# What is Stephen King's best novel? \[POLL\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183 "2014-12-26T01:44:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/21 "2014-12-26T15:22:13Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > It’s not a clunker, but not nearly as good as _The Shining_. I’ve seen the movie a handful of times…hopefully that’ll be enough to get me up to speed when I read the book. > [@JohnT](#): > > (Shit, hit ‘send’ too soon…) > > Since it was asked about, **Doctor Sleep** is like **The Tommyknockers** - a great 100 pages about the effects of alcoholism\* followed by a story of so-so execution. Funny you should mention the alcoholism part, when I saw the movie the first one or two times I didn’t notice the drinking, it wasn’t until I caught a few minutes of the miniseries (the part where Brian from Wings was getting hammered and hallucinating a party) that I said ‘ooooh, that makes sense, he was a drunk’. I mentioned it to a friend of mine and she said they spent more time in the book and miniseries on his drinking. Just now, looking at the wiki page for the movie version I see that King said he feels they left out too much of the alcoholism part so I probably wasn’t the only person who missed that. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/22 "2014-12-26T16:37:19Z")
I voted for the The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger but only because I couldn’t cast a vote for a combination of all of the books in the Dark Tower series. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/23 "2014-12-26T18:12:31Z")
I don’t see **The Shawshank Redemption** on the list, either. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/24 "2014-12-26T18:29:43Z")
I voted for Christine, I think it is excellent, love the story and it isn’t too long. The Stand is also excellent, but kinda falls apart at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/25 "2014-12-26T18:47:24Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I don’t see **The Shawshank Redemption** on the list, either. It’s a novella, part of the collection Different Seasons. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/26 "2014-12-26T19:00:02Z")
I was torn between _The Stand_ and _The Shining_. _The Stand_ is probably my favorite Stephen King novel but _The Shining_ is tightly written and one of the few (IMHO) Stephen King perfect endings. Close behind (in this order) are \*Dolores Claiborne, The Green Mile \*and _Misery_. \*Misery \*was the first SK book I read and I remember sitting by the pool one summer as a teenager as one of my friends read out load the foot scene and I was hooked… ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/27 "2014-12-26T20:39:00Z")
Dammit, I read the OP as King’s best _movie_ and voted accordingly. I change my Green Mile to The Stand, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/28 "2014-12-26T20:39:44Z")
I voted for The Shining, as it is a great book cover to cover. My own opinion is that Firestarter is a great book, and vastly under-rated, and that The Stand is so-so and generally over-rated. I loved Black House, and really dug 11/22/63. 11/22/63 is the most recent SK that I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/29 "2014-12-26T22:16:09Z")
I think there are a number of votes for later SK novels because, well, they are later. They might be fresher in the reader’s taste and mind, but I wonder how well they will stack up in 20 years. The Stand has its flaws, yes. But most novels do, if you look at them from all perspectives. I still think it has the best chance of being the last SK novel standing… in 50, 100 years. Those who dislike it because it’s too sprawling and has too many stories are advised to steer clear of quite a few highly-regarded classic novels. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/30 "2014-12-26T22:53:16Z")
_The Dead Zone_ is the one I enjoyed the most, but I read it when I was a kid. I suspect, much like Robert Ludlum novels, were I to reread it, I would not feel the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/31 "2014-12-26T23:19:03Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > UtD is a pretty weak novel with a (IMHO) fantastic ending (well, except for the resolution of the dome part… that was kind of weak as well.) It’s about the opposite of 11/22/63, which is a great novel with a lousy ending. > > I am surprised there are two novels on here I haven’t read: **Colorado Kid** and **Cycle of the Werewolf** **Cycle** was a novella, but a standalone. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/32 "2014-12-26T23:49:36Z")
I could have picked 4-5 books, including The Stand, The Shining, It, Pet Semetary, but voted for **Eyes of the Dragon**. Since it’s fantasy based, I think it holds up well. And it’s a great bit of storytelling. I like the way King seems to have aimed it at younger readers (it’s got that fairy tale vibe), but doesn’t talk down to them. A great read. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/33 "2014-12-27T00:10:18Z")
I picked _Misery_ as his best book; I really think it’s between that and _Delores Claiborne_ where he really shows that he can actually write and horror is a _part_ of that, but not his only weapon at all. However _The Stand_ is my favorite. And I think _It_is the scariest. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/34 "2014-12-27T02:16:37Z")
I voted _The Gunslinger._ Of all the King novels I’ve read, it was the only one that really hooked me from the first sentence. While I didn’t care as much for the follow on novels, _The Gunslinger_ never has grown “old;” every time I re-read it, it still hooks me the same way as the first time. So my vote isn’t for an objective best King novel, but for my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/35 "2014-12-27T02:28:26Z")
Not his best, but I decided to vote for “Carrie”. “The Shining” is maybe a strong contender. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/36 "2014-12-27T02:29:49Z")
I don’t feel qualified to vote, because I’ve read only two of his novels to date: _Dolores Claiborne_ and _11/22/63_. Of those two, I found the latter far superior. But I will be starting _The Stand_ over the New Year’s holiday. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/37 "2014-12-27T02:30:10Z")
Blank Slate, I voted for the “Dead Zone”. Reread it about a year ago. While the setting may be a little dated it does hold up as an excellent example of King’s early work. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/38 "2014-12-27T02:59:15Z")
Pick was Salem’s Lot. A great modern day retelling of Dracula. That said, even though it’s a collection of Novella’s, I kind of wish a I could put down Different Seasons, a collection of his novellas. Just look at what came out of them. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption(became a movie classics) The Body(became Stand By Me, another movie classic) And Apt Pupil(became a movie that’s not a movie classic but still fantastic) And one dud. I’ll note that one of his draw backs is King is really terrible at ending his books. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/39 "2014-12-27T03:04:20Z")
Voted _The Shining_. I enjoyed _The Stand_ until the end. OMG. :smack: I will admit to re-reading it and skipping the end. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183/40 "2014-12-27T03:24:44Z")
_'Salem’s Lot_ got my vote. I’d put _11/22/63, The Stand_ and _Misery_ in no particular order right after that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-stephen-kings-best-novel-poll/708183.md?page=3)