My dad is always recommending the Dead Zone by King so I'll pass on that recommendation! Apparently the US president in it is an arrogant egotistical a**hole making it weirdly current...
I loved the Dark Tower books. Needful things is my favorite ending, the ones that actually made me scared are the Shining, Duma Key and Bag of Bones. I thought the same as you of Sleeping Beauties and Elevation, and was also upset that Elevation won best horror, it's like a lot of people just saw SK and voted for that. Great video! I hope we get part 2 soon😃
As a Constant Reader since high school, I’m so glad to hear someone else praising “The Long Walk”! It’s definitely got a spot in my heart for how horrifying it depicts the dystopia within. My personal fav is “‘Salem’s Lot”, for some reason the story and the ending really resonated with me.
IKR! The very first King I read was The Green Mile and from there, there was no turning back. It was a very good book. It left a very good impression on me that I started to read more of king's books
@@grayssegv8423 Green Mile was my first introduction to King, having gotten to read it a bit in my dad's car as a kid, but I didn't read it properly until a few years later
Who, in their right mind, would recommend The Gunslinger as a first read by him? I get some people might like it (sort of) but to recommend it to others? 😂
Some huge Dark Tower fan who's not really thinking clearly and just wants everyone to read the series, I'm guessing. It's really not a good book, and not even written in King's usual style.
Gunslinger is a good book but I wouldnt reccomend it as a first time read simply because The Dark Tower series is full of easter eggs from, IT, The Stand, Salems Lot and a ton of other of his works. The Dark Tower series is great but it will be enjoyed infinitely more by someone who has read lots of his books
The ones I read (ranked from best to worst): 1. The shining 2. Mr. Mercedes 3. Pet Semetary 4. Finders Keepers 5. Misery 6. It 7. Carrie 8. Geralds Game 9. Gwendy’s Button Box 10. Joyland 11. End of Watch 12. Elevation 13. Sleeping Beauties 14. The Running Man 15. The Gunslinger
I’m on my 27th Stephen King book so hopefully I can give some other recommendations! Definitely Needful Things, The Dead Zone, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, Gerald’s Game. Definitely Full Dark No Stars if you’re interested in novellas. 11/22/63 is incredible..........that’s a lot of books 😂
@@vionafernandes4619 ooh tough question! I’d say if your brand new go Misery (very fast paced, easy to fly through and a classic of his) and then Needful Things (it’s one of his bigger books so a bit of an investment but it has a classic brillliant King villain and I’d say is one his most underrated books)
@@vionafernandes4619 how'd misery and needful things turn out? I think Misery is a great story but wow was it slow and boring for me at times. needful things is also the last book in the castle rock universe so odd to start with that one. also very slow, but epic ending. will also spoil cujo, dead zone, and dark half for you. I would recommend reading the green mile, pet cemetary, firestarter, duma key, 11/22/63. These are all great and are all very different, so you'll really get to see multiple themes throughout aside from just getting creeped out or scared.
@@divad44 Hey! I've just been so busy and hadn't had the time to read. But I was told that Green Mile is pretty good. So maybe I'll start with that. And obviously heard alot about Pet cemetery. Thank you so much for the suggestions.
I only just started reading Stephen King but I have to say I love his books ❤️ so far I‘ve not read one that I didn’t like. I especially loved 11/22/63 by him, so definitely read that one next!
Try Salem's Lot. One of his first books and one of his most 'unlike him' writing styles (according to him, as well as other people). Also DID really like the ending!
The green mile is one of my favorites by him. I’ve been told his short story collection Nightmare and Dreamscapes is really good and also that his newest, The Institute is also strong.
I laugh every time someone says they didn’t like the ending of one of his books because of his newest It movie (if you know, you know). Anyway, I read Salem’s Lot and thought it was just...fine. One scene from it really stuck with me though so the writing was fantastic i just didn’t love the story. Cujo so far has been my number 1 favourite, i find in King’s books he sometimes has WAY too many characters but that wasn’t the case in Cujo i liked the amount of characters that were in that one. I really want to read It, The Running Man, and The Long Walk! Oh and also his new one, The Institute sounds dope
I know that dark tower is a let down but trust me, The drawing of the three (sec book in series) is one of the best books in the series and I'm pretty sure you'll like it more than first one.
11/22/63 is my favourite book by Stephen King and is one of my top favourite books so hopefully you'll enjoy it! Also, I'm glad somebody else shares my sentiments about The Stand and The Gunslinger. I'm currently close to finishing up on the uncut version of The Stand (which is still another 5 hours give or take) and I literally cannot understand how anyone can get through it. I've been listening to it on Audiobook at 2x speed and I still find it incredibly difficult.
I literally cheered when you said long walk was your favourite. It is also my favourite book of his. And also the first one of his that I read. One of my favourite books ever!
A lot of people had problems with Gunslinger - which is fine. We just spent a lot of time breaking that book down with some friends on our channel. Sometimes the context others can give us helps parse through the confusion. Agreed that took some mental energy to work through :)
For It, the movies leave out *that* scene AND change the ending and make it better, so I think you'll enjoy them when you do watch them! They also gloss over some of the things that are not super important to the main plot (like that fire, for example). All in all, I think they did a great job turning It into movies!
I understand about Gunslinger. When i first started reading King, i had attempted it but couldn't get into it. It took me multiple tries before i got into it. I eventually had to use audiobook to start me off, then switched to the paperback once hooked enough. I then binged all 7 Tower novels
11.22.63 is such a good book! One of my favourites by The King. And I've too watched the TV show and, trust me, in comparison to the book, it sucks BIG TIME
Ironically enough, my favorite Stephen King book is probably The Gunslinger. My complaints about it (The Gunslinger) would come down to how incomplete the story feels without continuing the series, it very much almost feels like the pilot episode of a show or the first movie of a proposed trilogy. The series is a bit long now, 8 books and at least one short story in Everything's Eventual, but I think it's worth it, even with the ending. There is something akin to foundational fantasy with The Dark Tower, you can tell that he was inspired by Tolkien, but he wanted to make the fantasy world more contemporary, basically a long gone version of our own world. Pet Semetary is probably my second favorite just based on how dark it is. I would recommend the original Pet Semetary movie WAY before you watch the newest letdown version. King has a few iconic novels, and Bachman does too, but I think that King really shines with his short fiction, pretty much any of his anthologies are great, I would recommend Everything's Eventual, Nightmares and Dreamscapes, and Four Past Midnight.
It took me years to finally get to “Carrie”, I was surprised by it! The depiction of being a teenage girl seemed so raw and real. I learned after that his wife not only encouraged him to write it (after he threw out a first draft), but also gave him advice on how to write the “voice” of Carrie.
i'm halfway through reading his work in chronological order and so far my favorites are the long walk, misery (i've read it 3 times.... my og favorite), 11/22/63, and gerald's game. it was my first king novel at the ripe age of 8 and i completely forgot about that scene until i reread it again in 2016. the long walk is one of my favorite stories stephen king has written. i read the whole thing in one sitting 🤪 also, the dark tower series are my least favorites of his books. they're so hard go get through.... same goes with the stand
You should read the dark tower to the end! The gunslinger is the weakest of these seven books. The rest is amazing. I read it a few years ago but I remember that they made a great impression on me. If you manage to break through and read the rest, you certainly won't regret it.
It is not only my favorite book by Stephen King, it's my favorite book period. I fell in love with the entire Loser's Club (both as kids and adults) and hated all the characters that were supposed to be hated. There were indeed a lot of scenes that genuinely terrified me. I 100% agree with what you said about THAT scene. HOWEVER, it didn't ruin the book nor did it bring down the book for me much like you (I guess there was a lot of story for me, in a book that's over 1000 pages, that overshadowed that mere 15 page scene). About the length...I feel it's as long as it needs to be for 2 main reasons (both really blend into each other the more I think about it). Stephen King, to me, took all that time to flesh out the characters as well as the backstory and history of Derry and It, all of which I found extremely fascinating. And I really do believe that if King were to have shorten the book by a large number of pages, we would see readers complain that the characters weren't fleshed out and that there wasn't that much explanation to the nature of It. But hey, that's just me. Your mileage may vary.
My favourite SK book is actually his non-fiction book called "On Writing". I'm not an aspiring writer myself, but I really enjoyed reading his thoughts on the craft and also the memoir parts on his childhood :)
I would recommend gwendys button box if you want to get into to Stephen King books it is all right it's a very mild book compared to books like Misery, the long walk, 1922, IT etc. But it was pretty enjoyable and a very easy read. I read it in a couple hours
The Long Walk is also my favorite King's book, so you starting with that one was a good sign. I'll follow your recommnedations, because I've only read 4 King's and don't know where to go next :)
I 100% agree with you regarding your review of IT. I particularly agree with you regarding that scene, which was completely unnecessary and I found very disturbing. I can't believe so many other reviewers gush over this book, but never mention that scene. Fortunately, it's removed from all the movie adaptations. ***SPOILER WARNING*** Being ex-law enforcement and having worked with child abuse victims for years, I was shocked. For the 11 year old girl Beverley to initiate such behavior (saying that she knows something that her father "told" her), and then continue with all the boys, even though it's causing her significant physical pain and bleeding, indicates that she was seriously sexually abused by her father. She clearly craved her father's love, but the "love" she experienced from her father, he distorted through sexual abuse and then extreme violence towards her because of his guilt. Her experience of "love" and "affection" has been distorted through sexual pain and abuse, that continued into adulthood through her partner. The scene does not highlight a bonding moment, by bringing them back together, or that she loves them, or the connecting of childhood and adulthood, as Stephen King intended, but disturbingly reveals the behavior of severely traumatized child.
I agree with you about that thing that happens in IT.... the most horrifying thing I’ve read probably. It disgusted me so much and was literally unnecessary for the book..
I highly recommend The Girl who loved Tom Gordon by SK! It‘s not that well known, but a really fast read, verrry trippy and absolutely riveting. It‘s about a girl that goes missing in the woods and tries to get back to civilization, would highly recommend!
A surprising amount of them are not scary at all. Most are just following a character in a weird or odd situation and seeing how they deal with it. Some are scary but a lot aren’t. Try reading “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” or “11/22/63”. Neither of those are scary or supernatural in the least. For some short ones that would give you a quick taste of his style, I recommend “Ur” and “Mile 81”.
Gunslinger was my first book from him as well. It was part of the reading challenge I was doing and I genuinely enjoyed it. It's true that his writing style has changed and you can see that with each next book in the series. The story itself is what makes people love the series. I do too. I respect your opinion and hope that you will continue one day :) ♥
The Gunslinger is amazing - I loved that book. 5 stars for me having not read any of the other dark towers. For anyone that hates it - read some Cormac McCarthy books e.g. Blood Meridian, All the pretty horses etc. THEN come back and read Gunslinger - you will then appreciate it. amazing.
So you have to read others books that were not written by him to enjoy The Gunslinger? You really should read the other Dark Tower books, they are all better than The Gunslinger.
I really hated Sleeping Beauties but I feel so bad getting rid of it because I ordered from Book Depository just so I could get the UK cover and it's so beautiful.
I'm so glad you feel the same way about The Gunslinger. I couldn't finish it. My friend said I should just skim read it really fast because the other books in the series are really good. I may try again sometime this year. Awesome video by the way! I will try many of your recommendations.
Green Mile will blow you away. Dead Zone is another. Keep reading The Shining because King is layering his plot. The best part is the connection between the boy and the old black man.
I finished the Institute a couple days ago and I really liked it! It was my first King book. I picked up the Stand for pretty cheap at a book store while on vacation so now I'm trying to tackle that beast.
@@berenicethegirl not the worst move I guess! Big books can be pretty daunting. The Stand is the biggest book Ive ever owned but I'm not going to let it discourage me 😊
So happy someone finally picked “the long walk” as their favorite Stephen king book. That has always been my favorite by him despite the fact that it’s a lesser known Stephen king book. 👍
I was really into SK when I was in high school (back in the 90's: yikes! Crisse, chu vieille 😢😳🤣) and I haven't read anything from him since. I also read in french because I didn't read english well enough then. My favorite was Brume (it was a bunch of short stories). I loved IT and saw the movie that came out in 1995 maybe, and I was also revolted by "that" obscene scene. I am convinced there was no need for it: none. Great video.
I've read nearly his entire catalogue. He is my favorite author! My least favorites are Sleeping Beauties and Elevation. I didn't enjoy one page of those books.
I looooove your shirt!!! The only King book I've read is Carrie and I really enjoyed it, it's pretty short and easy to get through with great characters. The characters are also really well developed and easy to sympathise with, so it can get emotional because of the subject matter! It's often recommended as a good place to start with King and it's definitely convinced me to read more of his books soon!
Read The Shinning! Nah, I'm kidding. Well, half kidding because I read it this summer and loved it. But I think that's the issue with King and recommendations. People get super attached to their favourite books and don't realize that maybe they are not for everyone. I read IT first (well, Under the Dome but I DNFed it) and while I liked it, I don't think it was the right choice for "my first King book". Yet, I see a lot of people saying that we should read that one first. This usually happens with authors that are well-loved but don't follow a "basic formula". My favourite (so far) was Carrie. I love the movie but I think the book is even better. I really like many of the female characters he writes and Carrie is just one of the best ever for me.
Hi there - I realise your post is two years old and you may have begun your Stephen King journey by now, but in case you haven't:- Firstly, it's best to know going in that SK doesn't write 'quick reads' filled with action on every page - which is probably why he has been so successful....and conversely why a lot of modern readers come to him excited, but walk away bored and frustrated. His books are immersive worlds, populated by characters with history and nuance - they are a journey, not a ride. If that sounds like your thing, you'll probably have a good time. So where to start? I guess you could go SK lite, just to get a taste of his style without diving into anything too involved, and begin with some of his short stories. Some good collections are 'Skeleton Crew', 'Full Dark, No Stars', and the four novellas in 'Different Seasons'. I started on King as a young teenager, and picked 'Christine' because of the age of the protagonists and the teenaged subject matter - it worked well for me at that age, so, if you're a teenager this may be a good first full length SK novel one for you. Thinner is one of his shorter novels, and zips by quickly by King standards, so that's also a good first time SK read. If you fancy diving straight into the meatier stuff, then Salem's Lot, The Shining, Firestarter, Cujo, Pet Sematary, and IT are all good. Bare in mind that whilst the ideas for some of these were original at the time (such as Salem's Lot), other folks have done similar things since then, in both print and screen, which might diminish their impact somewhat. Also worth noting: if you already know the ending of certain books due to them being part of popular culture now, getting to the 'good bit' (as it were) of such as 'Pet Sematary' might be a drag (though if you are going in blind, it's a great book). If you like thriller type books 'Dolores Claibourne' and 'Misery' are cracking. If you like grounded fantasy mysteries, 'The Green Mile' is spot on! Of course, everyone has their own favourites which just resonate with who they are as a person - for instance most folks love The Stand, but it wasn't really for me. Anyway, good luck, and I hope this has been of some (belated) use.
King plans to write an ending coda for The Stand’s upcoming miniseries since he agrees he sorta flunked it. That said, I loved this book, SO much more hopeful in the end than other post-apocalyptic novels. The Road just gutted me for example. Station Eleven was also more hopeful. Virus, yes. Atom bomb, no, I guess...
I’ve read about 6 Stephan king books and honestly, I think his writing makes him sound like a creep. The way he describes sexy scenes/love interests is soooo creepy. I have given up on him entirely
I’ve also read around that many and haven’t come across a single sexy scene. It may just be the ones you happened to pick up. If you like his writing style, I encourage you to try some of his others. He writes so many different styles of stories, it’s not really fair to judge them all based on just a very few of them.
I'm here bcoz ure my girl crush and ofcourse ive notified by your video, and my fave author is SK. My fav books are: Misery, The Long walk, it, pet sematary, and The Outsider.. I'd like to recommend to read We have always lived in the castle and the haunting of hill house by Shirley Jackson. And Joe Hill (Stephen King son) NOS4A2. Lovelove💗💗💗
The Gunslinger is my favorite book of my life, it's written by a young man for young men, so I understand how a female would have trouble relating to it. I read it when I was 16, now I'm 51 and it's still #1 for me.
In my opinion Stephen King’s best form is the short story. My favorite of his short stories is the mist which begs for more done correctly. And even the movie was awesome
100% agree with you about Stephen King and endings another author who is like that is Michael Crichton .they come up with brilliant ideas for stories they create worlds and then they don’t know what to do with it.
The only book by him I've ever read is The Shining. Next I'm gonna read 11/22/63 because I own it, but I don't own any other books by him, so I'm not sure which book to read next! I'm also not sure if It and Doctor Sleep will be worth reading.
So my mom is a long time Stephen king fan since the gunslinger was published in the early 80s I believe. My moms main method of punishment growing up was using educational stuff to make us smarter (for instance making my sister read and copy definitions from her medical dictionary). One summer me and both my sisters got in trouble for going somewhere we weren’t supposed to so as punishment she made us read IT in its entirety (I was 9 my sisters were btwn 14-16). While we were reading it she made us write book reports and quizzes us. It kind of backfired though bc we have all loved his books ever since!
How many books have you started and realised “ I just cannot get through this “ it happens to me quite a lot so frustrating when trying stephen king novels.
The Dark Tower series are actually my favorite Stephen King books, I really like how atmospheric they are and how there are so many easter eggs in them from all his other works (It, The Shining, Salem's Lot, etc) because the series is basically about the Stephen King multiverse. I like long stories like that as well, it gives me a lot to think about (the world, the characters, subplots) and I don't mind the countless hours I spend reading them, it just makes me even more attached to the book by the end. I see why people may not like this series though, it can be kind of hit or miss and depends on your specific taste. I also sometimes rather enjoy the vague, sudden endings, as it works fine with my philosophy on the abrupt and sometimes nonsensical (meaningless) finality of life.^^
I hated sleeping beauties too! I didn’t understand the hype. I thought the audiobook of pet semetary was really good and I really liked the mr. Mercedes trilogy . I’ll have to check out the long walk. Thank you for reviews 😎
I HATED The Gunslinger, it took me 6 months to pick up book 2 and it was ok, I continued though cause I joined a read along so decided to just go with it, even though everyone else was already finished 😂 I’m on book 4 now and I LOVE IT! Makes me want to reread book 1! It gets dark and even more weird. I will admit it can still be very confusing, which is one of my complaints BUT they do wrap up nicely at the endings. Now another “advice” listen to the audiobooks, at first it was eehhh but they grow on you! I would say try and get past the second book which I had a hard time with but the third book is better and the fourth is my favorite so far. Great video!!
I can't believe this just happened...This week I have been obsessed with Stephen King and I bought so many books by him...and now this video...how did you do that???
@@BookswithEmilyFox it's so weird that you said that... I have a freaking collection of pillows, literally!!! (But don't worry, I won't call the police on you, your videos are too great❤)
I feel like telling people about what happens when they stop in The Long Walk is a spoiler. I didn't know and it made the shock so much greater. Anyway, I understand your hatred for The Gunslinger! It's crazy that people recommend it to you as your first Stephen King. It feels very experimental, very introductory, to the rest of the series. The other books are so much easier to read though. You could never read them and that's ok, but if you wanna sort of understand why all his worlds are connected you kinda have to. And I assure you there's a reason why the character seems confused sometimes. Also, I wanted to note the reason why people go back after finishing the series and give it 5 stars isn't nostalgia, but the fact that it's only when you finish that you really realize how great the storytelling there is. Maybe not the best writing he has, but definitely one of his more plotted out and planned books of all time. And this coming from a girl who, like you, hates how much he DOESN'T PLAN things. Also try as best you can not to get spoiled for TDT, SK fans are usually pretty good with keeping secrets but there are some assholes out there.
I got so excited when I noticed you had uploaded this video :D I'm on my journey with reading King's books but I have read just a fraction of them because he has written A LOT of books.
The Long Walk is great! I really liked 11/22/63 as well so you're in for a treat when you get to that! I'm closer to having all of King's books read than you are but I totally feel your pain, I reckon I'm still about 15 away from having read them all!
There’s much that is different between the Shining book and movie but one thing that’s the same is that it takes about half the book to get rolling and then it starts moving and draws you in
“Misery” and “Cell” are great. I feel exactly the same about the endings of his books, and how some things in the books are so unneeded and unnecessary.. yet I still read his books, because everything else about them is so good!
Omg I can’t believe someone recommended The Gunslinger as a starting off point for Stephen King.. how awful for you lol. Trust me tho, the rest of that series is totally amazing and you really should pick it up!!!
I actually read The Long Walk because of you. It's my first Stephen King book. I'm really glad I read it. My opinions are the same, I wanted to know more about the world and the origin of the walk and the ending was very abrupt. But overall I really enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to read more of your recommendations.
I don’t think you really like Stephen King that much. You haven’t read a lot of the good ones. 11/22/63 is a book you should start with or The Institute or Under the Dome.
If it weren’t for the length, I’d agree with 11/22/63 and Under the Dome. I don’t know about how much people are willing to put up with if they’re not already a fan haha. Personally I’d say start with “The Green Mile” or even just picking up “Different Seasons” since you get a lot of the different “sides” of SK in that one. Some sad, some triumphant, some fucked-up.
What's your favorite SK book? Which one should I pick up next? :D
My dad is always recommending the Dead Zone by King so I'll pass on that recommendation! Apparently the US president in it is an arrogant egotistical a**hole making it weirdly current...
I read Salem’s Lot when I was a teenager. I’ve been wanting to reread it to see if it still scares the living crap out of me.
I tend to enjoy his older stuff more - Cujo, Christine, Firestarter.
What about the Shining?? I suppose you allready read that
I loved the Dark Tower books. Needful things is my favorite ending, the ones that actually made me scared are the Shining, Duma Key and Bag of Bones. I thought the same as you of Sleeping Beauties and Elevation, and was also upset that Elevation won best horror, it's like a lot of people just saw SK and voted for that. Great video! I hope we get part 2 soon😃
"Misery" is really really good, i enjoyed it quite a bit
Carolina Heza I was going to recommend that one too. The book was much better than the movie.
@@michellelee487 I saw the movie first and read the book a year later, and I LOVED both!!
Heirofbooks Pet Cemetery was a good movie. He does write a lot of books.
I liked Misery but I don't put that much praise towards it. Maybe I should read it again. Perhaps it went over my head.
Saaame
The green mile is one of his best books. Totally underrated
As a Constant Reader since high school, I’m so glad to hear someone else praising “The Long Walk”! It’s definitely got a spot in my heart for how horrifying it depicts the dystopia within.
My personal fav is “‘Salem’s Lot”, for some reason the story and the ending really resonated with me.
liked Salems Lot too. Read it while having a bout of high fever which added the Effect. i am readin needful things rite now
i love the long walk, it's actually the book that got me deeply invested in stephen king.
Why is no one talking about one of his best - The Green Mile
IKR! The very first King I read was The Green Mile and from there, there was no turning back. It was a very good book. It left a very good impression on me that I started to read more of king's books
That book is doodoo
That one's mentioned in her description.
That's one of his best
@@grayssegv8423 Green Mile was my first introduction to King, having gotten to read it a bit in my dad's car as a kid, but I didn't read it properly until a few years later
Currently reading “The Shining” and I’m getting all the spooky vibes.
You should try sleeping more at night if you're going to forget about two books you've read...
Now, now... we don't want to have to call you EmilyCat now do we?
Some books are just very forgettable.
I love Stephen King. He's a Genius.
The Shining is my favorite King novel. I loved Salem’s Lot as well.
Amy Schmid you should read doctor sleep I love it
Faye Britt I have it on my shelf! It was gifted to me this year on my birthday.
It's so good
Who, in their right mind, would recommend The Gunslinger as a first read by him? I get some people might like it (sort of) but to recommend it to others? 😂
I was just going to comment this very thing....so odd.
Average book, but the gunslinger series is one of the best fantasy series I’ve read.
Some huge Dark Tower fan who's not really thinking clearly and just wants everyone to read the series, I'm guessing. It's really not a good book, and not even written in King's usual style.
Gunslinger is a good book but I wouldnt reccomend it as a first time read simply because The Dark Tower series is full of easter eggs from, IT, The Stand, Salems Lot and a ton of other of his works. The Dark Tower series is great but it will be enjoyed infinitely more by someone who has read lots of his books
Love that book. The whole series was great.. Different opinions i guess right.. 😂
now THIS is the type of content I am looking for on youtube
Me too
I'd love to see a companion video to this one where you talk about the movie adaptations, since most of these do have adaptations out there.
The ones I read (ranked from best to worst):
1. The shining
2. Mr. Mercedes
3. Pet Semetary
4. Finders Keepers
5. Misery
6. It
7. Carrie
8. Geralds Game
9. Gwendy’s Button Box
10. Joyland
11. End of Watch
12. Elevation
13. Sleeping Beauties
14. The Running Man
15. The Gunslinger
I think you'd probably enjoy "The Talisman", "Misery", "Carrie". And maybe "Cujo" and "The Shining".
I could not get into Talisman no matter how hard I tried.
This shirt is everything!
I felt very witchy which worked well for this video :P
When you start speaking French when talking about IT xD
Truly at lost for... (english) word(s) :P
that's how you know the feelings are strong lol
I’m on my 27th Stephen King book so hopefully I can give some other recommendations! Definitely Needful Things, The Dead Zone, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, Gerald’s Game. Definitely Full Dark No Stars if you’re interested in novellas. 11/22/63 is incredible..........that’s a lot of books 😂
Ok I have not read a single book of his. Full on Newbie. So suggest two books. Which one should I start with.
@@vionafernandes4619 ooh tough question! I’d say if your brand new go Misery (very fast paced, easy to fly through and a classic of his) and then Needful Things (it’s one of his bigger books so a bit of an investment but it has a classic brillliant King villain and I’d say is one his most underrated books)
@@R3BECCAK Thank you so much!
@@vionafernandes4619 how'd misery and needful things turn out? I think Misery is a great story but wow was it slow and boring for me at times. needful things is also the last book in the castle rock universe so odd to start with that one. also very slow, but epic ending. will also spoil cujo, dead zone, and dark half for you.
I would recommend reading the green mile, pet cemetary, firestarter, duma key, 11/22/63. These are all great and are all very different, so you'll really get to see multiple themes throughout aside from just getting creeped out or scared.
@@divad44 Hey! I've just been so busy and hadn't had the time to read. But I was told that Green Mile is pretty good. So maybe I'll start with that. And obviously heard alot about Pet cemetery. Thank you so much for the suggestions.
I only just started reading Stephen King but I have to say I love his books ❤️ so far I‘ve not read one that I didn’t like. I especially loved 11/22/63 by him, so definitely read that one next!
Try Salem's Lot. One of his first books and one of his most 'unlike him' writing styles (according to him, as well as other people). Also DID really like the ending!
Just checked, has noone else mentioned Salem's Lot?!?!? 😱
Ugh absolutely my fave! I still need to watch the movie.
I just read the book and it was great! What’s your favorite?
@@lawdawgm2844 you should read the shining, haven’t read Salem’s lot yet, but that book was amazing
The green mile is one of my favorites by him. I’ve been told his short story collection Nightmare and Dreamscapes is really good and also that his newest, The Institute is also strong.
Always love to see support for The Long Walk. Easily a top 10 King book!
I laugh every time someone says they didn’t like the ending of one of his books because of his newest It movie (if you know, you know). Anyway, I read Salem’s Lot and thought it was just...fine. One scene from it really stuck with me though so the writing was fantastic i just didn’t love the story. Cujo so far has been my number 1 favourite, i find in King’s books he sometimes has WAY too many characters but that wasn’t the case in Cujo i liked the amount of characters that were in that one. I really want to read It, The Running Man, and The Long Walk! Oh and also his new one, The Institute sounds dope
I know that dark tower is a let down but trust me, The drawing of the three (sec book in series) is one of the best books in the series and I'm pretty sure you'll like it more than first one.
I just read Misery and LOVED it. It was my first book by him, but omg how much I want to read more~
11/22/63 is my favourite book by Stephen King and is one of my top favourite books so hopefully you'll enjoy it! Also, I'm glad somebody else shares my sentiments about The Stand and The Gunslinger. I'm currently close to finishing up on the uncut version of The Stand (which is still another 5 hours give or take) and I literally cannot understand how anyone can get through it. I've been listening to it on Audiobook at 2x speed and I still find it incredibly difficult.
I literally cheered when you said long walk was your favourite. It is also my favourite book of his. And also the first one of his that I read. One of my favourite books ever!
I find with most of his books, the beginning is his strongest point. I love Stephen King, but he can also be a hit or miss
A lot of people had problems with Gunslinger - which is fine. We just spent a lot of time breaking that book down with some friends on our channel. Sometimes the context others can give us helps parse through the confusion. Agreed that took some mental energy to work through :)
Thinner is similar to Elevation but its soo much better!!
For It, the movies leave out *that* scene AND change the ending and make it better, so I think you'll enjoy them when you do watch them! They also gloss over some of the things that are not super important to the main plot (like that fire, for example). All in all, I think they did a great job turning It into movies!
i’ve seen the movies but haven’t read the book...so now i’m really excited to see what the book ending is 😂
@@peachykeenchy8194 It absolutely SUCKS in comparison
I understand about Gunslinger. When i first started reading King, i had attempted it but couldn't get into it. It took me multiple tries before i got into it. I eventually had to use audiobook to start me off, then switched to the paperback once hooked enough. I then binged all 7 Tower novels
11.22.63 is such a good book! One of my favourites by The King. And I've too watched the TV show and, trust me, in comparison to the book, it sucks BIG TIME
Ironically enough, my favorite Stephen King book is probably The Gunslinger. My complaints about it (The Gunslinger) would come down to how incomplete the story feels without continuing the series, it very much almost feels like the pilot episode of a show or the first movie of a proposed trilogy. The series is a bit long now, 8 books and at least one short story in Everything's Eventual, but I think it's worth it, even with the ending. There is something akin to foundational fantasy with The Dark Tower, you can tell that he was inspired by Tolkien, but he wanted to make the fantasy world more contemporary, basically a long gone version of our own world. Pet Semetary is probably my second favorite just based on how dark it is. I would recommend the original Pet Semetary movie WAY before you watch the newest letdown version.
King has a few iconic novels, and Bachman does too, but I think that King really shines with his short fiction, pretty much any of his anthologies are great, I would recommend Everything's Eventual, Nightmares and Dreamscapes, and Four Past Midnight.
I have never read Stephen King but just started Pet Semetary. It's pretty interesting so far.
I'm starting with Pet Cemetery too. So far it's been pretty good
just finished "Carrie" it was quite good
i hated it so much tho
It took me years to finally get to “Carrie”, I was surprised by it! The depiction of being a teenage girl seemed so raw and real. I learned after that his wife not only encouraged him to write it (after he threw out a first draft), but also gave him advice on how to write the “voice” of Carrie.
i'm halfway through reading his work in chronological order and so far my favorites are the long walk, misery (i've read it 3 times.... my og favorite), 11/22/63, and gerald's game.
it was my first king novel at the ripe age of 8 and i completely forgot about that scene until i reread it again in 2016.
the long walk is one of my favorite stories stephen king has written. i read the whole thing in one sitting 🤪
also, the dark tower series are my least favorites of his books. they're so hard go get through.... same goes with the stand
you read It when you were eight?!
@@alexis2318 my mom had it but had never read it and let me 🤣
You should read the dark tower to the end! The gunslinger is the weakest of these seven books. The rest is amazing. I read it a few years ago but I remember that they made a great impression on me. If you manage to break through and read the rest, you certainly won't regret it.
I loved Eyes of the Dragon. It’s very different than anything else I’ve read by him, it’s fantasy, a short quick read.
It is not only my favorite book by Stephen King, it's my favorite book period. I fell in love with the entire Loser's Club (both as kids and adults) and hated all the characters that were supposed to be hated. There were indeed a lot of scenes that genuinely terrified me. I 100% agree with what you said about THAT scene. HOWEVER, it didn't ruin the book nor did it bring down the book for me much like you (I guess there was a lot of story for me, in a book that's over 1000 pages, that overshadowed that mere 15 page scene).
About the length...I feel it's as long as it needs to be for 2 main reasons (both really blend into each other the more I think about it). Stephen King, to me, took all that time to flesh out the characters as well as the backstory and history of Derry and It, all of which I found extremely fascinating. And I really do believe that if King were to have shorten the book by a large number of pages, we would see readers complain that the characters weren't fleshed out and that there wasn't that much explanation to the nature of It.
But hey, that's just me. Your mileage may vary.
My favourite SK book is actually his non-fiction book called "On Writing". I'm not an aspiring writer myself, but I really enjoyed reading his thoughts on the craft and also the memoir parts on his childhood :)
that premise of the short story in Elevation sounds so much like his book Thinner :o
I've read about 15 of his books. Some of my favorites have been 11/22/63, It, Salem's Lot, and Revival.
i'm trying to decide between 11/22/63 and revival, which should i read first, ya think?
The Green Mile is my favorite of his!! It is an amazing book/story. It has stayed with me for years. Also really love Salem's Lot!
I would recommend gwendys button box if you want to get into to Stephen King books it is all right it's a very mild book compared to books like Misery, the long walk, 1922, IT etc. But it was pretty enjoyable and a very easy read. I read it in a couple hours
I read The Long Walk at your recommendation and I loved it! Read a few by him now but that one is still my favourite book of his ☺
Spooky, a review of The Stand in Oct of 2019, while Wuhan and Seattle started living out chapter one.
The Long Walk is also my favorite King's book, so you starting with that one was a good sign. I'll follow your recommnedations, because I've only read 4 King's and don't know where to go next :)
The Long Walk is my fave too omg. You should definitely read Misery, it's soo good.
The Long Walk was slated as a movie, but was delayed/cancelled by covid.
I also HATED that scene in It, decided to delete it from my mind. I think the origin of It and how they got rid of it was ridiculous.
I'm reading the shining by him right now
Kitty Girl Me too 😊 what do you think of it so far?
I 100% agree with you regarding your review of IT. I particularly agree with you regarding that scene, which was completely unnecessary and I found very disturbing. I can't believe so many other reviewers gush over this book, but never mention that scene. Fortunately, it's removed from all the movie adaptations.
***SPOILER WARNING***
Being ex-law enforcement and having worked with child abuse victims for years, I was shocked.
For the 11 year old girl Beverley to initiate such behavior (saying that she knows something that her father "told" her), and then continue with all the boys, even though it's causing her significant physical pain and bleeding, indicates that she was seriously sexually abused by her father. She clearly craved her father's love, but the "love" she experienced from her father, he distorted through sexual abuse and then extreme violence towards her because of his guilt. Her experience of "love" and "affection" has been distorted through sexual pain and abuse, that continued into adulthood through her partner.
The scene does not highlight a bonding moment, by bringing them back together, or that she loves them, or the connecting of childhood and adulthood, as Stephen King intended, but disturbingly reveals the behavior of severely traumatized child.
I agree with you about that thing that happens in IT.... the most horrifying thing I’ve read probably. It disgusted me so much and was literally unnecessary for the book..
I highly recommend The Girl who loved Tom Gordon by SK! It‘s not that well known, but a really fast read, verrry trippy and absolutely riveting. It‘s about a girl that goes missing in the woods and tries to get back to civilization, would highly recommend!
I wish I wasn’t such a scaredy-cat so I could read Stephen king
A lot of them are not actually scary-scary just some dark content.
BookswithEmilyFox added the green mile to my want to read list!!!
A surprising amount of them are not scary at all. Most are just following a character in a weird or odd situation and seeing how they deal with it. Some are scary but a lot aren’t. Try reading “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” or “11/22/63”. Neither of those are scary or supernatural in the least. For some short ones that would give you a quick taste of his style, I recommend “Ur” and “Mile 81”.
desertrose0601 yes! I also loved The girl who loved Tom Gordon, such a great book!
katie even the king of horror writes other genres.
My favourite SK book so far is Misery. Boy, oh boy, was that a ride indeed.
Gunslinger was my first book from him as well. It was part of the reading challenge I was doing and I genuinely enjoyed it. It's true that his writing style has changed and you can see that with each next book in the series. The story itself is what makes people love the series. I do too. I respect your opinion and hope that you will continue one day :) ♥
The Gunslinger is amazing - I loved that book. 5 stars for me having not read any of the other dark towers. For anyone that hates it - read some Cormac McCarthy books e.g. Blood Meridian, All the pretty horses etc. THEN come back and read Gunslinger - you will then appreciate it. amazing.
So you have to read others books that were not written by him to enjoy The Gunslinger?
You really should read the other Dark Tower books, they are all better than The Gunslinger.
Your videos have inspired me to read Stephen King!! I started with Carrie - I’m almost done with it and it is GOOD!!!
Hi! In Portugal we have IT in two volumes. Makes it easier to read even though the price gets way more expensive ahaha
I really hated Sleeping Beauties but I feel so bad getting rid of it because I ordered from Book Depository just so I could get the UK cover and it's so beautiful.
I have read 3 books of him so far! The Shinning, Pet Sematary, and Desperation! I loved all of them, and I just started Salem's Lot.
Misery is a really good book. I'm currently reading 11/22/63 and it's been a great book so far as well!
I'm so glad you feel the same way about The Gunslinger. I couldn't finish it. My friend said I should just skim read it really fast because the other books in the series are really good. I may try again sometime this year.
Awesome video by the way! I will try many of your recommendations.
Green Mile will blow you away. Dead Zone is another. Keep reading The Shining because King is layering his plot. The best part is the connection between the boy and the old black man.
I finished the Institute a couple days ago and I really liked it! It was my first King book. I picked up the Stand for pretty cheap at a book store while on vacation so now I'm trying to tackle that beast.
Good luck. M-O-O-N.
In French they published The Stand in two different tomes, so it's not as daunting haha
@@berenicethegirl not the worst move I guess! Big books can be pretty daunting. The Stand is the biggest book Ive ever owned but I'm not going to let it discourage me 😊
@@baeticat I wish you courage!!
So happy someone finally picked “the long walk” as their favorite Stephen king book. That has always been my favorite by him despite the fact that it’s a lesser known Stephen king book. 👍
The Raft is my favorite Stephen King Story
I just finished Misery by him and I really enjoyed it - definitely one of his better ones in my opinion. My favorite is Lisey's Story.
I was really into SK when I was in high school (back in the 90's: yikes! Crisse, chu vieille 😢😳🤣) and I haven't read anything from him since. I also read in french because I didn't read english well enough then. My favorite was Brume (it was a bunch of short stories). I loved IT and saw the movie that came out in 1995 maybe, and I was also revolted by "that" obscene scene. I am convinced there was no need for it: none. Great video.
the long walk is like one of the best books I've ever read. and I've read plenty.
I've read nearly his entire catalogue. He is my favorite author! My least favorites are Sleeping Beauties and Elevation. I didn't enjoy one page of those books.
I looooove your shirt!!! The only King book I've read is Carrie and I really enjoyed it, it's pretty short and easy to get through with great characters. The characters are also really well developed and easy to sympathise with, so it can get emotional because of the subject matter! It's often recommended as a good place to start with King and it's definitely convinced me to read more of his books soon!
Read The Shinning! Nah, I'm kidding. Well, half kidding because I read it this summer and loved it.
But I think that's the issue with King and recommendations. People get super attached to their favourite books and don't realize that maybe they are not for everyone. I read IT first (well, Under the Dome but I DNFed it) and while I liked it, I don't think it was the right choice for "my first King book". Yet, I see a lot of people saying that we should read that one first. This usually happens with authors that are well-loved but don't follow a "basic formula".
My favourite (so far) was Carrie. I love the movie but I think the book is even better. I really like many of the female characters he writes and Carrie is just one of the best ever for me.
hes much stronger at writing females in my opinion
I’ve never read a King book but have been looking for a good one to start with! Appreciate your honest opinions ♥️
Hi there - I realise your post is two years old and you may have begun your Stephen King journey by now, but in case you haven't:-
Firstly, it's best to know going in that SK doesn't write 'quick reads' filled with action on every page - which is probably why he has been so successful....and conversely why a lot of modern readers come to him excited, but walk away bored and frustrated.
His books are immersive worlds, populated by characters with history and nuance - they are a journey, not a ride. If that sounds like your thing, you'll probably have a good time.
So where to start? I guess you could go SK lite, just to get a taste of his style without diving into anything too involved, and begin with some of his short stories. Some good collections are 'Skeleton Crew', 'Full Dark, No Stars', and the four novellas in 'Different Seasons'.
I started on King as a young teenager, and picked 'Christine' because of the age of the protagonists and the teenaged subject matter - it worked well for me at that age, so, if you're a teenager this may be a good first full length SK novel one for you.
Thinner is one of his shorter novels, and zips by quickly by King standards, so that's also a good first time SK read.
If you fancy diving straight into the meatier stuff, then Salem's Lot, The Shining, Firestarter, Cujo, Pet Sematary, and IT are all good. Bare in mind that whilst the ideas for some of these were original at the time (such as Salem's Lot), other folks have done similar things since then, in both print and screen, which might diminish their impact somewhat. Also worth noting: if you already know the ending of certain books due to them being part of popular culture now, getting to the 'good bit' (as it were) of such as 'Pet Sematary' might be a drag (though if you are going in blind, it's a great book).
If you like thriller type books 'Dolores Claibourne' and 'Misery' are cracking.
If you like grounded fantasy mysteries, 'The Green Mile' is spot on!
Of course, everyone has their own favourites which just resonate with who they are as a person - for instance most folks love The Stand, but it wasn't really for me.
Anyway, good luck, and I hope this has been of some (belated) use.
King plans to write an ending coda for The Stand’s upcoming miniseries since he agrees he sorta flunked it. That said, I loved this book, SO much more hopeful in the end than other post-apocalyptic novels. The Road just gutted me for example. Station Eleven was also more hopeful. Virus, yes. Atom bomb, no, I guess...
Wow you just hurt my feelings about “The Gunslinger “ 😭😭😭😭😭 but I can’t stay mad at that pretty face and gentle smile
I’ve read about 6 Stephan king books and honestly, I think his writing makes him sound like a creep. The way he describes sexy scenes/love interests is soooo creepy. I have given up on him entirely
He's definitely... great at that lol
I’ve also read around that many and haven’t come across a single sexy scene. It may just be the ones you happened to pick up. If you like his writing style, I encourage you to try some of his others. He writes so many different styles of stories, it’s not really fair to judge them all based on just a very few of them.
What books were those "sexy scenes"?
‘Green Mile’ book is really good, the movie is pretty accurate in following the book.
I'm here bcoz ure my girl crush and ofcourse ive notified by your video, and my fave author is SK. My fav books are: Misery, The Long walk, it, pet sematary, and The Outsider..
I'd like to recommend to read We have always lived in the castle and the haunting of hill house by Shirley Jackson. And Joe Hill (Stephen King son) NOS4A2.
Lovelove💗💗💗
The Gunslinger is my favorite book of my life, it's written by a young man for young men, so I understand how a female would have trouble relating to it. I read it when I was 16, now I'm 51 and it's still #1 for me.
Losing weight? Why does that sound like Thinner? Did S King forget he already wrote that? Lol.
In my opinion Stephen King’s best form is the short story. My favorite of his short stories is the mist which begs for more done correctly. And even the movie was awesome
Green Mile is my absolute favorite.
100% agree with you about Stephen King and endings another author who is like that is Michael Crichton .they come up with brilliant ideas for stories they create worlds and then they don’t know what to do with it.
The only book by him I've ever read is The Shining. Next I'm gonna read 11/22/63 because I own it, but I don't own any other books by him, so I'm not sure which book to read next! I'm also not sure if It and Doctor Sleep will be worth reading.
So my mom is a long time Stephen king fan since the gunslinger was published in the early 80s I believe. My moms main method of punishment growing up was using educational stuff to make us smarter (for instance making my sister read and copy definitions from her medical dictionary). One summer me and both my sisters got in trouble for going somewhere we weren’t supposed to so as punishment she made us read IT in its entirety (I was 9 my sisters were btwn 14-16). While we were reading it she made us write book reports and quizzes us. It kind of backfired though bc we have all loved his books ever since!
How many books have you started and realised “ I just cannot get through this “ it happens to me quite a lot so frustrating when trying stephen king novels.
The Dark Tower series are actually my favorite Stephen King books, I really like how atmospheric they are and how there are so many easter eggs in them from all his other works (It, The Shining, Salem's Lot, etc) because the series is basically about the Stephen King multiverse. I like long stories like that as well, it gives me a lot to think about (the world, the characters, subplots) and I don't mind the countless hours I spend reading them, it just makes me even more attached to the book by the end. I see why people may not like this series though, it can be kind of hit or miss and depends on your specific taste. I also sometimes rather enjoy the vague, sudden endings, as it works fine with my philosophy on the abrupt and sometimes nonsensical (meaningless) finality of life.^^
I hated sleeping beauties too! I didn’t understand the hype. I thought the audiobook of pet semetary was really good and I really liked the mr. Mercedes trilogy . I’ll have to check out the long walk. Thank you for reviews 😎
Instantly subscribed when you said ‘The Long Walk’ is your favourite! This lady has taste ;P
I HATED The Gunslinger, it took me 6 months to pick up book 2 and it was ok, I continued though cause I joined a read along so decided to just go with it, even though everyone else was already finished 😂 I’m on book 4 now and I LOVE IT! Makes me want to reread book 1! It gets dark and even more weird. I will admit it can still be very confusing, which is one of my complaints BUT they do wrap up nicely at the endings. Now another “advice” listen to the audiobooks, at first it was eehhh but they grow on you! I would say try and get past the second book which I had a hard time with but the third book is better and the fourth is my favorite so far. Great video!!
I can't believe this just happened...This week I have been obsessed with Stephen King and I bought so many books by him...and now this video...how did you do that???
Totally not spying on you... Cute pillows btw!
@@BookswithEmilyFox it's so weird that you said that... I have a freaking collection of pillows, literally!!! (But don't worry, I won't call the police on you, your videos are too great❤)
I feel like telling people about what happens when they stop in The Long Walk is a spoiler. I didn't know and it made the shock so much greater. Anyway, I understand your hatred for The Gunslinger! It's crazy that people recommend it to you as your first Stephen King. It feels very experimental, very introductory, to the rest of the series. The other books are so much easier to read though. You could never read them and that's ok, but if you wanna sort of understand why all his worlds are connected you kinda have to. And I assure you there's a reason why the character seems confused sometimes. Also, I wanted to note the reason why people go back after finishing the series and give it 5 stars isn't nostalgia, but the fact that it's only when you finish that you really realize how great the storytelling there is. Maybe not the best writing he has, but definitely one of his more plotted out and planned books of all time. And this coming from a girl who, like you, hates how much he DOESN'T PLAN things. Also try as best you can not to get spoiled for TDT, SK fans are usually pretty good with keeping secrets but there are some assholes out there.
I got so excited when I noticed you had uploaded this video :D I'm on my journey with reading King's books but I have read just a fraction of them because he has written A LOT of books.
The Long Walk is great! I really liked 11/22/63 as well so you're in for a treat when you get to that! I'm closer to having all of King's books read than you are but I totally feel your pain, I reckon I'm still about 15 away from having read them all!
There’s much that is different between the Shining book and movie but one thing that’s the same is that it takes about half the book to get rolling and then it starts moving and draws you in
“Misery” and “Cell” are great. I feel exactly the same about the endings of his books, and how some things in the books are so unneeded and unnecessary.. yet I still read his books, because everything else about them is so good!
It is a fact universally accepted that Stephen King s books have shinny covers than rest of other authors 👍😀😊
Omg I can’t believe someone recommended The Gunslinger as a starting off point for Stephen King.. how awful for you lol. Trust me tho, the rest of that series is totally amazing and you really should pick it up!!!
I actually read The Long Walk because of you. It's my first Stephen King book. I'm really glad I read it. My opinions are the same, I wanted to know more about the world and the origin of the walk and the ending was very abrupt. But overall I really enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to read more of your recommendations.
I don’t think you really like Stephen King that much. You haven’t read a lot of the good ones. 11/22/63 is a book you should start with or The Institute or Under the Dome.
If it weren’t for the length, I’d agree with 11/22/63 and Under the Dome. I don’t know about how much people are willing to put up with if they’re not already a fan haha.
Personally I’d say start with “The Green Mile” or even just picking up “Different Seasons” since you get a lot of the different “sides” of SK in that one. Some sad, some triumphant, some fucked-up.