Calling Stephen King the King of Horror is not a mere pun on his surname. With a vast imagination translated across a prolific bibliography and spanning multiple genres, the Portland author is perhaps one of the most important contemporary writers worldwide.
The list of works the horror genius has penned is far from short. S. King has written over 60 novels and 100 short stories, most nearly universally praised. Nonetheless, some stand out above the rest.
The following 10 books are some of Stephen King’s best books. Old and new, fiction or non-fiction, thriller or horror, each captivating text bound to transport you to an intriguing—or terrifying—new world.
The Shining
Perhaps best known for its 1980 film adaptation starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, The Shining is originally a novel by King vaguely inspired by the sensations he experienced after a stay in a desolate hotel and his journey with alcoholism.
The plot follows Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic who accepts a position as the caretaker of the mysterious Overlook Hotel during the heavy snowfall season. As he stays on the premises with his wife and child, his optimism trickles down when hauntings, visions, and his straining marriage spiral downwards.
The psychological thriller gains inspiration from gothic novels, particularly Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of The House of Usher, creating an intriguing and intense experience for readers.
It
One of Stephen King’s most famous novels, It features the emblematic Pennywise—a villain as recognizable in popular culture as Freddy Krueger or Ghostface.
The story follows a group of seven children subjected to the terrors of a malevolent, shapeshifting supernatural creature only known as It or its preferred form, Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Their quest for survival and eventual triumph happens across three decades and over a thousand pages.
Successfully adapted to the screen on two occasions—with Tim Curry and Bill Skarsgård starring as Pennywise in 1990 and 2017, respectively—It remains a frightful novel considered a must-have classic and one of Stephen King’s best books.
The Stand
The Stand is further proof of the diversity to be found in King’s repertoire. Considered one of his best novels, The Stand is not precisely a horror tale, although it remains unnerving.
This post-apocalyptic dark fantasy follows humanity’s journey after a deadly influenza pandemic killed most of the population sans a selected few. An ensemble cast receives visions of one of two characters—the kind Abagail Freemantle or the chilling Randall Flagg. They must gather.
The novel conceptualizes the perennial concept of good vs. evil through supernatural figures in a devastated wasteland. Flagg, in particular, would become a recurrent character in other books, including The Dark Tower series.
Carrie
A chilling book that set a precedent among its target audience back in 1974, Carrie transforms the horror of bullying into a tale of supernatural horror.
It follows the telekinetic awakening of Carrie White, a young high-school student bullied by her peers and abused at home. The increasing psychological toll of her continuous victimization leads her—and her powers—to wreak havoc on those who wronged her.
Best known for its legendary prom scene, Carrie is part of popular culture, undoubtedly one of Stephen King’s best books, and a must-read for all ages.
11/22/63
What would you do if you had a time machine that took you back to 1958? Jake Epping found himself in such a situation and chose to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
11/22/63 is a historical fiction novel published by King in 2011 focusing on time travel and the terrifying ramifications that one simple choice can have in the future. It again highlights the versatility of King’s writing and the implication that horror can appear in every literary genre.
Pet Sematary
Although terrifying by its concept, Pet Sematary stands out more as a lesson on grief and loss wrapped in the package of a horror novel.
When Dr. Louis Creed and his family move to their new home in Maine’s rural countryside, they discover a local cemetery for the dogs and cats killed by cars on the busy highway nearby. Tragedy soon strikes when the beloved family pet follows that fate, but it turns out that there is another cemetery nearby—a burial ground that can bring back what once was dead.
Written in 1983 and often featured in lists as one of Stephen King’s best books, Pet Sematary invites the reader to wonder how far they are willing to go to bring back someone they love and whether or not there may be a fate worse than death.
“Sometimes dead is better.”
Salem’s Lot
Before Twilight and the renaissance of the vampire as a romantic hero, they were fearful creatures of the night. Monsters. And as monsters, they haunt a small Maine town called Jerusalem’s Lot.
Salem’s Lot is Stephen King’s 2nd published novel, released in 1975. Like many of his stories, it follows the journey of a writer from Maine returning to his hometown—only this time, he finds it subjected to the horror of vampires and the terror they inflict on the residents.
Although not as heavily praised as some of his other novels, Salem’s Lot is a novel that features the best aspects of a young King and his roots as a horror writer.
The Green Mile
The only serial novel in this list, The Green Mile was published initially on six volumes in 1996, dating from March to August, before being released as one piece in subsequent dates.
Taking place in the Cold Mountain Penitentiary Death Row, The Green Mile follows the steps of Paul Edgecomb, a block supervisor, and his life-changing meeting with John Coffey—a large and gentle man sentenced to death who seems to display otherworldly abilities.
Far from a horror or a thriller, The Green Mile is an American take on Magic Realism with tinges of Southern Gothic, well-known thanks to its heart-wrenching film adaptation. It showcases exceptional narrative talent, befitting its position in this list as one of Stephen King’s best books.
On Writing
The first non-fiction entry on this list, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a privileged behind-the-scenes look at the creative process Stephen King embarks before, during, and after each book.
Its five sections approach writing from a personal and simultaneously impersonal perspective. From detailing aspects of his life that played a crucial role in his writing journey to providing advice for aspiring novelists, On Writing is a pragmatic book crafted after a terrible accident in King’s life and served as the fuel to push him to write again and, in turn, it seeks to inspire writers and readers alike.
Cujo
Cujo is a 1981 psychological horror novel centered around a friendly San Bernard dog contracting rabies. No supernatural elements twist the tale into something unrealistic—the true horror lies in the grounded plausibility of the scenario.
A friendly yet unvaccinated dog shifting behavior and displaying erratic rage. A young child and his mother stalked by a rabid dog while trapped in a broken car, far away from anyone or any means of communication, and without water or food under the intense heat—all while knowing that, once symptomatic, rabies is 100% fatal.
Terrifying in its realism, Cujo earned its spot as one of Stephen King’s most notorious novels.
Do You Think These Are Stephen King’s Best Books?
Stephen King rules over contemporary horror with an unshakeable grip, yet his work is far more than that.
His repertoire is prolific, and the genres he writes are just as numerous. As such, it’s impossible to include all of his exceptional work. The brilliant Dark Tower saga and the intriguing The Outsider are more examples of King’s skilled pen and how quantity and quality can go hand in hand. Nevertheless, No matter what your favorite Stephen King book is, you can find it at the best price on BookScouter.com. Happy reading!
