Current Events > Hey CE, like Stephen King and think you've read all the good stuff? Get in here!

(+) Yeah! (+)

King has a massive library, and you've probably heard of most of the major ones, kinda impossible not to these days. But there are still a number that haven't gotten adaptations and get overlooked constantly, so lets take a dive.

Cycle of the Werewolf is the oldest one on this list, a tiny little novella that takes place over the year. It delivers a fun, albeit fairly basic, werewolf story that is well worth your time. Also was made into a movie, titled Silver Bullet.

The Talisman and Black House are favorites among King fans but get overlooked a lot outside of that. Written with Peter Straub, The Talisman is an amazing dark fantasy adventure spanning the entire country that could hold up with any of the best in the world. Black House then changes it up, following the same characters in a strict horror novel that has no problem grabbing hold and getting that heavy feeling in your gut. It's supposed to be a trilogy, though sadly I doubt it'll ever be finished, no word from either King or Straub on it.

Desperation and The Regulators are another interesting pair. Originally released together, with The Regulators being published under his Bachman pen name, they tell vastly different stories that share several characters and elements. Both are good enough on their own, but together they make something special.

The Colorado Kid, Joyland, and Later are great examples of King paying homage to several of his favorite under the Hard Case Crime label, giving incredibly fun and quick crime stories. All three are worth looking into.

Duma Key is the book responsible for getting me back into King, and as such I have a LOT of love for the story. It follows a man in his 50s who, after losing an arm to a construction accident, moves to an isolated beach cabin on the beaches of Florida to try and get himself back on track. Despite being considered the start of the second golden age for King, this book gets criminally underrated. It's a horrifying ghost story with all the memorable characters and locations King is known for.

From a Buick 8 is another criminally underrated one, possibly because people compare it so heavily to Christine because it's yet another haunted car, but they couldn't be more alike. While Christine tells a teenage love story melded with the dangers of obsession, From a Buick 8 is a much more introspective and haunting story about how we deal with loss and the unknown. Admittedly, I went in with no expectations, but this book absolutely blew me away.

Revival is the last novel suggestion, and I outright consider this one of the best King books ever written, and by far his best ending. It's a fantastic slow burn story that's got so many things going for it. It was apparently slated for adaptation by Mike Flanagan, but it appears that deal has fallen through and that's the saddest news I've heard for horror movies in awhile :(

If you want something more bite sized though, King doesn't just do brick length books, the short stories and Novellas are amazing too. Different Seasons is front to end fantastic, and with The Breathing Method getting a movie it will soon have every story adapted. Four Past Midnight is also fantastic, though I didn't love Secret Window, Secret Garden as much as others myself. The Library Policeman and The Sun Dog more than made up for it though. Full Dark, No Stars is also great, though focused less on the supernatural overall. Haven't read If It Bleeds or Hearts in Atlantis yet, but I've heard good things.

Also, short stories. There are tons and tons and tons. Pick up any collection and it's going to be worth your money. Of note are 1488, That Thing You Can Only Saw What It Is In French, The Reach, and The Jaunt(which is a short story, but it's longer than you think)

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The Colorado Kid actually got a loose adaption on SyFy called Haven. I never watched it so no idea how accurate it is or if "loose" means "we took the basic idea" but it ran for several seasons and my dad enjoyed it at least.

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I've always avoided the Straub collaborations because what I've read of him I don't enjoy, but if they're really that good I might give them a shot

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Funnily enough I'm familiar to most of these via a well spent youth at my local library. Eyes of the Dragon is another good one. Really liked The Talisman and Duma Key though.

codey posted...

The Colorado Kid actually got a loose adaption on SyFy called Haven. I never watched it so no idea how accurate it is or if "loose" means "we took the basic idea" but it ran for several seasons and my dad enjoyed it at least.

As I understand, Haven is only based on the setting, but it holds references to King works throughout the series.

ultimate reaver posted...

I've always avoided the Straub collaborations because what I've read of him I don't enjoy, but if they're really that good I might give them a shot

I don't like Straub either. Guy cannot write dialogue to save his life imo.

Juhanor posted...

Funnily enough I'm familiar to most of these via a well spent youth at my local library. Eyes of the Dragon is another good one. Really liked The Talisman and Duma Key though.

I've heard good things about Eyes of the Dragon, and the hate mail King got because he wrote that instead of horror led him to write Misery, lol

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Don't know how you'd adopt Revival into a movie, it's basically an experiment where the story is told from the point of view of a supporting character, and most of the important action is happening off screen. That ending works great on paper but onscreen, uh.....not sure.

newhorrorguy posted...

The Talisman...

ultimate reaver posted...

I've always avoided the Straub collaborations...

The Talisman reads a lot like his Dark Tower series...or like peak Clive Barker. Sorta epic modern hi-fantasy with horror elements. Pretty fantastical.

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Does it better than The Shining (post-film) and Doctor Sleep (pre-film)?

Revival left me feeling cold and fucking empty inside, which is hard to do because I'm pretty fucking jaded.

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Different Seasons is a great collection of stories. The Breathing Method was my favorite story by him for a long time.
The Long Walk is another one from him that's really good. Probably my favorite.

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The only ones of his I haven't read are The Institute and Later (I have both, though - planning on starting Later tonight or tomorrow, actually) - I've even read the non fiction one he did about baseball.

For me, one of his most underrated works is Storm of the Century. For some reason I don't really think that the miniseries delivered as well as it could, but I read the script book in one sitting and loved it (I actually read it before seeing it - maybe that's why I didn't dig it on screen so much?)

I've got Billy Summers pre-ordered, and I'm looking forward to the third Gwendy book. Full disclosure, though - I actually thought that the second Gwendy book, which was written by Chizmar without King, was better than the first.

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ScazarMeltex posted...

Revival left me feeling cold and fucking empty inside, which is hard to do because I'm pretty fucking jaded.

Yeah, Revival is just deeply, deeply disturbing.

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Tom Clark posted...

Yeah, Revival is just deeply, deeply disturbing.

Yuuuuuup. It and Pet Semetary gave me the same feeling. Very few books have managed that.

I'm gonna suggest you two read The Open Curtain by Brian Evenson

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If you havent read Hellbound Heart or Kafkas Metamorphosis

I recommend them!

Theyre short.

newhorrorguy posted...

Yuuuuuup. It and Pet Semetary gave me the same feeling. Very few books have managed that.

I'm gonna suggest you two read The Open Curtain by Brian Evenson

I'll add that to my list, thanks for the recommendation.

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Xethuminra posted...

If you havent read Hellbound Heart or Kafkas Metamorphosis

I recommend them!

Theyre short.

Honestly, I've avoided that because I don't like Barker's writing. I really wanted to like The Great and Secret show but I just couldn't :(

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Its completely different, although if youve been exposed to Barker already ~ and given your extensive palette, you may be coming into it with the wrong idea, so perhaps its for the wiser your decision.

Xethuminra posted...

Its completely different, although if youve been exposed to Barker already ~ and given your extensive palette, you may be coming into it with the wrong idea, so perhaps its for the wiser your decision.

I might do it someday. I know it's just his prose and how he presents his characters, because Hellraiser is one of my favorites, and so is Clive Barker's undying, and even some of his short stories.

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It will forever remain one of my favorite books along with The Modern Prometheus. So.

Prose & all

I will never get over the dogshit ending of The Stand

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refmon posted...

I will never get over the dogshit ending of The Stand

Still love the book, but yeah. Especially since it seemed to me to go against the themes of the rest of the book.

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refmon posted...

I will never get over the dogshit ending of The Stand

King is a family man, if that makes it easier to understand his perspective. Ive heard real horror stories about the confusions which his earlier writings have created.