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Over the past couple of years I've been rereading the Stephen King novels I read and loved during my teen years, to see if I still feel the same about them. So far, I've read 12 books, out of which I really liked three. Another three were pretty bad (but still ok) and six were pretty much standard class horror/suspense novels.

My three top King novels so far are "Misery", "Cujo" and "Skeleton Crew" (with "The Mist" as it's stand out masterpiece).

What Stephen King novels would you pick for your top three?

Tags: #StephenKing #bookstodon #reading #rereading #rereadingstephenking
#reading #bookstodon #stephenking
Ben!
The Stand, Salem's Lot, and also Skelton Crew (The Mist is so fantastic)
Janne
@Ben! Haven't got around to re-read Salem's Lot yet. What is it about that one that makes you like it?
@Ben!
Ben!
I really enjoy the fact that, for a relatively short novel in King terms, it takes a kind of slow burn approach that really lingers with the characters and builds an atmosphere and deep investment in all these various folk we meet. But once time for the horror fully comes, its both desolate and action packed in equal numbers. It is essentially a plague story

Also while I love the 70s series and own it physically, the Kurt Barlow of the book is cunning, articulate and even sporting
Janne
@Ben! I remember thinking it was kinda boring because nothing really happened (the slow burn approach) when I read it as a teenager. I guess I wasn't too interested in the "building up suspense"-parts at that time in my life.

On the other hand I think I might enjoy it more as an adult, just because of that. ;)
@Ben!
Janne
@Panic Dragon Yeah, really looking forward to re-reading Pet Sematary. I remember it as getting pretty intense at the end.
Stephen King Journey
I engaged on a similar project almost two years ago, reading them in order of publication date.

My top 3 so far: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, The Stand and Doctor Sleep (that last one I did read out of order but I did so right after The Shining so that the background was fresh in my head).

Which ones did you find terrible?
Janne
@Stephen King Journey Almost afraid to say it, but "It", "The Stand" and "Firestarter". (Bear in mind, though, that this applies to the books being re-read. I loved all three when I read them as a teenager.)

"It" was my all time favorite horror novel from the time I read it as a teenager up until I re-read it a couple of years ago. It's probably just the contrast of remembering it as the most terrifying thing I've ever read (I had nightmares about the scene in the junkyard with the refrigerator), to being "just another horror novel".

"The Stand". Just finished that one. I never really connected with the characters or bought into the whole religious/christian duality of good vs evil - or any of the supernatural elements for that matter. This had been so much more interesting if Randall Flagg had been a regular person.

"Firestarter" felt like a dime-a-dozen suspension novel with some supernatural elements thrown in for good measure.
@Stephen King Journey
Todd Hensley
“Skeleton Crew” is so good, and contains “The Jaunt” which may be my favorite thing King has ever written. That would be in my top 3 along with “The Stand” and “IT”, just based on my memories of having read them in the 80’s. Although, I really enjoyed “On Writing”, even though I’m not a writer so I’d give that an honorable mention.
Janne
@Todd Hensley "On Writing" is absolutely enjoyable, even if one's not a writer or aspiring to be one. I regard it as more of a memoir, actually.
@Todd Hensley
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