Vulture ranks King's work - and so do I

[D_Davis]

Nice list here:

http://www.vulture.com/2012/04/ranki...ing-books.html

Of course, like all lists, every person has their own. And here is mine:

The Dark Tower Series - I can't rank these with his other work. This is my Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire, Harry Potter, etc.


1. Wolves of the Calla
2. The Drawing of the Three
3. The Dark Tower
4. Wastelands
5. The Gunslinger
6. Song of Suzanna
7. Wind through the Keyhole (not finished, but I'm confident in this placement)
8. Wizard and Glass

Novels and Collections - I'm only rating what I've read as an adult, because I don't remember enough to rate the others. So a lot of his older books like The Shining and It won't appear on this list. I read those in jr. high and high school. I plan on re-reading them this year.

1. Under the Dome
2. The Stand
3. The Long Walk
4. On Writing
5. Different Seasons
6. 'Salem's Lot
7. The Talisman
8. Skeleton Crew
9. Insomnia
10. Cell
11. Desperation
12. Eyes of the Dragon
13. Cycle of the Werewolf
14. Misery
15. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (this is the book that got me back into King as an adult)
16. Hearts in Atlantis
17. Dreamcatcher
18. Everything's Eventual
19. Full Dark, No Stars
20. 11/22/63
21. The Regulators
22. Bag of Bones
23. Needful Things
24. Lisey's Story

[mtzGr]

I agree with Vulture on The Stand being his best (it's my favorite anyway). I also like that On Writing is #2; that book made cry which is not very common (maybe if I read more romance novels ).

I also agree with Vulture that Wizard and Glass was the best of the Dark Tower series; what is it you didn't like about it? It's surprising that you rank the Dark Tower so high; with most people I've spoken with its generally the opposite.

[drush9999]

I would rank the Dark Tower series in the order they came out, I love the spaced out first one. Possibly swapping Wastelands around with Wizard and Glass.

Don't think I could easily rank the rest of the books, but for me the period from Carrie to It is my favourite.

[Needle]

I will not even attempt a full listing (although I have read them all) but the short list is:

1. Dark Tower (the series)
Dark Tower
Drawing of the Three
Wastelands
Wizards and Glass
Song
Gunslinger
Wolves
1. The Stand
2. The Talisman (and Black House)
3. Tommyknockers
4. Insomnia
5. Under the Dome

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by mtzGr

I also agree with Vulture that Wizard and Glass was the best of the Dark Tower series; what is it you didn't like about it? It's surprising that you rank the Dark Tower so high; with most people I've spoken with its generally the opposite.

I am usually at odds with most kinds of fandom for some reason. It's not something I try to do, it just seems to happen.

As far as WAG goes:

The first part is awesome, the final battle and the last part are awesome. The 400 page flashback is not. There is no need for it. King grinds his narrative to a halt for no reason. Everything we need to know about Roland has been thus far expertly SHOWN in his actions and mannerisms. The flashback is worst than unnecessary, it is down right insulting. It's as if King didn't have enough faith in his own characterization or in the intelligence of his readers, and so he felt as if we had to have an origin story. Origin stories suck. They are there only to sell foil-embossed collectible comic books. Up until this point, the narrative has been constantly pushing forward, and here, everything comes derailed for a superfluous look at a character who is already so wonderfully drawn.

As far as The Dark Tower (book VII) goes, it is generally filled with one amazing moment after another, and I love the ending. It is absolute perfection, and really the only for the series to end.

[mtzGr]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

The first part is awesome, the final battle and the last part are awesome. The 400 page flashback is not. There is no need for it. King grinds his narrative to a halt for no reason. Everything we need to know about Roland has been thus far expertly SHOWN in his actions and mannerisms. The flashback is worst than unnecessary, it is down right insulting. It's as if King didn't have enough faith in his own characterization or in the intelligence of his readers, and so he felt as if we had to have an origin story. Origin stories suck. They are there only to sell foil-embossed collectible comic books. Up until this point, the narrative has been constantly pushing forward, and here, everything comes derailed for a superfluous look at a character who is already so wonderfully drawn.

I can see where your coming from, though I think some of the conclusions you're drawing about King are way off their mark. It's a great story, and in my mind Roland would not be who he is without the telling of Wizard and Glass. It could have been a standalone novel, but I don't think the series would have been as good without it.

[nixie]

I'd rank The Dark Tower as his best work,

Drawing of the Three,
Wastelands,
Gunslinger,
Wolves of Calla,
Wizard and Glass,
Dark Tower,
Song of Suzanna,

The rest.
The Stand,
Under the Dome
It
Needful Things
The Dark Half,
Insomnia
Thats all I can think of for the moment.

[Jake Reynolds]

Wow, I have to say, as a huge Stephen King fan (he's one of the reasons I'm a writer), I feel that Under the Dome is one of his weaker novels (though a lot of this is based on what I see as a weak premise rather than weak writing- that, as usual, was great). Interesting to see it getting so much love here!

For me:

Dark Tower:

The Gunslinger
Wizard and Glass
The Wasteland
Drawing of the Three
Wolves of the Calla
The Dark Tower
Song of Suzannah

Others:

It
On Writing
The Stand
Misery
Needful Things
Nightmares and Dreamscapes
Skeleton Crew
The Dark Half
Tommyknockers
Christine

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by Jake Reynolds

Wow, I have to say, as a huge Stephen King fan (he's one of the reasons I'm a writer), I feel that Under the Dome is one of his weaker novels

It's almost as if we all have different opinion!

[nixie]

Oh I forgot Four Past Midnight, I loved the Langoliers,