Has anyone actually ever READ a Stephen King Novel?

Diana

LOOK HOW CALM SHE IS
Original poster
ADMINISTRATOR
MYTHICAL MEMBER
Invitation Status
  1. Not accepting invites at this time
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per week
  2. Slow As Molasses
Online Availability
10AM - 10PM Daily
Writing Levels
  1. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Female
Genres
Romance, Supernatural, Fantasy, Thriller, Space Exploration, Slice of Life
I have definitely seen a bunch of movies and tv series and such based on his novels, but I have never actually READ one! ⊙,⊙

I do want to read a few just for author's researching purposes. >:[ But he's written SO MANY and I know not all of them are good.


Have you read any of Stephen King's novels? Which ones did you LIKE? Which did you HATE?
 
  • Love
Reactions: iridescent
I have read one. But it will surprise you. It isn't a horror novel but rather a fantasy. The Eyes of the Dragon. I quite liked it.
 
Not a full novel, but I read 'If it Bleeds' by Stephen King, which is a bunch of short stories compiled together? It was nice, but also read very American in tone and that took away half of the engagement for me.
 
I have read two, which I loved. I read Carrie and It! I want to have an entire Stephen King collection.

The film adaptations don't really give these books enough credit but I still love the films very much.
 
I was actually just talking about this the other day with @Astaroth
I have not read a Stephen King novel.
 
I've read a few. Not many, because I actually really do not like his narrative voice, even though his ideas are really cool. I think my favorite and his best work is Salem's Lot. I haven't read The Stand but I've heard a lot of people put that forward as his best.

I have read It but do not recommend it even though it's got some great moments because it jumps back and forth between the characters as kids and as adults in a way that is kind of jarring to follow and because uhhh. Well, there are some scenes that make it really obvious King was on coke at the time. Just watch the new movies, IMO.

But my least favorite, and I know this is going to be controversial, is The Gunslinger. It's the first in his Dark Tower series and he wrote it when he was seventeen. It reads like a first novel, even though the version I read had been edited more recently. Again, some neat ideas, but I just didn't enjoy it.

I also thought Christine was pretty stupid.
 
I read and really enjoyed Salem's Lot
 
The Dark Tower is a great read. I highly recommend.

Trust me that the book is waaaaay better than the movie is. They don't even compare in terms of plot.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Reliance
I have read quite a few of his books and have others on my list to read. Like Astaroth, my favorite has to be Salem's Lot. Every time I go to read a Stephen King book (telling myself I will finally read one that has been sitting unread on my shelf for goodness knows how many years) I find myself with Salem's Lot.

The Dark Tower series is also really good, if you can manage to get through it. The first book can be hard to get through, but it gets better after that. I especially like books 4.5 (The Wind Through the Keyhole) and book 3 (The Waste Lands). Blaine is a pain, and that is the truth.

I could list others I have read, but I am too lazy to go and look at which books I own and have read. The above are the ones that stand out.
 
I've read alot of Stephen king books, my mom loved them so me and my sister would read whatever one she brought back from the library. I've read all the classics pretty much, the shining, it, misery, pet cemetery, etc. The only Stephen King book I remember not liking is Cujo, can't remember spelling but the one about the fog
 
My mother is a huge King fan and has all his books (or nearly all of them) so they were constants on our bookshelf at home when I was growing up but I was never really interested. I... don't like his books very much. I've read Carrie, The Green Mile, and The Shining and I only really liked The Shining. My dislike might have something to do with the fact that my mother forced me to pick two King books (Carrie and The Green Mile), read them, and do reports on them one summer when I stayed with her. I think she was hoping we'd bond or something, but one way to make me really hate a book is to force me to read it when I otherwise have no interest. If I had read them because I wanted too, like I did with The Shining, I might not dislike his books so much.

I also tried reading The Gunslinger in high school but could not get into it.
 
Yes, I read Stephen King's novella called The Body. I honestly found it lacking compared to the film adaptation, Stand By Me (my favorite film of all time btw). I'm not sure if it's the writing style or the dialogue or just the fact that the characters aren't nearly as fleshed out in the book. Which is weird because it's usually the other way around, no? I was a bit let down.

I also read Under the Dome a looong time ago... though I'm not sure if I finished it.

And lastly I attempted to read the Shining but then completely forgot about it after a few pages.

Tbh I don't think I really vibe with his writing style.
 
My dad was a huge King fan (and lovecraft) and had basically all of his books. While I haven't read ALL of them, I read a fair few of the notable ones, you know, IT, Cujo, Carrie, Even read a collection of his short stories from when he went under the name Richard Bachman. I think my favorite is actually The Mist, and man oh man, I like that movie, but that ending is just... soul crushing. The ending to the Novella is different, more open-ended, and suggests to the reader, well... I wouldn't want to spoil it if you want to read it yourself, but suffice it to say it's a good story. I think I like it so much because of the mist and how it basically transforms this world into an alien one and everybody has to deal with it, and it leaves you asking a lot of questions.

My dad also had a few of the Dark Tower books, though, not all. I wish I'd read them. Nowadays though, I don't do much reading of actual books. Perhaps if I do, I shall dip into the Discworld Series.
 
Stephen King is one of my favorite authors. <3 My writing style is inspired by his writing style.

Favorite books:
The Shining, Pet Semetary, The Mist, Carrie, Cujo, Doctor Sleep, Christine, Thinner, The Stand... I've also read IT, but I wouldn't call it a 'favorite.' I enjoy the movies more. (But maybe also I need to reread it, I read IT many a year ago.)

And though I haven't read it myself, I know it to be a good one: The Green Mile.
 
I read stephen king's it when the new movie came out, but it was so long and I forgot the scenes almost immediately. I had heard about the orgy scene, but when I read it I completely missed it somehow x'D I was not paying attention at all at that point.

I've also read later, misery, 1408 and survivor type.

I will eventually read the institute that is in my bookshelf. I'll probably read the shining, 11/22/63 and fairy tale. (there are others I am vaguely interested in, but we'll see if I get to them)

His books don't tend to be my favorites from the stuff I have read. The ones I remember that weren't 1000 pages long were okay. I'm usually more interested in his ideas than the actual story if that makes sense.