Stephen King

A Stephen King fan has published an 80-page version of the book which novelist Jack Torrance obsessively writes during King’s The Shining, where his descent into madness is revealed when his wife discovers that his work consists of just one phrase, endlessly repeated. Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson in terrifying form in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film, is a frustrated writer who goes with his wife and son to spend the winter in the isolated Overlook Hotel in an attempt to get the novel he has always wanted to write started. But the hotel’s grisly past and unquiet ghosts have their way with him, and ... Read Full Story

In the book Danse Macabre, King makes a list of roughly one hundred books—novels and collections. King has marked with an asterisk ( * ) books which he felt were particularly important. We have read all these books, some more than once, and recommend you do the same. It would be interesting to see what an updated list for up to 2009 would include. Richard Adams. The Plague Dogs; Watership Down* Robert Aickman. Cold Hand in Mine; Painted Devils Marcel Ayme. The Walker through Walls Beryl Bainbridge. Harriet Said J. G. Ballard. Concrete Island*; High Rise Charles Beaumont. Hunger*; The Magic Man Robert Bloch. ... Read Full Story

So, who's the best thriller writer? For me, it used to be a very clear cut answer--Koontz took the prize. Now, however, I'm at a different phase of my life and don't read much of either anymore. I did pick up a book by Koontz most recently though and I really wasn't impressed. It made me question if he was ever a good writer, or if I was just an immature reader, easily impressed in my younger years. I don't know the answer. I will say that Koontz still wins in my book because Stephen King is just not a good writer. He has ... Read Full Story

1974 - Carrie 1975 - Salem's Lot 1977 - The Shining 1978 - Night Shift (stories) 1978 - The Stand 1979 - The Dead Zone 1980 - Firestarter 1981 - Cujo 1981 - Danse Macabre (nonfiction about horror) 1981 - Roadwork 1982 - Creepshow (comic book, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson) 1982 - The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger 1982 - Different Seasons (novellas) 1983 - Christine 1983 - Pet Sematary 1983 - Cycle of the Werewolf 1984 - The Talisman (written with Peter Straub) 1985 - Skeleton Crew (stories) 1985 - The Bachman Books (novel collection) 1986 - It 1987 - The Eyes of ... Read Full Story

(Getty Images) Reigning king of horror fiction Stephen King took a swipe at the queen of vampire romance Stephenie Meyer today, saying that the Twilight author "can't write." In an interview with USA Weekend, the King compared Meyer to Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling, remarking : “Both Rowling and Meyer, they’re speaking directly to young people… The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good.” Ouch. Perhaps wanting to soften the blow a bit, King says that even if she writes like crap, her plotting is to be admired: “People ... Read Full Story