Stephen King has long been considered the master of the horror novel — and for good reason. Few authors are as prolific, successful and influential as King. The 75-year-old author has published 65 novels, 11 story collections, 5 nonfiction books and 19 screenplays since his first short story sale at the age of 18, with a total of over 400 million books sold and a new novel and film adaptations in the pipeline each year.
He has a way of infusing the classic campfire tales we heard as kids at summer camp with fully realized and deeply immersive worlds. He builds fascinating and believable characters who share complex and compelling relationships, then tears them apart in a terrifying fashion, tapping into the primal, child-like fears that reside in the mind's darkest recesses. He celebrates those irrational frights — a clawed hand scratching at a window, a pair of eyes watching from the corner of a dark room — buried under years of imaginationless adulthood, and knowing better than to draw back the shower curtain because you feel the gnawing presence of something there. He'll make you feel like that scared kid at a campfire all over again, listening in rapt horror as a counselor weaves a hair-raising tale. And he'll also make you listen questioningly at night — if only for a moment — to that nameless sound from somewhere beyond the walls of your cozy bedroom.
Let's pull back that shower curtain to reveal the 20 greatest novels from his expansive and chilling body of work.
20. "Under the Dome" (2009)
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A small town is suddenly trapped under an inexplicable, transparent dome, sparking a struggle for power and survival as its inhabitants face escalating tensions and disturbing revelations.
19. "Firestarter" (1980)
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A young girl with pyrokinetic abilities becomes a government target, prompting her and her father to go on the run, evading capture while battling their own dangerous powers.
18. "The Institute" (2019)
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Children with extraordinary talents are held captive in a secret facility, subjected to cruel experiments, until they unite to resist and uncover the shocking truth behind their imprisonment.
17. "Lisey's Story" (2006)
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A widow navigates her husband's disturbing past while facing a dangerous stalker, unveiling surreal dimensions and the profound connections between love, creativity and trauma.
16. "Cujo" (1981)
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A rabid Saint Bernard terrorizes a mother and her son, isolating them in their car in the sweltering summer heat, while their desperate struggle for survival reveals the depths of fear and human resilience.
15. "Night Shift" (1978)
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A collection of unsettling short stories that explore macabre scenarios including vengeful laundry machines, monstrous rats and a chilling exploration of nocturnal horrors.
14. "The Outsider" (2018)
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When a respected citizen is accused of a heinous crime, an investigation reveals baffling evidence that defies explanation, leading to a confrontation between rationality and the supernatural.
13. "Gerald's Game" (1992)
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Trapped alone in a remote cabin after her husband's sudden death, a woman's survival becomes a test of her physical and mental endurance, uncovering buried memories and fears.
12. "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" (1982)
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A poignant tale of friendship and determination unfolds within the confines of a prison, as an innocent man navigates the harsh reality of his wrongful conviction.
11. "The Dead Zone" (1979)
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After awakening from a coma, a man discovers he can glimpse a person's future by touch, setting him on a path to prevent impending disasters while grappling with personal sacrifice.
10. "11/22/63" (2012)
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A teacher discovers a time portal and embarks on a mission to prevent the Kennedy assassination, but altering history proves to be a complex endeavor with unforeseen consequences.
9. The Dark Tower Series (1982-2012)
Across a multiverse, a gunslinger's quest to reach the enigmatic Dark Tower unfolds, weaving together genres and characters in a saga of epic proportions.
8. "Pet Sematary" (1983)
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A grieving family discovers a burial ground that brings the dead back to life, but the sinister consequences of tampering with death spiral into a nightmarish tale of tragedy and loss.
7. "Carrie" (1974)
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A bullied high school student's telekinetic powers explode into a devastating and violent prom night, revealing the destructive force of human cruelty and the limits of control.
6. "The Green Mile" (1997)
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Set on death row, this narrative explores the lives of guards and inmates, intertwining the supernatural with themes of justice, compassion and the unexpected bonds formed in adversity.
5. "Misery" (1987)
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A novelist is held captive by an obsessed fan after a car accident and is forced to endure physical and psychological torment as she demands that he rewrite a novel to her liking.
4. "Salem's Lot" (1975)
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An ancient evil descends upon a small town, turning its residents into vampires and forcing a group of survivors to confront their darkest fears to combat the spreading terror.
3. "The Stand" (Unabridged Version) (1990)
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This post-apocalyptic epic follows the remnants of humanity as they align with either good or evil after a superflu decimates the population, leading to a climactic battle for civilization's future.
2. "IT" (1986)
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In the town of Derry, a group of childhood friends confronts an ancient and shape-shifting evil that preys on their fears, forcing them to face their traumatic past and unite against the malevolent force.
1. "The Shining" (1977)
Amazom
A family becomes the caretakers of an isolated hotel during the off-season, only to discover that the supernatural forces residing within its walls lead to madness and terror.
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