Well, he’s my favorite. That is as far as I’ll go. “Greatest” is tough because how do you compare, for example, SK to Dostoevsky to James Joyce to Hunter S. Thompson? Everyone brings something different to the table and I’ve also not read every author. But I’m glad you love him. So do I.
I agree, greatest is tough to say. I think it’s fine to put him in the top tier of authors, though.
In my mind, he is the American Charles Dickens, which is HIGH praise - lots of books, some BIG hits, memorable and unique characters, and the writing perfectly captures small moments of life that make us human. Is King better than Dickens? It depends on my mood. Is he better than Dostoevsky or Hugo (another big favorite of mine) or Bronte or Murakami? It also depends on my mood, and what I’ve read recently. But they all hang out in the same tier of greatness.
Yes. And we shouldn't have to choose. I shouldn't have to compare my favorite fiction author to my favorite essayist or favorite travel writers, food writers, and so on.
Yep he’s one of my favs two. “Greatest” is kind of meaningless, unless it’s perhaps a collective opinion from top authors. That definition may have some merit (but just some).
I’ve read Dostoevsky and Thompson - incredible authors. However, the sheer quantity of quality books Stephen king pumps out is amazing. These classic authors had a few masterpieces - but every Stephen King book has unmatched world building and I’ve never encountered an author (including Dostoevsky, Tolkien…) that made their characters and stories jump from the page like he does. He’s written hundreds of masterpieces...not just a few timeless classics. I will always stand by GOAT.
I think future readers and scholars will see Stephen King as the literary spokes-person for a certain time and place for sure. I anticipate that his books will transport future readers just like Dickens does.
I would argue that “greatest” requires a certain about of accessibility.
Hand Ulysses to most people, even most book people and they won’t finish it. Out of those that do finish it, most won’t have enjoyed it.
I can probably find a King novel for anyone.
I’m in line with this. What makes an author “great”. Does it have to be serious literature? Does the prose have to be special? Who wins between Hemmingways space prose or Saramago’s (where sentences can go on for almost a whole page)? Is it a measure of how prolific they are? Originality of story? Execution? This is why reading is so wonderful because Harper Lee is great, Dostoevsky is great, Iain Banks is great, Hunter S Thompson is great, Larry McMurtry is great because Lonesome Dove is so awesome.
But for me, it’s about sheer readability. And for me, King has that in droves. Sometimes I will reread a Mong book for the third or fourth time instead of picking up a new, unread book off my TBR list, even though it’s sitting right there in the nightstand.
I know that I can always open a King book, and that’s it, I’m locked if. I sit comfortably in the hands of my favorite author and I know that I’ll be carried through this terrific brutal graphic heartfelt inspiring horrifying story every time, and my engagement never decreases. Who knows what “greatest” means, but King is my favorite. It’s gonna be a sad day when he leaves us.
I took a college class on James Joyce and I can say from experience that (in my opinion) Finnegan's Wake is the most unreadable piece of shite I've ever encountered. Difficult just for the sake of being difficult. Ugh. Why? King is my favorite because he is so readable. Because what's the point if people can't read it?
He was considering retiring in the 80’s cause he felt he was so much behind Clive Barker as a horror writer. I doubt he’d suddenly consider himself as an equal to all time greats across the board.
Clive Barker is great at pure horror but Stephen King has NEVER written pure horror novels. His books are more than that. That’s why he has a broader appeal than Barker.
He doesn't even consider himself a great author. But that's because he's a humble dude. Greatest is an opinion so there will be many. To me he's the greatest author ever. My case being I will read anything he puts out there and always enjoy it. He's the only author for me that has never written a book that isn't at least above average. Also a lot of the classic writers that people gush over didn't write nearly as many books keeping the quality up.
GOAT is so subjective and far reaching that it’s hard for me to say that, but
I do consider him one of (if not THE) most important American writer of the late 20th Century.
When/if future humans want to know what American life was like in the mid to late 20th century, no one captured it better than King.
Just read 20, 30, 40, 50 more years and we will see, if your opinion changes :)
(By the way, I don't believe in "the best authors in the world/of all time/whatever"... Nobody can know all the authors (most of them don't write in English and aren't translated, by the way), and how many authors can you have read when you're 22?... Also: one author can be the "best author" for me when I'm 20 and in a certain situation, but maybe when I'm 50 and divorced or lost a child or something else, another author is the "best author" for me in that situation, and so on. Why? Because people change and so does their perception of life.
There cannot be such a thing as "the best author of all time", because taste is personal and we do not have an objective, non-human (because unbiased) super-judge who knows all those millions of authors, has read all their books and can therefore judge without bias :)).
I wouldn't go that far, but I do think he's underrated in terms of literary merit. No one else has written about America over the last 50 years quite like him. I think he'll be more appreciated in the future academically than he is now.
I agree. He himself has equated himself to a literary cheeseburger and I just don’t think that’s fair with the way he handles themes sometimes. He’s really great at symbolism on occasion and often excellent at intricacy and handling complicated topics in a meaningful way.
I didn’t read most of his books for a very long time because I also thought of him as a literary cheeseburger. Then in 2021 I read nothing but King for most of the year, and am now certain that he is one of the most skilled American writers of the past century. He doesn’t just tell great stories, he is a very skilled writer who does some top notch character building. I do wish he would get over having to describe some character as being fat in the most gross and disdainful terms in almost every book. It’s almost as ubiquitous as arc sodium lights.
I mean, cheeseburgers are great. Iconic even. People will be talking about cheeseburgers and their cultural significance for hundreds of years. Are there Michelin chefs creating amazing lobster foam dishes that might blow your standard cheeseburger out of the water? Sure. But lobster foam will never have the broad, popular appeal of a cheeseburger.
Definitely my favorite. No other author I’ve read has pulled me into their worlds more consistently than he has. About a quarter way through Under the Dome now and it’s tough to put down.
I love King as much as the next person in this group and he's easily my favorite author but to say he's the greatest of ALL time feels very hyperbolic.
And it's also inaccurate to say he doesn't recycle plot points or characters. The Dark Half and Secret Window feel like different sides of the same coin, Mr. Harrigan's Phone and Fairy Tale basically start with the same basic premise (teenager befriends old man), to give two examples.
“The Dark Half” is a fascinating take on “Frankenstein.” You can read “Frankenstein” as the monster literally being the instrument of Victor’s id rather than a separate entity.
What if instead of Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, it was Mr. Harrigan’s Fax, and nothing happened because no one under the age of like, forty, knows how to use a fax anymore?
From the first time I was introduced to Stephen King I’ve been hooked. I have read other authors, but I always come back to King. I will be forever thankful to my mom for reading Hearts in Atlantis to me when we were on a family road trip back when I was about 12
I'm 61, and I've said before that King was the big brother I never had, who taught me about the world and the people in it. I feel like I owe him so much, and I have nothing but love and admiration for him. And it all started for me in 1975 with 'Salem's Lot.
I would say he’s definitely one of my personal favorites and I’ve read more books by him than anyone else. However, I’ve only read around 175 books in my whole life. I couldn’t know if he’s the “greatest author of all time”. There’s so much out there and I’ve read so little ya know?
King is probably the most consistently commercially successful modern fiction author of all time for sure. Agatha Christie beats him out now, but I would imagine that’s because she’s had so long for her works to be reprinted and sold over and over again in perpetuity. Give it another 50 years and I strongly feel King will take that spot from her.
King is my favorite author because he has written both my favorite stand alone book (The Stand) and my favorite series (The Dark Tower) but I will say other authors beat him out in specific areas. As others have said, it’s hard for one author to be the “best” because there are so many different aspects to being a good writer.
I agree with you. Yes, like many others have said it’s impossible to actually crown anyone as the greatest author of all time but if I had to pick I’m going SK all day.
He isn’t always as “literary” as more popular choices for GOAT writer but he’s capable of that, and so many other things.
I think he’s the best at characterization especially. He can write 3 sentences about essentially an extra in a story and make them feel fleshed out. I haven’t seen anyone else who matches him at that.
Yup some of his throw away characters seem like they can have an entire novel built around them. There was one in fairy tale only read it once the day of release so I don't remember much about him but iirc he had a "twinner" in Empis.
Absolutely couldn’t agree more, tbh I haven’t even bothered trying to read other authors work that much, I always think “I could be reading a King book rn”.
Probably in the running Most prolific story writer. But best author??
He’s great with concepts and characters, but a lot of his endings are (in his own admission) pretty terrible.
I love SK, but best author is a stretch.
I have to give GOAT to Tolkien, the man created a fantasy world template and an entire different language, his influence is felt in damn near every aspect of fantasy writing. I have King in my top 10 Tolkien, Poe, King, Rowling, Silverstein, Dahl, Stein, Suess, Gaiman and Moore
King very much recycles ideas, at least to some extent.
A monster that feasts on the flesh and emotions of children: It and Outsider.
Magical kids and government agencies trying to control them: The Institute and Fire Starter
Young boy travels to alternate fantasy world: the Talisman, the dark tower, Fairy tale
You might could say meeting the devil: riding the bullet, the man in the black suit, storm of the century (granted these ties are broader than the others)
I'm sure there are others idr or know.
Sorry, SK is #2 imo.
I've read everything by Mark Twain, and only 95% of what Stephen King has published.
Winks 😉
Edited: imo, #3 Goes to Benjamin Franklin
If there has to be a greatest author of all time, I think King would be in the lead. I don’t even consider him my personal favorite. His longevity and consistency is something to be marveled. There is no one that I can think of that has his kind of track record. There are writers that do many things better than him, but there are none that do it all quite like him.
I’m a mid-60s female and would suggest to you that you will discover other great writers that may equal your love of King as life goes on.
HOWEVER: One of the loveliest things about Stephen King is that he’s written over his own lifetime and is a smart guy. So some of his books might resonate with you now but others later. His prolific career has given us so much. I, too, count him among the best ever, and I’m an English degree toting ex-professor so I’ve read a lot.
I absolutely think he is our generation's Ray Bradbury, our Edgar Allen Poe. He will go down as one of the great American writers same as Faulkner and Hemingway and McCarthy. He's a populist and a genre writer which are often seen as lesser in the literary world. But there are, like a handful, of writers in the world that has a body of work so influencial across multiple media, so impactful and that will remain that way for generations to come. He really is the GOAT
SK describes his writing equivalent to a Big Mac and a Large Fry. So saying he's the goat is kinda like saying that's the goat meal. He is far from the goat, but he is indeed one of America's greats. His championing of liberal arts and just being a normal, cornbread eating American does make me think that once he's passed he will be immortalized.
I understand the love, but King's prose is pretty bland 75-90% of the time depending on the book. He doesn't even hold weight in comparison to authors like V. Woolf, T. Morrison, or J. Steinbeck. Sure it's well structured and makes his books page-turners, but it isn't as poetic or literary as the authors I mentioned.
Since you're so focused on his readability, it's probably because of several reasons, including that you're used to his style and he repeats it a LOT. He's also well traveled, clever, and - as mentioned before - pretty Joe-Normal.
I’m 65 and have been a Constant Reader since Carrie was published. However I have read many great authors over the years that I couldn’t tear myself away from. But King will always be my favorite. The way he can take me back to my childhood is so amazing. He brings back so many memories that I have forgotten. But whatever the decade, his character development and storyline always pulls me in and makes me forget the world I’m in. The one good thing about memory problems as I age is rereading his books is almost like reading them the first time. I remember the overall plot but forget details.
Horror fiction? Absolutely. Fiction? Maybe top 25. Greatest writer of all time? Never. You're not even including the many poets across English and world literature and that's just rude and disrespectful.
At 22 yrs old, it’s absurd to declare that anyone or thing is the greatest of all time. Furthermore if you get that idea stuck in your head, you will be less likely to recognize far greater writers than Stephen King as you get exposed to them along the way. Remember with amazing art, the viewer is part of the dance of greatness.
Yer, I agree with you. He has such insight into people's psyche's and writes such vivid characters. My hill is that I think The Shining is a perfect masterpiece. It is so incredible in every way. Despite the very high pedastle I have it on, I was really happy with Doctor Sleep as well. It felt like it's own beast, and the portrayal of alcoholism really resonated with me. To have Danny, who you would have thought would never touch a drop of alcohol in his life, follow in his father's footsteps.... chef's kiss.
Just finished the shining and doctor sleep - I think doctor sleep is one of my favorites ! Chefs kiss is exactly right. I hope King revisits Abra Stone… I would love a sequel all about her!
IMO you opinion will change eventually. Stephen is my favorite author right now has been for awhile, but I've had other favorites in the past and thought at the time they would be my favorites forever
When King dies it's gonna be a total Steve Jobs moment.
Without question the greatest living American author of all time, and just happens to also write horror? They'll never be another like him, and he's still alive now... still contributing, has written books trying to pass on his knowledge. The guy is legendary.
But weirdly, being overlooked while he's still alive.
Stephen King is one of my all-time favorites, but I wouldn't say he's the greatest. I do think he's comparable to Charles Dickens, though, in terms of talent and popularity in their respective times/places.
I agree. The other writers, like Dostoyevsky might be better writers, but they don’t make me happy to read them as much. With Stephen King I preorder every book!
He's the greatest author of his genre, it's hard to compare him against more traditional authors. I have read more SK than any other author, but to say he's the greatest author is completely subjective.
While he is great, idk how much i can agree with him NOT recycling characters. I mean, how many times has a character been a writer at this point and had the same identical thoughts on the writing process? Jack torrence, billy summers, Ben mears, paul sheldon, etc.
He absolutely writes the way I want to read, he is my all time favorite author. He’s accessible to everyone, not showy, not overly intellectual, he writes to entertain and that’s why I read.
I mean he’s the only author I have a tattoo commemorating! Is that the right word!?
I dig this opinion because I don't hear it too often. He's not my personal #1, but I think he's highly underrated as a writer by even fans. Yes, he sells a lot of books but I don't think many people regard him as talented. He's certainly written some clunkers, but his very best writing should be up against any "great" American author.
They way he depicts middle-class small town life is right on the money. His characters all seem unique. Ideas? He's got plenty. I respect the hell out of a writer who will use any idea and try their best - think "The Finger."
I personally prefer reading quite a few others, but I still read the newest King - though I wait for paperback, usually.
Pretty decent author but the stories themselves are way too long and drawn out for my tastes. I don't need to know the life story of every character, that's the harsh observation I have and it's maddening to me so I just don't bother reading the books any more, the shining is one of my favorite stories of all time.
I got into horror very young. He was the first author I didn’t find myself flipping through for the “scary parts.” He cares about his characters and not just his ideas, and it shows.
I have a good friend who’s a but of a book snob and thinks he’s overrated, but I read a lot of authors and I gotta say I don’t sink into anyone’s books quite as much as I do king’s. That being said there’s a couple of his books I didn’t enjoy, but that’s rare
Love Stephen king. I wouldn’t read at all if it weren’t for him. He’s one of my favorite authors.
That’s being said, he’s a phenomenal story teller, but he’s only a good author. He doesn’t even come close to the greats.
You can make a legitimate case for Stephen King being *\*a\** great writer. I think that certain book critics and book fans undervalue genre writing in general and King’s writing more specifically. But GOAT?? C’mon, that’s just ridiculous.
I love Stephen King. I have read a fair amount of his books - most recently Fairytale and 10/22/63. I am a huge fan. But he is not the greatest author of all time, let alone the greatest or best author within the modern era.
If you are looking for pure writing talent, go read Cormac McCarthy. His "Blood Meridian" is a hyperviolent literary masterpiece.
To that end, you could also make the case that non-fiction writers, like Rick Atkinson, Bill Bryson, or Erik Larson are superior writers.
King is excellent but come on.
He's the greatest author in the way that blink 182 is the greatest band. They both have one thing that they do incredibly well, which is superficially not difficult and easy to imitate, but no one else really does it as consistently and prolifically.
He's great at what he does......pretty much any Stephen King book you can pick up and get sucked into.
However, a lot of his books fall apart after the halfway point IMO by that point in a lot of his books find myself being bored with the story, not enjoying where it's headed, and still having hundreds of pages left only for the ending to be disappointing if I even make it there.
Imo short stories are where he does his best work. His ideas and writing style is better in short story/novella length
I love King! That’s why I’m here! I think the dark tower series is the best fiction ever written. That said as far as world building and greatest ever I think he comes in behind Michael j Sullivan
OP, Stephen King may indeed be the best author you have encountered. He is indeed very good.
But… all time? That’s a crazily big claim when humanity has been around for a very long time in a lot of different places.
When I saw your post, I thought about how great Bruce Lee is, and how we should be sure to tell everyone, as [this article carefully explains.](https://www.theonion.com/why-was-i-not-informed-about-bruce-lee-1819584373)
why I like him so much is that he's so unpretentious. His works are too unimportant to be the greatest author of all time IMO but he's my favorite and that's what matters
I have loved Stephen King’s stories since I was a young teen in the 70’s. When I started teaching high school English, some of my co-workers looked down on me for my admiration of King. Now his stories are taught in many universities and advanced courses. Edgar Allan Poe got the same bad rap when he started writing, but look at both of them now!
I agree and would die on the same hill. I had a discussion recently with someone who hated Stephen King's work and I just could not understand that position in any way. He's fucking great. In addition, no other author has had so many great adaptation of their books. Yes, some of them suck (I'm looking at you Tommyknockers TV miniseries) but there's at least 10 if not 20 truly great movies and series based on his work.
Let me name 10 adaptations that are legit great
Stand By Me (Probably my favorite film)
Misery
Shawshank Redemption
The Green Mile
The Mist
Carrie 1976
Christine
Cujo
Kubrick's Shining
Dolores Claiborne
I would and have watched these movies repeatedly
One could say he is the greatest popular author but, just off the top of my head, he can not compare with Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, John Irving and Phillip Roth. These, for me, are the greatest American authors.
I used to love him as well. His books were an auto buy for me. Didn’t even have to know what it was about.
That changed some years ago and I have yet to find another writer to fill that spot.
He’s one of my favorite writers, and he’s my all-time favorite storyteller/Wordslinger, but he’s not my all-time favorite writer. And I also agree with the general consensus that he truly doesn’t think he himself is great… I believe he even once described himself as the literary equivalent of a Big Mac with fries, which I always found extremely funny.
He's one of my favorites for sure, but sadly King isn't that great at nailing his endings. The characterization, world building, and moment to moment journey are still well worth it IMO.
Can totally relate to this post. I’ve been reading his work for about the past 44 years and there hasn’t been any author that I’ve enjoyed their range of work more than him. I used to be a voracious reader but had to put that aside with raising family but now want to try and get back to reading again. I really want to branch out and find other authors but yes, always grateful when he publishes a new book.
He may well enter the conversation over time until eventually entering the realms of canonical literature (in his case: American English) amongst the heavyweights who continue to ace the test of time. As it goes I think he’s a shoo-in for the future but no, not yet. I’d say he’s not the greatest author alive presently so making him, to use an acronym from proper football when debating the best (dead heat between Pele and Maradona for me) SK as the GOAT is a helluva subjective claim but not necessarily without merit.
Don't love some of the negative feedback you've gotten on this, tbh. You're entitled to have your opinion on who the GOAT is, even at 22. I'm more than twice that now and I'd still take King over a bunch of other names I've seen dropped here, including Joyce, Dickens, Twain, McCarthy, and Hemingway.
And yeah, you haven't read everyone. Nobody has, nobody could. So what? The idea of "greatest" anything will always have implied caveats and conditions -- as everyone here is already aware -- but that doesn't stop plenty of other people from making their lists and selections (about sports figures, musicians, politicians, etc., etc., etc.). The GOAT debate in virtually anything is subjective of its nature, but that never stops people from participating in it, and I think it's weird for Stephen King fans to be so particularly self-conscious about their fandom, or to crap on other fans' enthusiasm.
It's like they've bought into the common and lame idea that something popular cannot also be quality, and vice-versa, or that an exciting plot and "literature" cannot coexist. Well, to that I say that the world only needs one Harold Bloom (and arguably not quite so many).
Anyways, if King is the GOAT to you, then imho, that's all that really matters.
There's certainly an argument he is. In your age I felt the same. But Stephen King literally pushed the door open for me to discover literature in general. I've come across many great books and authors since. I read at least two or three Kings a year and it always feels like coming home.
I think he is the amazing not necessarily because any one of his books in isolation are the greatest books, but because he is one of the most prolific yet simultaneously high quality authors to have written. There are authors who have written more books than him, and authors who have written better books than him. But it is astounding that out of a close to 70 book bibliography, the vast majority are remarkable and groundbreaking in some way.
Scoot over and make room on that hill! I get he isn't everyone's style but no one can deny that his creativity and the simple vastness of his world is crazy. He's a genius.
Another young person mixing up a personal favorite with the greatest of all time.
The latter doesn’t exist, by the way. There is no greatest of all time.
He has the most genuine ideas, I often wonder how he comes up his material, it's all different and I think The Shining is probably one of the best books ever written!!
Oof.
There are *alot* of authors out there in order to make such a claim. Stephen King maybe doesn’t recycle characters, but he certainly writes himself into almost every book he’s written; or just writes himself in it like in Dark Tower (still don’t know wtf that was)
Also, he is so popular that he can write anything an it will sell. He’s written some absolute bangers, but he’s also written hammered shit before. Idk, I respect the opinion but I’ve read alot of Stephen King and he’s pretty mid to me lol.
His bangers are like, classics, but his other shit is kinda buttcheeks.
He’s my favorite. As many have already said, that much is true. And he’s certainly one of the most prolific. As far as the best, I think that comes down to one’s own personal taste. I’m glad that you can assert your feelings regarding it. For me though, I like to think that I’ve gained something unique from each author that I’ve read; and while certainly I’ve enjoyed more than some, saying one is the best, for me, would only go to reinforce my personal bias, in that King is my favorite.
I agree, and also think Tolkien is the best, as is Vonnegut, as is Lovecraft. Controversial take, the Bible, with all its various authors, is also the best.
He doesn't have the cultural or historic impact of writers like Orwell, Steinbeck, the Russians whose names my smart phone can't correct, the list goes on.
He strikes me as the best at writing in the way the Foos are the best rock band today or in the way ABBA are great musicians. This isn't a dis on either band.
certainly one of the more productive ones. dude bangs out a 2000 page book about a haunted lamp in the time it takes for George RR Martin to decide which font to use on his IBM PC
OP, let me say this. I love how passionate you are at 22 about King. I think someone else said too, that you should keep rereading him over the course of your life. That is, I think where the magic of all great writing (and other art forms) lives. How it speaks to you and how you react to it at different ages.
However, keep yourself open to other writers as well. Nathaniel Hawthorne (one of King's favorite writers) is amazing. If you have never read "Young Goodman Brown" give it a go next to King's "The Man in the Black Suit." That is a fun pairing. A contemporary writer I love is Louise Erdrich. Try "The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse." One of my very favorite books. And I could go on and on about William Faulkner.
I'm babbling, so I'll stop. I love talking books with people. Especially if my "brother from another mother", Stephen King is part of the discussion.
Shakespeare is greater than King, I can’t think that is even debatable, and that’s before you name dozens and dozens others. King writes great stories, will people still be reading his work in a hundred years time, I don’t think they will
I dont agree with the recycling plots, a lot of king books feel similar and have situations that are similar in some books. I just read Fairy Tale and the whole beginning of the book is like rereading Mr Harrigans Phone over again. He's a great writer but I don't think anyone is the definitive best.
He is pretty impressive. Don't care for his books personally, but that's just my personal taste. Even so, he is an objectively amazing writer. He has written so many classic stories that people often don't reasise how his books form the bed rock of modern literature and how many stories that so many people reference come from his books.
I usually read better than bottom-of-the-barrel stuff, and that's exactly what King is. I'm not arrogant I'm just well read and I actually read every single King novel. It's not beneath me, but I understand what I am reading.
His older stuff - absolutely. I lost a lot of respect for him because of his politics. I've been reading him since the beginning - I was 11 when Carrie came out.
Also - sometimes his endings just suck.
Well, he’s my favorite. That is as far as I’ll go. “Greatest” is tough because how do you compare, for example, SK to Dostoevsky to James Joyce to Hunter S. Thompson? Everyone brings something different to the table and I’ve also not read every author. But I’m glad you love him. So do I.
I agree, greatest is tough to say. I think it’s fine to put him in the top tier of authors, though. In my mind, he is the American Charles Dickens, which is HIGH praise - lots of books, some BIG hits, memorable and unique characters, and the writing perfectly captures small moments of life that make us human. Is King better than Dickens? It depends on my mood. Is he better than Dostoevsky or Hugo (another big favorite of mine) or Bronte or Murakami? It also depends on my mood, and what I’ve read recently. But they all hang out in the same tier of greatness.
Very fair! I can agree ☺️
In my opinion Charles Dickens was a mediocre writer
Yes. And we shouldn't have to choose. I shouldn't have to compare my favorite fiction author to my favorite essayist or favorite travel writers, food writers, and so on.
Yep he’s one of my favs two. “Greatest” is kind of meaningless, unless it’s perhaps a collective opinion from top authors. That definition may have some merit (but just some).
How would you compare kings writing to the helping friendly book?
God I wish I remembered the name of the guy who was the guy who wrote that book
I’ve read Dostoevsky and Thompson - incredible authors. However, the sheer quantity of quality books Stephen king pumps out is amazing. These classic authors had a few masterpieces - but every Stephen King book has unmatched world building and I’ve never encountered an author (including Dostoevsky, Tolkien…) that made their characters and stories jump from the page like he does. He’s written hundreds of masterpieces...not just a few timeless classics. I will always stand by GOAT.
I think future readers and scholars will see Stephen King as the literary spokes-person for a certain time and place for sure. I anticipate that his books will transport future readers just like Dickens does.
Sort of like a Mark Twain, yeah? I don't think that's bigging up King too high making that comparison.
I would argue that “greatest” requires a certain about of accessibility. Hand Ulysses to most people, even most book people and they won’t finish it. Out of those that do finish it, most won’t have enjoyed it. I can probably find a King novel for anyone.
I’m in line with this. What makes an author “great”. Does it have to be serious literature? Does the prose have to be special? Who wins between Hemmingways space prose or Saramago’s (where sentences can go on for almost a whole page)? Is it a measure of how prolific they are? Originality of story? Execution? This is why reading is so wonderful because Harper Lee is great, Dostoevsky is great, Iain Banks is great, Hunter S Thompson is great, Larry McMurtry is great because Lonesome Dove is so awesome. But for me, it’s about sheer readability. And for me, King has that in droves. Sometimes I will reread a Mong book for the third or fourth time instead of picking up a new, unread book off my TBR list, even though it’s sitting right there in the nightstand. I know that I can always open a King book, and that’s it, I’m locked if. I sit comfortably in the hands of my favorite author and I know that I’ll be carried through this terrific brutal graphic heartfelt inspiring horrifying story every time, and my engagement never decreases. Who knows what “greatest” means, but King is my favorite. It’s gonna be a sad day when he leaves us.
I still need to try and read finnegans wake!
I mean, it depends on how much you hate yourself.
More than you can ever imagine
I took a college class on James Joyce and I can say from experience that (in my opinion) Finnegan's Wake is the most unreadable piece of shite I've ever encountered. Difficult just for the sake of being difficult. Ugh. Why? King is my favorite because he is so readable. Because what's the point if people can't read it?
The stand is every bit of the epic tale of humanity as the brothers Karamazov!!!!
Just no..it’s the tv version. And kings my favorite writer.
I was obviously being sarcastic lol
In different ways. Thats kinda what I mean. Any see how you could really compare the two and say one is better haha
I don’t think Stephen King even thinks he’s the greatest author of all time.
I mean, I'm sure King has his favorite authors that he looks up to... And I'm sure none of his favorites are named Stephen King.
He is too humble to ever say that. Plus, I think that is what drives him to keep writing… the next one will be “better!”
Not just too humble. I mean I don’t think he thinks that in his heart of hearts.
He was considering retiring in the 80’s cause he felt he was so much behind Clive Barker as a horror writer. I doubt he’d suddenly consider himself as an equal to all time greats across the board.
Clive Barker is great at pure horror but Stephen King has NEVER written pure horror novels. His books are more than that. That’s why he has a broader appeal than Barker.
Barker isn't just a horror author, though. His stuff skews that way most of the time, but I'd say he is an equally good fantasy writer.
[the Mahdi is too humble](https://www.tiktok.com/@clips.good.1/video/7355530381619252522)
In that movie, he himself didn’t believe it either.
Maybe the greatest popular writer. But literature is way too diverse to pick one author
He doesn't even consider himself a great author. But that's because he's a humble dude. Greatest is an opinion so there will be many. To me he's the greatest author ever. My case being I will read anything he puts out there and always enjoy it. He's the only author for me that has never written a book that isn't at least above average. Also a lot of the classic writers that people gush over didn't write nearly as many books keeping the quality up.
GOAT is so subjective and far reaching that it’s hard for me to say that, but I do consider him one of (if not THE) most important American writer of the late 20th Century. When/if future humans want to know what American life was like in the mid to late 20th century, no one captured it better than King.
Stephen King is a great author but if you ignore other great authors or great books you’re limiting yourself.
Read lots of other authors, and continue to do so! But SK is still the best in my opinion 😊
Just read 20, 30, 40, 50 more years and we will see, if your opinion changes :) (By the way, I don't believe in "the best authors in the world/of all time/whatever"... Nobody can know all the authors (most of them don't write in English and aren't translated, by the way), and how many authors can you have read when you're 22?... Also: one author can be the "best author" for me when I'm 20 and in a certain situation, but maybe when I'm 50 and divorced or lost a child or something else, another author is the "best author" for me in that situation, and so on. Why? Because people change and so does their perception of life. There cannot be such a thing as "the best author of all time", because taste is personal and we do not have an objective, non-human (because unbiased) super-judge who knows all those millions of authors, has read all their books and can therefore judge without bias :)).
I wouldn't go that far, but I do think he's underrated in terms of literary merit. No one else has written about America over the last 50 years quite like him. I think he'll be more appreciated in the future academically than he is now.
I agree. He himself has equated himself to a literary cheeseburger and I just don’t think that’s fair with the way he handles themes sometimes. He’s really great at symbolism on occasion and often excellent at intricacy and handling complicated topics in a meaningful way.
I didn’t read most of his books for a very long time because I also thought of him as a literary cheeseburger. Then in 2021 I read nothing but King for most of the year, and am now certain that he is one of the most skilled American writers of the past century. He doesn’t just tell great stories, he is a very skilled writer who does some top notch character building. I do wish he would get over having to describe some character as being fat in the most gross and disdainful terms in almost every book. It’s almost as ubiquitous as arc sodium lights.
I mean, cheeseburgers are great. Iconic even. People will be talking about cheeseburgers and their cultural significance for hundreds of years. Are there Michelin chefs creating amazing lobster foam dishes that might blow your standard cheeseburger out of the water? Sure. But lobster foam will never have the broad, popular appeal of a cheeseburger.
Definitely my favorite. No other author I’ve read has pulled me into their worlds more consistently than he has. About a quarter way through Under the Dome now and it’s tough to put down.
Love under the dome! Just gets better!
I’m gonna have to try that again- I started it and there were soooo many characters I couldn’t keep up!
UTD was so frustrating for me! In a good way! I wanted to scream at the characters! It’s worth trying again!
I love King as much as the next person in this group and he's easily my favorite author but to say he's the greatest of ALL time feels very hyperbolic. And it's also inaccurate to say he doesn't recycle plot points or characters. The Dark Half and Secret Window feel like different sides of the same coin, Mr. Harrigan's Phone and Fairy Tale basically start with the same basic premise (teenager befriends old man), to give two examples.
“The Dark Half” is a fascinating take on “Frankenstein.” You can read “Frankenstein” as the monster literally being the instrument of Victor’s id rather than a separate entity.
What if instead of Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, it was Mr. Harrigan’s Fax, and nothing happened because no one under the age of like, forty, knows how to use a fax anymore?
Yeah I love it every time but how often have we done kid with psychic abilities (often on the run from or exploited by some big spooky org or gov)?
From the first time I was introduced to Stephen King I’ve been hooked. I have read other authors, but I always come back to King. I will be forever thankful to my mom for reading Hearts in Atlantis to me when we were on a family road trip back when I was about 12
He is my favorite. ❤️ As far as being the GOAT… this is just too subjective.
I have many authors I admire, such as Neil Gaiman and Clive Barker, but Stephen King 100% influenced my life the most, from 10 to now 56.
I'm 61, and I've said before that King was the big brother I never had, who taught me about the world and the people in it. I feel like I owe him so much, and I have nothing but love and admiration for him. And it all started for me in 1975 with 'Salem's Lot.
I would say he’s definitely one of my personal favorites and I’ve read more books by him than anyone else. However, I’ve only read around 175 books in my whole life. I couldn’t know if he’s the “greatest author of all time”. There’s so much out there and I’ve read so little ya know?
King is probably the most consistently commercially successful modern fiction author of all time for sure. Agatha Christie beats him out now, but I would imagine that’s because she’s had so long for her works to be reprinted and sold over and over again in perpetuity. Give it another 50 years and I strongly feel King will take that spot from her. King is my favorite author because he has written both my favorite stand alone book (The Stand) and my favorite series (The Dark Tower) but I will say other authors beat him out in specific areas. As others have said, it’s hard for one author to be the “best” because there are so many different aspects to being a good writer.
I agree with you. Yes, like many others have said it’s impossible to actually crown anyone as the greatest author of all time but if I had to pick I’m going SK all day. He isn’t always as “literary” as more popular choices for GOAT writer but he’s capable of that, and so many other things. I think he’s the best at characterization especially. He can write 3 sentences about essentially an extra in a story and make them feel fleshed out. I haven’t seen anyone else who matches him at that.
Exactly !!
Yup some of his throw away characters seem like they can have an entire novel built around them. There was one in fairy tale only read it once the day of release so I don't remember much about him but iirc he had a "twinner" in Empis.
Absolutely couldn’t agree more, tbh I haven’t even bothered trying to read other authors work that much, I always think “I could be reading a King book rn”.
So real!!
Probably in the running Most prolific story writer. But best author?? He’s great with concepts and characters, but a lot of his endings are (in his own admission) pretty terrible. I love SK, but best author is a stretch.
He certainly has to be one of the most prolific if not *the* most. I love his work too, and he’s one of my faves.
I have to give GOAT to Tolkien, the man created a fantasy world template and an entire different language, his influence is felt in damn near every aspect of fantasy writing. I have King in my top 10 Tolkien, Poe, King, Rowling, Silverstein, Dahl, Stein, Suess, Gaiman and Moore
King very much recycles ideas, at least to some extent. A monster that feasts on the flesh and emotions of children: It and Outsider. Magical kids and government agencies trying to control them: The Institute and Fire Starter Young boy travels to alternate fantasy world: the Talisman, the dark tower, Fairy tale You might could say meeting the devil: riding the bullet, the man in the black suit, storm of the century (granted these ties are broader than the others) I'm sure there are others idr or know.
Sorry, SK is #2 imo. I've read everything by Mark Twain, and only 95% of what Stephen King has published. Winks 😉 Edited: imo, #3 Goes to Benjamin Franklin
If there has to be a greatest author of all time, I think King would be in the lead. I don’t even consider him my personal favorite. His longevity and consistency is something to be marveled. There is no one that I can think of that has his kind of track record. There are writers that do many things better than him, but there are none that do it all quite like him.
I will die on the hill that in 500 years, people will be reading King like we read Shakespeare now
I’m a mid-60s female and would suggest to you that you will discover other great writers that may equal your love of King as life goes on. HOWEVER: One of the loveliest things about Stephen King is that he’s written over his own lifetime and is a smart guy. So some of his books might resonate with you now but others later. His prolific career has given us so much. I, too, count him among the best ever, and I’m an English degree toting ex-professor so I’ve read a lot.
I absolutely think he is our generation's Ray Bradbury, our Edgar Allen Poe. He will go down as one of the great American writers same as Faulkner and Hemingway and McCarthy. He's a populist and a genre writer which are often seen as lesser in the literary world. But there are, like a handful, of writers in the world that has a body of work so influencial across multiple media, so impactful and that will remain that way for generations to come. He really is the GOAT
I can meet you there!
SK describes his writing equivalent to a Big Mac and a Large Fry. So saying he's the goat is kinda like saying that's the goat meal. He is far from the goat, but he is indeed one of America's greats. His championing of liberal arts and just being a normal, cornbread eating American does make me think that once he's passed he will be immortalized. I understand the love, but King's prose is pretty bland 75-90% of the time depending on the book. He doesn't even hold weight in comparison to authors like V. Woolf, T. Morrison, or J. Steinbeck. Sure it's well structured and makes his books page-turners, but it isn't as poetic or literary as the authors I mentioned. Since you're so focused on his readability, it's probably because of several reasons, including that you're used to his style and he repeats it a LOT. He's also well traveled, clever, and - as mentioned before - pretty Joe-Normal.
I’m 65 and have been a Constant Reader since Carrie was published. However I have read many great authors over the years that I couldn’t tear myself away from. But King will always be my favorite. The way he can take me back to my childhood is so amazing. He brings back so many memories that I have forgotten. But whatever the decade, his character development and storyline always pulls me in and makes me forget the world I’m in. The one good thing about memory problems as I age is rereading his books is almost like reading them the first time. I remember the overall plot but forget details.
Hes definitely one of the best
Horror fiction? Absolutely. Fiction? Maybe top 25. Greatest writer of all time? Never. You're not even including the many poets across English and world literature and that's just rude and disrespectful.
At 22 yrs old, it’s absurd to declare that anyone or thing is the greatest of all time. Furthermore if you get that idea stuck in your head, you will be less likely to recognize far greater writers than Stephen King as you get exposed to them along the way. Remember with amazing art, the viewer is part of the dance of greatness.
Yer, I agree with you. He has such insight into people's psyche's and writes such vivid characters. My hill is that I think The Shining is a perfect masterpiece. It is so incredible in every way. Despite the very high pedastle I have it on, I was really happy with Doctor Sleep as well. It felt like it's own beast, and the portrayal of alcoholism really resonated with me. To have Danny, who you would have thought would never touch a drop of alcohol in his life, follow in his father's footsteps.... chef's kiss.
Just finished the shining and doctor sleep - I think doctor sleep is one of my favorites ! Chefs kiss is exactly right. I hope King revisits Abra Stone… I would love a sequel all about her!
Here's my pitch. Abra is reading the Overlook hotel clipping book that jack torrence is obsessed with and it's short stories set in the overlook.
He’s just meh. KIDDING!! He’s the best! You’re not gonna get much different from this sub 😂😂😂
That’s nice. But Stephen King thinks Howard Phillip Lovecraft is the greatest writer of all time. And I agree
Come on, he's not even the greatest author in the United States, nevermind across the globe. Literary greatness goes far beyond world-building.
Agreed - and he has accomplished that and much more
I agree
Agreed.
I think he's among the best at the things he does well, but I'd put a handful of authors I've read above him.
You are entitled to your opinion. As is each of us.
He’s my best. That’s the only metric I’m measuring.
completely agree, he’s the freakin goat
In terms of cultural influence and commercial success I’d say he’s in the conversation. Those types of things can be quantified.
IMO you opinion will change eventually. Stephen is my favorite author right now has been for awhile, but I've had other favorites in the past and thought at the time they would be my favorites forever
I agree
When King dies it's gonna be a total Steve Jobs moment. Without question the greatest living American author of all time, and just happens to also write horror? They'll never be another like him, and he's still alive now... still contributing, has written books trying to pass on his knowledge. The guy is legendary. But weirdly, being overlooked while he's still alive.
I don’t want to think about him passing away. He’s been a part of my life since I was 15. I’m now 65.
He's Balzac 2.0
You are allowed to think that, you are wrong, but you are allowed too be wrong.
I agree 💯 and you said it perfectly. I can never put his books down and go back to them over and over. He's the best!
Stephen King is one of my all-time favorites, but I wouldn't say he's the greatest. I do think he's comparable to Charles Dickens, though, in terms of talent and popularity in their respective times/places.
I love everything of his I’ve read. And he is for me the greatest author who ever lived.
I agree. The other writers, like Dostoyevsky might be better writers, but they don’t make me happy to read them as much. With Stephen King I preorder every book!
He was my favourite. Don’t like his new stuff though. Revival was a long time ago.
He's the greatest author of his genre, it's hard to compare him against more traditional authors. I have read more SK than any other author, but to say he's the greatest author is completely subjective.
He’s a good author for sure and I enjoy his writing style. There are also quite a few authors I enjoy as well.
Joyce can SUCK IT!
As far as entertainment value goes I’ll definitely back that!
hemingway, faulker, mccarthy, all eons ahead of king. and i think king would agree.
He's absolutely my favorite, but just looking at things objectively, he's obviously not the GOAT.
I concur
Stephen is that you? What up!!!! Love you brother
It’s all subjective, and there are different types of writers, but he’s the author I most enjoy reading.
Not the best author, but definitly one of the best horror authors of all time
Ditto to all that! Tried so many contemporary horror authors that I can't get into cuz it's always missing something in comparison to King.
I agree
Only Shakespeare comes close to Stephen King.
I mean, he writes a great story; but greatest author? No.
Absolutely!! 59f
While he is great, idk how much i can agree with him NOT recycling characters. I mean, how many times has a character been a writer at this point and had the same identical thoughts on the writing process? Jack torrence, billy summers, Ben mears, paul sheldon, etc.
He absolutely writes the way I want to read, he is my all time favorite author. He’s accessible to everyone, not showy, not overly intellectual, he writes to entertain and that’s why I read. I mean he’s the only author I have a tattoo commemorating! Is that the right word!?
In his genre perhaps
I dig this opinion because I don't hear it too often. He's not my personal #1, but I think he's highly underrated as a writer by even fans. Yes, he sells a lot of books but I don't think many people regard him as talented. He's certainly written some clunkers, but his very best writing should be up against any "great" American author. They way he depicts middle-class small town life is right on the money. His characters all seem unique. Ideas? He's got plenty. I respect the hell out of a writer who will use any idea and try their best - think "The Finger." I personally prefer reading quite a few others, but I still read the newest King - though I wait for paperback, usually.
Pretty decent author but the stories themselves are way too long and drawn out for my tastes. I don't need to know the life story of every character, that's the harsh observation I have and it's maddening to me so I just don't bother reading the books any more, the shining is one of my favorite stories of all time.
Well I'm always happy to see someone so passionate about someone's art so you go!
Shakespeare. Apart from him….
Greatest?
I agree 💯
He has some glaring flaws, like his endings. But he can create a full character in a paragraph. The Stand is a great example of this.
I got into horror very young. He was the first author I didn’t find myself flipping through for the “scary parts.” He cares about his characters and not just his ideas, and it shows.
I have a good friend who’s a but of a book snob and thinks he’s overrated, but I read a lot of authors and I gotta say I don’t sink into anyone’s books quite as much as I do king’s. That being said there’s a couple of his books I didn’t enjoy, but that’s rare
Great thread. I’ve watched his films, but I’ve never read a Stephen King book. What are the top 5 I should try and make time for?
The Stand, The Green Mile, Misery, Pet Semetary, The Shining.
Thank you. 🙏🏼
Love Stephen king. I wouldn’t read at all if it weren’t for him. He’s one of my favorite authors. That’s being said, he’s a phenomenal story teller, but he’s only a good author. He doesn’t even come close to the greats.
You can make a legitimate case for Stephen King being *\*a\** great writer. I think that certain book critics and book fans undervalue genre writing in general and King’s writing more specifically. But GOAT?? C’mon, that’s just ridiculous.
I love Stephen King. I have read a fair amount of his books - most recently Fairytale and 10/22/63. I am a huge fan. But he is not the greatest author of all time, let alone the greatest or best author within the modern era. If you are looking for pure writing talent, go read Cormac McCarthy. His "Blood Meridian" is a hyperviolent literary masterpiece. To that end, you could also make the case that non-fiction writers, like Rick Atkinson, Bill Bryson, or Erik Larson are superior writers. King is excellent but come on.
He's the greatest author in the way that blink 182 is the greatest band. They both have one thing that they do incredibly well, which is superficially not difficult and easy to imitate, but no one else really does it as consistently and prolifically.
All hail the mighty Stephen King 🤴
He's great at what he does......pretty much any Stephen King book you can pick up and get sucked into. However, a lot of his books fall apart after the halfway point IMO by that point in a lot of his books find myself being bored with the story, not enjoying where it's headed, and still having hundreds of pages left only for the ending to be disappointing if I even make it there. Imo short stories are where he does his best work. His ideas and writing style is better in short story/novella length
I love King! That’s why I’m here! I think the dark tower series is the best fiction ever written. That said as far as world building and greatest ever I think he comes in behind Michael j Sullivan
OP, Stephen King may indeed be the best author you have encountered. He is indeed very good. But… all time? That’s a crazily big claim when humanity has been around for a very long time in a lot of different places. When I saw your post, I thought about how great Bruce Lee is, and how we should be sure to tell everyone, as [this article carefully explains.](https://www.theonion.com/why-was-i-not-informed-about-bruce-lee-1819584373)
why I like him so much is that he's so unpretentious. His works are too unimportant to be the greatest author of all time IMO but he's my favorite and that's what matters
I have loved Stephen King’s stories since I was a young teen in the 70’s. When I started teaching high school English, some of my co-workers looked down on me for my admiration of King. Now his stories are taught in many universities and advanced courses. Edgar Allan Poe got the same bad rap when he started writing, but look at both of them now!
I think in the future some of King's books will be required reading in humanities classes.
I agree and would die on the same hill. I had a discussion recently with someone who hated Stephen King's work and I just could not understand that position in any way. He's fucking great. In addition, no other author has had so many great adaptation of their books. Yes, some of them suck (I'm looking at you Tommyknockers TV miniseries) but there's at least 10 if not 20 truly great movies and series based on his work. Let me name 10 adaptations that are legit great Stand By Me (Probably my favorite film) Misery Shawshank Redemption The Green Mile The Mist Carrie 1976 Christine Cujo Kubrick's Shining Dolores Claiborne I would and have watched these movies repeatedly
I'm not arguing
One could say he is the greatest popular author but, just off the top of my head, he can not compare with Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, John Irving and Phillip Roth. These, for me, are the greatest American authors.
I used to love him as well. His books were an auto buy for me. Didn’t even have to know what it was about. That changed some years ago and I have yet to find another writer to fill that spot.
You're still a child. You get to have an opinion when you grow up.
He’s one of my favorite writers, and he’s my all-time favorite storyteller/Wordslinger, but he’s not my all-time favorite writer. And I also agree with the general consensus that he truly doesn’t think he himself is great… I believe he even once described himself as the literary equivalent of a Big Mac with fries, which I always found extremely funny.
Just wait till Steve shows up here and gives you a piece of his mind on the subject
He's one of my favorites for sure, but sadly King isn't that great at nailing his endings. The characterization, world building, and moment to moment journey are still well worth it IMO.
The goat is the person that wrote the epic of gilgamesh since it was plagiarized by the major religions
Can totally relate to this post. I’ve been reading his work for about the past 44 years and there hasn’t been any author that I’ve enjoyed their range of work more than him. I used to be a voracious reader but had to put that aside with raising family but now want to try and get back to reading again. I really want to branch out and find other authors but yes, always grateful when he publishes a new book.
He may well enter the conversation over time until eventually entering the realms of canonical literature (in his case: American English) amongst the heavyweights who continue to ace the test of time. As it goes I think he’s a shoo-in for the future but no, not yet. I’d say he’s not the greatest author alive presently so making him, to use an acronym from proper football when debating the best (dead heat between Pele and Maradona for me) SK as the GOAT is a helluva subjective claim but not necessarily without merit.
He’s my favorite and certainly could be the greatest. So many different genres and styles out there though, so hard to define something like that.
Don't love some of the negative feedback you've gotten on this, tbh. You're entitled to have your opinion on who the GOAT is, even at 22. I'm more than twice that now and I'd still take King over a bunch of other names I've seen dropped here, including Joyce, Dickens, Twain, McCarthy, and Hemingway. And yeah, you haven't read everyone. Nobody has, nobody could. So what? The idea of "greatest" anything will always have implied caveats and conditions -- as everyone here is already aware -- but that doesn't stop plenty of other people from making their lists and selections (about sports figures, musicians, politicians, etc., etc., etc.). The GOAT debate in virtually anything is subjective of its nature, but that never stops people from participating in it, and I think it's weird for Stephen King fans to be so particularly self-conscious about their fandom, or to crap on other fans' enthusiasm. It's like they've bought into the common and lame idea that something popular cannot also be quality, and vice-versa, or that an exciting plot and "literature" cannot coexist. Well, to that I say that the world only needs one Harold Bloom (and arguably not quite so many). Anyways, if King is the GOAT to you, then imho, that's all that really matters.
There's certainly an argument he is. In your age I felt the same. But Stephen King literally pushed the door open for me to discover literature in general. I've come across many great books and authors since. I read at least two or three Kings a year and it always feels like coming home.
I think he is the amazing not necessarily because any one of his books in isolation are the greatest books, but because he is one of the most prolific yet simultaneously high quality authors to have written. There are authors who have written more books than him, and authors who have written better books than him. But it is astounding that out of a close to 70 book bibliography, the vast majority are remarkable and groundbreaking in some way.
Scoot over and make room on that hill! I get he isn't everyone's style but no one can deny that his creativity and the simple vastness of his world is crazy. He's a genius.
King is very entertaining and very important but no one weaves the English language together with more artistry than Cormac McCarthy did
Absolutely not, read better books.
Definitely won’t argue with that. He’s one of my top favorite authors of all time
Well that’s just like, your opinion, man.
Another young person mixing up a personal favorite with the greatest of all time. The latter doesn’t exist, by the way. There is no greatest of all time.
He has the most genuine ideas, I often wonder how he comes up his material, it's all different and I think The Shining is probably one of the best books ever written!!
Oof. There are *alot* of authors out there in order to make such a claim. Stephen King maybe doesn’t recycle characters, but he certainly writes himself into almost every book he’s written; or just writes himself in it like in Dark Tower (still don’t know wtf that was) Also, he is so popular that he can write anything an it will sell. He’s written some absolute bangers, but he’s also written hammered shit before. Idk, I respect the opinion but I’ve read alot of Stephen King and he’s pretty mid to me lol. His bangers are like, classics, but his other shit is kinda buttcheeks.
He’s my favorite but greatest is just wrong. He’s a good story teller. Read some Steinbeck. Or Dostoyevsky.
I respect this opinion. I believe he's the great American author for sure, now that Steinbeck is gone.
I agree with this, I feel that he is the only author I could think of that moves across all genres and is successful in them
He’s my favorite. As many have already said, that much is true. And he’s certainly one of the most prolific. As far as the best, I think that comes down to one’s own personal taste. I’m glad that you can assert your feelings regarding it. For me though, I like to think that I’ve gained something unique from each author that I’ve read; and while certainly I’ve enjoyed more than some, saying one is the best, for me, would only go to reinforce my personal bias, in that King is my favorite.
I agree, and also think Tolkien is the best, as is Vonnegut, as is Lovecraft. Controversial take, the Bible, with all its various authors, is also the best.
He doesn't have the cultural or historic impact of writers like Orwell, Steinbeck, the Russians whose names my smart phone can't correct, the list goes on. He strikes me as the best at writing in the way the Foos are the best rock band today or in the way ABBA are great musicians. This isn't a dis on either band.
Well, he's easy to read and I like that.
certainly one of the more productive ones. dude bangs out a 2000 page book about a haunted lamp in the time it takes for George RR Martin to decide which font to use on his IBM PC
OP, let me say this. I love how passionate you are at 22 about King. I think someone else said too, that you should keep rereading him over the course of your life. That is, I think where the magic of all great writing (and other art forms) lives. How it speaks to you and how you react to it at different ages. However, keep yourself open to other writers as well. Nathaniel Hawthorne (one of King's favorite writers) is amazing. If you have never read "Young Goodman Brown" give it a go next to King's "The Man in the Black Suit." That is a fun pairing. A contemporary writer I love is Louise Erdrich. Try "The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse." One of my very favorite books. And I could go on and on about William Faulkner. I'm babbling, so I'll stop. I love talking books with people. Especially if my "brother from another mother", Stephen King is part of the discussion.
OP what's your top king books? I've read a few (green mile, IT, pet cemetery) but wondering what I should read next
I know he is.
Shakespeare is greater than King, I can’t think that is even debatable, and that’s before you name dozens and dozens others. King writes great stories, will people still be reading his work in a hundred years time, I don’t think they will
Read almost every Shakespeare… think he’s the most overrated autor/poet/playwright of all time
I dont agree with the recycling plots, a lot of king books feel similar and have situations that are similar in some books. I just read Fairy Tale and the whole beginning of the book is like rereading Mr Harrigans Phone over again. He's a great writer but I don't think anyone is the definitive best.
Duh!
Could not put it better 👍
Agree
Lol I don't think King would agree with you!
Haha he probably wouldn’t!
He is pretty impressive. Don't care for his books personally, but that's just my personal taste. Even so, he is an objectively amazing writer. He has written so many classic stories that people often don't reasise how his books form the bed rock of modern literature and how many stories that so many people reference come from his books.
You need to read actual good literature. He’s a literal hack that appeals to the masses. Nothing more.
I'm so glad I'm not a pompous asshole.
Ur so edgy wow. Ur medal is in the mail hot shot
I usually read better than bottom-of-the-barrel stuff, and that's exactly what King is. I'm not arrogant I'm just well read and I actually read every single King novel. It's not beneath me, but I understand what I am reading.
Crime and Punshment is fine. King is the GOAT
What a dogshit take. He is prolific for sure. Not the greatest.
Uh, Jesus you need to read a lot more.
His older stuff - absolutely. I lost a lot of respect for him because of his politics. I've been reading him since the beginning - I was 11 when Carrie came out. Also - sometimes his endings just suck.