Stephen King
Books in Order.
Start here
Carrie (1974)
Start with Carrie (1974) and read in publication order, or jump in with a standalone such as The Shining (1977), Misery (1987) or 11/22/63 (2011).
Start with Carrie (1974) and read in publication order, or jump in with a standalone such as The Shining (1977), Misery (1987) or 11/22/63 (2011). Most King novels stand alone.
The complete reading order for the Stephen King series by Stephen King. Below you'll find the authoritative guide on how to read the books in order, including publication dates and chronological timeline placements.
Where to start
Start with Carrie (1974) and read in publication order, or jump in with a standalone such as The Shining (1977), Misery (1987) or 11/22/63 (2011). Most King novels stand alone.
- •Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork, The Running Man, Thinner, The Regulators and Blaze were first published under the pen name Richard Bachman.
- •The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower and The Wind Through the Keyhole belong to the Dark Tower series, which has its own reading order page.
- •Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers and End of Watch are the Bill Hodges trilogy; The Outsider, Holly and Never Flinch also feature Holly Gibney (see the Holly Gibney page). Doctor Sleep continues The Shining.
- •The co-written novels at the end (The Talisman and Black House with Peter Straub, Gwendy's Button Box and Gwendy's Final Task with Richard Chizmar, Sleeping Beauties with Owen King, Other Worlds Than These with Peter Straub) are optional extras. Story collections and most novellas are not listed. The Green Mile (1996) was published as a six-part serial and is listed as one novel.
At a Glance
- First Book:Carrie
- Latest Book:Other Worlds Than These
- Timeline:1974 - 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I read Stephen King books in?
Start with Carrie (1974) and read in publication order, or jump in with a standalone such as The Shining (1977), Misery (1987) or 11/22/63 (2011). Most King novels stand alone.
How many Stephen King books are there?
59 main books, published 1974–2025, plus 6 side stories.
Can I read Stephen King books out of order?
Yes. Each book tells a complete story, so you can start anywhere; reading in order adds the background that builds up between books.
Which Stephen King books are prequels, novellas or side stories?
"The Talisman", "Black House", "Gwendy's Button Box", "Sleeping Beauties", "Gwendy's Final Task", "Other Worlds Than These". Each is placed in the reading order below.