Stephen King Books Ranked: Complete List of All 65 Novels

Written By Nick Guinn

Stephen King, often called the "King of Horror," has engaged readers since the publication of "Carrie" in 1974. With 65 novels spanning multiple genres—horror, fantasy, crime fiction, and science fiction—King has established himself as one of America's most prolific and influential authors.

Earlier this year, I completed my journey through King's entire bibliography of novels. This adventure began several years ago with "Revival," which led me to "IT" (now my favorite novel), and concluded with "11/22/63." Reading these books offered fascinating insights into King's evolution as a writer and the changing landscape of American horror and fiction.

To make this extensive collection more manageable for potential readers, I organized King's novels into three distinct categories: must-read books, solid entries that may not reach the heights of his best books, and books that did not resonate with me (although several deserve a second chance). I also developed a "scariness scale,” which I would like to share in a future blog post.

Everyone Should Read These Books (1-25)

The top tier of King's work demonstrates his mastery across multiple genres. "IT" (1986) stands as his magnum opus, perfectly blending childhood nostalgia with cosmic horror. "11/22/63" showcases King's ability to transcend genre expectations, delivering a time-travel narrative that's as much about love and loss as it is about historical speculation. "The Green Mile," originally published in serial form, proves King's storytelling prowess extends well beyond horror.

Notably, this category includes several entries from "The Dark Tower" series (particularly books II, III, and V), demonstrating how King's epic fantasy saga hits its stride early. Early classics like "The Shining," "Salem's Lot," and "Pet Sematary" remind us why King became synonymous with horror, while later works like "The Institute" and "Fairy Tale" prove he hasn't lost his touch.

Good Books That Fall Short of Greatness (26-56)

The second tier includes works that, while strong, do not reach the heights of King's best. These books include "The Tommyknockers," which blends science fiction with horror, and "Doctor Sleep," a sequel that had the unenviable task of following "The Shining." The middle volumes of The Dark Tower series appear here, along with more recent works like "Billy Summers" and "Later."

Several connected books cluster together in the rankings, particularly the Bill Hodges trilogy ("Mr. Mercedes," "Finders Keepers," "End of Watch") and the Gwendy series.

Books That Did Not Connect (57-65)

The final category includes works that, for various reasons, did not resonate with me. Notably, this includes later Dark Tower titles and works like "Lisey's Story." However, as with any subjective ranking, these books might find more receptive audiences among other readers.

The List

Without further ado, here is the list.

Everyone Should Read These Books

  1. It

  2. 11/22/1963

  3. The Green Mile

  4. The Shining

  5. Misery

  6. Pet Sematary

  7. Needful Things

  8. Under the Dome

  9. The Institute

  10. The Long Walk

  11. Thinner

  12. The Dark Half

  13. Carrie

  14. The Eyes of the Dragon

  15. The Dead Zone

  16. The Stand

  17. Cujo

  18. Salem’s Lot

  19. Christine

  20. Blaze

  21. Dolores Claiborne

  22. Fairy Tale

  23. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla

  24. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three

  25. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands

    Good Books That Fall Short of Greatness

  26. The Running Man

  27. The Tommyknockers

  28. The Talisman

  29. Elevation

  30. Cycle of the Werewolf

  31. Doctor Sleep

  32. Gerald’s Game

  33. Firestarter

  34. Gwendy’s Button Box

  35. Gwendy’s Final Task

  36. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass

  37. Revival

  38. Roadwork

  39. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger

  40. Rose Madder

  41. Desperation

  42. The Regulators

  43. End of Watch

  44. Mr. Mercedes

  45. Finders Keepers

  46. Holly

  47. Later

  48. Joyland

  49. The Colorado Kid

  50. Billy Summers

  51. Insomnia

  52. Bag of Bones

  53. Sleeping Beauties

  54. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

  55. Duma Key

  56. Rage

    Books That Did Not Connect

  57. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

  58. The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole

  59. Dreamcatcher

  60. Lisey’s Story

  61. Black House

  62. The Outsider

  63. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah

  64. From a Buick 8

  65. Cell

Observations and Trends

Several patterns emerged during this reading journey:

  1. Earlier works (1970s-1990s) generally rank higher than more recent books, though there are notable exceptions like "11/22/63" and "The Institute"

  2. Series entries often cluster together in quality (e.g., Bill Hodges trilogy; Gwendy’s books)

  3. King's horror novels tend to rank higher than his crime fiction, though again with exceptions

  4. Books featuring young protagonists ("IT," "The Institute," "The Long Walk") frequently appear in the top tier

  5. His ability to cross genres successfully is evident throughout all tiers

Looking Forward

As King continues to publish new works, this list will undoubtedly evolve. What remains clear is his enduring influence on storytelling and his ability to consistently engage readers. Whether crafting intimate character studies or sprawling epics, King continues to demonstrate why he remains one of our most compelling storytellers.

For another list ranking great books, check out this post where I rank each of the Pulitzer Prize winning novels.

Nick Guinn
Next

The Secret Ingredients in Brand Success: A Simple Guide to Trademark Protection