What Stephen King Wrote List. The best Stephen King books: list, rating, description. The Dark Tower series
Pale and unsmiling, N. looks into my eyes. And in front of me are invisible birds, tearing him to pieces.
This magnificent novel keeps you in suspense until the very end. An ordinary accountant suddenly encounters an ancient evil that is trying to break into our world. The safety of all humanity depends on his actions. The fight with the monster is exhausting, leads the main character to the psychoanalyst’s office and ultimately leads to suicide.
It's hard to be a god, but it's even harder to be an ordinary person, on whose shoulders fell the task of saving the world. The test of strength passes from one hero to another. Several people fell in the battle for balance. Who will be next in this chain?
A person cannot close the door to the past; he can only make some amendments and move on.
Edgar Freemantle, successful businessman, loving husband and the father, after a ridiculous and terrible accident, lost a part of himself, left without right hand. The wife could not stand the outbursts of rage, the children and old friends moved away. In return main character acquired the amazing ability to depict on canvas what is not, and what will be in the future.
Edgar chooses the picturesque island of Dumas Key as a place for solitude and recovery after the accident. Behind the external beauty of a quiet place are hidden terrible secrets and monsters who can’t wait to get their hands on the main character. Evil spirits communicate with Edgar through his paintings, beautiful and terrible in their doom.
The main character will have to deal not only with the terrible secrets of the island and its inhabitants, but also with himself, in order to ultimately come to terms with what cannot be changed.
There is a God, but who told you that he is good?
The abandoned town of Beznadyog became the battlefield of good and evil. If you drive past a quiet American outback, rush away without looking back. The heroes of the novel did not do this. Therefore, we ended up in a situation involving several local residents who had gone crazy and one ancient and evil spirit, waiting for its time for a thousand years deep underground in the Nevada desert.
In the novel, King raises questions about God, his participation in the destinies of people and humanity's responsibility for its actions. The main characters confront evil and at the same time study themselves to find out what misdeeds brought them to the city and who is to blame for the death of innocent souls.
There are probably no limits to the horror that a person can experience.
The young Creed family - Louis, Rachel and a couple of kids - move to new house. Everything would be ideal if there weren’t a highway right next to the house, along which huge trucks are constantly rushing. A big surprise for the Creed family was an abandoned Indian cemetery, where the locals were accustomed to burying their pets.
The burial ground has its secrets. Louis Creed discovers them after he buries a pet that died under the wheels of a truck. From this moment a series of misfortunes begins.
Soon the Creeds' little son also dies. It is almost impossible to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. And if there is a chance to bring the child back to life, why not take a risk and try to deceive the laws of nature. A terrible ending awaits everyone involved in this story.
“God has ceased to be important to people,” my mother once remarked after the service, when very few parishioners showed up. “But the day will come when they will regret it.”
Where do dreams lead? Of course, to hell. The main characters of the novel, a desperate musician and a priest obsessed with electricity, are convinced of this. Heartache and the loss of his wife and young son turn the believing priest Charles Jacobs into an apostate, a fairground charlatan and a mad experimenter.
Jacobs uses "secret electricity" to help drug-addicted rocker Jamie Morton recover from his addiction. But treatment gives a lot side effects, although it allows us to lift the veil of secrecy and find out what awaits us at the end of the tunnel. The results are terrible: there is no heaven or hell. Only emptiness and chaos.
How sometimes children hate adults for their power. How they hate it!
One of King's most terrifying works follows a group of teenagers forced to take on an ancient evil. The guys bravely fight a vile monster that kidnaps innocent souls.
The entire history of the town of Derry is based on blood. And the monster, not accustomed to meeting resistance, thirsts for new victims. Overcoming doubts, the main characters send evil in the guise of a clown into oblivion. But for how long? Children's fears do not remain behind a closed door in the parental home, but continue to haunt the company of daredevils and adult life. Until the moment comes when they have to look evil in the eye again.
The world is full of monsters, and they can always, at any moment, attack the innocent and helpless.
A cute dog is not about St. Bernard Cujo, who Lately doesn't look like himself at all. Cujo's walk through the neighborhood leads to tragic consequences that affect the entire city. The former gentle quiet man now resembles an enraged death machine, ready to rush at anyone who happens to be nearby.
The owners of a sick dog are busy with their own problems and do not come to the aid of their pet. A chain of accidents leads the main character Donna and her little son straight into the clutches of a monster. What is this, retribution for sins or an unfortunate coincidence? In a fight with a mad dog, Donna will have to rely only on herself to save her son and get out of this mess alive.
Loneliness in itself can be destructive.
The huge respectable hotel is closed for the winter. Jack Torrance, a former alcoholic, English teacher and aspiring writer, agrees to become a winter caretaker. Together with his wife and five-year-old son, he will spend only a few months at the hotel. A great opportunity to work on a play and strengthen a relationship that has been shaken by Jack's outbursts of uncontrollable rage. The Torrences thought so until they encountered a bunch of evil ghosts who had taken a fancy to the hotel.
Tony, a secret friend of little Denny Torrance, warned the kid about the dire consequences of the family's stay at the Overlook. But who listens to five-year-olds? Only chef Dick Halloran, on whom the fate of not only the family, but also the hotel with a difficult past now depends.
Someone could have come and saved me from the horror, but no one came... Because no one ever comes.
Successful Paul Sheldon, after a car accident, falls into the “loving” hands of his fan. Going on a trip, Paul completely forgot to warn anyone where he was going and why. The result of such carelessness is sad: Paul understands that they will not start looking for him soon.
It soon dawns on the writer that he is dealing with a crazy woman. The strange lady is ready to love her idol to death, if only he continues to create. In inhuman conditions, struggling with excruciating pain and on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Paul Sheldon writes one of his best works about the life of Misery Chastain. The main intrigue of the novel is whether the main character will be able to escape from the clutches of the admirer of his talent alive and unharmed.
What if reality ends in just five minutes? This is exactly the situation the heroes of this story find themselves in.
A normal flight turns into the worst nightmare for several suddenly awakened passengers. Where are they flying, where is everyone else, what connects those who remain on board, and who controls the plane - these questions have no answers. There is only another reality in which fuel does not burn, and products and things have lost their properties.
It turns out that the group from the plane ended up in an alternative and terrible version of the past. The heroes have only one attempt to return to their time before the Langolier monsters destroy time and space.
Updated: 11/07/2018 17:02:45
Expert: Christina Gayden
*Review of the best sites according to the editors. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.
There is not a single person who has not heard the name “Stephen King”. And even people who do not like to read books, having once seen the film adaptation of the works of the greatest master of horror, forever become his fans and subsequently enthusiastically enjoy the bestsellers of all times. The American writer works in a variety of genres. These are thrillers and mysticism, drama and fantasy, detective and science fiction. Stephen King is one of the few authors who has been awarded the highest awards for his work. These are the O. Henry, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe awards and many other recognitions from devoted admirers and experts.
Rating of the best books by Stephen King
| Nomination | place | Name of product | Rating |
| Rating of the best books by Stephen King | 1 | 4.9 | |
| 2 | 4.8 | ||
| 3 | 4.8 | ||
| 4 | 4.8 | ||
| 5 | 4.7 | ||
| 6 | 4.7 | ||
| 7 | 4.6 | ||
| 8 | 4.6 | ||
| 9 | 4.5 | ||
| 10 | 4.5 | ||
| 11 | 4.5 | ||
| 12 | 4.4 | ||
| 13 | 4.4 |
This book by Stephen King was published in 1996 and immediately gained popularity among fans of horror and mystery. Its film adaptation created a sensation, and for almost 20 years, interest in neither the film nor the work has diminished. The plot centers on a prison block for death row prisoners, where they await their verdict. The “Green Mile” is a road along the lime-colored linoleum that lines the corridor, along which the convict takes his last steps in life to end it in the electric chair.
The narration comes on behalf of prison guard Paul Edgecombe, who is in a nursing home, and surprises his interlocutor not only mystical story, but also with its longevity. All his loved ones left this world long ago, but he lives, and this became his punishment. Paul says that a meeting with an African-American prisoner, John Coffey, who has supernatural powers, predetermined his entire future. Big and good-natured, he admits to everyone that he is not guilty of murder, but is so tired of cruelty and injustice that he is ready to leave this world.
The novel completely immerses you in a story where you can sympathize with and even forgive suicide bombers, and the guards, with their particular cruelty, evoke anger and hatred.
Rita Hayworth or the Shawshank Redemption
The book was introduced in 1982 and tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a former bank vice president who is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. Filmed in 1994, the film is included in the list of the best films of all time. In Shawshank, the main character will have to experience the whole nightmare of prison life. Intelligent Andy has had to endure many trials, which he endures no matter what.
The acquaintance and subsequent friendship with the black man Red, sentenced to three life sentences, became predetermining for both. Andy, having once heard the guards talk about incredibly high taxes, proposes to reduce them in a completely legal way. So he becomes an indispensable person for the administration, who helps launder money and hide financial fraud.
When the hero learns from the prisoners that there is evidence of his innocence, he goes to the warden. But he does not want to lose a valuable and free worker and refuses to help him. After 18 years, Dufresne ran through the hole that he dug day after day, centimeter by centimeter, in his cell and which even his faithful friend Red had no idea about. For lovers of psychological realism, we recommend reading this book by Stephen King from our rating.
The book, published in 1983, was greeted with a bang by admirers of Gothic literature. The idea for writing came after the funeral of my pet cat Smaki. After completion, the master considered it so creepy and frightening that he decided never to publish it. But financial problems disrupted the plans, and on November 14 one of the most scary stories ever written by a master. And in 1989, Mary Lambert filmed his creation, showing the whole nightmare of losing a child.
The idea revolves around a married couple who moves with their children from Chicago to the town of Ludlow. Not far from their house there is a cemetery where pets are buried. The Creeds' neighbor Jude, who has lived in these places since his birth, will be a true friend for them. He and Luis' wife discourage constant talk of death and disapprove of his interest in animal graves.
The first to be resurrected is the daughter's pet cat, Church. Lucas buries him in the burial site of an ancient Indian tribe. The next morning he returns alive, but not the same affectionate pet, and Lucas begins to regret his actions. But after his son is hit by a truck, the father's clouded mind again leads him to the same cemetery.
In 1977, Stephen King's third novel, The Shining, was published. It is noteworthy that it was the first to be released in hardcover. He was prompted to write it by a dream in which his little son was running away through the long and confusing corridors of a hotel from a certain entity. To get rid of unpleasant and nightmarish sensations, the master transferred his fear to paper. The novel was adapted for theater and film, but the most popular was the 1980 film starring Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance.
A young teacher with his wife and child comes to work at a mountain hotel to calm down and relieve stress. In the recent past, a balanced man becomes unbearable, he opens his hands not only in relation to his household, but also to his students. Suspended from work at school, he checks into a hotel and begins writing a novel.
Jack's five-year-old son is a clairvoyant and telepath. He begins to see the true face of the hotel, which houses the ghosts of yesteryear. Gradually, Torrance Sr.’s mind is taken over by the “Innkeeper,” who forces him to give him Denny with his superpowers. The manuscript ends with a happy ending, but not for everyone.
For lovers of classic horror, we included in the rating the book “It” - a work that sold over 2.5 million copies within 12 months of its publication. Stephen King based it on his childhood memories, and took the collective image of the monster from his most terrible nightmares.
The storyline of the book is based on brutal murders committed in Maine. The characters live through several age periods. First, these are seven eleven-year-old boys who have united in the “Losers Club” to destroy the monster that everyone calls It. Realizing that none of the adults will help them, the children join the fight and wound the monster. After 27 years, serious, respectable citizens appear before us, each living his own life. But after children begin to disappear again, the friends remember the oath and are forced to unite to fight evil.
In the clown Pennywise, whose guise is taken by the creepy It, the author combined all known monsters. According to critics, his prototype was the serial maniac John Gacy, who lured children at parties in a clown costume and then brutally killed them.
Critics and fans of psychological thrillers without horror elements reacted positively to the book Misery, published in 1987. As Stephen King himself noted, he dreamed of the plot, like the ideas of many of his other works. The name can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, this is the name of the main character of the novels famous writer, gets into an accident and becomes a hostage in the house of the psychopathic personality Anne Wilkes.
Secondly, misery is translated from English as suffering. And here lies the main meaning of all the experiences of the hero, who, due to his condition, is powerless to somehow change his fate. Receiving a strong painkiller, Paul gradually gets used to it and becomes dependent on the medicine. Anne forces him to resurrect Misery, who was killed in the last part, to which the exhausted man agrees, fearing attacks of cruelty and uncontrollable rage on the part of the former nurse.
Realizing that he is facing a sophisticated killer who will stop at nothing, the hero gets rid of Ann. But even after her death, having lived an ordinary life, Paul feels her presence and it seems to him that she is alive.
The novel selected for our rating was published in November 2011. A fantastic story of salvation American President shocked many, and the book was included in the list of bestsellers. Regular teacher in English asks you to write an essay on the topic “The Day That Changed Everything.” He is deeply shocked by the story of the janitor Harry, who told about the brutal murder of his mother, brothers and sister by a drunken father, and left him forever disabled.
A couple of years later, Jacob learned about the existence of a time portal that takes him back to the distant 1958. The owner of the diner in whose back room he is located asks the teacher to help save Kennedy. Not really believing in the movements, he nevertheless agrees and immediately finds Harry’s father and kills him, preventing the death of the entire family.
The President is also saved, but at what cost? In a shootout, Epping's beloved is killed, and he himself, returning to the present, sees a global catastrophe, which was caused by changes in the past, and it was he who helped make them. Trying to rectify the situation, he returns again to 1958. Having moved to our time, he finds his beloved, who is already 80 years old, and she does not remember at all who this man is.
The book became a gift for lovers of horror and science fiction. Published in 1990, it was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. The idea of time travel has been used more than once by Stephen King in his works. The plot centers on the passengers of a Boeing 767 who fall asleep and wake up to discover that there are only 11 people left on board, the rest have mysteriously disappeared. Moreover, clothes, wigs, dental fillings and even surgical pins were left on the chairs.
Pilot Brian Engle, who is a passenger, finds no one in the cockpit and takes control of the ship. Over time, everyone realizes that they have gone back in time, flying through the northern lights, which was a hole in time. The situation is aggravated by langoliers - terrible toothy creatures that devour the surrounding space.
Having united, the survivors confront not only the monsters, but also the inadequate passenger, who does not fully understand the complexity of the situation and takes one of the girls hostage, but as a result he himself becomes a victim of the Langoliers.
We have selected for the rating a mystical novel that was published in 1984 under the pseudonym of Stephen King - Richard Bachman. Many fans, comparing the similarity of spelling, came to the conclusion that this is the same person. The secret of the "Master of Horror" was revealed, which increased sales several times. In 1996, a film adaptation of the bestseller of the same name was released.
“Losing Thin” was created during a period when the author suffered from obesity and underwent annual examinations by a doctor. The plot revolves around a lawyer who, distracted while driving, hits a gypsy woman to death. Using his connections, he manages to avoid punishment. But it will definitely catch up with him. And it will be something mystical and frightening that cannot be explained scientifically.
The old gypsy, the father of the deceased, places a curse on him, as a result of which Billy Halleck begins to rapidly lose weight, and no medical examinations can find the cause of the illness. Persuasion and threats do not work on the gypsy, and he does not lift the curse that overtakes not only the lawyer, but also his family.
The book "The Stand" was published in 1978. But in 1990, the novel was released without cuts in an expanded form. It tells about the consequences of the apocalypse, which was created not by nature, but by man. Bacteriological weapons break out from a secret US laboratory - the most dangerous virus influenza, which leads to catastrophic consequences. Almost 3 weeks of pandemic led to mass killings civilians, but the epidemic is spreading with lightning speed and extends beyond America.
Those who escaped death unite in small groups and try to survive. A black woman comes to all of them in a dream, and when they wake up, they go to her in Nebraska and make her their spiritual leader. Together they are trying to build a renewed society. But in the west, Randall Flagg gathers under his banner murderers, rapists and followers of fascist ideology who will do everything to destroy Boulder.
All ends well, but not only for Mother Abagail's followers. Flagg survives a nuclear explosion and gathers new like-minded people into his ranks.
Readers will certainly enjoy the series of works included in our rating, thanks to the mixture of numerous genres. There is horror, detective, fantasy, science fiction, western. A total of 7 books were published, starting in 1982 and ending in 2004. In 2012, a sequel was written in which there are no usual main characters, and the action takes place in the period between the works “The Sorcerer and the Crystal” and “Wolves of the Calla”.
The author tells about the life and wanderings of Roland Deschain, the last of the ancient order of knights, who, first alone and then with a group of like-minded people, travels the earth to restore the fragile world. Hoping to reach the Dark Tower, he wants to understand who is at the top and controls the Universe.
The shooter finds himself in various time spaces and eras, which are described in other works of Stephen King. “The Dark Tower” is one of the author’s best creations, which left no one indifferent. And if chases, mystical transformations, and everything related to saving the world is close to you, then don’t put these books off for later.
Unlike many other works whose plots were taken from Stephen King's dreams, the idea of writing the book "Cujo" arose after the writer's real encounter with an evil St. Bernard. The animal became not only the fundamental line of this book, the dog can also be found in other works of the author. The novel, published in 1981, immediately attracted the attention of lovers of horror and mysticism. He entered the top ten bestsellers of the eminent master.
In a small town there are no signs of trouble, everything goes on as usual. Young Brett's St. Bernard turns into a ruthless killer after contracting rabies. The boy, unaware of the danger, leaves with his mother to visit relatives, leaving the dog in the care of his cruel and rude father. Donna Trenton and her little son find themselves locked in their car at Brett's house, realizing that there is no way out of it - a mad dog is wandering around, which subsequently tore apart several innocent people.
In 1983, the novel was filmed. Both critics and readers agreed that the film further enhanced the impact of the novel.
We conclude the rating with a mystical thriller, which brought the author not only fame and success, but also a fabulous fee of $200,000 at that time. The main character Carrie White is an unremarkable teenage girl. But she experiences pressure from her mother, who became a religious fanatic after the death of her father, and terror from her classmates, who are trying to humiliate the quiet and downtrodden Carrie by any means. After a joke at the prom, she took advantage of the superpowers she discovered at the age of three, and is ready to destroy anyone who has ever tried to offend her.
Using telekinesis, she blows up the school boiler room, and all those who did not have time to run out into the street die in the fire. The town has been declared a disaster zone. And although the government allocates money for its restoration, many leave this place in order to forever forget about the terrible night that claimed 440 human lives.
Carrie dies after stopping her mother's heart. The investigation commission does not detect any significant abnormalities in the structure of the girl’s brain and believes that a repetition of such a phenomenon is impossible. But King wouldn't be the greatest master of horror if the story ended simply with the girl's death. There are still many children in the country who have telekinesis, and no one knows what will happen next and what their superpowers will lead to.
The gold rating goes to a book that went on sale back in 1974. It is the author's first published novel and is therefore of particular value. Despite the fact that after writing the first pages, King himself was dissatisfied with the creation and wanted to simply throw it away, the novel was still published thanks to Stephen’s wife, who managed to persuade him not to despair.
The book describes the life of a teenage girl named Carrie, who discovered her ability to telekinesis. She was constantly bullied at school because of her mother’s excessive religiosity, which, in turn, haunted the girl at home. And finally, after years of torment, Carrie decides to take revenge on everyone involved in her daily shame. The story opens the reader's eyes to the real cruelty and fanaticism of people, which is relevant even in the 21st century.
The brilliant work tells the story of a teenager named Jack and his mother, who are forced to change their place of residence, hiding from a former colleague of their late father. As fate would have it, the heroes settle in a hotel, where the teenager is told about a magical place with a special potion.
Almost simultaneously with this, the young man’s mother turns out to be mortally ill, and it is possible to save her only with the help of the Talisman, which is that same potion. Jack, without hesitation, sets off on a journey to find him and save the life of the person he loves most.
The 1977 work can safely be called Stephen King's very first bestseller, as it instantly won the hearts of readers.
The genre of this book is psychological horror, but it contains gothic elements. The novel tells the story of a teacher and aspiring writer, Torrence, who likes to “take a drink” in the evenings. Sometimes the main character becomes too cruel and lets go. His son, Denny, who has suffered more than once from his father's actions, is an unusual child.
Denny Torrance is able to read the thoughts of other people and see almost everything that is beyond the control of his surroundings. It is this little boy that the owner of one of the hotels begins to hunt, having taken possession of his father’s mind. This story undoubtedly leaves a mark on the soul, and it is simply impossible to forget it.
see also The best detective books based on reviews. TOP 30
King's equally famous and beloved novel tells about a town in the province where the brutal murders of young children take place. The maniac there was nicknamed Fisherman, but finding him is not as easy as it seems at first glance. The case about massacres A police lieutenant named Jack Sawyer begins to study. As a result, it turns out that the criminal is none other than the Scarlet King, who has long set his goal to destroy the Dark Tower.
The story is about Johnny Smith. He woke up from a coma and discovered the gift of seeing the future. In one of the visions, the hero observed the beginning of the Third World War, associated with the activities of a politician named Greg Stilson. In this work, the author went quite deep into politics and managed to convey to readers that even murder can be justified if it affects the future of people.
The book was presented to the world in 1980. It reveals to readers the setting that is happening in Maine. On an April morning, a corpse was discovered on the beach by teenagers, but no signs of violence could be found on it. The suspected cause of death was asphyxiation. The identity of the unknown man was established only a year later.
It turned out that just a few hours before he was discovered on the beach, he was in a completely different part of the country. No one can cross such a huge distance so quickly, so the story can be called mysterious. Famous journalist Stephanie McCann undertakes to uncover it, but no one knows whether she will be able to get out of it unscathed.
7. Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
This book is part of the Four Seasons collection. It tells the story of a man who was wrongly accused of murdering his wife and consequently given a prison sentence. Fortunately, the hero managed to gain the respect of the other prisoners in the cell, and besides, he became “one of our own” for the employees of the institution. But even this does not remove his zeal for freedom, so after many years he dares to escape. It is this escape that, even today, is considered the most grandiose in the history of literature.
8. The sorcerer and the crystal
The story about dire wolves that pose a serious threat to a small town does not leave any reader indifferent.
The fact is that when twins are born in this city, the wolves immediately come and take one of them, leaving instead of the child a runt - a purely physical shell, devoid of intelligence. This only happens at night. The main characters undertake to investigate this case on their own, having learned what kind of wolves they are and for what purpose they carry out such raids at night.
10. Pet Sematary
Too creepy, but quite interesting story went to press in 1983. Here the story is about the town of Ludlow, where there is a cemetery for pets. Moves here too new family, settling just near this cemetery. The head of the family works as a doctor, and one day a recently deceased patient comes to him in a dream and warns him about the prohibition of crossing the line between the cemetery and the forest. And although at first the man considered this dream to be complete nonsense, he soon became convinced of the opposite. Terrible things began to happen in their family just after the death of their four-legged friend. Here the author raises the topic of fear of losing loved ones and relatives, making us think about our lives and want to change something in it.
The story about Mia's man, who has found a way to control the girl's body, does not allow you to tear yourself away for a second.
The main character must deliver Suzanne to the domain of the Scarlet King, whom the author has already mentioned in several of his works. Mia wants the girl to give birth to her child there. Her father and his friend come forward to save the heroine, but whether they will have time to achieve what they want, if they don’t even have a clear plan of action, remains a mystery almost until the very end of the story.
12. It
A successfully filmed book breaks all the charts. The film based on it has already been shot in several parts, each of which the audience is looking forward to with special impatience. Here King touched on the topic of psychological childhood trauma and the power of memory of past years. The plot revolves around a group of friends hunting a creature that can take on absolutely any form. At the same time, the action of the story unfolds in two planes - the past of the main characters and their present. In the past, the guys managed to easily meet the monster, which everyone nicknamed IT, and freely defeat it, but in the present they will have to overcome many obstacles to achieve the same goal.
13. Fury
Stephen King's famous novel was written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. This describes the story of a guy whose “cup of patience” was full and no longer had the strength to endure conflicts. The work pleased thousands of people, because everyone at least once was annoyed by the whole the world. But this book was withdrawn from sale when only the first copies appeared. Fury was prohibited even by the author himself, since here the main character was repeatedly reincarnated into reality. So, for example, one day, guided by this novel, a teenager came to his school with a weapon and threatened everyone within its boundaries, having previously shot a couple of teachers.
14. Doctor Sleep
The main character in this book is Danny Torrance. He has already played roles in other works by Stephen King, but here this character is aimed only at helping people after the difficulties they have experienced. In this story, Torrance works as a resident at a small hospice, and his main task is to prepare people for death. The character has some magical abilities, which, of course, he uses in his work. In the process of work, the main character meets the girl Abra, whom he has to save from monstrous creatures.
15. Green Mile
Another very successfully filmed novel makes even the most brutal men shed a tear. The plot of the book is known to almost every person. From the very first pages, the reader is immersed in the death row block, where prisoners spend their last days before execution. Not only ruthless killers end up here, but also simple, honest people. The road of death spares no one, but at the same time it forces one to reveal the most terrible corners of the soul.
16. Whoever finds it takes it for himself
The story is about Morris Bellamy, Rothstein's biggest fan, who was dissatisfied with the outcome of his favorite author's novel. The character kills his idol and confiscates all the manuscripts. Very soon, Bellamy is arrested for another crime and receives a life sentence. But after 30 years in prison, the character is released from there under an amnesty and goes in search of long-hidden manuscripts.
17. Willa
King's rather interesting story went on sale in 2006. The story tells of one of the passengers who waits for a long time for the train to arrive, but to no avail. The main character stands at a stop in the Wyoming wilderness, noticing the disappearance of his bride. Concerned by this, the character goes to the nearest town, despite excuses from the other passengers. On the man's way he meets a wolf, who suddenly rushes away. Not understanding what is happening, the character still finds his beloved and in the process of talking with her he realizes that their train derailed 20 years ago and now they are all dead, but despite this, they continue to wait for him at the station.
The 2006 novel has this name for a reason. This is precisely why he attracted readers of the 21st century, where modern technologies. And although King himself is an opponent of current technology, in this work he decided to describe all the behavioral problems of people that change dramatically after using mobile phones for a long time. This describes zombies that can actually be found on the street in reality, and, alas, there is no way to fight them.
19. Passed the post
The story about a man in a wheelchair is interesting for adults and teenagers. The main character suddenly turns out to be a maniac. Since it is very difficult to see the criminal behind the innocent appearance, the local policeman has to deal with inexplicable murders.
20. Regulators
The novel is considered a real tragedy. It tells the story of a boy with autism. The main character lost his parents and was left to be raised by his aunt. Seth has telepathic abilities, with the help of which he once managed to attract the incorporeal embodiment of evil, which now attacked the city.
21. Under the Dome
The work has been available for sale since 2009. It tells the story of a provincial town, where a calm life suddenly gave way to a terrifying one. The town was engulfed by a strange dome, about which absolutely everything was broken, and besides, it separated the local residents from the rest of society.
22. Gerald's Game
The story of a man who brought his wife to a country house does not end as well as every reader would like. The couple decided to experiment in bed. When Gerald handcuffed his wife to the bed, he took a pill and died. Jessie had to get out of the uncomfortable situation and out of this house altogether, because she couldn’t look calmly at the ghost in the corner for a long time.
23. 11/22/63
The legendary science fiction novel is famous for its high ratings from readers and critics. Here the main character is Jake Epping, who suddenly began to travel through time. The main task of the hero is to save the 35th president of America. Jake is haunted by thoughts of changing the past, but what will happen in the present if he does so?
24. Necessary things
Here the story is about a demon who opened his own store in a small town. Strange things begin to happen from the very first pages of the book, so it is very difficult to tear yourself away from it until the very end.
The novel was first published back in 1987. It, like most of Stephen King's works, is written in the genre of psychological thriller. He based the plot on two characters - a popular writer and his psychopathic fan. The events unfolding are not at all positive for the heroes - the writer gets into a car accident, receiving serious injuries.
A psychopathic woman, a former nurse at a local clinic, brings the idol to her house, providing him with proper care and regularly supplying him with painkillers. Over time, the writer realizes that he is not a simple patient, but a real prisoner who is forced to unwittingly carry out the orders of his jailer.
26. Extraction of three
The book from the Dark Tower series appeared in print in 1978. Here Roland must meet the people who were shown to him by the tarot cards. It is these creatures that are intended to help him get to his desired goal, but the process of extracting these people is extremely difficult.
27. Confrontation
The novel in the post-apocalyptic genre was published in 1978. There are elements of fantasy and horror typical of King. The work is about a superflu pandemic that is gradually killing the entire population of the planet. There are only a few survivors left. They are forced to form groups and establish a completely new social order in order to save their lives. The main characters come into conflict with each other, because their opinions and goals differ and everyone wants to achieve only their own. This book was not easy for the writer, which is explained by the really large number of characters and, accordingly, storylines, but still he managed to present it to readers in all its glory, which is why the creation is highly valued by fans of the genre even in the 21st century.
28. Long walk
The story of the future of the United States is told about a national holiday. Here the main characters, 100 young men, go on a long walk where there is only one winner. For violating the rules of the competition, they will die.
29. Land of Joy
The 2013 novel was first published in the United States, but it sold out quite quickly to other countries. Here the main character is a young student who decided to work part-time at an amusement park, the name of which coincides with the title of the book. Contrary to expectations, the young man finds himself in a separate world, where everyone lives by special rules and speaks their own language. In addition, the student’s new “environment” does not like it when anyone asks them unnecessary questions. These creatures especially dislike those who are interested in the murder of a young girl, whose body was found in the horror pavilion in the same park. The main character is not going to leave this matter just like that and decides to independently find answers to the questions that interest him. The character faces many interesting and frightening things, but he is really capable of coping with them.
The rating is completed by a book about Rosie Daniels. She was married for 14 years, enduring the antics of her tyrant husband. Afterwards, her patience ran out, but her husband was not going to let go of his prey just like that and followed on her heels. Obstacles in the girl's path have changed her personality and now she is no longer the same Rosie who is ready to suffer failures.
Similar material
Stephen King, who is more like psychological thrillers than horror, accepts the title of “King of Horror” quite loyally. He is the most filmed and “prolific” American author, whose works delight not only readers, but also viewers. In many films he is not only a screenwriter, but also a cameo actor. As Stephen King himself admits, he became a writer because he was often sick as a child, so he began writing at the age of 7.
short biography
Stephen King, best books who is associated with the places where he lived, often mentions where he was born on September 21, 1947 in the city of Portland.
He was only 2 years old when his father left him with his mother and older brother to survive on their own. Thanks to numerous relatives on both the mother’s and father’s sides, Stephen and his brother often had to spend vacations in different states and cities, which left their mark on the boy’s memory.
So, at the age of 7, while visiting another aunt, he found a whole box of books in the genre of horror and science fiction. This literature made such a strong impression on Stephen that he began writing his first stories, and in 1959 he even published the newspaper “Dave’s Mustard Plaster” with his brother.
King's childhood hobby determined who he wanted to become. And although few people published his stories in those days, after graduating from school in 1966, he entered the University of Maine to study English literature.
He continued to write, but his novels were still not published, so to pay for his studies, he constantly worked part-time either at a weaving factory or in the university library. It was here that he met Tabitha Spruce, who became his wife in 1971. And she remains so to this day.
Thanks to her, Stephen King's best books were written. When he threw the first pages of his novel Carrie into the trash, Tabitha found them and insisted that readers would enjoy the story of a troubled girl with paranormal powers.
It was this novel that brought King not only his first fame, but also his first big money. He received a fee of $200,000, thanks to which he was able to leave teaching and devote all his time to writing prose. From 1974 to the present day, the best Stephen King books have been created. Their list includes more than 50 novels, more than 200 short stories and novellas, as well as film scripts based on his works.
For his contributions to American literature, Stephen King received a medal from the National Book Foundation, which is usually awarded to writers of the classic genre.
"Carrie"
The years from 1974 to 1980 are a period when Stephen King very intensively writes and publishes books, the list of the best of which is headed by the novel “Carrie.”
“Carrie” brought the author a fabulous fee of $200,000 at the time, thanks not only to his literary talent, but also to the unusual plot. All the oppressed, whether children or adults, who have gone through the horror of bullying at school, perfectly understand the feelings of a girl named Carrie White.
The desire to kill classmates or humiliate them in return turns into real action when she discovers she has paranormal abilities. This novel cannot be called a work of horror in the literal sense of the word, because there are no monsters, vampires or hostile aliens in it. The author conducted a psychological excursion from a girl “downtrodden” by a fanatical mother and humiliated by her classmates to a fury raging and taking revenge on everyone. This puts the novel in the “Best Stephen King Books” category. It is not without reason that this work was filmed in 1979, 2002 and 2013. Latest version known at the box office as "Telekinesis".
"Shine"
The works that Stephen King wrote between 1970 and 1980 are books, the best of which are The Shining, The Stand and The Dead Zone.
"The Shining" is the story of a writer who has problems with alcohol and anger management.
He brought his wife and child to a high-altitude hotel, where he found work as a seasonal caretaker. When the entire hotel staff goes on vacation in the winter until spring, the Torrance family is left alone with the far from harmless ghosts that live there. In the first version of the film, based on this work in 1980, the main character was brilliantly played by Jack Nicholson.
"Dead zone"
John Smith receives his gift as a result of an accident that results in a concussion. As a result, he is the only one who sees what the activities of a politician who strives to become president by any means can lead to.
In 1983, the role of the main character of the book was superbly played by a then-beginner, who today has more than 100 roles under his belt. His hero’s desire to adapt to normal life, having such abilities and using them for the benefit of people, is what underlies this plot.
The first apocalypse from Stephen King
"The Stand" is the first disaster novel that can be classified as the "Best Stephen King Books" in this genre.
The release of a deadly flu virus, called Captain Speedwalker for its rapid death, leads to the extinction of most of the American population. The remaining people are divided into two camps - those who believe in good and do it, and those who are attracted by evil and chaos. The film based on this novel consists of 4 parts, each of which is the story of the main characters and the events that happen to them.
The book is structured the same way. Showing the life story of each of the main characters, both good and bad, leads them to choose which camp to be in.
Positive heroes see a blind old black woman in their dreams and go where she says. Bad people united by a Black Man based in Las Vegas. Only one group of people can survive, and the confrontation between them is constantly increasing.
This intense thriller, full of pain, fear, doubt and betrayal, paints pictures of how people change under the pressure of circumstances and in the struggle for survival. Some people get better in spite of them, while others break down because this happened.
The film adaptation of the book took place in 1994, 16 years after the work won the hearts of readers.
Early 80's - "Ignite with a Glance", "Cujo" and "Christine"
This time period can be called one of the most fruitful, but also the most difficult in the writer’s life. The fact is that Stephen King, whose best horror books were written at this time, became very interested in alcohol and drugs. The hobby, which began in the seventies, grew into a real addiction and lasted until 1987. Thanks to his wife’s persistence and patience, the writer managed to cope with this problem, and now he does not drink alcohol or drugs at all.
As King himself admits, he does not remember how some novels came out of his pen. This is all the more strange since, according to his readers and critics, it was in the eighties that Stephen King's best books were written.
- Topping the list of works of this time is the novel “Inflammatory with a Glance” (1980), in which Stephen King returns to his favorite theme - supernatural abilities of people. The novel describes a person's opposition to the system. The main character, participating in secret experiments, gains the ability to instill his thoughts in other people. During the course of his research, Andy McGee met a subject named Vicki Tomlinson. After the end of the tests, they got married, and after a while they had a daughter with paranormal abilities - telekinesis and pyrokinesis. The office, having learned about the girl’s abilities, wants to use her for its own selfish purposes. The entire novel is dedicated to how far a father can go to protect his child, and whether a girl with such abilities needs his help.
- The novel "Cujo" (1981) is included in the rating of "Best Stephen King Books" in the early 80s. This thriller tells the story of a mother and her child who become hostage to a rabid dog. A very tense plot with a tragic ending does not allow the reader to tear himself away from the book. The film based on this novel, filmed in 1983, turned out to be just as strong.
- The year 1983 was marked by the appearance of two novels at once, well known to the public. This is "Christine" and "Pet Sematary". If in the first the main “villain” is an old Plymouth named Christina, then in the second it is ancient rituals and beliefs that help bring pets back to life. Both novels were filmed and were highly praised by admirers of King's work.
"Misery"
If you ask yourself what is the best Stephen King book, Misery will undoubtedly come to mind. Not only because of the plot dedicated to unhealthy fanaticism main character in relation to the series of novels “Misery” by the famous writer Paul Sheldon, but also because this novel “cured” the author himself from addictions.
In the plot of the work, the main character gets into an accident during a heavy snowfall near the house of his ardent fan. To prevent him from escaping and writing a continuation of the adventures of Misery, the heroine he “killed” in his last book, the nurse breaks the writer’s legs.
Imprisoned in her home, the crippled Paul tries to find a way to escape. The severe tension in which the reader finds himself throughout the entire novel makes the book one of the most striking works of the “King of Horror” of the 80s.
The 1990 film directed by Bob Reiner based on the plot of this novel was just as intense.
Novels of the 90s
Stephen King, whose works received the most enthusiastic reviews from readers in the 80s not only in the United States, continues to keep the public in suspense by publishing the following novels in the 90s:
- “Necessary Things” - 1991.
- "Gerald's Game" and "Dolores Claiborne" - 1992.
- "Insomnia" - 1994.
- "Rosa Madder" - 1995.
- “Green Mile” and “Hopelessness” - 1996.
- “Bag of Bones” - 1997.
- "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon."
The most striking novels of this period, according to critics and readers, are The Green Mile and Bag of Bones. Both stories were filmed and received an enthusiastic response from fans of the writer’s work, but if you choose among them the best books by Stephen King, the rating of the 90s rightfully gives the first place to the novel “The Green Mile”.
"Green Mile"
In each prison, prisoners come up with their own customs and names. The place of detention of the main character, John Coffey, was no exception. The prison called “Cold Mountain” is a gloomy institution that does not inspire hope for the best in the hearts of the prisoners.
The main character was accused of a crime that he did not commit - the murder of two little twin girls. waiting for him the death penalty, and the green color of the floor from death row to the execution site is called the green mile.
For many, this short corridor really seems a mile long, but not for the main character, who has magical healing abilities. He did not do what he was condemned to death for. The novel constantly makes readers worry about the life of this black giant and keeps them in suspense.
The film, made in 1999 based on this plot, became one of the best screen reproductions of the works of Stephen King. He received 4 Oscar nominations, 3 Saturn Awards, a dozen other awards and 23 nominations.
The plot is based on the memoirs of a former prison guard (Tom Hanks), who lives out his years in a nursing home and shares his impressions of working in the Cold Mountain prison with his friend.
Both the novel and the film keep people in such psychological tension that they leave an indelible impression for a lifetime.
Works of the new millennium
From 2000 to this day, Stephen King has been delighting his fans with new works. The best books of this period - "Dreamcatcher" and "Under the Dome" - were filmed. If we talk about the diversity of the author’s work, then you cannot miss his stories, individual cycles and works published under a pseudonym
King's most famous story was the film adaptation of his work Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. According to audience polls, this film is the best work of all time and ranks first in the IMDb 250 Best Films ranking. The plot is based on the story of a man accused of a crime he did not commit. He had to survive in prison for 19 years before being released.
Among Stephen King's significant cycles is his long-running work The Dark Tower, which combines a mixture of fantasy, horror, western and science fiction elements. He has his devoted fans, who will now be able not only to re-read their favorite chapters, but also watch the film adaptation.
Under the pseudonym, King wrote 7 novels, 2 of which, “Thinner” (1984) and “The Running Man” (1982), were filmed.
Today Stephen King is 67 years old, and he is not going to stop there, although every year he “scares” his readers that his next masterpiece was his last.
Stephen King: books for those who like to titillate
Stephen King, whose list of best books we offer you, is today one of the most popular modern writers. First of all, it is associated with novels in the horror genre. It’s not for nothing that Stephen King received the title of “king of horror”; the books coming from his pen are filled with a mysterious and gloomy atmosphere, chilling events and exciting plot twists. In fact, among the works of this author one can find a wide variety of directions, so the reader is free to choose what he likes best. If you like Stephen King, his best books are in the genres of science fiction, thriller, drama, and mystery.
Stephen King: biography of the writer
Stephen King, whose biography is very interesting, was born on September 21, 1947 in Portland (Maine, USA). He began writing at the age of seven, after finding a drawer full of horror and fantasy novels at home. Later, King and his brother begin to create their own newspaper. Thus, before even finishing school, the future writer gains experience as a journalist by writing articles for the school newspaper. Then he decides to become a writer. To go to university and earn money for education, Stephen King works at a weaving factory. In 1966 he entered the University of Maine.
Stephen King's main passion and legacy are books; you can see the list of the best books in this section. The writer focuses on his home state of Maine. A distinctive feature of his work is his description of the life of small American towns, where everyone knows each other. King reveals family secrets, looks into the most hidden corners human consciousness, which attracts most readers.
Meanwhile, its popularity is truly enormous. Over the course of his life, the author managed to sell more than 350 million copies. In addition, King is considered one of the most “prolific” writers of our time: he managed to publish fifty novels and does not stop there. Many films have been made based on his novels, and comic books have also been created based on his stories. His work also includes non-fiction novels, which he wrote under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. For his work, King received the Bram Stoker Award and a number of other prestigious awards.
If you are interested in Stephen King, you can find the books, the list of which is quite extensive, just below.