Today is World Book Day here in the UK and personally I cannot think of a better way to celebrate!
The age-old question. Countless times friends have asked me, and strangers have asked online: ‘What Stephen King book would you recommend for a beginner?’
Few authors are as prolific when it comes to publishing books as Stephen King; when you have so many books, over such a time span, and they are all just so long, where do you start? Nobody wants to start a 1000-page book from an author it turns out they don’t even like. But fear not, (new?) constant reader, as here I will make a case for three Stephen King works that I think represent the man particularly well.
In this article I will offer you my top pick, an alternative, and a wildcard. The idea of working your way through King’s vast catalogue is overwhelming, but I am confident that if you enjoy any of the three books listed below, you will find yourself doing it anyway!
Misery (1987)
Synopsis: Paul Sheldon. He’s a bestselling novelist who has finally met his biggest fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes and she is more than a rabid reader – she is Paul’s nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house.
When I consider Misery as an ideal book for a beginner, three core components come to mind. First of all, the length of the novel. As I have said, it is understandable that a beginner to King would not be too eager to jump straight into any 1000 page epic. Similarly, I can understand how books in the 500-1000 page range such as Salem’s Lot and The Shining may seem daunting. This is where Misery fits in. Coming in at around 300 pages, depending on your edition, Misery is arguably the least intimidating looking book in King’s catalogue, while also being a novel that most readers of the genre have likely heard of due to the success of the film adaptation.
Now for the actual book content. If you are looking for an introduction to King, you are probably looking for a book that feels the most King-like. It is undoubtedly difficult to pin down the style of an author to one book, especially when said author has now published books for half a century, but what you do get in Misery is 100% unadulterated classic Stephen King. Published in 1987, King is at the peak of his powers, releasing fan favourite IT just a year before, along with other classics such as The Shining (1977) and The Stand (1978). Very clearly King is an established writer at this stage with his own devoted fandom, and Misery is a classic that stands up to its predecessors.
Befitting of the novel’s short length, the story is incredibly fast paced, particularly for a novel that takes place almost entirely in one single room. This is the magic of King, marrying terrifying action with the internal monologue of protagonist Paul Sheldon. So much of the story happens in Sheldon’s head and the very writing style becomes tainted by his personality, enveloping you in both the character and the story. This is an aspect of King’s works that you will see over and over again and Misery does it exceptionally well.
Character work such as this is the force behind any King novel, but the best representation of this in Misery is undoubtedly Annie Wilkes. What better place to start in the King universe than with one of his most terrifying villains. Annie is utterly unforgettable and is the driving force behind any and all anxiety and fear that is created in the story. Just like Paul you feel like you are perpetually walking on egg shells. Her simmering volatility lurks across every page and within every line. Nobody quite writes villains like King, and in Misery, a short read written slap-bang in the era of many of his classics, you have access to one of, if not his most memorable villain. What more could you ask for in a first read as a beginner?
Skeleton Crew (1985)
Synopsis: In a bumper collection of truly chilling tales, we meet Gramma – who only wanted to hug little George, even after she was dead; The Raft – a primeval sea creature with an insatiable appetite; The Monkey – an innocent-looking toy with sinister powers; the unspeakable horror of The Mist. And there is a gruesome host of other stories, each with the distinctive blend of unimaginable terror and realism that typifies King’s writing.
Carrying on with recommending the shorter books in Stephen King’s catalogue for a new beginner we have Skeleton Crew. Now sure, Skeleton Crew is sizeable, but with it being a short story collection you have the benefit of picking and choosing what you read, while still gaining a taste for what King is all about. You could argue that a short story collection is even better than a novel for displaying King’s writing style and capabilities. Just by their nature, short stories are fleeting and jam-packed, and just by King’s nature they are brutal and unforgiving – a perfect snapshot of his writing.
Skeleton Crew is compiled of the novella ‘The Mist’, as well as 21 additional short stories. ‘The Mist’ follows (surprise) a thick mist that takes over a town and makes those that get enveloped within it disappear. Any story situated at the beginning of an apocalypse is always intriguing and King uses this as a vehicle for some memorable character work, showing how the limits of people’s humanity can stretch and snap oh so quickly.
For me the highlights of the short story collection include ‘The Jaunt’, ‘The Raft’, ‘Mrs’ Todd’s Shortcut’, ‘Survivor Type’ and ‘The Monkey’. Without delving into each short story individually, these make up some of the most memorable short stories in King’s entire catalogue, tackling ideas such as a cursed toy, being stuck on a raft, being stuck on a desert island (with heroin and no food!?), a mysterious shortcut, and teleportation. These short stories alone, spanning maybe 150 pages, offer a broad spectrum of some of King’s most memorable and usually gruesome content.
If you are looking for more variety in content and style than what Misery can offer you then Skeleton Crew may be the perfect place for a beginner to start when it comes to Stephen King.
IT (1986)
Synopsis: Welcome to Derry, Maine…
It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real… They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name.
Hear me out. I understand that I have been waxing lyrical over reading shorter King reads for this entire article, but IT is where my journey as a constant reader began.
Yes, It is an epic, the book appears overwhelmingly long, and it is an immediate deep dive into some of King’s most bleak content, but the story is also unforgettable. It more than transformed my reading experience, it changed my life, reigniting my passion for reading and setting me down a career path that I am still following today. It is a truly special piece of fiction. King cultivates an entire world, an entire ecosystem, within a single town, and takes the time and effort to explore every square foot of land within the accursed grounds where Derry, Maine lays and has lain for many centuries. It is good vs evil turned up to 101. Pennywise? Iconic beyond even King’s influence. The Losers’ Club? The perfect opposition. King writes children better than anybody and It is the quintessential example of this, opening you up to so many more of his works in the process.
Stephen King is a master of detail and there is no better example of this than his work with Derry, Maine. You will care about characters you spent 10 pages with, you will remember events in the town’s history many decades before the events of the story. The town of Derry will envelop you and your life, and if you let him, so will King.
For me IT is the Magnum Opus of the Stephen King catalogue, so if you are brave enough, the gates to Derry are always open and waiting.
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