Stephen King is a truly prominent figure not only in modern literature but also in culture in general. His name is known to lovers of books and those who have a completely indirect relation to literature. It is explained both by the enviable productivity of the author and the wide use of his legacy in cinematography.
So, if you haven’t read any of his books, you’ve probably watched movies or TV series based on his work. Just like the books, most movie adaptations keep you hooked from start to finish, like, for example, “The Shining”. Even if you are an avid gambler who decided to visit Starburst Slot Demo page to play a new game, you are unlikely to succeed because the movie will 100% grab your attention.
It is noteworthy that at his age, King keeps amazing productivity and surprises with the speed of publishing novels. At the same time, all new works keep the same unique style and the relevancy of modernity.
Main Features of S. King’s Novels
Below, you can check the main peculiarities of S. King’s work which make him a unique author. Scroll down to learn more on this topic and plunge deeper into the works of this great author.
More than a simple horror
First of all, the author is known for heart-rending stories that describe the horrors that people face. It is noteworthy that among the fanatical monsters that came from distant galaxies (such as in the story “It”), King has many novels that show the monstrous entities that sit deep in the soul of an ordinary person.
Revealing these “skeletons in the closet” and dark corners sometimes excites you even more because you understand that these are not invented creatures but people with whom you can potentially communicate at work, in a restaurant, and so on. Or maybe they can be one of your relatives, and you don’t even know about it (for example, “Gerald’s Game”).
However, the king of horror has many works not aimed at scaring you. Among them, one can note the legendary “The Shawshank Redemption” or “The Green Mile,” which reveal the kindness that lives in people’s hearts, the willingness to help in difficult times, the hope for the victory of light over darkness, and so on.
For fans of King’s work, looking for this kind of “Easter eggs” is a special pleasure. Separately, it should be said that a significant part of Stephen King’s work is dedicated to fantasy and crime. If it touches your heart, you should pay attention to the novel “Eyes of the Dragon” or “The Dark Tower“.
The last work is the key to the entire work of the author. It is truly a magnum opus, which references most of the short stories and novels that the author wrote (individual characters, place names, etc.). As for the work of later years, King is more focused on crime novels and detective stories. An example of this is “The Outsider”, or the truly legendary book series “Mr. Mercedes”.
Characters always come first
One of the features of King’s work is the emphasis on characters. The author carefully works them out and describes the smallest details of appearance, clothing, behavior, psychological portrait, and so on. As a result, the reader has a correct idea of the character and his behavior. Following the outline of the story, you are not reading a book – a kind of film is formed in your head that you create yourself and in which you participate directly.
Thanks to his work, the author has created many memorable and iconic characters like Roland, Annie Wilks, Pennywise, and others. The detailed drawing of the characters made it possible to truly not only scare but enlighten hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide. If you take a scary clown, then Pennywise can frighten readers thanks to his terrible appearance, which each time changes depending on the phobias of his victims.
In the case of Jack Torrance from “The Shining”, King takes a different approach. In this case, we see an ordinary person who suffers from addiction and the real-world conditions surrounding him. Due to their various weaknesses, he makes a choice that affects his future fate and leads to a chain of tragic situations.
Multiple levels and layers of King’s stories
King’s skill allows him to convey a huge range of emotions and experiences through his novels: pain, anger, love, fear, hope, and more. The author is an amazing psychologist who actively explores human nature and sometimes reaches out to the darkest corners of consciousness. That is why many readers sometimes feel that the author is reading their thoughts.
Interviewing of characters
As noted above, King prefers not to create fragmentary works but to connect (directly or indirectly) the characters and plots of individual novels. It can be a reference to some place, a phrase, the name of a store, and so on. Thus, an attentive reader will find some kind of interconnection that can help put the history puzzle together.
For example, the author often mentions such fictitious cities as Castle Rock or Derry, where many plots occur. If you’ve read “Mr. Mercedes”, then you’ll probably notice that “The Outsider” is essentially a continuation of the trilogy. Those who like to tickle their nerves by reading the story about the Pennywise clown will also note that he was quite obviously mentioned in another cult novel by the author under the title “Dreamcatcher”.
Conclusions
The intricacies of the plot of his works can become a real adventure for the reader. His characters are realistic, with their own peculiarities, weaknesses, and phobias, where everyone can find a reflection of himself. Many are actively used in various spheres and businesses: from concept art on T-shirts to themed slots in online casinos (see more).
Stephen King is the undisputed top author of modernity. He has created dozens of short stories and novels that have captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Thanks to his talent, he can not only scare you to shiver but also inspire hope in the victory of good over evil.