Stephen King’s most controversial books, ranked

Collider has ranked eight Stephen King books it calls his most controversial, focusing on novels and a few novellas that have generated debate among readers.

The roundup attributes controversy to graphic or upsetting content, divisive narrative choices, and topical commentary. Examples cited include Rage, written as by King’s Richard Bachman and now deliberately out of print amid concerns about copycat school shootings; Gerald’s Game, noted for its claustrophobic psychology and sexual violence; and “Apt Pupil,” a novella about a teen drawn to a fugitive Nazi. The list also highlights Holly for its repeated references to politics and COVID-19 that some readers found exhausting, The Dark Tower VII for its polarizing conclusion, The Stand for its massive flu that kills “over 99%” of people and an unusual ending, It for a controversial 1958 sequence and alarming side characters, and “The Library Policeman” for a scene described as viscerally upsetting.

The compilation preserves reader divisions rather than resolving them: some entries are controversial for content, others for endings or authorial asides, and the pieces have prompted discussion — King was even asked about Holly’s references — leaving debates among fans unresolved.

Key Topics

Culture, Stephen King, Rage, Gerald's Game, Apt Pupil, Holly