Horror Literature

[Nemo Neem]

With Halloween fast approaching, name your favorite horror novel or story.

Mine is "The Fly," by George Langelaan.

[vonsvin]

Pig Blood Blues by Clive Barker

[Modest Proposal]

I have only read one horror novel that wasn't Poe, Lovecraft, Leroux, Stoker or some such 'classic' and that was, 'The Haunting of Hill House'. It was interesting and very well written.

[Paulclem]

Ghost Story by Peter Straub was very enjoyable. Is that a different genre?

I enjoyed Sieze the Night by Dean Koontz, and the second one in the series, but I generally find his storis a bit formulaic, particularly concerning characterisation.

[dfloyd]

Most are formulaic that are by modern authors: Anne Rice, Stephen King, Clive Cussler, etc. You read one by an author and you've read them all. For example, Interview with a Vampire by Rice wasn't bad, but what followed were generally trite. Of course, the classic horror novel is Dracula by Bram Stoker. Written at the close of the 19th century, it has been popular ever since, but trivialized in the many films. As for short stories, Poe stands above all, with my favorite Poe story being The Fall of the House of Usher. The story of Roderick Usher burying his sister alive (maybe not burying her but entombing her in the family vault) is horrific, but also is written in some of Poe's most beautiful language.

I have a copy bound in a red Morrocan spine with hand-marbled paper boards.
It is illustrated by the artist Alice Neel, who was rushing to get through before her own death from cancer. Her last illustration is a frontal full-page view of ms Usher with the skin peeling from her skeletal face. When asked by the publisher how she perceived this phantasm of death, she replied, "Self portrait." This is a horror story in itself.

[blazeofglory]

I have read a number of horror literature. The ones I remember always are Exorcist, Dracula and the like. I read stories written by some American hoorr literature.

Horror literature is at times very interesting for they are at times expressing things that are layered within us. Melodramatic or horror stories are really thrilling

[Night_Lamp]

I find gothic literature much more frightening than straight ahead horror. It's like the difference between psycho (gothic) and the friday the 13th movies (horror): to me, the knife slashing and the blood running down the drain is much scarier than the visual gore of slasher films.

That said, I love Poe, James' ghost stories, and Le Fanu; but I think one of the most frightening things I've read lately is Algernon Blackwood's The Willows.

That short story had the amazing dense atmosphere of terror that I love about the gothic genre, and it scared the absolute crap of of me! Fantastic!

[The Atheist]

Great subject - I see you have a Poe v Lovecraft thread as well!

Single pick of what I consider to be the most entertaining form of literature - Shirley Jackson's The Lottery!


Most are formulaic that are by modern authors: Anne Rice, Stephen King, Clive Cussler, etc.

Two things here, while King can be formulaic, I think it's wrong to classify him that way. His work varies from extremely good to less than mediocre. Still, I'd take his hits if I could!

Please, please, please, never put King next to Cussler, unless it's with the proviso: "Unlike King, Cussler...." Clive Cussler is a bad joke, which a surprising number of people have never quite figured out. Instructions on how to cultivate a chammomile lawn are more interesting than Cussler who must surely rank as the worst published author alive.

Assuming his books aren't merely written by a computer program.


You read one by an author and you've read them all.

The Green Mile and The Stand.

The premise fails.


When asked by the publisher how she perceived this phantasm of death, she replied, "Self portrait." This is a horror story in itself.

A lot of the worst horror stories are true.


I have read a number of horror literature. The ones I remember always are Exorcist, Dracula and the like. I read stories written by some American hoorr literature.

Horror literature is at times very interesting for they are at times expressing things that are layered within us. Melodramatic or horror stories are really thrilling

The Excorcist is a star in the firmament. Often overlooked, but a masterpiece which manages to shock while poking fun at the RCC.

Useful film, too.

[billl]

I liked Stephen King's The Shining, as well as the first 85% of the enormous IT. But there is sometimes some pretty "amateur" looking writing (too obviously striving for literary effects, imho) in some of King's books--but I didn't really mind at all, they were thrilling page-turners. It's pretty impressive, as far as that goes.

There was a Shrley Jackson that I was reading and enjoying (as a result of a STRONG recommendation), but had to abandon because I was moving or something--it was called Haunting of Hill House. It's interesting to hear another of hers recommended.

[TheFifthElement]

I'm not a big fan of horror but I am going to read Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes for Halloween this year. Anyone read it? I like Bradbury a great deal.

[Jozanny]

As I attempted to post some hours ago, horror is a difficult genre. Bill mentions Jackson - when one first reads her twist endings, yes, shock is possible. I was horrified by a short film version of The Lottery in high school, because I did not know what was coming (the video was faithful to the text - I checked) but she only gets one bite at the apple and her talent rapidly begins to feel one dimensional.

Doris Lessing has a true talent to evoke the horrific, even though she isn't classed as a horror writer, so she is my pick. Of the classical texts, I respect Shelley, but there have been too many damn films of her little book.

[Dark Lady]

How fitting; I'm curently reading The Strange Case of Dr ekyll and Mr Hyde. It's one of those books I've had lying around for ages and never got round to reading. So far so good!

[hs190119]

Wuthering Heights is my favourite!

[Paulclem]

I think the horror genre has limited scope. I suppose it depends upon what is meant by horror - I think of it as stories that are intended to evoke a feeling of shock and horror, rather than the more subtle threats of a ghost story. In the end how much shock horror can we be affected by? As The Atheist has said, the worst horror stories are true.

I grew tired of the pulpy shock horror of James Herbert and Stephen King, and I wanted more from the stories. I did read The Shining last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I would dispute that it can be seen only as a horror book.

[Vladimir777]

The Shining is my favorite horror novel. Scared the pants off me when I first read it--found it a lot scarier than the movie. But I agree that it isn't necessarily just a horror novel. To me, it's actually more depressing the more you read it. Jack's descent is pretty tough to get through after a while.

[OrphanPip]

I'm not a big fan of horror but I am going to read Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes for Halloween this year. Anyone read it? I like Bradbury a great deal.

I like him a lot too, but I was not as fond of this novel as I am of Bradbury's other work. It is still pretty good though.

[DocHeart]

I'd like to cite "The Moth" by H.G. Wells and "The Cask of Amontillado" by E.A. Poe.

They convey different versions of horror, but equally effectively. Reading the first made me stay awake thinking "what would my moth be?" and the second made me rush out of the Stirling Uni library desperately needing to breathe some cold Scottish air.

Regards,
Chris

[Lokasenna]

I'm a whacking great Lovecraft fan... totally out of my professional area, but I can read his stories long into the night, enjoying his great abilities of description, his wonderful use of psychological effect, his water-tight plotting, and the wonderful mythos he created!

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

[The Atheist]

I liked Stephen King's The Shining, as well as the first 85% of the enormous IT.

Only the first 85%?

I'd like It to be 1000 pages longer. Stunning work.


But there is sometimes some pretty "amateur" looking writing (too obviously striving for literary effects, imho) in some of King's books--but I didn't really mind at all, they were thrilling page-turners. It's pretty impressive, as far as that goes.

I'm not sure that it's striving for literary effects - I know people who were taught by him and I'm sure he does understand the "rules".

I just think he's been human and sometimes forced books out that weren't actually there.


There was a Shrley Jackson that I was reading and enjoying (as a result of a STRONG recommendation), but had to abandon because I was moving or something--it was called Haunting of Hill House. It's interesting to hear another of hers recommended.

The Lottery is only a short story, but I've often found them scarier than books.


I grew tired of the pulpy shock horror of James Herbert and Stephen King, and I wanted more from the stories. I did read The Shining last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I would dispute that it can be seen only as a horror book.

In the same way, The Stand could be an alternative bible - same god, same behaviour, same moral messages. Horror doesn't have to be shallow.


I'd like to cite "The Moth" by H.G. Wells and "The Cask of Amontillado" by E.A. Poe.

They convey different versions of horror, but equally effectively. Reading the first made me stay awake thinking "what would my moth be?" and the second made me rush out of the Stirling Uni library desperately needing to breathe some cold Scottish air.

Regards,
Chris

Surprised you get much of that in Greece!

And what's in your Room 101?

[The Atheist]

I'm a whacking great Lovecraft fan... totally out of my professional area, but I can read his stories long into the night, enjoying his great abilities of description, his wonderful use of psychological effect, his water-tight plotting, and the wonderful mythos he created!

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

Bravo!

[Eryk]

Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is surprisingly fascinating. Cultural ramifications of the war in different parts of the world. Stories of survival (some successful) from military people and civilians, including repairmen who keep satellites going while civilization is on hiatus. But the novel is not just speculation on the practical challenges. It's a very moving collection of stories about people, families, and societies.

[DocHeart]

Surprised you get much of that in Greece!

And what's in your Room 101?

Not much Scottish air in Greece, but plenty of it in Stirling. I was there for four years that I now remember as two months. I miss the ducks.

Contents of Room 101: being strapped in an airplane seat as the oxygen masks drop and flames from engine #2 brighten up the windows on its left side.

[horizonrusted]

Actually, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein precedes Dracula by 70 years.:D

[Kell]

I Love misery by Stephen King. When I was younger I really loved the Point Horror series! Did anyone else read them? They seem so silly now but I thought they were great. I find it quite difficult to get scared by books in the same way that fims scare me. I think it's because they are less visual then films.

[Paulclem]

Perhaps when we get interactive e-books...

[BoSox]

'Dreamcatcher' by Stephen King. If anyone has ever read it it's not even about the alien takeover. It's about what those little aliens do while they incubate in your insides. It's the physical descriptions that get to me.
Poe is pretty good too, I picked up a book of his short stories and connected to them better then I thought I would. I'm keeping a look out for a volume with all his stories together.

[Kell]

Interactive e books! now THAT's an idea! Can you imagine! Would be an amazing experience..

[Paulclem]

Interactive e books! now THAT's an idea! Can you imagine! Would be an amazing experience..

I'm wasted as a Tutor...

[Paulclem]

I'm wasted as a Tutor...

Not the boozed out wasted...

[African_Love]

I would like to read some slasher novels, if there are such a thing. Something like Nightmare on Elm Street or Sleepaway Camp in print.

[Tyrionforprez]

Color out of Space by HP Lovecraft

Would House of Leaves count as horror?

[Night_Lamp]

I love Something Wicked This Way Comes; the original and best
evil carney story.

[Dinkleberry2010]

Out of all the horror stories written in the last hundred years I think two stand out: The Willows by Algernon Blackwood and The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen.

[OrphanPip]

Actually, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein precedes Dracula by 70 years.:D

Bram Stocker's Dracula appears 70 years later, but Polidori's "The Vampyre" which pretty much created the vampire genre was published at the same time as Frankenstein. Polidori knew the Shelleys and Lord Byron, and the vampire in his story is apparently in large part based on Byron. Polidori is responsible for that cliche of the aristocratic vampire that became Count Dracula.

Anyway, I think the generally accepted "classic" horror novel is The Monk by Matthew Lewis. It's mostly anti-catholic propaganda, but its content is shocking for something published 1796.

[horizonrusted]

Thanks for the info OrphanPip. Interesting man, this Gaetano Polidori. Interesting family, too. Grandfather of Dante Gabriel and Christina Rossetti, a writer, publisher and translator. AND apparently, the father of vampire fiction, a genre perhaps more alive (or unalive) now than ever.

[DonovanTalbot]

I would like to read some slasher novels, if there are such a thing. Something like Nightmare on Elm Street or Sleepaway Camp in print.

Try Richard Laymon. He has some slashers I know.

[DonovanTalbot]

With Halloween fast approaching, name your favorite horror novel or story.

Mine is "The Fly," by George Langelaan.

Dracula and/or The Shining.

Contenders: Conjure Wife, Cujo, Day of the Triffids, Donovan's Brain, Harvest Home, The Haunting of Hill House, Hell House, The House Next Door, I Am Legend, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, IT, The Other, Pet Sematary, Salem's Lot, Turn of the Screw.

[Jassy Melson]

The absolute best horror story I've ever read is Algernon Blackwood's The Willows

[DonovanTalbot]

The absolute best horror story I've ever read is Algernon Blackwood's The Willows


I don't know if it is the best but it is a masterpiece of atmosphere, could very well contend as the best tho. Shudder inducing creepiness that seeps into your spine, as Blackwood describes the character's perception and nature itself around them.

[Kyriakos]

I havent read it in its entirety, perhaps the translation i had was bad...

My favourite horror story is Machen's "The recluse of Bayswater"/"The story of the white powder".

I once lived in Bayswater, and was quite reclusive, and i read the story only half a year before that :D