To say that Stephen King is the master of horror literature is such an understatement that its practically a cliché. The man behind such works as It, The Shining, Carrie, and Cujo has kept readers and viewers awake at night since the 70s and has no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
As scary as his works are, people often forget that the guy isn't some one-trick-pony. In fact, King has written a host of other works in other genres. While they might skip on the gruesome and grim at times, they're definitely worth just as much attention as his works of horror.
Hearts In Atlantis
Loosely based on his Dark Tower spinoff Low Men in Yellow Coats, this film features Anthony Hopkins portrays a kindly old gentleman with telekinetic powers who comes to a small town while on the run from the mysterious Low Men. Though it has very little to do with the fantasy series that inspired it, it is still reassuring to know that adapting King's lesser-read series has been a thing since 2001 at least.
Joyland
Although readers will find no demonic clowns with appetites for children at this carnival, they will find an impressive murder mystery with the ghost of a dead child and Stephen King's own personal touch.
When a young man takes a job at an old amusement park, more than urban legends begin to unravel as he discovers a lifechanging mystery behind the cotton candy and twinkling lights of the fairgrounds. It's a perfect genre shift for those wanting something new from the author.
Apt Pupil
Though the book and the movie that came after contain no monsters from the mind of the author, Apt Pupil deals with a different breed of terror living in small-town America. When a boy discovers his german-immigrant neighbor is truly a Nazi war criminal in hiding, he begins to take a rather peculiar interest in the man's former life. By and by, readers and viewers will begin asking the question, who's corrupting who?
The Green Mile
There isn't a fan of Tom Hanks or Stephen King who doesn't know the tragic tale of John Coffey.
In the film, Hanks portrays a corrections officer working on death row during the Great Depression who meets a physically intimidating but gentle inmate convicted of a murder he did not commit who just so happens to have magical powers. In both the book and the film, the wo are a pair of heartbreakers—better bring out the tissues, in any case.
Dolores Claiborne
Less of a horror story and more of an elaborate murder mystery, Dolores Claiborne has been called one of the greatest of Stephen King's adaptations to date. When a woman's estranged mother is accused of murder, a story unfolds in a series of flashbacks that blur the lines in a way only Stephen King could imagine. It's a story of finding the truth buried between the known and the seemingly-known.
11/22/63
Who knew Stephen King could write such a compelling time travel story? 11/22/63 is King's sci-fi drama featuring a time traveler on a quest to intervene in the assassination of JFK.
An ocean of conspiracy, murder, and political intrigue follows as Jake Epping leaves the comfort of 2011 for the era of Elvis and bobby socks. It's definitely far from the author's regular material.
The Shawshank Redemption
Known mainly for the soothing narration of the incomparable Morgan Freeman as the wise and genteel Red, The Shawshank Redemption is a tale of crime, corruption, and, ultimately, freedom. It's worth mentioning how the setting of the infamous prison can change from a cold, unfeeling building of stone and iron to a stage for drama and powerful emotion. Beats a stay at the Overlook any day.
The Eyes of the Dragon
Stephen King has always been great at writing horror, and fans love him for it. But, there was a time when one book ventured outside the genre and made his fanbase absolutely livid with anger.
Enter The Eyes of the Dragon, King's first venture into high fantasy. With its kings, queens, wizards, and demonic beings, it's an epic adventure fans of Game of Thrones would absolutely love, though it isn't super well-remembered by fans of King.
The Dark Tower Series
Speaking of King's fantasy series, there's no way The Dark Tower should be skipped by any fan of his work. Though the series is sprinkled with different elements including horror, sci-fi, and drama, the main meat of the adventures of Roland Deschain can be described as a fantasy western, like if Tolkien traded Middle Earth for Tombstone. It's a deep and expansive saga that deserves some serious attention.
On Writing
What better way to cap off the list than the memoirs of the master of horror himself. Stephen King's On Writing is essentially an autobiographical narrative about the author's creative process, life story, and instructions for furthering one's writing craft. It's an ideal read for any fan wanting to take a more academic observance of the author, his life, his work, and his style. What more could they possibly ask for?