Best book to start?
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Mark_Graisons_Moustache — 10 years ago(April 14, 2015 01:02 PM)
Honestly, I'd say pretty much any book from his first ten years (1974 to 1984, spanning from "Carrie" to "Thinner") would be a great gateway drug; it really seemed to me like he could do no wrong during this period.
But if I had to think of one for someone to start with, I would probably suggest one of his shorter (less than 300 pages) books, and also one that doesn't link so heavily into, say, the Dark Tower universe. So my recommends for a first time reader would be:
Carrie (it was the first, after all, so why not just start here?)
Salems Lot (part of the DT universe, but it's not a huge thing and it doesn't really matter when just reading this book all by itself)
The Shining (both book and film are wonderful, but I do think this might be a top ten King book, maybe even a top five)
The Dead Zone (again, easily a top five book, maybe even top three)
Cujo (underrated; very brisk, great characters, extremely intense, but a fair warning that it is hopelessly pessimistic about life in general)
After you've read some of these smaller stories, you might be ready to move on to the BIG STUFF. The two most important16d0 ones would be:
The Stand (if you can, try to get your hands on the original, 1978 edition, as I think it's the superior version)
It (amazing, terrifying, in many ways the summation of everything he'd spent the first twelve years writing about) -
BertramWilberforceWooster — 10 years ago(April 14, 2015 11:51 PM)
The Stand (if you can, try to get your hands on the original, 1978 edition, as I think it's the superior version)
Agreed, it is the better version.
And it's easy to get hold of a copy: Book-Finder is great for that sort of thing.
Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb. -
Hanz-Willhelm — 10 years ago(April 15, 2015 12:01 PM)
I'm taking it you've never read him before? I guess that could depend on what you like to read.
The Eyes of the Dragon is good if you like castles and sorcery, Kings and Queens.
If you like 4th dimensional adventures, mysterious, adventurous, eerie.I'd say ready The Talisman.
If you want pure horror I'd say IT
If you want some good drama I'd read his novel of 4 novellas Different Seasons. The movies Stand by me and Shawshank Redemption were based on these.
Deutschland hat die Weltmeisterschaft zum vierten Mal gewonnen! -
Hanz-Willhelm — 10 years ago(April 16, 2015 04:47 AM)
I'd have to go look through my books but I think I have that book. I bought about 25 books in the last year and a half at neighborhood yard sales and I got about 3 King books. There are two I haven't yet read and I think that was one.
Deutschland hat die Weltmeisterschaft zum vierten Mal gewonnen! -
ziemilija — 10 years ago(April 21, 2015 06:41 AM)
I personally started from "Pet Sematary" and LOVED this book
from that moment I gues I became a hardcore King fan and read everythig I could get my hands on to
I'm curently reading "The Drawing of the Three" (from "The Dark Tower" series) and am enjoying it A LOT (there is no way for me to not like these books, being both J.R.R.Tolkien and Sergio Leone fan) -
BertramWilberforceWooster — 10 years ago(April 22, 2015 09:03 AM)
Here's a non-spoiler breakdown of the main seven:
- Introduction of world and charac2000ters
- Continue to build world and introduce characters
- Continue to build world and introduce characters
- Pick up immediately where book 3 left off, spend 600 pages recounting Roland's past
- Things go stupid-weird, plus a retelling of Seven Samurai
- An almost pointless book
- King throws beep on the page and sees what sticks
Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb.
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stimpy25 — 10 years ago(May 17, 2015 05:55 PM)
well i've talked to plenty of people who liked how it ended and also people who didn't like the ending. and this is online and off, so there are people who liked how he ended it too. i dunno the ratio on who likes the way it ending more 50% of his fans compared to the other 50%. just to throw a percent in there at least this is how i look at it.
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MisterWhiplash — 10 years ago(May 06, 2015 02:36 PM)
Salem's Lot is a great start, but the Shining is too, long as you aren't TOO beholden to the Kubrick take, which is a masterpiece on its own but different from the book.
If you dig mythology and spaghetti westerns, the Gunslinger is cool as well.
My official blog:
http://cinetarium.blogspot.com/ -
stimpy25 — 10 years ago(May 15, 2015 01:28 PM)
everyone has their own opinion on all the dark tower books, some love the series some hate it. some love only certain books but hate others. as for the way it ended though i know how it ends i haven't gotten that far yet as i'm still on book 5. but here's the thing when it comes to the DT series the end of the series i mean. i've talked to people on this board and on a fan board about SK and some over there and here love the ending and some really hate it with a passion.
my brother who has been a fan of his since the 80's as i have. loves the ending.
my suggestion is make up your own mind if you like it or not. my personal favorite in the whole series is the drawing of the three but to each their own.
you also can start reading his books in order as they came out some people do that as well. in a great number of his books he mentions various hidden things in the DT universe and well that's not in all his books. some of them i do notice and some of them i miss entirely cause the way he writes his books now is they are all circled around that universe, he didn't used to do it that way i don't think.
you will find books of his from any era that he put whatever book out that you just love to death and you will find books that you really think are really really bad. we all have those by any author really, so what book did you decide to start on? -
philwhite-411-828978 — 10 years ago(June 29, 2015 12:49 PM)
Theres so many potential choices. The Stand, It and the Dark Tower are considered to be his best works, and in many ways they are. For a slightly less mammoth read to begin with I suggest Salems Lot. It truly is a gripping tale(as are 99% of his novels) but it is a far easier read than the 'famous three'.
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Sawbucks — 10 years ago(July 31, 2015 02:32 PM)
I think his most iconic works like IT and The Stand are pretty heavy for someone just testing the water. Bag of Bones and Carrie are really accessible, and would give you a good first impression. You could probably finish Carrie in a weekend.
It was only a sketch. But I think when you're mapping hell, a sketch is all you need.
