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What Stephen King books do you recommend? (reddthat.com)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/books@lemmy.world
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I loved The Stand and Carrie, I've read others but don't remember them! Nothing too long or heavy

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[–] 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (7 children)

So I've only read probably 15 or 20 King books... which would be A LOT if you're talking about literally any other author. :)

He has this 8 book series called "The Dark Tower" which is phenomenal, but it ties together all of his books in a kind of "Steven King Universe" kind of way.

You can read it by itself, but when you realize there are all these hooks that tie into The Stand, and It, and Salem's Lot, and Insomnia... well, you get more out of all of it.

The Gunslinger
The Drawing of the Three
The Wastelands
Wizard and Glass

King's Car Accident

Wolves of the Calla
Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower
The Wind in the Keyhole

I separate out the two halves because, frankly, if I'm being brutally honest... the last 4 aren't as good. I think facing his mortality scared him and while he paced the first 4 books about 5 years apart (that cliffhanger ending on book 3 was a 5 year nightmare!) he really rushed through the rest of them and it shows. 😢

Dark Tower related, in the order I'm remembering them:

The Stand
It
Rose Madder
Insomnia
Desperation
The Regulators
The Talisman* - Not really, but the sequel ties it in.
Black House - Sequel to the Talisman that ties both to the Dark Tower
Talisman 3 - upcoming book. This year?
Salem's Lot
The Shining
Doctor Sleep
Eyes of the Dragon
Hearts in Atlantis
Fairy Tale* - Not really, but close enough!

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (6 children)

    I love the Dark Tower books but totally agree that the latter 4 are definitely weaker. I think it is worth a read despite the time commitment but it definitely slowly gets worse towards the end with a bit of a Meh ending. My second turn of the wheel was definitely better in terms of the ending though.

    Also the majority of that list you've written there are fucking great books.

    Insomnia I thought was a bit over rated but not really bad.

    Hearts in Atlantis and Doctor Sleep were eh.

    And Fairy Tale wasnt bad but also j don't think worth the time.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I was originally disappointed by the ending as well. But the more I thought about it, the more I came the conclusion that it's the only ending that works. Anything more... definite would've been a much bigger letdown, I'm sure. And besides... he now has the Horn!

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    I do agree. I still think the last few books aren't as strong as the first 4 which are fucking awesome but like you say the more I thought about it the more I like it.

    It has been a couple of years and I think I will go through all the books again sometime within the next year and I am confident that my third go around will be even better again. I would genuinely enjoy reading how the horn would change things!

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    I think I can definitively say why the others are weaker too...

    In the first four books, you have flashbacks to the young Roland and his friends, it's not a straight narrative. Book 4 is virtually all flashback, but you do have the "present day" narrative resolving the cliffhanger from book 3, and other bits with Jake, Eddie and Susan.

    Starting with book 5, there are no flashbacks and barely any mention of previous times. It's like King used the flashbacks in 1-3 to foreshadow book 4, worked it all out of his system, and went "Welp, done with that now!"

    5-7 are all straight narrative with nothing to break them up and I think they're lesser for it.

    You have ALL these hints about the Young Roland and his friends and what happened at Jericho Hill and no payoff for any of it. I had figured that the final book would also have the Jericho Hill story and... nothing.

    There was a comic book version, but that was written by someone else. I know, I know, King "approved" it, but it's not the same thing. :(

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I heard there was a comic book but I hadn't checked it out, do you not think it is worth it?

    I too also always wondered what happened at Jericho Hill.

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