Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Stephen King Books That I Haven’t Read



Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is books from my favorite authors that I haven’t read yet. Since it’s now technically fall—and therefore spooky season—I thought I’d focus on Stephen King books. I’ve read about 30 of his books in my lifetime. Here are ten that I still need to read.









Stephen King Books That I Need To Read







1. 11/22/63



Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away . . . but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke. Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten.












2. Christine




It was love at first sight. From the moment seventeen-year-old Arnie Cunningham saw Christine, he knew he would do anything to possess her.

Arnie’s best friend, Dennis, distrusts her—immediately.

Arnie’s teen-queen girlfriend, Leigh, fears her the moment she senses her power.

Arnie’s parents, teachers, and enemies soon learn what happens when you cross her.

Because Christine is no lady.












3. The Dead Zone



Johnny, the small boy who skated at breakneck speed into an accident that for one horrifying moment plunged him into The Dead Zone

Johnny Smith, the small-town schoolteacher who spun the wheel of fortune and won a four-and-a-half-year trip into The Dead Zone.

John Smith, who awakened from an interminable coma with an accursed power—the power to see the future and the terrible fate awaiting mankind in The Dead Zone.














4. Doctor Sleep (The Shining #2)



On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky 12-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the "steam" that children with the "shining" produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father's legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant "shining" power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes "Doctor Sleep."

Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan's own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra's soul and survival.












5. Dolores Claiborne



Suspected of murdering the crippled widow for whom she worked as a housekeeper and companion, Dolores Claiborne has a story to tell. But it isn't the one the police are expecting to hear. It's a little darker, a little stranger—and a lot more horrifying.




















6. Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges #1)



In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.

In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the “perk” and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.

Brady Hartsfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with two new, unusual allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.












7. The Outsider



An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.

Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face?















8. Thinner



Billy Halleck, good husband and loving father, is both beneficiary and victim of the American good life: He has an expensive home, a nice family, and a rewarding career as a lawyer . . . but he is also fifty pounds overweight and edging into heart attack country.




















9. Revival



In a small New England town, in the early 60s, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs Jacobs; the women and girls–including Jamie’s mother and beloved sister–feel the same about Reverend Jacobs. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond, based on their fascination with simple experiments in electricity.

Then tragedy strikes the Jacobs family; the preacher curses God, mocking all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town.

Jamie has demons of his own. In his mid-thirties, he is living a nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll. Addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate, he sees Jacobs again–a showman on stage, creating dazzling ‘portraits in lightning’–and their meeting has profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings. Because for every cure there is a price.












10. Under The Dome



On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when—or if—it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens—town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing—even murder—to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.










Have you read any of these? What did you think?










78 comments:

  1. Christine was one of the first I read and it is still a favourite. I love those early books! I've still to read Revival, Under The Dome and the JFK one from your list but I'm in no hurry after reading a few I really didn't enjoy over the last ten years!

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    1. I agree that King’s early books are better than his recent ones. That’s why I have so many newer books on my TBR list.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  2. I've read most of these and some are a bit lower on my list of Stephen King books but I seriously loved 11/22/63. Loved it! I still need to read Revival and The Outsider. I am behind on his more recent books, which I need to get on top of! :)

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    1. I’m glad you liked it! I own Revival and might read it during Fraterfest.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  3. I really liked The Outsider and Mr Mercedes. I want to read 11/22/63 at some point.

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  4. So I've read all of these except The Dead Zone. I read The Outside in July and really loved it. I also enjoyed Revival and Doctor Sleep although I know they've both gotten mixed reviews. I loved Under the Dome, until the ending, and then I didn't. It was disappointing to read such a long book and fall in love with it and then have it ruined. I still don't know what he was thinking. I'm curious if I were to reread it if I would still think the ending is weak, but yep, probably. I take back my earlier statement - I haven't read Mr. Mercedes, but I've watched the first season of the series and really liked it. Does that count?

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    1. King’s books are so unnecessarily massive that movies/TV should totally count. I’m glad you liked most of these. I’m hoping to read Revival next month. It’s sitting on my shelf right now.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  5. I've only read a few King novels, but I do want to read Mr. Mercedes and The Outsider at some point! I've heard good things.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  6. I used to be a huge King fan, but I think I've gotten too wimpy for his books in my old age :) I've read a few of these, but I'm still WAY behind on King reading. He's tough to keep up with!

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    1. I know! I can’t catch up with him. He’s been writing for longer than I’ve been alive, and most of his books are massive.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  7. 11/22/63, Christine, and Doctor Sleep are some of my favorites! I hope you like them!

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  8. You are so brave! I am with Susan up there! lol If I were to give one a try, I think that Christine sounds like one that would scare the daylights out of me. I hope that you enjoy these titles if you do have the chance to read them. :)

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  9. Great list of King books. Loved his short stories. I have read none of these books but have watched the ones turned into movies. His book’s are scary particularly because he uses everyday people and common items to twist and turn. Thanks for sharing! ❤️❤️

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    1. I agree. His books are scary because his characters are so normal. I’ve read tons of King novels and short stories, but I haven’t seen many of the movies. Except The Green Mile. For some reason, I’ve seen that a billion times.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  10. I used to read all of Stephen King's novels back in the day, but haven't picked him up in years... too scary for me now!

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    1. King used to be the only author I read. Now I only read 1 or 2 of his books a year. I need to get back to them.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  11. I still haven't read any Stephen King novels, so I guess I have a lot to choose from! I've heard really great things about Doctor Sleep and 11/22/63. Hope you get a chance to read all of these!

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    1. Yes, you do have A LOT to choose from. I don’t understand how anyone can write as fast as he does.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  12. I went through a heavy Stephen King phase when I was a teenager and read several of his books. But it's been years since I've successfully managed it. Partly I seem to have gotten more wimpy and anything scary is just OH HELL NO, but I also seem to have less ability to finish really stonking big books, and so many of his books are. I tried to read Under the Dome twice, and I think I made it about halfway. Which, for normal books, would have meant I read like one and a half books. But for King, not so much. I was enjoying it, and I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen, I just wanted to know what was going to happen in another 50 pages or less, not hundreds. If you have more stamina than I do, though, I would say it's worth a go. I am also interested in 11/22/63, but after my abysmal failure with Under the Dome (twice) I've been a bit scared off of even trying. I'd be curious to hear what you think if you get to that one - if it seems like a fast-paced read, I might be up to it at some point! Good luck getting to these!

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    1. The length is what turned me off King books, too. When I was a teenager, I had no issue spending a month slowly plowing through a 1000-page book. Now that I’m a book reviewer with a massive TBR, it’s hard to commit that much time to 1 book.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  13. The only Stephen King book I've read was Cell, it kind of reminded me of The Happening. I'd really like to read Under the Dome. It seems like my sort of book.

    Cait @ Click's Clan

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    1. I’ve read Cell, too! I don’t remember it very well because it was so long ago.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  14. 11/22/63 is such a bad title. Not read it, but I really liked the series! I always try to recommend it to people but can never remember the date properly :/

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    1. OMG, I’m glad I’m not the only one who hates that title. I also can’t remember the exact numbers. Maybe it’s easier to remember if you were alive on that date?

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    2. I can remember it because it was the day before Doctor Who premiered and that is of great historical significance to me. ;)

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  15. I read a ton of Stephen King when I was a teenager and that was quite awhile ago. Thinner is really good, and 11/22/63 and Under the Dome are the only more recent books of his that I've read.

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    1. I’m glad you liked them! I did most of my King reading as a teenager, too. That’s why I don’t remember a lot of his books. They all blur together in my brain.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  16. Stephen King movies supplied most of my nightmares in my youth. I thing he is terrifying, and have read zero of his books.

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  17. I definitely need to read more Stephen King books! I have only read a few so I feel like a real bad Mainer haha. Great list! I have some of those on my list. Thanks for stopping by my post!

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    1. Is it weird that I mostly want to visit Maine because Stephen King lives there?

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  18. There are SO many Stephen King books! (He has... three shelves, I think? At the library where I work). And I haven't read a single one. Is there a place one should start with his work?

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    1. I have a shelf in my house just for his books. My favorites are The Green Mile, The Long Walk, The Stand, and Needful Things. Those are good places to start.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  19. I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't read any Stephen King books! I'm such a scaredy cat when it comes to horror, so I think that's why I've stayed away from most of his books, lol. Maybe I could give one of his less scary ones a try.

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    1. They’re all a little bit scary, but for a less-scary one, I recommend The Green Mile. It’s my favorite.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  20. I really need to read some King, although I'm not a huge horror fan so that's probably why I never have. I am kind of interested in his interconnected world.

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    1. His world is cool (and weird). It’s fun to spot the references to other books and characters in his work.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  21. Great spin on the topic! I've read 7 of the 10 on your list -- not too shabby! I loved Under the Dome (although I heard the TV version was terrible), and I really loved 11/22/63 as well. I do still want to read the ones I"ve missed -- Thinner, The Dead Zone, and Dolores Claiborne.

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    1. Wow, you read some of the big ones. Those ones are on my list because their length is scarier than their contents. :)

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  22. I haven't read any of these either, but then again, I've only read two King novels. I'd like to pick up more though. Hope you get to some of these soon!

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    1. I hope I get to them soon, too. I’m so far behind with my King reading.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  23. That's pretty good reading that many of his books. I'm working my way through his novels in publication order. The Stand is next. The plan is to read it in October.

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    1. Good luck with The Stand. That book is massive. I kind of wish I’d read in publication order, but I went in when-I-can-find-and-afford-it order.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  24. I have only read It, and Salem's Lot and I want to read The Shining and Doctor Sleep. đź“š✨

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    1. The Shining is one of my favorites. Probably because it’s set near where I live.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    2. Good to know you loved it. đź‘Ť✨

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  25. Stephen King *shivers* IT scarred me for life, so I'm a total wuss when it comes to him. His newest The Outside does sound like it might actually not be a horror.

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    1. He does seem to be focusing on mysteries lately. I’ll have to see if they’re as scary as his horror books.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  26. *laughs maniacally* Okay, yeah, I still have to read probably 95% of his books, even though I own ... well, a lot of them. And I love his books, so I'm not even sure why I haven't read them yet? I don't own The Outsider yet, but it looked REALLY GOOD. I hope you enjoy them! :)

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    1. I’m tempted to buy all the ones I haven’t read. That might force me to read them. Or they’ll just sit around for years.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  27. I've read about 4 of these - I love Mr Mercedes! And Dr Sleep! 11.22.63 is good but kind of goes on a side-track for many, many, many, pages! Lol. I loved Delores Claiborne, but a lot of people find it boring, I think.

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    1. I’m glad you liked them! Dolores Clayborn is high on my priority list. I know the used bookstore has it, so I’ll trade for it when I have more space on my TBR shelf. It’s currently overflowing.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  28. I absolutely loved 11/22/63 and Under the Dome. Thinner and The Dead Zone were okay, I think (it's been quite a while since I read them).

    Have a great week. - Katie

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  29. Hope you enjoy these books! I still haven't read anything by Stephen King. I'm such a chicken when it comes to horror.

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  30. I've only read a few King books since I haven't read him since I was a teenager. But I loved the ones I read, so I should really try him out again.

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I did most of my King reading when I was a teenager. I need to try harder to get back to his stuff. I’m extremely behind.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  31. Hey, I've actually read some of these! I LOVED Under the Dome! Doctor Sleep was interesting, but honestly it was kind of a snooze fest, especially compared to The Shining.

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    1. That’s why I’ve been procrastinating Doctor Sleep. I don’t know if it’ll live up to The Shining.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  32. I really enjoyed the Bill Hodges series. I hope you're able to read & enjoy these titles in the near future... Although with the size of King novels, I think you'll be working through them for a while. Haha!

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  33. I read Christine a looong time ago (the late 80's maybe?) and while it wasn't one of my favorites by King, it definitely had that creep factor. Thinner is another from the really early days that I enjoyed. I've had Under the Dome on my radar for a while but I really have to be in the mood to commit to a 1,000 page behemoth. LOL

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    1. I don’t understand why his books are 1000+ pages. No book needs to be that long. I’m hoping to get to Christine and Thinner soon. They’re high on my priority list.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  34. I don't read horror, but from your list, I have read 11/22/63 and Under the Dome. I thought both were fantastic. My mom is a huge Stephen King fan and she says all of these are amazing and that I'm missing out by not trying them. Maybe one of these days she'll convince me, lol.

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    1. It’s good to hear that you liked them because they’re big commitments.

      Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  35. I discovered King back in HS (the 80's) and glommed whatever he had out then but it got kind of repetitive so it's been years since I've read anything by him.

    I think 30-ish years is a long enough break though lol

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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  36. I've only read The Good Marriage by King. I went to a slumber party when I was 8 or 9 and we watched the Pet Semetary movie and it scared me for YEARS! I think I've been too traumatized to read anything else by him until almost 30 years had gone by.

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  37. He really has written so many books. I only dnf-ed one book by his but I have 3 others still on my shelf, including Under the Dome thought it was intially more of a buy for my husband.

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  38. I read a bunch of Mom and B's SK books when I was a kid. They weren't really age appropriate but, oddly enough, I could take the horror back then more than I can now. I stopped reading horror some time ago even though I used to love it. Of those up there, I think I've only read Thinner and that was pretty good, but depressing. I honestly can't remember if I've _read_ TDZ but I enjoyed the TV show. I didn't realize Under the Dome was SK. I started watching the show a while back but found it boring and only made it a couple episodes. The only thing that interested me was finding out what the deal was with the dome so I just looked that up on the net. LOL! I know the last SK book I tried to read was Gerald's Game and that was just ugh... Couldn't even finish it.

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  39. I haven't read any of these either. I would really like to read Dead Zone at some point. I watched a little of the television show when it was one and really liked it. King is one of those authors whose books are hit and miss with me. I do have a lot of respect for him as a person regardless. I hope you get to all of these at some point! He's a great storyteller.

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  40. I've never actually read any Stephen King novels (I read 'On Writing' a while back), even though I've been meaning to for years! I've had a copy of the Shining since forever, but have somehow never got round to it. Some of these sound intriguing though, so it's definitely reminded me to give his books a try soon! :)

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  41. I'm horror averse, but have read some of his not quite as scary stuff, and do think he's a riveting author. I saw some quote from him once talking about not being taken seriously as an author, and he said something about if he's going to write baloney, it's going to be damn good baloney. The Stand took over my life while I was reading it, and I've never forgotten the other things by him I've read (Gerald's Game, Different Seasons) despite the decades and thousands of books since then. I hope you read and enjoy some, if not all of these!

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  42. There are SO many King books that I haven't read either! I have The Body, The Outsider and On writing sitting on my desk right now in my "soon to read" stacks.

    I've read Under the Dome, Christine, and Doctor Sleep. I LOVED each of those!!

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  43. I still need to read my first King fiction book! But I do own some so I just need to take the dive and find the time to read them. I read a lot of big books for university at the moment so when I do my downtime reading I prefer shorter books BUT ONE DAY! I have heard really good things about Mr Mercedes and also Doctor Sleep. Hope you can get to some of these soon x

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