BUY THE BOOKS HERE: The Shining: amzn.to/32DYRmD IT: amzn.to/2A5L6k7 Dark Tower: amzn.to/2Loimty 11/22/63: amzn.to/34BAjfA The Stand: amzn.to/2NastnQ Pet Sematary: amzn.to/2N8opED
Salam's Lot is where I started back in the dizzle as a ten year old - No book ever scared me like that did and I've been hooked the last 25 years. Reading King feels like coming home to me. It only takes a sentence or two for me to get that feeling "ah yeah, Stephen King book, this is going to be time well spent, I'm really going to enjoy this". My defences come down, I feel like a kid wrapped up warm in a blanket with a storm outside my window, warm, safe, then slowly, so slowly I begin to feel an unease in the air.. there's something under the bed...Hang on a minute, I'm a fully grown man, there's nothing under the bed.. I better take a look.. In a minute.. I'm just going to lie here first for a bit.. and imagine What if.
I think his drug addled state contributed to the more disturbing scenes he has written. There have been times where I am like "Stephen you are a shitty person for writing that" but then I get over it.
The old canard, "Stephen King's writing was never as good after he went sober in the late 1980's." While not exactly true, his writing is probably better and more structured, but it did lose a lot of the sheer trippy insanity his early works from his drug days had.
11/22/63 is one of the best books I have ever read. I don't understand how King is still considered a "commercial" author and not "literary". He's a genius.
11/22/63 is my absolute favorite of his. I love that this book subverts what you think it is going to be and the ending absolutely broke me. If this book doesn’t pull on the heartstrings then nothing will.
The fact that King wrote Pet Sematary and thought it was too dark to release and stuck it on a trunk for years says a lot. Such an amazing book and truly haunting.
@@bl.gabe- I watched the movie a few years ago when it was released. Now I’m halfway through the book which I started reading yesterday and will say it’s WAY better than the movie. Watching the movie first hasn’t taken away from the book for me. I can’t stop reading! This is my 5th King book I’ve read and I’m blown away so far. Worth the read even if you’ve seen the movie.
@@averageape wow ty! I'm only on page 130ish.. but ur telling me U STARTED READING IT YESTERDAY AND IS ALREADY HALF WAY THROUGH??? damn i wish I could read that fast. but anyways thanks for the advice
Nobody ever stopped reading. Harry Potter, lord of the rings, twilight, 50 shades, they were all books first. And they dont make movies out of books that aren't being read
"The Stand" is an absolute masterpiece, no other book has made 1100 odd pages not feel like a slog to get through. It's absolutely insane just how good the book is as a whole.
@@brainderp808 Well if you haven't read it yet, it's like if the military made COVID, except covid had a 99% death rate and cooked be spread by walking past someone, and it was accidentally released
Took me nearly two weeks to get through that behemoth. I was reading 100 pages of small print for 6 hours every day. Probably my greatest reading achievement.
@@seancopeland1037 I read the 1200 page trilogy book His Dark Materials. That was a great book, easy to get into and a great story. I read it over the course of 5 days. Edit: Forgot to mention, His Dark Materials is the only book i've ever read twice.
@@seancopeland1037 I don't know if you're interested, but my favorite 1000+ page book is "Bleak House" by Charles Dicken. It has his usual Victorian prose, but what makes it special to me is the absurd comedy and irony within the story, as well as the well developed characters. I have The Stand on my bookshelf, but haven't read it yet. I just finished book 4 of the Dark Tower. Perhaps I should read it now.
Atwood, Lahiri, Alice Walker, Coelho, Palahnuik, I'm not saying they're better than King, and I'm certainly not saying King is better than them. But there are some incredible authors out there, many of which can write entire novels dictating race and gender without having to rely heavily on racial slurs and stereotypes like King often does.
Started with Carrie as well, then went back and forth with his books, publication-wise(?). Our bookstores are scarce where I live, and libraries are non-existent.
I started It, it’s my first Stephen king book and I’m about 530 pages in. I have points where I’m glued to it and can’t put it down and then there’s sooo much over explaining that gets boring to me. So I’m enjoying and struggling at the same time
I started reading The Stand a few days ago, first time reading Stephen King, and my God, the way he develops his characters and describes emotions in this book makes me want to read more of his books. I'm reading the complete & uncut version.
Quadri Osho masterpiece! Read it last summer. If you’re comfortable reading his longer stuff I agree with the man in the video and read IT next. While pop culture has been full of IT for the last couple of years the movies still don’t do justice to the book! You’ll be in suspense the whole time
I finished The Stand few years ago and I’m still in love in this book. Enjoy your time of reading because for sure after finishing it, you will miss this story and characters 💕
The stand has to be my favorite book the way he develops every character to such an incredible extent and links every characters story into an absolute masterpiece
Imagine the people in Stephen King's books like: Goddammit, first a telekinetic girl that burned Chamberlain down and now an extraterrestrial being that takes the form a 7 foot clown.
"One of the greatest starts to Stephen King is The Dark Tower." You know that image macro of Charlie Day from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia having a breakdown in a mailroom filled with trillions of pictures and a whole bunch of twine connected with pushpins as his mind slowly unravels? That's The Dark Tower. Do not start with The Dark Tower.
I started with Eyes of the Dragon then The Dark Tower at 14. Then a few months ago I bought that new one on audible, and fell back down the rabbit hole. The Stand is a great start too.
Definitely the same. It was my first book of Kings and I even had a dream (after finishing it) that I was in the pet semetery 💕 thats why later I read more than 30 of his books 😂✌🏻
I remember walking into a bookstore one day as a kid and thinking _"I wanna be rebellious and read something helllllllllaaaaa dark"_ I picked up Carrie by Stephen King... Best choice of my life, been hooked for years since.
I love the Richard Bachman books and how different his style was than Stephen King himself. By using a pen name, SK was able to experiment without affecting his career, and what we get is super raw goodness.
I have no idea why King thought Pet Sematary was over the line/too inappropriate and then comes out with the fucking Outsider, which has some of the most depraved, sickening portrayals of child molestation I've ever read...
I'm glad you said it, otherwise I would have. Dead Zone is a lot like 11/22/63 in a lot of ways and I'm glad I read them back to back. Both brilliant novels.
I got started with Salem's Lot, and while it's not the most conventional pic, I would recommend it as a starting point for anyone. It introduces a few very important things, namely, it shows you his love of small towns, and the story building he does inside them without going as long as IT did. It also introduces the more traditional fantasy elements with Vampires, and combines the two well. And yes I agree, don't start with the Dark Tower. There is to much cross reference, and you will miss a lot.
Yoo, I started reading salem's lot a few days ago, already more than half through the book, and now I'm just really confuse on what to read next, I'm thinking between the shining and pet sematary, any thoughts? This is my first stephen king book by the way
@@felipao2134 oh hey nice! From Salems Lot I would either read The Shining next or one of his short story anthologies, maybe Graveyard Shift. A lot of people recomend IT, but I would stay away from that one unless your really dying to read it.
@@GrimgoreIronhide yes, I'm planning on keeping IT for later, I would only consider maybe the stand has I started reading it on a bookstore and the plot seems compelling with recent times
Best true starting place in my opinion is “Night Shift” a brilliant short story collection written in Kings prime. Having read around 30 of his books and loving most, I honestly rank this collection at the top of the heap.
He makes the joke himself in The Dark Tower: “Stephen King sells by the inch and readers buy by the pound” Also, thank you for bringing up 11/22/63. It’s overlooked WAY too often. The last few pages of my copy may or may not have water damage from my three read throughs Anyone who wants to fully enjoy the dark tower: read it last. I wish so deeply that I could forget that series and read it again for the first time with more knowledge of the multiverse
11/22/63 was my introduction to King. I loved it! I'm now reading Insomnia. Kind of seems like an under the radar pick. Love reading a couple lines that make you snap out of the book and really process it. Gets an audible "Wow" and a chill down your arm. Then continue to read on!
I feel like Salem’s Lot is an easy, seamless way to get into his work. It’s a classic vampire story, but brilliantly written. Also if your copy of the book has the One for the Road and Jerusalem’s Lot nuvellas, then you also get a smidge of that extended kingverse
Plus, people wouldn't want to put it down with all three of those. One could say they'd be reading into the....come on.....you know where this is going.............night shift. :)
Thanks for the recommendation because I wanted to read the body but my library doesn't have it although they do have different seasons which includes the body, so I'll probably get that.
Because people know I read a lot of horror, I get this question a lot. I personally recommend Pet Semetary for people looking to get into Stephen King because I think it's one of his most brilliant and most main stream books with a lot of emotional depth.
I agree! I went into that book expecting an extreme horror thriller but instead it ended up bringing me to tears at some points, especially the ending. I wasn't expecting it to be so emotional.
I cannot recommend the Stand Enough as an SK starting point. Hands down my favorite novel of all time. An absolute masterpiece. The characters and emotion are amazing, the plot is fantastic. It's just an unforgettable journey. I'll always treasure the time I spent reading that book.
The Shining was my first, then really got in to his shorter stories. The Body, Shawshank, The Langoliers, Library Policeman. Came back to IT, Carrie, Salems lot and Pet Semetary. Picked up The Stand (unedited version) the other day and haven't been able to put it down!
I started with "Night Shift", a short story collection. For me it was a great way to get a bit of a wider introduction to his style. And he is also absolutely brilliant at short stories.
Exactly, that’s where I started. It’s a taste of his work in a size of book that’s good for starters. Also I don’t think it’s really connected to his written universe but it goes into detail on what he can do.
You summarised my feelings on Pet Sematary perfectly. It was actually the first book I read by him and I instantly got why he is so loved. That book haunts me. HAUNTS ME. I have never seen an author depict emotions so realistically, it's crazy. so many years later and I still experience horror thinking about it. The crazy thing about the book is that you kind of know what is going to happen because the characters are so realistic that they share the same thought with you.
I feel like Misery is often overlooked and makes an amazing entry point to Stephen King. Especially for fans of psychological horror. Annie Wilkes is one of the scariest characters ever written.
Reread The Stand bout a month ago. Hands down the grittiest, most REAL book i ever read. Getting through it was like a pilgrimage. You ain't no nice guy, Stephen King. You ain't no nice guy.
I prefer the original version of The Stand. Much better in my opinion. Not sure if you can even find that version anymore though except maybe in a used book store.
@@nunyabizz3357 I would liken the difference to sort of like the original Star Wars and the Specialized edition. The original flows better and the "authors cut" has more fluff and in my opinion non essential info that take away from the mystery and flow of the story.
R.L. Stone is either a joke to Stephen King fans, or a great introduction to horror writing, and most come to Stephen after exhausting all of Stines ideas...
My first Stephen King book was Christine, I was about 11 or 12 at the time and have been 100% addicted to King's works since. I am currently in the middle of The Dark Tower right now and recomend the hell out of it. So, so good, I can't even explain.
I've read 30+ stephen king books and the stand is by far my favorite. All the wonderful characters thrust into this new world and have to adapt and meet each other along the way. I've read it multiple times and don't regret a second
I started with The Shinning then went straight into the Dark Tower series. Loved the Dark Tower so much i immediately started to reread them when I was finished. Over the years I’ve read the whole DT series 6 times with other King book in between like Pet Semetery and Dr. Sleep to name a few. Going to start his newest book If It Bleeds next.
I started reading The Shining this weekend based on this recommendation. Usually I am not the type to power through books really quickly, I tend to take my time getting through them, but I haven't been able to put it down. I finished it in 4 days, it was great and INCREDIBLY different from the movie
Yes, Stephen King was not a fan of the Kubrick film or so I’ve read. Personally I agree with him. The movie has grown on me over the years, but I watched it the first time right after finishing the book and was so disappointed. The only good thing about it was Jack Nickleson .
Cujo was my first entry into the world of Stephen King way back in ‘83. It’s very underrated in my opinion, and illustrates why he is a master at understanding human emotions and actions. I also like it because he doesn’t write himself into this one.
@@DanielGreeneReviews Should have done an Honorable Mention segment where you recommend those depending on people's taste of stories, e.g. do you like vampires? etc
I remember I was real big into Alternate History a few years back,and when I heard that King had written one on that topic,I got it.I read all 849 pages on a single day,somehow,yet I put off King for another year until I read Carrie and The Stand.That book was 11/22/63, still the greatest book I have ever read.
My first King book was Shawshank, the movie is a masterpiece so it made me want to read the book because it was short. Brought me into the universe as I found myself interested in the characters even though I knew what was gonna happen, great book.
Just finished the Stand yesterday! Took me almost 2 months...granted i missed a few days of reading to do hw but damn what a massive book. Loved every second. I read the uncut edition btw
I love Shawshank so much (the story and the movie is my absolute favorite movie) because it was just this amazing story that touches on the human experience. How Andy survived an evil and kept going, coming out the other side into the light. I always thought it was about hope, perseverance, and to strength to keep fighting even when everything feels lost. At least that is how it felt to me.
I first read Stephen King in 2009 (Carrie) right before I graduated from high school. And again in 2015 (The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon) when I was killing some time in Kilburn Library, Camden. And I have Pet Sematary and Misery on my book shelf which I bought but never read. This video made me pick up Carrie again for the first time since 2009 and I started reading it all weekend. And just like you, I'm hooked. I'm gonna read all of his books this year, if possible. Next up, Pet Sematary. Thanks, man!
I started with “It” , finished “The green mile” few days ago and i say that i loved Stephen King after reading only two of his books .After watching this video next one is “Pet semetary”
I appreciate and love his versatility. The same guy who wrote The Dark Tower and It also wrote Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me/The Body and that blows my mind
i mainly read dragon because randall flagg was in it - did king ever continue that story? because the way it read, it seemed like he wrote it as a dark tower tie-in
King is brilliant when it comes to conveying mourning and grief. No one does it better that I know. It's also why I couldn't stand King back when I was a teen.
Started with IT, I’m literally OBSESSED with the book and it has launched me into my goal of reading every novel by Stephen king. I’d recommend if you want to Still have some sense of relating to A character without having to accept too much crazy, read IT.
It's also fun to find when he was writing a book, and learn what he was going through in life at the time before you read it. Most of his stories also serve as him working through something himself, and he tends to take it head on. I'll opt not to provide examples to not ruin anything for you. I will say that Misery is an extremely good example though. Sidenote: Read his short story compilations too. Especially Night Shift.
I’m almost through IT (pg. 813) because one day my brother showed me the movie. It was my first horror movie but I got hooked immediately. I think my brother might regret showing it to me now, haha. I was upset for a long period of time because libraries are closed and we don’t have the book, then I remembered the internet exists. The books is extremely captivating to me so far and I can see so much of myself in every one of the characters. So I 100% agree with you!
The Eyes of the Dragon was a great Stephen King book and it is a complete fantasy. He wrote it for his daughter who liked princes and dragons and knights and magic. I loved it so much. I also really like The Long Walk. I've read that one a dozen times. One thing to know about King is that most of his books take at least 20 pages to get into. You really have to put in the work for the first 20 pages and then I tend to fly through his books.
I got into stephen king 2 weeks ago. And picked up "revival". It started off sorta slow but after the 2nd to 3rd chapter everything started to come into place and I'm loving it.
I feel like it should be mentioned that "It" contains some pretty disturbing child abuse and domestic violence. It's also the most terrifying book I've ever listened to. I had to stifle actual screams to keep from waking my boyfriend in the middle of the night, and walking around in the dark that month was... unpleasant. It's definitely not for everyone.
Hi River. It is the best audiobook I've ever listened to. Steven Weber does an incredible job of bringing Stephen King's writing to life. May I ask why you picked this book to listen to in the middle of the night......in the dark? Its not exactly going to help you get to sleep now is it!!!!
I read IT as a kid and it actually was like having new friends and being part of the losers club, but I know what you mean. Since that time I literally hate clowns. The most disturbing part for me at that time was however freaking Patrick Hockstetter and how he tortured the little puppy dog.
I partially agree. My recommendation list is as follows. 1) Carrie 2) Pet Cemetery 3) The Shining 4) The Stand 5) The Dark Tower Series 6) IT Specifically in that order with the purpose to help establish the macro verse. If you enjoy those than 7) needful Things 8) 11/22/63 and/or The Dome If your looking for more of a fantasy experience 1) The Stand 2) The Dark Tower Series 3) IT
I bought the “Night Shift” book at the public library for $0.10, it has a tad bitta mold on the back cover, but that helped with the atmosphere of the damn good stories inside. My favorite collection of his short stories, and I can say I’ve read em all, besides rage because I cannot find a copy of that... for valid reasons I suppose. I thought Salem’s lot was kinda slow though, and Christine mad a helluva good film. I really loved “The Dome” that was a long but good one, and it’s a great intro to more modern day Stephen books. Let’s not forget Fire Starter, Carrie, The Shining, hell read alla them cuz they are all fantastic, and every sing,e on is as good a place to start as the next. My favorite and pretty much only Dark Tower book I have read is Wolves of the Calla, I’ve read others but not all, and that was the one I started with (I was like 8, and got it for free, so I just read it once, then again, then again. I loved it. And it was hard to read the others after that amazing one, so I kinda just jumped around, I did read the ones that took place after that 5th one in order though.)
I just finished the Shining and I absolutely loved it from front to back. Spot on review of how King gets into the characters heads--and your own! I read IT over a looooong stretch of time, and while it was good, the Shining is the way to go. The Shining has actually made me want to become an avid reader because of how great it was (just started Dr. Sleep!)
Forget about starting with a huge, giant ,1,000 page epics to get started. Read Running Man and Misery. You won't spend long periods of work reading long character developments. Just good solid action.
I’ve read It, Misery, The Shining, The Outsider, etc, but something about Carrie was too much for me to finish reading. Every time I picked up the book my heart would start racing and I’d feel sick, even just from when I was around it. I just have bought a cursed book.....
You’ve got this....I read “Carrie” when I was 9 years old, which probably explains what is wrong with me today. Finish it so you can overcome that feeling. That way you know what happens and your anxiety won’t be triggered by it anymore. You’ve got this.
George Buchan yeah I was going to comment this as-well. Plus as a big fan of the Dark Tower books? They’re... definitely not his best. I mean I personally find he’s gotten better with time. His new work is more literary and he plays with the audience in interesting ways (like killing the main character of a book 40 pages in) also he didn’t know how to end a book in his early days. The Stand, It, Salem’s, they all fall flat at the end. Mercedes, Revival, 11/22, Institute, Outsider, Cujo ,DoloresDome (kinda) all have great endings: everything wrapped up in a nice little bow or have powerful dramatic endings: rather than just ending I feel like he started improving around the 80s & really couldn’t disagree with this videos list more. But that’s just me of course, only opinions.
@@edgarbachman9037 I only started reading king last year as I thought his books would be really hard to grasp and complicated, I am now on book number 7, so far I have read Carrie, Salem's lot, The shinning, Misery, Mr mercedes, Revival and reading Pet Semetary just now, I think his books are brilliant and very addictive, yes the endings can be flat and predictable but his imagination is out of this world, I was going to try and read at least fifteen of his books before I went onto the Dark tower series as I heard alot of his characters from previous books play a part in it and that just sound awesome
The stand is a huge book and starts out really good. Has a LOT of religious undertone in it. Def a great book. Once you finish it def checkout some of his other greats. I would recommend 1)the bill hodges trilogy [series if you count The Outsider] 2) under the dome 3) sleeping beauties 4) bag of bones 5) pet semetary
I immediately re-read, The Stand, Pet Semetary, and 11-22-63. I read The Stand twice in a two week period. Excellent books. Great recommendations! I’m working through The Dark Tower Series right now.
Dude Daniel, I'm really surprised you didn't mention The Talisman! Its one of my favorite books of his. It's probably the closest thing to a fantasy novel he's ever done, and he friggin' nails it!
I loved the first book! Admittedly, I have enjoyed them more as they've gone on (I'm still not finished; I just have to get my ass in gear lmao), but the first one hit me in a weirdly emotional place. I think they're all great thus far.
I completely agree with you, didn't like the first book at all but it got so good after that! In book 3 things started to look really interesting to me.
Personally I enjoyed the Gunslinger, but it is definitely a different kind of story than most readers are expecting. King really had no idea what he was getting into lol
I read Joyland as my first Stephen King book and I LOVED IT! Honestly it’s a brilliant entry point for anyone who likes reading mysteries or crime thrillers 😍
My first foray into Stephen King was with 11/22/63 back in 2013. I've always been a fan of most of the movies associated with Stephen King's works, but not until recently did I get back into reading. I have since read 6 King books, and I just finished with my second read through of 11/22/63. And you're right, it is such an incredible story filled with great characters. One of my all time favorite books. I can't recommend it enough. I just started The Stand tonight. Wish me luck. After I finish with The Stand, I will begin my journey into IT. Being transported into this universe every time I open a book is something I will cherish for the rest of my life and I will pass on to my children.
His alternative history--sort of--book, 11/23/63, is a brilliant piece of writing, though it illustrates my one complaint about his style. He talks far too much through action scenes. But as you say, his characterization creates real people, and two moments--when Jake teaches the teenagers how to dance and the students putting on "Of Mice and Men" are examples of the finest things that literature can do. And then there's the ending. Anyone who can read that without tears needs an empathy test.
Oh, boy. I’ve only discovered King last year and I’ve been obsessed ever since. Even though his books are truly disturbing, his writing for some reason is so comforting to me! I feel like the man speaks to my soul. And I absolutely agree with your point regarding his exploration and understanding of human emotions. That’s why I can’t really watch the movies based on King’s books - you just can’t show it all on screen.
BUY THE BOOKS HERE:
The Shining: amzn.to/32DYRmD
IT: amzn.to/2A5L6k7
Dark Tower: amzn.to/2Loimty
11/22/63: amzn.to/34BAjfA
The Stand: amzn.to/2NastnQ
Pet Sematary: amzn.to/2N8opED
Without getting into spoilers, how far along are you? Can you say?
And I finished Dark Tower last night and am probably going to start It tomorrow
sem de tovenaar My boss made a bet that I can finish it in a week, but no im not trying that.
Salam's Lot is where I started back in the dizzle as a ten year old - No book ever scared me like that did and I've been hooked the last 25 years. Reading King feels like coming home to me. It only takes a sentence or two for me to get that feeling "ah yeah, Stephen King book, this is going to be time well spent, I'm really going to enjoy this". My defences come down, I feel like a kid wrapped up warm in a blanket with a storm outside my window, warm, safe, then slowly, so slowly I begin to feel an unease in the air.. there's something under the bed...Hang on a minute, I'm a fully grown man, there's nothing under the bed.. I better take a look.. In a minute.. I'm just going to lie here first for a bit.. and imagine What if.
Shinning you dont wanna get sued
I don't understand why dropping those big books was so satisfying to hear
also, incredible breakdown of why Pet Cemetery is absolutely genius and hits so close to home
@@merphynapier42 yes
I love your channel.
I think it’s a book worm thing 🐛❤️📚
Cool 1k like
Imagine being Stephen Kings kids. The bedtime stories you would be told. 😱
*tonight son i'll be telling you the story on how a bunch of loser kids defeated an interdimensional alien that looks like a clown*
@@skeletonentertainment4201 8 hours later good night
His son Joe Hill, is an author in his own right (horror and suspense, thriller genre) and played the kid in the first Creepshow movie.
@@maximcypher3109 so is his other son and also his wife.
@@dylanoshea9647 I didn't know! I have read Joe Hill novels/novellas, and Locke and Key. But it didn't look into the whole family.
"Thankfully for us, Stephen King likes drugs!"
I lost it at that lmao
Liked drugs!
@@livingcorpse5664
⚠️ CORRECTION APPROVED⚠️
I think his drug addled state contributed to the more disturbing scenes he has written. There have been times where I am like "Stephen you are a shitty person for writing that" but then I get over it.
Where does he say this?
The old canard, "Stephen King's writing was never as good after he went sober in the late 1980's." While not exactly true, his writing is probably better and more structured, but it did lose a lot of the sheer trippy insanity his early works from his drug days had.
11/22/63 is one of the best books I have ever read. I don't understand how King is still considered a "commercial" author and not "literary". He's a genius.
11/22/63 is my absolute favorite of his. I love that this book subverts what you think it is going to be and the ending absolutely broke me. If this book doesn’t pull on the heartstrings then nothing will.
The fact that King wrote Pet Sematary and thought it was too dark to release and stuck it on a trunk for years says a lot. Such an amazing book and truly haunting.
I've watched the movie and wanted to know if it was still worth it to read the book. Do you (or anyone who reads this comment) think it is?
@@bl.gabe- it is one of my favorites of his and I’ve read most his novels. 100% worth a read.
@@SpencerJ289 okay thank you! I'm currently reading the silent patient so I'll read it afterwards
@@bl.gabe- I watched the movie a few years ago when it was released. Now I’m halfway through the book which I started reading yesterday and will say it’s WAY better than the movie. Watching the movie first hasn’t taken away from the book for me. I can’t stop reading! This is my 5th King book I’ve read and I’m blown away so far. Worth the read even if you’ve seen the movie.
@@averageape wow ty! I'm only on page 130ish.. but ur telling me U STARTED READING IT YESTERDAY AND IS ALREADY HALF WAY THROUGH??? damn i wish I could read that fast. but anyways thanks for the advice
It's a good thing that people are starting to rediscover the joy of reading.
M S R I never read a book in my life apart from school I don’t know how to get into it seem like I exhausted all the sci-fi movies and Netflix
@@stevesalvant80 hmmm we live in an era where visual media are more popular.
Nobody ever stopped reading. Harry Potter, lord of the rings, twilight, 50 shades, they were all books first. And they dont make movies out of books that aren't being read
M S R Ok boomer
@@mokushdapoorgamer2869 actually it's millennial
Step one: Open Carrie
Step two: Start reading
That’s how I got started...
So did I. In the 70s. Then The Shining & Salem's Lot.
Start with Carrie. 199 pages. Masterpiece.
J H 290
I didnt like Carrie tbh. I thought it was one of his weakest books he has ever written
"The Stand" is an absolute masterpiece, no other book has made 1100 odd pages not feel like a slog to get through. It's absolutely insane just how good the book is as a whole.
The Stand and IT are the only 1000+ page books I've enjoyed
@@brainderp808 Well if you haven't read it yet, it's like if the military made COVID, except covid had a 99% death rate and cooked be spread by walking past someone, and it was accidentally released
Took me nearly two weeks to get through that behemoth.
I was reading 100 pages of small print for 6 hours every day.
Probably my greatest reading achievement.
@@seancopeland1037
I read the 1200 page trilogy book His Dark Materials.
That was a great book, easy to get into and a great story.
I read it over the course of 5 days.
Edit:
Forgot to mention, His Dark Materials is the only book i've ever read twice.
@@seancopeland1037 I don't know if you're interested, but my favorite 1000+ page book is "Bleak House" by Charles Dicken. It has his usual Victorian prose, but what makes it special to me is the absurd comedy and irony within the story, as well as the well developed characters.
I have The Stand on my bookshelf, but haven't read it yet. I just finished book 4 of the Dark Tower. Perhaps I should read it now.
My dad told me to try Stephen King. I picked up The Gunslinger and 1 year later I have read 50 of his books. The best living author without a doubt.
King is the KING of horror.
Thank ur dad lol
FIFTY?!? I am so jealous, It's amazing if I'm able to read just ten in one year, and that's not even for just one author.
Atwood, Lahiri, Alice Walker, Coelho, Palahnuik, I'm not saying they're better than King, and I'm certainly not saying King is better than them. But there are some incredible authors out there, many of which can write entire novels dictating race and gender without having to rely heavily on racial slurs and stereotypes like King often does.
I started with Salem's Lot, was not disappointed.
Me too, second was pet sematary
Yes!
It was my second! Pet Semetary was my first.
Started with The Stand
Go big or go home I guess lol
Same !
Just start at Carrie and read them in publication order. Best way you could ever read SK.
Started with Carrie as well, then went back and forth with his books, publication-wise(?). Our bookstores are scarce where I live, and libraries are non-existent.
I started with Carrie too
I was listening to the audio book and I was just fascinated. I drifted away from reading with school and I regret returning Carrie so soon.
@@beeboskus ironic right? How school made you not be able to read, I hated reading until I got out of it.
Elvis Henry yessir
I dont like the idea of people starting with IT because it's so long most people lose interest
Spongi To me, there was not one slow part in all 1,090 pages I read. Read it in a week. To each their own
@@civoreb it's not slow but it's long, but dang is it a masterpiece
I started with It and i'am 13, but I red the hole book in one week, and it was amazing😍
I started It, it’s my first Stephen king book and I’m about 530 pages in. I have points where I’m glued to it and can’t put it down and then there’s sooo much over explaining that gets boring to me. So I’m enjoying and struggling at the same time
My first book from him I just finish reading and now here I am pondering on which one to pick up next
I started reading The Stand a few days ago, first time reading Stephen King, and my God, the way he develops his characters and describes emotions in this book makes me want to read more of his books. I'm reading the complete & uncut version.
Quadri Osho masterpiece! Read it last summer. If you’re comfortable reading his longer stuff I agree with the man in the video and read IT next. While pop culture has been full of IT for the last couple of years the movies still don’t do justice to the book! You’ll be in suspense the whole time
I finished The Stand few years ago and I’m still in love in this book. Enjoy your time of reading because for sure after finishing it, you will miss this story and characters 💕
The stand has to be my favorite book the way he develops every character to such an incredible extent and links every characters story into an absolute masterpiece
Welcome to the obsession 😍 He’s also written tons of fabulous short stories. The Monkey is soooooooo great!
First King book I read as well! Fantastic Book! If you liked that book then check out Swan Song (Robert McCammon) next! Very Very good!!
Imagine the people in Stephen King's books like: Goddammit, first a telekinetic girl that burned Chamberlain down and now an extraterrestrial being that takes the form a 7 foot clown.
Wait, so Pennywise is 7 foot tall?
To a giant benevolent turtle God that is connected to the Tower at the center of existence and is the enemy of IT
11/22/63 also crosses over with IT in a fantastic way
I find it a BIT ham fisted but still fun.
That's IT??? 😉😉😉
Yes
But it misses out by not having a single Randell Flagg cameo
Is IT actually a good book?
"One of the greatest starts to Stephen King is The Dark Tower."
You know that image macro of Charlie Day from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia having a breakdown in a mailroom filled with trillions of pictures and a whole bunch of twine connected with pushpins as his mind slowly unravels?
That's The Dark Tower.
Do not start with The Dark Tower.
noted.
I actually started with The Gunslinger lol. But I haven't read the rest of the series
@@gaffyguck2616 I highly suggest you give it a go. ⚫
@@gaffyguck2616 The Drawing of the Three will just suck u in and keep u wanting to know more.❤❤❤
I started with Eyes of the Dragon then The Dark Tower at 14. Then a few months ago I bought that new one on audible, and fell back down the rabbit hole. The Stand is a great start too.
'Pet Semetary' was the book that made me fal in love with reading and with Stephen King. It is a masterpiece.
Absolutely agree! King himself said he was scared whilst writing this
Hehehe, my mom loves the movie and the book. I've lived with this name for 13 years now, and none of my schoolmates have realised it yet.
Same
My cat's named Churchill.😾
Pet Semetary was the 1st King book i read. Friggin awesome book.
Definitely the same. It was my first book of Kings and I even had a dream (after finishing it) that I was in the pet semetery 💕 thats why later I read more than 30 of his books 😂✌🏻
I remember walking into a bookstore one day as a kid and thinking _"I wanna be rebellious and read something helllllllllaaaaa dark"_
I picked up Carrie by Stephen King...
Best choice of my life, been hooked for years since.
I read “The Long Walk” by Stephen King last year and it was a quick read but I absolutely loved it!
I’m reading it right now and I’m loving it
it’s so good. i liked roadwork a lot, too, if you’re getting into his bachman stuff.
I love the Richard Bachman books and how different his style was than Stephen King himself. By using a pen name, SK was able to experiment without affecting his career, and what we get is super raw goodness.
One of my favorites. Rage is also phenomenal
Reading it right now eish its dark
“Pet Sematary” scared the f**k out of me. I read it in one night and I got rid of it the next day. I didn’t want that book in my house.
I have ordered it and will arrive in 2 days... I'm scared of the book now...
@@tusharjoglekar
Oh, don't be- people are pussies. It's good but not traumatizing or anything. Just finished it & I'll sleep fine tonight.
In thinking of reading this question is it similar to the film or better
@@newbornassassin7291 Better
I have no idea why King thought Pet Sematary was over the line/too inappropriate and then comes out with the fucking Outsider, which has some of the most depraved, sickening portrayals of child molestation I've ever read...
Daniel: Hello my beautiful wonderful subscribers.
Me:*blushes* "you think I'm beautiful"
Whoever you are, I hope you're having a wonderful day.
@@SuperMovieLvr933 You're breathtaking!
@@SuperMovieLvr933 thank you random person hope you have a wonderful day as well
@@thattheresagirl No 'you're' breathtaking
Wow what a lovely community :))
All of you have a wonderful day as well, thank you all for being so positive!!
11/22/63 is my favorite book of all time. I am so glad you included this. I also HIGHLY recommend The Dead Zone. Love it!
Same here man read it through multiple times now and the end still gets me in my feels
I'm glad you said it, otherwise I would have. Dead Zone is a lot like 11/22/63 in a lot of ways and I'm glad I read them back to back. Both brilliant novels.
I got started with Salem's Lot, and while it's not the most conventional pic, I would recommend it as a starting point for anyone. It introduces a few very important things, namely, it shows you his love of small towns, and the story building he does inside them without going as long as IT did. It also introduces the more traditional fantasy elements with Vampires, and combines the two well.
And yes I agree, don't start with the Dark Tower. There is to much cross reference, and you will miss a lot.
Yooooo i started with the shining too. What a book !
I started with Salem's Lot too, great kicking off point!
Yoo, I started reading salem's lot a few days ago, already more than half through the book, and now I'm just really confuse on what to read next, I'm thinking between the shining and pet sematary, any thoughts?
This is my first stephen king book by the way
@@felipao2134 oh hey nice!
From Salems Lot I would either read The Shining next or one of his short story anthologies, maybe Graveyard Shift.
A lot of people recomend IT, but I would stay away from that one unless your really dying to read it.
@@GrimgoreIronhide yes, I'm planning on keeping IT for later, I would only consider maybe the stand has I started reading it on a bookstore and the plot seems compelling with recent times
Best true starting place in my opinion is “Night Shift” a brilliant short story collection written in Kings prime. Having read around 30 of his books and loving most, I honestly rank this collection at the top of the heap.
There is no prime each book is his prime
"most people try to pin him down as the Spooky Spooky Scary Clown Man" is the best sentence i've heard in... well, ever
I tell people that all the time. I recommned him to anyone that reads and they go "oh im not really into all that horror" THEY JUST DONT KNOW
I plan on getting into stephen king after i finish Wheel of Time
This is my plan too. Stephen King then Dean Koontz then SK... repeat
Me too. I read few of his books before but I wanna really dive in to it. I'll start with The Stand, Dark tower and IT.
@@mr.teekanee9750 goodchoices dont miss institute
I plan to get int Steven king after I finish light bringer
Everyone who starts reading WoT is in this situation for a year, unless you have nothing else to do except read.
How to start reading Stephen King.
Step one, pick up book written by Stephen King
Step two, read.
Damn I should have read through more of the comments before I posted basically the same thing.
That just proves you don't get it
I get it just fine. Getting it =/= agreeing with it
Orale.
*starts with Song of Susannah*
"The fuck's a Gunslinger"
He makes the joke himself in The Dark Tower:
“Stephen King sells by the inch and readers buy by the pound”
Also, thank you for bringing up 11/22/63. It’s overlooked WAY too often. The last few pages of my copy may or may not have water damage from my three read throughs
Anyone who wants to fully enjoy the dark tower: read it last. I wish so deeply that I could forget that series and read it again for the first time with more knowledge of the multiverse
i read that one first so i was waiting for it to be brought up too
I didn't know what a service I was doing to myself by putting off the dark tower for so many years of being a king fan
Finished 11/22/63 yesterday it was the best book I’ve read in years
So what would you read before dark tower? What would you start with as an intro to Stephen king ?
@@sc6520 honestly; I’d read chronologically. I didn’t; but in retrospect I wish I had
11/22/63 was my introduction to King. I loved it! I'm now reading Insomnia. Kind of seems like an under the radar pick. Love reading a couple lines that make you snap out of the book and really process it. Gets an audible "Wow" and a chill down your arm. Then continue to read on!
Two of my favorite King books. Insomnia was hard at the start and I ended loving it
I feel like Salem’s Lot is an easy, seamless way to get into his work. It’s a classic vampire story, but brilliantly written. Also if your copy of the book has the One for the Road and Jerusalem’s Lot nuvellas, then you also get a smidge of that extended kingverse
Plus, people wouldn't want to put it down with all three of those. One could say they'd be reading into the....come on.....you know where this is going.............night shift. :)
I began 35 + years ago with The Shining.
I really liked Different Seasons. 4 novellas. All excellent. Been reading King for 40 years.
Different Seasons is about to become the only Stephen King collection that has had every story adapted
William Avitt whats the last one? Is it the pregnant decapitated woman one?..forgot what its called, but great!
@@TheAmateursOriginalMusic The Breathing Method. Should be coming out as a movie in 2020 from what I've heard
William Avitt thats the one! Great story told by some old fellas in a strange gentleman’s club i believe? Forget the name🤔
Thanks for the recommendation because I wanted to read the body but my library doesn't have it although they do have different seasons which includes the body, so I'll probably get that.
Because people know I read a lot of horror, I get this question a lot. I personally recommend Pet Semetary for people looking to get into Stephen King because I think it's one of his most brilliant and most main stream books with a lot of emotional depth.
TheShadesofOrange Booktube Channel *you basically said what Daniel said..*
I agree! I went into that book expecting an extreme horror thriller but instead it ended up bringing me to tears at some points, especially the ending. I wasn't expecting it to be so emotional.
I cannot recommend the Stand Enough as an SK starting point. Hands down my favorite novel of all time. An absolute masterpiece. The characters and emotion are amazing, the plot is fantastic. It's just an unforgettable journey. I'll always treasure the time I spent reading that book.
The Shining was my first, then really got in to his shorter stories. The Body, Shawshank, The Langoliers, Library Policeman. Came back to IT, Carrie, Salems lot and Pet Semetary. Picked up The Stand (unedited version) the other day and haven't been able to put it down!
I started with "Night Shift", a short story collection. For me it was a great way to get a bit of a wider introduction to his style. And he is also absolutely brilliant at short stories.
I was thinking the same thing... his short stories might be a good place for a new King reader to dip their toe.
Absolutely: One perfectly good way to get started with Stephen King is to read some of his short stories. Or novellas.
Skeleton crew is great too.
@@RadiantMan08 Something to add to the long list of Stephen King books to read in between everything else...
@@pieter_kok One of the short stories is right up there as one of the most disturbing things that Stephen King has ever written.
Thankee-sai for including 11/22/63, one of the most, if not most, underrated Stephen King epics.
Everyone loves it
I've re- read that book at least four times :)
It's one of my favorite tv shows I don't realize that was a book.
@@jeanfish7 4 times? I pray you read fater than me!
I love how you said thank you. Stephen Kings The Dark Tower V, Wolves Of The Calla, said so many times in that one (my favorite of the series)
I think that The Long Walk is the perfect starting point for new King readers.
Exactly, that’s where I started. It’s a taste of his work in a size of book that’s good for starters. Also I don’t think it’s really connected to his written universe but it goes into detail on what he can do.
@@Akeboun Same here
My all time fav
@@freeleonardpeltier4148 Me as well, It remains an absolute masterpiece in my book.
That first King book I read this summer. Such a great starter, but still a brilliant story. I’m 3 King books deep now, haha.
You summarised my feelings on Pet Sematary perfectly. It was actually the first book I read by him and I instantly got why he is so loved. That book haunts me. HAUNTS ME. I have never seen an author depict emotions so realistically, it's crazy. so many years later and I still experience horror thinking about it. The crazy thing about the book is that you kind of know what is going to happen because the characters are so realistic that they share the same thought with you.
I feel like Misery is often overlooked and makes an amazing entry point to Stephen King. Especially for fans of psychological horror. Annie Wilkes is one of the scariest characters ever written.
I started reading king with Misery and I absolutely loved it!
I just started with Misery, and I have to force myself to put it down to get to bed. I’m enjoy it so much. Annie Wilkes is frightening.
Misery is honestly chilling
You're right on.
💯💯
When my son was 5 I read him The Eyes Of The Dragon. He is 13 now and has a Kindle full of King.
I'm re-reading that book right now. One of my favorites and such an easy read.
And I thought I started reading King's books at a young age 😄
Reread The Stand bout a month ago. Hands down the grittiest, most REAL book i ever read.
Getting through it was like a pilgrimage.
You ain't no nice guy, Stephen King.
You ain't no nice guy.
I prefer the original version of The Stand. Much better in my opinion. Not sure if you can even find that version anymore though except maybe in a used book store.
@@johnchafin3817 what's different about it? What'd you prefer,
@@johnchafin3817 Why are there so many different version of Stephen King's books?
@@nunyabizz3357 I would liken the difference to sort of like the original Star Wars and the Specialized edition. The original flows better and the "authors cut" has more fluff and in my opinion non essential info that take away from the mystery and flow of the story.
Summer colds are the worst...
I read R.L Stine as a Kid.
Growing up I started reading Stephen King.
R.L. Stone is either a joke to Stephen King fans, or a great introduction to horror writing, and most come to Stephen after exhausting all of Stines ideas...
@@nathancarpenter5761 R.L. Stine is like Stephen king for middle schoolers. He gave us our first taste and then we graduated to the real deal.
@Doctor Feinstone
Yep, crept I read R.L. Stone in the first grade, advancing quickly to Stephen king by the third grade,
R.L. Stine also wrote the novelization of the movie spaceballs
Stine is a legend.
The ending of pet cemetary had me SHOOK. I literally could not stop thinking of it for 2 weeks
😭😭😭
My first Stephen King book was Christine, I was about 11 or 12 at the time and have been 100% addicted to King's works since. I am currently in the middle of The Dark Tower right now and recomend the hell out of it. So, so good, I can't even explain.
I've read 30+ stephen king books and the stand is by far my favorite. All the wonderful characters thrust into this new world and have to adapt and meet each other along the way. I've read it multiple times and don't regret a second
I started with Mr. Mercedes in the 6th grade and have been hooked ever since
I was 10 when my grandfather handled me the Talisman, his favorite book ever. Been hooked ever since.
Caitlin Brewer i love it too. Read it about 10 times now
That one may be my favorite!
The sequel Black House is one of my favorites of all time! Check it out if you haven’t.
Joshua Wilt have it sitting next to my bedsite table😊 just waiting for „The Buick“ to be finished
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it!
Pet semetary first
Then the shining
Then Salem’s lot
Then please don’t judge me
Also Dr sleep
I did that but read The Shining first
I did, Salem's Lot, then The Shining then The Stand. So yep, I'm not that far into his books, but they have been good so far.
I really loved dr. Sleep! I thought it was great
I went Pet Semetary, then Desperation, and now I'm listening to an audio book of The Shining.
I started with The Shinning then went straight into the Dark Tower series. Loved the Dark Tower so much i immediately started to reread them when I was finished. Over the years I’ve read the whole DT series 6 times with other King book in between like Pet Semetery and Dr. Sleep to name a few. Going to start his newest book If It Bleeds next.
I started reading The Shining this weekend based on this recommendation. Usually I am not the type to power through books really quickly, I tend to take my time getting through them, but I haven't been able to put it down. I finished it in 4 days, it was great and INCREDIBLY different from the movie
Yes, Stephen King was not a fan of the Kubrick film or so I’ve read. Personally I agree with him. The movie has grown on me over the years, but I watched it the first time right after finishing the book and was so disappointed. The only good thing about it was Jack Nickleson .
Cujo was my first entry into the world of Stephen King way back in ‘83. It’s very underrated in my opinion, and illustrates why he is a master at understanding human emotions and actions. I also like it because he doesn’t write himself into this one.
Cujo was mine too. Couldn't put it down I think I finished it in like 2 days in middle school
Excellent video. I would usually just recommend either Salam's Lot or The Shinning to start with
I ALMOST put Misery or SL instead! Still tempted to say those instead. UGH!
For people that aren't into straight horror stories, "The Dead Zone" is pretty good as well.
@@DanielGreeneReviews Should have done an Honorable Mention segment where you recommend those depending on people's taste of stories, e.g. do you like vampires? etc
"You mean The Shining?"
"Shh wanna get sued?"
Charles Tosti I started with misery and it was amazing
I remember I was real big into Alternate History a few years back,and when I heard that King had written one on that topic,I got it.I read all 849 pages on a single day,somehow,yet I put off King for another year until I read Carrie and The Stand.That book was 11/22/63, still the greatest book I have ever read.
My favs:
1: Firestarter
2: Misery
3:11/22/63
4: Everythings eventual: the short stories
5: the dead zone
My first King book was Shawshank, the movie is a masterpiece so it made me want to read the book because it was short. Brought me into the universe as I found myself interested in the characters even though I knew what was gonna happen, great book.
‘Salem’s Lot was a good start for me
Just finished the Stand yesterday! Took me almost 2 months...granted i missed a few days of reading to do hw but damn what a massive book. Loved every second. I read the uncut edition btw
May i ask you whats it in your profile pic, i dont get 😶
@@anshidapt3957 haha it's a monkey in a space suit and there's a banana in front of it.
Lol i tried in different directions 😂😂
@@anshidapt3957 is it really that difficult to tell what it is?😂
Yess kind of tricky, i felt like a foetus , wanted confirmation 😑And it turned out to be a monkey! 😂
I love Shawshank so much (the story and the movie is my absolute favorite movie) because it was just this amazing story that touches on the human experience. How Andy survived an evil and kept going, coming out the other side into the light. I always thought it was about hope, perseverance, and to strength to keep fighting even when everything feels lost. At least that is how it felt to me.
I first read Stephen King in 2009 (Carrie) right before I graduated from high school. And again in 2015 (The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon) when I was killing some time in Kilburn Library, Camden. And I have Pet Sematary and Misery on my book shelf which I bought but never read.
This video made me pick up Carrie again for the first time since 2009 and I started reading it all weekend. And just like you, I'm hooked. I'm gonna read all of his books this year, if possible. Next up, Pet Sematary. Thanks, man!
For his newer work, I was blown away by Revival. Might have been the outright scariest of his books for me !
I started with “It” , finished “The green mile” few days ago and i say that i loved Stephen King after reading only two of his books .After watching this video next one is “Pet semetary”
Bro no hate but the guy Stephen king's smile looks like the grinch's
true
Ouch
I appreciate and love his versatility. The same guy who wrote The Dark Tower and It also wrote Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me/The Body and that blows my mind
Yees
As a fantasy and Stephen King fan, you should read "Eyes of the Dragon".
And "The Talisman"!
Yes :) my dad told me that . Start with this “easy” book not so scary :D I was 10 .
my first stephen king book! 5th grade or somethin
that one wasn’t too bad! but it was forgettable & i wouldn’t read it again
i mainly read dragon because randall flagg was in it - did king ever continue that story? because the way it read, it seemed like he wrote it as a dark tower tie-in
King is brilliant when it comes to conveying mourning and grief. No one does it better that I know. It's also why I couldn't stand King back when I was a teen.
Revival was a great example of that
I’m glad you finally made this video
Pet Sem also has one of the darkest endings of Steve's books. Cheers.
"All things serve the beam."
Puts Church & Gage down, buries & reanimates Rachel- same as the movie.
@@allamericananti-christ666 the movie is no where near as good though
I think the ending to Revival gave it a run for it's money tbh
Read The tommy Knockers. In my opinion is much better than Pet Semetery
@@ThisIsJaysWorld Revival's ending is all kinds of fucked up, yo. Great Read.
Started with IT, I’m literally OBSESSED with the book and it has launched me into my goal of reading every novel by Stephen king. I’d recommend if you want to Still have some sense of relating to A character without having to accept too much crazy, read IT.
It's also fun to find when he was writing a book, and learn what he was going through in life at the time before you read it. Most of his stories also serve as him working through something himself, and he tends to take it head on. I'll opt not to provide examples to not ruin anything for you. I will say that Misery is an extremely good example though.
Sidenote: Read his short story compilations too. Especially Night Shift.
Cody Fanning same Im reading it rn then my teacher recommended the jfk book
I’m almost through IT (pg. 813) because one day my brother showed me the movie. It was my first horror movie but I got hooked immediately. I think my brother might regret showing it to me now, haha. I was upset for a long period of time because libraries are closed and we don’t have the book, then I remembered the internet exists. The books is extremely captivating to me so far and I can see so much of myself in every one of the characters. So I 100% agree with you!
The Eyes of the Dragon was a great Stephen King book and it is a complete fantasy. He wrote it for his daughter who liked princes and dragons and knights and magic. I loved it so much. I also really like The Long Walk. I've read that one a dozen times. One thing to know about King is that most of his books take at least 20 pages to get into. You really have to put in the work for the first 20 pages and then I tend to fly through his books.
I got into stephen king 2 weeks ago. And picked up "revival". It started off sorta slow but after the 2nd to 3rd chapter everything started to come into place and I'm loving it.
I feel like it should be mentioned that "It" contains some pretty disturbing child abuse and domestic violence. It's also the most terrifying book I've ever listened to. I had to stifle actual screams to keep from waking my boyfriend in the middle of the night, and walking around in the dark that month was... unpleasant. It's definitely not for everyone.
Hi River. It is the best audiobook I've ever listened to. Steven Weber does an incredible job of bringing Stephen King's writing to life.
May I ask why you picked this book to listen to in the middle of the night......in the dark? Its not exactly going to help you get to sleep now is it!!!!
I read IT as a kid and it actually was like having new friends and being part of the losers club, but I know what you mean. Since that time I literally hate clowns. The most disturbing part for me at that time was however freaking Patrick Hockstetter and how he tortured the little puppy dog.
I watched both movies and am currently halfway through the book. Didn't even flinch once 😬
@Trent What is wrong with you?
@@niamhohaileagain7748 dont worry he's the dumb bitch
Started with The Mist. It didn’t scare me, but oh my goodness. Amazing!
I bought and currently reading Pet Semetary thanks to you and Merphy.
Also bought 11/22/63 and will be reading after.
I partially agree. My recommendation list is as follows.
1) Carrie
2) Pet Cemetery
3) The Shining
4) The Stand
5) The Dark Tower Series
6) IT
Specifically in that order with the purpose to help establish the macro verse.
If you enjoy those than
7) needful Things
8) 11/22/63 and/or The Dome
If your looking for more of a fantasy experience
1) The Stand
2) The Dark Tower Series
3) IT
I’m reading The Stand at the moment and despite the heavy going at the start with a lot characters; once you’re settled into it... it’s AMAAAAZINGG
Great job on the video dude. Salem's lot is the first book that a beginner should read. Then night shift collection then Christine.
I bought the “Night Shift” book at the public library for $0.10, it has a tad bitta mold on the back cover, but that helped with the atmosphere of the damn good stories inside. My favorite collection of his short stories, and I can say I’ve read em all, besides rage because I cannot find a copy of that... for valid reasons I suppose. I thought Salem’s lot was kinda slow though, and Christine mad a helluva good film. I really loved “The Dome” that was a long but good one, and it’s a great intro to more modern day Stephen books. Let’s not forget Fire Starter, Carrie, The Shining, hell read alla them cuz they are all fantastic, and every sing,e on is as good a place to start as the next. My favorite and pretty much only Dark Tower book I have read is Wolves of the Calla, I’ve read others but not all, and that was the one I started with (I was like 8, and got it for free, so I just read it once, then again, then again. I loved it. And it was hard to read the others after that amazing one, so I kinda just jumped around, I did read the ones that took place after that 5th one in order though.)
Night Shift is like The Twilight Zone, pure genius.
I also recommend Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King! It's a collection of short stories. Quick, easy reads, but masterfully written.
I just finished the Shining and I absolutely loved it from front to back. Spot on review of how King gets into the characters heads--and your own! I read IT over a looooong stretch of time, and while it was good, the Shining is the way to go. The Shining has actually made me want to become an avid reader because of how great it was (just started Dr. Sleep!)
Forget about starting with a huge, giant ,1,000 page epics to get started. Read Running Man and Misery. You won't spend long periods of work reading long character developments. Just good solid action.
11/22/63 brought me to tears. When he saw her at the end....you could feel the love he felt for her. And the sadness.
And I DO NOT CRY.
His son, Joe Hill, helped him with the end, epic!
I’ve read It, Misery, The Shining, The Outsider, etc, but something about Carrie was too much for me to finish reading. Every time I picked up the book my heart would start racing and I’d feel sick, even just from when I was around it. I just have bought a cursed book.....
You’ve got this....I read “Carrie” when I was 9 years old, which probably explains what is wrong with me today. Finish it so you can overcome that feeling. That way you know what happens and your anxiety won’t be triggered by it anymore. You’ve got this.
Got disagree with starting with the Dark tower as alot of the characters in the dark tower are in his previous books,
George Buchan yeah I was going to comment this as-well. Plus as a big fan of the Dark Tower books? They’re... definitely not his best. I mean I personally find he’s gotten better with time. His new work is more literary and he plays with the audience in interesting ways (like killing the main character of a book 40 pages in) also he didn’t know how to end a book in his early days. The Stand, It, Salem’s, they all fall flat at the end.
Mercedes, Revival, 11/22, Institute, Outsider, Cujo ,DoloresDome (kinda) all have great endings: everything wrapped up in a nice little bow or have powerful dramatic endings: rather than just ending
I feel like he started improving around the 80s & really couldn’t disagree with this videos list more.
But that’s just me of course, only opinions.
Although I agree Pet S. is amazing I loved that part of the video
@@edgarbachman9037 I only started reading king last year as I thought his books would be really hard to grasp and complicated, I am now on book number 7, so far I have read Carrie, Salem's lot, The shinning, Misery, Mr mercedes, Revival and reading Pet Semetary just now, I think his books are brilliant and very addictive, yes the endings can be flat and predictable but his imagination is out of this world, I was going to try and read at least fifteen of his books before I went onto the Dark tower series as I heard alot of his characters from previous books play a part in it and that just sound awesome
I’m a huge fan of The Eyes of the Dragon. It was what got me into him, even though it isn’t the usual genre he goes for.
Currently reading 11/22/63! So good so far. Definitely loved revisiting Derry again. King is a genius
I started with The Shining, and I fell in love with his writing style immediately
I love The Dark Tower, its one of my favorite series
I needed this. Thanks.
I legit just bought The Stand today. It's gonna be my 1st stephen king book
The stand is a huge book and starts out really good. Has a LOT of religious undertone in it. Def a great book. Once you finish it def checkout some of his other greats. I would recommend
1)the bill hodges trilogy [series if you count The Outsider]
2) under the dome
3) sleeping beauties
4) bag of bones
5) pet semetary
@@damonalfero3125 I'll check them out thanks and awesome lol i love me some religious symbolism
I love the Stand. I've read it three times now.
ColombianThunder
Congratulations! Enjoy!
I haven’t read it yet, but my mom did and she said that it was one of her favorite books, even though it took her 6 months to finish😂
I immediately re-read, The Stand, Pet Semetary, and 11-22-63. I read The Stand twice in a two week period. Excellent books. Great recommendations! I’m working through The Dark Tower Series right now.
11/22/1963 is one of my favorite books. The way how Stephen King links you to the characters is really brilliant
Dude Daniel, I'm really surprised you didn't mention The Talisman! Its one of my favorite books of his. It's probably the closest thing to a fantasy novel he's ever done, and he friggin' nails it!
People who start the dark tower should know that the first book isnt that good but it gets better from there
I thought the opposite, I thought book 1 was excellent and they got worse from there. I quit in the middle of book 4.
I loved the first book! Admittedly, I have enjoyed them more as they've gone on (I'm still not finished; I just have to get my ass in gear lmao), but the first one hit me in a weirdly emotional place. I think they're all great thus far.
I think it gets better on rereads but it is definitely a rough book to start on for sure.
I completely agree with you, didn't like the first book at all but it got so good after that! In book 3 things started to look really interesting to me.
Personally I enjoyed the Gunslinger, but it is definitely a different kind of story than most readers are expecting. King really had no idea what he was getting into lol
I read Joyland as my first Stephen King book and I LOVED IT! Honestly it’s a brilliant entry point for anyone who likes reading mysteries or crime thrillers 😍
My first foray into Stephen King was with 11/22/63 back in 2013. I've always been a fan of most of the movies associated with Stephen King's works, but not until recently did I get back into reading. I have since read 6 King books, and I just finished with my second read through of 11/22/63. And you're right, it is such an incredible story filled with great characters. One of my all time favorite books. I can't recommend it enough. I just started The Stand tonight. Wish me luck. After I finish with The Stand, I will begin my journey into IT. Being transported into this universe every time I open a book is something I will cherish for the rest of my life and I will pass on to my children.
I started with the Shining a few years ago, and really loved it!
Literally the most accurate and true-to-fandom Stephen King video I've seen on BookTube. THANK YOU!
His alternative history--sort of--book, 11/23/63, is a brilliant piece of writing, though it illustrates my one complaint about his style. He talks far too much through action scenes. But as you say, his characterization creates real people, and two moments--when Jake teaches the teenagers how to dance and the students putting on "Of Mice and Men" are examples of the finest things that literature can do.
And then there's the ending. Anyone who can read that without tears needs an empathy test.
My ranking of the books of his I’ve read so far:
S -
A - The Green Mile
B - Carrie; IT
C - Misery; Salem’s Lot
D - The Shining
E -
F -
Yuup
You would prolly really enjoy his Bachman books then, as well as The Body
@@cletusjones1631 isn't stand by me based on the body?
@@philippadaisyy Yes it is
Joe Bob what made you dnf (thinking of reading it)
The Long Walk - the perfect sampler and it really shows how well he writes characters (all they do is walk and talk)
Oh, boy. I’ve only discovered King last year and I’ve been obsessed ever since. Even though his books are truly disturbing, his writing for some reason is so comforting to me! I feel like the man speaks to my soul. And I absolutely agree with your point regarding his exploration and understanding of human emotions. That’s why I can’t really watch the movies based on King’s books - you just can’t show it all on screen.