So I have never done a recommendation post and I thought I would give it a try. This post is going to be sharing my favorite Stephen King novels and maybe help steer you in the right direction. If you don’t know already Stephen King has A TON of books out and is still writing. In fact he came out with a new book this month, 2 this year. So with such a large collection it is hard to find a place to start. So I am hoping that this might help you if you are interested in his books, but are lost on where to begin.
Bag of Bones (Standalone)
Four years after the sudden death of his wife, forty-year-old bestselling novelist Mike Noonan is still grieving. Unable to write, and plagued by vivid nightmares set at the western Maine summerhouse he calls Sara Laughs, Mike reluctantly returns to the lakeside getaway. There, he finds his beloved Yankee town held in the grip of a powerful millionaire, Max Devore, whose vindictive purpose is to take his three-year-old granddaughter, Kyra, away from her widowed young mother, Mattie. As Mike is drawn into Mattie and Kyra’s struggle, as he falls in love with both of them, he is also drawn into the mystery of Sara Laughs, now the site of ghostly visitations and escalating terrors. What are the forces that have been unleashed here—and what do they want of Mike Noonan?
It is no secret that King is one of our most mesmerizing storytellers. In Bag of Bones, he proves to be one of our most moving as well. -goodreads
This was the first Stephen King book I ever read and I stand by it even after reading more than 10 of his books. It paranormal in essence, but also the story itself has a ton of backstory that is explained. I found myself loving the “history” behind the story. It also has characters that you find yourself really caring about and invested. I would start with this one if you either like domestic thrillers or ghost stories in general.
11/22/63 (Standalone)
Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away…but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke… Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten…and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful. -goodreads.com
This is great if you like historical fiction. While it is a retelling of historical events like many historical fiction novels, it has a Stephen King twist. Loving history I read/listened to this book quickly. I listened to parts, the audiobook is done very well, and read others. I felt that it was a great mixture of historical and science fiction. It also had a few parts that made me reflect a bit on society and human nature a bit. I would start here if you like historical fiction or science fiction.
Mr. Mercedes (Trilogy)
In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.
In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the “perk” and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.
Brady Hartsfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with two new, unusual allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands. -goodreads.com
This trilogy is another great place to start. After reading a bit of his work you can see that overall his story always have a sinister and not so human twist, but he has different types of writing. Some that focus on humanity (thriller like) and others that focus a lot on the paranormal (ghost and monster like). This trilogy is more a human focused and I would recommend starting here if you really like thrillers or mysteries.
The Shining (Duology)
This tale of a troubled man hired to care for a remote mountain resort over the winter, his loyal wife, and their uniquely gifted son slowly but steadily unfolds as secrets from the Overlook Hotel’s past are revealed, and the hotel itself attempts to claim the very souls of the Torrence family. Adapted into a cinematic masterpiece of horror by legendary Stanley Kubrick — featuring an unforgettable performance by a demonic Jack Nicholson –The Shining stands as a cultural icon of modern horror, a searing study of a family torn apart, and a nightmarish glimpse into the dark recesses of human weakness and dementia. -goodreads.com
Now The Shining for me is “classic” Stephen King. I don’t mean classic in the way that it is one of his first published works, but rather that it has a little bit of everything that he has to offer. Especially more so since it has in the more recent years been expanded more on. It is creepy, has both his humanity style and his paranormal style. This for me is one of my favorite stories I have read for him. I may be a little bit biased because when I was little I was obsessed with the 6 hour TV version of this, but I think it is a great story and a good way to test to see if you like his work. Overall, I would say that if you want a sample of his work it is good to read this.
I hope that some of you find this post helpful and interesting. I had a lot of fun going through my collection and picking a few of his books that I thought were good starts. Aren’t you glad I did not recommend It as a place to start? If you have anymore questions or idea please let me know I would be more than happy to hear.
Have you read Stephen King? What book was your favorite by him?
Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Thank you for these recommendations!! I have only ever read Carrie, and I have always wanted to give some of his books a try but never know which ones to go with. Great post!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I am glad this was able to help you a bit.
LikeLike
Thank you for this! I’ve been wanting to read some Stephen King for a while now but had no idea where to start. Bag of Bones sounds great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad this was able to help you! I knew I was a bit overwhelmed when I started reading this works so I thought this may be helpful to some.
I really loved Bag of Bones, if you end up reading let me know what you thought.
LikeLike
Yass, I love Stephen King! I recently bought 11/22/63 but am waiting to read it because I just finished reading The Outsider by him and need a break in between huge books!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally understand needing a break in-between big books. I tend to limit myself to 1 or 2 tops per month. Otherwise I feel like I am not reading because it takes me forever to get through them.
LikeLike
Ah I love this. I am so happy to see The Bill Hodges series on here. It’s one of my favorite series in general. I haven’t heard of Bag of Bones but I really would like to check it out. I also own 11/22/63 but the size is a little bit intimating. I am very interested in it because I’d like to watch the show at some point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved Bag of Bones, if you do end up reading 11/22/63 let me know what you think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I deff will 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ive read 2 of his books so far Carrie and On Writing of the 2 i prefered On Writing but i wanted to start his fiction from where he started to see his growth as an author. I started Under the Dome awhile back but it was due at the library before I finished it. Even though I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read I tend to take long breaks in between his books
LikeLiked by 2 people
I can understand that, sometimes his books are very large and you need something lighter in-between. I don’t think I have ever read his books back to back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The first 3 books look really good. I already added myself to the wait list for 11/22/63 at my library. They even have the audiobook! Thanks for this helpful list! Gonna read my first Stephen King book this year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, I am glad it was helpful!
LikeLike