Stephen King is one of the most popular authors of all time, but some of his longer books can feel daunting, making it hard to know if they’re actually worth the commitment it takes to read them. While shorter horror novels like Carrie can be read quickly with little time investment, tackling a 1,000-page epic is a different story. Few things are more frustrating than realizing, halfway through a massive novel, that it’s just not for you.
Many of movie or TV adaptations, deciding whether the original novel is worth the time investment can still be a challenge. There are just so many King books that it can be hard to know where to start, and although his longer books are among his most famous, it’s nice to have a little guidance as to whether they are worth the time.
10 The Dark Tower V: Wolves Of The Calla (2003)
714 pages
The Dark Tower series just might be Stephen King’s magnum opus, although the sheer amount of installments means it’s a daunting challenge for many readers to undertake. While many might have dropped off after part one, The Gunslinger, that means they would have missed out on the deep lore and fascinating world-building that subsequently took place. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla continued the story of Roland Deschain and others making their way to The Dark Tower and even featured King himself as a character.
Whether The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla is worth readers' time is a tough one to answer because it’s not just one 714-page book but a sprawling series with eight novels they are committing to. As collectively the longest story King has ever told, The Dark Tower is worth reading, but only for those willing to give themselves over fully to its vast and ambitious narrative. To even get to the point of reading Wolves of the Calla, it's clear that readers have already decided it's worth their time.
9 Four Past Midnight (1990)
763 pages
From legendary short story collections like Night Shift to incredible novella collections such as Different Seasons, Stephen King has plenty of books of collected works. Among these was Four Past Midnight, a work that brought together four different novellas under the theme of horror and the supernatural. This collection was far more in the tradition of classic King, as opposed to the more dramatic tone of Different Seasons, and Four Past Midnight included The Langoliers, Secret Window, Secret Garden, The Library Policeman, and The Sun Dog.
While the 763-page count of Four Past Midnight might look daunting at first, the fact that this is a collection means that you don’t have to feel totally overwhelmed by it. It’s possible to dip in and out and read this collection one novella at a time, meaning the commitment is not as all-consuming as with other long works from King. As the recipient of the Bram Stoker Award in 1990 for Best Collection, Four Past Midnight was a well-crafted anthology that embodied everything great about King’s horror writings.
8 The Dark Tower IV: Wizard And Glass (1997)
787 pages
An essential entry in Stephen King’s massive The Dark Tower series was the fourth installment, subtitled Wizard and Glass. This was an important installment in the series that provided a long-awaited origin story for Roland Deschain and even connected with other King works, such as The Stand, through its depopulated city that was ravaged by that book’s influenza plague. As the title alludes to, Wizard and Glass also owed a lot to the influence of The Wizard of Oz and positioned King’s legacy among the broader history of American fantasy writing.
Like every other installment in The Dark Tower series, readers considering tackling it have already answered the question of whether it's worth their time. This is a massively daunting series, and it shouldn’t be attempted lightly as it not only tells a gigantic story across nine books but is also packed with allusions to several other King novels. Although the amount of homework involved in fully appreciating this story may feel overwhelming, for those who truly want to recognize the full length and breadth of King’s work, then it’s a must-read.
7 Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993)
816 pages
While Stephen King’s best-known works include several novels that have since become cornerstones of popular culture, he’s also one of the most accomplished horror short story writers of all time. Nightmares & Dreamscapes was King’s third collection of short stories that combined works from throughout his career up until the point of publication and included many now-classic releases that have been adapted for film and television. In 2006, the book even served as a primary source for Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, a TNT anthology show.
Like any short story collection, the daunting length of Nightmares & Dreamscapes doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and it’s not required for you to read every story in chronological order. This means that this works as a great book for those wanting to enjoy King’s work in bite-sized chunks without having to devote themselves fully to a sprawling 1,000-page-plus novel. While Nightmares & Dreamscapes is one of King’s longest works, the fact that most of the stories have already appeared elsewhere means it does not need to be consumed as a singular work.
6 Insomnia (1994)
832 pages
Stephen King tackled the horrific side of sleep deprivation in Insomnia, a novel set in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, that includes many connections to the author’s other work. Telling the story of the retired widower Ralph Roberts, this man’s increased insomnia leads to seeing hidden auras and being drawn into a conflict between the forces of the Purpose and the Random. As a blend of horror and fantasy, Insomnia forces readers to examine topics of fate, destiny, and the reality of existence.
Featuring connections to everything from Gerald’s Game to Pet Sematary, and especially The Dark Tower series, King fanatics will certainly find a lot to love about Insomnia. However, at over 800 pages, this may not be the best book for those just starting to get into the author. Some issues with Insomnia held it back from being among King’s greatest longer works, and especially after the introduction of demonic creatures, it shifted away from the character focus that made the early parts of the novel so compelling in the first place.
5 The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004)
845 pages
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower was the longest entry in Stephen King’s ambitious dark fantasy series and was the conclusion of the story chronologically. With King featured as a major part of the book itself and his characters having to save the life of their creator, there was a fun sense of self-referentialism to the series' conclusion that will appeal to readers who like their works with knowing meta-sensibilities. While The Dark Tower VII was one of the most highly anticipated books in King’s entire career, some readers also feel that it was a somewhat underwhelming conclusion.
The saying that it’s the journey and not the destination applies well to The Dark Tower VII, as anyone who has made it this far surely found enjoyment through its epic narrative. With a highly imaginative conclusion, the harsh truth was that this installment felt a little drawn out. With a cumulative page count of 4,316 across all books, deciding whether this series is worth the time and commitment it takes is a personal one. However, most King fanatics will say those who skip The Dark Tower series will never fully understand the full spectrum of the author’s bibliography.
4 11/22/63 (2011)
849 pages
Stephen King tackled time travel in what might be his greatest work in the 21st century, 11/22/63. With a story about a man discovering a portal that allows him to go back to a specific day in the past, stay for as long as he wants, and return to the present, Jake Epping realized he had a unique opportunity when he discovered this day was five years before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. What followed was a thrilling plan to stop the assassination while also having to carve out a life for himself in his new 1960s era.
11/22/63 may be a huge, nearly 850-page book, yet King made every page count as he created a richly imagined nostalgic view of the 1960s that forced readers to reckon with the idea that changing the past doesn’t always lead to a better future. While Epping became so hyper-focused on fixing a past moment that he thought he set world history off course, he did so at the expense of his potential to shape his future. 11/22/63 was one of King’s greatest works, and it was actually made even better through its extended page count.
3 Under The Dome (2009)
1074 pages
While many might recognize the plot of Stephen King’s Under the Dome from The Simpsons Movie, both of which featured a town trapped under an impenetrable dome, this novel did not play the concept for comedy and instead leaned into themes of horror, political corruption, and human depravity. Set over a period of just eight days, Under the Dome alternated between different characters’ perspectives to explore the consequences of those suddenly cut off from the rest of society.
As one of just a few King books to clock in at over 1,000 pages, King took his time developing the characters and world seen in Under the Dome, which allowed him to delve deeper into the social, political, and personal consequences of its premise. While certain subplots may feel like a slog at times, the truth was Under the Dome was one of King’s most creative and rewarding novels. While those looking for a fast-paced, tightly constructed narrative could be alienated by the slower-paced style of Under the Dome, it still stands as an essential work from King.
2 It (1986)
1142 pages
Along with works like Carrie, The Shining, and Misery, Stephen King’s It stands as one of his best-known books and a novel that even those mostly unfamiliar with him would be able to recognize. This was for good reason, as it was among the most fascinating and psychologically rich books he ever wrote. As a terrifying exploration of trauma, It follows the story of the of the Loser’s Club from childhood into adulthood and their encounter with the ancient, trans-dimensional, malevolent entity known as Pennywise, who reappears roughly every 27 years.
While 1142 pages may be more than some readers usually commit to, It fully developed the small-town horror of its supernatural situation across decades. With richly developed themes around the loss of childhood innocence, free will, and buried trauma, It was one of King’s most unusual, controversial, and iconic works. Although some might feel this novel was overlong and could have benefited from a tougher edit, It was one of the all-time great King books and a must-read for those wishing to explore his work.
1 The Stand (1978/1990)
1152 pages (The Complete & Uncut Edition)
The complete and uncut edition of the post-apocalyptic dark fantasy The Stand was Stephen King’s longest book. While the original 1978 version stood at 823 pages, King restored over 400 pages of text in 1990 and published a new version of the manuscript that has only been removed due to concerns the uncut edition would be too expensive for the market to bear. As the story of a deadly pandemic of weaponized influenza that decimates the world, The Stand has only become more relevant in the years since its initial publication.
With a truly daunting page count, there’s still no question that The Stand is worth readers' time. As a real contender for King’s greatest work, featuring the first appearance of Randall Flagg and an epic narrative that addressed themes of fate, evil, and the purpose of society, reading The Stand is one of the most rewarding experiences a book lover can gift themselves with. For anyone with a love of Stephen King’s work, there’s no question that The Stand is absolutely worth your time.
