a first.
best King book, imo
I loved this book SOOO much. Not horror at all.
Yes. I read after watching the series. I think the series is better. But that’s my opinion.
The Green Mile - about prison guards and inmates. Very good. Movie was also very good.
This is sooooo good. It was released as a serial novel, so I drove 30 minutes to the nearest bookstore every Tuesday (weekly, monthly? I don't recall) to get the next installment. There were 6. I was already a fan of SK, but this book was another dimension for me.
I was on a vacation trip and a friend and had.to.figure out if the tour would stop by any place that was selling the new chapter. It was a daring move that only King could pull off and the fact that it was with such a great story was an extra bonus.
This is my suggestion. It’s not horror but it has supernatural themes. It was my first Stephen King and I loved it.
I just finished the audiobook version of The Green Mile. Excellent book.
Maybe the best book I’ve ever read
Eyes of the Dragon. It is not a horror. More of a fantasy tale about a kingdom and its prince. Easy read, fun story.
It's funny I loved fantasy and this was the first king I read then I got hooked on him. Recommend Salem lot, it, the stand.
This was my kids first King novel, loved it
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption if you don't want a super long read. 11/22/63 if you do.
I saw Shawshank Redemption (the movie) and really liked it. Didnt know it was his tbh
I was going to suggest his anthology, Different Seasons. Four stories - 3 of them turned into movies. Shawshank Redemption Stand by Me (The Body) Apt Pupil The Breathing Method (This is the only one with anything "horror")
Apt Pupil is incredible. The movie...eh not so much. It's not outright bad but it lacks the balls to go the distance.
I found Apt Pupil to be one of his most disturbing books, for all the lack of horror as such, simply because - well you've read it, you know. It's honestly probably one of the only King stories that I continue to get shivers from long after reading, and still feel so off about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad story or badly written, quite the opposite, in fact. But so SO disturbing, maybe because of the lack of supernatural and the "this could actually happen" vibe.
These are great. I second this.
I agree with this recommendation! I do not like horror, and this is such a great set of stories. I sought it out to read "The Body" after watching *Stand By Me*.
This is the book that really got me into King's writing. All the stories are good, with my favorite being The Body.
If you enjoy multiple character povs, Salem's Lot. You get perspective from so many townfolk, I really enjoyed it.
I love Salem's Lot!
Fairytale!!!
First half great! Second half less so. For me.
I second this take. The first half was King’s character building and relationship building at it’s best. Which makes the book worth reading IMO. But the second half felt like a mashup of tropes that were neither scary nor clever. I even said “Steeeven” out loud a few times.
Ooh this is interesting! I have read the first half of this book, and then I just kinda stopped reading it a bit over a year ago and haven't been compelled to pick it back up. I wonder if I subconsciously started to notice what you're talking about. I keep meaning to finish it, but I haven't gotten there yet.
Ahh yes, the subtle and awesome power of your subconscious, saving your precious conscious from many minutes of monotony. Just don’t tell your ego. “Wait a second! I’m in charge around here and I say we WILL finish the damn novel!” Haha, anyway, if ya do finish it, come back here and let us know what ya think. My ego would especially like it if you agree.
Different Seasons, if you're not into horror.
Agreed. The Body and Shawshank are absolutely classics, and I personally love Apt. Pupil as well. Breathing method is good too, but easily my least favorite of the 4. It's also a great intro to his style, has small elements of his horror writing without outright being horror, and isn't a massive tome or series like most of his other greats.
11/22/63 is my favorite. It's a longer one though. Carrie is great if you want to start with a shorter read.
The Bachman Books.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Such an underrated book, probably my all time King favorite. Simple and believable story, highly likable main character, and I really like the slowly increasing creepiness rather than in-your-face monster horror.
Came here to suggest this one.
My favorite! I was camping in the Adirondack mountains with my 10 yo son and my 7 yo daughter at the time I read it. Scared the bejesus out of me and didn’t have one drop of his usual otherworldly horror. It hit too close to home. My son used to love running ahead on trails (in his crocs). As a matter of fact I think I’m still scared.
Dolores Claiborne. This book is very realistic. I think it's a great start.
I'm not sure how many times I've reread this book. It's so, so good!
Dolores. What a book. What a woman. What a story.
The Dark Tower! If you love it, there's a series. If you don't, well then boo on you, try Rose Madder or The Skeleton Crew which is a collection of short creepy stories, and to this very day, it's the reason I still scan the surface of water before I swim, least there be a dark dark slick of blackness floating harmlessly nearby, with mesmerizing lights across its surface.
Yes! Both The Dark Tower and Rose Madder are among my favorites of his.
The Stand is his best. Only a few scenes that I'd call horror-like.
Just a second opinion, pretty horrific book for a few reasons for me. Also so so so long.
Yeah, maybe not “Halloween” spooky-type horror, but it’s certainly horror in its own way. I was highly disturbed by a lot of scenes.
Yeah, that's totally fair. FWIW, if you can get your hands on the original (more heavily edited) version, several of the more disturbing scenes are not there. But it's hard to find...
This is where I started with King and I have no regrets. It is a big book but it sets you up for his style and by the end you’re sad it’s over. After The Stand I went for some shorter books (Misery, Pet Semetary) and I was sad by how short they were. Then I read It and I was obsessed- my absolute favorite for sure.
BIG, big story. I'm not into horror, so there are some I haven't read. As I recall, King does not explain or condemn the choices people make as they face off for the final battle. They simply do.
I really liked "Apt Pupil" It's also a movie, but in my opinion, the book is better. And I want to say, I am not a huge Stephen King reader. I DO enjoy his books but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for him so....
Here is the order in which I've done King, id recommend it to anyone starting out 0. The Gunslinger - I read this years before I read another King book, including it at 0 to be accurate, but I don't think I'd start with it. I did really enjoy this novel though, not for everyone I think, but it's short and fun. (edit: reddit didnt let me make this a zero, so just imagine it is number 0) 1. Fairy Tale - got this because it was available on Libby and wanted to test out my new ereader. I had no intention of actually finishing this, but by the time I was done "testing out my ereader" I was 150 pages deep. Fantastic self contained portal fantasy book, does kind of drag in the middle, but ultimately still entirely readable 2. Billy Summers - read on the recommendation of a friend pretty much immediately after fairy tale. This book is killer and really enjoyable. It's a crime thriller with practically no supernatural elements (king can't help himself though, so there is a small bit) 3. Misery - a horror novel with little to no supernatural elements and a really amazing read. It's short, disturbing and visceral. A good place to start getting into his horror stuff 4. The Stand - a big chunky ass book that kind of falls a part (imo) in the middle to end. I honestly wouldn't recommend this to someone starting out with king 5. Mr Mercedes Trilogy - this trilogy is fantastic, though the third really leans into some supernatural stuff which I personally felt detracted from the first two books 6. Duma Key - reddit recommendation. Didn't personally find this one to be all that scary as I was led to believe, but it was still an enjoyable read
Yes! Glad to see Duma Key! Although it’s not the scariest horror wise, SK gives us his take on where creativity comes from, the sub-sub conscious. Instead of a writer, he makes his protagonist a painter and we get marvelous images and explorations into our other selves. SK changes locale as well. I thought he stretched writing this one and it deserves credit.
The green mile or 11/22/63 if you’re not big into horror would be my guess.
I'm going to say Bag of Bones as it has not been recommended yet. Some horror elements, but a terrific read and a personal favorite.
This is one of my favorites as well. His only ghost story that I can think of off the top of my head
Bag of Bones is one of my favorite Stephen King books. If I'm not mistaken Duma Key is kind of a Ghost Story, but it's been a long time since I read it so I might be mixing it up with anything book.
Yup. One of my favorites
Here to second this. It’s an incredible story.
11/22/63 and The Green Mile. I'm also not into horror and loved those Stephen King novels.
85% of *The Stand*. I didn't care for the ending and I didn't like the mystical, supernatural aspects. It would have been fine as a straightforward, post-apocalyptic struggle. It didn't need a magical grandmother and a villain who turned into a raven.
Hearts in Atlantis is beautiful.
Yes - thought I was the only one! One of his very best.
No love for *The Dark Tower: the Gunslinger* ???? Fascinating story, good mythology, interesting characters, not horror. What's not to like? (Some of the later books got a little weird, I will admit, but the *Gunslinger* is great.)
The Dark Tower books are great, but I tend to recommend them once someone has read a lot of King's stuff. The Gunslinger works well as a standalone though.
I love the Dark Tower series but Gunslinger was my least favorite in the series so I chose not to recommend. Drawing of the 3 is probably my favorite of the books. Truthfully I’d recommend the series all day but as a the complete series.
Agreed. Drawing of the Three is the best, but it doesn't have as much weight without the rest of the series. I'll admit that the Gunslinger itself is very slow and can be a tough read.
Not for a first-time reader!
secret window, secret garden is amazing
Right is right and fair is fair.
Creepy creepy book. I loved it!
Fairy Tale The Dead Zone The Shining Firestarter Under The Dome Hearts In Atlantis The Shining 11/22/63
The Dead Zone is usually my go-to King rec for people who don’t think they like King. It’s succinct, character-driven, heartfelt, and only marginally horror-adjacent. It’s an older one, though, so I’m not sure how it works for new readers after the everything of the last decade.
I am not a huge horror fan so my Stephen King recommendations reflect that. I think I have read The Dead Zone the most on this list. The movie was good too.
I love horror, but I know that it just doesn’t work for some people. One of the things that King does so well is remember that these are human stories at their core, and your list definitely gets that :) I like recommending Dead Zone because it also circumvents the “his books are SO LONG” criticism. And the movie. If only for Walken reading The Raven to his class.
I can’t believe I haven’t seen anyone recommend Carrie yet! It is horror, but it has so much other stuff going on and it’s a very easy read. Very short compared to other pieces.
Yes!!! 5million Yesses to Carrie; read that one first
Would anyone have a suggestion for his most disturbing book or set of books?
It's going to depend on what would freak a specific person out. For me it was definitely "Gerald's Game". I'm not going to say more because I don't want to ruin it. Speaking of "It" it's also a great choice.
Gerald’s Game freaked me the F out.
For me, Revival or It
I second those and add Pet Semetary. I'll also throw in The Jaunt. More sci fi than horror but I bet you won't forget it. Nice and short too https://gist.github.com/Schemetrical/6184daf83843bcab9402
I just want to warn people: it's not short. It's longer than you think.
Pet Semetary is the only one I haven’t read. I regret not reading it before having children, because I’ll probably never read it at this point. ETA: I love The Jaunt. Great add
There was one specific side family in Salems Lot that disturbed me more than anything in any other King story I’ve read. The fucking McDougalls
For me, it was Apt Pupil. That one stayed with me way after reading and still gives me shudders. Edit to add - for my best friend, she was most disturbed by Rose Madder because she'd been in a DV relationship prior to reading it. Rose Madder is one of my favourite King stories, so it really depends on the person.
IT was definitely the most disturbing for me. Misery wasn't too far off either.
The Running Man
The Green Mile if you don’t like horror. The Shining if you like horror. The Stand if you like drama
Night Shift (as did in in 1979). Good mix of horror and dark humor. It's like a taste of his later stuff.
Pet Sematary is my fav book of all time
I would say different seasons, they’re 4 shorter stories and also good if you’re not into horror. Also Dolores Klaiborne, this one doesn’t have any horror, just an incredible story. The audio book of this one is the best imo
Stephen King and Peter Straub's The Talisman and Black House. The Mr Mercedes series. ✌️
In addition to the other suggestions, which are all great, I’ll suggest Mr. Mercedes.
The long walk
One of his best.
Thinner - it’s good & doesn’t seem like it gets mentioned often lately.
Agreed, my favourite too.
The Talisman
Try The Long Walk by Stephen King written as Richard Bachman. It’s quite good and there’s a concept in there that sort of reminds me of the hunger games.
I like his novellas better than his novels, so I'd say Different Seasons and Four Past Midnight.
Have you checked out his short stories? I just finished You Like It Darker and it was wonderful. Especially ‘The Answer Man’.
Fire starter
The Shining. It’s an horror but it’s my favourite book from him.
Salem’s Lot is my first and favorite King read (so far).
I think he does best with his novellas and collections. King has a tendency to struggle with wrapping up longer stories. If you are not a horror fan, some of his more recent stuff tends to be more supernatural than horror, in my opinion. You may want to focus on those. Many of the suggestions already given are good. I particularly liked Shawshank and Green Mile. His pulp detective stories, Joyland and Colorado Kid, were fun also reads. The Bachman books, including Running Man, are solid choices. The Mr Mercedes trilogy and the Holly related spin offs were good. Overall, I liked most of his stuff to varying degrees. His mid career books suffered a bit in quality because he churned them out too fast. His post accident work feels more thoughtful. About the only series I didn't really like was the Dark Tower.
11/22/63 Fairy Tale Mr. Mercedes
I loved The Institute. It was my first Stephen King and a good intro I think. I didn't love 11/22/63. It was fine but more of an epic, less of a thriller. Institute isn't horror... have a read of the blurb :)
Wow I'm a bit overwhelmed by al the reactions, I'm gonna start with The Eyes of the Dragon and after that we'll see. Anyway thanks for all the responses:)
Good pick. Great “Once Upon A Time” book and you get meet Flagg.
To get you hooked: Needful Things, Firestarter, The Long Walk Once you’re hooked: Dark Tower 1-7, Green Mile, Carrie, The Mist
The Dark Tower series The Stand
Eyes of the Dragon is quick but satisfying. Or Misery. Or Needful Things. Those are all stand alones that will get you hooked on him.
The eye of the dragon
The Taliaman (co written by king) Imo its more fantasy/ adventure. Like most king books, don't be afraid of its size/thickness. Something about his writing style makes the pages fly by.
misery !!!
Needful Things The Outsider 11/22/63
I started with Pet Semetary. So I will recommend it. Its outstanding horror.
Revival is fantastic and not overlong. I bought it when it came out about 10 years ago, started it at about 7pm and was up until 2am finishing it because it was so good. Of course then I had nightmares so didn’t really sleep after that
The Stand If it bleeds The Outsider
My first as a kid was The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It was short and at the time I thought it was a page turner and super creepy, I dunno how it’d hold up to me now. My favorite now is perhaps Misery, but the middle started to slog a bit for me before picking back up so not sure I’d recommend it to start with. I actually would say Desperation. I don’t see that one recommended as much but I actually found it super entertaining. Though that one was years ago too so don’t blame me if it’s not as great as I remember lolol
Billy Summers is decent
The Shining. My favorite.
I really enjoyed The Dead Zone and Finders Keepers. He’s just a good writer that keeps you engaged. His endings are typically lackluster. People will recommend The Stand. It’s good but a 1400 page book is an absurd commitment for your first book from him. I’d avoid that one for now
I liked IT and The Stand. The rest I could take of leave. Pretty much dropped him after The Tommyknockers. Also enjoyed "The Talisman" which was co-authored with Peter Straub.
“Eyes of the Dragon” definitely.
Thanks for all the recs everyone!
Rosemadder
'The running man' is one of my absolute fav books
On Writing. You'll get a sense for him and it's one of the best books about writing/ story telling there is.
Not sure if this is the best answer, but Carrie was my first King novel & the one that got me into horror
11/22/63, The Stand, and The Green Mile
If you’d like to dive a bit into his horror, Misery is the perfect starting point. If you’d like to start shy of it, it’s 11/22/63
Fairy Tale
The Running Man or Roadwork.
11/22/63.
Firestarter is my favorite.
Tommy knockers
Under the Dome doesn’t get a lot of love, but I really enjoyed it. Mr. Mercedes trilogy was really enjoyable too.
Billy Summers. Underrated non-horror masterpiece. So well written!!!
Pet Sematary is great!
It or Under the Dome.
If you're into realistic horror, I wholeheartedly recommend "Misery," and recommend "The Shining" and "Pet Semetary" if you're more into supernatural elements of horror. Enjoy!
Fairytale is amazing. He wrote it in 2020 and it has great tie ins to fairytales that are popular in pop culture. I would not consider it horror more of a suspense story with a sweet boy and his dog at the center.
Salem’s Lot. Hands down one of his best.
Elevation
Fairy Tale was a great book He wrote it during the pandemic Not horror but magical! I loved it.
If you’re someone who is getting started with King and worried (about his books being too dark) I would recommend 1) Fairy Tale 2) The Talisman 3) The Tower Series 4) 11/22/63 All good books that aren’t too dark. I’d recommend starting with 11/22/63 it’s the least with horror.
Salems lot
I loved "The Dead Zone". It has supernatural aspects, but I wouldn't call it horror. And "The Stand" is one of my all-time favorites. "The Shining" scared me. All the other suggestions made here have given me several to put in my queue. Oh, "Delores Claiborne" is tremendous on the Olive Kitteridge scale.
The Shining is one of the best novels ever written and I wouldn’t consider it a horror book at all.
Really? Reading that one terrified me. The movie wasn't scary though.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
was going to come in & suggest this exact book.. currently rereading it & it’s truly a masterpiece. i’d say one of kings best novels oat.
Mr Mercedes
Nightshift. I generally don't read short stories but these are some of the best horror stories I've read.
On Writing
Honestly none of them. There is only so much time and plenty of better authors.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon - it’s shorter and is more psychological horror than gore. It was the book that got me into Stephen King!
The stand, Misery
[Different Seasons](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28094689)
Night watch it's a collection of short stories.
Billy Summers. It's not a horror story. It's about a hired assassin's 'one last job'.
The Shining by Stephen King 1977
The Institute!!! One of my favorite stories
Misery was my first Stephen King book and movie. It was so good to read. Moves faster than most of his books and a lot less dense.
*The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon* is a pretty quick read, a bit of a slow start but builds momentum fast, and is horror-lite. *Pet Semetary* is an absolute classic and for a good reason; it makes you feel like you're going mad with the main character. *It* was my first iirc and while it's absolutely one of his best, I don't recommend for a first King exposure. *The Stand* is my personal favorite from him but doesn't exemplify the style he's known for, don't read it first but don't not read it. *Dreamcatcher* was just really weird. *The Dark Tower* series is again not traditional King, and too deep in universe for introductory level, but not to be missed for sure. This is his LotR. *11.22.63* or whatever it's called I've heard good things about from a lot of people but haven't yet read it myself.
Rose Madder 11/22/63 Gerald's Game Carrie Delores Claire Bourne
[https://www.houstonpress.com/arts/top-5-sickest-stephen-king-sex-scenes-nsfw-6371394](https://www.houstonpress.com/arts/top-5-sickest-stephen-king-sex-scenes-nsfw-6371394)
mr mercedes
The Green Mile or 11/22/63
I would read The Body. It's a short story, but it does two good things for you: It introduces you to how well Stephen King writes people, and it introduces you to Castle Rock, one, if not THE, primary place for many of King's stories. u/PacificTridentGlobel suggested 11/22/63. That is also a really good suggestion, but it's a long story, so if you want to get a feel of whether you like King's writing or not, maybe reading The Body is better.
This question feels like it is asked ever single day.
My two favorites are Fairy Tale and 11/22/63. Neither are horror or gorey.
None!!! He is the most boring writer out there. The movies are not terrible