My first time ever picking up Stephen King, it was this book. And ever since then, my entire reading list was everything he's ever written, and I hailed Stephen King as my favorite author for years. Of course by now, having read most of his works, I wouldn't still say he's "the best writer ever". He's definitely produced some trash along with a few treasures. Misery is, without a question, one of the treasures.

Before Misery I had no idea that it was possible to sit at the edge of my seat, literally, with my jaw hanging, my entire body too tense to move, too afraid to keep reading yet dying to find out what's going to happen. It was my benchmark for a good read for years, and every Stephen King I picked up thereafter, my undying faith of his ability to write a good story, was a progeny of the moment I laid eyes on Misery.

Of course, by now I also wouldn't say Misery was his best work, or even my favorite SK book (that would be The Shining). But boy, was it an intense, thrilling ride of a read!