Stephen King is widely regarded as the absolute, "king" of horror. It isn't hard to see why. His talent is a shining beacon in the genre, and anyone not indulging in his work is missing out and in misery. Many of the best and most popular novels of the last 50 years have been Stephen King books.
With decades of work under his belt, King shows no sign of giving up his crown. Some of his works are timeless classics, and have inspired some of the best horror films and shows to date. Though personal opinion varies among fans, this is an objective list, taking into account both critics and the masses of readers out there. It's time to count down the best King novels of all time, at least so far.
Updated May 5, 2022, by Kristy Ambrose: Stephen King is one of the most prolific writers of the 20th century, and he hasn't lost that inner fire moving into the 21st. Given the vast library that already bears his name, it's a mix of fascination and terror and leads readers down those dark shelves once again. Ranking Stephen King novels always leads to some vibrant conversation, so here are a few more of the best selections to add to the already impressive list.
14 Salem's Lot
Although it is a good book and keeps in line with the best Stephen King horror writing, it's just another vampire story, which is why it comes in last. The bloodsuckers are cool, but many feel that the trope is overdone at this point.
This was the next release after the incredible hit, Carrie, and did not disappoint eager audiences. It follows a writer who moves back to his small childhood town and finds that a vampire has been, pardon the phrase, raising hell. The story is a good romp and is well written, despite using one of the most common fantasy horror tropes.
13 The Green Mile
Sometimes, a movie or film may not come across as a particularly King-esque piece, until viewers learn it is actually based on one of his books. Upon seeing The Green Mile for the first time, it doesn't seem too supernatural or horrible, but upon reading the original book, it becomes evident that it is definitely a Stephen King book.
Released as a set of monthly installments in the early 1990s, The Green Mile follows a prisoner on death row who possesses a healing touch. The "horror" aspect in this book comes from real-life moral questions, rather than any terrifying creatures or supernatural occurrences.
12 The Mist
The Mist is a curveball in this list, in that it's almost too short. Unlike most of King's books, which go on for hundreds of pages, this one is just a novella. The mist in question is a dense fog that descends upon a town in Maine and brings previously unseen creatures with it.
Hysteria spreads, and quickly people start to either perish or try to survive. The novella focuses on one family sheltering inside a supermarket. Though again, it may not be a particularly original concept, it is made new and interesting by Stephen King's talent.
11 Christine
It's a running joke that Stephen King could write about a haunted anything, be it table lamps or cutlery, and it would still be utterly terrifying. An example is the story of a possessed car, Christine. The whole idea of a devil car is great as it is, but make that devil car a jealous girlfriend and the story takes on a whole other dynamic.
When Arie buys a sweet vintage car for a mere $250, he thinks it's a great deal. Owning a badass car like this will make him one of the popular kids, and it does, but it also makes him a horrible person, and worse. The story could be an interesting allegory about how possessions can consume a person, especially when their identity depends on said possessions. Or it could just be about a car that kills people.
10 Pet Sematary
Another absolute classic title and one of the best Stephen King's novels is Pet Sematary. Yes, it's supposed to be spelled like that. Unlike some others, this one is a slow burner in terms of the creepy ongoings, but the point is still there.
Set in Maine, like half of King's catalog, Pet Sematary follows a small family moving to a new home. From here, weird and disturbing things start happening. The long and short of it is that pets, and others that are recently deceased that are interred in a nearby cemetery, can be brought back to life. This ungodly act obviously isn't without repercussions, which then ensue and wreak havoc.
9 The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
Every accomplished author has a compilation of short stories, and this is one from Stephen King. He opens with the same storyteller voice that fans will remember from books like The Eyes Of The Dragon, which denotes a mysterious traveler with a tale to tell.
The book is a compilation of 20 stories and includes an introduction to get the reader in the mood. The stories are varied and take on a number of different tones, some are completely unique and others parody popular tropes and characters. Overall, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is an ideal mix of humor and horror that defines King's unique voice.
8 11/22/63
This is something very different from King: a novel based upon real events. Specifically, the assassination of JFK. 11/22/63 follows a man who travels back in time to prevent the assassination from happening, an idea that Stephen King had toyed with for literal decades before he put pen to paper.
This particular book appeals not only to hardcore King fans but to a much wider audience, thanks to its more down-to-earth subject matter. There are no horror elements or gory happenings here, just some history and mystical time travel.
7 The Stand
The Stand is another mammoth work by King. The original version was an edit, and the full thing was released a few years down the line. The length lets this book down, as it can feel like it drags a little.
That said, it is regarded as one of his best works for a reason. 99% of the world's population dies, by way of a flu virus that was accidentally released. Humanity is the true villain here, as the virus was created in a lab. The novel follows the survivors of it coming together and forming two opposing sides, a bit like good vs. evil. The novel covers some real and fictitious problems that would occur if this situation played out in real life.
6 The Running Man
Dystopian sci-fi was outside of Stephen King's wheelhouse, or at least that's what the public seemed to think, so when he took on the genre he wrote it under the name of Richard Bachmann. These days, both the book and movie have experienced a revival because of their eerily prescient nature.
Although there are some big differences between the book and the film adaptation, especially the ending, the basic premise remains intact. The story predicts the merging of politics and celebrity perfectly, missing only the influence of social media, and how far away is society from a return to gladiatorial games at this point?
5 Misery
Misery features a character that is reminiscent of Stephen King himself — this is a recurring theme in a surprising number of his works. After suffering a horrendous car accident, author Paul Sheldon finds himself being taken care of in someone else's house. Annie, an ex-nurse, keeps him drugged and coerces him to continue writing.
There's nothing weird or extraordinary going on here. Misery is a story of a human against another human, with no psychic powers or extraterrestrial lifeforms. Despite this being one of King's most "normal" settings, King manages to make a captivating and scary story out of it nonetheless.
4 IT
IT, also known as Pennywise, the leper, werewolf, Mrs. Kersch, is the queen of fictional villains. Yes, queen. It's canonically female. The evil entity preys upon characters' individual fears, which is enough to scare any reader as there's something in it to creep everyone out.
Though the Stephen King book may be long and is let down by a, let's say, interesting ending, IT is an absolutely fantastic book. The main characters are loveable in both kid and adult iterations, the villain is truly awful, and the description and setting make for a delightful read. Some of the visceral descriptions are truly toe-curling, too.
3 The Eyes of the Dragon
Misery seems more like an autobiography than a work of fiction, and that's because it is. Instead of one raving fan, however, the rage King felt was from thousands of angry fans who were looking forward to another sordid take of horror. Instead, they got the YA fantasy novel, The Eyes of the Dragon.
The book follows a simple but Shakespearean plot about betrayal within a royal house, and those who are familiar with some of King's later and much heavier work, like The Stand, will recognize some familiar names and characters. Existing fans were bitterly disappointed, but the book created a whole new generation of Stephen King fans who would see him as an eclectic author instead of a dedicated horror writer.
2 Carrie
A short and sweet piece of work, and King's first real published novel, it features many real-world horrible aspects as well as supernatural ones. Bullying, bad parenting, and devoutly religious practices are mixed together with telekinesis. The reader feels empathy for Carrie as she finds herself struggling with her growing powers and attempts to get away from her crazed mother.
Unlike some of King's work, it doesn't drag on. Even the ending, despite getting quite weird, is good. If nothing else, a message can be taken from this book. Don't bully others, and be nice to your classmates.
1 The Shining
Of all his masterpieces vying for the top spot, The Shining has come out on top as King's best work. Putting aside the film adaptation and the sequel Doctor Sleep, The Shining stands as an amazing piece of horror fiction and remains to this day a pivotal read for anyone.
The book is another that features a character reminiscent of King himself, in another predicament. Writer Jack Torrance and his family move to the Overlook Hotel for the winter, where they find themselves in strange scenarios thanks to young son Danny's "shining" senses. Things quickly fall apart and some scenes are written so well that they send shivers down readers' spines — particularly when Danny is confronted with a moving fire hose in an empty hallway.
