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Quizzes > Books & Literature

Stephen King test: How well do you know his books and characters?

Quick, free Stephen King quiz on books and characters. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Moonlily SoulshineUpdated Aug 27, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art collage of horror castle graveyard typewriter and bats on dark blue background for Stephen King trivia quiz

This quiz helps you check your Stephen King knowledge, from haunted hotels to small-town terrors. Answer bite-size questions, see your score at once, and pick up fun facts as you go. If you like book challenges, try our classic literature trivia or dive into horror on the Michael Myers quiz, and for epic fantasy fans, test yourself with Game of Thrones trivia.

In Stephen King's novel "Misery", what is the name of the author held captive by Annie Wilkes?
Paul Sheldon
Stephen Kelso
Mark Singer
John Kowalski
Paul Sheldon is the best-selling novelist who survives a car crash and is held captive by Annie Wilkes in Misery. His character and novels are central to the plot. .
In "Carrie", what supernatural power does the title character possess?
Telepathy
Precognition
Pyrokinesis
Telekinesis
Carrie White's signature ability is telekinesis, which she uses to move objects with her mind, especially during the novel's climax. This power drives the horror elements of the story. .
What is the name of the haunted hotel in "The Shining"?
Overlook Hotel
Hilltop Hotel
Torrance Hotel
Stanley Hotel
The Overlook Hotel is the remote, haunted resort where Jack Torrance descends into madness. Its eerie atmosphere is a hallmark of King's horror. .
Which novel features a malevolent clown named Pennywise?
It
Clownhouse
The Boogeyman
Joyland
Pennywise the Dancing Clown is the central antagonist of It, preying on the children of Derry. This entity embodies fear itself. .
In "Pet Sematary", what is the surname of the family that moves to Ludlow, Maine?
Smith
Creed
Harris
Parker
The Creed family - Louis, Rachel, Ellie, and Gage - relocate to a rural home near the Pet Sematary. Their tragedy unfolds when the burial ground's power is discovered. .
What is the title of the first book in "The Dark Tower" series?
The Drawing of the Three
Wizard and Glass
The Waste Lands
The Gunslinger
The Gunslinger introduces Roland Deschain and sets him on his quest toward the Dark Tower. It establishes the series' dark fantasy tone. .
In "Christine", what make and model is the car possessed by supernatural forces?
1958 Plymouth Fury
1957 Chevy Bel Air
1959 Cadillac Eldorado
1965 Ford Mustang
Christine is a 1958 Plymouth Fury that becomes sentient and violently possessive of its owner. King's novel blends automotive obsession with horror. .
In "Salem's Lot", what is the name of the primary antagonist vampire?
Kurt Barlow
Henry Petrie
Caleb Prior
Richard Straker
Kurt Barlow is the master vampire who arrives in Jerusalem's Lot and unleashes a scourge of undead. His arrival drives the novel's horror. .
Which character repeatedly types "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" in "The Shining"?
Jack Torrance
Wendy Torrance
Dick Hallorann
Danny Torrance
Jack Torrance types that phrase over and over as he descends into madness while isolated in the Overlook Hotel. It's an iconic symbol of his unraveling. .
In "The Green Mile", what is the name of the death row supervisor?
Brutus Howell
Paul Edgecomb
John Coffey
Percy Wetmore
Paul Edgecomb is the head prison guard overseeing Block E, known as the Green Mile. His perspective frames the supernatural events in the story. .
In the novella "1408", what is the room number of the haunted hotel room?
1313
1408
1904
101D
Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel is the site of terrifying supernatural phenomena in the novella 1408. King based the fictional hotel loosely on real locations. .
In "The Stand", what nickname is given to the superflu virus?
Captain Trips
The Pestilence
Project Blue
Soldier's Flu
The superflu in The Stand is referred to as "Captain Trips." It decimates the population before the survivors face off in a battle of good versus evil. .
In "Cujo", what kind of animal is Cujo?
German Shepherd
Doberman Pinscher
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard dog
Cujo is a Saint Bernard that contracts rabies and terrorizes a mother and son in their broken-down car. The mutating of a benign pet into a threat heightens the horror. .
In "Hearts in Atlantis", what board game is Bobby Garfield fascinated with?
Go
Risk
Chess
Checkers
Bobby Garfield becomes obsessed with the ancient game of Go, taught to him by the mysterious Ted Brautigan. Go symbolizes strategy and the broader themes of the story. .
In "The Talisman", co-authored with Peter Straub, what is the name of the alternate reality the protagonist travels to?
The In-Between
The Otherworld
The Territories
Mid-World
Jack Sawyer travels between our world and The Territories in search of a talisman to save his mother. The dual-world concept is central to the novel. .
In "The Mist", the mysterious mist is a result of an experiment conducted by which facility?
Project Nemesis
Project MKUltra
Arrowhead Project
USS Nimitz Experiment
The superheated water from the Arrowhead Project's military experiments opens a dimensional rift, allowing creatures to enter through the mist. This backstory underlies the novella's terror. .
Which character from "'Salem's Lot" appears in "The Dark Tower" series, forging a connection between the two works?
Ben Mears
Mark Petrie
Ralph Glick
Father Donald Callahan
Father Donald Callahan survives the events of 'Salem's Lot and later appears in The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla, establishing an intertextual link. King frequently weaves characters across his universe. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Assess Iconic Novels -

    Evaluate your familiarity with Stephen King's bestselling works by correctly identifying titles and core plot elements featured in the quiz.

  2. Identify Memorable Characters -

    Recall and name key protagonists and antagonists from King's horror universe, reinforcing your knowledge of his most famous figures.

  3. Recall Gripping Plot Twists -

    Retrieve and describe spine-tingling narrative surprises, testing your memory of critical story developments in King's novels.

  4. Differentiate Trivia Categories -

    Distinguish between questions on major bestsellers and those on obscure facts, gaining insight into the breadth of Stephen King trivia.

  5. Gauge Your Quiz Performance -

    Receive a scored evaluation of your answers, allowing you to measure your expertise and identify areas for further exploration.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Key Novels & Publication Timeline -

    Review Stephen King's major works in order of publication, from Carrie (1974) through later classics like The Shining (1977) and IT (1986). Use a simple timeline chart format (e.g., pre-1980, 1980 - 1990, post-1990) to anchor dates in memory and note how King's style evolved. According to StephenKing.com, grouping novels by decade can boost recall on a Stephen King trivia quiz.

  2. Fictional Maine Settings -

    Most Stephen King stories unfold in his invented Maine towns such as Derry, Castle Rock, and Jerusalem's Lot. Try the mnemonic "DECJ" (Derry, Eagle Hill, Castle Rock, Jerusalem's Lot) to quickly recall signature locales. University of Maine's English Department notes that these recurring settings are a backbone of his interwoven horror universe and feature heavily in Stephen King quiz questions.

  3. Recurring Characters & the Dark Tower Nexus -

    Familiarize yourself with characters like Roland Deschain, Bill Denbrough, and Pennywise who appear across multiple novels and tie into the Dark Tower multiverse. Use the "R.E.D." mnemonic (Recurring characters, Eldritch crossovers, Dark Tower ties) to remember key crossovers and cosmic stakes. The Journal of Popular Culture highlights how these cross-novel arcs often appear in Stephen King trivia quizzes.

  4. Themes & Writing Techniques -

    King often explores everyday fears, small-town dynamics, and the supernatural - theme clusters summarized by the acronym "FEAR" (Folk tales, Everytown, Archaic evil, Reality twist). Recognize his signature techniques like second-person narration in "you" chapters or prolonged suspense via foreshadowing. Literary critics at the University of Colorado praise his ability to fuse relatable characters with cosmic horror, a frequent Stephen King trivia quiz topic.

  5. Film & TV Adaptations -

    Many of King's works have been adapted into acclaimed films and series, including The Shawshank Redemption (1994), IT (2017/2019), and The Outsider (2020). Create a two-column chart (novel vs. adaptation year) and quiz yourself on matching titles - an effective prep trick from Fangoria magazine. IMDB and Horror Writers Association data confirm that adaptation trivia is a staple in Stephen King trivia quizzes.

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