Legendary author,Stephen King, often blurbs novels from a wide range of genres, yet considering that horror is what he’s best at, these five horror authors may be some of his most important recommendations. Since the start of his career in 1974, King has been a household name, known foriconic stories likeThe Shining, Cujo,andIt.Because of his prolific career,King’s opinion means a lot, especially in the world of horror.Thus, when he recommends a book, horror readers should definitely consider picking up that novel, or at least keeping an open mind.
There are several ways in whichKing offers book recommendations, yet the most common is blurbs. A blurb is a quote, typically on the front or back cover of a novel, written by another author giving praise to the book at hand. Blurbs are an easy way to get audiences to pick up a book, as the adulation of an established writer often holds a lot more weight than Goodreads reviews or something similar. In his time,King has blurbed countless novels ranging from literary fiction to thrillers, but horror is where his knowledge truly shines.
5Jack Finney
The Body Snatchers & Time And Again
One author who has received notable praise from King is Jack Finney. Active from 1946 to the mid-1990s, Finney was best-known for writing science fiction, thrillers, and issues of theBatmancomic book series. However, King’s interest lies in two of Finney’s most popular novels:The Body SnatchersandTime and Again.The first book received a significant mention in King’s non-fiction work,Danse Macabre,where he navigated the history of horror. Meanwhile,King has calledTime and Again"thegreat time-travel story,"(King,11/22/63.)
As readers might have guessed,The Body Snatchersis the 1955 novel that inspiredthe movie,Invasion of the Body Snatchers.Though science fiction, this book is as eerie and terrifying as any horror novel. It considersa world in which humans are replaced by alien duplicates who are not only emotionless, but will extinguish all life from Earth. Meanwhile, written 15 years later,Time and Againfollows a man who travels back to 1882 and is forced to choose between the past and the present. Despite not being horror, King’s praise of this book is hard to ignore.
4Tananarive Due
My Soul To Keep & The Reformatory
A more recent author who has benefited from a King blurb is Tananarive Due. An author and educator, Due began her writing career in the 1990s, and first gained popularity for herAfrican Immortalsseries. The first installment in the series,My Soul To Keep,earned a positive quote from King: “An eerie epic. I loved this novel.“Almost two decades later, King offered similar praise to Due’s 2023 book,The Reformatory.King said, “You’re in for a treat…one of those books you may’t put down…Due hit it out of the park,"(Longfellow Books.)
Due’s books are undoubtedly horror. Published in 1997,My Soul To Keeptells the story of Jessica, a woman who believes she has the perfect marriage with her husband David, until she discovers that a series of deaths around her may be connected to him and a horrifying secret he has kept all these years. It is the first in a quartet.The Reformatory,on the other hand, follows Robbie, a young boy who is sent to a reformatory in the Jim Crow South, only to discover that this “school” is more violent than it seems.
3Paul Tremblay
Paul Tremblay is another modern writer who has snagged King’s attention. Though he began publishing novels in 2010, Tremblay did not gain much attention until the release of his 2015 novel,A Head Full of Ghosts.Of this novel, King posted onX, “Scared the living hell out of me, and I’m pretty hard to scare.” Since then,Tremblay has put out a number of new horror stories, including 2018’sThe Cabin at the End of the World,which King blurbed, calling it “Tremblay’s personal best. It’s that good,"(Amazon.)
These aren’t the only two Tremblay books King has openly praised, yet both are a good place to start when exploring this author’s work.
These aren’t the only two Tremblay books King has openly praised, yet both are a good place to start when exploring this author’s work.A Head Full of Ghostsis abouta New England family who are forced to invite a camera crew into their home when their daughter is about to undergo an exorcism.The Cabin at the End of the Worldalso follows a family when the young daughter is approached by a man who claims her parents must help him save the world.M. Night Shyamalan adapted it into a 2023 moviecalledKnock at the Cabin.
2Shirley Jackson
The Haunting Of Hill House & The Lottery
As much as a blurb from King can change an up-and-coming author’s career, his compliments can also bring new life toclassic horror booksas well. One iconic horror writer that King has always spoken highly of is Shirley Jackson. InDanse Macabre,King discussedThe Haunting of Hill Houseand how it acted as a cornerstone for the horror genre. He has also noted Jackson’sWe Have Always Lived In The CastleandThe Lotteryas pieces that inspired his own writing.
Many audiences are likely familiar withThe Haunting of Hill Housefollowing Mike Flanagan’s Netflix adaptation. The 1959 novel follows four individuals who travel to a decrepit mansion called Hill House seeking supernatural phenomena.We Have Always Lived in the Castleleans in a similar direction, centering on a family of outcasts whose lives are shaken up by the arrival of an estranged cousin. Finally,The Lotteryis a short story about a town which picks one person a year to undergo a special tradition to ensure a good harvest.
1Clive Barker
The Future Of Horror
Finally, a horror author that King has given incredible praise is Clive Barker. Barker is a filmmaker and writer who isbest known for works likeHellraiserand theAbaratseries. In 1984, he published his first book,Books of Blood,which included a number of short stories and novelettes. Upon release,King blurbed the book, saying, “I have seen the future of horror and his name is Clive Barker.“This quote alone helped shoot Barker into international fame, allowing him to continue publishing his horror works.
4.08
4.21
4.13
The Great and Secret Show
4.06
Books of Blood
4.19
Ultimately,King’s praise of Barker may be one of the best examples of how King’s reputation can help other authors. Additionally, his quote feels like a call to action that is hard to ignore. If King says Barker is the future of horror, then horror readers should most definitely pick up his books. All in all,Stephen Kinghas not only gifted readers with his own books, but the books of others as well.
