My latest evil plan to get my 16 year old son to enjoy reading is to have him read Stephen King. He is unversed in the ways of the word, so it must be direct, involving, suspenseful, and* not too long*. Perhaps not too gory.
It’s been a long time since I read King, so I don’t have any lying about, except for The Long Walk, which I haven’t yet read but I just pressed into his hands (good idea or bad?). I realize we had a recent King poll, but that was for our tastes, not for a non-reader teen’s.
Christine is a good one. Pet Sematary’s a lot of fun, too. You can’t go wrong with classic King. Also, the Shining.
I’d say stay away from the ones that are just really bad or kind of…weird. Bag of Bones isn’t a good starter one, IMO. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is okay but kind of forgettable.
Why not give him a book of King’s short stories? Skeleton Crew has The Mist, The Jaunt, The Raft, Survivor Type, and *Word Processor of the Gods *- some of my favorites. They might hold his attention longer than a whole novel.
I’d say get a book of his Short Stories (Everything’s Eventual or “Night Shift” (as there have been some famous movies out of those stories, and that’s more “horror” fun) would be my personal choice). They’re easier to read, easy to finish, and a lot of them have been turned into movies and such over the ages- get him more and more of the Short Stories, and then word into his mini-novellas (like the ones that Shawshank, stand by me, apt pupil were based on), or get him more into the Horror aspect of King (Cujo, It, Desperation, Salem’s Lot, etc).
Otherwise- the Long Walk was really a good one, very gripping and all, read that one in like 5th or 6th grade and enjoyed it. But that was part of a short story collect if I recall (it was the Bachmen novels all as one).
(My first one was *Cujo *though back in the 3th Grade… I got to learn the meaning of the word Cum that way!)
I’d say try “The Night Shift” and “Everything’s Eventual” if your goal is simply to get him to read more.
Also, you might want to consider Terry Pratchett or Christopher Moore (though his books tend to get a bit focused on sexual innuendo and the like) as other novelists that might appeal to him.
I have to agree with his short story collections - something there for everyone (and Stephen King is a master of short stories). I think the first novel of his I read was “Salem’s Lot” - that might be a good novel to start a non-reading teen on.
As an aside, I’m just now reading the “Dark Tower” series - just finished Book IV. That’s some good shit, man.
Get the Bachman books. I’m re-reading them right now. Half way through the Long Walk. According to Wiki, Rage is no longer published, not surprisingly. The Running Man is also entertaining.
Another vote for the Night Shift collection. Some of his best work, there. Also, I’d suggest Different Seasons. It contains 4 novellas, three of which were made into movies. None of it is horror, exactly, but well worth it anyway. You’ve got “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption”, “The Body” (filmed as Stand By Me), “Apt Pupil”, and “The Breathing Method.”
I’ll second 'Salem’s Lot. Relatively short, gets right into the creepy stuff, should be pretty easy for a teen boy to get into. Vampires are an easier “in” than some of the more vague horrors King does. That one of the protaganists is a teenage boy helps too.
Different Seasons which includes the terrific story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. In high school I gave that book to my younger brother immediately after I read it because I thought it contained everything you need to know about good literature.
As a teen my little brother asked for exactly 6 books he liked enough to want to own. One was the first Redwall book, another was the Hitchhiker’s Guide Radio Scripts, and the other 4 were the first four Dark Tower books. So…start with The Gunslinger
They’re kinda girly, I enjoyed them, but if he’s looking to nuture a love of reading, dunno. I mean Firestarter I enjoyed, but not really filled with TOO much action or such, more suspense and the bond between father and daughter.
Carrier I just didn’t like. Yeah, she got picked on alot. Whooo. Didn’t do it for me.
Go with Short Stories and the Bachman ones are a good choice as well.
and then once he’s hooked.
Hit him with Desperation and the Stand!
I’d save the Dark Tower series for once he’s read 10-15 of the King novels because then they become quite a lot more fun to see all the connections
