Stephen King Books: Complete Reading Order & Where to Start
Stephen King books in order from Carrie through 2027, with series reading order, where to start, mood-based picks, my top five, and what to read next.
The Stephen King Reading Guide I Wish I Had When I Started
Hi Bookish Besties, I’ve been reading Stephen King for more than twenty years, and after all that time, the biggest piece of advice I can give a new reader is also the one that sounds strangest coming from someone with an enormous Stephen King books in order guide: please do not turn this bibliography into homework. Seriously.
You do not have to begin with Carrie simply because it came first. You do not have to understand the Dark Tower before you’re allowed to read 11/22/63. And you certainly do not need a corkboard, red string, and an advanced degree in fictional Maine geography before entering Derry or Castle Rock. What you do need is a way into the version of Stephen King that works for you.
That is why I’ve rebuilt this guide around two different kinds of readers. If you’re here because you genuinely want the full list of Stephen King books in publication order, I’ve kept it. I know from the comments how many of you use this page to track what you’ve read, and I am not taking that away from you.
But if you’re staring at five decades of books thinking, “Victoria, absolutely not,” I’ve also added the reading paths I wish I’d had when I started: where to begin by mood, which series actually need to be read in order, the five King books I personally keep coming back to, what to read after It, and what is happening with his books in 2026 and 2027.
Because I don’t think the goal is to conquer Stephen King. I think the goal is to find one really good book, finish it, and immediately start wondering which one you should read next.
START HERE: If you’re completely new to Stephen King, I would start with ‘Salem’s Lot for classic horror, Misery for a tight psychological thriller, 11/22/63 if you don’t normally read horror, or The Green Mile if you want something deeply emotional. If you already know you want a series, start with Mr. Mercedes for Holly Gibney or The Gunslinger for the Dark Tower. And if you’re here for the complete chronology, jump straight to the publication-order section.
Stephen King Books in Order: The Quick Answer
Stephen King’s first published novel was Carrie in 1974, and his publishing career now stretches across more than five decades of horror, fantasy, crime, suspense, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, collaborations, and books originally published under the Richard Bachman name.
Most Stephen King books do not need to be read in order. That is the most important answer on this entire page. You can read Misery before Carrie. You can pick up The Green Mile without knowing anything about The Dark Tower. You can read 11/22/63 as your first King novel and have a perfectly wonderful experience.
Where order does matter is when characters or storylines continue directly from one book to another. That includes the Dark Tower series, the Bill Hodges and Holly Gibney books, The Shining and Doctor Sleep, the Gwendy trilogy, and the Talisman books. Everything else is much more flexible than the size of this list makes it look.
What’s New With Stephen King in 2026 and 2027?
This is the section I expect to update most often, because King continues to make the idea of a “complete bibliography” slightly optimistic.
Other Worlds Than These Is Now Out
Other Worlds Than These was published on October 6, 2026, and it brings Jack Sawyer back for the conclusion of the Talisman trilogy that Stephen King and Peter Straub began more than forty years ago. That means the reading order is now officially The Talisman, Black House, and Other Worlds Than These.
This release is especially interesting for longtime readers because it also reaches deep into the larger Dark Tower mythology. If you’ve spent years looking at The Talisman and thinking, “I’ll get to it eventually,” 2026 has given you a reason.
Personally, I would still read the trilogy in order rather than jumping straight into the third book. Could you technically enter late? Probably. Would I want twenty-plus years of Jack Sawyer history behind me first? Absolutely.
Carrie Is Having Another Moment
Carrie is also back in the conversation thanks to Mike Flanagan’s new television adaptation, which premiered on Prime Video on October 7, 2026 and has already been renewed for a second season. And I actually love this as a reason for readers to go back to the beginning.
I’ve reread Carrie for book club, and every time I return to it, I’m struck by how much of the Stephen King we eventually come to recognize is already there: isolation, cruelty, ordinary people making horrifying choices, supernatural power colliding with very human pain, and a character who is both frightening and deeply sad.
If the new series is what brought you to King, read Carrie first. Then I would go to Firestarter if the telekinetic-power element interests you, or The Shining if what you really want is another early King novel where supernatural horror grows out of painfully human circumstances.
Anything for Holly Is Coming in 2027
Holly Gibney readers have another book to prepare for, too. King has revealed that his next Holly novel is titled Anything for Holly and has said it will arrive in 2027. As I’m updating this guide, an exact publication date and final publisher details haven’t been announced, so I’m deliberately not inventing a date just to make this list look tidier.
King has also indicated that this book is meant to bring Holly’s main storyline to a close. Which means if you’ve been putting off the Holly books, this is actually a very good time to start from Mr. Mercedes and catch up. And yes, I already know I am going to have feelings about saying goodbye to Holly.
The End Times: Volume One Is Also Coming in 2027
There is one other 2027 King-related book worth knowing about, although I would not classify it as a standard solo Stephen King novel. The End Times: Volume One collects Benjamin Percy’s post-apocalyptic serialized project, which includes Stephen King contributions written under the wonderfully deep-cut pseudonym Claudia Inez Bachman. If that name immediately made you think of Richard Bachman, congratulations. You have been reading King for a while.
The collected edition is scheduled for early 2027, and because the project plays with King mythology and post-apocalyptic territory, I suspect it will appeal more to established Constant Readers than to someone choosing a first King book.
Which Stephen King Books Do I Include in This List?
Stephen King’s bibliography becomes surprisingly complicated once you try to make one “complete” list. Do we count every novella separately, even when four were originally published together in the same collection? What about revised editions? Limited editions? Individual Green Mile installments? Kindle Singles? Collaborations? Children’s books? The same story later issued on its own? This is why you’ll see wildly different totals for how many Stephen King books exist.
For this page, I list every book-length release on Stephen King’s official list of works: novels, Richard Bachman novels, collections, nonfiction, collaborations, the novellas his site counts as separate works, and the limited editions longtime readers ask me about. The years follow his official site too, so if you see a slightly different year somewhere else (it happens most with the early Bachman paperbacks), that’s why.
What I don’t list are individual short stories. And when a novella lives inside a collection, I’ve marked which one, so you know you don’t need to hunt it down separately. If you want The Body, Apt Pupil, The Breathing Method, and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, for example, the one book you need is Different Seasons.
For the truly committed, my complete Stephen King bibliography goes much deeper. This is the reading guide.
Stephen King Books in Publication Order
If I were personally starting a complete Stephen King project, publication order is the route I would use. Not because every book connects directly to the next one, but because you get to watch King become King.
You see the explosive early horror years. The Bachman books develop alongside the King novels. The Dark Tower expands. Derry and Castle Rock accumulate history. Crime becomes increasingly important later in his career. Characters unexpectedly return decades after you first meet them. And when one of those little connections appears naturally instead of because you looked it up first? That is one of the best parts of being a Constant Reader.
Stephen King Books From 1974–1980
This is the beginning: leaner books, enormous ideas, and several titles that still define what people mean when they say “Stephen King.”
| Year | Stephen King Book | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Carrie | Novel |
| 1975 | ‘Salem’s Lot | Novel |
| 1976 | Rage | Richard Bachman novel |
| 1977 | The Shining | Novel |
| 1978 | Night Shift | Story collection |
| 1978 | The Stand | Novel |
| 1978 | The Long Walk | Richard Bachman novel |
| 1979 | The Dead Zone | Novel |
| 1980 | The Mist | Novella (first published in the Dark Forces anthology; later in Skeleton Crew) |
| 1980 | Firestarter | Novel |
| 1980 | Roadwork | Richard Bachman novel |
This is such an absurdly strong opening run that choosing one favorite era of King becomes difficult immediately. If you’re doing publication order, Carrie obviously starts the project. If you’re simply looking at this section wondering which one I would give you first, ‘Salem’s Lot remains one of my favorite entry points.
Stephen King Books From 1981–1990
The 1980s are where the bibliography really starts sprawling. You get Bachman, the beginning of the Dark Tower in book form, major collections, It, Misery, and some of King’s strangest swings.
| Year | Stephen King Book | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Cujo | Novel |
| 1981 | Danse Macabre | Nonfiction |
| 1981 | The Running Man | Richard Bachman novel |
| 1982 | The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger | Novel |
| 1982 | Different Seasons | Novella collection |
| 1982 | Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption | Novella (in Different Seasons) |
| 1982 | Apt Pupil | Novella (in Different Seasons) |
| 1982 | The Body | Novella (in Different Seasons) |
| 1982 | The Breathing Method | Novella (in Different Seasons) |
| 1982 | The Plant [Installment One] | Limited edition (privately printed serial) |
| 1983 | Christine | Novel |
| 1983 | The Plant [Installment Two] | Limited edition (privately printed serial) |
| 1983 | Pet Sematary | Novel |
| 1983 | Cycle of the Werewolf | Novel (limited edition; trade edition 1985) |
| 1984 | The Eyes of the Dragon | Limited edition (Philtrum Press; trade edition 1987) |
| 1984 | The Talisman | Novel with Peter Straub |
| 1984 | Thinner | Richard Bachman novel |
| 1985 | Skeleton Crew | Story collection |
| 1985 | The Bachman Books | Omnibus |
| 1985 | The Plant [Installment Three] | Limited edition (privately printed serial) |
| 1986 | It | Novel |
| 1987 | The Eyes of the Dragon | Novel |
| 1987 | The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three | Novel |
| 1987 | Misery | Novel |
| 1987 | The Tommyknockers | Novel |
| 1988 | Nightmares in the Sky | Nonfiction with f-stop Fitzgerald |
| 1988 | My Pretty Pony | Limited edition (trade edition 1989) |
| 1988 | Letters from Hell | Limited edition (broadside) |
| 1989 | Dolan’s Cadillac | Limited edition (later in Nightmares & Dreamscapes) |
| 1989 | The Dark Half | Novel |
| 1990 | The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition | Expanded novel |
| 1990 | Four Past Midnight | Novella collection |
| 1990 | The Langoliers | Novella (in Four Past Midnight) |
| 1990 | Secret Window, Secret Garden | Novella (in Four Past Midnight) |
| 1990 | The Library Policeman | Novella (in Four Past Midnight) |
| 1990 | The Sun Dog | Novella (in Four Past Midnight) |
If someone tells me they want to understand why King became such an enormous cultural force, this decade explains a lot. Also, Pet Sematary is here if you would like to discover your personal limit. Mine has been tested.
Stephen King Books From 1991–2000
This stretch feels more reflective to me. The horror is still there, obviously, but trauma, memory, morality, grief, and character increasingly take center stage.
| Year | Stephen King Book | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands | Novel |
| 1991 | Needful Things | Novel |
| 1992 | Gerald’s Game | Novel |
| 1993 | Dolores Claiborne | Novel |
| 1993 | Nightmares & Dreamscapes | Story collection |
| 1994 | Mid-Life Confidential: The Rock Bottom Remainders Tour America With Three Chords and an Attitude | Nonfiction with Dave Barry, Amy Tan and others |
| 1994 | Insomnia | Novel |
| 1994 | Blind Willie | Novella (limited edition; later in Hearts in Atlantis) |
| 1995 | Rose Madder | Novel |
| 1995 | The Regulators | Richard Bachman novel |
| 1996 | The Green Mile: The Two Dead Girls | Serialized novel, part 1 |
| 1996 | The Green Mile: The Mouse on the Mile | Serialized novel, part 2 |
| 1996 | The Green Mile: Coffey’s Hands | Serialized novel, part 3 |
| 1996 | The Green Mile: The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix | Serialized novel, part 4 |
| 1996 | The Green Mile: Night Journey | Serialized novel, part 5 |
| 1996 | The Green Mile: Coffey on the Mile | Serialized novel, part 6 |
| 1996 | Desperation | Novel |
| 1997 | Six Stories | Limited edition (most of these stories were later collected in Everything’s Eventual) |
| 1997 | The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass | Novel |
| 1998 | Bag of Bones | Novel |
| 1999 | The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon | Novel |
| 1999 | The New Lieutenant’s Rap | Limited edition (an early version of Why We’re in Vietnam) |
| 1999 | Hearts in Atlantis | Collection |
| 1999 | Low Men in Yellow Coats | Novella (in Hearts in Atlantis) |
| 1999 | Hearts in Atlantis | Novella (title story of Hearts in Atlantis) |
| 1999 | Why We’re in Vietnam | Novella (in Hearts in Atlantis) |
| 1999 | Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling | Novella (in Hearts in Atlantis) |
| 2000 | The Green Mile: The Complete Serial Novel | Collected novel |
| 2000 | On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft | Nonfiction |
| 2000 | Secret Windows: Essays and Fiction on the Craft of Writing | Nonfiction |
I will come back to The Green Mile later because it belongs in my personal top five, and I already know somebody is going to scroll directly there to make sure I included it. I learned my lesson.
Stephen King Books From 2001–2010
This decade gives you fantasy, the completion of the original Dark Tower journey, crime, strange experiments, and several books that I think get overlooked when people talk only about “classic King.”
| Year | Stephen King Book | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Dreamcatcher | Novel |
| 2001 | Black House | Novel with Peter Straub |
| 2002 | Everything’s Eventual | Story collection |
| 2002 | From a Buick 8 | Novel |
| 2003 | The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla | Novel |
| 2003 | The Gunslinger: Revised Edition | Revised novel |
| 2004 | The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah | Novel |
| 2004 | The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower | Novel |
| 2005 | Faithful | Nonfiction with Stewart O’Nan |
| 2005 | The Colorado Kid | Novel |
| 2006 | Cell | Novel |
| 2006 | Lisey’s Story | Novel |
| 2006 | The Secretary of Dreams, Vol. 1 | Limited edition (illustrated stories) |
| 2006 | Blaze | Richard Bachman novel |
| 2007 | The Colorado Kid (Chadbourne) | Limited edition (illustrated) |
| 2007 | The Colorado Kid (Miller) | Limited edition (illustrated) |
| 2007 | The Colorado Kid (Potter) | Limited edition (illustrated) |
| 2008 | Duma Key | Novel |
| 2008 | A Very Tight Place | Novella (later in Just After Sunset) |
| 2008 | N. | Novella (in Just After Sunset) |
| 2008 | Just After Sunset | Story collection |
| 2009 | Stephen King Goes to the Movies | Collection |
| 2009 | The Little Sisters of Eluria | Limited edition (Dark Tower novella) |
| 2009 | UR | Novella (Kindle original; later in The Bazaar of Bad Dreams) |
| 2009 | Under the Dome | Novel |
| 2010 | Blockade Billy | Novella |
| 2010 | The Secretary of Dreams, Vol. 2 | Limited edition (illustrated stories) |
| 2010 | Full Dark, No Stars | Novella collection |
This is also where I think readers who only know King through his biggest adaptations can start finding the books that feel more like personal discoveries. Duma Key, in particular, has become one of those titles Constant Readers keep trying to push into everybody else’s hands.
Stephen King Books From 2011–2020
This is one of my favorite later-career stretches, because the range becomes impossible to reduce to “horror writer.” You have time travel, crime fiction, fantasy, supernatural horror, a sequel to The Shining, Holly Gibney’s arrival, and some of the strongest evidence that King’s storytelling interests have never stayed in one lane.
| Year | Stephen King Book | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 11/22/63 | Novel |
| 2012 | The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole | Novel |
| 2013 | Guns | Nonfiction |
| 2013 | Joyland | Novel |
| 2013 | The Dark Man | Limited edition (illustrated poem) |
| 2013 | Doctor Sleep | Novel |
| 2014 | Mr. Mercedes | Novel |
| 2014 | Revival | Novel |
| 2015 | Finders Keepers | Novel |
| 2015 | The Bazaar of Bad Dreams | Story collection |
| 2016 | End of Watch | Novel |
| 2016 | Charlie the Choo-Choo | Children’s book (written as Beryl Evans) |
| 2017 | Gwendy’s Button Box | Novella with Richard Chizmar |
| 2017 | Sleeping Beauties | Novel with Owen King |
| 2018 | The Outsider | Novel |
| 2018 | Elevation | Novella |
| 2019 | The Institute | Novel |
| 2020 | If It Bleeds | Novella collection |
| 2020 | Mr. Harrigan’s Phone | Novella (in If It Bleeds) |
| 2020 | The Life of Chuck | Novella (in If It Bleeds) |
| 2020 | If It Bleeds | Novella (title story; Holly Gibney) |
| 2020 | Rat | Novella (in If It Bleeds) |
If you think you don’t like Stephen King because you don’t like horror, this decade is where I would challenge that assumption. 11/22/63 alone has converted plenty of skeptics.
Stephen King Books From 2021–2027
And here is where the current reading order stands as I update this guide.
| Year | Stephen King Book | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Later | Novel |
| 2021 | Billy Summers | Novel |
| 2022 | Gwendy’s Final Task | Novel with Richard Chizmar |
| 2022 | Fairy Tale | Novel |
| 2023 | Holly | Novel |
| 2024 | You Like It Darker | Story collection |
| 2025 | Never Flinch | Novel |
| 2025 | Hansel and Gretel | Illustrated children’s book |
| 2026 | Other Worlds Than These | Novel with Peter Straub |
| 2027 | Anything for Holly | Forthcoming Holly Gibney novel |
| 2027 | The End Times: Volume One | Benjamin Percy project with King contributions |
For Anything for Holly, I’m listing the announced year rather than inventing a precise date that hasn’t been finalized publicly. That is one of the things I want this guide to do better going forward: stay current without pretending rumors are publication data.
Do You Need to Read Stephen King Books in Order?
No, and I would put this on a billboard if I thought it would stop new readers from feeling intimidated. Most Stephen King novels stand alone.
His books are interconnected in the sense that towns recur, characters occasionally cross paths, places have histories, and the Dark Tower eventually makes the concept of “connected” much bigger than a recurring sheriff in Castle Rock. But a connection is not automatically a prerequisite. You can recognize something without needing it explained beforehand. In fact, I think stumbling into one of those connections naturally is often more fun than following a giant prerequisite chart that tells you exactly what you’re supposed to notice.
There are, however, several true continuities where order matters. Those are the ones I would follow carefully.
Stephen King Series in Reading Order
The Dark Tower Books in Order
For a first read, I prefer the seven numbered novels in publication sequence, with The Wind Through the Keyhole afterward. Chronologically, The Wind Through the Keyhole sits between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla, which is why you’ll often see it called book 4.5. But “where does it happen?” and “when should I read it?” are not necessarily the same question. My first-time reading order is:
| Order | Book |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Gunslinger |
| 2 | The Drawing of the Three |
| 3 | The Waste Lands |
| 4 | Wizard and Glass |
| 5 | Wolves of the Calla |
| 6 | Song of Susannah |
| 7 | The Dark Tower |
| 8 | The Wind Through the Keyhole |
If you’re rereading, go ahead and put The Wind Through the Keyhole between four and five. You already know where the road is going. And if you’d rather buy the whole journey at once, the Dark Tower series box set saves you from hunting down the books one at a time.
Bill Hodges and Holly Gibney Books in Order
This is the series order that keeps becoming more important, because Holly has grown far beyond the trilogy where she first appeared. Read the books this way:
| Order | Book |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mr. Mercedes |
| 2 | Finders Keepers |
| 3 | End of Watch |
| 4 | The Outsider |
| 5 | If It Bleeds — title novella |
| 6 | Holly |
| 7 | Never Flinch |
| 8 | Anything for Holly — forthcoming 2027 |
The first three form the Bill Hodges trilogy. After that, the reading path gradually becomes Holly’s. And I really would start at Mr. Mercedes rather than jumping directly to Holly. You can understand the later novel without every earlier case, but Holly’s development is part of what makes following her so satisfying.
She was never supposed to become this enormous part of King’s later career. She simply refused to leave. I respect that. If she’s your main reason for reading, my Holly Gibney books in order and readalong guide walks through her whole story, and my Mr. Mercedes guide is the place to begin.
The Shining Books in Order
This one is simple: read The Shining first and Doctor Sleep second. Doctor Sleep follows Danny Torrance as an adult, and although the second novel has its own story and tone, its emotional weight depends on understanding what happened to Danny at the Overlook. This is one continuation where I wouldn’t skip the first book.
The Talisman Books in Order
The Talisman sequence is now complete:
| Order | Book |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Talisman |
| 2 | Black House |
| 3 | Other Worlds Than These |
There is an enormous time gap between these books, both in publication and in Jack Sawyer’s life. I actually think that makes the trilogy more interesting rather than less. You’re not simply following the next adventure. You’re returning to someone.
The Gwendy Books in Order
Gwendy’s story is unusual because Richard Chizmar wrote the middle installment without King. The reading order is Gwendy’s Button Box, then Gwendy’s Magic Feather by Richard Chizmar, and finally Gwendy’s Final Task by King and Chizmar. You do need the middle book, even though King’s name isn’t on the cover. Otherwise, we are skipping a chunk of Gwendy’s life and calling it efficiency.
The Castle Rock Reading Path
Castle Rock is not a formal series, so please don’t turn this into another required assignment. But if you enjoy reading shared settings in roughly developmental order, I would go from The Dead Zone to Cujo, then The Dark Half, and finally Needful Things. Other stories touch Castle Rock too, but those four give you a satisfying main path through the town. And Needful Things hits differently once Castle Rock already feels like somewhere you’ve been.
Stephen King Books by Mood: Where I Would Start
This is actually my favorite way to recommend Stephen King. Tell me what you already enjoy reading, and I will find your King.
| If You Want… | Start With… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Classic horror | ‘Salem’s Lot | Small-town dread, vampires, and quintessential early King |
| Psychological suspense | Misery | Tight, brutal, and almost entirely human horror |
| A haunted setting | The Shining | Isolation, family pressure, addiction, and the Overlook |
| Something emotional | The Green Mile | Compassion, injustice, grief, and the supernatural |
| An enormous epic | The Stand | Huge cast, apocalypse, morality, and Randall Flagg |
| Childhood friendship + horror | It | Memory, fear, friendship, Derry, and one very bad clown |
| Historical fiction/time travel | 11/22/63 | History, suspense, romance, and very little traditional horror |
| Crime fiction | Mr. Mercedes | A detective story that opens the Holly Gibney path |
| Fantasy | Fairy Tale | A modern doorway into King’s fantasy side |
| Short fiction | Skeleton Crew | A brilliant sampler without an 800-page commitment |
| Something deeply disturbing | Pet Sematary | Grief, death, and one of King’s darkest novels |
| A coming-of-age mystery | Joyland | Nostalgia, mystery, and a gentler supernatural current |
| Writing advice | On Writing | Memoir, craft, and King talking directly about the work |
This is why I resist saying there is one universally perfect first Stephen King book. Someone who reads crime thrillers every week does not need the same starting point as somebody who wants vampires. And someone who tells me, “I don’t like horror,” is not getting Pet Sematary from me unless they have personally wronged me.
My Current Top 5 Stephen King Books
This is different from my “best books to start with” list. A beginner list has to think about accessibility. A personal favorites list gets to be selfish. And after reading King for more than twenty years, these are the five I keep circling back to when I think about why I’ve stayed a Constant Reader.
The Green Mile
The Green Mile is one of my favorites because it reminds me how inadequate the label “horror writer” can be when we’re talking about Stephen King. There is darkness here, but what sticks with me is compassion. It’s about injustice, morality, power, cruelty, and the unbearable knowledge that recognizing goodness does not necessarily mean you have the power to protect it.
This is King making me care first and hurting me second. Which, frankly, is one of his more effective tricks. You can get a copy of The Green Mile on Amazon.
The Stand
The Stand is enormous, and I would never pretend otherwise. But it is one of those enormous books where the length becomes part of the experience for me. By the end, I don’t feel like I’ve merely read about these people. I feel like I’ve traveled with them.
What keeps me coming back is not the pandemic setup itself. It’s what happens after. Who do people become when the old structures disappear? What do they build? Who do they follow? What kind of world do they want next? That is why The Stand feels bigger to me every time I think about it. You can get a copy of The Stand on Amazon.
It
I read It in one obsessive week, and it stayed with me long after I finished. Yes, Pennywise is terrifying. But the clown isn’t why the book lasts for me. The Losers are.
The childhood friendships, the adult memories, the way a place can hold both love and terror, and the unsettling truth that growing up can mean forgetting pieces of ourselves—those are the things I think about. It’s horror, obviously. But it is also a book about memory, and I think that is why it has such a grip on readers beyond the monster. You can get a copy of It on Amazon.
‘Salem’s Lot
‘Salem’s Lot was one of the first King books I read, and I still think it is one of the cleanest introductions to what he does so well. The vampires matter. The town matters more.
King takes a place full of ordinary routines and gradually shows you what happens as something terrible spreads through it. The horror works because Jerusalem’s Lot feels lived in before it feels doomed. And after reading it, quiet towns at dusk become just slightly less trustworthy. You can get a copy of ‘Salem’s Lot on Amazon.
11/22/63
This is the King book I hand to people who insist they do not read Stephen King. Then I wait. Because 11/22/63 is a time-travel novel, a historical novel, a suspense story, and a love story that happens to have Stephen King’s fingerprints all over it.
It surprised me emotionally. I finished it and needed one of those quiet little post-book moments where you sit there staring at nothing, because apparently the author has decided your evening plans are now feelings. That is why it makes my five. You can get a copy of 11/22/63 on Amazon.
What Should You Read After It?
This question deserves its own path, because finishing It can create a very specific problem. You have just spent a very long time in Derry with a group of characters who feel like people you know. Then the book ends. Now what? The answer depends on which part of It you want more of.
| If You Loved This About It… | Read Next | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Derry itself | 11/22/63 | You get a memorable return to Derry inside a very different story |
| Childhood friendship | The Body in Different Seasons | King writing friendship and coming of age without Pennywise |
| Kids confronting something terrible | The Institute | A later King novel centered on children, power, and resistance |
| Small-town darkness | ‘Salem’s Lot | Another community slowly overtaken by horror |
| Derry + deeper King mythology | Insomnia | Returns to Derry and connects more directly to the Dark Tower |
| Huge cast and epic scale | The Stand | The obvious next commitment if you enjoyed living inside a massive King novel |
| Cosmic evil and interconnected worlds | The Dark Tower | Follow the mythology all the way down the rabbit hole |
If you want one single route from It, mine would probably be 11/22/63 first. There is something oddly satisfying about walking back into Derry through another story. Then, if that makes you curious about how much bigger King’s interconnected universe really is, Insomnia and eventually the Dark Tower are waiting.
That is how this happens. One minute you’re reading about a clown. The next minute you have opinions about ka.
The Richard Bachman Books in Order
Richard Bachman was the pseudonym King used for a group of darker, often leaner novels. They are not one continuous series, so you don’t need to read them in order for the plot. Publication order is still useful, though, if you want to watch this other version of King’s writing develop.
| Order | Book |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rage |
| 2 | The Long Walk |
| 3 | Roadwork |
| 4 | The Running Man |
| 5 | Thinner |
| 6 | The Regulators |
| 7 | Blaze |
Rage is the unusual case here, because King allowed it to fall out of print and has opposed bringing it back. So if you’re doing a Bachman project, don’t assume every title will be equally easy—or appropriate—to track down. I wouldn’t let that stop you from reading the others, though. The Long Walk alone is more than enough reason to explore Bachman.
Stephen King Story Collections in Order
King’s short fiction is not secondary King. I want to say that clearly, because readers who focus only on the giant novels miss some wonderful—and wonderfully unsettling—work. His main collections run from Night Shift through You Like It Darker:
| Year | Collection |
|---|---|
| 1978 | Night Shift |
| 1982 | Different Seasons |
| 1985 | Skeleton Crew |
| 1990 | Four Past Midnight |
| 1993 | Nightmares & Dreamscapes |
| 1999 | Hearts in Atlantis |
| 2002 | Everything’s Eventual |
| 2008 | Just After Sunset |
| 2009 | Stephen King Goes to the Movies |
| 2010 | Full Dark, No Stars |
| 2015 | The Bazaar of Bad Dreams |
| 2020 | If It Bleeds |
| 2024 | You Like It Darker |
If enormous King novels intimidate you, I wouldn’t necessarily send you to It first. I might give you Different Seasons. Or Skeleton Crew. A shorter format lets you see how quickly King can create a character, a place, and one very unpleasant problem.
Stephen King Nonfiction Books
If you’re a writer, On Writing is the obvious place to begin. Actually, even if you’re not a writer, I still think it’s worth reading. Part memoir and part craft book, it shows you how King thinks about stories, work, reading, revision, and the ordinary discipline behind an extraordinary career.
Danse Macabre is the choice if you’re interested in King’s thinking about horror itself. Faithful, written with Stewart O’Nan, is for the reader who would like Stephen King plus baseball, which is a more specific Venn diagram but certainly exists. And Guns is a much shorter nonfiction work rather than a traditional full-length book.
I keep nonfiction separate from the main “where should I start?” conversation because most people searching for Stephen King are looking for fiction. But On Writing is important enough that I would never leave it off the shelf entirely. My Stephen King nonfiction guide goes into all of them in more detail.
Should You Read Stephen King in Publication Order?
If looking at the chronological tables above makes you feel excited, yes. Publication order would be an incredible long-term reading project.
You get to watch King’s style change. You encounter the Bachman books in context. You see the Dark Tower appear gradually instead of dropping into an already completed mythology. Recurring locations accumulate history. Later books unexpectedly reach backward. And you get an experience that resembles what longtime readers had as the books originally appeared.
But if that list makes you tired? Do not do it. I mean that sincerely. Reading chronologically is only useful if chronology itself is part of the fun. I would rather have you read five King books you love in a completely chaotic order than force yourself through fifty years of publication history because you think there is a correct way to become a fan. There isn’t.
The Stephen King Reading Path I Actually Recommend
My own favorite way to explore King is not a straight line. It’s more like opening doors. Start with something that fits what you already love, and then follow whatever interests you.
If ‘Salem’s Lot makes you fall for his small-town storytelling, go to Needful Things. If Misery makes you realize you like King without supernatural horror, try Billy Summers or Mr. Mercedes. If Mr. Mercedes makes Holly the person you’re actually there for, follow her straight through the entire series. If Fairy Tale opens the fantasy door, try The Eyes of the Dragon, then The Talisman, and eventually decide whether you’re ready for Roland. And if It makes Derry the place you can’t quite leave, read 11/22/63.
One book should make the next book easier to choose. That is the system.
Where I Would Start If I Were New to Stephen King Today
If I had never read Stephen King and were standing in front of his entire bibliography today, I would ask myself one question: What do I already like? Not “What is his most important book?” Not “What did he publish first?” Not “Which book will make somebody on Reddit approve of my reading order?” What do I like?
If I want classic horror, ‘Salem’s Lot. If I want psychological suspense, Misery. If I want something emotional, The Green Mile. If I mostly read crime, Mr. Mercedes. If I want fantasy, Fairy Tale. And if I think I don’t like horror at all, 11/22/63.
And if I am standing there saying, “No, Victoria, I want the full Stephen King experience and I am not afraid of the page count”? Fine. Take It. I’ll see you in Derry.
More Stephen King Reading Guides
If this guide has helped you decide what kind of King reader you might be, I would use the rest of my Stephen King content as smaller paths rather than scrolling through an enormous bibliography forever.
My 8 Stephen King Books to Start With guide is the shorter version for anyone who wants me to narrow the choices down. My Holly Gibney books-in-order guide is where I’d go if Holly is your main reason for reading. If you want to be properly frightened, my scariest Stephen King books list is waiting. And my complete Stephen King bibliography is for the person who looked at this already very large article and somehow thought, “But I want more detail.” I know you’re out there. I respect you.
Final Thoughts
After more than twenty years of reading Stephen King, I think the size of his bibliography is both the intimidating thing and the wonderful thing. There is always another door.
I have King books that feel like full horror experiences, books that read like crime novels, enormous epics, strange little novellas, fantasy, historical fiction, short stories, and books that have made me far more emotional than anyone who calls him simply “the scary author” might expect. That variety is why I don’t want you to treat Stephen King books in order as a command. Think of this list as the map.
If reading from Carrie in 1974 straight through to the newest books sounds like your ideal multi-year reading project, I genuinely love that for you. Start at the top and watch the whole strange universe grow.
But if all you want is one really good Stephen King book this weekend, choose your mood. Read ‘Salem’s Lot because you want vampires. Read Misery because you want tension. Read The Green Mile because you want your heart involved. Read 11/22/63 because you still aren’t convinced you’re a horror reader. Read It because apparently sleep is optional and you have made a commitment. Then let that book tell you where to go next.
That is how I’ve always found the most joy in enormous author backlists. I don’t try to conquer them. I let one good book lead me to another.
And if you’re already a Constant Reader, tell me what I really want to know in the comments: what was your first Stephen King book, which one is your favorite now, and which title do you think everybody else overlooks?
Read most of the books on the list, though I’ve struggled with his later books.
Hi W, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Your sentiment is a common one I’ve heard from readers but I still read them all as I’m a die hard fan.
I have read all of them apart from the Dark Tower series and maybe a few of the novellas. His range of genres and moods is breathtaking, yet you can always recognize his voice. I think the Long Walk is my favorite short story, Eyes of the Dragon my favorite novella, and your list covered most of my favorite novels, though I would like to mention Gerald’s Game and Cujo, both every bit as tense and psychologically terrifying as Misery, imho.
I’ve only read 112263 and I loved the writing style and the narrative. This book makes me feel like I need to read all of Stephen King but Jesus! There’s more books that I expected. I’ll start with your 8 must. Thank you for guidance and taking the time to order them.
Hi Tyna, thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts! I absolutely loved 11/22/63, so we have that in common. But yes, there are soooo many books and it can get overwhelming. The eight books I recommended will give you a taste of his range over the years. I also recommend his story collections because they don’t require the same commitment as his novels. Happy reading!
Thank you for making this available. It let’s me see what I’ve missed. I read my favorite author in order and try to be patient for the new releases. Saving and printing.
I’m so happy to hear you’ve found this list useful Susan! I too like to read all the books from my favorite authors, so it’s nice to know there are other readers out there who do the same. Happy reading!
Making a list is a subjective thing, but with that in mind, I think The Shining, Eyes of the Dragon, and Different Seasons should be included on a must-read list!
Hi Cyndi, thank you so much for sharing! You’re right, lists are subjective but the one book you mentioned that I personally struggled to not include was The Shining. It’s a favorite of mine and it’s a book from King I still think about. On a brighter note, I tend to revisit some of my favorites and revise my lists every so often, so who knows, it may pop up one day. Happy reading!
How likely is it in getting a signed copy from Stephen King ( you like it darker ) in a hardback copy. Needing one for my wife Kellie . Please lead me in the right direction .
Hi Paul, I don’t a relationship with Stephen King, his publisher, agents or representatives so I have no idea how you could get a signed copy of You Like It Darker. So sorry I’m not able to help. Your best bet will be keeping an ear out to see if he’s doing any events and if possible, show up there. Good luck!
You might want to check rare and signed edition book dealers especially ones that specialize in sf horror.
Great idea, thank you!
Stephen King’s website states that he only signs books at personal appearances at bookstores specifically for that purpose.
Id LOVE a way to have a printable version of this list to put in my little personal library, I’d like to be able to check them off as I read, this seems like the most comprehensive list and since the info is copy protected I cant quickly copy and print it, Is there a way we can make a downloadable/printable version for personal use? Thanks for putting this list together!! <3 Kel
Hi Kelly, Unfortunately I do not have a printable for this list BUT I am working on it.
If your web browser allows, print this web page to pdf file and then print out a copy from the file to paper and you’re done.
I don’t see Full Dark, No Stars (2010) on the list and the stories within- 1922, Big Driver, Fair Extension, and A Good Marriage.
Hi SJ, Thanks for sharing Full Dark, No Stars! I have no idea how I missed that one so I’ll be adding it to the list. I don’t list all the individual short stories, essays, anthologies, and other unpublished works King has written (that would be a way too long list) so I just focused on his novels, novellas, nonfiction, and short story collections. Thanks again for sharing!
Hi there. Thank you for doing the hard work with the list etc.. I just started reading Stephen King (audio books) and what a treat. Let’s chat about the books. Ps I’m not from the US, but I prefer the English language when it comes to Stephen kings books. Have a great one.
Hi Dorothea, welcome and I’m so glad to hear you started to read Stephen King! He is such a prolific storyteller, so you’ll have lots of books to keep you entertained. What has been your favorite book so far?
Love them
Eyes of the Dragon is listed twice. Obviously one of them is wrong. I believe 1987 is the correct date.
Hi Steve, thanks for catching that! You’re absolutely right, 1987 is the correct date.
My understanding is King first published the story himself in 1984 in only a few copies (Philtrum Press, illustrated by Kenneth Linkhauser). Then in 1987 Viking published a mass market edition with a 1987 copyright and illustrations by David Palladini. I couldn’t find any info on whether the Viking edition was revised. In which case two dates would be correct.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eyes_of_the_Dragon
Hi Penn, Thanks for taking the time to leave this comment and I appreciate this insight!
I have 2 Stephen Kings books that aren’t on the list. Storm of the Century and The Bachman Books? Was wondering about why they were left out of the list.. currently have 20 of Stephen Kings books and was trying to place them in chronological order.
Hi Pamela, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I did not include Storm of the Century because that was a screenplay and this list focuses on his novels, novellas, nonfiction, and short story collections. I wish I could include all of Kings works, but it would be too long and confusing. However The Bachman Books are included if you look closely! But for your convenience I’ll copy here: Rage (1976) The Long Walk (1978) Roadwork (1980) The Running Man (1981) Thinner (1984) The Regulators (1995) Blaze (2006).
Thank you so much for the list. I really enjoyed getting his books through the mail when I was a member of his :Stephen King Library” with his first publisher. Then all of a sudden about six months or so I wasn’t getting any books. I lost track of all his books, so to say the least I have a lot of catching up to do! I just love his writing though.
Hi Patsy, Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. How cool must it have been to be a member of the Stephen King Library! I didn’t know about that. I, too, love his writing, and I can’t seem to get enough of it. I’m glad you found the list here, and now you’re on your reading journey to get caught up. Happy reading!
Thanks for the list!! I will use it to (hopefully) get ones I am missing. The Stand is by far my favorite, I have read it 8-10 times over the years and always find little things I had missed. I was really happy when they came out with the uncut version.
Hi Trevor, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I too love The Stand, it’s definitely one of his best books because it just has everything, it’s hands down a must read. My personal favorite is Misery, there’s just something about it, maybe because it’s about a writer and I love books about books and writers. I hope the list will help you get to the books you’ve missed, happy reading!
The Stand is my favorite too!
Wonderful resource, thank you very much.
One book I see missing is “Storm of the Century”. Can you please verify and where in publication sequence it should be.
I remember the movie, I am assuming it was a novel and not a screenplay.
Thank you again, stay healthy,
Joe
Hi Joe, I hope you’re doing well. “Storm of the Century” was originally a screenplay that was published in book form in 1999. My list focuses only on novels, novellas, nonfiction, and short story collections. But I am inspired to do a list for screenplays as well so I will work on that this week. Thanks for stopping by, V.
Hi! I am trying to put all my books that i have in order…. i have been collecting since I read Carrie in high school when it first came out. I do not see listed Hearts In Suspension.
Where did this come in to the mix??
Hi Lori, that’s an anthology that came out in 2016! This list only has novels, novellas, nonfiction and short story collections BUT I’m working on an anthologies list as we speak. Happy reading and organizing!
hey thanks for doing this amazing work for us!! when do you think your lists on his anthologies, screenplays, and other works will be out?
It will be up and live before the end of the month! I sent an email to the publisher to confirm a few things early this week, so I’m excited to have these lists out to accompany this one. Thanks for checking in and I hope you’ll circle back then!
Wow! This is a great list. I found a few things I had never heard of before. I have been a Constant Reader since the 6th grade. Thanks!
The Eyes of the Dragon (1984) is one I have in my collection that’s not on here. I’ve been having a bit of a completionist issue with my Stephen king books. Do you know of any other that haven’t been updated on the post?
Hi Carley, I had it listed twice originally and someone pointed it out in a previous comment. I then corrected it and only left the 1987 one. Then Penn commented and shared that King first published the story himself in 1984 in only a few copies (Philtrum Press, illustrated by Kenneth Linkhauser). Then in 1987 Viking published a mass market edition with a 1987 copyright and illustrations by David Palladini. I’m now going to update it so both are represented with their respective publishers.
At the time of writing this, I have finished Fairy Tale – which was really good – and actively reading and enjoying every second of IT. I plan to read all of the King’s works. No matter how long it takes
I’m so glad you’re reading and enjoying King so far! He really is a masterful storyteller and I enjoy reading his books. I’m looking forward to his next book Never Flinch this summer. Happy reading!
An excellent list. But I would like it if there were annotations beside reprints or short stories that were previously included in SK collections and now published as novellas or short stories.
King has written too many things in the last 50 years, it’s hard to remember which of the ones we have already read and the point of having a comprehensive list is not having to research if a “new” book/publication is actually new
This is a great idea Lisa! Thanks for sharing. I think I’ll sit down over the weekend and do a run through of each. This list of Stephen King books includes his novels, novellas, nonfiction, and short story collections. It does not include all his individual short stories, essays, anthologies, and other unpublished works. I think I might have to do separate lists to cover the individual stories, and the collections the stories can be found in.
Thank you for this list. I’m a long time reader of King (constant reader if you will) but I recently decided to read/reread his works in publication order and this list has been invaluable.
I was curious why The Cycle of the Werewolf has 2 entries? I couldn’t find much on its publication history, but it is interesting that there only seems to have been a single US edition in hardback.
I found your great list when I was talking to a friend about Stephen King books, and eventually, how many I read. I was guessing at least 25. Close, it was 27.
But, I don’t think I see ‘The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon’ on it.
Great list and I refer to it often! I’m currently reading through in chronological order and just finished The Talisman. One thing I caught, is that Letters From Hell is noted as a novel. Since I’m collecting all of his works in hard cover, I realized I couldn’t find anything on this one. Then I realized that it’s actually a broadside rather than a novel and only 500 copies were printed. Anyway, thank you so much for putting this together as I journey through his books and collect as I go!
Thank you so much for the kind words—and great catch! You’re absolutely right about Letters from Hell—it’s a rare broadside, not a full novel, and I really appreciate you pointing that out. I’ll make a note to update the list. Enjoy your reading (and collecting!) journey through King’s works—it’s such an epic ride!
Just finished Skeleton Crew – The Mist, The Monkey, The Jaunt, and The Raft were some standouts. Loved this collection! I loved The Mist screen adaptation except the ending really disappointed me compared to the book. Although I read somewhere that King admitted he preferred the movie ending over his own. Started the 2025 The Monkey screen adaptation and stopped halfway. So far from the short story and just couldn’t get into it. Next up is IT then Misery, the 2 novels I’ve been looking forward to the most.
Love this! Skeleton Crew really does have some unforgettable standouts—I’m with you on The Mist and The Jaunt especially. Totally get what you mean about The Monkey adaptation too—it strays so far that it almost feels like another story entirely. Excited for you to dive into IT and Misery next—two of King’s absolute best, both unsettling in completely different ways. Can’t wait to hear what you think of those! I’m planning to watch and review more of King’s adaptations, there are so many I haven’t watched and I’m looking forward to the new one called The Long Walk.
I’ve been reading Stephen King for three of those five decades and I really can’t choose a favorite because I’ve loved all that I’ve read 💜
Wow, three decades of reading King—that’s amazing! I love that you’ve enjoyed them all, and I can only imagine how many great reading memories you’ve built along the way.
My first Stephen King book was Carrie, when I was in high school. Since then, my mother and I started reading and collecting all of his first edition novels. She passed away in 1997. I now have all of her books and have continued our tradition. I am now 66 years old and just finished Never Flinch. I hope his latest books aren’t a sign of what’s to come. He has been a prominent figure and presence in my life. Like part of the family.
That’s such a beautiful tradition to carry on with your mom’s books — I can imagine how much meaning those shelves hold. Carrie is such a powerful starting point, and Never Flinch is quite a shift from his earlier work. I’m curious which of his books has stayed with you the most over the years?
My first book I read was Cell oh gosh almost 20yrs ago. Then Desperation. Then so many more. My fave overall I have read is Rage. It is intense, dark, and honestly an amazing piece a literature. I understand why he chose to remove it from print but OHMYGOSH it really was thought provoking. Misery is also right up there i loved it. It is also my favorite book to movie. The Shining was a great book and the movie a great STANDALONE movie. But not a great movie when compared to the book. I also really enjoyed Fairytale, I also really enjoyed Elevation- it was a short easy read.
Wow, what an incredible reading journey! Misery is also a standout for me, and I agree the film adaptation really captured that claustrophobic intensity. I haven’t revisited Elevation in a while, but now you’re making me want to pick it up again. Do you usually enjoy his shorter works as much as the full-length novels?
Night Shift was published in the year 1998.
Thanks for your comment! I think you might be mixing it up with one of King’s later works — Night Shift was actually first published in 1978, and it was his very first short story collection.
I have read and own every novel and story collection on this list (except repeat limited editions). After “End of Watch” I thought he was tapering down his output into retirement. I recently found his 10 newest novels and I’m working my way through them now. For people that only know Stephen King by the movies and videos made of his books I would say “Read the original books!” The movies are of varying quality, but the books are all quite solid.
I would rate “Desperation/Regulators” as two of my favorites. Same characters, different settings, and different points of view from King and his alter ego Bachman. Worth every minute of the long reads.
Wow, that’s amazing—you’ve read all of them! 🙌 I love what you said about encouraging people to read the originals—so true, the books always give so much more depth than the screen versions. I haven’t revisited Desperation/Regulators in a while, but now you’ve inspired me to bump them back up my list. Do you have a favorite among King’s more recent novels?
Just read a few so far. He seems to be really invested in the Holly Gibney character from the “Mr. Mercedes” crime trilogy. He features her in “The Outsiders” and has a whole book dedicated to her called. “Holly” (Duh!) I like it when he expands on a character from his earlier works. (Same with Danny from “The Shining” being brought back in “Dr. Sleep”) Those would be my suggestions.
Happy reading!
Hello! I was wondering if there was a reason the collabs with his other son Joe Hill are not included here? Throttle and In the Tall Grass? I really appreciate the thoroughness of the list otherwise!
Hi Nicole, Great catch regarding the Joe Hill books not being included. Over the years readers have asked for lean list that’s easy to follow as they pursue reading his main body of work. But I do have a complete bibliography that’s worth checking out that includes all his works and contributions. You can find that list here: https://bibliolifestyle.com/stephen-king-bibliography-complete-works/
I googled “Stephen King- books in order” and one of the top answers was your page. I am a beginner reader I have only been reading since June. My dad is a hardcore S.K. Fan! I’m pretty sure he owns all his books. I seen your starter books ideas. I truly wanted to start from the beginning and read his very 1st book, then his 2nd, and so on. Any advice or suggestions before I begin my S.K adventure?
Ahh, welcome to your Stephen King adventure! Starting from Carrie and going in order is a fun way to see how his style grows, but as a new reader I’d suggest mixing in a few essentials early so you don’t get bogged down. If I were making a ‘starter kit,’ here’s what I’d recommend:
Carrie (his debut—you’ll see where it all began)
‘Salem’s Lot (classic small-town horror)
The Shining (foundational King, and still chilling)
The Dead Zone (political thriller + supernatural vibes)
Different Seasons (short stories like Shawshank Redemption)
Christine (his car-obsessed horror phase, very 80s fun)
Pet Sematary (dark and emotional, one of his scariest)
It (a doorstop, but a masterpiece of childhood vs. evil)
Misery (tight, psychological suspense)
The Green Mile (emotional, humane, and unforgettable)
Bag of Bones (one of his best ‘writer at work’ novels)
Mr. Mercedes (modern crime thriller to change things up)
That way you’re getting the foundation, a few hooks that will keep you engaged, and some variety so you don’t burn out. You can always circle back to the ones you skipped once you’re hooked.
Your dad must be thrilled you’re diving into his favorite author—it’ll be so fun to talk books together as you go!
Hi Victoria, Thank you so much for this list! I was a huge Stephen King fam growing up, and read everything he wrote from the beginning until the early 90s, but I’ve missed a lot since then. Now that I’ve retired, it’s time to start catching up! I love how the main characters in his books, despite horrible circumstances and losses, keep their basic humanity and decency. My top favourite King books are the ones in the Dark Tower series.
Hi Ann, Thank you so much for reading! I love that you’re revisiting King’s work in retirement—what a perfect project. You’re so right about his characters; even in the darkest stories, there’s that thread of humanity and hope. And yes, the Dark Tower series! Such an epic journey—I’m always amazed by how all his worlds connect through it.
Thank you for this list! I am a slow reader and will be using your list for the next years to come. I decided to start from the beginning. I started with 11/22/63 and that was it. I knew I had to read them all. I’m just going through publication order, with a couple caveats. For example, I’m reading the Shining right now, but before I move forward I’m going to read Doctor Sleep while the information is fresh. Buuuuuut I’m also going to take a quick break after The Shining before Doctor Sleep and read Running Man because there is a movie adaptation coming to theaters in… shoot… 6 days! So I gotta put my phone down and start reading haha. Thanks again!
I love this so much — what a fun way to dive into King’s universe! Starting with 11/22/63 is such a wild entry point, and I totally get how that book can spark the ‘I need to read everything’ feeling. And I think your plan is perfect: reading Doctor Sleep while The Shining is fresh is such a good call, and squeezing in The Running Man before the movie release sounds like a great reading sprint. Enjoy the journey — it’s such a rewarding one!
I didn’t see Storm of the Century on your list…
Hi Heidi, Good question! Storm of the Century isn’t on this list because it was written as a television screenplay rather than published as a novel. I kept this post focused on novels, novellas, and collections. That said, I do have a separate post dedicated to Stephen King’s screenplays here: https://bibliolifestyle.com/stephen-king-screenplays/ — it includes Storm of the Century
Hello Victoria!
Fellow SK enthusiast here! I’ve read roughly half his works and waiting to retire to dive into his second half. Just wanted to thank you for such a comprehensive list! Well done.
As difficult a task it is to narrow it down to just ONE, I would have to say “Misery” is my absolute fav. The Dark Tower series cannot be compared IMO due to size and scale but I’m in love with that collection!
Please keep doing what you do and a quick question to end…
In your own opinion, what do you think his motivation is for continuing to pen novels under Richard Bachman this late in his career?
❤️
Hello! Thank you so much for such a kind note — I’m really glad the list was helpful. Misery is such a strong pick; it’s one of those novels that never loses its intensity. And I completely agree about The Dark Tower — it’s in a category all its own.
That’s a great question about Richard Bachman. My sense is that Bachman still gives King creative freedom — a way to write leaner, darker, or more experimental stories without the weight of expectations that come with the ‘Stephen King’ name. Even this late in his career, it seems like he still enjoys that sense of play and exploration.
Thank you again for reading and for the encouragement — I really appreciate it! ❤️
I see you included Hansel and Gretel. But I didn’t see Charlie the Choo-Choo, written under Beryl Evans.
Hi Betsy! Great question! I included Hansel and Gretel because it’s a new, officially credited 2025 release tied directly to King, but I didn’t include Charlie the Choo-Choo since it was originally published as a fictional in-universe book under the Beryl Evans name. I try to keep this list focused on King’s primary published works rather than meta or tie-in titles — but it’s such a fun one, especially for Dark Tower fans!
I’m a total Stephen King book reader! I’ve read over 40 of his written works. I read his first book, Carrie, in 1974. My dad saw it and into the fireplace it went, along with the next 2 that I had purchased. I was able to finish Carrie after buying the fourth book. Hoping that Mr. King will publish several more.
That’s the year and book when I started, but I was an adult and so I was able to finish Carrie without it being tossed by my dad.
I’ve been reading Stephen King since 1974 when Carrie (wow! I thought at the time. Who is this guy???), eagerly awaiting every new publication. He was basically, literally, the only author I read for many years.
I found his Bachman publishings around 1983-84 and read them all. The first in the Dark Towers series is my fav. I have only partially read the second in the series and lost interest and never read the rest, although I own them.
The movies, except maybe Dolores Claiborne and Shawshank Redemption, never do his written work much justice. I feel the same way Stephen King did about The Shining, the movie. Everything was wrong, including the actors chosen to play the characters. A buildup to a slow descent into madness does not start with the likes of a Jack Nicholson! Lol!
Other movies that sort of captured his books are Cujo, Misery, and the Green Mile and like the other rather successful adaptations, more because of the actors, rather than the screenplays.
Around about the Tom Gordon book which literally took me 20 years to finish and I finished it on audiobook only recently, Mr King’s books got longer and longer and less and less interesting to finish. I started and never finished The Dome.
I’ve read most of his story collections. I think what I like most about Stephen King is his ability to look at something innocuous and show us the ugly underside of it. Like he did in Needful Things. As we are seeing currently in this political atmosphere there are a lot of ugly undersides to seemingly ordinary people.
I’m now working my way through some old favorites and new publishings, since I’ve embraced audiobooks, because I just can’t get through reading books too much anymore. I never thought I would enjoy audiobooks but they are awesome, especially with good voice readers. The person reading the long version of The Stand is a good example of a good voice actor.
While Stephen King has lost some of his shine for me, he’s still my all-time favorite author. (Although Stephen King is terrible with black characters, often stereotypical portrayals as well as his white southerner characters, who always come across as rednecks or poor white trash. Stephen King needs to employ sensitivity proofreaders for those characters or at least consult with a black people and some Southerners! It’s one of the reasons why I stopped the dark Tower series – I just couldn’t stand another minute of the portrayal of the Susanna character.)
I found The Stand absolutely chilling when it was first published, and right now I’m listening to the full unabridged 38 hour version on audiobooks.
That, too has lost its shine for me, but in my memory of how his books made me feel back in the day, (I can still remember a passage in Salem’s Lot that scared me so badly, nearly 50 years ago, it’s still seared in my brain. I was so frightened, I tried to figure out how I could turn out the light from across the room and get into bed before the room went dark!), Stephen King is still the King!
Thank you so much for sharing this, it’s fascinating to hear from someone who’s been reading King since Carrie first came out! That must have been incredible to experience his career unfolding in real time.
I also love what you said about his ability to take something ordinary and reveal the darker side of it, that’s such a huge part of what makes his stories so memorable. And I completely agree about audiobooks; a great narrator can bring these stories to life in a whole new way.
It’s always interesting to hear which books have stayed with readers over the years. That ’Salem’s Lot memory sounds like the kind of reading moment that sticks forever. Thanks again for sharing your King journey!
Hands down, “Salem’s Lot”. Not only did it scare me, it scared 2 hardened Vietnam vets I know!
Now that’s a review! 😂 ’Salem’s Lot really does get under your skin in a way that sticks with you and it’s the kind of scary you don’t forget.
I have read almost all of Stephen King’s books. I agree that they can be funny, scary, unsettling, cringe full, comforting, and thought provoking. The are the factors that keep me coming back and excited for the next offering. I was surprised how many of the books on your list I somehow missed. I will definitely be doing my research and finding where to get the missing titles to add to my collection. Thank you for the comprehensive list. Regards, Constant Reader, Theresa McCorkhill
Theresa, thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment! I love how you described King’s books: funny, scary, unsettling, comforting, and thought-provoking really does capture why so many of us keep coming back to his work. I’m so glad the list helped you spot a few titles you’d missed along the way. Happy hunting for the missing books! ❤️
Great article! Just what i needed! After growing up with Stephen King books by my side, your article and lists brought me back to the wondrous days of dicovering Stephen King and his many worlds – which really ended up being one interconnected and fantastic world encompassed in his brilliant books. I am 70 years old now. I started reading King at about age 17 in high school when CARRIE was first published. All those weeks when I got grounded for some teenaged infraction of the rules – I had my friend Stephen King by my side!
I started out with Carrie first. When i got a bit older, I read to those Bachman books and i remember thinking , gee wiz, they sounded JUST LIKE Stephen King! It was when a friend recommended Fire Starter when I noticed his name and realized that i simply loved King’s novels! Then later on as a young adult, The Shining scared me so much I was afraid to be alone!
Next – i was obsessed with The Stand like no other book!
Then there was The Dark Tower Series that had me worried he would never finish it! The Green mile (as all his other books) was a page turner! I love every books he wrote – even the non-fiction books, the graphic novels and the “shared writings with other authors.
I don’t remember exactly what I read and when beyond what I have mentioned, but i remember every story like it happend to me or was a blockbuster movie I saw.
At first i kept track of new releases and got them right away. Starting in about 2006 (the advent of true smartphones) i kind of slacked off, but today I am filling in and buying the ones I have yet to read since then. Of course I will be reading them on my top-of-the-line android! There have been some books since 2006 that I have read – so I am here trying to figure out which ones i need to add to my collection.
By far, my favorite is The Stand, followed by The Gunslinger series. All the rest are a dead heat tie for third! It’s weird, but every time I read one of his novels, something written about in the novel was either happening to me in real life, or was being brought to the forefront of the world’s attention (like the MGM in Las Vegas burning down while I read The Stand). I was particularly happy with how beautifully King portrayed Holly Gibney (and other female charachters) and the way he portrayed the inner thoughts of any young kid. I love that he never got any facts wrong, and if he did – i didn’t notice. Lastly, in my head – the soundtrack of his books has always been classic rock and roll. I was surprised early on to find that it was also his personal sound track and second in his life to writing (as in “stuff” because we know his wife and kids are always first with him!). I wish he could play in Johnny Depp’s rock band “The Hollywood Vampires” – unless he already has? Sometimes I feel like King HAS been inside my head, going through my “boxes” of my personal stuff! For me, there is no better author than Stephen King. His writings are so good, that I feel like the only movie that did his brilliant writing any justice was “The Shawshank Redemption”. No other movies came close. I was hoping they would.
I always saw Cher playing the charachter Nadine Cross in “The Stand”.
The guy who played Tom Cullen in the stand was perfectly cast (1994 tv mini series, actor Bill Fagerbakke).
This funny thing about the movies not being as good as the books – I was never happy with the movies except Shawshank, and I am not sure he was happy with the movies as well.
I liked that he usually did cameos, though! I also love how there is always a connection from one story to another…he is a writing genius and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for countless the hours I have spent in the other worlds he has created.
My other favorite authors? JAMES A MICHNER (read HAWAII for starters. He is an awesome writer!) And MM KAYE (The Far Pavillions), GEORGE R.R. MARTIN (books that gave us the Game of Thrones tv series and so many more books) and finally, JRR Tolkien. (any book by him is a page-turner). I love a book that drops you off to another world and another life and seems to forget to come back get you. This is why King is the King of writing – not just horror – all writing. He speaks just to me, it seems. I know the difference, though. There are nuts out there that don’t and I am NOT one of them! The craziest I get is to buy one of his books when I cant really afford it and then sit down with a nice glass of wine and delve into the worlds he has captured on that old underwood. And I don’t mean Larry.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this, I loved reading about your history with Stephen King. Starting with Carrie when it was first published and then following his work across decades is such an incredible reading journey. I also completely understand what you mean about his books feeling interconnected, almost like one enormous world you keep stepping back into. The Stand and The Dark Tower clearly hold such a special place for you, and I love your description of King as someone who can drop you into another world and seemingly forget to come back for you. And yes, the music woven through his work is such a huge part of the experience too. Thank you again for sharing your memories, favorites, and recommendations; this is exactly the kind of comment I love reading from a fellow reader.
I have read about a little more than half of King’s books, I started with his books that were made into movies, and trust me, his books are better than most of his movies. He goes into much more detail about the characters and events that the movies do not have the time to do, and sometimes the movie endings are not the same as his books endings. King is mostly horror and can be hard to read sometimes, but his writing style has enabled him to “branch out” into other topics other than horror, you will be surprised by the more books you read from him, and yes read them in order so you don’t take the chance of a “spoiler” situation. He’s my favorite author of all time, but not perfect, thanks
Thank you so much for sharing this! I completely agree that the books often give you so much more depth than the adaptations, especially when it comes to character development and the little details that make his stories feel so immersive. I also love that you mentioned how much he branches beyond horror because I find that surprises a lot of readers when they first start exploring more of his work. And yes, reading in order can definitely help avoid those interconnected-story spoilers. I’m so glad the list was helpful!