Stephen King is one of the best-selling authors of the 20th and 21st centuries and has almost a cult following in the United States alone. I, for one, am a member of this cult (it’s not a real cult…at least I don’t think it is.) Anyway, I’ve been a constant reader of his for a couple of years now and I’m still making my way through his library. Considering he’s written around 50 novels, not including his Richard Bachman books or his novellas and short stories, I think it’s safe to say I’m going to be reading his works for a very long time.
I’ve been a bit of an avid fan…reading his website for updates, perusing the internet and bookstores for first editions of his older novels, and even doing an entire UVA library entry on his book The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. That being said, I’m not entirely surprised when people ask me which one of his books they should read if they’ve never read him before. People love to tell me they want to read his stories, but they’re too long and they don’t know if they have the attention span for it.
That’s completely fair—I’m not at all saying that it’s an excuse. Sometimes you have to start with a little King and then move your way up. The list that I’ve compiled for you guys is a mixture of smaller Stephen King novels, medium length ones, and maybe one or two reeeeally long ones. Although, without a doubt, I know that all of these books will have you craving more of the King right when you turn the last page.
1. Joyland
This was the first book that I had ever read by Stephen King and I absolutely loved it. It’s funny, quirky, not too creepy, and heartfelt. It’s also a nice, naïve book about a college student—so all my fellow students, this is a great one that you’ll really relate to at certain points.
2. Misery
If you’ve seen the movie, and haven’t read the book, what are you doing? The book is SO good. The mental, psychological thriller genre is something that King excels at in a way no one else does. This is a very personal book that has so many twists and turns that it will keep you up at night wondering what the hell is Annie Wilkes going to do to Paul next? It’s also a classic King, what more could you want?
3. Hearts in Atlantis
This is probably my favorite piece that I’ve read so far by King. It’s not the classic horror story that so many of his fans love, it’s a different, nostalgic piece made up of two novellas and three short stories that are all compelling and beautifully written. This is one of the longer choices, but because it is split up into five different stories, you can always take a break and come back to it. Although, the stories do intertwine in a way so you might to read it all in one sitting to catch all of the coinciding characters.
4. The Green Mile
This is actually a piece that I listened to on audiobook and loved every second of it. If you’re a fan of moral or ethical fiction that makes you think about your own beliefs, this is definitely the novel for you. It’s definitely on the longer side, but that’s because it was originally published as separate chapbooks released in editions. Hey, at least you can read it all in one sitting instead of waiting with baited breath for the next part to come out. There’s always that!
5. IT
Okay, if you’re not looking to start with a 1500-page choice then maybe you should just skip this suggestion. But if you’re willing to take the plunge, DO IT. This was, I believe, the second King novel I read and yes, it took me a very long time to get through, but it was totally worth it. This is one of his masterworks that people praise to this day for being so original, ingenious, and compelling that its almost a must read for any King fan. Plus, it’ll be great to know what’ll happen in the second installment of the IT movie that comes out next year. You’ll be ahead of the curve and know exactly how the master imagined it. You’re welcome.
6. A Good Marriage
If you’re looking for a short recommendation with some girl power, here it is. I listened to this one on audiobook as well (its FREE on iTunes—again, you’re welcome) and I would play it while I ran on the track. Let me tell you, it was the perfect creepy read for the fall and it had some weird moments that make you stop and go “wait…WHAT?” Quick and easy but packs a definite punch.
7. Bag of Bones
Bag of Bones is one of King’s most acclaimed novels, known for its excellent spooky narrative and the questions that he poses about love and relationships. Not only this, but the novel won multiple awards the year it came out—including the Bram Stoker Award for a novel. This is the same award given to the novel
Silence of the Lambs, so obviously these people love a good scary story and King will definitely have you pondering some crazy questions and sleeping with the lights on.
