Hi everyone,
I’m almost done reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and I’m really enjoying the book.
I know he has a bunch of books that borderline on horror and I’m not really interested in those. Can anyone here make some recommendations for other really good books of his that aren’t too dark?
Thanks!
by Thegr8rm
8 Comments
The only fiction one of his that isn’t horror that I’ve read is 11/22/63, but I believe The Green Mile and Different Seasons are both not horror and they’re both pretty popular. It’s hard to go wrong with Stephen King.
So you want the least horrific of Stephen King, if I’m reading you correctly?
The Dark Tower series is his fantasy – sci fi epic, but it is not the personal, quiet tone of 11/22/63
The Talisman is an action – adventure story about a young man’s journey through America and other worlds
Joyland is a short and sweet story about a young man coming of age while working at an amusement park over the summer. It has a ghost to be fair, but the ghost isn’t scary.
Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch are his somewhat psychic mystery books, there’s a follow up series about a secondary character.
Revival is his take on the Frankenstein story, but it’s more about a young man losing his way to addiction and finding his way back to his family as he grows old.
In order of “Most like 11/22/63” I’d say Joyland, then Revival, then Mr Mercedes and its sequels.
The Eyes of the Dragon, Fairy Tale, The Gunslinger, Mr Mercedes.
Different Seasons is a collection of novellas that I absolutely loved. Three of the four have been adapted into solid movies:
The Apt Pupil
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
The Body (aka Stand By Me)
The last one is currently in development hell.
EDIT: Fun fact, the movie Stand By Me is what made me want to become a writer. The Novella solidified it. I became an IT Admin, but I still write for pleasure to this day, and am working toward my master’s in creative writing.
This may be too far from what you’re looking for, but I just finished {{On Writing by Stephen King}} and it was a delightful read. I don’t care for horror so I’ve never really read any King, but this book was such an enjoyable read. His style just flows. It’s part memoir and part lessons on writing, but even if you’re not a writer, I think it would still be interesting.
11/22/63 was like that first hit of heroin. I’ve been chasing that high ever since and never really found an equivalent. Joyland was ok, so was Billy Summers. I enjoyed End of watch and Finders Keepers too.
Hearts in Atlantis.
Misery. It’s more of a psychological thriller than a horror novel.
Dolores Claiborne
I can’t decide if Apt Pupil and Under The Dome are dark or not, but I thought they were good. I don’t really do horror as I don’t usually believe it, but I am a SK fan, not sure how that works 🙄