Okay. So I have never read a Stephen King novel and I kind of feel like I need to! Which one is the best to start with?
Okay. So I have never read a Stephen King novel and I kind of feel like I need to! Which one is the best to start with?
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Misery!
Delores Claiborn
Oh my gosh, I was JUST thinking this exact same thing. I want to go outside of my genre and try something different. Following this thread for some good ideas!
Maybe we can get the same one and discuss!
@Nicole i would love that!
Friend request sent! Maybe we can decide together and do it! It would be so much fun!(:
The Stand, you will love it 🙂
My first was the stand
One of his longest Clare his new one is out on the 22nd May called the outsider
Depends what you’re after, for scary I’d say Misery or Gerald’s Game for more thriller I’d say Delores Claiborne
11.22.63
This is a show now isn’t it?
I think it’s on Hulu?
I think so too! I heard it was good but never watched it. I don’t think I realized it was King!
Misery, the green mile and for a scary one pet semetary
definitely misery!!!
It or The Stand.
11/22/63, Green Mile, The Stand, Salem’s Lot. These four are my favorite King novels. I do NOT recommend reading IT first…it may turn you off.
I don’t think I can ever do It! ? scary clowns are not my thing! Lol
The early stuff for sure! Cujo was the first for me.
Cujo was my first King novel, too !
I’m reading Carrie right now (my first Stephen king book) and I’m absolutely loving it. It’s also his first book
Oh nice!! That’s good to know!
Under the dome. There are a few parts that are like weird but if you stick with it, its ok.
I didn’t care for that one and I’m a SK fan. Terrible ending
It was sure different. That’s for sure. NOT a favorite at all. But once I started reading it, I had to complete it.
11/22/63 The very best of maybe 7 I have read
I have only read The Shining and I am about 70% done with It. I have loved both! It has given me a couple nightmares but I have truly enjoyed the story!
Oh no! You would think nightmares are a bad thing but I guess if the story is good enough, it’s worth it!
Just gotta power through! I am the type that once I start a book then I have to finish it!!
The Shining scared me to death. I read it when by myself in a 200 bed dormitory. At night. And the elevator kept going up & down.
The Green Mile or The Stand.
The Shining is my favorite
Loved the movie!
Oh an SK newbie? The Stand is my all time fave book, but it is very long. You should start with The Dark Half. One of his more fast paced books…he is very descriptive in his writing and can nail a characters personality, men or woman. Enjoy!
The Stand much better than the movie
I don’t read Stephen King. But my mom does. I just asked her this and she says your best bet is to start with Carrie.
I loved bag of bones and liseys story
I loved Misery… Not as lengthy as some of his others.
Firestarter
I think Firestarter was my first SK book.
The Stand or Salem’s Lot those are my favourites
Oooo, I forgot about Salem’s Lot!
Ooh I assume Salem’s Lot is about witches???
@Nicole Vampires
Oh! Perhaps better!
Fluke
Thats by James Herbert 🙂
Of course! A good book, nonetheless!
I agree 🙂
id definitely reccommend misery!!!!
The stand
Misery.
i am going to start with Colorado Kid
The only ones I liked are 11/22/63 and The Stand.
11/22/63 is one of the best books I have ever read.
I enjoyed Mr. Mercedes. And I absolutely loved On Writing….it’s all about his life and career and I thought it was great.
YES! On Writing was great!
I am not big on stephen king. Not rly my thing. But i do know my husband really enjoyed dark tower.
If you want short stories you could start with Different Seasons – four books in one; three of which have been made into movies.
It has The Body (Stand by Me), Apt Pupil, Rita Hayworth & the Shawshank Redemption (Shawshank Redemption) and The Breathing Method.
Loved the Shawshank movie!!
Yeah, I enjoyed that.
11-22-63 was great
I think I’d start with The Shining. A straight forward book that’s scary as heck.
I agree with The Shining
It depends on what you want from him, really … if you want horror then I would recommend Pet Semetary; fantasy would be The Dark Tower series or, my all-time fave, The Talisman but if you want to start with dark thrills rather than horror, then I would recommend Rose Madder or Misery and one of his most ‘normal’ books, in my opinion, is 11-22-63 – a fascinating look at the world if JFK hadn’t been shot … obviously that’s not all it’s about but the general gist of it ! Happy reading !
Pet Semetary was good. Also Thinner.
I prefer his older stuff. Misery was great!
The Stand, sure it’s long but that’s where he really shines
The Stand. It. Dr Sleep is brilliant but you need to read The Shining first. Christine is good, and a book of novella’s, Full Dark, No Stars.
Pet cemetery.it.carrie
It.
Read the old ones first.
I honestly had no idea his books were so broad. I assumed they were all horror (which I have never read a horror novel before). Good to know there are some thrillers and not so terrifying things I can try first!
I loved the green mile
11/22/63….our book club read it for 2 months…..it was so good! Xoxo
Why don’t you just start at the beginning … as Mary Poppins says, it’s a very good place to start 🙂
Early ones are better
Try Carrie or Christine.
I’m partial to vampires, so Salem’s Lot. I’m about half way through IT and seriously enjoying it.
Try Misery – well written xx
My favourite of his is the green mile.
The Shinning is one of my favorite books
I have a hunch the question asked is a, make busy question. Anyone wanting to know about his books has only to look him up and read all about them. Easiest way to make a decision.
So asking for book recommendations in a group for book recommendations and discussion is time wasting?
Yes, I could look up all his books and get an idea of what they’re all about. However, sounds like he has a lot and I thought by asking for recommendations, I could narrow it down to the top favorites. Also- by saying I’ve never read him before I’m able to get ideas from people on which book to start with that would be ideal for a newbie. This way I can eliminate the ones that are lengthy, a drag, start out slow, and may cause me to give up on him altogether.
Just so you understand why I asked ?
I didn’t say that. Sorry you got that impression. But actually I think each of his books has been recommended at least twice.
@Nicole Sure, I understand but not many give their reasons. It just seemed after a bit to be something that would go on and on, repeating the names of the books over and over again. I guess I am just tired, and cranky today. Sorry didn’t mean to put out the flame of responses.
Misery
I agree under the dome
See I didn’t like that one much, found it kind of stilted and boring. I finished it so it wasn’t that bad but not one of my faves. I was really unimpressed with the ending too.
The Stand
http://a.co/0jHAMN0
This is one of my all time favorite books! I think OP would be better off started with an earlier book though.
I just finished The Husband and really liked it.
IT
The Stand
Hearts In Atlantis
I’m also wanting to try his books definitely not my normal pick but looking to try something different
Cujo. Easy read…and it made me do mad at t end!
I watched the movie a couple weeks ago. I hadn’t seen it in MANY MANY years. So darn good!
I ve only read a few, but I would recommend The Green Mile, unless you like the really weird. TGM seems rational.
The stand.
Carrie. It. Shining.
I say go with IT
@Carrie
Thinner, Dark Half, Carrie
I loved Thinner
One of my favs…
Firestarter. Green Mile. Stand by Me.
I didn’t realize he wrote Stand By Me?!
And Shawshank and Apt Pupil. They’re all on a collection called Different Seasons. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003BKZW36/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525988898&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=different+seasons
And Shawshank and Apt Pupil. They’re all on a collection called Different Seasons. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003BKZW36/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525988898&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=different+seasons
@Talia oh ok, I was just looking on GR for it. I can’t believe how many books he wrote! I’ve only read 2 of them.
Rose Madder. Or Delores Claiborne actually. That’s a bloody good book.
It
The stand
Currently wading through sleeping beauties. It’s my first Stephen King. It’s tough but I’m hoping worth it!
The green mile!
Salems lot
Misery was good too
Pet Cemetery
Pet sementary
The Shining is the scariest book I’ve read. The Stand is the most impressive book of fiction I’ve read.
Agreed! Start here!
Salem’s Lot! Fire starter! It! Carrie! Christine!
Green Mile!
Salem’s Lot, Misery
I liked 11/22/63 because it’s not scary or gory.
I’ve read ’em all. “The Stand” is my favorite
@Carrie
Dalorus claybourne
The Green Mile would be my favourite.
IT gave me nightmares.
But SK also has books under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman and one of my faves from him is The Running Man. A serious twist of a marathon run. ?
Delores Claiborne, I like Kings books when they are about real things and not the supernatural. If you are looking for supernatural then maybe you would like Firestarter.
It might have to be “IT ☺️
Misery wasn’t too bad.
Gerald’s Game
Fire Stsrter, Silver Bullet
Carrie
The Green Mile.
No, No, No people… The Shining for sure!!! ?
My first King novel was Salem’s Lot and then I went back and read Carrie. 11/22/63 is still my favorite closely followed by The Green Mile.
Carrie or Misery
Sooo many to choose from.
My first, back when I was a teen, was Needful Things and I loved it!!!!
Pet Sematary
Rose Madder
Take your pick. They are all good.
The Stand
The Shining
Christine!
The shining, Geralds game or misery.
The Stand, best book ever
The Stand
The Stand
Christine !!!
The Stand or Salem’s Lot. Misery is much too horrifying as is Gerald’s Game. Horrifying but impossible to put down!
The Shining and then the sequel to that, Doctor Sleep
Yes I enjoyed Doctor sleep as well. It was a good book
The Stand and Needful Things are his masterpieces
Rose Madder.
Bag of bones
The Green Mile. Or any of the earlier ones xxx
Gerald’s Game ? Terrifying!
The shining, it, the green mile, the running man(as Richard Bachman) also his short stories are excellent- skeleton crew and different seasons. I read loads of his books when I was pregnant with my son and now he loves everything horror!
‘Salems Lot is my favourite.
I read that around Halloween every year. When I was a kid it scared the crud out of me when it was released as a movie. I love the book.
The Green Mile.
The Stand
The Shining and Doctor Sleep.
My sister is a big SK fan and she loves The Dark Tower series.
I still haven’t read that yet.
On my tbr list!
The green mile is awesome. And Carrie is always an good easy read.
The Shining is great too. So many to choose from XD
The girl who loved Tom Gordon
11-22-63
I love the series based on this!!
For me it was Pet Cemetery.
Me too ?
The Stand . The Green Mile. Rose Madder
I’m rereading Bag of Bones right now.
Same!
Cujo
The Green Mile.
oh! yes indeedy!!
11-22-63. Awesome!
I also loved Different Seasons
It.