That is unfortunate. One of the exciting things about Ghost Story for me has been knowing that he's got a decent-sized body of work. In the past year, it's the only modern horror novel I've read that's really grabbed me (before this, I read F. Paul Wilson's Midnight Mass, which had an interesting premise, but sort of fell apart in the execution, in my opinion). I'll check out your suggestions.

As for King, should I bother with Carrie, then? I really liked the movie, but that might be due to De Palma more than King.

probably the only 2 king books worth reading are carrie and salems lot (particularily salems lot)

once you read those two - you've read everything he's written.

Ah, okay. Thanks for the advice. Those are the two that seem to appeal to me the most.

I guess there was a subconscious reason for that. ;)

I have a friend who swears by the Dark Tower series, but when I read the dust jackets, my spider-sense tingles. :p

Same here... I know a lot of people that love the books and have recommended them to me, but something about the series just kinda turns me off. I'm not really sure why. I guess fantasy by Stephen King is just not a very appealing idea to me.

Insomnia was a confusing book to me. i had to read it twice to understand atleast some of it.

Actually the dark tower is just like his horror novels but they are in a series and have fantasy aspects to it.

It would have to be my favorite King novel.

As far as king of horror goes he is not it. I have no idea why people keep bringing up clive barker though, most of his stuff is fantasy with a little horror in it. only a few of his books are horror.
As king of horror I would have to give the nod to h.p. lovecraft or richard matheson. I am legend is still the best book ever in my opinion.

clive barkers books of blood (his best works) are pure horror

no love for the Dark Half? I thought that was pure gold.

and yep Books Of Blood are amazing.

I thought The Dark Half was good too. Not very many people seem to like it though. As for Clive Barker, I like to pretend that everything after Books of Blood and The Hellbound Heart never happened.

I need to read those. I started reading one of his fantasy works and it was total crap, didnt get past page 20.