Introduction To A King

"Books are a uniquely portable magic" - Stephen King

Stephen King: A Journey into Literary Terror

Stephen King's enduring influence on the horror genre is evident even today, November 17, 2019. I recently watched the second film adaptation of his novel Pet Sematary which was released in theaters earlier this year. 

Originally published in the early 1980s, Pet Sematary remains a chilling exploration of grief, loss, and the primal fear of death. The story follows the Creed family, who discover a mysterious burial ground near their home, capable of bringing the dead back to life. However, as they soon discover, this power comes with a terrifying price.

The enduring popularity of "Pet Sematary" and King's works in general is a testament to his ability to craft stories that tap into our deepest fears and anxieties. King's mastery of suspense, his vivid descriptions, and his ability to create relatable characters make his stories both terrifying and thought-provoking.

A Discovery of Literary Treasures

• Unveiling a Trove of Stephen King Novels

I wasn't a kid that did much reading. Reading wasn't something that I actively pursued. Mom worked a lot and we had a TV, and with unlimited TV time, it became my preferred source of narrative entertainment. I knew of the name Stephen King and that he wrote scary stories so if I saw his name on a movie, I knew I was in for a treat. 

It was 1987 in an attic in Arlington, Virginia that I discovered Stephen King for myself. Like most folks, my Aunt used her attic as a storage space. She was up there shifting boxes around, and I took the opportunity to search through a few boxes to see what I could discover. 

I opened a dusty brown box and revealed what seemed to be thousands of National Geographic magazines! I was stunned to see the uniform covers with bold yellow borders framing bright dramatic images. My mind raced with excitement over what other treasures could be found in the other boxes, though I doubted I would find anything quite as cool.

Carefully moving about with my head bowed and back curved due to the low ceiling, I swiped at a few webs, and pulled the flaps of a dusty brown box unveiling what seemed to be thousands of Stephen King books! 

Huge hardcovers and tiny paperbacks. Hinting at their age and storage, the books were worn and dusty wearing brown faded imprints on the edges of their pages. Firestarter, IT, Carrie, Different Seasons. They were all there! I came down from the attic with three books in hand...Cujo, The Bachman Books, and Skeleton Crew.

From Attic Discovery to Literary Terror: A Journey into Stephen King's World

• Cujo: A Tale of Canine Terror

I had seen parts of Cujo on cable television, so I was familiar with the story. But to hold the book in my hand was something special. The cover art with the closeup of Cujo's fangs was the stuff nightmares are made of. 

Foaming at the mouth, Cujo looked ready to kill on the cover! "Chopper sick balls" is all I thought of, not knowing that the story Stand By Me was adapted from was featured in Different Seasons. 

Eager to delve into the depths of King's writing, I opened the book, the scent of old paper filling my nostrils. The words on the page, initially just black ink against white, began to transform into a vivid tapestry of horror. King's masterful use of language brought the characters and their surroundings to life, immersing me in the oppressive atmosphere of the story.

I think about first seeing the Cujo book alongside the Firestarter book. Both books seemed to be the same size and I had seen parts of each movie. I love the Firestarter book, but the cover didn't invoke the thoughts of horror and gore that Cujo did.

• Skulls and Suspense: Uncovering the Tales of The Bachman Books

The Bachman Books presented itself as a paperback, its cover adorned with a striking burnt orange hue that immediately caught my attention. Emblazoned across the cover were skulls arranged along a roadway, the title displayed in striking embossed white lettering. Its compact yet thick structure held a certain allure, an aesthetic that I found undeniably cool and intriguing.

Among the stories housed within this gripping collection, one that stood out was "The Running Man." This tale later found its way onto the big screen, and it was through the movie adaptation that I first encountered it. As a wrestling enthusiast, seeing Jessie "The Body" Ventura play a villain in the movie added an extra layer of excitement. So captivated was I by the storyline that I even ventured into storyboarding a video game concept that could accompany the movie's narrative.

Beyond "The Running Man," the collection harbored other gripping stories, including "Rage," "The Long Walk," and "Roadwork." Each narrative ventured into different realms of suspense, dystopia, and human psychology, offering a diverse range of tales that lingered in the mind long after the book was closed. These stories explored themes of societal pressure, survival, and the human condition, showcasing Stephen King's versatility and knack for storytelling across genres.

• The Raft: A Story that Gripped a Young Reader

Then there was the book with the iconic cover. Skeleton Crew features an odd-looking monkey holding a pair of symbols on the cover and is packed full of stories. 

The Mist is probably the most popular from this collection. The great thing about this book is that it included short tales that a non-seasoned reader like myself felt confident enough to tackle. 

The Raft, a story of four teenagers on a lake surrounded by a deadly floating substance, was my first complete Stephen King read. 

The story had elements of the slasher films I was a fan of watching at the time. Teenagers, a lake, and a killer. I was proud to have read my first Stephen King story and excited to see how the story would look on screen.

A Turning Point in My Relationship with Storytelling

My discovery of Stephen King's works in my aunt's attic marked a turning point in my relationship with storytelling. From that day forward, I embraced the power of books, recognizing their ability to transport readers to different worlds and evoke a range of emotions.

Stephen King, through his masterful storytelling, became my gateway to a world of literary terror, a world that continues to captivate me with its blend of suspense, horror, and the human condition.

Additional Stephen King books I've picked up over the years

Stephen King's enduring legacy lies in his ability to create stories that resonate with readers and viewers on a primal level. His tales of terror explore the darkest corners of the human psyche, challenging our perceptions of reality and leaving us questioning the boundaries between the living and the dead. As long as there is a human fascination with the macabre, Stephen King's name will continue to be synonymous with horror.