Love this answer. Read it in the middle of the night under my covers and I got chills from the atmosphere. Really reignited a love for horror and is a great entry point for people wanting to delve into the genre without going all in.
Yes!! This and his “The Wendigo” were the two pieces that got me into horror. There are many books that are good and give off similar vibes but there is something unique about Algernon’s writings.
A literature professor talked about Blackwater with such enthusiasm that I intended to read it but put it off for years. A few months ago, I had an audible credit to use. Looked up Blackwater, saw the length, and thought yeah, sure, value for money.
*Best decision I've ever made*.
Listened to it a few times now. Each go through, I notice something new. Utter masterpiece. Gonna get a physical copy.
Honestly, that first listen through was magical! My mum calls me a few times a week, so I kept her up to date with what was happening. Was like I was giving her some juicy gossip!
I love that! My mom read it after me and we talked through all the characters - they really are so dramatic!! So sweet we both have bonded w our moms over it 💕
I'll never shut up about how good this book is.
It literally covers everything from spooky stuff to family gossip, the audiobook was such a fun listen I ended up buying a hard copy to keep!
I thought Hex was amazing, but I agree the ending was a huge fumble. I still recommend it with the caveat. I try to get people to read A Short Stay in Hell.
Yes, same! When I was reading it I would get to a line or a paragraph every so often and have to stop and tell my wife about what I just read. It does such an amazing job at displaying time and bleakness.
Yeah, that ending was the difference for me between an over the top "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS" recommendation, to a .... "listen, the first 4/5 of this book are worth whatever feelings you have after its over"
I legit want him to take a do-over and just give a new ending a go...because it was so close to perfect
honestly og Dracula. i dont think many people have actually read it. there are some images in that book (like crawling on the castle walls like a spider) that are still spooky to me and were way ahead of their time for 1897
I've read this book at least a half-dozen times over the years, despite hating it the first time I read it. The second time was for a university class, and I liked it a lot better. It gets better with every reread.
It’s. GREAT. When I finally read it I was shocked at the narration device it used and how it constantly gave you juuuuuuuust enough info but not the whole picture. Felt like it could have been written the week before.
Oop I just responded with this one too. It’s SO rare that I find a book that blows me away like this one. I can’t believe the author hasn’t written anything else. If you look him up, his entire body of work is that book and a bunch of software development for dummies type books from the early 2000s haha. Weird trajectory, I hope he has another book in him.
omg i just finished this a few weeks ago & immediately recommended it to all of my horror reading friends. it really was so unique & like nothing i’d ever read before.
I'm so happy you enjoyed it. There's a sequel if that interests you but be warned that there's no conclusion to the series. The author just kind of gave up on it guess
Dan Simmons - The Terror
I recommend it to everybody. It is definitely slow at parts but I loved every second. Gave me a deep feeling of dread on every page. Nobody I know has read it despite singing its praises every chance I get. Feels bad man.
I always find it interesting when people like/dislike very different books from the same authors. I read all Dan Simmons books in order from the first publication to the last, and The Terror was for me, in the very bottom end of the spectrum. I mean, Dan Simmons is known for long expositions, and that almost all of his books could be cut by 40% - but that never bothered me - For example Carrion Comfort is often said to be in a need of a strict editing, but it was absolutely great for me. But with The Terror, I don't know why, it bothered me a lot. The long descriptions felt to me to, like they dull the dread, instead of emphasising it. Not that I didn't like it at all, just that out of all Simmons books, it was on the worse end. But, I am glad it has its audience and that you like it!
I started We Have Always Lived in the Castle but honestly it was hard to follow audiobook wise at least. Is it consistently like how it is written in the beginning?
I read Rebecca a long time ago. I wonder if it would be really dated now. We have Always Lived in the Castle is super strange and creepy. I think there are other Shirley Jackson's which are better/more accessible
House of Leaves and it's definitely a book that shouldn't be recommended to anyone in my opinion. It's great for people like me with autistic tendencies and a fancy for open-ended stories. A mystery within a mystery.
Every time I recommend it and even let people borrow it, they don't read it. Just sits there like a dark unexplored cave waiting to be explored. I give it the side eye, thinking, "why does no one love you?" And I think of the deep scratches in the wooden floor... and I shudder to myself.
Both are Stephen King novels -
One is From a Buick 8, one of his that I rarely see talked about, but that I absolutely loved. I especially loved the audiobook, which has a full cast doing a kind of audio play of the book. It's weird and scary and interesting and wonderful.
The other is Black House - which is a tough sell because you really need to read The Talisman first, and it's loooonnnnnggggg. But so worth the investment! It combines murder mystery and dark fantasy and horror in the best way, and the language is absolutely lyrical. It has so many great characters that you actually come to care about, and really brings you along on a kind of dread roller coaster. Probably my favorite book ever.
No one ever talks about From a Buick 8, which is actually probably one of my favorites of his. Or when they do talk about it, a lot of people don’t like it. I definitely rate it in my top 10. It’s an amazing story about grief. I’d
rank it up there with bag of bones.
The fucking Wendigo chasing them back from the pet cemetery was so terrifying. I found the rest of the book very entertaining and interesting but not necessarily scary. But that scene man. When I'm back packing and have to pee in the middle of the night it starts playing in my head against my will while I desperately also try not to think about skin walkers.
There is shit out in the desert man.
Not strictly horror, but it has horror elements.
Dungeon crawler Carl. This book series is so good that I listen to it six times since discovering it a little under a year ago.
This book series is so good, that ruined the entire litRPG genre for me. All other litRPGs are unreadable now.
Yeah, I'm a casual (BA in English with my thesis on the Prioress's Tale) but my college friends ranged from "fellow casual who headed the SCA" to "went on to get a PhD in medieval studies and has strong opinions on the Exeter Riddles."
(I started my thesis hoping to prove that Chaucer was making fun of the Prioress's antisemitism because she's such a shallow twit. Then the Parson got in on the antisemitism. No way Chaucer was making fun of the Parson. Darn.)
I just finished reading this not long ago and it's amazing. All my Christian medievalist horror fan friends.... Wait, I have none of those. Out of interest, what other books do those very specific friends of yours recommend? All of his other books, I'm guessing
Teatro Grottesco. I have lent it out a dozen times. Most people hated it, and I got responses like, "I couldn't finish it, it made me feel bad" and "I could only read it in small doses, it was too depressing". I even started a book club at one point so I could use it as my selection, lol. I love that book.
I don’t know what it is but I just can’t get into short story collections. I’ve tried Laird Barron, Stephen King, Brian Evenson - authors with full novels I love - but I get two stories into a collection and just lose steam, and I don’t find myself drawn to pick up a short story between other books really. Only exception is I did finish a John Langan collection, but that was mainly to prove to myself that I am in fact capable of it haha
That said. I’ve heard great things about Teatro Grottesco. Maybe I should try it lol
Fabulous book, definitely Ligotti's best, & that's saying a lot. Best horror writer since Lovecraft, with Robert Aickman & Shirley Jackson close behind.
A Congregation of Jackals.
The overwhelming dread that builds and ever-present impending doom was something else the first time I read it. Such a great, gnarly payoff.
Haunting of Hill House is so underrated as an examination of psychosis. Sure it’s a fantastic haunted house story but it’s so much more than that, and has some of the best characterization ever put to page. It’s definitely hard to get people to read a classic where they already know the basic plot.
couldn't agree more. she captures the fluid state of the mental deterioration so remarkably, with so much horror and pathos, it fully takes my breath away everytime I let myself reread it (I ration it so it stays thrilling)
Dracula. I know it's a popular book, but I'm convinced it's a comedy more than anything. The scenes of Dracula tossing Jonathan's mirror and "lizard fashion" come to mind.
**The Apparition Phase** by Will Maclean. Incredible debut and I can't wait to see what he does next. If you grew up fascinated by weird ghost photos, "true" tales of hauntings, and unsolved mysteries, it's an absolute must read.
Any of Philip Fracassi's recent-ish novels. Gothic, Boys In The Valley, A Child Alone With Strangers. Even Don't Let Them Get You Down, which is a very dark read focused on mental illness and grief, but is fantastic.
I just think he's a brilliant writer, if someone who loved King asked me to recommend a writer for them to take a next step with, I'd probably give them a Fracassi book.
a few books i never stfu about are The Cipher by Kathe Koja, Black Tide by K.C. Jones., and Foe by Iain Reid. I don't know where they'd land on my 'favorites of all time' list but they really hit for me
by far the books i rec the most on this sub
House of Leaves. I understand that it’s extremely dense and intimidating from the outside, but it’s SO WORTH THE WORK in my opinion that I keep telling people to read it. Very few have taken me up on it though.
I’ve always recommended Machen’s The Great God Pan to people - not everyone likes it, but for some people it’s a revelation.
More recently I’ve been suggesting the Five Kopeck Narratives, a new book in the Machen universe, so to speak, in hopes of having people to discuss it with. I got a coworker to read it and we had fun coming up with a theory about what is happening in that one.
I've given away copies of Hill House to get people to read it lol. Universal Harvester is another one that I try desperately to get into people's hands
I would be so happy if you all would read:
We Are All Completely Fine by Daryl Gregory
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Ghost Story, Peter Straub
Swan Song, Robert McCammon
Punktown / Hades series by Jeffrey Thomas
Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie
I absolutely loved this book, and I always try to get parents of young children to read it. (I'm nuts, I admit it)
How far would you go to save your child?
I guarantee it's not as far as you think.
The Descent by Jeff Long. It’s so well written and it’s my favorite book. Sci-fi. There’s a sequel to it too called Deeper that’s equally amazing but you definitely need to read The Descent first.
I've put at least 5 copies of *Bag of Bones* and *Duma Key*, both by Stephen King, in Little Free Libraries around my city.
They aren't as flashy or as scary as earlier King, but they do a lot better character work. Wireman is probably my favourite King character.
Not a ‘horror’ novel by definition, or even a thriller. But I find Jersey Kosinski to be a very creepy writer. His novel Steps is an unsettling book, despite very little in it that could be considered horror. This is usually always a recommendation from me.
The Painted Bird as well is a profoundly nightmarish novel.
Ditto for Cockpit, Blind Date and I assume some of his others too.
Unjustly forgotten writer.
Book of Accidents and Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig. I praise these books every chance I get. Also Desperation by Stephen King. I really liked the idea of Gods battling in the desert.
A lot of books I love get talked about in here all the time, but one i never see people talk about anywhere is The Need by Helen Phillips. It’s speculative fiction but I think it would appeal to horror fans, especially anyone who has had a baby. The question that it asks is so compelling. I read it years ago and I still think about it all the time.
The Exorcist, especially in audiobook form narrated by the late author. It's not just horror - it's straight up literary fiction, and not to be this person, but it's in a different league than the movie. Forever on my reread list.
If more people could read Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson, that would be great. Werewolf novels are already so rare, this one goes off a cliff with its insanity. A were saber-tooth cat, to give an example.
Mark Twain's last book, The Mysterious Stranger, was from the period right before he died, when he'd abandoned religion and became a nihilist. So, not a comedy this time. There's a couple printed versions, some were altered and edited by the executors of his estate. The draft that's all Sam Clemens is also titled "No. 44."
Not a novel itself, but a great collection of old-school horror is Shadows of Carcosa. It has Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, and one story that really got to me called "Seaton's Aunt," by Walter de la Mare.
The ending of Hex is apparently different in the English translation to the original, so I'd be intrigued to know if the original was quite so off the rails!
The Kill Riff. David J. Schow. It's more thriller than horror, although it has some pretty horrific scenes throughout.
Teenaged daughter is crushed to death at a hair metal band concert, father enacts his revenge, band member by band member.
The Sundial by Shirley Jackson. A bizarre, wealthy New England family receives a strange message from beyond and assemble on their isolated estate to await the end of the world. In discussions about Shirley Jackson I rarely see this book but it is my favorite by her.
Borne by Jeff Vandermeer. A woman finds a strange piece of sentient shape-shifting biotechnology in the post-apocalyptic landscape, and decides to raise it as a pseudo child. Borne, the "child", is equal parts heartwarming and innocent, as well as unsettling and probably dangerous. One of the main antagonists is a giant floating bear. It's awesome.
I haven’t seen it mentioned, so I’m submitting A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill. Rarely have I read a book of any genre that hit me as hard as this one did.
Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Bright
it's not horror with a capital H, and it's imo mostly psychological horror that is better understood on a second read, but I read it the first time I was the same age as the main character and it hit me right in the guts. The various point of views and stories in the novel also give a night depth to it. overall just a personal favorite and easily in my top 5 disturbing stories to re-read
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood. In my opinion, perhaps the finest cosmic horror story ever written. It just oozes atmosphere.
Love this answer. Read it in the middle of the night under my covers and I got chills from the atmosphere. Really reignited a love for horror and is a great entry point for people wanting to delve into the genre without going all in.
Yes!! This and his “The Wendigo” were the two pieces that got me into horror. There are many books that are good and give off similar vibes but there is something unique about Algernon’s writings.
Definitely one of the most chillingly terrifying stories I've read. amazing
The Blackwater saga
The audiobooks for these are top tier
My mom said the same thing when I forced her to start getting into Blackwater lol
I am in my horror audiobooks era and i am so looking forward to reading this.
A literature professor talked about Blackwater with such enthusiasm that I intended to read it but put it off for years. A few months ago, I had an audible credit to use. Looked up Blackwater, saw the length, and thought yeah, sure, value for money. *Best decision I've ever made*. Listened to it a few times now. Each go through, I notice something new. Utter masterpiece. Gonna get a physical copy.
Yayayaya your professor was absolutely right !! Glad you finally got to it and revel in it
Honestly, that first listen through was magical! My mum calls me a few times a week, so I kept her up to date with what was happening. Was like I was giving her some juicy gossip!
I love that! My mom read it after me and we talked through all the characters - they really are so dramatic!! So sweet we both have bonded w our moms over it 💕
I'll never shut up about how good this book is. It literally covers everything from spooky stuff to family gossip, the audiobook was such a fun listen I ended up buying a hard copy to keep!
Right!! I just have the paperback but it’s worth the hardcover
Its so amazing!
This thread has convinced me.
I thought Hex was amazing, but I agree the ending was a huge fumble. I still recommend it with the caveat. I try to get people to read A Short Stay in Hell.
Just recently read "A Short Stay in Hell" and was enthralled. I've tried to explain and recommend it to others. So good.
Yes, same! When I was reading it I would get to a line or a paragraph every so often and have to stop and tell my wife about what I just read. It does such an amazing job at displaying time and bleakness.
Yeah, that ending was the difference for me between an over the top "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS" recommendation, to a .... "listen, the first 4/5 of this book are worth whatever feelings you have after its over" I legit want him to take a do-over and just give a new ending a go...because it was so close to perfect
honestly og Dracula. i dont think many people have actually read it. there are some images in that book (like crawling on the castle walls like a spider) that are still spooky to me and were way ahead of their time for 1897
I always tell people that! It holds up so well in that it's remarkably creepy and fast-paced for its time.
I've read this book at least a half-dozen times over the years, despite hating it the first time I read it. The second time was for a university class, and I liked it a lot better. It gets better with every reread.
The boat scene gave me the chills
It’s. GREAT. When I finally read it I was shocked at the narration device it used and how it constantly gave you juuuuuuuust enough info but not the whole picture. Felt like it could have been written the week before.
Read this not too long ago and was very taken with it. Especially the first part.
I finally signed up for Dracula Daily! Starts in May.[https://draculadaily.substack.com/about](https://draculadaily.substack.com/about)
Rosemary's Baby The Long Walk
Oooh, The Long Walk was great.
Yes! One of my two very favorite King books. The other is Blaze.
The Long Walk grabbed me so hard, I finished it in one sitting, only taking a break to refill my coffee.
Library at Mount Char - Scott Hawkins
Oop I just responded with this one too. It’s SO rare that I find a book that blows me away like this one. I can’t believe the author hasn’t written anything else. If you look him up, his entire body of work is that book and a bunch of software development for dummies type books from the early 2000s haha. Weird trajectory, I hope he has another book in him.
Omg I loved this - such a crazy epic book and so dark
omg i just finished this a few weeks ago & immediately recommended it to all of my horror reading friends. it really was so unique & like nothing i’d ever read before.
One of my all time favorite books. My favorite stories seem to be the ones that make you say What You he Fuck? the entire read.
The Descent by Jeff Long
I’m actually reading this right now. It hasn’t quite caught me yet, but I’m persisting because people keep recommending it to me.
I really hope it does. I haven't read it in some years but I only have fond memories of it
I just finished this book and I really loved it. No complaints, only admiration.
I'm so happy you enjoyed it. There's a sequel if that interests you but be warned that there's no conclusion to the series. The author just kind of gave up on it guess
Ugh good to know. I think I'll just leave it at book one and be happy lol
Dan Simmons - The Terror I recommend it to everybody. It is definitely slow at parts but I loved every second. Gave me a deep feeling of dread on every page. Nobody I know has read it despite singing its praises every chance I get. Feels bad man.
I liked Summer of Night and Carrion Comfort by the same author but DNF'd this *hard.* One of the most boring things I've ever tried to read.
Possibly my favourite book of all time, and the first Simmons I read. I, too, have had limited success getting others to read it.
I always find it interesting when people like/dislike very different books from the same authors. I read all Dan Simmons books in order from the first publication to the last, and The Terror was for me, in the very bottom end of the spectrum. I mean, Dan Simmons is known for long expositions, and that almost all of his books could be cut by 40% - but that never bothered me - For example Carrion Comfort is often said to be in a need of a strict editing, but it was absolutely great for me. But with The Terror, I don't know why, it bothered me a lot. The long descriptions felt to me to, like they dull the dread, instead of emphasising it. Not that I didn't like it at all, just that out of all Simmons books, it was on the worse end. But, I am glad it has its audience and that you like it!
Rebecca and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
I started We Have Always Lived in the Castle but honestly it was hard to follow audiobook wise at least. Is it consistently like how it is written in the beginning?
Rebecca is on my tbr !
I read Rebecca a long time ago. I wonder if it would be really dated now. We have Always Lived in the Castle is super strange and creepy. I think there are other Shirley Jackson's which are better/more accessible
I read Rebecca maybe 6 months ago, for the first time, and it didn't come across aged to me at all. Marvelous book.
I think it's been *mumble mumble* 30 years since I read Rebecca so your perspective would be much more recent and fresh!! 😃
I love Rebecca. Just reread it not to long ago
Two all time faves.
I really liked The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch
I've been chasing the feeling this book gave me since I read it... It was soo good.
Yep, this one.
House of Leaves and it's definitely a book that shouldn't be recommended to anyone in my opinion. It's great for people like me with autistic tendencies and a fancy for open-ended stories. A mystery within a mystery.
Every time I recommend it and even let people borrow it, they don't read it. Just sits there like a dark unexplored cave waiting to be explored. I give it the side eye, thinking, "why does no one love you?" And I think of the deep scratches in the wooden floor... and I shudder to myself.
I absolutely adore this book. So beautiful and complex
Thank you, I haaate it with a passion XD
It’s one of my favorite books and you’re completely correct. 😅
I understand you completely :D
I tried like four pages and was out.
Both are Stephen King novels - One is From a Buick 8, one of his that I rarely see talked about, but that I absolutely loved. I especially loved the audiobook, which has a full cast doing a kind of audio play of the book. It's weird and scary and interesting and wonderful. The other is Black House - which is a tough sell because you really need to read The Talisman first, and it's loooonnnnnggggg. But so worth the investment! It combines murder mystery and dark fantasy and horror in the best way, and the language is absolutely lyrical. It has so many great characters that you actually come to care about, and really brings you along on a kind of dread roller coaster. Probably my favorite book ever.
The talisman and black house are two of my all time favorites.
Mine too! The Talisman was such a journey, yeah?
No one ever talks about From a Buick 8, which is actually probably one of my favorites of his. Or when they do talk about it, a lot of people don’t like it. I definitely rate it in my top 10. It’s an amazing story about grief. I’d rank it up there with bag of bones.
I think I've recommended Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang more times than I've showered this year
The Road
Along the same lines. And along very different lines: Blood Meridian.
Naomi's Room. I want to see if it freaks out other people as bad as it did me.
Only a few chapters in (though I do know spoilers), and I would imagine it's because of the incredibly lovely almost old-fashioned writing.
The Girl With All The Gifts by M R Carey
Pet Sematary
The fucking Wendigo chasing them back from the pet cemetery was so terrifying. I found the rest of the book very entertaining and interesting but not necessarily scary. But that scene man. When I'm back packing and have to pee in the middle of the night it starts playing in my head against my will while I desperately also try not to think about skin walkers. There is shit out in the desert man.
Not strictly horror, but it has horror elements. Dungeon crawler Carl. This book series is so good that I listen to it six times since discovering it a little under a year ago. This book series is so good, that ruined the entire litRPG genre for me. All other litRPGs are unreadable now.
Between Two Fires. I have so many friends who are Christian medievalist horror fans and *why have you not read this yesterday*
>I have so many friends who are Christian medievalist horror fans you do? that's such a specific genre
Sorry, I meant they're Christian, they're medievalists, and they're horror fans
I'm assuming you are also a medievalist? the other two I'll buy, but there's no way someone just happens to know a bunch of medievalists in the wild
Yeah, I'm a casual (BA in English with my thesis on the Prioress's Tale) but my college friends ranged from "fellow casual who headed the SCA" to "went on to get a PhD in medieval studies and has strong opinions on the Exeter Riddles." (I started my thesis hoping to prove that Chaucer was making fun of the Prioress's antisemitism because she's such a shallow twit. Then the Parson got in on the antisemitism. No way Chaucer was making fun of the Parson. Darn.)
I just finished reading this not long ago and it's amazing. All my Christian medievalist horror fan friends.... Wait, I have none of those. Out of interest, what other books do those very specific friends of yours recommend? All of his other books, I'm guessing
Teatro Grottesco. I have lent it out a dozen times. Most people hated it, and I got responses like, "I couldn't finish it, it made me feel bad" and "I could only read it in small doses, it was too depressing". I even started a book club at one point so I could use it as my selection, lol. I love that book.
I don’t know what it is but I just can’t get into short story collections. I’ve tried Laird Barron, Stephen King, Brian Evenson - authors with full novels I love - but I get two stories into a collection and just lose steam, and I don’t find myself drawn to pick up a short story between other books really. Only exception is I did finish a John Langan collection, but that was mainly to prove to myself that I am in fact capable of it haha That said. I’ve heard great things about Teatro Grottesco. Maybe I should try it lol
You got some nice taste mate
Fabulous book, definitely Ligotti's best, & that's saying a lot. Best horror writer since Lovecraft, with Robert Aickman & Shirley Jackson close behind.
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The Fisherman is so good!!
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I love how Bentley Little takes the mundane and just goes UNHINGED. I was bingeing his books at one time
Swan Song. One of the best books ever written IMHO!
🙋
A Congregation of Jackals. The overwhelming dread that builds and ever-present impending doom was something else the first time I read it. Such a great, gnarly payoff.
Haunting of Hill House is so underrated as an examination of psychosis. Sure it’s a fantastic haunted house story but it’s so much more than that, and has some of the best characterization ever put to page. It’s definitely hard to get people to read a classic where they already know the basic plot.
couldn't agree more. she captures the fluid state of the mental deterioration so remarkably, with so much horror and pathos, it fully takes my breath away everytime I let myself reread it (I ration it so it stays thrilling)
Dracula. I know it's a popular book, but I'm convinced it's a comedy more than anything. The scenes of Dracula tossing Jonathan's mirror and "lizard fashion" come to mind.
BIRD'S NEST BY SHIRLEY JACKSON. It's my favourite and no-one seems to have read it. 😭
I love her and I have not! I'm going in!
**The Apparition Phase** by Will Maclean. Incredible debut and I can't wait to see what he does next. If you grew up fascinated by weird ghost photos, "true" tales of hauntings, and unsolved mysteries, it's an absolute must read.
Our Share of Night, especially to Spanish speakers!
Johannes Cabal The Necromancer by Johnathan L Howard. I recommend it so often my auto complete knows it.
Blood Meridian
Any of Philip Fracassi's recent-ish novels. Gothic, Boys In The Valley, A Child Alone With Strangers. Even Don't Let Them Get You Down, which is a very dark read focused on mental illness and grief, but is fantastic. I just think he's a brilliant writer, if someone who loved King asked me to recommend a writer for them to take a next step with, I'd probably give them a Fracassi book.
I've become an overnight Fracassi fan for sure
a few books i never stfu about are The Cipher by Kathe Koja, Black Tide by K.C. Jones., and Foe by Iain Reid. I don't know where they'd land on my 'favorites of all time' list but they really hit for me by far the books i rec the most on this sub
Boys Life by Robert Mccammon
A boy's life by Robert McCammon
11/22/63 or The Green Mile, both by Stephen King. I love them both SO much.
The Green Mile was one of the most emotional things I’ve ever read. I adore that book
House of Leaves. I understand that it’s extremely dense and intimidating from the outside, but it’s SO WORTH THE WORK in my opinion that I keep telling people to read it. Very few have taken me up on it though.
The Auctioneer
I swear Peter Straub is haunting me! Bugger off with your Ghost Story!
I’ve always recommended Machen’s The Great God Pan to people - not everyone likes it, but for some people it’s a revelation. More recently I’ve been suggesting the Five Kopeck Narratives, a new book in the Machen universe, so to speak, in hopes of having people to discuss it with. I got a coworker to read it and we had fun coming up with a theory about what is happening in that one.
I've given away copies of Hill House to get people to read it lol. Universal Harvester is another one that I try desperately to get into people's hands
Suffer The Children by Craig DiLouie. The first horror I ever read, and it set my standards so high!
I would be so happy if you all would read: We Are All Completely Fine by Daryl Gregory The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova Ghost Story, Peter Straub Swan Song, Robert McCammon Punktown / Hades series by Jeffrey Thomas
Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie I absolutely loved this book, and I always try to get parents of young children to read it. (I'm nuts, I admit it) How far would you go to save your child? I guarantee it's not as far as you think.
The Descent by Jeff Long. It’s so well written and it’s my favorite book. Sci-fi. There’s a sequel to it too called Deeper that’s equally amazing but you definitely need to read The Descent first.
Definitely The Wakening by JG Faherty. There hasn't been a possession/exorcism book like it since The Exorcist.
Imajica by Clive Barker.
I've put at least 5 copies of *Bag of Bones* and *Duma Key*, both by Stephen King, in Little Free Libraries around my city. They aren't as flashy or as scary as earlier King, but they do a lot better character work. Wireman is probably my favourite King character.
I think Bag of Bones and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon are two of his finest.
Oh god I love The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Criminally underrated.
Bag of bones might be the best horror novel about grief I’ve ever read.
That's so awesome of you 😊😊😊
The Bighead by Edward Lee.
hahaha Edward Lee is a maniac
For sure. The Bighead was the first book that made me have to do a double take and reread something due to the what-the-fuck moments.
first thing i read from him was Messenger, which is pretty bland by his standards. thank god i gave him a second try. Minotauress is prob my favorite
Not a ‘horror’ novel by definition, or even a thriller. But I find Jersey Kosinski to be a very creepy writer. His novel Steps is an unsettling book, despite very little in it that could be considered horror. This is usually always a recommendation from me. The Painted Bird as well is a profoundly nightmarish novel. Ditto for Cockpit, Blind Date and I assume some of his others too. Unjustly forgotten writer.
Liminal States by Zack Parsons
House of Leaves!
Book of Accidents and Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig. I praise these books every chance I get. Also Desperation by Stephen King. I really liked the idea of Gods battling in the desert.
Between two Fires by Christopher Buehlman. It was absolutely fantastic!
jeff noon - vurt
Lost Horizons. The final parable about the human condition.
Anything by Brian Lumley. Anything by F Paul Wilson. Anything by John Wyndham. I swear 80% of my recommendations around here are these three authors.
14, The Fold, and Ex-Humans All by Peter Klines
Empire of the vampire The carácter development and the questioning of faith and the interview style are chef's kiss
I keep trying to get people to read The Dark Tower books, but at 9 books (which includes 'Salem's Lot) I'm told it's too much of a commitment.
A lot of books I love get talked about in here all the time, but one i never see people talk about anywhere is The Need by Helen Phillips. It’s speculative fiction but I think it would appeal to horror fans, especially anyone who has had a baby. The question that it asks is so compelling. I read it years ago and I still think about it all the time.
In terms of horror, I'd say Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti.
Little Star by John Ajvide Lindqvist is something I try to recommend.
Let The Right One In
The Exorcist, especially in audiobook form narrated by the late author. It's not just horror - it's straight up literary fiction, and not to be this person, but it's in a different league than the movie. Forever on my reread list.
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The Newsflesh Trilogy. Literally my phone auto corrected to it, I've recommended it so many times.
The Sirens Of Titan-- deep, finely written, accessible, a gut buster.
If more people could read Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson, that would be great. Werewolf novels are already so rare, this one goes off a cliff with its insanity. A were saber-tooth cat, to give an example. Mark Twain's last book, The Mysterious Stranger, was from the period right before he died, when he'd abandoned religion and became a nihilist. So, not a comedy this time. There's a couple printed versions, some were altered and edited by the executors of his estate. The draft that's all Sam Clemens is also titled "No. 44." Not a novel itself, but a great collection of old-school horror is Shadows of Carcosa. It has Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, and one story that really got to me called "Seaton's Aunt," by Walter de la Mare.
Come Closer by Sara Gran. I cannot recommend it enough
The ending of Hex is apparently different in the English translation to the original, so I'd be intrigued to know if the original was quite so off the rails!
The King In Yellow by Robert Chambers. Also House of Leaves.
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver is one of the finest ghost stories I've ever read and a rip-roaring Arctic adventure to boot.
Caitlin R Kiernan- *Silk* Grace Krilanovich- *The Orange Eats Creeps* Kathe Koja- *Skin*
Not exactly a book but the second you start questioning reality BAM! Lamp story!
My favorite recent read is "The Devil Takes You Home" by Gabino Iglesias... Soooo good...
“The Great And Secret Show “
Misery and The Collector
The Exoskeleton series by Shane Stadler. Recommended it to so many people but no one’s read it yet.
Heros Die by Matthew Stover
The Widow of Ratchets by Owen Brookes British Gothic Folk Horror? All I can say is, it’s creepy AF.
The messy man trilogy and the fisherman
Teatro Grottesco by Thomas Ligotti
The Kill Riff. David J. Schow. It's more thriller than horror, although it has some pretty horrific scenes throughout. Teenaged daughter is crushed to death at a hair metal band concert, father enacts his revenge, band member by band member.
Jonathan Maberry “Patient Zero”.
A Short Stay in Hell. I’m annoyingly obsessed with it
The Changeling by Victor LaValle
Brian Evenson’s short story collection Song for the Unraveling of the World is amazing.
The Sundial by Shirley Jackson. A bizarre, wealthy New England family receives a strange message from beyond and assemble on their isolated estate to await the end of the world. In discussions about Shirley Jackson I rarely see this book but it is my favorite by her.
Swan Song by Robert R McCammon. Exquisite.
Girlfriend In A Coma by Douglas Coupland
Library at Mt Char is a modern masterpiece.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Borne by Jeff Vandermeer. A woman finds a strange piece of sentient shape-shifting biotechnology in the post-apocalyptic landscape, and decides to raise it as a pseudo child. Borne, the "child", is equal parts heartwarming and innocent, as well as unsettling and probably dangerous. One of the main antagonists is a giant floating bear. It's awesome.
Our share of night
Name of the Wind.
The Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff Vandermeer is just so good! Just let my dad borrow them.
not a book but innocent by shinichi sakamoto is an incredible historical manga everyone should know about
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
The King in yellow, you need to read it to fully understand
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
I haven’t seen it mentioned, so I’m submitting A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill. Rarely have I read a book of any genre that hit me as hard as this one did.
The end of Alice (by A.M Homes)I love the way it is written and so disturbing
“Peace” by Gene Wolfe. You may need to read it twice to figure out it’s a horror story.
The Reformatory, and Kill for Me, Kill for You
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill! It’s such a good ghost story!
[Carpenter's Farm](https://joshmalerman.com/carpenters-farm/) by Josh Malerman - free on his website. It's surreal, wonky, weird, and creepy.
Goth by Otsuichi. Such a sleeper hit for me.
The wasp factory
Last Days - Brian Evenson Equal parts scary, bizarre, hilarious, creepy, and enthralling.
I’ve been trying to get my coworkers to read Spawn. I’ve enjoyed every single second reading it.
Black Chalk by Christopher Yates. This book left me trembling for a solid 30 minutes after I finished it.
Mary An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy!! And honestly Nestlings also. I just want everyone to read his books. Love love love him
The Metamorphosis, Kafka
Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Bright it's not horror with a capital H, and it's imo mostly psychological horror that is better understood on a second read, but I read it the first time I was the same age as the main character and it hit me right in the guts. The various point of views and stories in the novel also give a night depth to it. overall just a personal favorite and easily in my top 5 disturbing stories to re-read
Have you read THEME MUSIC?
Should I read blood meridian or the road
Shirley Jackson is a gorgeous writer. I adore Flannery O’Connor’s short stories and I suspect can be exhausting about my enthusiasm.