Episode · The Book Review · 2025-10-17
Sean Fennessey on The Book Review: books mentioned
Stephen King Isn't Always Scary (with Sean Fennessey)
Gilbert Cruz discussed Carrie by Stephen King, The Dark Half by Stephen King, The Running Man by Stephen King, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank redemption by Stephen King, Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, Different Seasons by Stephen King, Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King, Rose Madder by Stephen King, Gerald's Game by Stephen King, The Green Mile by Stephen King, and If It Bleeds by Stephen King. Sean Fennessey discussed The Shining by Stephen King, 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King, The Bachman Books by Stephen King, Misery by Stephen King, Rage by Stephen King, Thinner by Stephen King and others, and The Stand by Stephen King.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Carrie
Carrie by Stephen King is the iconic 1974 horror debut novel about a tormented, telekinetic teenage girl who unleashes devastation at her high school prom after suffering years of relentless bullying.
Discussed“Since his first novel Carrie, which was published in 1974, which was made into a hit film two years later, his work has been ripe for screen adaptation.”
Where to get it
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The Shining
The Shining by Stephen King is a classic psychological horror novel about a struggling writer descending into madness while caretaking an isolated winter hotel.
Discussed“Maybe Salem's Lot would have come. Maybe The Shining would have come. Maybe something would have happened in the aftermath of that that also would have worked.”
Where to get it
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'Salem's Lot
'Salem's Lot by Stephen King is a classic horror novel that follows a writer returning to a small Maine town that happens to be overrun by vampires.
Discussed“Maybe Salem's Lot would have come. Maybe The Shining would have come. Maybe something would have happened in the aftermath of that that also would have worked.”
Where to get it
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The Dark Half
The Dark Half by Stephen King is a psychological horror novel exploring the dark boundaries of identity, artistic alter egos, and parasitic duality through a writer whose fictional pseudonym comes to life on a murderous rampage.
Discussed“The Dark Half. Yeah, I like that one. I'm up with The Dark Half.”
Where to get it
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The Bachman Books
The Bachman Books by Stephen King collects several chilling early novels published under the author's pen name to circumvent publishing limits.
Discussed“That Well, we can talk about that book because that is a Richard Bachman book. You can see here I wrote my paperback of the Bachman books from when I was 13 years old. It is incredibly creased.”
Where to get it
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The Running Man
The Running Man is a dystopian science fiction novel written by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, depicting a lethal game show in a grim future society.
Discussed“1987, a sort of dystopic sci-fi movie comes out called The Running Man. This is based on the 1982 book that King wrote under a pseudonym.”
Where to get it
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Misery
Misery is a psychological thriller by Stephen King about a famous author held captive by an obsessive fan.
Discussed“and then thinner interestingly misery was written to be a Bachman book and that would have been released as a Bachman book had he not had his pseudonym blown up”
Where to get it
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Rage
Rage by Stephen King is a controversial psychological thriller originally published under the author's pseudonym Richard Bachman, following a troubled high school student who holds his classroom hostage.
Discussed“Thinner was a Bachman book. Okay. It's rage which was never made into a movie in which Stephen King has actually this is the school shooting book he it's possible that is not easily able to yes get these days because actually don't want that book in the world”
Where to get it
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Thinner
Thinner by Stephen King is a horror novel published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, telling the story of a lawyer cursed by a Romani elder to waste away physically unless he can break the hex.
Discussed“Thinner was a Bachman book. Okay. It's rage which was never made into a movie in which Stephen King has actually this is the school shooting book he it's possible that is not easily able to yes get these days because actually don't want that book in the world the long walk the running man and road work which has”
Where to get it
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The Stand
Stephen King's monumental post-apocalyptic epic The Stand details the devastating sweep of a weaponized influenza strain that wipes out the vast majority of humanity, leaving survivors to choose sides in a final conflict between good and evil.
Discussed“He was not considering publishing the stand under the Bachman. Absolutely not. Absolutely not.”
Where to get it
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Rita Hayworth and Shawshank redemption
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is a compelling novella by Stephen King that explores themes of hope, resilience, and institutional survival within the confines of a harsh prison system.
Discussed“The Shaw Shank Redemption, a 1994 film based on the novela Rita Hayworth and Shaw Shank Redemption. There's no the it's Rita Hayworth and Shaw Shank Redemption. It was published in 1982's Different Seasons, which is a collection of novelas”
Where to get it
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Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King is a celebrated novella about hope, resilience, and endurance within an oppressive prison system, originally published in the collection Different Seasons.
Discussed“The Shaw Shank Redemption, a 1994 film based on the novela Rita Hayworth and Shaw Shank Redemption. There's no the it's Rita Hayworth and Shaw Shank Redemption. It was published in 1982's Different Seasons, which is a collection of novelas”
Where to get it
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Different Seasons
Different Seasons by Stephen King is a celebrated 1982 collection of four distinct novellas that showcases the author's range far beyond traditional horror.
Discussed“It was published in 1982's Different Seasons, which is a collection of novelas that also produced The Body, which was adapted to Stand by Me, and Apt Pupil”
Where to get it
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Dolores Claiborne
Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King is a psychological thriller and dark character study centered on a Maine housekeeper accused of murdering the wealthy elderly woman she cares for, while flashing back to abuse and survival.
Discussed“This is 1995's Dolores Clayborn. This is a film that stars Kathy Bates post Misery film that is also directed by Rob Reiner based on Stephen King book.”
Where to get it
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Rose Madder
Rose Madder is a psychological thriller by Stephen King that explores themes of domestic abuse and mythological vengeance through a woman fleeing her violent husband.
Discussed“There's a book called Rose Matter and then two books, Dolores Claybornne and Gerald's Game, who are linked.”
Where to get it
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Gerald's Game
Gerald's Game is a psychological horror novel by Stephen King about a woman who finds herself handcuffed to a bed in a remote cabin after her husband dies suddenly during an attempted game of bondage.
Discussed“There's a book called Rose Matter and then two books, Dolores Claybornne and Gerald's Game, who are linked.”
Where to get it
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The Green Mile
Stephen King's serialized novel set on death row explores themes of capital punishment, miraculous healing, and human empathy within a maximum-security prison environment.
Discussed“The Green Mile, 1999. The second prison movie based on a Stephen King story directed by Frank Darabonds. Fascinating publishing story here.”
Where to get it
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If It Bleeds
Discussed“The Life of Chuck is based on a short story from the 2020 collection, If It Bleeds.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (30) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“The Monkey was directed by Osgood Perkins.”
“The Long Walk just came out by Francis Lawrence.”
“Mike Flanigan's The Life of Chuck.”
“And The Running Man, which is going to come out in November.”
“The Institute, which I argue no one has heard of because it's on MGM Plus, and then HBO's Welcome to Dair, which is a prequel to the It Story.”
“The Institute, which I argue no one has heard of because it's on MGM Plus, and then HBO's Welcome to Dair, which is a prequel to the It Story.”
“We've had in addition to all these movies, multiple Pet Cemeteries, multiple fire starters, multiple carries.”
“We've had in addition to all these movies, multiple Pet Cemeteries, multiple fire starters, multiple carries.”
“We've had in addition to all these movies, multiple Pet Cemeteries, multiple fire starters, multiple carries.”
“The Dead Zone was a movie and a TV show.”
“He went from carry and Salem slot to the Shining and it was the confluence of King in the movies and King on the paperback spinner racks that led to his dominance certainly of 80s culture.”
“He went from carry and Salem slot to the Shining and it was the confluence of King in the movies and King on the paperback spinner racks that led to his dominance certainly of 80s culture.”
“Children of the Cord, Fire Starter. Sometimes they come back. Sometimes they come back. The Dark Half. Yeah, I like that one.”
“Children of the Cord, Fire Starter. Sometimes they come back. Sometimes they come back. The Dark Half. Yeah, I like that one.”
“So, Stand by Me, 1986. It came out in theaters one month after Maximum Overdrive and several months before he released his novel It.”
“So, Stand by Me, 1986. It came out in theaters one month after Maximum Overdrive and several months before he released his novel It.”
“Castle Rock Entertainment is named after the town in this book which is named after a location in Lord of the Flies which is Stephen King's favorite book.”
“the long walk the running man and road work which has never been made into a movie”
“the long walk the running man and road work which has never been made into a movie”
“the long walk the running man and road work which has never been made into a movie”
“and Apt Pupil, which I don't want to talk about. That is also a nonh horror adaptation. It's an incredibly fraught movie.”
“Actually did several King adaptations. He did Misery. He did Misery. He did Dreamcatcher, which we're not going to talk about.”
“He did Misery. He did Dreamcatcher, which we're not going to talk about.”
“Hearts to Atlantis. He wrote the stage production of Misery which starred Bruce Willis in the James Conroll and which I don't think was wellreceived.”
“He published the final installment of The Green Mile. And then one month later he published two more novels, Desperation and The Regulators.”
“He published the final installment of The Green Mile. And then one month later he published two more novels, Desperation and The Regulators.”
“We are living in a post It Chapter 1 world, a movie that came out in 2017, which I adored 20% because the kids just do so much cursing. And it is the biggest horror movie of all time at the box office.”
“and then a movie version of Dr. Sleep, which is Stephen King's sequel to The Shining, and which I know you have great affection for, as do I.”
“one based on the book Gerald's Game, which I I talked about a few minutes ago, and which was for a long time considered unadaptable, and then a movie version of Dr. Sleep”
“and then a movie version of Dr. Sleep, which is Stephen King's sequel to The Shining, and which I know you have great affection for, as do I.”