I've been thikning lately about trying my hand at some horror writing. I haven't read horror in a long while but would like to read a few good horror novels before I start writing it.
Who would you suggest is worth reading at the moment?
Posted by Rhaythe (Member # 7857) on :
As always, anything by HP Lovecraft. I recommend Whisperer in the Darkness and The Shadow over Innsmouth.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
Well, Stephen King sort of wrote the book on modern horror, I'd say...
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
Yeh, thought about Stephen King, but would like to sample a selection of authors.
Thanks for the suggestions so far. Will look for those novels, Rhaythe.
[This message has been edited by darklight (edited August 01, 2008).]
Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :
Ray Garton's Ravenous is recommended by King. I have it in my nightstand, but I haven't gotten around to it, yet.
Posted by Rhaythe (Member # 7857) on :
No need to look. All of Lovecraft's work has entered the public domain and is available in complete form here:
Remember to be aware of what you're reading and take only the good stuff to heart. Lovecraft, for example, couldn't write dialog to save his life despite being a master of imagery.
Preston & Child, while primarily adventure or mystery story writers, might be a good example to review for creating suspense. The final museum/tunnels sequence of The Relic was a good example of that.
Posted by Merlion-Emrys (Member # 7912) on :
Lovecraft, Stephen King,Poe Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson, Robert Aickman, Theodore Sturgeon, Ramsey Cambell, Arthur Machen, Fritz Leiber, some of Ray Bradbury's stuff in my opinion, Ambrose Bierce, Algernon Blackwood...and although I havent really read him, but should, probably Clive Barker.
Ohh and also, I would throw in a not at all well known author who I love and actually helped me to start finding markets to submit to. His name is Simon Logan...he calls his stuff "Industrial" but much of it would/could be considered horror. Like I said, he's still a mostly unknown small-press writer, and his stuff is very dark and very adult but it has some extremely interesting content.
Posted by debhoag (Member # 5493) on :
Dean Koontz. His Frankenstein trilogy is pretty hot. Third book is coming out in 2009, and there's some deal going on with the series - graphic novel version?
Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :
Dean Koontz is more of a suspence author who dabbles in horror. Incidentally, Deb, his Frankensteins were co-written by Kevin J. Anderson and Ed Gormley(?). And, from what was originally promised, there's supposed to be four books--and it began as a TV miniseries (you can find the filmed-version of the first book at the video store). Kevin J. Anderson was mentored by Dean Koontz. Along those lines, John Saul's good, too.
I have all of Brian Lumley's books, too. His Necroscope series just gets better as it goes.
Posted by psnede on :
I'll second the Frankenstein trilogy (am I recommending Dean Koontz???)
Despite the movie disappointing many, Matheson's I Am Legend is excellent and a short read.
Joe Hill (Stephen King's son) wrote Heart Shaped Box, which was chilling and a page turner.
Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon - Thomas Harris (I'm sure you've already seen the movies, though).
Misery - Stephen King
The Hellbound Heart - Clive Barker
Posted by Merlion-Emrys (Member # 7912) on :
I just had another thought. Get yourself a copy of the "Dark Descent" anthology. Lots of good stuff and the Introduction has many interesting thoughts on the nature and forms of horror fiction.
Also makes a good improvised weapon, seeing as how it weighs like 5 pounds.
Posted by WouldBe (Member # 5682) on :
The Congressional Record?
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
Thanks you very much for all the great suggestions.
I don't do blood and gore, in film or in written form. I'd probably go more toward the phsycological/supernatural type of horror.
I'm going down to my local Waterstones in the next few days to pick up two or three novels. Are there any 'How-To' books on writing horror that I should be looking out for?
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
Why not also read horror written by a Hatracker? Take a look at 'Cerbo en Vitra ujo' by Mary Robinette Kowal, printed by Apex.
Stephen King's written too many books on modern horror, nearly all of them too long as well...
I remember once studying horror with an eye to writing some. I'd already read some; for this, I read fifty-some titles in a couple of weeks. (Didn't cost me anything---I was working in a used book store at the time, and just went to the horror shelf.)
I don't think I got much out of it...I've put out a short story or two of horror, and maybe some of my science fiction acquired a horror tinge...but several attempts at a novel tended to die on me in a few pages, no matter how plotted-out I had things. Besides, most of the books didn't linger in my mind, either...
As for the names thrown out, I'd also add Clark Ashton Smith, Bram Stoker, and some of William Faulkner's stuff.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
PS: I'm glad that someone besides me noticed the bulk of Lovecraft's work was probably in the public domain...but I haven't seen any reprintings taking advantage of it.
I suppose Robert E. Howard's stuff is in public domain by the same reasoning...
Posted by Merlion-Emrys (Member # 7912) on :
I think Stephen King's Danse Macabre and On Writing are both excellent books for writers who want to try horror, and writers in general
Posted by JamieFord (Member # 3112) on :
John Saul sort of writes horror-lite, but sells a ton of books. Peter Straub's Ghost Story is worth checking out as well.
Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :
quote:John Saul sort of writes horror-lite, but sells a ton of books. Peter Straub's Ghost Story is worth checking out as well.
Peter Straub has a few good books(Koko; Floating Dragon; and his books with Stephen King). It just slipped my mind. I mentioned John Saul.
quote: the bulk of Lovecraft's work was probably in the public domain...but I haven't seen any reprintings taking advantage of it.
Flash Fiction Online has...a couple of times.
[This message has been edited by InarticulateBabbler (edited August 03, 2008).]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I had more in mind something I'd pick up in the bookstore. (I understand at least one lit. prof. has an edition of James Joyce's Ulysses ready to go the day the copyright on that expires.)
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
Again, thanks for all the great suggestions.
mikemunsil, thank you for the link to 'Cerbo en Vitra ujo' by Mary Robinette Kowal, it was a fascinating, and somewhat chilling read.
The problem I've found it that my local town (actually, its a city, but it's small and there's nothing here) has few bookstores, and those it does have don't seem to carry a huge variety of authors. I couldn't find half the names that were suggested, but will be going to the library to continue my search.
I mean, I went to Waterstones a while back to buy some OSC books, and they don't stock any of his titles; neither I might add, do any of the other two bookstores here. This is the same for many authors I've wanted to buy. Here in the UK, I find it difficult to even buy certain author's books over the internet.
Anyhow, enough of that. I bought and read I Am Legend on saturday, and also bought a very thick book with nineteen short horror stories, by various authors.
Again, thanks all.
Posted by Rhaythe (Member # 7857) on :
quote:I bought and read I Am Legend on saturday
The original or the movie remake novelization? If the former, good stuff!
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
The original. Very different than the movie. Liked the ending.
Posted by redstar (Member # 8038) on :
Dusk and Dawn by Tim Lebbon Seriously disturbing, but unbelievably well written. I don't actually like horror, but I could not put either of these books down.
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
Wouldbe,
Your comment wasn't completely lost, it made me laugh.
Whereabouts are you, Darklight? I agree that small cities in the UK are badly served, but Waterstones in Birmingham stock OSC, so they do at least know who he is! I'm surprised you have trouble getting stuff on the Net; between Amazon and Abebooks.com, I seem to be able to get most things, no matter how obscure. Admittedly most of my obscurities are ancient history and theology, and you're probably looking for totally different stuff.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
RobertB, sorry, this thread seemed to have gotten lost. I'm in Lincoln, East of England.
And wetwilly, House of Leavessounds interesting, I think I'm going to have to get a copy of that. Thanks for the link.
Posted by wetwilly (Member # 1818) on :
No problem. It's a definite mind-bender. A one-of-a-kind reading experience. And disturbing as hell.
Posted by RobertB (Member # 6722) on :
I've never been to Lincoln, but most cities of that size are a bit lacking in the bookshop department, and you're a long way from anywhere bigger. Not good if you want to browse!
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Starting a topic about finding books in out of the way places.