Looking for suggestions

[Snic19]

I am new here and am loving this place. I don't know anyone that I can discuss books with and I am glad to have found a site devoted to reading. I am a fan of horror novels and am looking for suggestions. I have read most of Stephen King's novels and many of Clive Barker's as well. I'm looking for something a bit more intelligent. I am currently reading Dante's Inferno and am loving it. If anyone has any suggestions please post them.

[Bandini]

H. P Lovecraft? Haven't read him for about 15 years (I OD'd on Horror an dSci Fi as a teenager) but sounds like he might fit the bill.

[Monica]

Try EAPoe for horror novels or Bradbury, eg "The Small Assassin". Barker is all right. I had "The Skins of the Fathers" for my interpretation classes. I don't know if all that is intelligent but pretty enjoyable. Or you may just come back to Shakespeare :D He's the best horror writer ever :brow:

[Scheherazade]

I haven't read it myself yet but a friend said Blindness is very upsetting and kept him sleepless although it is not a horror story in the traditional sense...

Blindness by Jose Saramago http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0151002517/qid=1112341852/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-5769560-0730226

Incidentally, it is one of the books nominated for May in the Book Club :p : http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4283

[Bandini]

I remember 'The Small Assassin' *shudders* All of Bradbury's short stories are great - 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' is another I rememebr well - and a Shakespeare reference to boot! Just thought, Irvine Welsh completely rips off 'The Small Assassin' in one of his short stories. You should check out Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker. I enjoyed 'The Tell Tale Heart' by the former, and 'The Judges House' by the latter.

[Helga]

I agree with Monica, Edgar Allan Poe wrote some of the best horror stories. I haven't read them all but I leave the lights on after every story.

I know this isn't a 'horror' story but The Lord of the Flies is very scary on parts. In many ways it is also just cruel and disgusting. If you don't find it scary it is a very good book that I think everybody should read!

[Bandini]

It was me not monica. Every time I read Monica's name I hum Monica by The Kinks. Lovely song.

[Helga]

Monica said it to, only she wrote EAPoe.......I hum that song too when I read that name, great song.

[Taliesin]

Yes, Bradbury is fantastic. We liked especially his short stories "Veldt" and "Perhance to sleep"

Also We must recommend "Sand Kings" by George RR Martin.

[Snic19]

Thanks for all the ideas. I am a fan of Poe and Lovecraft also but I haven't read Bradbury. I will definately have to check him out. Thank you all for your help.

[mono]

Try EAPoe for horror novels

'Something Wicked This Way Comes' is another I rememebr well - and a Shakespeare reference to boot! . . . You should check out Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker. I enjoyed 'The Tell Tale Heart' by the former, and 'The Judges House' by the latter.
I secondly suggest all of the preceding recommendations. Anything by Poe, especially, one could call the most satisfactory of horror. Some of Ambrose Bierce's short stories also went especially senstive under-the-skin, so to speak.
Perhaps my favorite horror novel of all time: The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. Watched before reading the book, I did not find the movie very frightening, but the book certainly spooked me, to say the least. :nod:

[Loki]

Try The Phantom of the Opera (Mary Shelley) or Frankenstein (Gaston Leroux). :lol:

[EAP]

Anything by Richard Matheson, specially 'I am Legend'.

Horror is probably one genre where short story tends to work better than novel. As such one author who I haven't seen recommended so far is MR James. Brilliant short story writer - most of his works are public domain and can easily be accessed via Internet. (and they are pretty short too, making it less of a hassle to print them)

Then there is Shirley Jackson's 'Lottery', Neil Gaiman's collection 'Smoke and Mirrors' also contains a lot of weird, spooky tales.

For pure psychological horror you cannot go wrong with Shirley Jackson's 'Haunting of the Hill House'.

[Bandini]

With you on 'The Exorcist' Mono - read it when I was thirteen and scared meself silly!

[Scheherazade]

I started reading The Exorcist when I was 12 after hearing a lot about the movie (hadn't seen it myself). I managed to reach page 63 (yeah, I still remember it) but could not carry on any further (reading it late at night did not help either, I guess) and threw it under my bed and never took it out again. Hmmm, I wonder who did...

[Monica]

Every time I read Monica's name I hum Monica by The Kinks. Lovely song.

I've never heard that song, you aroused my interest in it ;) I'll have to check it out :nod:

[Snic19]

I have read The Exorcist also and loved it. Anyone read Legion? I found it at a used bookstore for $3 but haven't read it yet. I also liked Robert Bloch's Psycho. I actually read it before I saw the movie. Anyone read any of his other work? I picked up Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes yesterday and read a little. So far I am really liking it. I love Bradbury's style. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Bandini]

It's on the album 'Village Green Preservation Society' - one of my all time favourite albums. *hums in 'I've had a glass of wine' fashion* "Monica moonshine/Monica knows every line/and everyone knows/ la da da da da de da/ she'll la la de da/ and say what a fool you are/ Mon-i-ca!" What a song. What an album. What a band!

[Bandini]

I recognise that red quote Snic - where's it from?

[karibug99]

Hello! I am new here and decided to post!

There aren't many books out there that are truly scary, which is quite sad. But of course it takes quite a lot to scare me. If you have read Steven King , he is a great author, but his books border more along the lines of wierd, or science fiction if you will.
As for Edgar Allem Poe, he might be one of the best writers in the horror fields. The Tell Tale heart it a great one! Also, if you haven't read Steven Kings, the Girl Who Loved Tom Gordan, That is a great book, also if you are looking for more "Classic Horror", Sir Arthur Connan Doyle's "Hound of the Baskervilles" is a great Mystery/Horror Novel. It is quite a great book that makes you think. The words he uses makes you pay attention, unlike some books that were written where you can think of 500 different things and still understand.

[mono]

Then there is Shirley Jackson's 'Lottery',
YES! Shirley Jackson, and someone who wrote similarly to her, Ursula le Guin, had some really creepy things written, mostly psychological thrillers, but always having a very twisted moral at the end. I remember reading Jackson's Lottery years ago, and I cannot spoil it for those who have not read it, but the author really put some deep, disturbing thought into it.

[Snic19]

The red quote is from the animated Spawn series.

[Monica]

It's on the album 'Village Green Preservation Society' - one of my all time favourite albums. *hums in 'I've had a glass of wine' fashion* "Monica moonshine/Monica knows every line/and everyone knows/ la da da da da de da/ she'll la la de da/ and say what a fool you are/ Mon-i-ca!" What a song. What an album. What a band!


I have finally found it and I'm listening to it right now :D I like it, but still I prefer U2 :nod:

[Snukes]

I nominate House of Leaves, which is creepy as hell in a strange, existential sort of way...