By: Laura Studarus
These novels helped define King’s career and broaden the possibilities and popularity of horror fiction.
Stephen King signs copies of 'Cujo,' 'Salem's Lot' and other books at a book signing party in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, circa 1976.
Horror is often dismissed as a genre of cheap thrills. Yet across dozens of novels and story collections, Stephen King has challenged that assumption. His unflinching portrayals of domestic trauma, psychological turmoil and deep-seated suburban dread have endured as cultural touchstones.
King’s ability to cast light on the mundane terrors of daily life helped bring horror out of the shadows and further into the American mainstream. Here are five of his most influential stories.
Ghosts in white sheets have become a classic Halloween icon, but where did this costume actually begin?
After emotional abuse from her fanatically religious mother and a stream of torment by high school bullies, Carrie White discovers she possesses telekinetic powers and uses them to unleash her vengeance.
Initially, Stephen King discarded the opening pages of Carrie, but his wife famously retrieved them from the trash and encouraged him to continue writing. Published in 1974, King’s debut novel proved that sometimes the most terrifying things aren’t the creatures that go bump in the night. The story also mirrored the anxieties of the era, including conflicts between the women’s liberation movement and staunch religious traditionalism.
“King’s gift to the horror genre is that he’s made it possible for writers and readers to merge what is ordinary with what is not, and it’s terrifying,” says Afsheen Farhadi, assistant professor of creative writing at the University of Nevada, Reno. “Even something as typical as a high school prom is ruined by a tormented teen being pushed too far.”
The 1976 film adaptation directed by Brian De Palma also proved to be a phenomenon. Its vivid portrayal of adolescent trauma netted stars Sissy Spacek (Carrie) and Piper Laurie (Carrie’s mother, Margaret White) Academy Award nominations, a rarity within the horror genre. The book has since been adapted several times.
Poster for the movie 'Carrie,' 1976.
Published in 1977, The Shining helped cement King’s place as a leading figure in the resurgence of American horror, bringing the genre further into the literary and commercial mainstream. By all measures, the story of the Torrance family trapped in the haunted Overlook Hotel while patriarch Jack loses his mind is horrifying. Coupled with domestic abuse and alcoholism, it is also a terrifying look at what really haunts the human psyche.
“The monsters never come wholly from without but have some connection to his protagonists’ darkest temptations and other flaws of character,” Farhadi says. “King’s characters are also often haunted, not just by ghosts and monsters but by traumas in their own backstory.”
In 1980, the film adaptation was released to mixed reviews. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film’s slow, artsy direction has fueled more than a few conspiracy theories. King was vocal about his dislike of the movie, calling it a “Big beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside it.” Despite the mixed reception and King’s objections, the film has since come to be widely regarded as one of the most influential horror movies of all time.
In 1997, King wrote a three-part miniseries, giving his characters the treatment he believed they deserved. Fittingly, it was filmed at The Stanley in Estes Park, Colorado—the hotel that first inspired the novel.
Still from 'The Shining,' (1980).
King’s 1978 novel The Stand was a departure from localized horror. Instead, readers were given an apocalyptic canvas of the end of the world. When a weaponized strain of influenza known as “Captain Tripps” accidentally escapes a government lab and wipes out over 90 percent of the human population, the scattered survivors are left to navigate an empty, decaying America. They soon find themselves drawn into a cosmic chess match between good and evil.
At a hefty 823 pages in its first edition, expanded to 1,152 pages with the release of the 1990 “Uncut” version, The Stand was a surprise commercial success and is often considered a blueprint for modern plague and disaster fiction.
In 1994, King penned the TV miniseries screenplay. The cast included Gary Sinise, Rob Lowe and Molly Ringwald alongside a string of cameos, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Image from the television miniseries 'The Stand,' directed by Mick Garris. Teleplay by Stephen King based on his book.
In 1986, King immortalized a trope that would go on to haunt a generation: the malicious clown. In IT, a ragtag group of bullied outcasts known as the Losers’ Club confront an ancient, shape-shifting evil that wears the greasepaint of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. The novel and its adaptations redefined how horror could blend a wide-reaching narrative with the intimate terror of childhood trauma. At over 1,000 pages, the hefty tome became an unlikely hit, despite intense scenes involving violence and controversial depictions of childhood sexuality.
Anchored by Tim Curry’s manic performance, the 1990 two-part miniseries solidified Pennywise’s place in the horror hall of fame. Decades later, Andy Muschietti’s cinematic adaptation shattered box-office records and would become the highest-grossing R-rated horror franchise in history. The 2017 film was followed by IT: Chapter Two in 2019 and the HBO prequel series “IT: Welcome to Derry.”
Still from 'IT,' (2017).
Although King had penned non-supernatural books before, Misery unleashed a new horror villain on readers: the superfan.
In the 1987 novel, novelist Paul Sheldon crashes during a Colorado blizzard and is rescued by Annie Wilkes, an obsessive fan who holds him hostage in her isolated home. When she discovers he’s killed off her favorite literary character, she subjects him to physical and psychological torture. Their battle makes Misery a landmark of claustrophobic psychological suspense, and its portrait of possessive fandom still resonates in discussions about toxic fan culture today.
Rob Reiner’s 1990 film adaptation went lighter on the violence, but Kathy Bates’ quiet, rage-filled performance won her the Academy Award for best actress. The American Film Institute has recognized the character as one of cinema’s greatest villains.
Kathy Bates in 'Misery,' (1990).
John Steinbeck drew on the biblical tale extensively when writing his 1952 classic novel.
Nintendo and Sega’s fierce battle reshaped the video game industry and helped define a generation of gaming.
One of Hawaii’s most recognizable cultural symbols has roots more than 7,000 miles away.
Laura Studarus is a freelance travel writer published in Lonely Planet, BBC, and The Daily Beast. Sometimes she can go several hours without a cup of tea. Follow her on Instagram.
We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.
