Where to start with Stephen King? - Page 1

General » Books

Site Notices

TNVC Partners With Envision Technology - MARS Rangefinder & RAIL Family, MARS-Lc In-Stock!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Where to start with Stephen King?

Posted: 2/6/2015 9:27:45 AM EDT

I've never read any of his books.

Anything in particular I should start off with?

Posted: 2/6/2015 9:48:41 AM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
I've never read any of his books.

Anything in particular I should start off with?

View Quote

You mean, Stephen "If you can't read you go into the Army" King?

Don't start. He's a jerkwad.

Posted: 2/6/2015 10:11:00 AM EDT

[#2]

In....

Posted: 2/6/2015 10:44:11 AM EDT

[#3]

The Stand.
Insomnia.
The Talisman (#1) and Black House (#2) - co-written w/ Peter Straub.

Posted: 2/6/2015 1:34:40 PM EDT

[#4]

I read IT...

I wanted to eat a bullet at the end....mystical fucking evil bullshit story...

Posted: 2/7/2015 12:41:16 AM EDT

[#5]

Ive tried to read the stand 3 times. I just don't enjoy his style. where to start? I would say.....not at all.

Posted: 2/7/2015 10:17:00 AM EDT

[#6]

Firestarter, Deadzone, Salem's Lot.

Posted: 2/8/2015 12:59:09 AM EDT

[#7]

As an author I have been reading a lot of big names and studying how they write. Stephen King is a word master. I have read a couple books that I thought had a great start, middle was somewhat slow to the ending being really good or a big let down. If you are looking to start reading him start with his earlier pieces of work.

Salams Lot was really good. Carrier was okay but still good. Pet Sematary. I also liked the Shinning. His short stories that I have read so far have been really good. He is the master at writing good short stories. Some of his books will get a bit long winded. "IT" was good but there were parts that I felt were really slow. The ending was okay and it was an ending I can't remember right now.

Here is a link to every book that Stephen King wrote. You can also find other authors on this site as well.

I have heard his new stuff is hit or miss.

Posted: 2/9/2015 3:55:28 PM EDT

[#8]

The Dark Tower series is a pretty good read. You'll have to commit some serious time though.

Posted: 2/13/2015 12:26:00 PM EDT

[#9]

The Stand
The Talisman
Black House
The Dark Tower
Salem's Lot
IT
The Tommyknockers
The Dark Half

All books I really enjoyed from King, back when I was a big King fan. There's a LOT of reading there and you can keep busy for a long time with his stuff.

I've heard Eyes of the Dragon is excellent, but I haven't read it.

Posted: 2/22/2015 3:53:07 AM EDT

[#10]

What do you want to read? Horror? Fantasy? Short stories? Worlds you know turned on their heads?

King covers a lot of territory. I'd start with the popular stuff already in thread. With that you can build on the mythos.

Posted: 2/22/2015 4:30:12 AM EDT

[#11]

Never saw the big deal with him or elvis or........

Posted: 2/22/2015 4:56:40 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
What do you want to read? Horror? Fantasy? Short stories? Worlds you know turned on their heads?

King covers a lot of territory. I'd start with the popular stuff already in thread. With that you can build on the mythos.

View Quote

Horror

Posted: 2/22/2015 2:36:38 PM EDT

[#13]

Salem's Lot

Posted: 2/23/2015 12:38:16 PM EDT

[#14]

The Stand.

I love old king. Couldn't get into the Gunslinger series though. The minute he wrote himself into his book as a character, I put it down and walked away. The early stuff was awesome. I think getting hit by a minivan scrambled his eggs.

Posted: 2/23/2015 11:32:45 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
The Stand
The Talisman
Black House
The Dark Tower
Salem's Lot
IT
The Tommyknockers
The Dark Half

All books I really enjoyed from King, back when I was a big King fan. There's a LOT of reading there and you can keep busy for a long time with his stuff.

I've heard Eyes of the Dragon is excellent, but I haven't read it.

View Quote

Eyes of the Dragon IS excellent.

Posted: 2/23/2015 11:36:10 PM EDT

[#16]

Bachman books some of his first stories under a pen name.

Posted: 2/24/2015 12:40:46 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
Bachman books some of his first stories under a pen name.

View Quote

If anyone looks for the Bachman books, make sure it has the story "Rage" in it. A lot of them are in reprint but the story "Rage" will never be in print again. Those books can go a bit high. I bought one that was said to be in a great shape got it and wasn't. I put it back on eBay with correct information and the book went higher then what I paid for it. I did buy a different version and from what I can tell there are about four different prints of these stories.

There is a back story to The Long Walk story. I think King wrote it at a young age no one wanted it and he redid it.

Posted: 2/27/2015 11:34:52 AM EDT

[#18]

All of them, One of my favorite authors

To get a good idea of his style I recommend this order
From a Buick 8
Duma Key
Cell
Under the dome
Desperation & The Regulators - Read these back to back

Then start reading all of his older work

Posted: 2/28/2015 1:11:16 PM EDT

[#19]

start with his short story compilations

just after midnight
everything's eventual

if you do a lot of driving, check out some of his cd audio books at the library. the readers for his books are excellent (frank muller one of my personal favorites)

Posted: 3/6/2015 11:01:19 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
Firestarter, Deadzone, Salem's Lot.

View Quote

Posted: 3/10/2015 11:13:32 PM EDT

[#21]

Different Seasons - 4 short stories containing
Rita Hayworth & Shawshank Redemption

Apt Pupil

The Body (Stand by Me)

The Breathing Method

Among other favorites

The Talisman & Black House (I want part 3)

The Dark Tower

11/22/63 - Interesting idea

The Stand

IT

Salems Lot

I like most of the collections (Everything's Eventual,Night Shift,Etc)

Posted: 3/10/2015 11:23:05 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
The Stand.
Insomnia.
The Talisman (#1) and Black House (#2) - co-written w/ Peter Straub.

View Quote

Don't think I read the stand but I always loved the talisman.

Or any of the gunslinger books. Then again I think all of his books are gunslinger eventually

Posted: 3/15/2015 12:01:36 AM EDT

[#23]

Anything written before 1999. Steer clear of the crap he put out after.

Posted: 3/17/2015 9:40:28 AM EDT

[#24]

I'd start with Cycle of the Werewolf. Good, quick read.

Posted: 3/17/2015 9:42:12 AM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:

You mean, Stephen "If you can't read you go into the Army" King?

Don't start. He's a jerkwad.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

I've never read any of his books.

Anything in particular I should start off with?

You mean, Stephen "If you can't read you go into the Army" King?

Don't start. He's a jerkwad.

An anti-gun jerkwad.

If you read anything, read "The Stand" unabridged edition. Then stop and move onto better authors.

Posted: 3/27/2015 11:17:48 PM EDT

[#26]

I read 11/22/63. I've never been a King fan.

Not bad story telling.

Posted: 4/3/2015 1:31:39 PM EDT

[#27]

I started with Hearts in Atlantis. Good book.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Where to start with Stephen King?

General » Books

Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us