I personally don’t think there will be one. Kinda like I don’t think you will have someone quite like Spielberg or Lucas. He was the right writer at the right time and became a legend. Many will follow and write great books but I don’t think they will have the same impact on culture.
Sometimes there’s a man, I won't say a hero, 'cause, what's a hero? But sometimes, there's a man. And I'm talkin' about the Dude here. Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there.
I can see that a lot of people have referenced Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft.
I understand that because they are horror writers.
I think to understand the impact of your question, you’re really asking someone in the 19th century, ‘who will replace Charles Dickens’?
He’s a once-in-a-multiple-generation talent, who has had an impact unlike only a handful of writers in history.
Short answer- if someone replaces him, nobody on this thread will be alive to see that person.
Nobody. Uncle Stevie’s body of work speaks for itself, and it was the product of a specific set of circumstances that are probably unique; let other authors build their own bodies of work.
As Stevens the butler would tell you… there are always more tales.
Joe Hill is great, but just be glad King has written such a large body of work for us so far. There won’t be another like him in most Constant Reader’s lifetimes.
I believe Joe Hill writes “a minimum” of two hours per day.
I believe, Stephen King, now very old, regularly puts in more than 4 hours per day. Up until middle-age, he was probably putting in around 40 hours per week (I’m not sure how the cocaine years went, though). He treated writing like a regular job that he went to everyday.
Stephen King started trying to write around age 12. And tried really hard for about 10 years before getting meaningful success. So… with a few days off… he put in 3000 days of writing before succeeding. The work ethic that came before success was very well in place.
In some interviews, Stephen King has said he typically has two projects going at once, like one is his day job and one is entertainment for the evening.
That’s just an enormous amount of writing time. That’s how he’s so prolific.
I just finished nos4a2 and it's pretty much exactly the style of a Stephen King book if you told me it was written by king I wouldn't have given it a second thought
I think Joe is just as good a writer as his dad he’s just nowhere near as prolific. But seriously, 20th Century Ghosts and Full Throttle are amazing short stories. Two of my all time favorite books. The range of creativity is just astonishing.
Joe is phenomenal in his own way, and honestly, he isn’t as prolific because he takes more time with his work and gives more care to his stories than his dad ever did. When you read a Joe Hill story, you can tell there are multiple drafts and revisions behind it, and Stephen is more of a one-and-done writer. I personally appreciate that extra time and energy Joe gives to his work because everything he’s written is really, really solid. He may not produce the volume of his dad, but he’s way more consistent.
I always got the feeling young Stephen was too hungry to rewrite a draft that was already sellable. Not that he didn't care, but he spent some years putting out as much as possible to whoever was buying just to put food on the table. Some of the ideas stuck and get used over and over again in stories until we end up with gems polished by the ages.
I honestly don't see anyone being King's successor. The man writes a ton and has been pretty consistent for releasing new stuff. I can't think of too many writers that even come close especially with quality work. I'd love to say his son Joe could be his successor, but he doesn't write nearly as much as his father.
I want to say Dan Simmons comes close and for me exceeds King in a lot of ways, but his fall off (no pun on his TBI) was so brutal, he is Kings contemporary, and his work doesn’t touch Kings mass appeal.
I've been reading him for at least 40 years, and I too dread the day he dies. I've never met him in person, but I feel like I know him, and I love him, and I will cry when he dies 😭
Back in 2008 I went on a short deployment to Kyrgyzstan and I had a layover in the Bangor airport, met a guy that told me that Stephen King would sometimes stop and meet the troops but he wasn’t there that day. That’s as close as I ever got.
Similar to my comment about Joe, Justin takes way more time and gives way more care to his work than Stephen. When you read a Justin Cronin book, you can tell he wrote multiple drafts and did multiple revision. He may not be as prolific as King, but he is way more consistent, IMHO. Plus, his Passage books are basically the length of nine novels, and if you asked him, he’d never claim to be a horror or sci fi writer. He considers himself a fiction writer.
Cronin? I like him a lot, but his first two books are very literary. If you like good writing, you’ll like them. If you’re in it for the speculative elements, stick with his Passage books and The Ferryman. Just try to have an open mind because he’ll test your patience and do weird stuff with time jumps and whatnot.
I don't know if you'll have a successor to Stephen King. He came of age in a time where people didn't have as many options for personal entertainment. No internet, Reddit, social media, fan fiction, or self published books back then. Most people had 3 TV channels or less (networks) and few VCR tapes. Reading books were probably read by a larger cross-section of people then than now.
Only a handful of writers in a heavily regulated market with lots of gatekeepers made him famous. He wrote in a genre many people were interested in but few did a good job providing stories for.
Honorable mention to Robert W. Chambers. He was in between the death of Poe and rise of lovecraft. The King in Yellow is a wild ride. (If you’re familiar with season 1 of true detective this is the origin of the yellow king and carcosa mumbo jumbo lol)
Not bashing how you feel 'cause I get caught up in it too, but I think we're in a time where succession and continuation is so ingrained in us when we should just be comfortable with the possibilty of something ending. I doubt anyone in the 1600s was thinking about whether they'd immediately get a successor to Shakespeare. Dickens is probably the next most famous writer and he came about 200 years later, but there was all that stuff in between, y'know? We might not immediately get another worldwide treasure like Stephen King, but plenty of people are writing good horror right now and plenty of people have been and will continue to be influenced by King. They not become as famous, but if you like them just as much, or even if they just remind you of Uncle Steve, then that's what counts.
Started reading him about 30 years ago, I’ve been rereading his books last year or two. Finishing up dark tower right now. His has put out so much that for me, I’ll just reread everything. I’ve been finding first editions of books I reread so eventually maybe I’ll just have an entire collection of first editions. Plus most of it I read decades ago, so it’s almost brand new on rereads. So for me, he’ll be his own successor
King is one of a kind, but we do have his son Joe Hill and I love that Joe is an author in much the same genre as his dad. I feel you though, OP. I've recently dived hard back into reading all the books King has written while he's still with us. I'm one of the younger Gen X set, so I grew up with his stories and have been a Constant Reader I guess for the last 36 years, even though I missed quite a few in my late teens and again in my 30s. Catching up on what I've missed now.
I hope we don't lose King anytime soon. He's a pop culture icon and I see him being held up in history alongside other great mystery writers.
I don’t think we’ll ever have another EXACTLY like Stephen King, but he changed the literary landscape for sure, and there are quite a few authors out there that are crazy influenced by him. And those authors will inspire other authors, and so on.
Obvious answer is Joe Hill, but then you’ve got Josh Malerman, Grady Hendrix, Adam Nevill seems to be fairly prolific, Ronald Malfi, that’s just the first few that came to mind. I don’t think there will ever be a shortage of excellent horror authors out there. I bet there’s a decent number of people on this sub who have the talent, just need the practice and the time.
Or maybe that dude Steven King who publishes on Amazon, he could be the next Stephen King, I dunno.
Paul Tremblay is slowing climbing up the prolific ranks. He’s had some great bangers come out in the last ten years (Survivor Song, Horror Movie, and A Head Full of Ghosts)
A Head Full of Ghosts was really cool, and I liked Cabin at the End of the World a lot (but I hated the movie). Another really unique voice by a super talented writer.
I agree that Joe Hill is a great writer (and so is Owen King) but they language I completely, wildly different ways than Stephen King. Maybe it’s just decades more experience and also very different styles but I think he’s one of a kind. I’m just grateful he’s written so much and continues to.
I don’t know but I really hope someone like Gabino Iglesias or Stephen Graham Jones catches on enough and to fill those shoes. They are enjoying some success but should be even more successful. As far as people more well known, maybe Joe Hill (or course) or Paul Tremblay or Grady Hendrix?
I like parts of Jones books but he doesn't feel like a natural storyteller to me. Everything is either overcooked or undercooked, never just good straight storytelling.
There won’t be one. As cost of living continues to increase, we will start to see less and less of these breakout talents that don’t come from money. Additionally, it’s getting harder and harder for debut authors to break out as the market gets more saturated. Authors have to do their own marketing now too, and if you don’t have an established following on TikTok or Threads and aren’t good at marketing, you’re probably not gonna get noticed no matter how talented you are. Also think of how Stephen King got his start. Writing stories for magazines. How many magazine publications are there even left anymore? It’s just overall bleak out there.
no one i can think of could truly fill his shoes. that's not to say there aren't many talented people out there who may or may not have already broken into the literary/publishing sphere, but there's also king's sheer prolificacy to consider. i don't think anyone currently known can consistently pump out books the way he does and simultaneously maintain the type of quality his work provides.
It might be going too far, but I kind of look at uncle Steve as a sort of Shakespeare of our time. If I recall correctly, the bard wasn't viewed as serious work in his time, appealed to the masses, hit all sorts of different themes and genes, prolific.. Not exactly the same, since he was a playwright, but I think that if the majority of the population had been literate (as it is now) there's a good chance ole Bill would've been a novelist too.
All that to say, I think Mr. King is a singular sort of talent. He isn't meant to be replaced or succeeded. He's meant to be remembered and appreciated well beyond his years, and I'm quite certain he will be.
There are prolific writers in other genres, which is where you have to look because King is a Force.
Gunna go with Brandon Sanderson. And I feel good about this choice because he contributes heavily to the craft of writing, like King.
Or for pure pulp, Lee Childs. Because I like Jack Reacher for pure entertainment. Same with whoever writes Bobby Lee Swagger books.
man I've recently fallen in love with Sanderson's work. I wish I found out about the cosmere earlier but honestly I think I joined at a great time considering SA5 is coming out this year. I was also gonna say someone like him is the closest thing to a new era King. Especially if he continues to output the way he does without declining in his quality.
Yeah there's no shot there will be especially in the same vein of his style. King's ability to write so many classics then have them adapted into classic TV and movies is unmatched by any director. That in connection with a real drop off in readers among youth indicates we won't see anyone on King's level again in our lifetime
I love this man’s books so much, I can’t take it sometimes. I HIGHLY and I repeat highly recommend all of his works to anyone that lends an ear long enough to listen. The Troop, The Deep, and Little Heaven (and hopefully The Queen later this year) are cult classics. Amazing literary work and disgustingly descriptive narratives like I’ve seen from very few other authors. His work is astounding
I don’t know if there will be one, but there *are* authors whose work in some ways reminds me of King;
Some of the early Ania Ahlborn books, T. Kingfisher, Grady Hendrix.
None of them are what I would call successors, but their prose flows in the same way that is enjoyable to read as King’s books.
I don't think anyone, but what King has done is ensure a very healthy modern horror author collective. People like Eric LaRocca, Grady Hendrix, CJ Tudor, or Stephen Graham Jones wouldn't probably be around if it weren't for King.
There are some stunning horror writers out there that are flying under the radar. If you follow the Horror Hill podcast you’ll get a great sampling of some really impressive writers. This is how I discovered Soren Narnia and Brian Hodge. ( the latter’s “The Stagnant Breath of Change” being one of the most terrifying damn things I’ve ever read since “The Jaunt.”)
See also: Otis Jiry, Rebecca Klingel, Kevin David Anderson…
There’s a particular time, place, and mindset that makes some writers especially unique. King is one of those.
All writers are unique, of course, but some create a body of work that nobody can come close to. When I try to think of someone to compare King’s uniqueness to, the first name I think of is Ray Bradbury. There’s just no way anyone can be “the next Bradbury.”
I have been reading him for 30+ years and I am in the same boat as you. No one else can write like him. Not even close. In fact, pretty much everyone else is terrible compared to him.
I think it’s going to go the way of Anne Rice. Her son Christopher is a decent writer but no one will take the mantle from her, her voice died along with her. So I think this will happen with King. His son is a decent writer but he’s not his father. When he departs this earthly plane, so shall his voice. Clive Barker, Bentley Little have great stories. I don’t know if Clive zBarker is still writing books and moved on to Scripts.
my plan after I finish kings work is to then read all his favorite books, then read all the books he references in his stories. should keep me busy for a solid decade.
Meh someone will arise. King is great but his superiority is less on inherent skill being above all else, and more on the nature of publishing and who gets promoted and read. Popularity begets popularity, and there will always be someone there to fill the void.
I don't mean to discount his skill and especially not his impact. Its all still a bit of a feedback loop tho. I just hope it is someone with at least some inherent skill. I feel like I'm being sacrilegious in a King subreddit, but King is far from the best, opting more for quantity over quality. But at least there's some exceptional stuff in there.
John Ajvide Lyndqvist.
You’ll know him for Let the Right One In but you’d love him for Little Star. Little Star contains some of the most sickening and uncomfortable descriptions of violence, properly paced out between slowly ramping oddness and tension. Can’t really describe the plot beyond “a found baby is raised in isolation” but holy shit, go read it.
I'm so fearful of the day he passes, too. I will cry, and I've never even met him. I think he is a once in a lifetime author. And we have been spoiled with his output. We probably won't get that again.
No one author will match the quality, longevity, quantity, changing genres as King has. Was hoping Joe Hill would but I think it's 7 or 8 years since his last novel.
It will be interesting to see what happens to his large trove of unpublished work. Will Joe finish it? Tabby? Someone else? Or will it get lost to history?
Yeah I don't think I want anybody too. King is very much a product of his time. He did his thing , and nobody else needs to attempt it.
King to me is somewhat like Steinbeck . Wrote simply, bare bones . Strong characters, big themes . He is an a American classic.
I'm 57, so if there was such a thing as a successor to Stephen King, he (or she) will almost certainly appear after I'm nothing but dust in the wind.
Which is fine by me. John Lee Hooker once remarked that musicians are kind of like boxers, in that they are very much a one and only kind of deal - accept no substitutes.
I would say that some authors could be described the same way. We will probably never again see the likes of a Mark Twain or a Ray Bradbury, John D. MacDonald, Ed McBain, Ursula K. LeGuin, Anne Rice or Stephen King. At least their works have allowed them to achieve a kind of second-hand immortality.
I don't know if anyone will replace him, but I wouldn't be surprised if Joe Hill's book sales went up afterward. We'll be desperately wanting something as close to King as possible.
As many say, no-one can complete. BUT Ronald Malfi has recently become a new favourite of mine, with December Park being my second favourite book of all time!
Here are books that i think are similar to King:
The Narrows = salems lot
December park = the loseers club parts of IT
The night Parade = the Stand
Joe Hill. The obvious heir apparent.
But the creepy book club of the same ilk, I'd also throw in Trembley and Cutter to be part of that royal court, but no one can replace the King.
He was at a very specific time where mass shared culture of a huge population was possible, and literature was still a huge medium.
Now mads culture is far too niche for something like that, and reading has to contend with twice ad many mediums of entertainment.
I don’t think there will ever be a successor. However, I’ve read a lot of books in my life and there are many many amazing books by a lot of talented authors.
To be honest, king IMO is not the scariest author.
In my opinion he’s also not the best writer. He’s a storyteller and does it well.
Clive barker for instance is more imaginative, more gruesome and more talented in his prose.
Thomas Harris writes amazingly well.
Nick cutter THE TROOP is still the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. Even king said the book terrified him.
King is like Superman … but there are many other and in some respect better authors
I don’t know about successors per se, but Clive barker is amazing. Nowhere near as prolific, but a much better writer and more imaginative . King himself quoted barker as the future of horror ….
King just as a huge body of work most writers don't produce like him. King is just that King. My next favorite horror/thriller author is Paul Tremblay. He also had a new book come out today
For a while I really thought it was Anne Rice, me and everyone I knew was into her stuff for a few years. But then she kinda faded away and King is still as good as ever. I don't know if anyone else will be as prolific and as good as him.
...I hope it's Nat Cassidy. "Mary" was heavily inspired by Carrie, and is one of my favorite books of all time. If he starts putting out a book a year I'd be ecstatic!
There is none. Constant Readership has kind of died off in the last fifteen years or so, the last books I can remember being huge things were the Hunger Games.
So true, there’s magic waiting behind every corner in the literary sphere right now, especially horror, they just need to look around and find their niche of interest
I personally don’t think there will be one. Kinda like I don’t think you will have someone quite like Spielberg or Lucas. He was the right writer at the right time and became a legend. Many will follow and write great books but I don’t think they will have the same impact on culture.
Sometimes there’s a man, I won't say a hero, 'cause, what's a hero? But sometimes, there's a man. And I'm talkin' about the Dude here. Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there.
Sai King Abides.
You’ve forgotten the face of your father, Donnie!
You.know, if we were casting for *The Dark Lebowski,* I could totally see John Goodman as Cort.
What in God’s holy name are you blathering about?
Obviously, you’re not a golfer.
Will you come off it, Walter? You’re not even fuckin Jewish, man.
Uhhhh....well that's just like, your opinion man.
Not in our lifetimes anyway
This. There isn't one, and there won't be, and there shouldn't be.
I can see that a lot of people have referenced Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft. I understand that because they are horror writers. I think to understand the impact of your question, you’re really asking someone in the 19th century, ‘who will replace Charles Dickens’? He’s a once-in-a-multiple-generation talent, who has had an impact unlike only a handful of writers in history. Short answer- if someone replaces him, nobody on this thread will be alive to see that person.
Speak for yourself I'm -100 years old
Benjamin Button has made an appearance!
Nobody. Uncle Stevie’s body of work speaks for itself, and it was the product of a specific set of circumstances that are probably unique; let other authors build their own bodies of work. As Stevens the butler would tell you… there are always more tales.
I just read Skeleton Crew for the first time a few weeks ago. Such an amazing collection.
Joe Hill is great, but just be glad King has written such a large body of work for us so far. There won’t be another like him in most Constant Reader’s lifetimes.
Agreed. His son is an amazing author; but in his own way. It's a unfair burden for fans to expect his Dad's type of work rather than his own style.
I believe Joe Hill writes “a minimum” of two hours per day. I believe, Stephen King, now very old, regularly puts in more than 4 hours per day. Up until middle-age, he was probably putting in around 40 hours per week (I’m not sure how the cocaine years went, though). He treated writing like a regular job that he went to everyday. Stephen King started trying to write around age 12. And tried really hard for about 10 years before getting meaningful success. So… with a few days off… he put in 3000 days of writing before succeeding. The work ethic that came before success was very well in place. In some interviews, Stephen King has said he typically has two projects going at once, like one is his day job and one is entertainment for the evening. That’s just an enormous amount of writing time. That’s how he’s so prolific.
I just finished nos4a2 and it's pretty much exactly the style of a Stephen King book if you told me it was written by king I wouldn't have given it a second thought
I think Joe is just as good a writer as his dad he’s just nowhere near as prolific. But seriously, 20th Century Ghosts and Full Throttle are amazing short stories. Two of my all time favorite books. The range of creativity is just astonishing.
This is the correct answer! It’s uncanny such talent between a father and son.
I wish he was as prolific. N0S4A2 was a phenomenal read.
Ya, just finished horns and I really loved it. First story of his I’ve read.
If you haven’t watched the movie with Daniel Radcliffe, you should give it a go. Some changes from the book, but they don’t detract much IMO.
You convienced me; I was afraid it would be a bad adaption since it's difficult to adapt novels.
“Pop Art” is one of my favorite things ever EVER. I never miss a chance to sing it’s praises.
Same! Pop Art was so touching
Agreed. It's a beautiful story.
Locke and Key brought me to tears...
Joe is phenomenal in his own way, and honestly, he isn’t as prolific because he takes more time with his work and gives more care to his stories than his dad ever did. When you read a Joe Hill story, you can tell there are multiple drafts and revisions behind it, and Stephen is more of a one-and-done writer. I personally appreciate that extra time and energy Joe gives to his work because everything he’s written is really, really solid. He may not produce the volume of his dad, but he’s way more consistent.
Well said. Both are amazing authors!
I always got the feeling young Stephen was too hungry to rewrite a draft that was already sellable. Not that he didn't care, but he spent some years putting out as much as possible to whoever was buying just to put food on the table. Some of the ideas stuck and get used over and over again in stories until we end up with gems polished by the ages.
Absolutely agreed.
Of course he's not as prolific. He doesn't have the advantage of 3 week long, cocaine-fueled writing binges.
I honestly don't see anyone being King's successor. The man writes a ton and has been pretty consistent for releasing new stuff. I can't think of too many writers that even come close especially with quality work. I'd love to say his son Joe could be his successor, but he doesn't write nearly as much as his father.
I want to say Dan Simmons comes close and for me exceeds King in a lot of ways, but his fall off (no pun on his TBI) was so brutal, he is Kings contemporary, and his work doesn’t touch Kings mass appeal.
I've been reading him for at least 40 years, and I too dread the day he dies. I've never met him in person, but I feel like I know him, and I love him, and I will cry when he dies 😭
Back in 2008 I went on a short deployment to Kyrgyzstan and I had a layover in the Bangor airport, met a guy that told me that Stephen King would sometimes stop and meet the troops but he wasn’t there that day. That’s as close as I ever got.
King is the last King there will ever be. Long live the King.
I really like Justin Cronin, but he just doesn't have the same levels of output.
Similar to my comment about Joe, Justin takes way more time and gives way more care to his work than Stephen. When you read a Justin Cronin book, you can tell he wrote multiple drafts and did multiple revision. He may not be as prolific as King, but he is way more consistent, IMHO. Plus, his Passage books are basically the length of nine novels, and if you asked him, he’d never claim to be a horror or sci fi writer. He considers himself a fiction writer.
About to do a deep dive into his books. Is he really good?
Cronin? I like him a lot, but his first two books are very literary. If you like good writing, you’ll like them. If you’re in it for the speculative elements, stick with his Passage books and The Ferryman. Just try to have an open mind because he’ll test your patience and do weird stuff with time jumps and whatnot.
Ok, I really love literary novels so that’s good at least. I’ll keep the time jump thing in mind thank you
I concur. The Passage series is incredibly well written. One of the best examples of world building I've read.
The Passage series is one of my all time favorite series. Was not that enamored of The Ferryman though
I don't know if you'll have a successor to Stephen King. He came of age in a time where people didn't have as many options for personal entertainment. No internet, Reddit, social media, fan fiction, or self published books back then. Most people had 3 TV channels or less (networks) and few VCR tapes. Reading books were probably read by a larger cross-section of people then than now. Only a handful of writers in a heavily regulated market with lots of gatekeepers made him famous. He wrote in a genre many people were interested in but few did a good job providing stories for.
I believe King stands with Shakespeare and Dickens. There will never be another, only generations of readers and writers inspired and entertained.
I’m hoping he has a trunkful of unpublished novels!
I think someone here mentioned that he does. I kinda hope we get some more stories set in Midworld.
I remember hearing a rumor like 20yrs ago that he had a stash saved for post-mortem releases, no idea if that’s actually true but I hope it is!
We just need The Stand: Part Two aka They Stood 💀💀. Just kidding, but we need a sequel desperately
Agreed!
Who replaced Poe?
Lovecraft?
Honorable mention to Robert W. Chambers. He was in between the death of Poe and rise of lovecraft. The King in Yellow is a wild ride. (If you’re familiar with season 1 of true detective this is the origin of the yellow king and carcosa mumbo jumbo lol)
Not bashing how you feel 'cause I get caught up in it too, but I think we're in a time where succession and continuation is so ingrained in us when we should just be comfortable with the possibilty of something ending. I doubt anyone in the 1600s was thinking about whether they'd immediately get a successor to Shakespeare. Dickens is probably the next most famous writer and he came about 200 years later, but there was all that stuff in between, y'know? We might not immediately get another worldwide treasure like Stephen King, but plenty of people are writing good horror right now and plenty of people have been and will continue to be influenced by King. They not become as famous, but if you like them just as much, or even if they just remind you of Uncle Steve, then that's what counts.
Started reading him about 30 years ago, I’ve been rereading his books last year or two. Finishing up dark tower right now. His has put out so much that for me, I’ll just reread everything. I’ve been finding first editions of books I reread so eventually maybe I’ll just have an entire collection of first editions. Plus most of it I read decades ago, so it’s almost brand new on rereads. So for me, he’ll be his own successor
King is one of a kind, but we do have his son Joe Hill and I love that Joe is an author in much the same genre as his dad. I feel you though, OP. I've recently dived hard back into reading all the books King has written while he's still with us. I'm one of the younger Gen X set, so I grew up with his stories and have been a Constant Reader I guess for the last 36 years, even though I missed quite a few in my late teens and again in my 30s. Catching up on what I've missed now. I hope we don't lose King anytime soon. He's a pop culture icon and I see him being held up in history alongside other great mystery writers.
I don’t think we’ll ever have another EXACTLY like Stephen King, but he changed the literary landscape for sure, and there are quite a few authors out there that are crazy influenced by him. And those authors will inspire other authors, and so on. Obvious answer is Joe Hill, but then you’ve got Josh Malerman, Grady Hendrix, Adam Nevill seems to be fairly prolific, Ronald Malfi, that’s just the first few that came to mind. I don’t think there will ever be a shortage of excellent horror authors out there. I bet there’s a decent number of people on this sub who have the talent, just need the practice and the time. Or maybe that dude Steven King who publishes on Amazon, he could be the next Stephen King, I dunno.
Paul Tremblay is slowing climbing up the prolific ranks. He’s had some great bangers come out in the last ten years (Survivor Song, Horror Movie, and A Head Full of Ghosts)
A Head Full of Ghosts was really cool, and I liked Cabin at the End of the World a lot (but I hated the movie). Another really unique voice by a super talented writer.
I agree that Joe Hill is a great writer (and so is Owen King) but they language I completely, wildly different ways than Stephen King. Maybe it’s just decades more experience and also very different styles but I think he’s one of a kind. I’m just grateful he’s written so much and continues to.
I don’t know but I really hope someone like Gabino Iglesias or Stephen Graham Jones catches on enough and to fill those shoes. They are enjoying some success but should be even more successful. As far as people more well known, maybe Joe Hill (or course) or Paul Tremblay or Grady Hendrix?
Stephen Graham Jones is such a wonderful writer
Stephen Graham Jones?
Yes! Talks about heavy King influence and King narrates part of Jones's latest book! I am currently working my through Jones's work.
THIS
I like parts of Jones books but he doesn't feel like a natural storyteller to me. Everything is either overcooked or undercooked, never just good straight storytelling.
Joe Hill and only Joe Hill
This is real asf
The guy from Superbad? Niiice
There won’t be one. As cost of living continues to increase, we will start to see less and less of these breakout talents that don’t come from money. Additionally, it’s getting harder and harder for debut authors to break out as the market gets more saturated. Authors have to do their own marketing now too, and if you don’t have an established following on TikTok or Threads and aren’t good at marketing, you’re probably not gonna get noticed no matter how talented you are. Also think of how Stephen King got his start. Writing stories for magazines. How many magazine publications are there even left anymore? It’s just overall bleak out there.
no one i can think of could truly fill his shoes. that's not to say there aren't many talented people out there who may or may not have already broken into the literary/publishing sphere, but there's also king's sheer prolificacy to consider. i don't think anyone currently known can consistently pump out books the way he does and simultaneously maintain the type of quality his work provides.
No one comes close for me. I’m dreading the day he retires
It’s hard to imagine someone that would be as 1. popular 2. Consistently prolific 3. For so long.
Paul Tremblay and Ronald Malfi are in the running… But I think Josh Malerman will take the throne after Stephen King passes.
It might be going too far, but I kind of look at uncle Steve as a sort of Shakespeare of our time. If I recall correctly, the bard wasn't viewed as serious work in his time, appealed to the masses, hit all sorts of different themes and genes, prolific.. Not exactly the same, since he was a playwright, but I think that if the majority of the population had been literate (as it is now) there's a good chance ole Bill would've been a novelist too. All that to say, I think Mr. King is a singular sort of talent. He isn't meant to be replaced or succeeded. He's meant to be remembered and appreciated well beyond his years, and I'm quite certain he will be.
Neil Gaiman
There are prolific writers in other genres, which is where you have to look because King is a Force. Gunna go with Brandon Sanderson. And I feel good about this choice because he contributes heavily to the craft of writing, like King. Or for pure pulp, Lee Childs. Because I like Jack Reacher for pure entertainment. Same with whoever writes Bobby Lee Swagger books.
man I've recently fallen in love with Sanderson's work. I wish I found out about the cosmere earlier but honestly I think I joined at a great time considering SA5 is coming out this year. I was also gonna say someone like him is the closest thing to a new era King. Especially if he continues to output the way he does without declining in his quality.
Yeah there's no shot there will be especially in the same vein of his style. King's ability to write so many classics then have them adapted into classic TV and movies is unmatched by any director. That in connection with a real drop off in readers among youth indicates we won't see anyone on King's level again in our lifetime
Could be Paul Tremblay.
Nick Cutter?
I love this man’s books so much, I can’t take it sometimes. I HIGHLY and I repeat highly recommend all of his works to anyone that lends an ear long enough to listen. The Troop, The Deep, and Little Heaven (and hopefully The Queen later this year) are cult classics. Amazing literary work and disgustingly descriptive narratives like I’ve seen from very few other authors. His work is astounding
This is my immediate thought. He’s currently in his body-gore / old gods phase - maybe he’ll move into a hauntings era next.
If so I’m ready
You’ve got to go into other genres to get the same kick as King. Only Irving, Vonnegut and Vandermeer have scratched the same itch for me.
I don’t know if there will be one, but there *are* authors whose work in some ways reminds me of King; Some of the early Ania Ahlborn books, T. Kingfisher, Grady Hendrix. None of them are what I would call successors, but their prose flows in the same way that is enjoyable to read as King’s books.
no one
Blake Crouch
I don't think anyone, but what King has done is ensure a very healthy modern horror author collective. People like Eric LaRocca, Grady Hendrix, CJ Tudor, or Stephen Graham Jones wouldn't probably be around if it weren't for King.
Joe Hill is the joke answer, but kind of true. But probably someone we haven't heard of yet.
There are some stunning horror writers out there that are flying under the radar. If you follow the Horror Hill podcast you’ll get a great sampling of some really impressive writers. This is how I discovered Soren Narnia and Brian Hodge. ( the latter’s “The Stagnant Breath of Change” being one of the most terrifying damn things I’ve ever read since “The Jaunt.”) See also: Otis Jiry, Rebecca Klingel, Kevin David Anderson…
There’s a particular time, place, and mindset that makes some writers especially unique. King is one of those. All writers are unique, of course, but some create a body of work that nobody can come close to. When I try to think of someone to compare King’s uniqueness to, the first name I think of is Ray Bradbury. There’s just no way anyone can be “the next Bradbury.”
Nobody will ever replace King but I think Paul Tremblay, Nick Cutter and Joe Hill will carry the torch. Bentley Little is also good
I have been reading him for 30+ years and I am in the same boat as you. No one else can write like him. Not even close. In fact, pretty much everyone else is terrible compared to him.
Nobody. That said, the only other horror author I’ve genuinely enjoyed has been Grady Hendrix. So if I personally had to pick, it would be him.
I think it’s going to go the way of Anne Rice. Her son Christopher is a decent writer but no one will take the mantle from her, her voice died along with her. So I think this will happen with King. His son is a decent writer but he’s not his father. When he departs this earthly plane, so shall his voice. Clive Barker, Bentley Little have great stories. I don’t know if Clive zBarker is still writing books and moved on to Scripts.
my plan after I finish kings work is to then read all his favorite books, then read all the books he references in his stories. should keep me busy for a solid decade.
Meh someone will arise. King is great but his superiority is less on inherent skill being above all else, and more on the nature of publishing and who gets promoted and read. Popularity begets popularity, and there will always be someone there to fill the void. I don't mean to discount his skill and especially not his impact. Its all still a bit of a feedback loop tho. I just hope it is someone with at least some inherent skill. I feel like I'm being sacrilegious in a King subreddit, but King is far from the best, opting more for quantity over quality. But at least there's some exceptional stuff in there.
John Ajvide Lyndqvist. You’ll know him for Let the Right One In but you’d love him for Little Star. Little Star contains some of the most sickening and uncomfortable descriptions of violence, properly paced out between slowly ramping oddness and tension. Can’t really describe the plot beyond “a found baby is raised in isolation” but holy shit, go read it.
I'm so fearful of the day he passes, too. I will cry, and I've never even met him. I think he is a once in a lifetime author. And we have been spoiled with his output. We probably won't get that again.
No one author will match the quality, longevity, quantity, changing genres as King has. Was hoping Joe Hill would but I think it's 7 or 8 years since his last novel.
It will be interesting to see what happens to his large trove of unpublished work. Will Joe finish it? Tabby? Someone else? Or will it get lost to history?
Yeah I don't think I want anybody too. King is very much a product of his time. He did his thing , and nobody else needs to attempt it. King to me is somewhat like Steinbeck . Wrote simply, bare bones . Strong characters, big themes . He is an a American classic.
I'm 57, so if there was such a thing as a successor to Stephen King, he (or she) will almost certainly appear after I'm nothing but dust in the wind. Which is fine by me. John Lee Hooker once remarked that musicians are kind of like boxers, in that they are very much a one and only kind of deal - accept no substitutes. I would say that some authors could be described the same way. We will probably never again see the likes of a Mark Twain or a Ray Bradbury, John D. MacDonald, Ed McBain, Ursula K. LeGuin, Anne Rice or Stephen King. At least their works have allowed them to achieve a kind of second-hand immortality.
I don't know if anyone will replace him, but I wouldn't be surprised if Joe Hill's book sales went up afterward. We'll be desperately wanting something as close to King as possible.
Joe Hill and Grady Hendrix
I can't say she's the next King, but CJ Tudor has a writing style I think is heavily inspired by King.
As many say, no-one can complete. BUT Ronald Malfi has recently become a new favourite of mine, with December Park being my second favourite book of all time! Here are books that i think are similar to King: The Narrows = salems lot December park = the loseers club parts of IT The night Parade = the Stand
Joe Hill. The obvious heir apparent. But the creepy book club of the same ilk, I'd also throw in Trembley and Cutter to be part of that royal court, but no one can replace the King.
Each great writer is unique, that is part of the greatness. This is an impossible question. King could stand next to Dickens..
I like his kid joe so far. of course there are differences but he is an entertaining writer
His son, Owen King
CJ Tudor is getting up there.
No one. Many imitators and some really close but no winner.
He was at a very specific time where mass shared culture of a huge population was possible, and literature was still a huge medium. Now mads culture is far too niche for something like that, and reading has to contend with twice ad many mediums of entertainment.
Joe hill
My middle name is Steven I have my first book of many books ready for the world.
Stephen in accounting, Creepy AF dude.
No one. He isn't called King for nothing.
I don’t think there will ever be a successor. However, I’ve read a lot of books in my life and there are many many amazing books by a lot of talented authors. To be honest, king IMO is not the scariest author. In my opinion he’s also not the best writer. He’s a storyteller and does it well. Clive barker for instance is more imaginative, more gruesome and more talented in his prose. Thomas Harris writes amazingly well. Nick cutter THE TROOP is still the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. Even king said the book terrified him. King is like Superman … but there are many other and in some respect better authors
I don’t know about successors per se, but Clive barker is amazing. Nowhere near as prolific, but a much better writer and more imaginative . King himself quoted barker as the future of horror ….
King just as a huge body of work most writers don't produce like him. King is just that King. My next favorite horror/thriller author is Paul Tremblay. He also had a new book come out today
For a while I really thought it was Anne Rice, me and everyone I knew was into her stuff for a few years. But then she kinda faded away and King is still as good as ever. I don't know if anyone else will be as prolific and as good as him.
He won’t replace him but Brian Keane is a good poor man’s king. Some of his stuff is great.
...I hope it's Nat Cassidy. "Mary" was heavily inspired by Carrie, and is one of my favorite books of all time. If he starts putting out a book a year I'd be ecstatic!
Nestlings was disappointing though which is sad
Mira Grant.
Jonathan Maberry lmao. When he’s writing horror, he’s better than King ever was.
Laird Barron
There is none. Constant Readership has kind of died off in the last fifteen years or so, the last books I can remember being huge things were the Hunger Games.
Under a rock for sure. Business is booming
Ya need to get on BookTok.
So true, there’s magic waiting behind every corner in the literary sphere right now, especially horror, they just need to look around and find their niche of interest