I thought Misery was great. Usually King always has some supernatural stuff going on, but Misery doesn’t. Maybe it was just me, but it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Even if I had seen the movie before. The Dragonlady is just fucking nuts, and whether that’s exaggerated or not, the suspense makes up for it.
Another good non supernatural King book, first writ under his Richard Bachman alter ego is Blaze. It was written years ago but recently published.
It’s about two con artists making a living by well, being crooks. One of them is mentally challenged, which sort of reminds me of Of Mice and Men. This one is great, not a horror story, but we follow Clayton Blaisdell, the mentally challenged dude, after his buddy dies. You can see in the story how he was totally reliant on his partner, and what follows from that. It’s depressing enough to be horror. XD
It is also great. I love the character development in this one. Every person in that book is someone you know, which adds a good fear factor. It’s also creepy in that it explores the death of childhood mentalities through everyday things thrown to shit by an ancient demon thing. It rocks.
Desperation is classic King where he goes all out. It’s really messed up. It’s a lot more fantasy than some of his other stories, so that makes it interesting. And again, great characters in this one. If you read Cell, it’s like that, but in the desert, and with mutants. XD
I also liked Lisey’s Story, although that obviously ties in so much to the Dark Tower world. But still, it deals with this messed up author who found a way back and forth into an alternate dimension. (which he found to escape the wrath of his abusive father) A dimension which tempts you to stay, forever…his story is really awesome, yet it’s interesting how his wife, Lisey, is the one who has to deal with so much shit…
The Dark Half isn’t one of my faves, but it’s interesting and well written. (but a bit slow to start) King manages to make absolutely everything hopeless in this for the protagonist as he faces off against his ’‘dark self’’. So much so that the ending kind of bites; but the rest of the book is great.
Thinner is actually really gripping and creepy. Yeah the movie is retarded, but the book works out fine. Nice and entertaining, and totally morbid King style. I love how he can make anything deranging.
Also he has plenty of short stories, a lot that were made into movies…don’t let the retardation that is Maximum Overdrive (although personally I love that movie to death) and The Mangler fool you, the stories that spawned the films are great. He also has a short story about a guy who thinks he’s a lawnmower. Yeah that sounds hilarious, but the story is actually pretty deranging. Also, Dolan’s Cadillac is worth reading. (PLUS its movie actually kicks ass)
Although Dreamcatcher utilizes the concept of It for story telling, it’s another good, way too many details story with solid characters. Some of it is pretty confusing though. Cell is also another one of those stories where King lays on the mood extremely thick, but it works. You’ll be in there the whole time. It has its damn sad and gripping moments, too, as the characters just try to survive as best they can.
Cujo was interesting, because it really isn’t so much about a killer Saint-Bernard rather than it is about a family being torn apart (no pun intended lulz) by very normal human things. I find it interesting that a lot of King books often have double meanings, or at least secondary meanings used to further the horror/fantasy aspect. Cujo is a good example, although it’s a bit awkward to read. Too many details on red cereal haha.
And of course, The Stand. I think that’s the biggest recommendation you got, so maybe start with that? Be warned, it’s huge. Huge but fun. And word up for Carrie. I read that in one afternoon. Short book, but awesome.
