Stephen King: Novels, Novellas or Short Stories?

Yes, I like Stephen King. Always have.
Read a few of his novels, some of his Bachman books, but I really, really enjoy his short stories.
My favorite is Dolan's Cadillac. Awesome story that have read, reread and reread some more. The Fifth Quarter, the Doctor's Case and The End of the Whole Mess are also awesome.
I also really enjoy the novellas Rage and Road Work - both Bachman stories - and the short story Apt Pupil.
His novels are good - loved "It" - though I haven't been too crazy about some of his latest offerings .. I was pretty turned off by "The Regulators."
I think King's best work has always been the short story. The guy is a master. Some of his stuff - while I loved it - I read it once and couldn't read it again - like the Bogeyman.

My vote is for the short story. Others?

 

Not even a fair fight.

He is incredible in the tight, tiny format.

Sometimes They Come Back.... Children of the Corn.... Quitter's, Inc. ... The Raft ... The Mist..... damn, that's just off the top.

 

I like his novels, but his short stories are easily better. Night Shift, to me, is his best work out there. I liked It and The Shining and Pet Sematary, but there's just something about his short stories.

 

Short stories. Easily. And I provide you with just two examples (and yes, I know these weren't the exact titles) -

Stand By Me.

Shawshank Redemption.

 

Is Stand By Me really considered a short story?

 

A long one. But ya. It's part of a collection of his short stories.

 

The correct title for "Stand By Me" is "The Body" and it's considered a novella.

I still say novels.

 

"It" is my favorite King novel. It's the only book I can remember reading that actually creeped me out to the point that I was turning on lights in the apartment when I read it.

"The Mist" is probably my favorite King short story. Too bad the movie was a steaming pile of camel shit.

 

Pardon me. I apologize.

Shawshank alone will still make me vote short stories.

 

Different Seasons is a collection of four novellas, three of which were turned into major Hollywood films.

Two of those were excellent.

 

With "IT" King created an entire universe. All the history about Derry that he weaves together is just beautiful. I read it for the first time when I was 14, and have read it three more times since. Even though the ending is kind of confusing and weird, I think it was the first book I read that I thought really "got it" with regards to being a kid.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love his novels, too.