It : What SK novel should I read ?

Just finished the Shining. So far I've read:

- IT
- Misery
- The Shining

I bought three other King books but do not know which to read next. My choices are:

- Insomnia
- The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
- Mr. Mercedes

I was planning on reading Bazaar because it doesn't look to be very long. I'm holding out on Insomnia because people have told me it wasn't good or was to long.

You should try pet semetary, but if you fancy something more epic The stand, these are my favourites after the three you have already read. Happy reading

Do you know of a place I could find a cheap hardback edition of Pet Semetary in good condition?

Agreed. I'm reading Pet Sematary currently. King considers this his scariest book apparantly.

If length in stories is something you'd like to avoid at first (because King, as much as I love his work, certainly has a style that feels like rambling at times to make his stories REALLY detailed and long) I'd suggest one of his books that is more like a collection of short stories. You could start with Bazaar.

Some others include:
Night Shift (1978) Different Seasons (1982) Skeleton Crew (1985) Four past Midnight (1990) Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993) Hearts in Atlantis (1999) Everything's Eventual (2002) Just After Sunset (2008) Full Dark, No Stars (2010)



"Stay Bloody!" - Seth from Blood Puddle Reviews

Thanks for the input. I'm looking to start a book I could definitely finish by Thanksgiving and isn't that long. Bazaar should be perfect thanks !!

My favorite King novels are IT, The Stand, and 11/22/63. They're all long, but well worth the read!

I've also read Insomnia from your list, which is also set in Derry and is connected to IT.


I intend to live forever.
So far, so good.

I loved Insomnia for that very reason. It really felt like a sequel to IT, of sorts.

The references and even featuring Mike Hanlon were great. As fun as meeting Richie and Bev again in 11/22/63

"Stay Bloody!" - Seth from Blood Puddle Reviews

Everyone keeps telling me that Insomnia was too long and could've been shorter. And that the characters weren't important.
But then again, everyone has there own opinion. I may give it a read

I think a lot of SK stories could have been shorter, honestly lol. I mean, his stories are great, his characters feel like people you could know in your everyday life. He likes to go out of his way to really sell every last detail about them, which can be great, but can also be tedious. I know I can't be the only person who felt like I could just skim through a few pages when reading one of his books.

I did enjoy Insomnia though, it's great if you want to check up on what Mike Hanlon is up to after 85.

"Stay Bloody!" - Seth from Blood Puddle Reviews

Where have you been, I hate when I don't see you around, I miss you

Since you read The Shining, you might want to check out the sequel Doctor Sleep.

You definitely need to find yourself a copy of Carrie

Oh! And Cycle of the Werewolf (novella).

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ELPHABA: Eleka Nahmen Nahmen Ah Tum Ah Tum Eleka Nahmen.

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I've been looking for a hard back edition of Carrie that is in good condition and at a low price. Maybe $35 or $40 at most.
Anywhere you think I could find one ?

Ah. May be hard to say, as I'm from the UK

but a quick glance at Amazon (uk) and I found two copies. Both hardcover. One copy was 65p (an omnibus with The Shining / Carrie / Misery), and another copy was only 1p (a double edition of Carrie / The Tommyknockers) (without P&P).

So, I can only suggest Amazon?

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ELPHABA: Eleka Nahmen Nahmen Ah Tum Ah Tum Eleka Nahmen.

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The only problem I had with "Cycle of the Werewolf" was the little to no character development. Movie was actually better.

I'd recommend Bazaar, although I barely remember any of the stories from that book. You should also be aware that Mr. Mercedes is the first of a trilogy.

I'd say Carrie, though it suffers from the usual weak King ending. But really I love From a Buick 8. Really terrifying and something of an experience in how non linear it is.

You could also try the short story The Langoliers. There was a TV movie made of it, but it doesn't convey the same sense of primal dread of the short.

The only Stephen king book I've read so far is 11/22/63. I loved it. It's about a guy that goes through a wormhole to the past to save president Kennedy. I'm not much into time travel, but I really liked this one because it mixes fiction with history. Stephen Kings ideas with time travel was really thought out and detailed.

Mr Mercedes is a lot of fun and a quick, easy read. I didn't like insomnia. It starts off pretty well, but eventually devolves into King's more fantasy stuff, which I don't like. It's why I can't seem to get into the dark tower series. King himself has said that he thinks the novel was trying too hard.

Definitely The Stand It & The Stand are considered his best works. I highly recommend 'Salem's Lot as well.

The Dead Zone and Firestarter are classics.

Mr. Mercedes, since you mentioned it, is pretty good really only a B+ work though. It's sequel however, Finders Keepers, is fantastic.

I was not a big fan of Insomnia it connects to his Dark Tower series, but feels like he only wrote it because of that connection.

I have not read Bazaar of Bad Dreams personal taste is that I like novels better than short stories, so I tend to overlook the collections.

I'm currently reading the 4x (4 stories in one paperback) book including: Rage, The Marathon, A Work in Progress and The Running Man. I recommend reading 'The Marathon', it's great.

Play with monkeys, put bananas in hidden places