Best King

[fmancino]

What books do you guys think King was at his best?

[srboone]

His early period (1974-1985): The Shining, The Stand
Middle period (1986-1999): It, Misery, Gerald's Game, Bag of Bones
Later period (2000-?): From a Buick 8, Lisey's Story

This list does not include any of the DT novels.

Haven't read: Dreamcatcher (reading now), Rose Madder, Duma Key, Under the Dome.

Not all of these are ones I would put on my favorites list, but these are the ones I think are his best.

[fmancino]

I'm so excited! I am half-way through 'Salem's Lot, read The Shining and Rage, next Night Shift, and then: THE STAND

[jmcraven]

I'd say The Shining and The Stand are way up there. I really liked Under the Dome, too. Some of his short work ranks way on up there for me- The Man in the Black Suit is a great, great read.

[frik51]

This is a very tough question to answer, as most popular doesn't necessarily measn the best.
If you don't mind, I'll list the books I like(d) best.
I'll limit myself to one or two books per decade:

seventies:
-The Stand

eighties:
-It
-Cujo (so much more than a scary book about a rabid dog)

nineties:
-The dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
-Bag of Bones

past decade (now what do we call this??)
-Lisey's Story (WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I haven't read Under the Dome yet, so I can't comment on that book.

sk

[fmancino]

What book is that in (The Man in the Black Suit)?

[frik51]

It's a short story found in Everything's Eventual.

sk

[Blu Gilliand]

Hard to pin down just one as his best. My personal favorite is Bag of Bones. I love it when his characters are writers - it's like getting a glimpse behind the scenes. Also, I think this has a couple of his scariest passages (SPOILERS):

1. When he dreams about finding his dead wife under the bed. "Give me that. It's my dustcatcher."
2. When he dreams about walking down the path to his lake house, and something wrapped all in white bursts out of the door and comes after him.

Great stuff.

Blu

[frik51]

Hard to pin down just one as his best. My personal favorite is Bag of Bones.Also, I think this has a couple of his scariest passages (SPOILERS):

I agree; BoB is a wonderful book.
Plus, it also has the most shocking, heart-wrenching passage in a King-book ever.
Devastating!

sk

[Randy D. Rubin]

King was at his best in Salem's Lot and The Long Walk and Under the Dome and Carrrie and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and It and Needful Things and...

[ozmosis7]

I agree; BoB is a wonderful book.

Wow, I am into this one and haven't found it to be so great, but every single person that has finished it says the same thing. I have to finish it. I'm only at the part where he makes it back to the cabin, so I am guessing all hell is about to break loose.

[frik51]

Wow, I am into this one and haven't found it to be so great, but every single person that has finished it says the same thing.

If I remember correctly, I wasn't impressed at first.
That only came quite far into the story.

Now it's one of my favorites.

sk

[Nik Houser]

NOVELS:
Salem's Lot
The Gunslinger

SHORT STORIES:
All That You Love Will Be Carried Away
1408
Graduation Afternoon
The Cat From Hell

I haven't read IT (I know!), but I've ordered the CD edition, and will dig into it this Fall when it arrives. I like MOST of The Stand, but

Spoiler!

I've got a huge problem with the I'll solve my Gordian Plot Knot by cutting it in half and blowing a bunch of crap up. Twice. Just like I'll do 30 years later with a book I'll call Cell. Granted that's just my subjective experience as a reader, and most people certainly see things differently, which is totally valid. I think most of the book is brilliant, but I hate a deus ex machina like nothin' else, and the end smacks of that.

Still an amazing read? HELL YEAH. Just not enough to crack the pure imagination of The Gunslinger or the perfect reading experience that Salem's Lot is for me.

[Randy D. Rubin]

I have to agree with you Nik, Salem's Lot, was a perfect reading experience for me as well.

[frik51]

Careful guys, not everyone has read these novels, so when we reveal part(s) of the plot, we should mark with.....SPOILERS!!

sk