Stephen King’s Masterpieces: “Misery” and “The Stand”

Horror books: Stephen King

Introduction: The Enchantment of Reading

I love to read. I devour books at such a speed that it becomes increasingly difficult to find my next “victim.”

The Revolution of Choice: Navigating the World of Content

In the audiovisual world, with platforms like Netflix, we have witnessed a revolution where the quantity and variety of content at our fingertips is overwhelming, and simply choosing the next movie or series can become a daunting task.

With books, albeit in a different way, we witness a similar phenomenon. The amount of information, reviews, opinions, and e-books that can be bought with a click at an affordable price is enormous.

As it happens with a movie or a series, making a mistake in the choice can mean dedicating quite a few hours to that book, without it really hooking you. That’s why I love searching for “sagas,” since if you get it right, they ensure you have a few books that will probably hook you too. Besides sagas, I also have some “wildcard” authors, such as Terry Pratchett, Mario Puzo, or the protagonist of this article: Stephen King.

Stephen King’s Masterpieces: “Misery” and “The Stand”

Surely on the internet, you’ll find hundreds of rankings about Stephen King’s books. I don’t intend to build a list of books by this author here, that already exists. What I intend, without disrespecting any of his other works, is to mention two books that I believe deserve a special mention, and that for me are exceptional. I’m talking about “Misery” and “The Stand.”

If you’re new to the Stephen King universe, or if you only read occasionally, in my opinion, these two would be his masterpieces that everyone should read (again, forgive me, fans of his other creations).

Exploring “Misery”: A Psychological Journey

“Misery” is spectacular from beginning to end. It has always been considered that Stephen King’s books delve into the darkest aspects of human psychology. In this particular novel, the relationship established between the two protagonists, who are also the only two characters that appear in almost the entire text, is of a sensitivity and depth that are outstanding. It’s worth mentioning that it’s one of the few books by this author in which there are no supernatural or science fiction elements. I don’t want to give away spoilers either, just read “Misery,” you won’t regret it.

Unraveling “The Stand”: Reflections Amidst Chaos

“The Stand,” on the other hand, especially after experiencing situations like the COVID pandemic, immerses you in a situation where you identify with more than one character and makes you ponder the famous “what would I do?” It presents a duality of good and evil apparently clearly defined, but which becomes blurred as the novel progresses, and it contains more than one vital reflection, including the final moral, which is impossible to leave you indifferent.

Conclusion: Embracing Literary Gems and Seeking Recommendations

It’s difficult for me to talk more about these two books without revealing details about the plot; I just want to ensure that as few people as possible have the misfortune of missing out on these two gems.

If you already know them and disagree, or if you have your own recommendations, please leave a comment on this post! I would love to hear new ideas and find out if anyone else shares this opinion.