Stephen King Anagrams Trivia Quiz

Answer: Desperation

"Desperation" was published in 1996 at the same time as "The Regulators" (published by Stephen King under his pseudonym Richard Bachman), with many of the same characters appearing in both stories (alternate universes).

In "Desperation", a number of people are abducted and held in the remote mining down of Desperation, Nevada. But the deputy doing the abducting is possessed by an evil entity (named Tak). Can all the people escape his clutches?

The book was also adapted for film in 2006, with King himself writing the script, and starring Ron Perlman and Tom Skerritt.

Answer: The Shining

"The Shining" was published in 1977 and was Stephen King's third novel. It also became his very first best seller, and was made into a popular movie (starring Jack Nicholson) in 1980.

The story takes place in the remote Overlook Hotel, where Jack Torrance (and his family) come to stay when Jack takes on the job of winter caretaker. What they don't know is that the hotel is haunted, not until Jack's son Danny (who has psychic abilities called 'the shining') begins to see ghosts and has other visions and premonitions. Things go downhill from there, to put it mildly.

The clue 'REDRUM' refers to instances of Danny seeing it in visions (including his very first vision) and in reflections on a couple of occasions. In one of his visions, the word transforms into MURDER.

Answer: The Green Mile

"The Green Mile" was originally released in 1996 as a six-volume serialized story, then was published as a single paperback novel the following year. It finally saw a hardcover edition in 2000, a year after the release of the movie starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan.

Paul Edgecombe, a former death row supervisor, narrates the story of his experience from more than 60 years ago with an inmate (John Coffey) who had amazing, magical healing abilities. The term 'green mile' referred to the colour of the floor in the death row block.

The original serialized stories were subtitled:
1) The Two Dead Girls
2) The Mouse on the Mile
3) Coffey's Hands
4) The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix
5) Night Journey
6) Coffey on the Mile

Answer: Dreamcatcher

"Dreamcatcher" was published in 2001 and tells the tale of Jonesy, Beaver, Henry and Pete. As teenagers, their actions in support of another boy (Douglas "Duddits" Cavell) being bullied had an unexpected benefit, as this boy had powers of telepathy and dream sharing, and the four teens began to exhibit the same powers.

Fast forward to adulthood, and Jonesy, Beaver, Henry and Pete find themselves in the middle of an alien invasion (by means of telepathic parasite).

Answer: Pet Sematary

"Pet Sematary" was published in 1983 and is essentially Stephen King's rendition of the W.W. Jacobs story "The Monkey's Paw". Instead of a wish gone bad, however, in King's story death can be reversed by burying someone in an ancient Miꞌkmaq burial ground.

After moving to their new home, the main character, Louis Creed, learns (from his neighbour) of the magical properties of the site when their cat (Winston 'Church' Churchill) is struck by a truck on the highway that runs past their house. But the cat comes back behaving very differently...

When Louis' two-year-old son Gage is also killed on the same highway, he makes another choice, with grave (pun intended) consequences.

Answer: Under the Dome

"Under the Dome" was published in 2009 and is one of King's longer books, tallying a whopping 1,074 pages (only his third book to surpass 1,000 pages in length, behind "The Stand" (uncut version) and "It"). The book was adapted for television in 2013, lasting three seasons.

Where the large majority of Stephen King's novels and stories fall within the horror genre, "Under the Dome" is a science fiction tale, where aliens have dropped a large dome over the town of Chester's Mill, Maine. This is not realized immediately, and the mystery of the dome (and the stark realities of the situation) cause many conflicts within (and without) the cutoff community.

Apart from the dramatics of the story, King also wrote "Under the Dome" as an allegory, with the domed town representing our planet, also 'under the dome', environmentally speaking.

Answer: Doctor Sleep

"Doctor Sleep", the sequel to "The Shining", was published in 2013, a mere 36 years later. King continues the story with the same gap of time, bringing Danny Torrance back to the literary page as a man in his 40s. The book was adapted into a 2019 film starring Ewan McGregor as Danny, now just known as Dan.

After many years of poorly dealing with the aftermath of "The Shining", Dan Torrance begins to use his powers for good, helping terminal patients and earning the nickname 'Doctor Sleep'. But, as he learned those many years ago, there are more people out there with the shining, and Dan connects with one such - a teenage girl named Abra who evinces the power very strongly. This draws the attention of a group of vampires (who call themselves the 'True Knot') who seek out those with the shining to feed off of their power.

Answer: Needful things

"Needful Things" came out in 1991 and is set (like many of his stories, beginning with 1979's "The Dead Zone") in Castle Rock, Maine. It was adapted to the silver screen in 1993 with Max von Sydow, Ed Harris and Bonnie Bedelia in the lead roles.

In the story, a new arrival to the town, by the name of Leland Gaunt, opens a store called 'Needful Things'. It always seems as though whatever oddity is being sought by the store's patrons, Gaunt is able to provide, although he often asks a strange request in addition to the low price - just a little prank to play on someone else. While seemingly innocent at first, the pranks are designed to escalate existing social conflicts, of which Gaunt seems to have intimate knowledge. As things escalate, so do the stakes, as Gaunt begins to claim people's souls in exchange for the means to protect their 'needful things' from others.

Answer: The Talisman

"The Talisman" was co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub and published in 1984. The 2001 novel "Black House" was written as a direct sequel.

In "The Talisman", Jack Sawyer is a 12-year-old boy whose mother is dying of cancer and who learns of a potential means to heal her. When Jack encounters a handyman by the name of Lester 'Speedy' Parker, he is told about 'the Talisman' and about an alternate world version of the United States called 'The Territories' where he can find it. Speedy teaches Jack how to 'flip' over to that world with his alternate self - called a 'Twinner'. While this can normally only be done with one's mind, in Jack's case his twinner has died, and he is able to flip his whole self, body included.

Jack undergoes a great and perilous adventure to find the Talisman and hopefully the means to save his mother's life.

Answer: Firestarter

"Firestarter" was published in 1980 as King's eighth novel and adapted for film in 1984 starring Drew Barrymore in the title role, along with Martin Sheen as her father.

Andy and Vicky McGee developed psychic powers through an experimental drug (called 'Lot 6') through an organization called 'The Shop'. While their own powers were somewhat limited, their daughter was born afterwards and developed a strong pyrokinetic ability. When agents of The Shop try to capture the young Charlie, the attempt leaves her mother Vicky dead, and Andy and Charlie go on the run. Eventually, they are captured, but can The Shop contain the power that Charlie controls?