Looking for a short story author like....

[shortATTENTION]

Almost finished with Edgar Allan Poe's short stories (the majority) and need an idea for a new author to look into. I enjoy the darkness of many stories like "The Fall of the House of Usher", or "The Black Cat", and stories with twists like "William Wilson", but find that being able to read a story in one sitting much more appealing than a whole novel. Any suggestions on authors with dark overtones, unique stories, and interesting twists?

[manolia]

Hehehe. Once again. Lovecraft (pretty much everything) and Clive Barker (Books of blood) :D

[Dori]

Ambrose Bierce will most surely shock you. Nathaniel Hawthorne has some good stories. Anton Chekhov might not have what you like, but he writes wonderful short stories.

[hellsapoppin]

I was also going to suggest Hawthorne but Dori beat me to it.

O Henry, Ellery Queen, and Sherlock Holmes are fun as well.

[Etienne]

I don't think that because you liked Poe you should look for something like Poe. With this mindset, you will probably be disappointed great things have been done with other themes or in different ways, and looking for other things is the best way to be agreeably surprised.

[JCamilo]

Either you track Poe back (with Hawthorne) or foward with Melville, Robert Louis Stevenson, Chesterton, Borges...

[jlb4tlb]

Try Ray Bradbury. He wrote great horror fiction during the 40s and then became one of the best Science Fiction and fantasy writers of our time.

Jeff

[browneyedbailey]

You should try reading a serries of short stories by George Orwell.

[Nico87]

Franz Kafka's Collected Stories http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/classics/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780679423034

George Orwell's Essays
http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/classics/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375415036

Alexander Pushkin's A Sportman's Notebook
http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/classics/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375405495

Nikolai Gogol's The Collected Tales
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collected-Tales-Nikolai-Vintage-Classics/dp/0375706151/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195352553&sr=8-3

Anton Chekhovs' Stories
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-Anton-Pavlovich-Chekhov/dp/0553381008/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195352594&sr=1-5

Warmly recommended.

[mtpspur]

Clark Ashton Smith--short fantasy stories with that edge you're looking for and a vocabulary thta will make you reach for the dictionary more then once.

[jlb4tlb]

Clark Ashton Smith--short fantasy stories with that edge you're looking for and a vocabulary thta will make you reach for the dictionary more then once.


Greetings

Smith was one of the great word smiths that were published in "Weird Tales" pulp magazine. Most of Smith's fiction can be found online. Check out this site;

http://www.eldritchdark.com/

Enjoy

Jeff

[applepie]

I was going to suggest Lovecraft, but someone beat me to it. I have to add, The Black Cat is perhaps one of my favorite Poe tales. Good luck choosing an author, and be sure to enjoy your reading. I'll be checking back for ideas myself.

[Ana Lovejoy]

If you've enjoyed reading Poe, I think you should try these two:

* E.T.A. Hoffmann's (Nachtstücke), his works influenced Poe.
* Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam (Contes Cruels), who was influenced by Poe.

Both are quite dark and grotesque, I think you'll like it. =]

[AuntShecky]

If and when you read Hawthorne (one of my "faves") please give me your take on "Young Goodman Brown."

[Dark Star]

I'll third the Lovecraft recommendation.

[mS_?]

He is not dark really but is a great writer, Isaac Asimov.

[Old Crow]

I seem to repeat myself whenever I get on the subject of short stories, but I'm going to have to second Kafka, and add yet another plug for Isaac Babel.

[ReynardtheFox]

edit-

[ReynardtheFox]

Horror with a mix of the fantastic
- Harlan Ellison
- Ray Bradbury
- Arthur Machen
- Algeron Blackwood
- M R James
- HP Lovecraft
(psst. You can find those last 4 online!)

Honourable mention - J G Ballard. I think it's because he likes to play with my subconcious in unusual and unnerving ways.

Enjoy - or at least make yourself uneasy.

[HotKarl]

I'll throw out some more-modern gothic writers: Paul Bowles, James Purdy, Shirley Jackson, and certain selections from John Hawkes.