Table of Content

• 1. Carrie (1974)
• 2. Salem’s Lot (1975)
• 3. The Shining (1977)
• 4. The Stand (1978)
• 5. The Dead Zone (1979)
• 6. Firestarter (1980)
• 7. Cujo (1981)
• 8. The Dark Tower Series (1982-2012)
• 9. Pet Sematary (1983)
• 10. It (1986)
• 11. Misery (1987)
• 12. The Green Mile (1996)
• 13. 11/22/63 (2011)
• 14. Doctor Sleep (2013): A Chilling Sequel to The Shining
• 15. The Outsider (2018)

2. Salem’s Lot (1975)

Salem’s Lot captivated readers upon its release, quickly becoming a bestseller and cementing King’s reputation as a master of horror. With over 5 million copies sold worldwide, the novel remains one of King’s most enduring and beloved works.

Drawing upon his own childhood memories of small-town life, King crafted a chilling tale of vampiric terror that continues to haunt readers to this day. The novel’s richly drawn characters and atmospheric setting, combined with its relentless sense of dread and suspense, make it a timeless classic of the genre.

3. The Shining (1977)

Stephen King’s renowned 1977 novel, “The Shining,” exemplifies his mastery in crafting psychologically chilling tales that linger in the reader’s mind. Centered on Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and son Danny, tasked with caring for the isolated Overlook Hotel during winter, the narrative becomes a riveting exploration of the human psyche.

The Overlook Hotel feels alive, playing a big role in Jack’s descent into madness. King’s writing makes it spooky, with a dark history adding to the atmosphere. Ghosts and Danny’s abilities make it even more chilling, drawing readers in.

4. The Stand (1978)

Stephen King’s monumental work, “The Stand,” unleashed in 1978, transcends typical horror, immersing readers in an epic battle between good and evil within a post-apocalyptic America.

The narrative unfolds after a deadly influenza strain decimates the global population, setting the stage for two charismatic leaders to emerge. Mother Abagail embodies benevolent forces connected to the divine, while the malevolent Randall Flagg symbolizes chaos and evil.

King’s examination of the age-old conflict between good and evil forces readers to consider moral decisions in the face of unimaginable difficulties. The book starts to mirror human nature and encourage meditation on the constant struggle between the light and evil sides of each of us.

5. The Dead Zone (1979)

After awakening from a coma, Johnny Smith discovers he has gained the ability to see into people’s futures through physical contact. As he grapples with the consequences of his newfound power, Johnny becomes embroiled in a series of events that force him to confront his own destiny and the moral implications of altering the course of history.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Johnny must navigate a treacherous path between his own desires and the greater good, leading to a climactic showdown with a dangerous political candidate whose rise to power threatens the future of humanity.

6. Firestarter (1980)

“Firestarter” is a book that got a lot of people excited because it has a spooky story with secret government stuff. It sold more than 2 million books because people really liked the story and the characters. The author, Stephen King, got ideas from real-life secret experiments and his interest in psychic stuff to write this scary book.

The story is about Charlie, a girl who can start fires with her mind. It talks about themes like power, who’s in charge, and what’s right or wrong. The book is full of action and makes you think, which is why it’s a special one among King’s books.

7. Cujo (1981)

Stephen King’s 1981 book, “Cujo,” is a suspenseful thriller that really scares its readers. It happens in a small place called Castle Rock. The story gets scary when a nice Saint Bernard dog named Cujo gets rabies from a bat bite. Suddenly, the friendly dog becomes very dangerous. The Trenton family gets stuck in a scary situation when their car stops working at Cujo’s house.

King is really good at mixing psychological horror with the real fear of a sick animal, making the story feel very tense and scary. The book isn’t just about the danger Cujo brings; it also shows how the characters deal with fear, hopelessness, and the harsh truths of facing a tough enemy. “Cujo” is a powerful story about how fragile life can be when unexpected and wild dangers appear.

8. The Dark Tower Series (1982-2012)

Stephen King took 30 years to write The Dark Tower series, which is his biggest and most important work. It’s a mix of fantasy, horror, and Western stories. With more than 30 million copies sold all over the world, it’s known as one of the biggest and most impactful books in recent times. King started writing this series after a very serious accident he had, which shows how strong and creative he is. He even wrote a lot of it with pen and paper while he was getting better.

The story is about Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, who is trying to find a mysterious place called the Dark Tower. The books take readers on a big adventure across different worlds, with lots of interesting characters and big ideas about fate and making things right.

9. Pet Sematary (1983)

Stephen King’s 1983 book “Pet Sematary” talks about how hard it is to deal with losing someone. It’s about the Creed family—Louis, Rachel, Ellie, and Gage—who move to a small town in Maine.

Near their new house, there’s a spooky graveyard that can bring dead things back to life. When something really sad happens, Louis has to make a tough decision about life and deat

10. It (1986)

Since 1986, Stephen King’s book “It” has been really scary, mixing together horror, growing up, and spooky stuff in a way that shows how good King is at telling stories. The story is set in a made-up town called Derry, Maine. It’s about a scary thing that comes back every 27 years looking like Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

This clown frightens the people in town, especially a group of kids who don’t fit in called the Losers’ Club. These kids have to handle normal problems teenagers face, but they also have to deal with this supernatural clown.