If you are looking for a good book this summer then consider picking one of Stephen King’s least known stories (Image: Getty)
Stephen King is one of the greatest horror authors of all time, but with 65 books published, it is very easy to miss some of his best stories. Many of his most frightening and fascinating works are often overshadowed by his most popular horrors, like It or The Shining, both of which have been adapted into films.
I have been a massive Stephen King fan since I was 13 and have read the majority of his books, so I thought I would share some of my favourites. If you are looking for a good scare this summer then here are my favourite books by the King of Horror that many people might not know about.
Cell is an intriguing new take on zombies which makes you want to know more about the infected (Image: Getty)
What are some hidden gems by Stephen King?
Cell
Cell was one of the first Stephen King books I ever read after I found it tucked away in a corner of my local library as a teenager, and it immediately made me a massive fan. Cell is an apocalyptic story in which a mysterious signal is transferred through mobile phones – and using one will turn you into a zombie-like creature that seem to have telepathic powers.
Clayton Riddell, a father and struggling artist, joins a survivor group after the outbreak and needs to find his son before he becomes infected by this terrifying technology as well.
After all these years, Cell is still one of my favourite Stephen King books as it is a really fun twist on the zombie genre, and you really grow to root for all the characters trying to survive.
If you enjoy the television series The Last of Us, or other Stephen King books like The Stand, then I highly recommend Cell.
Doctor Sleep is a vampire book as well as being a sequel to The Shining (Image: Getty)
Doctor Sleep
The Shining has one of Stephen King’s most iconic stories – and many of us remember watching Jack Nicholson bash down the door in the movie. Doctor Sleep is the sequel to what happens to the son, Danny, and how he deals with his psychic abilities in adulthood.
Danny Torrance, who now goes by Dan, is a recovering alcoholic who works as a nurse at a hospice where he uses his ‘shining’ power to help comfort dying patients. However, Dan discovers a teenage girl named Abra who has the same abilities he does and need to protect her from a sinister group that feed in psychic individuals to stay immortal.
It may sound bizarre, but this is actually a vampire book in which the main villains disguise themselves as elderly people enjoying their retirement by travelling in caravans. Stephen King has a talent for taking old horror stereotypes like vampires and then shaping them into something new. You would love this book if you enjoyed Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot.
Lisey’s Story is one of my favourite Stephen King stories (Image: Getty)
Lisey’s Story
Lisey’s Story is a little odd as it is part psychological horror and part love story, but I believe it is one of the best books that Stephen King has ever written.
Lisey Landon is a grieving widow who is still struggling to accept the death of her husband Scott, an extremely famous writer. Years after her husband’s death, Lisey is still sorting through his belongings, but when a deranged fan threatens her and they are convinced she is hiding his unpublished manuscripts, Lisey is finally forced to confront the past she has been trying to avoid.
The book takes place both in Lisey’s present but also in the past as Lisey remembers Scott – and you learn more about their complex relationship. It is a fantastic looking into how grief and trauma shape a person, and I highly recommend it if you enjoyed Stephen King’s Misery.
If like It or Stand by Me then I think you will like The Long Walk (Image: Getty)
The Long Walk
I thought I would include The Long Walk, as a movie of this fantastic book is coming out this year and I strongly recommend reading it before seeing it in cinema.
Ray Garraty is a 16-year-old boy who has grown up in a dystopian America ruled by an authoritarian government and is being forced to take part in a brutal reality show competition called The Long Walk.
The rules dictate that 100 teenage boys are needed to keep walking without stopping, and if they are too slow or stop then they will be killed. The competition continues until only one boy remains and the winner will be given anything he desires for the rest of his life.
If you enjoyed Stephen King’s It or The Body (the basis for the film Stand By Me), you will likely appreciate The Long Walk. Like those stories, it explores a group of kids facing terrifying circumstances while struggling to hold onto their humanity and friendships.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk