Top Twenty

[Doc Creed]

I know, I know, more ratings. Sigh. Boo hiss. Pshaw. kingunkucky was doing tournaments but that fizzled out. We periodically rate our favorites so we might as well just get on with it...

Stephen King has written over seventy books so creating a top twenty list doesn't even cover a third.
Newer members might enjoy creating a top twenty list while others might see this as a welcome distraction.

Mine
1. Pet Sematary
2. Misery
3. Lisey's Story
4. The Stand
5. Gerald's Game
6. The Dead Zone
7. Dolores Claiborne
8. The Tommyknockers
9. The Eyes of the Dragon
10. Night Shift
11. The Shining
12. Duma Key
13. The Bachman Books
14. Skeleton Crew
15. The Green Mile
16. Bag of Bones
17. 'Salem's Lot
18. Christine
19. On Writing
20. Needful Things

(Some may find it surprising that I didn't include IT but I'm no longer partial to that book, don't know why. Also, I didn't include The Dark Half or Joyland this time.)

 

[AchtungBaby]

I love rankings! Keep them coming, please. Maybe something related to the short stories?

1. Revival
2. The Dead Zone
3. Needful Things
4. 11/22/63
5. The Green Mile
6. The Shining
7. Misery
8. Dolores Claiborne
9. Different Seasons
10. Duma Key

11. Bag of Bones
12. The Waste Lands
13. The Tommyknockers
14. Finders Keepers (this would be top 10 if it weren’t for

Spoiler

a certain character surviving a shot to the head at point-blank range

)
15. Wolves of the Calla
16. Firestarter
17. Full Dark No Stars
18. Joyland
19. The Dark Half
20. Pet Sematary

Some notes:

- That’s the first time, ever, The Shining didn’t end up in my top five. I find myself gravitating toward King’s later, more emotionally nuanced work as of late.

- I wanted to include a short story collection or two, but couldn’t decide which ones or where to place them. So I opted to keep them out entirely. But know I do love the collections and didn’t forget about them.

- I also didn’t forget about the Bachman novels. I just didn’t feel any of them deserved a spot in my top twenty.

- Neither It nor The Stand appear. I love those works to death, don’t get me wrong, but they aren’t without flaws. The former draaaaaags in places (looking at you, Fire at the Black Spot) and the latter’s climax... ugh.

- This is the first time Firestarter or The Dark Half has made any sort of ‘favorites’ list of mine. I used to number those among my least favorites, but recent rereads turned me around. I feel King bookended the 1980s with two of his meanest and leanest books ever.

- Making this list was hard. I already want to change the order around, but I won’t. There are so many other books I could’ve included (I only dislike a handful of SK’s releases), but alas. The limit is what makes this fun. Can’t wait to see your lists.

 

[danie]

(looking at you, Fire at the Black Spot)

Haaaaahaaaaa. You are so right.

 

[Doc Creed]

I also didn’t forget about the Bachman novels. I just didn’t feel any of them deserved a spot in my top twenty.

I fudged and included The Bachman Books because it contains the three I like the most (all but Rage). I, too, hated to leave off so many story collections but I decided to choose his first two which are my favorites. Like you say, it's fun to see how our assessment changes over time.

Ahem...and what's this you say about The Stand and its climax? Lol
What was wrong with it?

 

[Mary Strickland]

My favorites are Hearts in Atlantis, Dream Catcher, Insomnia, and The Dark Tower (II to VII). The Ka-Tet members are comfortable to be around. I especially think Pere Callahan is one of a kind.

 

[Doc Creed]

My favorites are Hearts in Atlantis, Dream Catcher, Insomnia, and The Dark Tower (II to VII). The Ka-Tet members are comfortable to be around. I especially think Pere Callahan is one of a kind.

Hearts in Atlantis is a wonderful book. I hope he writes another book where individual stories and novellas interlock in both casual and momentous ways. I would consider this a novel. My favorite was the title story. What was yours?

 

[ghost19]

Hearts in Atlantis is a wonderful book. I hope he writes another book where individual stories and novellas interlock in both casual and momentous ways. I would consider this a novel. My favorite was the title story. What was yours?

The actual story titled "Hearts in Atlantis" was my favorite by far in the book. I think Mr. King captured the feelings of being a freshman in college were spot on, even though it takes place in a different era. Just the overall tumultuous, not sure how your life is supposed to play out, passionate, awkwardness of starting college life rang so true in that book. Very few stories from any other author I've ever read made me so nostalgic for my college days as that story did and still does.

 

[GNTLGNT]

....Top 20????....I ain't a gonna take mah shews off so's I can count that high Mr. Mister!!!....y'all ain't trickin' me!......

 

[Doc Creed]

Toni_S_UK
Paddy C Andy4
KittensScareMe

 

[Spideyman]

The actual story titled "Hearts in Atlantis" was my favorite by far in the book. I think Mr. King captured the feelings of being a freshman in college were spot on, even though it takes place in a different era. Just the overall tumultuous, not sure how your life is supposed to play out, passionate, awkwardness of starting college life rang so true in that book. Very few stories from any other author I've ever read made me so nostalgic for my college days as that story did and still does.

ghost19 Have you read Hearts in Suspension? Insights from his friends/ classmates during his college day during the Vietnam war.

 

[AchtungBaby]

I fudged and included The Bachman Books because it contains the three I like the most (all but Rage). I, too, hated to leave off so many story collections but I decided to choose his first two which are my favorites. Like you say, it's fun to see how our assessment changes over time.

Ahem...and what's this you say about The Stand and its climax? Lol
What was wrong with it?

Four words:

Spoiler

The Hand of God

.

If not for that, I think it would be my favorite King novel. Seriously.

 

[AchtungBaby]

Haaaaahaaaaa. You are so right.

Hehehehe. Glad I’m not the only one.

I get the importance of Derry’s history. But those interludes can feel eternal.

 

[Spideyman]

1 The Dark Tower Journey ( I personally consider them as one book made of many)
2. Lisey's Story
3. Bag of Bones
4. Talisman
5. Insomnia
6. The Stand
7. 11/22/63
8. Duma Key
9. Joyland
10. Storm of the Century
11. Just After Sunset
12. Full Dark No Stars
13. Mr. Mercedes
14. Finders Keepers
15. End of Watch
16. The Eyes of the Dragon
17. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
18. The Colorado Kid
19. Salem's Lot
20. Hearts in Atlantis

 

[Kurben]

Kurbens list!!

1. IT
2. The Stand
3. 11/22/63
4. The Green Mile
5. Misery
6. Pet Semetary
7. Hearts In Atlantis
8. Salems Lot
9. Needful Things
10. Different Seasons
11. The Bachman Books
12. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
13. Liseys Story
14. Bag of Bones
15. Dolores Claiburne
16. Just After Sunset
17. The Dead Zone
18. Full Dark No Stars
19. Carrie
20. Mr, Mercedes

 

[Constant Reader 1212]

My list is in no particular order, and I couldn't honestly say these are my favourites, but certainly these are the books that were most impactful for me. They have taught me a lot about life and writing. I return to them over and over and always find something new to appreciate and the comfort of visiting with old friends.

1. The Dark Tower series ( borrowing Spideyman's logic here)
2. Dolores Claiborne
3. Talisman
4. Hearts in Atlantis
5. Insomnia
6. Firestarter
7. 11/22/63
8. The Wind through the Keyhole
9. Joyland
10. From a Buick 8
11. On Writing
12. Full Dark No Stars
13. Black House
14. Dr Sleep
15. The Long Walk
16. The Dark Half
17. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
18. Geralds Game
19.Everythings Eventual
20. Bag of Bones

 

[osnafrank]

Bag of Bones

It
The Girl who loved Tom Gordon
Needful Things
The Stand
The Long Walk
Running Man
Rage
The Dark Tower
Salems Lot
Storm of the Century
Eyes of the Dragon
Pet Semetary
11/22/63
Dreamcatcher

 

[Zone D Dad]

This is probably different from the last time I ranked the works, but I'll give it a go. 20 is hell of a long list:

1) It
2) Salem's Lot
3) The Shining
4) The Talisman
5) The Dead Zone
6) Night Shift
7) Skeleton Crew
8) The Long Walk
9) The Green Mile
10) The Stand
11) On Writing
12) The Wastelands
13) Pet Sematary
14) Desperation
15) Misery
16) Full Dark, No Stars
17) Different Seasons
18) Nightmares and Dreamscapes
19) 11/22/63
20) The Tommyknockers

This list will probably change at a moment's notice or like they say in the Princess Bride - "Good night Westley, good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

 

[AchtungBaby]

I just posted my list a couple of weeks ago, but I already want to change things around. *shrug*

1. Revival
2. The Dead Zone
3. Needful Things
4. 11/22/63
5. The Green Mile
6. The Shining
7. Dolores Claiborne
8. Dark Tower Series
9. Duma Key
10. Misery
(I feel like that’s a solid top 10. Mostly the same as before, with a few revisions.)

This is where things get hard...

11. Pet Sematary (I’ve never ranked PS this high.)
12. Different Seasons
13. The Dark Half
14. Firestarter
15. IT
16. The Stand
17. Bill Hodges Trilogy
18. ‘Salem’s Lot (

Spoiler

Susan choosing to go to the Marsten House alone prevents this classic from being in my top ten.

)
19. The Tommyknockers
20. Under the Dome (I still can’t get over that awful ending, but the rest of it is King bringing his A-game.)

 

[fljoe0]

1. The Shining (the first one I read way back in high school)
2. The Dark Tower
3. The Dead Zone
4. The Stand
5. 11-22-63
6. It
7. Misery
8. Duma Key
9. Different Seasons
10. 'Salem's Lot
11. The Long Walk
12. Needful Things
13. Pet Sematary
14. Under The Dome
15. Night Shift
16. Full Dark, No Stars
17. The Talisman
18. The Green Mile
19. End Of Watch
20. Cell

After I look at this for a wile, I'll probably move a few things around.

 

[Doc Creed]

Bump

New members...go for it.