8. Salem's Lot
Published back in 1975, this was Kings second published novel, establishing King as a new literary force to be reckoned with. The novel also succeeded on another front, foreshadowing one of Kings unique talents -- blending different genres and themes like few others have ever been able to do. The novel is part haunted house, part vampire story and part essay on small town life. There is always more than meets the eye with Kings stories. It breaks down like this, Ben Mears is a successful writer who comes back to his home town to live. Everything at first seems great, hes got friends, a love interest -- life is great. Hes doing a story on the local abandoned mansion when a wealthy antiques dealer moves into town and buys the place. People start disappearing and then start turning into vampires. I wont spoil the rest. If you want to know, go read the book. The town and its people being swallowed up by vampirism is used as metaphor for consumerism. It shows us a fantastic story telling the tale of how small towns disappear due to our demands and habits. Brilliant stuff, especially for a second novel written almost four decades ago.