Horror Books > C Horror Books > K

Advantages: Varied style, action-packed, vivid illustration.
Disadvantages: Short, stereotype ridden.

...King uses the lunar cycle as a loose means of telling his tale with monthly events being his mode of presenting the story yet again confounds the reader in that littered throughout are vivid illustrations of action sequences presented in an anime/comic book style. Perhaps, it is just due to the novels short length that these illustrations are often more descriptive than the words of King himself. King has a penchant for experimentation and this ...
...are taken with the lunar cycle so those events such as Valentines Day can be exploited as unusual settings. King's obsession with small town America in particular those created by him in his home town of Maine leads to a book of stereotypes from self righteous vicars to disbelieving townsfolk. However, this is not a book in which to dwell on the details. I have already hinted at the importance of the illustrations in this book and I feel I should ... Read review

Advantages: some comedy, okay story
Disadvantages: poor, not scary, overall not good.

...an apocalypse on earth whereby cell phones make people insane; the main characters are a group of people trying to survive and save the protagonist's son. On the upside, this book offers some moments of comedy which is lacking in the other books, and we get some of the usual suspense, horror and gore normally associated with Stephen King novels. The characters are quite likeable and there's entertaining reading to be had. However on the other hand ...
...laugh at the shear absurdity of the story at times. It is incredibley rushed and I often thought reading the book that if Stephen King had shortened the plot and taken more time to go in depth into each section of the sotry then the result would hve been an overall far superior piece of writing. The main negative point is just the feeling of being cheated; every single Stephen King novel that I have read has hit me on a deep level, and you really ... Read review

Advantages: Strong, deep characters.
Disadvantages: A little "busy" in the middle

Cujo is a Saint Bernard belonging to young Brett Camber in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. One day, Cujo chases a rabbit down a bolt hole that leads to cave that is home to a swarm of rabid bats. Cujo is bitten, and rapidly changes from loving family pet to vicious monster. That's the story in a nutshell, but King is able to take this deeper with superb characterisation, sub-plots and self-referencing. For example, many characters from ...
...is a violent story, and in parts the text is sharp, direct and brutal. Cujo retails at £6.99. You can buy it from book shops such as WH Smiths, Borders and Waterstones. It is available online from Amazon. I got my copy for 50p from a car boot sale. ... Read review

Advantages: it makes you face the real world
Disadvantages: it makes you face the real world

...read (or seen the movie) Carrie yet?? I wouldn't dare to call myself a fan of Stephen King if I haven't. Not only it's his first book, published in 1974, the first of the neverending row of his bestselling novels, but it's nothing but pure horror story. I admired every aspect of it, the narrating, the dialogues, environment and characters. I think it's the characters that turned Carrie into a legend. The storyline The beginning couldn't be more ...
...Anything besides people's hearts. Carrie White is a loner, this kind of an unliked, disdained and occassionaly made fun of weirdo, part of that label comes thanks to her mother Margaret being a self-punishing Christian freak who tries her best to keep Carrie in her shell, for her own good, as she blindly believes. Carrie's just 16 and she's been going along with the mad mother for a while, she's accustomed herself to such a life. However, it's not ... Read review

Advantages: Classic Stephen King: horror, suspense, everything
Disadvantages: Not much to say here

This is pure and simply a Stephen King absolutle class-ic. The book orientates around two friends, one of whom (Arnie) buys a used car. However this is no ordinary used car - it comes alive at night and kills mercilessly all those who wish to come between it and Arnie. The book occurs in various stages, from different character points of view. This is a really original idea and Stephen King has constructed the story and written it in fantastic ...
...involves of the associated physcological and physical horror, boasting a healthy mix of both blood/gore and more deeply terrifying moments. You really connect and feel for the characters, and one feel s a strong degree of empathy at a certain point in particular (you'll have to read it, but I think you'll know when you reach it). On the downside, theres not alot to say. I suppose it may lack a certain degree of appeal if cars are of no interest ... Read review