If the wait forStranger Thingsseason 5 is starting to get to you,I have the perfect Stephen King book to get you out of your slump.Best known for his horror novels, King is a legend in the world of entertainment. His seemingly never-ending catalog of books has made him immensely famous and the movie and TV adaptations that follow them garner even more popularity. He is the genius behind countless iconic stories, likeThe Shining, The Green Mile,andCarrie.However, embedded in his resume are other amazingKing books that don’t get nearly enough attention.
AlthoughKing rose to popularity for his spine-tingling horrornovels, the author has dipped his toes into countless genres over the years. One genre he has ventured into often is sci-fi. From aliens and cars coming to life to a horrifying mist, King’s stories have added plenty to the sci-fi genre. Yet,there is one book that King wrote in 1980 that is of particular interest because of its connections to Netflix’s hit sci-fi series,Stranger Things.36 years before the Duffer Brothers' show aired to incredible success, King penned a very similar story of a gifted young girl.
Why Firestarter Is The Perfect Companion To Stranger Things
The best King book to read while waiting forStranger Thingsseason 5isFirestarter.The novel centers on Charlie McGee, a young girl who has pyrokinetic abilities, meaning she can set things on fire telepathically. Charlie’s powers are incredible, but also highly dangerous, and a government organization known as The Shop wants to harness them for themselves. As a result, Charlie and her father, Andy, are on the run. This ultimately leads to disastrous consequences, as Charlie must defend herself in any way she can.
Stranger Things' Most Iconic Eleven Detail Is Borrowed From 43-Year-Old Stephen King Character
Stephen King has been a major influence for Stranger Things’ development, but one specific character from a 1980s book inspired an Eleven detail.
Firestarteris a great companion toStranger Thingsbecause the stories share quite a few parallels. The most obvious is having a young girl with telekinetic powers as the protagonist, i.e. Charlie and Eleven. Although Eleven cannot spontaneously combust the world around her,the two girls are essentially in the same boat in that they have powers they can’t quite control, and the government is desperately trying to utilize them. Eleven and Hopper’s relationship later in the series is quite similar to that of Charlie and Andy, plus,Firestarteris also set in the 1980s.
Firestarter Is A Better Match For Stranger Things Than Its Own Film Adaptations
How Stranger Things Nails Firestarter’s Best Parts
Over the years,Firestarterhas received two movie adaptations, but weirdly enough,Stranger Thingstells the story in a much better fashion. In 1984’sFirestarter,Drew Barrymore gives a fantastic performance as Charlie, but the movie fails to really show the high stakes of the story. Charlie and Andy are never truly threatened, so the thrilling elements of the film fall flat. The same goes for the 2022 movie adaptation, which critics claimed lacked scares and heart. Meanwhile,Stranger Thingstells a completely different story thanFirestarter,yet does it way better than either movie.
Ultimately, thething thatStranger Thingsnails aboutFirestarteris the fear and danger. Eleven is constantly at risk of being killed or taken advantage of inStranger Things.The government officials coming after her are not just a nameless threat, but consistently appear and create real consequences (Hopper’s “death,” for example.) In this way,Stranger Thingsplays outFirestarter’sconcept in a way the movie adaptations never could.
