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I've very recently finished reading The Gunslinger and found it very good. The work is of some depth. Promising a lot in the coming books. But then, when I was searching for the Dark Tower series in the Best works of Fantasy Lists, I couldn't find them anywhere in the top twenties. All I can find are the A Song of Ice and Fire, Malazan, Abercrombie, Glen Cook and Tolkien. But I found the first Dark Tower book very good. Should I go ahead and read the whole series?

Can you please name your top ten favorite Stephen King books? I've recently bought a load of his books. Bag of Bones, Salem's Lot, Misery, Cujo, Dark Tower first four books, The Stand and It. (Read Stand a little, and I'm finding it very interesting).

"It" is wonderful. It's my favorite of his so far. "Pet Semetary" was a scary one. "Different Seasons" is also very good. In it you will find the novellas that the movies "Stand by Me" and "The Shawshank Redemption" were based on. They are excellent stories.

I recommend keeping up with the Dark Tower. I read them when only the first three were released and had to wait those agonizing years for the rest of the books, but it was well worth it. My grandmother got my hooked on Stephen King at a young age (10-11) and The Dark Tower books are at the top of my list of all-time favorite books. The Talisman is my overall favorite Stephen King book. It, The Stand, The Shining, and Salem's Lot are good as well. Pet Semetary holds a special place in my heart because it was my first Stephen King book. Stephen King has worked a little magic throughout many of his books in that there are characters, events, and other details that all connect back to the world of The Dark Tower books. It's really a fascinating, but addictive world.

I loved the first four books of the Dark Tower series but became very frustrated with the later novels. After I finished the series I swore off Stephen King in disgust and to this day haven't really warmed back up to him. With that said, his writing can be exceptional and he has been a great influence on my own writing that I might actually get to some day. Of his books, my favorites are: #1. The Stand. #2 It. #3 Salem's Lot. #4. First four Dark Tower books. #5. Christine. #6. The Talisman (with Peter Straub). #7. The Black House (with Peter Straub). #8. The Shining. #9. The Cell. #10. Needful Things. That isn't counting his non-horror books and anything in the past five years or so.

I prefer the short stories. The Mist and The Moving Finger are quite good. He's quite adept at taking small, normal things and making them horrifying. Apparently cymbal-playing monkeys scare him.

Aditya wrote: "I've very recently finished reading The Gunslinger and found it very good. The work is of some depth. Promising a lot in the coming books. But then, when I was searching for the Dark Tower series i..."

This is how you should do it. Research wich users have the same taste in fiction as you do and go with their advice. The computer says that we have 75% of the same interest in books, so here's my list.

1. The Stand
2. IT ( my personal favorite )
3. The Talisman
4. The drawing of the three. ( the second dark tower )

5. Misery
6. Salam's lot
7. Carrie
8. The Tommy Knockers
9. The girl who loved Tom gordon.
10. Bag of Bones

Pet Semary is on that list I'm not sure where to put it.

1. The Stand
2. The Long Walk
3. Shawshank Redemption
4. Dead Zone
5. Firestarter
6. Cell
7. Under the Dome
8. Apt Pupil
9. Thinner
10. Green Mile

I love his writing!

1. The Stand (My all time favorite)
2. Gren Mile
3. Shawshank Redemption
4. Misery
5. Delores Clayburn
6. Thinner
7. Needful Things
8. Cujo
9. Dumas Key (I know I got that wrong, sorry)
10. It

1. The Stand
2. It
3. The Long Walk
4. The Shining
5. Needful Things
6. Pet Semetary
7. Duma Key
8. Firestarter
9. Thinner
10. Misery

Aditya wrote: "I've very recently finished reading The Gunslinger and found it very good. The work is of some depth. Promising a lot in the coming books. But then, when I was searching for the Dark Tower series i..."

Start with the Gunslinger and just keep going!! :) I loved the series. I started reading them when each book came out and it was torture waiting for each new one to come out!

James wrote: "I loved the first four books of the Dark Tower series but became very frustrated with the later novels. After I finished the series I swore off Stephen King in disgust and to this day haven't reall..."

James...that is so sad. He has some really enjoyable books that have come out. Just dont read the Dark Tower series and stay with the tried and true.

Nicole wrote: "I recommend keeping up with the Dark Tower. I read them when only the first three were released and had to wait those agonizing years for the rest of the books, but it was well worth it. My grandmo..."

Nicole!! The Talisman is one of my utmost favorite books!

Talisman
Christine
The Stand
The Shining
Misery
The Dark Half
Needful Things

Im fond of his SS and Novellas Like
The Mist
The Langoliers
Rage and The Long Walk from The Bachman Books

The Stand was the first Stephen King book I read when I was fifteen. I read it lying out in the garden over the summer hols and it blew me away. During my teens and early twenties I was a King addict but his late 1980s and 1990s books lost my interest (with the exception of the Gunslinger books). I think he's recently come back to form. It anyone is interested in writing or knowing how a writer ticks then his book 'On Writing' is the best I've read and partially autobiographical, which is fascinating. My top 10 are:

The Stand
The Talisman
Different Seasons
Danse Macabre
Salems Lot
Carrie
The Gunslinger series
Cujo
Black House
Skeleton Crew
On Writing

Aditya wrote: "I've very recently finished reading The Gunslinger and found it very good. The work is of some depth. Promising a lot in the coming books. But then, when I was searching for the Dark Tower series i..."

I would finish the Dark Tower series. The trouble with all of these 'The Best of' lists is that it's all subjective. I personally don't find Song of Ice and Fire all that entertaining, however, a lot of people do.

The fun thing about King's writing is that a lot of his work in some ways overlaps his other work. With that said I would recommend the following:

Eye of the Dragon
The Stand
The Talisman
The Black House
Wind Through the Keyhole (after you finish the DT series though)

Hope this helps.

1. The Stand
2. It
3. Black House (with Peter Straub)
4. Different Seasons
5. The Shining
6. The Talisman (with Peter Straub)
7. My Life At Rose Red, The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer (under the pseudonym Dr Joyce Reardon)
8. Carrie
9. Salem's Lot
10. The Dead Zone

How could I forget 11/22/63!!!

I can't get to 10 because I am still reading his works myself.

1. The Stand, un-abriged
2. Gerald's Game
3. Cujo
4. Needful things
5. The Langoliers(which is a story not a book)
6. Under the Dome minus the ending. I loved it up to the last few pages.
7. My life at rose red, the diary of Ellen Rimbauer(the movie is good too!)

I haven't read it yet because clowns terrify me. Not because of this movie but because of the Poltergeist movie. Saw that when I was 7, and have been terrified ever since :) Hope these lists help!!!!

1. The Talisman
2. The Stand
3. IT
4. Under the Dome
5. Four Past Midnight (Short stories)
6. Gerald's Game
7. Misery
8. The Shining (It's not like the movie!)
9. Green Mile
10. The Dark Half (It was totally panned, but I loved it)

Am I the only one that really likes Rose Madder?

oh, I had forgotten Gerald's Game! That was a good one.

Jeni wrote: "1. The Talisman
2. The Stand
3. IT
4. Under the Dome
5. Four Past Midnight (Short stories)
6. Gerald's Game
7. Misery
8. The Shining (It's not like the movie!)
9. Green Mile
10. The Dark Half (It w..."

I really liked Rose Madder as well. I just don't have it in my top 10 :)

Oh, I'd forgotten Under the Dome. I thought that was a real return to form and excellent. There are just so many to remember. Interesting that The Stand is near the top on most people's lists.

I liked all the books that took place during the eclipse. Rose Madder is one of those, I think. Delores Claiborne and Gerald's Game, too, if I remember correctly.

Robbert wrote: "Am I the only one that really likes Rose Madder?"

Hello robert! I actually dont think I have read Rose Madder. I just finished 11/22/63. So off to the library I go! Of course I may start it and find that I have already read it. At any rate thanks for the suggestion of a new book!

Dark Tower series is really great until 4 or 5 books into it, King starts to lose his way and tends to go downhill from there.

In no particular order, I liked:

The Stand
The Tommyknockers
Misery
Four Past Midnight
Green Mile
Desperation
The Talisman
Shawshank Redemption
Different Seasons

Oh please continue the Dark Tower Series! Love that series! It is excellent. My favorite of the series is the second one- the Drawing of the Three!
But as far as NON dark tower books my list would be:

1.) It
2.)The Shining
3.)Pet Semetart
4.) Salem's Lot
5.) The Stand
6.)Bag of Bones
7.)Green Mile
8.)Needful Things
9.) The Long Walk(Bachman Books)
10.) Rage(Bachman Books but you will struggle trying to find a copy).
My DT list of Favorites:
Drawing of the Three, Wind Through the Keyhole, Gunslinger, Wastelands, The Dark Tower, Wolves of the Calla, Wizard and Glass, Song of Susannah.
But honestly, the DT is a phenomenal series! Enjoy!

Why so Few Mentions of Christine...Thats my Favorite work by him along with Stand and Shining (2nd & 3rd).
Its a fantastic book. One of the handful of books Ive read more than once.

Paul wrote: "Why so Few Mentions of Christine...Thats my Favorite work by him along with Stand and Shining (2nd & 3rd).
Its a fantastic book. One of the handful of books Ive read more than once."

For me it is because i havent read that one yet! LOL

I've read almost all of his early work, but almost none of his later books (past the early ninety's). Couldn't get through Misery and never picked up another King novel after that. But for early works these are the best:

1) IT- one of the best novels in any genre
2) The Shining - Better than the movie with the exception of Jack Nicolson.
3)The Stand - Epic!
4)Pet Semetary - Creepy to the nth degree
5)The Dead Zone
6)The Talisman
7)Salem's Lot
8)Christine
9)Cujo
10) Needful things

But the true brilliance of King is in his short stories. They are required reading if you love short stories (some aren't really that short). His best compilations are:

Skeleton Crew
Night Shift
Different Seasons
Everything's Eventual
Four Past Midnight

Too many great short stories in the above books to name just one or two.

Enjoy!

Narrowing it down to just a top ten is hard to do. Right off the bat I'll set The Dark Tower Series Collection: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower aside as it's own thing. It's the best work of his career and a must-read. As for the rest, in no particular order:



All are worth your time...have fun!

Stepheny wrote: "Paul wrote: "Why so Few Mentions of Christine...Thats my Favorite work by him along with Stand and Shining (2nd & 3rd).
Its a fantastic book. One of the handful of books Ive read more than once."

..."You're right. I can't believe I forgot Christine. I'm kicking out Cujo on my list and replacing with Christine. She'd make mincemeat of Cujo.

Aditya wrote: "I've very recently finished reading The Gunslinger and found it very good. The work is of some depth. Promising a lot in the coming books. But then, when I was searching for the Dark Tower series i..."

Yes! Read them all! They just keep getting better; The Gunslinger was my least favorite of all the DT books

Flashback: 1984, 10th grade English Lit class. Quiet reading time. I have been reading Christine and enjoying it quite a bit. The buildup was fascinating to me. Suddenly, in the middle of class, Christine comes to life and I'm yelling out "NO!!" in class.

Not my finest moment, but a real one.

Christine is a great book.

My most favorite King book is The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It's never been one of his most popular, but it scared the ever living hell out of me. I loved it.

Danielle wrote: "My most favorite King book is The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It's never been one of his most popular, but it scared the ever living hell out of me. I loved it."

I loved that book as well. One of my favorites but not in my top ten. He has written so many books worthy of being one of my "favorites" that it is hard to pick through them all, but The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is a fantastic book!

Jeni wrote: "Flashback: 1984, 10th grade English Lit class. Quiet reading time. I have been reading Christine and enjoying it quite a bit. The buildup was fascinating to me. Suddenly, in the middle of class, ..."

Don't you love a book like that? You get so wrapped up in the story and become a particpant that you forget there are real people outside of the little world within those pages.

Danielle wrote: "My most favorite King book is The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. It's never been one of his most popular, but it scared the ever living hell out of me. I loved it."

Love that book too.

I also have my top ten Stephen King books, but I am going to recommend you do something else. I am going to suggest a few books for you to read BEFORE you continue reading the Dark Tower series, because these particular books really tie in with the whole Dark Tower series. I mean in reality every single one of SK's books tie in with the Dark Tower series, but these particular books have a huge amount of significance that you will see pop up throughout the time that you read them. So here you go!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. (the title story in this is what is significant)
6.

The whole point of the Dark Tower is that it's the lynchpin of SK's entire fictional universe. And the premise of the Dark Tower series is that the Dark Tower is collapsing, and it's rippling throughout all of the other universes and having an affect on everyone and everything. Hence all of the crazy happenings people in his books experience. Like teenage girls with telekinesis, or cars that come to life, or clowns that rip off little boy's arms in the drainage system. Ha ha. Anyway! I really think you should read those books! You won't regret it. :)

1) The Stand
2) Rose Madder
3) Lisey's Story
4) Duma Key
5) Carie/Salem's Lot
6) The Shining
7) Thinner
8) Dolores Claiborne
9) Cell
10)Gerald's Game

By far and away The Stand is my absolute favorite. I loved the original version, I adored the longer edition when it was released and I thought the miniseries was really well-done. I include Carrie/Salem's Lot as one because that is how I think of them. I think I read them both in the same weekend. I include The Shining in part because it is considered such a classic - but frankly - the movie ruined it for me. I see Jack Nicohlson's face whenever I think of the book - and I hated him in this role. I'm not a big fan of his in general and I despised his portrayal of Jack Torrence. I haven't kept up with her, but I remember in the early days reading some of his wife's books - if you think Stephen has a twisted mind - give Tabitha a look see!

Sara wrote: "I also have my top ten Stephen King books, but I am going to recommend you do something else. I am going to suggest a few books for you to read BEFORE you continue reading the Dark Tower series, b..."

If you are going that route you should also include: Hearts in Atlantis and Salem's Lot. Pere Callahan has a huge role in DT series later on and Ted Brautigan's story gets continued as well. :) I love how SK is able to tie all of his books together... he is truly brilliant and one of a kind.

Stepheny wrote: "Sara wrote: "I also have my top ten Stephen King books, but I am going to recommend you do something else. I am going to suggest a few books for you to read BEFORE you continue reading the Dark To..."

I knew I was forgetting one!! Salem's Lot! (Hearts in Atlantis was the first one I listed lol.) It's funny I have gotten a lot of people to start reading The Dark Tower series and every time I give them this pre-reading list they look at me like I'm crazy. Ha ha. :)

Sara wrote: "Stepheny wrote: "Sara wrote: "I also have my top ten Stephen King books, but I am going to recommend you do something else. I am going to suggest a few books for you to read BEFORE you continue re..."

Haha!
How did I miss Hearts?? LOL too funny! My mistake! I know what you mean though! Every time that I read a book where there is a DT tie-in, I end up wanting to reread the DT and usually do!

Stepheny wrote: "Sara wrote: "Stepheny wrote: "Sara wrote: "I also have my top ten Stephen King books, but I am going to recommend you do something else. I am going to suggest a few books for you to read BEFORE yo..."

Me too!! I think I've never been more stressed out by this entire process of making it into a movie/TV series. I started rereading it as soon as I heard and then the project got stopped and started so many times I reread the other books as well! Then started up with the DT series again after 11/22/63, ha ha. I'm relieved to know I'm not the only fanatic though! :) Oh but I do have a tattoo from the fifth book on my right wrist! The symbol for "Unfound" above the doorway that Roland and Callahan find in the cave.

Sara wrote: "Stepheny wrote: "Sara wrote: "Stepheny wrote: "Sara wrote: "I also have my top ten Stephen King books, but I am going to recommend you do something else. I am going to suggest a few books for you ..."

Before I got my promotion I had an appointment to get a half sleeve done- totally based on DT!! OMG! I ended up having to cancel it because the promotion meant one on one with customers in a very professional setting- a bank! LOL So, my new manager kind of scared me and I canceled it! haha!

1)The Stand
2)The Shining
3)The Gunslinger
4)The Green Mile
5)It
6)Misery
7)Bag of bones
8)The Mist
9)Christine
10)Cujo

Interesting question. I've enjoyed most of his novels. My all time favorite is The Stand my other recommedations include (in no particular order) are:

The Green Mile
Firestarter
The Cell
The Shining
Desperation
Needful Things
Christine
It
11/22/63

I am glad to see that Duma Key was mentioned in a number of people's lists. I think that the book is a great exploration in the Victorian Era without being stuck in that time period. It works the mind and keeps you wanting to find out how it will end. Because of Stephen King I have begun to read Victorian Novels with a new interest. When a modern author opens up an earlier era this is fantastic.

Robbert wrote: "Am I the only one that really likes Rose Madder?"

Loved Rose Madder, but a few of my friends couldnt get on with it. Obviously not one of the most popular King books but one that I have read several times.

My favorite King books:


1. IT
2. The Stand
3. Christine
4. Different Seasons
5. Dead Zone
6. Salem's Lot
7. Misery
8. Dolores Claiborne
10. Pet Sematary

Of his more recent works, I very much enjoyed Duma Key and 11/22/63.