Many are surprised to learn that most of Stephen King’s work is part of a larger Stephen King Multiverse. That is why we assembled the best reading order that we could come up with. We hope you enjoy!
What’s on the Stephen King Multiverse Timeline?
So, there’s a lot to unpack in this timeline. And we had to make a number of decisions on how to assemble everything on the timeline. Most of the stories take place in a few fictional towns in Main, like Castle Rock and Derry. They’re all mostly seperate stories, so it’s hard to know what chronology is appropriate. In most cases, if there isn’t chronology information available online, we place the story in the year it was written.
Important note: this timeline DOES NOT include adaptations. There are just too many adaptations that adding them would be a mess. We do however include stories from other mediums if they offer new story material. For example, we include the Dark Tower film because it’s not an adaptation, it’s a continuation of the Dark Tower series. It’s a sequel. That is also why we include the Castle Rock series. It’s new story set in Stephen King’s universe.
It’s also worth noting that not all of Stephen King’s books really work in their continuity. You can get around this when you realize that this is a multiverse. There are alternate realities included, and the Dark Tower series is kind of the linch pin between all of reality.
Where to Start Reading Stephen King?
This is a very difficult question to ask. There are many jumping off points for Stephen King’s work. If you want a general overview of the entire universe, then using this timeline in order might be your choice. Otherwise, we’d suggest a few of the good books to start with: Carrie, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, IT, or any of his brand new novels. You could also start with the Dark Tower books, which are listed here, and on their own timeline.
# | Get It | Name | Media | Author/Director | Date | Time | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jerusalem's Lot | Short Story | Stephen King | 1978-02-01 | 1850 | ||
2 | Uncle Otto's Truck | Short Story | Stephen King | 1983-10-01 | Post-Depression | ||
3 | The Body | Novella | Stephen King | 1982-08-27 | 1960 | ||
4 | Joyland | Novel | Stephen King | 2013-06-04 | 1973 | ||
5 | Apt Pupil | Novella | Stephen King | 1982-08-27 | 1974 | ||
6 | Gwendy's Button Box | Novella | Stephen King, Richard Chizmar | 2017-05-16 | 1974 | ||
7 | Salem's Lot | Novel | Stephen King | 1975-10-17 | 1975 | ||
8 | Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption | Novella | Stephen King | 1982-08-27 | 1975 | ||
9 | Eyes of the Dragon | Novel | Stephen King | 1987-02-02 | Pre-Dark Tower | ||
10 | The Talisman | Novel | Stephen King, Peter Straub | 1984-11-08 | Pre-Dark Tower | ||
11 | The Little Sisters of Eluria | Novella | Stephen King | 1998-08-25 | Pre-Dark Tower | ||
12 | One for the Road | Short Story | Stephen King | 1978-02-01 | 1977 | ||
13 | The Shining | Novel | Stephen King | 1977-01-28 | 1977 | ||
14 | The Gunslinger | Novel | Stephen King | 1982-06-10 | 1977 | Jake Chambers appears in this book and he is from New York of 1977, hence its placement here on the timeline. | |
15 | The Drawing of the Three | Novel | Stephen King | 1987-05-01 | 1977 | ||
16 | The Wastelands | Novel | Stephen King | 1991-08-01 | 1977 | ||
17 | Carrie | Novel | Stephen King | 1974-04-05 | 1979 | ||
18 | The Dead Zone | Novel | Stephen King | 1979-08-01 | 1979 | ||
19 | Cujo | Novel | Stephen King | 1981-09-08 | 1980 | ||
20 | The Stand | Novel | Stephen King | 1978-09-01 | 1980 | ||
21 | Firestarter | Novel | Stephen King | 1980-09-29 | 1980 | ||
22 | The Mist | Novella | Stephen King | 1980-01-01 | 1980 | ||
23 | Christine | Novel | Stephen King | 1983-04-29 | 1983 | ||
24 | Pet Semetary | Novel | Stephen King | 1983-11-14 | 1983 | ||
25 | IT | Novel | Stephen King | 1986-09-15 | 1985 | ||
26 | Wizard and Glass | Novel | Stephen King | 1997-11-04 | 1986 | ||
27 | The Wind Through the Keyhold | Novel | Stephen King | 2012-02-21 | Many Whens | ||
28 | Wolves of Calla | Novel | Stephen King | 2003-11-04 | Many Whens | ||
29 | Misery | Novel | Stephen King | 1987-06-08 | 1987 | ||
30 | The Tommyknockers | Novel | Stephen King | 1987-11-10 | 1987 | ||
31 | The Dark Half | Novel | Stephen King | 1989-10-20 | 1989 | ||
32 | Hearts in Atlantis | Anthology | Stephen King | 1999-09-14 | 1989 | The last story in this anthology takes place roughly around 1989, and the previous stories are all linked. So that's why we place it here. | |
33 | Sun Dog | Short Story | Stephen King | 1990-09-24 | 1990 | ||
34 | Needful Things | Novel | Stephen King | 1991-10-01 | 1991 | ||
35 | Dolores Claiborne | Novel | Stephen King | 1992-11-01 | 1992 | ||
36 | Gerald's Game | Novel | Stephen King | 1992-05-01 | 1992 | ||
37 | It Grows on You | Short Story | Stephen King | 1974-10-01 | 1993 | ||
38 | Insomnia | Novel | Stephen King | 1994-09-15 | 1994 | ||
39 | Rose Madder | Novel | Stephen King | 1995-06-01 | 1994 | ||
40 | The Man in the Black Suit | Short Story | Stephen King | 1994-10-31 | 1994 | ||
41 | Desperation | Novel | Stephen King | 1996-09-24 | 1996 | Parallel universe with The Regulators | |
42 | The Regulators | Novel | Stephen King | 1996-09-24 | 1996 | Parallel universe with Desperation | |
43 | The Green Mile | Novel | Stephen King | 1996-03-28 | 1996 | The frame story is set in 1996. | |
44 | Everything's Eventual | Novella | Stephen King | 2002-03-19 | 1997 | ||
45 | Bag of Bones | Novel | Stephen King | 1998-09-22 | 1998 | ||
46 | Song of Susannah | Novel | Stephen King | 2004-06-08 | Many Whens | ||
47 | The Dark Tower | Novel | Stephen King | 2004-09-21 | Many Whens | ||
48 | Black House | Novel | Stephen King, Peter Straub | 2001-09-15 | 2001 | ||
49 | Dreamcatcher | Novel | Stephen King | 2001-03-20 | 2001 | ||
50 | Fair Extension | Novella | Stephen King | 2010-11-01 | 2001 | ||
51 | Lisey's Story | Novel | Stephen King | 2006-10-24 | 2006 | ||
52 | Cell | Novel | Stephen King | 2006-01-24 | 2006 | ||
53 | Blaze | Novel | Stephen King | 2007-06-12 | 2007 | ||
54 | Duma Key | Novel | Stephen King | 2008-01-22 | 2008 | ||
55 | Ur | Novella | Stephen King | 2009-02-12 | 2009 | ||
56 | Premium Harmony | Short Story | Stephen King | 2009-11-09 | 2009 | ||
57 | 1922 | Novella | Stephen King | 2010-11-01 | 2010 | ||
58 | A Good Marriage | Novella | Stephen King | 2010-11-01 | 2010 | ||
59 | Mile 81 | Novella | Stephen King | 2011-09-01 | 2011 | ||
60 | 11/22/63 | Novel | Stephen King | 2011-11-08 | 2011 | ||
61 | Doctor Sleep | Novel | Stephen King | 2013-09-24 | 2013 | ||
62 | Afterlife | Short Story | Stephen King | 2013-06-01 | 2013 | ||
63 | Mr. Mercedes | Novel | Stephen King | 2014-06-03 | 2014 | ||
64 | Revival | Novel | Stephen King | 2014-11-11 | 2014 | ||
65 | Finders Keepers | Novel | Stephen King | 2015-06-02 | 2015 | ||
66 | Drunken Fireworks | Short Story | Stephen King | 2015-06-30 | 2015 | ||
67 | Mister Yummy | Short Story | Stephen King | 2015-11-03 | 2015 | ||
68 | End of Watch | Novel | Stephen King | 2016-06-07 | 2016 | ||
69 | Under the Dome | Novel | Stephen King | 2009-11-10 | 2017 | ||
70 | The Dark Tower (2017 film) | Film | Nikolaj Arcel | 2017-08-04 | 2017 | This is an original story set after the Dark Tower series, though it does have similarities to previous stories. | |
71 | Sleeping Beauties | Novel | Stephen King, Owen King | 2017-09-26 | 2017 | ||
72 | The Outsider | Novel | Stephen King | 2018-05-22 | 2018 | ||
73 | Elevation | Novel | Stephen King | 2018-10-30 | 2018 | ||
74 | Castle Rock 1.01: Severance | TV Episode | Michael Uppendahl | 2018-07-25 | 2018 | ||
75 | Castle Rock 1.02: Habeas Corpus | TV Episode | Michael Uppendahl | 2018-07-25 | 2018 | ||
76 | Castle Rock 1.03: Local Color | TV Episode | Dan Attias | 2018-07-25 | 2018 | ||
77 | Castle Rock 1.04: The Box | TV Episode | Michael Uppendahl | 2018-08-01 | 2018 | ||
78 | Castle Rock 1.05: Harvest | TV Episode | Andrew Bernstein | 2018-08-08 | 2018 | ||
79 | Castle Rock 1.06: Filter | TV Episode | Kevin Hooks | 2018-08-15 | 2018 | ||
80 | Castle Rock 1.07: The Queen | TV Episode | Greg Yaitanes | 2018-08-22 | 2018 | ||
81 | Castle Rock 1.08: Past Perfect | TV Episode | Ana Lily Amirpour | 2018-08-29 | 2018 | ||
82 | Castle Rock 1.09: Henry Deaver | TV Episode | Julie Anne Robinson | 2018-09-05 | 2018 | ||
83 | Castle Rock 1.10: Romans | TV Episode | Nicole Kassell | 2018-09-12 | 2018 | ||
84 | The Institute | Novel | Stephen King | 2019-09-10 | 2019 | ||
85 | Castle Rock 2.01: Let the River Run | TV Episode | Greg Yaitanes | 2019-10-23 | 2019 | ||
86 | Castle Rock 2.02: New Jerusalem | TV Episode | Phil Abraham | 2019-10-23 | 2019 | ||
87 | Castle Rock 2.03: Ties That Bind | TV Episode | Anne Sewitsky | 2019-10-23 | 2019 | ||
88 | Castle Rock 2.04: Restore Hope | TV Episode | Phil Abraham | 2019-10-30 | 2019 | ||
89 | Castle Rock 2.05: The Laughing Place | TV Episode | Anne Sewitsky | 2019-11-06 | 2019 | ||
90 | Castle Rock 2.06: The Mother | TV Episode | Mark Tonderai-Hodges | 2019-11-13 | 2019 | ||
91 | Castle Rock 2.07: The Word | TV Episode | Loni Peristere | 2019-11-20 | 2019 | ||
92 | Castle Rock 2.08: Dirty | TV Episode | Craig William Macneill | 2019-11-27 | 2019 | ||
93 | Castle Rock 2.09: Caveat Emptor | TV Episode | Greg Yaitanes | 2019-12-04 | 2019 | ||
94 | Castle Rock 2.10: Clean | TV Episode | Lisa Brühlmann | 2019-12-11 | 2019 |