Hello again, fellow writers! I realize that it has been some time since my last posting, but I assure you I am still alive and intend to post more in the coming weeks. A few of you may recall that I mentioned I might do something special for the 500th page view, if anyone was interested. Since no one commented on this announcement (which may be my fault for not calling too much attention to it) I am choosing to ignore this, and going on with business as usual. Perhaps the 1000th page view will warrant some sort of special blog event.
Anyway, 'The Shortlist' is a new idea I've had for a series of posts in which I examine a particular writer, genre, or whatever else, and list the best/most important books in that area. Today's list is all about one of my favourite writers ever, Stephen King!
Stephen King is one of those writers - you either love him or hate him. Being something of a horror fan, I love his work, of course. If I hadn't read King in my formative years, I probably wouldn't have had half of the great ideas I've had. Stephen King has an uncanny ability to get inside of the human mind, especially when it comes to fear. He knows what makes people tick, and it's a talent that few writers can pull off as well as he can.
The following is a list of King novels which I have found to be the most notable, in order of importance to this writer.
Note: I realize that I am being very spare about the story details of these books, but it's only because I feel that a plot summary would diminish the experience of reading the book for oneself. If any of you want more details, please comment, and I may tell you a little more to capture your interest.
1. The Gunslinger series
I realize that putting a series on this list is kind of a cheat, but there really is no way to judge one book on its own merits without talking about the series as a whole. To put it in perspective, this would be something akin to judging Tolkien's Fellowship of The Ring without mentioning the other two books. It simply can't be done.
The Gunslinger was one of the first King books I picked up, mostly because of the fantastic cover art. The first book is simple in comparison to later chapters, but underneath the simple story is a much more complex, and deftly crafted world.
One of the things that always impressed me about the gunslinger stories is that they were not limited to their own books. Indeed, if you look at many of King's other works (Insomnia and Desperation for instance), you will find small glimpses of Roland's world there.
I could go on about the incredible settings, metaphor, and characters, but it's best that you discover it for yourself, if you haven't already. And if you already know those places, you might want to go back and rediscover things.
2. The Stand
If there's one book that is definitive of a writer's career as a whole, The Stand would be the one for Stephen King. It is an epic among epics, clocking in at over 1000 pages. This is long even by King's standards. In spite of its length, the book is constantly engaging, always keeping the reader wanting to know what will happen next. King also does an incredible job of keeping up with the sprawling cast of characters, always making them memorable people who we care about, and want to succeed. (with some exceptions, or course) As before, if you haven't read it, there is much to learn from this one.
3. Gerald's Game
This is a lesser known novel, but it's a very impressive feat for any writer. For almost the entire story (nearly 500 pages) it concerns a single character in a single room. I still don't quite understand how it was done, but I know it was done very well. If you need help with internal monologue or character study, this is the one to read. I'm going to go so far as to say that this is a criminally overlooked work from the King canon.
4. The Long Walk
I had to mention this since it was the first Stephen King book I ever read. At first I wasn't aware that it was a King novel, since it was one of the 'Bachman' books, but finding out it was a King book made it all the more exciting.
Like Gerald's Game, this is another lesser known book, and also deals with a fairly simple storyline. This book proves that sometimes less is more. In addition to that, it may be one of the scariest pieces of fiction I've ever read.
5. Misery
You may have seen the film version, which is amazing in its own right, but the book itself has at least a few differences. This book is a great one for writers who want to figure out how suspense and tension work in a story. Stephen King has always been good with these elements, but in Misery, he uses them to their fullest potential.
There are still a few notable Stephen King novels I haven't read yet, so this list may not be considered exhaustive. As I said before, I think these are the most important books for a writer to know, particularly if you want to write horror. As always, feel free to add your two cents to the discussion, because chances are I may have missed something.
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