I figured there would be people who would champion It as #1. When we finish I might expand on why it finished #6 for me, but right now I am a little sick and worked overnight so I don't think I have the energy for a detailed explanation. For the most part, though, it is what @Uruk-Hai said. Everything in the top 10 is an absolute classic to me and small differences in positions are splitting hairs. The books I have in the top 10 are all pretty locked in, but if I were redoing the rankings from day to day, the order might change.
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Official Stephen King Publication Countdown - 2. 'Salem's Lot, 1. The Stand (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter turnjose7
- Start date
5. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
1987
Novel
Dark fantasy
2/5
- Dark Tower story
“He walked out of nowhere toward nowhere, a man from another time who, it seemed, had reached a point of pointless ending.”
“He was a romantic in his own harsh way…yet he was also realist enough to know that sometimes love actually did conquer all.”
“We are going to fight. We are going to be hurt. And in the end we will stand.”
Traveling between different times and different worlds, Roland Deschain gathers followers to join him on his journey to the Dark Tower.
Many consider this to be the best of the Dark Tower novels. While it isn’t the highest rated for me, it’s pretty close. Reading this immediately after The Gunslinger, the shift in tone is a bit jarring. But that is quickly forgotten as this book is absolutely engrossing. With amazing characters, incredible action, the perfect mix of reality with fantasy, and just the right amount of humor, this book is simply phenomenal. The Gunslinger begins Roland’s story, but it is The Drawing of the Three that introduces the reader to the spirit of the series.
I mentioned it in the All-time Books thread, but my favorite description of this book that I randomly saw somewhere on the internet is: "Putting together the worst RPG Group ever."
1987
Novel
Dark fantasy
2/5
- Dark Tower story
“He walked out of nowhere toward nowhere, a man from another time who, it seemed, had reached a point of pointless ending.”
“He was a romantic in his own harsh way…yet he was also realist enough to know that sometimes love actually did conquer all.”
“We are going to fight. We are going to be hurt. And in the end we will stand.”
Traveling between different times and different worlds, Roland Deschain gathers followers to join him on his journey to the Dark Tower.
Many consider this to be the best of the Dark Tower novels. While it isn’t the highest rated for me, it’s pretty close. Reading this immediately after The Gunslinger, the shift in tone is a bit jarring. But that is quickly forgotten as this book is absolutely engrossing. With amazing characters, incredible action, the perfect mix of reality with fantasy, and just the right amount of humor, this book is simply phenomenal. The Gunslinger begins Roland’s story, but it is The Drawing of the Three that introduces the reader to the spirit of the series.
I mentioned it in the All-time Books thread, but my favorite description of this book that I randomly saw somewhere on the internet is: "Putting together the worst RPG Group ever."
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I know why folks think this is the best DT book. I think it's way up there. I have two main problems with it and one is completely on me.
The one that's all on me: I mentioned upthread that my brain has issues working out time-travel/alt-universe themes. When I first read this in 1987 or 1988, I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to make what he's doing make sense. I'll get back to how I solved that for my own sanity below.
The other is his characterization of Detta. I know what he was trying to do with her sections and Odetta's, but this was shameful in the 1980s and is downright awful nowadays. And he couldn't stop writing black characters speaking the way Detta does. He was doing the same stuff in the Bill Hodges books 30 years later so it's not like he figured it out, though he seemed to admonish himself a couple of times in those later books.
What helped me reading this novel was to treat it as a noir and forget trying to understand the Big Story. I'd hold my nose through the Detta parts, but it worked best for me.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
Yeah this one really sucked me in probably my 2nd favorite in the series
I’d have gone with “did-a-chick” as one of the quotes
4. Pet Sematary
1983
Novel
Horror
5/5
“And the most terrifying question of all may be just how much horror the human mind can stand and still maintain a wakeful, staring, unrelenting sanity.”
“A man who lies about beer makes enemies.”
“Sometimes dead is better.”
The actions of a father trying to revive his daughter’s dead cat start a cascade of events that end in unspeakable tragedy.
Pet Sematary is quite simply the most horrifying thing I have ever read. In the entry for The Library Policeman I wrote about the feeling a terror that makes you jump at sounds and keeps you from sleeping at night, and a feeling of revulsion by being exposed to something incredibly disturbing. Pet Sematary is probably the most effective of all of King’s works at eliciting both emotions.
Famously, even Stephen King himself was so disturbed by this novel that he didn’t want it to ever be published and only relented when he was desperate for material to fulfill a contract. Other than the “The Boogeyman” which I read when I was much younger, this is probably the only thing I have ever read which truly had a significant effect on my ability to sleep for a prolonged period.
The story is inspired by the famous horror tale “The Monkey’s Paw” as well as by actual events that happened to King’s family when they moved to a town close to the University of Maine. King combines these elements and a few others masterfully so that the plot is constantly going to the darkest of places but doing so in a way that feels very natural and very real. This gives it an authenticity that ups the terror level.
The other strength of this book is, contrary to common criticism of his work, this one has a really strong ending. Even in stories with weaker climaxes, King does closing lines well. This book nails the climax and also has maybe my favorite closing line of any King story except the aforementioned final book of The Dark Tower.
1983
Novel
Horror
5/5
“And the most terrifying question of all may be just how much horror the human mind can stand and still maintain a wakeful, staring, unrelenting sanity.”
“A man who lies about beer makes enemies.”
“Sometimes dead is better.”
The actions of a father trying to revive his daughter’s dead cat start a cascade of events that end in unspeakable tragedy.
Pet Sematary is quite simply the most horrifying thing I have ever read. In the entry for The Library Policeman I wrote about the feeling a terror that makes you jump at sounds and keeps you from sleeping at night, and a feeling of revulsion by being exposed to something incredibly disturbing. Pet Sematary is probably the most effective of all of King’s works at eliciting both emotions.
Famously, even Stephen King himself was so disturbed by this novel that he didn’t want it to ever be published and only relented when he was desperate for material to fulfill a contract. Other than the “The Boogeyman” which I read when I was much younger, this is probably the only thing I have ever read which truly had a significant effect on my ability to sleep for a prolonged period.
The story is inspired by the famous horror tale “The Monkey’s Paw” as well as by actual events that happened to King’s family when they moved to a town close to the University of Maine. King combines these elements and a few others masterfully so that the plot is constantly going to the darkest of places but doing so in a way that feels very natural and very real. This gives it an authenticity that ups the terror level.
The other strength of this book is, contrary to common criticism of his work, this one has a really strong ending. Even in stories with weaker climaxes, King does closing lines well. This book nails the climax and also has maybe my favorite closing line of any King story except the aforementioned final book of The Dark Tower.
zamboni
Footballguy
IIRC it was the scene of Gage being killed that haunted him so much and made him initially toss the manuscript away.
Agree 100% that it is the scariest book I’ve ever read - especially the Indian burial ground parts.
Last edited:
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Yeah, this one's brutal. This is probably the most effective novel King ever wrote.
Out of all of the tough scenes in the book - and there are a lot of them - the one that's stuck with me the most is the funeral home scene. That's when I told myself "he's going all the way here".
As far as King's bad endings, he gets over-dinged for them IMO. It was a meme before memes became a thing - people just repeat it over and over without really knowing why. Ask those folks to provide specific examples, though, and you often get :crickets: or they confuse books to filmed versions.
Yep the funeral scene was the one that shocked me the most too.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
I think a bit of my problem with King is that this was the first one I read, and I still think it's by far the best and scariest. It messed me up and at the same time made me a horror fan for life. Funeral scene in the book and Zelda in the movie.
. I don't think it's shown up in the book countdown, but it was in the top 5 on my shell list I didn't finish.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Good Lord. This explains a lot
Just kidding. I would not recommend this as an introduction to King.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
I can't exactly remember what age this was either, but probably too young. I know I liked "scary" stuff in books around 4th and 5th grade. Things like the Twilight series (not the teen vampires, THIS ) , 3 Investigators before that, things of that nature. I am pretty sure it was my oldest sister who had some King novels and I just grabbed one. By Middle School I was definitely reading his other stuff like the Bachman Books, 'Salem's Lot, and The Shining.Good Lord. This explains a lot
Just kidding. I would not recommend this as an introduction to King.
3. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
1997
Novel
Western, dark fantasy, romance, science fiction
2/5
- Dark Tower story
“It starts here. From its field of roses, the Dark Tower cries out in its beast’s voice. Time is a face on the water.”
“So do we pass the ghosts that haunt us later in our lives; they sit undramatically by the roadside like poor beggars, and we see them only from the corners of our eyes, if we see them at all. The idea that they have been waiting there for us rarely if ever crosses our minds. Yet they do wait, and when we have passed, they gather up their bundles of memory and fall in behind, treading in our footsteps and catching up, little by little.”
“And now, all these years later, it seemed to him that the most horrible fact of human existence was that broken hearts mended.”
On the road to the Dark Tower, Roland Deschain tells his companions of his first days as a gunslinger and events that would shape his future.
The fourth book in The Dark Tower series is polarizing. Some consider it middle-of-the-pack among the books in the series and believe it to be largely superfluous to the larger story. Others see it as one of the greatest things King has ever written. Obviously, I am in the latter group.
The story is a frame story in which Roland relates how, as a teenager and newly appointed gunslinger, he and his companions from his original ka-tet are sent to the distant Barony of Meijas, seemingly to keep them away from mounting dangers in Gilead. But they end up encountering greater dangers than they could ever imagine, and subsequent events set the stage for everything that happens in the other six books in the series.
I love this for so many reasons. Of all the books in the series, it blends the various genres the most seamlessly, so that it feels like western dark fantasy is a natural genre. The world-building is top-notch, and I think it has the most consistently high-quality writing of any of the books in the series. There is also an outstanding cast of supporting characters. Even if it was just a standalone story and was indeed superfluous to the rest of the series, it would rank very highly for me.
But it isn’t superfluous. The way the book sets up everything else is brilliant, from the political background that propels Farson and Walter to victory, to the symbolic parallels between the original ka-tet and the current ka-tet (Ka, after all, is a wheel). Most importantly, this book is key in the transformation (from the reader's perspective) of Roland from the coldblooded killer in The Gunslinger to the complicated but heroic protagonist he eventually becomes. We see his capacity for love, and we see the many dark events that have clouded his life. Ultimately this culminates in the Wizard’s Glass giving us a vision of the tragedy that will forever weigh on his soul.
1997
Novel
Western, dark fantasy, romance, science fiction
2/5
- Dark Tower story
“It starts here. From its field of roses, the Dark Tower cries out in its beast’s voice. Time is a face on the water.”
“So do we pass the ghosts that haunt us later in our lives; they sit undramatically by the roadside like poor beggars, and we see them only from the corners of our eyes, if we see them at all. The idea that they have been waiting there for us rarely if ever crosses our minds. Yet they do wait, and when we have passed, they gather up their bundles of memory and fall in behind, treading in our footsteps and catching up, little by little.”
“And now, all these years later, it seemed to him that the most horrible fact of human existence was that broken hearts mended.”
On the road to the Dark Tower, Roland Deschain tells his companions of his first days as a gunslinger and events that would shape his future.
The fourth book in The Dark Tower series is polarizing. Some consider it middle-of-the-pack among the books in the series and believe it to be largely superfluous to the larger story. Others see it as one of the greatest things King has ever written. Obviously, I am in the latter group.
The story is a frame story in which Roland relates how, as a teenager and newly appointed gunslinger, he and his companions from his original ka-tet are sent to the distant Barony of Meijas, seemingly to keep them away from mounting dangers in Gilead. But they end up encountering greater dangers than they could ever imagine, and subsequent events set the stage for everything that happens in the other six books in the series.
I love this for so many reasons. Of all the books in the series, it blends the various genres the most seamlessly, so that it feels like western dark fantasy is a natural genre. The world-building is top-notch, and I think it has the most consistently high-quality writing of any of the books in the series. There is also an outstanding cast of supporting characters. Even if it was just a standalone story and was indeed superfluous to the rest of the series, it would rank very highly for me.
But it isn’t superfluous. The way the book sets up everything else is brilliant, from the political background that propels Farson and Walter to victory, to the symbolic parallels between the original ka-tet and the current ka-tet (Ka, after all, is a wheel). Most importantly, this book is key in the transformation (from the reader's perspective) of Roland from the coldblooded killer in The Gunslinger to the complicated but heroic protagonist he eventually becomes. We see his capacity for love, and we see the many dark events that have clouded his life. Ultimately this culminates in the Wizard’s Glass giving us a vision of the tragedy that will forever weigh on his soul.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
This is my favorite of the series, too. After waiting for years after The Waste Lands, I could see how it some may not have liked it because it doesn't advance the "present day" story much (though it does resolve the giant cliffhanger from the previous volume). But this is the pivotal book in the series proper for all of the reasons you mention.
Bad Guy/Gal I Kinda Like: Jonas
Bad Guy/Gal I Hate: Cordelia
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
My favorite as well
I also picked up quite a few of the young Roland comic books but I don’t think I finished that series
“And now, all these years later, it seemed to him that the most horrible fact of human existence was that broken hearts mended.”
This, by the way, is my favorite quote in any King work. For those who haven't followed along the whole thread, see the Hearts in Atlantis entry for some additional context.
I have a super decked out nerdy basement with all kinds of cool movie, music, and literature paraphernalia (in addition to an obscene amount of Ohio State stuff and my brewery collection). The door to the basement has a sign with "Unfound" over the top of it. The main piece right at the bottom of the steps is a framed sketch of Roland and Susan Delgado along with this quote.
This, by the way, is my favorite quote in any King work. For those who haven't followed along the whole thread, see the Hearts in Atlantis entry for some additional context.
I have a super decked out nerdy basement with all kinds of cool movie, music, and literature paraphernalia (in addition to an obscene amount of Ohio State stuff and my brewery collection). The door to the basement has a sign with "Unfound" over the top of it. The main piece right at the bottom of the steps is a framed sketch of Roland and Susan Delgado along with this quote.
Quick change of plans. I had intended to post the last two entries later today but with my work schedule and the lack of sleep over the last couple days I doubt I will get to it. So I will plan to do it first thing tomorrow morning. If you have been following along, the last two entries aren't a mystery. But I still want to be somewhat with it when I post them.
lardonastick
Footballguy
Love this book so much. "Of all the books in the series, it blends the various genres the most seamlessly, so that it feels like western dark fantasy is a natural genre." So true.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
Roland I Love Thee!!! still gives me chills
2. ‘Salem’s Lot
1975
Novel
Horror
4/5
- Jerusalem’s Lot story
“Small towns have long memories and pass their horrors down ceremonially from generation to generation.”
“And all around them, the bestiality of the night rises on tenebrous wings. The vampire’s time has come.”
I’ve commented in the Top Books of All Time thread that I think King has some books – like Hearts in Atlantis and Bag of Bones that are brilliantly written and put King on the cusp of being not just a great storyteller, but a truly great writer. While they might not be quite as literary as those, I think it’s the top 2 novels that cement his legacy as an author.
Originally titled Second Coming, ‘Salem’s Lot was renamed to emphasize the fictional small town King created. While Castle Rock and Derry are probably more important to his larger body of work, Jerusalem’s Lot is my favorite of all of King’s fictional towns. The exquisite attention to detail with which he describes the Lot is so good that I have a picture of it in my mind that seems as real as my own neighborhood.
What King did in this novel was take a classic but stale genre and totally reinvented it, making it fresh again. It changed everything.
Oh yeah, it’s also keep-you-awake-at-night scary. I love this book so much. In my opinion it’s the best vampire story ever written.
1975
Novel
Horror
4/5
- Jerusalem’s Lot story
“Small towns have long memories and pass their horrors down ceremonially from generation to generation.”
“And all around them, the bestiality of the night rises on tenebrous wings. The vampire’s time has come.”
I’ve commented in the Top Books of All Time thread that I think King has some books – like Hearts in Atlantis and Bag of Bones that are brilliantly written and put King on the cusp of being not just a great storyteller, but a truly great writer. While they might not be quite as literary as those, I think it’s the top 2 novels that cement his legacy as an author.
Originally titled Second Coming, ‘Salem’s Lot was renamed to emphasize the fictional small town King created. While Castle Rock and Derry are probably more important to his larger body of work, Jerusalem’s Lot is my favorite of all of King’s fictional towns. The exquisite attention to detail with which he describes the Lot is so good that I have a picture of it in my mind that seems as real as my own neighborhood.
What King did in this novel was take a classic but stale genre and totally reinvented it, making it fresh again. It changed everything.
Oh yeah, it’s also keep-you-awake-at-night scary. I love this book so much. In my opinion it’s the best vampire story ever written.
1. The Stand
1978
Novel
Dark fantasy, post-apocalyptic, horror
3/5
- Randall Flagg story
- Captain Trips story
“No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become. No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell. There are no maps of the change. You just come out the other side…Or you don't.”
“Rationalism is the idea that we can ever understand anything about the state of being. It's a deathtrip. It always has been. . . . And if rationalism is a deathtrip, then irrationalism might very well be a lifetrip . . . at least until it proves otherwise.”
“The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there...and still on your feet.”
Survivors of a global pandemic organize into two factions to fight for the future of humanity.
One could debate whether or not ‘Salem’s Lot is the greatest vampire novel, but I find it hard to believe that anyone could disagree that The Stand is THE definitive post-apocalyptic story.
King’s goal was to write an epic in the spirit of The Lord of the Rings, and he succeeded. There are really three separate stories here: the initial influenza outbreak, the mustering of troops, and then the final showdown of good vs. evil. Through it all multiple subplots are expertly interwoven, and classic scene follows classic scene.
There is an incredible array of characters: Nick Andros, Tom Cullen, Mother Abigail, Trashcan Man, “The Kid,” and many more. Of course, standing out among all of them is King’s most iconic villain, Randall Flagg.
Some purists might prefer the original version, and I know some shared that preference in another thread. I’m a proponent of the uncut edition, if for no other reason than the scenes with The Kid. The uncut edition, by the way, is actually longer than the entire three books of The Lord of the Rings combined.
You can’t go wrong either way, though. This is one of the greatest stories ever written.
1978
Novel
Dark fantasy, post-apocalyptic, horror
3/5
- Randall Flagg story
- Captain Trips story
“No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become. No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell. There are no maps of the change. You just come out the other side…Or you don't.”
“Rationalism is the idea that we can ever understand anything about the state of being. It's a deathtrip. It always has been. . . . And if rationalism is a deathtrip, then irrationalism might very well be a lifetrip . . . at least until it proves otherwise.”
“The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there...and still on your feet.”
Survivors of a global pandemic organize into two factions to fight for the future of humanity.
One could debate whether or not ‘Salem’s Lot is the greatest vampire novel, but I find it hard to believe that anyone could disagree that The Stand is THE definitive post-apocalyptic story.
King’s goal was to write an epic in the spirit of The Lord of the Rings, and he succeeded. There are really three separate stories here: the initial influenza outbreak, the mustering of troops, and then the final showdown of good vs. evil. Through it all multiple subplots are expertly interwoven, and classic scene follows classic scene.
There is an incredible array of characters: Nick Andros, Tom Cullen, Mother Abigail, Trashcan Man, “The Kid,” and many more. Of course, standing out among all of them is King’s most iconic villain, Randall Flagg.
Some purists might prefer the original version, and I know some shared that preference in another thread. I’m a proponent of the uncut edition, if for no other reason than the scenes with The Kid. The uncut edition, by the way, is actually longer than the entire three books of The Lord of the Rings combined.
You can’t go wrong either way, though. This is one of the greatest stories ever written.
The Longtime Lurker
Footballguy
My favorite book of all time. Read it multiple times and it gets better each time. Happy to see it at the top of the list.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Once we got to the Top 10, I was predicting this as your #1.
This is really the book at made some sit up and realize that Carrie may not be a fluke. The Shining put him over the top, but you could argue that Salem's Lot is the most important book he ever wrote.
The 1970s TV miniseries was good for its time and place. Looks cheesy as hell in spots nowadays, but so does Roots.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I read the original in the early '80s, but I also prefer the revised version.
There is a LOT of symbolism in this book if you're into that sort of thing, but it also reads great "straight".
My favorite secondary character: Lloyd Henreid. He knew stuff was messed up, but went with it anyway.
The 1990s TV miniseries should have been better than it was. It had a great cast - other than the dude who played Flagg, who didn't work for me - but kind of landed flat in my opinion. Best cameo: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I would suggest these from your un-read list, especially Duma Key, Revival, Fairy Tale (which is bat **** crazy) and the collections.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
You have one in lurking in the thread. I LOVE parts of this book, but overall I like King the best when he is capped at 400-500 pages. I get that it's just a me thing, and I am not trying to say you are wrong in the rankings or anything, and I feel the same way about IT. I prefer Swan Song for a similar huge book and others like The Road, Children of Men, Dog Stars, Station Eleven, and Atwood's Oryx and Crake to The Stand.
Anyway, fantastic job on this list - thanks for the discussions! I have moved up a few of his books in the queue and will read something of his soon because of this list. Either Insomnia, The Bachman Books (I want to re-read The Long Walk before the movie, and I don't know if I ever actually read Roadwork), or one of his short story collections since you did a great job of highlighting a few of those that sound great.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Is there a book that is a best introduction to King?Good Lord. This explains a lot
Just kidding. I would not recommend this as an introduction to King.
The Longtime Lurker
Footballguy
I kind of like the 90s mini series. Fun cast and though it's dated in look i still like to watch it from time to time. I even liked the Canadian tuxedo version of Flagg. The 2020 redo on the other hand I'd like to forget ever existed.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I would recommend Different Seasons, which is a collection of 4 novellas (including Shawshank Redemption and The Body). It's one of his least horror/sci-fi/fantasy work, but gives a good idea of his writing style.Is there a book that is a best introduction to King?Good Lord. This explains a lot
Just kidding. I would not recommend this as an introduction to King.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
It was ok. I haven't seen the redo, as I think it was on a streaming service I don't have but most of the reviews I've read run pretty close to yours.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Thanks - Added to my queue. Since I’m not really into the horror/sci-fi/fantasy genres, that seems like it could be a good one to start with.I would recommend Different Seasons, which is a collection of 4 novellas (including Shawshank Redemption and The Body). It's one of his least horror/sci-fi/fantasy work, but gives a good idea of his writing style.Is there a book that is a best introduction to King?Good Lord. This explains a lot
Just kidding. I would not recommend this as an introduction to King.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
This is a great call because there are still horror elements to dip a toe into, but it's mostly just good drama.I would recommend Different Seasons, which is a collection of 4 novellas (including Shawshank Redemption and The Body). It's one of his least horror/sci-fi/fantasy work, but gives a good idea of his writing style.Is there a book that is a best introduction to King?Good Lord. This explains a lot
Just kidding. I would not recommend this as an introduction to King.
As for horror for those skeptical of the genre, I was going to recommended starting at the first book and #19 on the countdown - Carrie. I read that one again in the last few years and was surprised how good it was and I really liked the different style of telling the story through news clippings. It is also a short, quick read so if someone doesn't dig it, it is not as big of a time commitment as some of the others in the top 20.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
timschochet
Footballguy
So my own top ten is a little different:
1. It
2. The Stand
3. Firestarter
4. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption
5. The Dead Zone
6. Misery
7. Gerald’s Game
8. The Shining
9. The Drawing of the Three
10. Carrie
1. It
2. The Stand
3. Firestarter
4. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption
5. The Dead Zone
6. Misery
7. Gerald’s Game
8. The Shining
9. The Drawing of the Three
10. Carrie
timschochet
Footballguy
I often feel like we’re living in it.
General Malaise
Footballguy
Yup, I think Salem's Lot and The Stand are my two favorite King books as well.
I rather liked The Talisman too.
I rather liked The Talisman too.
It's been awhile since I saw it and totally forgot Kareem was in it. I paused it and did a double take the first time I watched.
Glad to see someone else who likes Firestarter a lot. It was probably one of my rankings here that got the most lukewarm response.
E Street Brat
Footballguy
Rand al Thor
Footballguy
I enjoyed reading your list. The Stand would be my #1 also, I've read it probably 4 times? But I really enjoyed 11/22/63 more than any other King book in the last twenty years or so. It was different somehow than most of his other stuff, the ending was incredibly satisfying (rare in a King book) and I think I was just surprised after reading so many of his books that this one was somehow fresh. It might be my dark horse for #2.
Also, I don't know if there's any 80's New Wave fans in here, but maybe some of you don't know that the Alarm's first hit "The Stand" was about the book. Pretty sure it's the only song where Trashcan and Randall Flagg (walking dude) both get a shout-out. "The Stand"
Also, I don't know if there's any 80's New Wave fans in here, but maybe some of you don't know that the Alarm's first hit "The Stand" was about the book. Pretty sure it's the only song where Trashcan and Randall Flagg (walking dude) both get a shout-out. "The Stand"
rockaction
Footballguy
Hey Jose, I know I wasn’t a thread participant, but it’s cool that you did this for the board with an author who people definitely have an interest in and who puts out pretty interesting work. Nice to see people who grew up reading him (my brother is four-plus years older than me and always really liked King, so I’ve read some of his shorter works) get a chance to kick it.
zamboni
Footballguy
Tell your old man to drag Randall Flagg up and down Castle Rock for 48 minutes.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
This was a fun thread, @turnjose7 Thanks for doing it.
Battersbox
Footballguy
I've enjoyed this thread, very well done.
I actually downloaded Skeleton Crew in the past few days and am enjoying. The Mist is quite good; put me in the camp who really liked the ending.
I actually downloaded Skeleton Crew in the past few days and am enjoying. The Mist is quite good; put me in the camp who really liked the ending.
playin4beer
Footballguy
I've read so many of his books, I've actually forgotten what some of them were about until I go back and re-read them. My mom would always pick me up the hard cover copy of whatever his latest release was... I have them all in a couple of rubbermaid totes.
I've really been disappointed in his more recent works with the political stuff he seems to throw into them. For me, his books were always an escape from reality. Every time I get to something about "Trump", it snaps me back into the present. Much like the penny in the hidden pocket in Christopher Reeve's suit in the movie "Somewhere in Time".
I've really been disappointed in his more recent works with the political stuff he seems to throw into them. For me, his books were always an escape from reality. Every time I get to something about "Trump", it snaps me back into the present. Much like the penny in the hidden pocket in Christopher Reeve's suit in the movie "Somewhere in Time".
Zow
Footballguy
Poor @timschochet puts in the same effort and doesn't get the same love.
Both of these guys do a great job with their rankings.
Similar threads
- Locked
