Stephen King , got a favorite?

[warlock664]

King

I've been a big Stephen King fan (or "Constant Reader", to borrow his term!) since reading "Salem's Lot" in 1978. I've read most of his books, but life has gotten in the way from time to time so I've missed reading a few. I'm currently reading "Needful Things", plan to finish the last 60-70 pages tonight. I've had that one for years (never saw the movie), just now getting around to it.

I just finished "Under the Dome" a couple of weeks ago, and liked it for the most part, though it doesn't measure up to his classics. In the last few years I've read most of his new books as they were released. I thought "Duma Key" was pretty good, and liked "Cell" for the most part (I found it similar in feel to "The Stand"). "It" was one that grabbed my interest and kept me reading, though I was a bit disappointed by the ending/revelation. Oddly enough, I've never read (or seen) "Carrie", even though it was his first published novel. I've tried to get into his Dark Tower series (I've started "The Gunslinger" at least twice), but can't stay interested for some reason. And I read the first 100 or so pages of "The Talisman" (a collaboration with Peter Straub) over 20 years ago, but put it down and never came back to it.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be "The Stand", although "Salem's Lot" would be a close second.

[cjefferys]

I've tried to get into his Dark Tower series (I've started "The Gunslinger" at least twice), but can't stay interested for some reason.

"The Gunslinger" is tricky, especially the original version. It is definitely written in a different style than most of King's books, and isn't as easy reading as his other stuff. But once you get to the second book in the series "The Drawing of the Three", it's much more interesting and easier to get through (this second book is still my favourite in the Dark Tower series and is definitely the one that got me hooked on it). King realizes the problem with "The Gunslinger" and more recently did a revised version of the book that does help make it a bit more readable, but it's still "different" from the rest.