The “King of Horror,” Stephen King, is known for crafting some of the most chilling stories ever written, including The Shining and IT, both of which have been adapted into major films.
However, one of his novels has become highly sought-after—not due to popularity, but because of its rarity.
In fact, it was King himself who made the decision to withdraw the book from publication, stating it was “the responsible thing to do.”
In his 2013 essay Guns, bestselling author Stephen King reflected on the controversial novel, explaining that it was written in a very different time.
He wrote:
“I suppose if it had been written today, and a high school English teacher had come across it, they might have rushed the manuscript to a guidance counselor—and I would’ve ended up in therapy immediately.
But 1965 was a different world, one where you didn’t have to take off your shoes at the airport, and high schools didn’t have metal detectors at the doors.”
In 1988, a student held his high school humanities class hostage before eventually backing down. According to the Los Angeles Times, the student referenced King’s novel as an influence.
Just a year later, another incident occurred when a high school senior took his classmates hostage for nine hours. Reports at the time revealed that a copy of King’s book was discovered in his locker.
Originally published in 1977 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, Rage was later re-released in 1985 as part of the collection The Bachman Books.
Although Stephen King eventually chose to let the novel go out of print, it remained available for a time through the collection.
The psychological thriller centers on a deeply troubled high school student who brings a gun to school, fatally shoots a teacher, and holds his classmates hostage.
Told from the shooter’s perspective, the story is an unsettling and provocative read that many have found deeply disturbing.
