With over 60 books and over 200 short stories published, you’ve probably heard of Stephen King. He’s dominated the horror genre since the 1970’s with publications like “Carrie,” “The Shining,” “Under the Dome” and “The Green Mile.”
His works have been frequently adapted for film and TV, with King often writing the screenplays himself. The aforementioned list have all been adapted to the screen, featuring famous actors such as Sissy Spacek (Carrie), Jack Nicholson (The Shining) and Tom Hanks (The Green Mile). His work is known for spanning both psychological and physical horror genres, as well as contributing to other genres besides horror. In his personal life, he’s an avid sports fan, philanthropist of the arts and has a charmingly antifacist Twitter account.
So you’ve heard of Stephen King, but where do you start? I’ve got a wide range of his books for every type of reader.
- The Shining (1977)
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It wouldn’t be a Stephen King recommendations list without “The Shining.” It tells the story of troubled writer Jack Torrance, who takes the position of groundskeeper for a mountain hotel in Colorado over the winter. He plans to reconnect with his wife and son, and most importantly write his manuscript. What he doesn’t know is that the hotel has a plan for him too. If you’ve seen the movie, you definitely want to read the book. The movie took some creative liberties and the book delves into the psychological evil of the hotel rather than the human madness of Jack Torrance. The page number may seem daunting, but once you pick it up you won’t be able to put it down.
- Night Shift (1978)
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This short story collection has plenty of Halloween haunts waiting to emerge from the pages, including a reprint of the 1977 story “Children of the Corn,” which inspired its own movie in 1984. These stories are shorter, making it easier to consume, but the spooks just keep coming. From vampires in Jerusalem’s Lot to a nightmarish lawnmower man, the stories are well-paced and chilling. I’ve re-read this collection quite a few times and discover new details each time.
- Salem’s Lot (1975)
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Speaking of Jerusalem’s Lot and vampires, it doesn’t get much creepier than this book. I’m a big fan of Dracula and vampire tales in general and this one floored me. A young writer moves to Salem’s Lot and quickly finds himself ensnared in a sinister plot for a vampire master to take over the sleepy and unsuspecting town. As the creatures take over, the writer makes an effort to thwart them, but it doesn’t prove to be easy when your neighbors, the neighborhood children and everyone you once knew is taken over by monsters.
- The Outsider (2018)
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In my opinion, this is one of King’s most terrifying works. Even though it’s the 3rd book of the Mr. Mercedes series, it stands fine on its own. The book opens on a series of baffling murders of children. The forensic evidence can identify the killer, but the supposed killers all have alibis. When a P.I. is brought in, the mystery begins to unravel, and a shapeshifter-like creature is identified, but unable to be captured without a hard fight. I always get the shivers in the Wendigo episodes of TV shows like the X-Files and Supernatural, so this book and its short story sequel “If It Bleeds” had me hiding under the blankets. It’s perfect to get you in the mood for Halloween horror and cold winter nights.
- IT (1986)
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Not for the faint-hearted, this juggernaut of a novel is the pinnacle of King’s career. It examines pure evil taking over a small town in Maine — an evil that only a group of kids (later adults) are able to take on. From creepy clown to hellish spectre, the evil in Derry has so many more layers in the book than shown in the films (1990 and 2017) that it’s worth the mountainous amount of pages in order to find out everything about the world of Derry.
Have I convinced you to join the army of ‘Constant Readers,’ as King affectionately calls his fanbase? Even if you don’t like these suggestions, there is something in his bibliography for everyone, check out his official website for more. Also check out streaming services for King adaptations such as Hulu’s “Castle Rock” or Netflix’s “The Mist.” Happy Halloween!