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Stephen King Novel Pulled From Shelves And Will Never Be Printed Again
A Stephen King novel has been pulled from shelves, and it’s unlikely it will ever be printed again.
The ‘King of Horror’ is behind some of the most terrifying stories of all time, including ‘The Shining’ and ‘IT’ — both of which have been turned into films.
One of his books has become one of the most sought-after of all time, but it’s not because it’s popular.
It was actually King who pulled it from publication, as he believed it was ‘the responsible thing to do.’
The most-banned author
A new PEN America report in the Guardian has found that Stephen King was the most frequently banned author in US schools during the 2024–2025 academic year, amid a continued rise in book restrictions across the country.
The report, Banned in the USA, recorded more than 6,800 instances of books being removed or restricted, a drop from over 10,000 the previous year but still far above levels seen earlier in the decade.
The data shows that the majority of bans were concentrated in just three states—Florida, Texas, and Tennessee—which together accounted for around 80% of cases.
These states have introduced or supported policies allowing schools to remove books deemed inappropriate. In contrast, states such as Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey reported few or no removals due to stronger protections for library independence.
Stephen King’s works were targeted 206 times, affecting 87 titles.
Across all authors, Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange was the single most banned book, with 23 reported removals. Other frequently challenged writers included Judy Blume and Patricia McCormick.
The report also highlights a growing trend of ‘pre-emptive’ censorship, where schools remove books in anticipation of controversy. As PEN notes, this reflects: “A form of ‘obeying in advance’… rooted in fear or simply a desire to avoid topics that might be deemed controversial.”
The banned book
In a 2013 essay titled ‘Guns,’ the bestselling author explained that he wrote the book in ‘a different world.’
King penned: “I suppose if it had been written today, and some high school English teacher had seen it, he would have rushed the manuscript to the guidance counselor and I would have found myself in therapy posthaste.
“But 1965 was a different world, one where you didn’t have to take off your shoes before boarding a plane and there were no metal detectors at the entrances to high schools.”
King’s book has been inextricably tied to several disturbing events, despite being written long before any tragedies unfolded.
School shootings
In 1988, a student held his high school humanities class hostage before backing out. According to the Los Angeles Times, the boy cited the novel.
A year later, a school senior held his classmates hostage for nine hours and it was reported that King’s book was found in his locker.
In 1996, a 14-year-old killed two students and a teacher. He reportedly had a copy of King’s work on his nightstand, per History Link.
Then, in 1997, another 14-year-old student shot students, killing three. He is believed to have had a copy of King’s work in his locker, reports The Guardian.
Which Stephen King book was pulled from shelves?
‘Rage’ was published in 1977 under the alias Richard Bachman. King released it in 1985 as a part of a collection of short novels called ‘The Bachman Books.’
Although the author decided to let it go out of print, it briefly remained in the collection.
The psychological thriller follows a troubled high school student who brings a gun to school, kills one of his teachers, and takes the class hostage.
From the shooter’s perspective, it makes for an uncomfortable and disturbing read.
King reportedly took inspiration from his teenage years and frustrations when writing the book.
In BookFinder.com’s 2013 list of the 100 most sought-after out-of-print books, ‘Rage’ is ranked at number two, with Madonna‘s ‘S**’ topping the charts.
Used copies of ‘Rage’ can be found online, prices range from $700 to over $2,000.
In a footnote of his 2007 novel ‘Blaze,’ King writes of ‘Rage’: “Now out of print, and a good thing.”
Related Article: Stephen King Shares The One Horror Movie He Couldn’t Sit Through
Related Article: Stephen King Recommends Netflix Movie That Fans Say Is ‘Scariest’ Thing They’ve Seen
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