Good first SK book?

[Connavar]

I have read the first DT and didnt like it.


But i wanna read one of the books that is what he is known for. I mean supernatural or horror stuff.

Which of those would be good for a SK newbie?

I want a good story that will show what he is good at and if he is something i can like.

Usually i love supernatural stuff which is why i wanna read him and not cause he is uber famous.

I hear one of his famous books are a apocalyptic story, those type of stories are great. Which is why i tried reading DT.

[Culhwch]

Well The Stand is a classic, and probably the 'apocalyptic story' you are talking about, though the recent Cell also follows that theme. I'm not sure what would be best for a newbie, but I liked It, which I think would have been my first King, and Misery, 'Salems Lot, and Pet Semetary were all pretty good, and quick reads - shorter than It or The Stand. Just dive in...

[Connavar]

Can you tell me how good The Dead Zone is?

I love the tv show but didnt like the movie except C.Walken.

The reason i dont just dive in is that i would like to know his style before reading his most famous book and taking half of the book to get used to his style.


So far Salems Lot seems the most promising cause of the vamp story.

The Stand i think i will save for a little later and read if i like my first SK book.

[Nesacat]

My favourite is IT and that's the one I re-read the most. Next on the list would be Salem's Lot followed by The Shinning.

[Connavar]

Ok keep them coming please.


In case i cant find one of these in the library.


Also are there some of his books that arent the most famous but are good read.

Example what is Cell really? is one of better works?

[andrew.v.spencer]

It
The Stand
Salems Lot
The shining

These are my favourite King books.

The short story/novella collections are good, the names escape me at the moment. I think they're called Four past Midnight, Different Seasons, Everythings Eventual... and I think there's another.

Cell is pretty good and accessible, it's short form writing by King standards and (for me) lacks some of the richness of the longer works.

[Allegra]

I second andrew. And Four Past Midnight is very good. Also:

Misery
The Green Mile
Needful Things
The Talisman (with Peter Straub)

I'm looking forward to the release of paperback Lisey's Story in July. It sounds very good to me. I'm not sure if I will read Cell, mainly because it may be a little too gruesome for my taste and also according to many reviews the ending is not so good.

[IrishWriter]

If you want a supernatural story then what you're looking for is The Shining. There really can't be any argument with me or anyones else who thinks the same. It's probably the best supernatural book written in the last 50 years.And plus you'll probably like it more because it was one of his first books and at the time he wasn't famous as such as he is today.At the time he wasn't famous, but that book pretty much did it for him if you ask me.

[Connavar]

How are it compared the movie version? I dont have good memories from The Shining movie.


Otherwise.


Salem's Lot or It, or The Shining i think i will choose as the first.

[j. d. worthington]

While I'd strongly disagree as to it being the best supernatural novel in the past 50 years, I would also agree that The Shining is one of King's best books, and certainly well worth reading.

Personally, I'm not a great fan of King. I find a lot of his books too flabby, frankly. (I'm not just referring to length -- I've no problem with enormously long novels, so long as what's there is integral to telling the story in some way, whether it be advancing the plot, building the tension, etc. -- but with King I find a lot of the writing to be rather pedestrian and unmemorable, which for me can rather take the lustre off even a very good story.)

However, he has had his share of good books and -- my problems with the prose aside -- he is often a very good storyteller. I think I'd also suggest some of his story collections, and I'll admit to a fondness for Pet Sematary, even if it is a modern-day "Monkey's Paw".

[IrishWriter]

Please don't think I'm trying to arouse conflict here, but I'm just curious to see what other think IS the best supernatural novel in the past 50 years. Because I haven't read a real load of books(I mean I think 80 or so isn't a lot in the past year, because some people manage twice that) but maybe someone might mention a few that seem worth reading.I know that's kind of distraction us from King(after all this is a King forum) but all the talk would have been brought about through talking about him. So I guess it's ok.lol

[Allegra]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

Personally, I'm not a great fan of King. I find a lot of his books too flabby, frankly. (I'm not just referring to length -- I've no problem with enormously long novels, so long as what's there is integral to telling the story in some way, whether it be advancing the plot, building the tension, etc. -- but with King I find a lot of the writing to be rather pedestrian and unmemorable, which for me can rather take the lustre off even a very good story.)

I do agree with J.D. about the flabby problem. I like King's stories and the way he tells them but sometimes he's just a bit too chatty and too carried away. Some of his babblings are enjoyable but some of them are not.

[j. d. worthington]

Well, for one thing, I don't think one can pick a single book as the best supernatural (or any other type) of novel of the past 50 years... there are just far, far too many books in any field, and in that span of time there are going to be a huge number that are exceptionally fine. (I mean, we're talking well into the hundreds of thousands -- at least -- of books in the field in that amount of time.)

However, I'll throw out some of those that I think are among the best (this is not a systematic list, just those that spring to mind right off the bat):

Carrion Comfort, by Dan Simmons
Song of Kali, by Dan Simmons
The Ceremonies, by T. E. D. Klein
The Parasite, by Ramsey Campbell
Incarnate, by Ramsey Campbell
The Hungry Moon, by Ramsey Campbell
Midnight Sun, by Ramsey Campbell
The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson
Hell House, by Richard Matheson
The Green Man, by Kingsley Amis
Grendel, by John Gardner
The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty
The Other, by Thomas Tryon
The Land of Laughs, by Jonathan Carroll
The Anubis Gates, by Tim Powers
The Wasp Factory, by Iain Banks
Mythago Wood, by Robert Holdstock
The Damnation Game, by Clive Barker
Ghost Story, by Peter Straub
Pet Sematary, by Stephen King
The Shining, by Stephen King

I know there are a ton I'm not recalling right off, but that will give an idea....

[steve12553]

As to the original question. The first King book I read was the first King book. I'm of course speaking of Carrie which was his only published book when I read it in the mid-seventies. It was an intriguing story of a misfit with extraordinary powers. Definitely a good starting off point. I've read quit a number of King books. I really enjoyed some and was luke warm with others but the man has a large body of work and much of it well worth reading.

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by Connavar of Rigante

Can you tell me how good The Dead Zone is?

I love the tv show but didnt like the movie except C.Walken.

The reason i dont just dive in is that i would like to know his style before reading his most famous book and taking half of the book to get used to his style.

Haven't read The Dead Zone, I'm afraid. But I don't think you should worry about having to get used to King's style. His style is, to my mind, very middle-of-the-road, very easy to read, nothing really outstanding or otherwise to get to grips with.