Nicole answers “I read a couple of Stephen King novels a...”

Lea Ann Cornman asked this question about Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1):

I read a couple of Stephen King novels a few years back....Needful Things and Insomnia. I had a very hard time getting through these and frankly found them boring. I then heard great things about 11/22/63 and I read it earlier this Spring and LOVED, it. What is this one like? I have not read any older King either, Cujo, Firestarter....etc. I want to like King's novels, but I don't want to be disappointed either.

Nicole "Mr Mercedes" probably falls into the category of decent King and if you enjoyed "11/22/63" you will probably also enjoy this one. Earlier, classic Ki…more"Mr Mercedes" probably falls into the category of decent King and if you enjoyed "11/22/63" you will probably also enjoy this one. Earlier, classic King seems to be very different from a lot of his more recent (last 10 years) works. I would agree that "The Stand" still represents for me his best novel to date. Be sure to read the unabridged version though if you wish to tackle it. It is > 1000 pages and still represents one of the best apocalyptic battles of good versus evil written in modern literature.

I find it surprising that a lot of people quote "Tommyknockers" as one of their favorites - it certainly was not one of mine (does not even make the top twenty). King himself has stated (most recently in a Rolling Stone interview October 2014) this represents a novel even he thinks was a dud. Personally, if you are looking to see what got folks such as myself into his novels, start with the early stuff: "Carrie", "The Dead Zone", "The Shinning", "Cujo" "Firestarter" are all great. The Bachman books (short stories) are also fantastic - these were initially written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman but King's very unique voice led readers to suspect the author's true identify long before he came clean on it. Later works such as "Misery", "Dolores Claiborne" and "It" are equally wonderful. Much to chose from though!(less)

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