I first read Stephen King when I was fourteen. The book was Pet Sematary, and I found it disturbing and terrifying and, maybe more than anything else, realistic. Not that I expected to see our deceased pets crawling back into the dooryard, but the characters and their language were genuine and authentic and made me empathize with them in a way I did not expect. From then on, I was hooked, to the point that my parents bought me “The Stephen King Companion” for my next birthday.
I already knew a fair amount about Mr. King. I grew up in Bucksport, Maine, a half hour outside of Bangor where King has lived much of his life. He was a staple at the old Bangor Auditorium during the annual high school basketball tournaments. My father’s roofing company had done extensive work at his residence, and it was not uncommon to see him bopping around town or stopping by the deli at the Fairmount Market like a regular dude – not one of the most famous writers in the world.
Most people immediately think horror when they think of Stephen King. I do not. I think of fascinating characters and great dialogue and rich storytelling that has always made me want to come back for more. I have much admiration for many other writers – Graham Greene and William Faulkner first come to mind – but Stephen King has been the single biggest influence on my reading and writing life.
Here are five of my favorite Stephen King books.
Continue reading “Five Very Different Stephen King Novels That Prove He Can Do Anything, Recommended by Ryan Lowell”