Stephen King is one of the most successful and acclaimed authors ever. He is prolific, well-regarded, and highly successful, both commercially and critically. When he writes a book, people read it, and he has a devoted fan base that loves virtually all of his works. He is the epitome of success in the writing world.
As such, and with such a huge library of books written (over 60 books in the last five decades), there is no real consensus on which of his is the best, which is fair since art is subjective. Carrie, The Shining, The Stand, IT, 11/22/63, and plenty of others have been hailed as the horror master’s best.
Collider author Jeremy Urquhart recently ranked his top 25 books of the entire 21st century, which of course would not include some of the most renowned King classics. Despite that, a potentially surprising entry landed first on the entire list.
The Dark Tower from Stephen King Lands Atop 21st Century List
There have been some incredible books written during the 21st century. It has been a wonderful couple of decades for books, and Stephen King, despite also dominating the late 20th century, has been a big piece of that success.
Collider’s Jeremy Urquhart ranked The Dark Tower, which is the seventh and final installment in King’s epic fantasy series, the best of all 21st-century books. That’s high praise, considering some of the other entries on the list: Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, King’s 11/22/63, and Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.
According to Urquhart, The Dark Tower ranks ahead of all of them. “It’s a realization of the full potential of the series and all its central characters, and an epic book that makes the slower parts of some of the earlier books worth it,” Urquhart wrote.
He continued, “Stephen King does some weird, wild, and potentially alienating things here, raising the stakes the way you might expect before delivering a final couple of chapters that feel a bit like the final scene of ‘The Sopranos.’”
Urquhart might have it ranked higher than others, but he’s far from the only one who appreciates the book. It has a 4.29 rating on Goodreads and a 4.27 on StoryGraph. It’s an award-winning book and the culmination of an epic, long, and beloved series.
What is Stephen King’s Best Book?
I have yet to finish my journey through The Dark Tower series, so I can’t corroborate Jeremy Urquhart’s take. It does, however, make me excited to continue on and finish the series so I can decide whether I agree or disagree with such immense praise. I also, obviously, have not read all of King’s work, including some popular titles.
That said, I do have some takes on the books I have read. I’ve read 16 books by Stephen King, and I’ve pretty much loved all of them. There are some that have risen above and are truly the best of the best. The Outsider is perhaps my favorite of his, as it’s a beautiful and horrifying exploration of grief and its all-consuming power.
Fairy Tale is also excellent, showcasing that King still has his worldbuilding and storytelling skills. The Running Man is fantastic. The Stand is a classic for a reason, and despite its outrageous length, it’s well worth the many hours it took to read it. The Shining is maybe the best horror he’s ever done.
There are obviously plenty more to read, and I’m certain that some of the unmentioned King books will make their way onto this list, The Dark Tower probably included.
