I really want to try a Stephen king book.. but I’m a bit chicken! I’m used to thrillers, crime and chick lit. Any ideas where I might start? ?
I really want to try a Stephen king book.. but I’m a bit chicken! I’m used to thrillers, crime and chick lit. Any ideas where I might start? ?
The Green Mile
@Joanne absolutely this one ! Fab book
@Nancy it’s my fave Stephen King book
That’s exactly what I would recommend too! It’s a fabulous book!
Yes, “Green Mile”…. if you don’t mind lots of baseball description then “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” is fairly tame…. I love “Needful Things”, “Desperation”, “Delores Claiborne”, “Firestarter”, “Thinner”, … omg I could go on all day! Amazing books by an amazing author!
@Tess The Dark Tower series is great once you get into it
Misery – it’s my favourite and I read it at least once a year! Also the short stories – and Gerald’s game! I’d read the book then watch the movie(s) xx
The shining is good.
Thank you all!! X
Mr Mercedes … brilliant
The Green Mile is my favourite book x
@Melissa and mine read it in couple of days couldn’t put it down x
Definitely recommend reading one you’ve not watched the film of x
@Melissa I’ve not watched any, except stand by me and the green mile x
Green Mile or 11.22.63 isn’t horror
@Amanda thanks!
11/22/63. It’s a time travel story, not a horror and it is awesome!
The stand is an epic read but brilliant, so is under the dome and 11/22/63 is fantastic ( about JFK era).
Carrie is my all time favourite and also loved the original film
I’ve just finished Pet Sematary (also to fulfil a book challenge of a book turning into a film this year) and surprisingly enjoyed it. It didn’t freak me out as much as it should but he tells a good tension ridden yarn and the theme of death and grief was interesting. I’ve read Mr Mercedes too which is a good thriller.
@Sophie the idea of this book appeals to me surprisingly! I might try it x
@Angela I bought a reasonably priced copy from Sainsbury’s. ??
This was the first Stephen King book I read as a teenager and I loved it so much and got me started with Stephen King.
Def 11.22.63, couldn’t put it down!
IT You will never want to be alone in front of a clown again , lol
@Rosanne haha I don’t like them anyway!!
@Angela lol
I’d start with his more recent works with the Mr Mercedes series and then move on to something like IT or 11/22/63 – long, big books but so worth it!
Most of all, whatever you pick I hope you enjoy it! Amazing author and mind in my opinion x
Thank you!!
1/22/63 is amazing, I was gutted when I finished it
I loved The Stand, Misery, Salem’s Lot, The Shining and some of the short story ones. Last week I read Joyland which was not “typical” SK but I really enjoyed it. Maybe that’s a good start if you’re apprehensive about getting freaked out ?
Oh and IT is fab but probs not the best to start with ?
Haha no I won’t read that! Don’t like clowns at all
His novellas are a great start. Different Seasons is a collection and has Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, The Body (which became the movie Stand by Me) and Apt Pupil. All movies and the stories are fantastic
I love stand by me! Thank you this sounds fantastic x
@Angela me too. The story is excellent
Misery! X
11/22/63 as others have said is fantastic. I loved it
11.22.63 is one of his best, its long, its not horror and its one I’d like to read.
Yep, agree with Elaine, Different Seasons is a really good one to start with. Definitely don’t go straight in with Gerald’s Game, that one’s a doozy. It’s a brilliant book but very disturbing. I’d go with Different Seasons or The Green Mile to get a taste for his writing.
id second different Seasons too.
I would also recommend 11/22/63, it isn’t a horror story but based on time travel (not of the usual science fiction variety). Not read any other books by this author but loved this book and learned a lot about the J.F.K. era. X
The Stand- epic!
Mr Mercedes- it’s a great thriller with a bit of Stephen King gross thrown in!!!
Thanks all, this is great. I have a few I think I will try!!
I loved misery, Delores Claiborne, the green mile, Gerald’s game and desperation. I’ve never been able to settle into any of his big hit books!
I’m reading the collection of short stories, “Everything’s Eventual”, it’s let me test out if I like his writing without a huge commitment
I read this one recently and loved it.
Salem’s Lot.
I’d suggest starting with one of his earlier works & I’d recommend these ones as a good starting point to ease u in.
Needful Things (1991)
Gerald’s Game (1992)
Dolores Claiborne (1992)
Rose Madder (1995)
My first king was the girl who loved tom Gordon when I was a teenager. I’m currently listening to IT on Audiobook.
My first king was insomnia, i was 14 i think and read it in summer outside in the garden during the day only ?
Anything like Needful Things, Salem’s Lot or even Pet Semetary would be a fab place to start..The Girl who loved Tom Gordon is a great easy read too ?
Carrie is a masterpiece, in my opinion. I would start there. It’s the only novel of his that I have read so far.
Gerald’s game is brilliant x
The stand is my favourite ever book
@Amy I read it when I was 18 – some images always stayed with me… Loved it but don’t think I’ll re-read it soon … too much else to choose from ?
The Dead Zone, more psychological thriller than gruesome.
Just go right in and scare yourself silly with Pet Sematary. It’s the whole point of King, a good scare ?
@Siobhan hahaha I said that to my husband, maybe I should ??
Mr Mercedes – first of a trilogy, modern less fantastic, always horrifying ?❣️
The Dark Half is amazing.
The Stand-one of his earlier books
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is fantastic and not scary in the same way.
I couldn’t get into that one 🙁
Just bang straight in. I was a teen and they’re fine.
@Jess I’m tempted! Thanks
Needful things, dream catcher and the regulators are my favourite Stephen King novels
My first King was Carrie when I was 12,my sisters book,mum went mad,lol. If you’re talking King you’re talking The Stand. Also loved IT and The Tommyknockers.
@Tracy haha brilliant x
Misery or The Shining!
They are not all horror stories. 23.11.63 is a fab book
Sorry I mean 11.23.63
I used to read SK when I was a teenager and recently got back into him and I’ve been going through his back catalogue, particularly his short stories which I highly recommend. If you want to start with these, Full Dark No Stars and Four Past Midnight are fantastic. My favourite of his is probably Misery which would be great for you if you love thrillers. Another recent fantastic thriller is Mr. Mercedes. I suspect you’ll love that!
@Rebecca thank you very much x
Misery and green mile are my favourites x
I forgot Green Mile! Amazing book, wonderful film!
I liked Cell. It’s not scary but more of a dystopian society type book.
Duma Key is my favourite
I started with needful things and loved it.
The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption or Stand by Me aren’t scary!
The stand -apocalyptic vision with contagious theme
Misery -psychological thriller
The shinning -as good as the movie
Duma key(my favourite) -about the guy who lost his hand (or hands don’t remember exactly) and moved in to an island where strange things happens with him and outside
@Pau ooo that sounds goof
Good*
Misery!! And Carrie is an easy read (in terms of length/style not topic lol ?). IT is also fab but is quite a bit longer than these ones ^
It’s a big book but what about this? It’s on my TBR pile but looks good!
@Katie I love that cover!
@Angela it’s beautiful
@Katie it’s a great book, I read it last year
@Ava oh wow, can’t wait to get stuck in
The Green Mile is brilliant!
Under the Dome and The Stand aren’t horror, but a little scary. They’re good ?
@Mary-Beth I thought The Stand was terrifying. ? Some of those images have stayed with me. Brilliant book though. My favourite King novel.
Nicola Laxton LOL I have a tendency to skim dodgy bits! I find the post-apocalyptic reforming of relationships, community and govt find fascinating ?
Mr Mercedes is about a retired Police Officer.
Thanks all!! So many recommendations. You’re all fab x
Duma Key and Needful Things are definitely my favorite books by him. Reading The Outsider now. King is my fav horror/thriller writer. His classics are good. Maybe try his short story novels first. Like Four Past Midnight or Everything is Eventual to get an idea of how he writes. ☺️
Misery
Shawshank Redemption. Great film, great short story. I believe it is in the Different Seasons book, which I think also includes ‘The Apt Pupil’.
@Jennifer I love that film. That’s the one I think I’m going to start with! They all seem appealing to me ? xx
@Angela No one believes me when I say it is by Stephen King, until I get my copy out.
If you liked Jodi Picoults ‘The Story Teller’, you will like ‘The Apt Pupil’. They are big fans of each others work, and you can tell.
@Jennifer brilliant, can’t wait to start it!
I’ve got the story teller, not read it yet
‘Change of Heart’ has a very Stephen King feel.
Bag of Bones is good.
His recent novella Elevation might fit the bill 🙂
Mr mercedes is my fave!
Carrie!
Running man (written under his other name) is an easy to read, non scary (as far as I remember) book.
Depends how far off his style you want to be.
Green mile as others have said was brilliant -relatively short and easy to read.