Stephen King is a well established and prolific author whose extensive works have spanned numerous genres making him highly recognizable. Known mostly for his works of horror and suspense, this article goes into details about some works beyond the classics he has delivered to his loyal followers.
Prolific Output and Genre Diversity
Stephen King’s impressive portfolio include numerous novels short stories, novellas and more. Many know him for horror which includes "Carrie, The Shining" and "Misery." However his true talent also extends far into areas including sci-fi and Fantasy . He offers tales with depth, character development and storytelling techniques. King has truly shown an ability to deliver creative storytelling in every space and form he puts forth.
Underrated Novels and Hidden Gems
There are many underrated stories of Stephen King that may have not have the spotlight that others have but that is not at any point a sign of their worth. These include stories of suspense and thrilling twists, they may have just not yet reached mass pop-culture fame but are still of value in the vast body of works that are now available. They add layers of creativity which gives even his most ardent fans new discoveries.
Exploring Lesser-Known Works
Beyond King’s extremely popular work there is also great value in delving deeper into many lesser known gems. Each story offers different aspects from new insights to new forms of storytelling techniques which give the entire reading experience more complex understanding of what King is truly capable of doing.
"The Long Walk" - Dystopian Beginnings
"The Long Walk" was published under a pseudonym which was done in the past with some other works of Stephen King. A dystopian story about a annual grueling walking competition which reveals some very interesting existential themes making for both thought-provoking and heart racing situations for the reader. This may have gone missed because it was released with other of his popular works. An upcoming film version is in development.
"Joyland"- A Blend of Crime and Nostalgia
"Joyland" is a coming of age story based around a student working for an amusement park and involves a murder mystery that changes his life. The book brings in tones of nostalgia and showcases complex emotions. It showcases Stephen King's unique abilities to write across all types of stories. His crime focused story lines were praised due to depth of character and a human approach to very complicated themes.
Horror Genre's Undiscovered Territories
Although King is known for horror it does not stop him from pushing all boundaries and delving into the dark regions. These explorations provide new layers that test human reactions as the story unfolds.
"Revival": Faith, Addiction, and Obsession
This was published between “Mr Mercedes” and “Finders Keeper’s”. Exploring darker side of morality the book showcases themes of faith, addiction and dangerous bonds which build up towards a chilling end result. As it builds towards the culmination the pace only increases making it suspenseful and terrifying with intense visuals.
"Thinner" : A Descent into Body Horror
This book also is written under a pseudonym and touches on body horror. The storyline involves body transformations after a lawyer carelessly kills a woman from the Romani culture. There are layers of revenge explored alongside the curse itself creating both an intriguing and horrible outcome.
"Gerald’s Game" : Exploring Psychological Terror
"Gerald's Game" provides a terrifying concept without using a single paranormal approach. It dives into a real life scenario when a woman is trapped with little hope of escape which was rooted in very raw realistic terrors. Mike Flanagan created a 2017 film version that has made more people take interest in it's original publishing format and its impact.
Fantasy and Emotional Depth
King shows more capabilities beyond typical styles. By exploring different types of genre this also shows him to be willing to expand and step into different ideas that are vastly different from his roots.
"Fairy Tale" : A Blend of Adventure and Dark Fantasy
The “Fairy Tale” novel focuses on themes of heroics and other magical realism while exploring an alternate world. It has a story of a young boy battling good vs evil in another dimension. This unique delivery is inspired by the classical stories that has made a long time author have new angles in storytelling techniques.
"Bag of Bones": Haunted by Grief and Past Secrets
The novel "Bag of Bones" centers on writer's block and a unique haunting from previous traumas. This is a ghost story about a man who faces great loss with emotional depths that create more suspense as his story goes. The book gives important insights on concepts such as racism and guilt. Many will claim this to be King's most visually captivating pieces.
Other Notable Works and Series
"Different Seasons" has 4 unique short novels that include movies like "The Shawshank Redemption" that is widely known to have become more popular than its original source. His epic story telling in “11/22/63” demonstrates all abilities he posses while putting a lens on America and what was then a pivotal moment in its history.
"11/22/63"
"11/22/63" was centered around the assassination of President Kennedy and it also highlights a time travel journey which looks at love, legacy, and the consequences that come with time travel. This novel was also highly regarded as being more popular than most and remains underrated when considered in large debates as his best stories. This shows that King can tackle history alongside mystery to create suspenseful moments that also include elements of reality as the character navigate their own morals.
The Anticipation of "It: Welcome to Derry"
Along with his many well received stories there is a upcoming Max series “It: Welcome to Derry” which adds to the many projects in the Stephen King Universe that his fans look forward to seeing. Some of the production staff, actors and creative team were also part of the previous "It" films. This show will dive more into Derry’s past and Pennywise origins which had not yet been explored to the depths that many look to uncover.
Exploring the Past and Pennywise
The series takes a journey through the history of Derry including events that led to a previous series of disappearances and is also planned to span over three season and explore Pennywise and the sinister details about his evil plan while exploring new victims. This series has had a great push into becoming an adaptation that truly pays respect to the source material and will still provide all of the horror and depth that is wanted by Stephen King’s fans.
Key Takeaways
- Stephen King’s works span across a large collection of styles and genre’s making him a noteworthy author.
- There are numerous underrated novels including “The Long Walk” "Joyland" and "Revival" each offer a glimpse into a variety of unique elements that may be over looked in a normal format.
- Other underrated stories have a dark feel that highlight unique ways of body and psychological terrors like “Thinner” and "Gerald’s Game”.
- “Bag of Bones" and “11/22/63" are a show case on his abilities and how he takes on historical themes.
- The Max series "Welcome to Derry" expands the "It" universe with plans of further showing the villain with more emphasis on Derry's dark past.