Top 10 Stephen King books for beginners
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Top 10 Stephen King books for beginners
I must be out of my mind.
Out of more than 50 novels by arguably the best-selling writer in modern history, I’m going to whittle it down to just 10?
Arguments will ensue.
Why’s that book on the list and not this other book?
Meh… this is a stupid list. None of my favorites are on here.
Seriously, you put that book on this list? What a dumbass.
Do us all a favor and don’t create any more lists!
Here’s the thing (and the beauty) of reading. It’s all subjective. I participate in a Facebook Group called Books of Horror (love that group) and people are always asking what Stephen King book they should start with, or which one people think is better, or what others thought of a particular Stephen King book. You see, when it comes to fiction, particularly dark fiction, Stephen King is the de facto standard by which all other writers and stories are compared. There’s just no getting around it.
I hear it all the time… I don’t like Stephen King, or Stephen King stories are too weird for me, Stephen King stories don’t make any sense, or my personal favorite, I don’t get the hype; Stephen King is not a good writer. Every time I hear that one, I just shake my head and recall the greatest advice I was ever given as a writer:
Avoid advice from anyone who says Stephen King is not a good writer.
It’s true. Regardless of whether you like his stories, his style or his politics, to debate his writing mechanics is futile and typically marred in ignorance. There is no refuting it; his grasp of the English language is impeccable and his ability to wield words as a painter wields a brush is unparalleled.
Stephen King ignited my love for reading. I’ll bet many of you can releate. He’s been my literary hero (as my previous agent, Kirsten Neuhaus put it) since I was thirteen-years-old. He inspired my love for writing and, for years, I endeavored to sound just like him (and fell dreadfully short). I often google “Stephen King Interviews” and watch him discuss writing with interviewers or lecture as a guest speaker. I simply can’t get enough of this master of the craft.
His stories changed the face of fiction, he put the horror genre on the map, and his tales transcend time. He sparks childhood memories so vivid we’re absorbed into that universe and he creates characters so real we often cry when we lose them.
Thank you, Stephen King. Thank you for sparking my love for reading.
***
Producing this list spawned anxiety. I pondered it for days and sometimes shocked myself when I’d remember a book that I’d totally forgotten about and I’m like, shit, how could I have forgotten Firestarter?
But, I have as much right as anyone to state what my top 10 are, and so with that, here it is… my top 10 Stephen King books. If you are considering reading Stephen King for the first time, you can’t go wrong with any these books.
10: Firestarter – about a little girl who possesses the pyrokinetic ability to ignite fires, this story stuck with me as one of the most fast-paced and high-octane books that King wrote. I read it quickly and though it’s been a few years, I can still see Charlie when she unleashes hell!
9: The Shining – about a haunted hotel and a young boy with psychic powers, this story is considered one of King’s classics. Published in the 1970’s, the book was followed a few years later with the release of the very famous movie with Jack Nicholson. I can assure you the movie and the book are quite different. Many avid King fans contend the movie was a failure because it strayed so far from the book and that King himself didn’t like it. Me personally, I liked both the novel and the Kubrick film version.
8: Bag of Bones – about a writer haunted by the ghost of his dead wife, this story may or may not be well received on this list. When discussing classic King, Bag of Bones doesn’t typically come up, however, I absolutely loved this story because of the way it’s told. King’s writing talent shines full force on this one and it actually inspired my novel, Kate’s Lake!
7: 11/22/63 – about a man who travels back in time and prevents the Kennedy assassination, this story is humongous. The details are spot on and, as King does so well, he plops you right into the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Moreover, the novel itself is so intricate and unique. I’ve always contended that King’s spin on time travel is the most original and this story is no exception. But be warned, 95% of the story takes place prior to the assassination attempt – it’s not a story about what life would be like if Kennedy were not assassinated.
6: Cujo – about a massive dog that contracts rabies and goes on a killing spree, this book is definitely a classic! Not only that, this is the book that I cut my Stephen King teeth on – my first King novel. You can’t go wrong with this one. Written during King’s prime, Cujo contains all of the elements of horror brought to you in King’s amazing style.
5: Pet Sematary – about an old burial ground where dead things come back to life, but their return is worse than death. Sometimes, dead is better. This story is truly disturbing. I’ve stated before and I stand behind it; this is the scariest book Stephen King ever wrote. Portions of it still linger with me and it’s been over 20 years since I read it!
4: It – about a creature that lurks below the city and preys upon children, this story is an absolute classic. Fans of Stephen King will often cite this book as their favorite. Not only is it a terrific story, the characters are so damned real that I still miss some of them to this day. Written from the perspective of two timelines (the characters as children and then as adults), everything coalesces in the end. You’ll love it!
*The top 3 in my list are the ones I’ve read twice. I never read books twice… except for these. These stories are a part of me.
3: Christine – about a haunted 1958 Plymouth Fury, this story will make you feel like you’re in high school again. Everything about it works and the characters blossom. I fell in love with Leigh and, during my first read when I was in Junior High (8th grade), I’d scramble every day to get back to her. My favorite stories are the ones where I fall in love with the characters and Christine was no exception. My biggest disappointment; the movie. Damn, what a let-down… as most of them are.
2: The Stand – about a killer plague that wipes about 99% of humanity, this story is considered by many to be King’s greatest work. It’s classic King in the most classic way. I read the book the first time while in the military and then again just a few years ago. Both times, the story swallowed me and I existed in the post-apocalyptic world where every time I sneezed, it scared the shit out of me!
1: Salem’s Lot – about vampires invading a small New England town, I believe this is the greatest book Stephen King ever wrote. Every Stephen King fan will agree that Salem’s Lot is a classic and that it belongs on this list. Not everyone will agree that it should be number one, but that’s okay. We don’t have to agree on everything. What makes Salem’s Lot my top King novel is simply the writing. So pure and efficient. I loved everything about the book and when the movie came out in the 70s, all of us in grade-school chatted endlessly about the creepy vampire floating outside the window, scratching the glass to be let in.
There you have it. My top 10.
I debated on so many books and even considered widening the selection to be my top 15. Picking 10 was just too damned hard. Books like: Different Seasons, Desperation, The Dead Zone, Skeleton Crew (I mean, c’mon, The Mist) just to name a few, but honestly, the one I waffled on most was The Dark Tower series. I loved that series and I equally loved all of the tangential novels that went along with it (Hearts in Atlantis, From a Buick 8, Insomnia, etc.), but I didn’t feel like it claimed a spot on the top 10 books for Stephen King beginners. It really deserves a spot all its own.
I do hope you enjoy these books. You won’t regret reading any of them and quite likely, you’ll walk away from each one feeling as if a little part of you is now part of King’s universe. So many writers credit King as their inspiration. Paul Tremblay, Brian Keene, and even Alma Katsu has a blurb on her book cover.
Don’t underestimate the power of the King, my friends. When he writes a story, it’s pure magic.
Take care, reader, and happy reading. Until next time.
