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Scariest Books I've Ever Read
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- Опубліковано 19 сер 2023
- Ranking the top 5 scariest books I've ever read. From scary horror books to the scariest horror books, from Canadian horror writers, American horror writers, and British horror writers. I also talk about my own short story collections and novellas of psychological horror.
Amazon.com Author Page: bit.ly/3OPFWz0
#books #booktube #horrortube #horror #reading #scary
Some of the best horror books I recommend in this video include
The Deep by Nick Cutter
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Ian Reid
The Ritual by Adam Nevill
Off Season by Jack Ketchum
Try reading Pet Semetary when alone in a house miles from anywhere on a
Winter's night . ? You'll sleep with the light on !!
Pet semetary has been on my to-read list for ages! I feel guilty for not having read it yet. Eventually.... Eventually
You should read Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmions. There is a short version and a long version. But it’s AWESOME.
I've read it. Wish I had known there is a short version😔Unfortunately, other than a few scenes -- the chess scene in particular -- it didn't work on me. I probably didn't have the right frame of mind for it. I was expecting something cerebral, and it was more of an action thriller. What can I say, I'm a grumpy reader sometimes.
If you like DAn Simmons and haven't yet read "Son gof Kali"...do it! That one scared the bajeeziss out of me. I loved CAriaon Comfort and I read the long version. It had some creepy connections with Epstein's island imo.
I loved The Deep the end really scared me,I also loved The Troop
And he has a new book coming out this October! (keep an eye on this channel for when he comes on to talk with me about it and his other works)
I very much enjoyed the way you phrased your introduction. The scariest books do indeed seem to frighten you from within. Matheson's Hell House was simply too frightening for me to enjoy.
Glad to find your channel. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos!
Hi B-RollBooks. Thank you for the kind words!
Great list, didn't know any of these! They all sound interesting too, excited to check them out
Thanks for the kind words
Hi there! This got randomly suggested to me and I see you have a super low subscriber count, so I'm going to treat you like this is something you haven't done a lot of (I've not checked yet). I'd recommend checking when you listen back how your speaking voice (which is pleasantly soft) contrasts with the bumper music you use - it's a really marked difference in volume.
I look forward to seeing you do more stuff, this was an interesting video!
Can't speak for the novels, but this narrator is by far one of the creepiest guys I've ever listened to! 😮
Was thinking the same 🤣🤣
Can I borrow the narrator to read me a scary book? 😂
@irrose1185 RIGHT! Of course, I think this guy could give you nightmares reading "The Night Before Christmas"! 😆
Lol😂😂😂
I saw Cliff from Cliff's Dark Gems review this book. He named you, so I had to come check out your channel. Off Season flew to my TBR!!!!!! Looking forward to seeing more of your videos!!!!
Hi Rod. Thanks for stopping by 😀Good luck with Off Season. It's a tough one.
I agree with Nevill, he can do scary! I loved the Ritual, and i havent read the Reddening but for me House of small shadows creeped me out, i even had nightmares from that book and so it holds a special place in my heart lol.🤓 great list!
I came close to putting House of Small Shadows on the list! I figured I had to restrain myself and keep it to maximum 2 Adam Nevill books😁I have 3 more of his to read then I'll get to do a ranking video of all his novels. (I'm obsessed with ranking, apparently.)
@Michael_Wertenberg LOL! I love the rankings, it's interesting.
I could not finish the Ritual. I love love the film but the book just didn't hold me as much. The teenage black metal band drive me nuts. It didn't help that it was an audio book so the accent the narrator used was annoying.
@poppynogood6097 tbh the Ritual is my least favorite of Nevill's books, but I did like it. I did not like the movie at all, for lack of a better word, I thought it was stupid. But like Michael, I'm not a huge fan of movies anyway. Nevill might not be for everyone, but he's one of my favorite authors.
Excellent selection. I've read them all except for I'm Thinking of Ending Things, which I admit I gave up on. I might try it again given I'm aware what you think you're seeing you actually aren't. I adored Adam Neville's The Reddening too. I spent most of my life in the area where he set the book. That man can really write.
Nice. Another Nieville fan! I have 2 more to go then I can do a ranking of his novels. (I'm obsessed with rankings, apparently.) Thanks for the kind words.
Great list and I commend you for your rich and compelling descriptions which have motivated me to read each one. I am not sure if I should be ashamed or not but I have to admit to not having read any of the five you highlight. I aim to change that in the coming weeks. The fact you read one in french, a language I am currently trying to learn impresses me. I am envious, again not sure if I should admit that or not. Great video, thank you 🙏🏻.
Hi Phil. Thank you for the kind words 😊No shame in not having read those. That's why I make the videos, to try and recommend books that might otherwise go under-read. Courage dans l'apprentissage du français ! (I am French, and growing up here, the language came quite easy to me; and my mother being American, English came easy to me, too.I'm afraid there's not much impressive about it 😔)
@@Michael_Wertenberg Thank you Michael. I have to say I have added quite a few of your recommended books to my ‘to read’ list and of course having never read them I have much to enjoy ahead. I am English but abandoned my birth land moving to France so learning the language is a must, mais c’est très difficile pour moi 😂, but a little a day helps me make progress. Just been painting my 84 yr old’s neighbours gates for her and loved every second of it despite stumbling through our little chats. I am mindful of the quote ‘we are what we do, not what we say we will do’. Best of luck with your channel. I am going to follow you and I am certain you’ll keep my ‘to read’ list full. Not sure I will ever catch up but it will be a thrilling read that’s for sure. Regards, Phil.
New to the channel. "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" was entertaining. I enjoyed it.
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica: It'll be a while until read a book as disturbing as this.
Hawk Mountain by Conner Habib is a close 2nd place.
Movie: I'll take a guess and say you liked "Eyes of My Mother" which while a brilliant film, it's deeply disturbing .
I look forward to more recommendations.
Hi Robert. Welcome to the channel🙂I just, coincidentally, read Tender Is the Flesh yesterday. I thought it was very good. For me, it's such an exageration as to not be that disturbing. But definitely thought-provoking. I had never heard of Hawk Mountain. Just looked it up on Goodreads. Sounds interesting. Thanks for the recommendation🙂
Actually great recommendations. I like how you also give so much info about the author and tge book's history.
Thanks 😁
Great list! I hadn’t heard of the Reddening, going to get that one! Also, if you didn’t like Off Season because of the gore, you probably won’t like Cutter’s other novel The Troop. Just constant brutal body horror involving sickness. I literally had to stop reading anytime I knew I’d be eating soon.
Hi Benjamin. I actually really liked The Troop😀Maybe reading Off Season prepared me for it. If you do read The Redenning, please let me know how it works for you. And stay tuned for my Nick Cutter interview coming soon...
@@Michael_Wertenberg oh, glad you made it through it! I enjoyed it too, despite having my stomach churned! Awesome that you’re interviewing him. He’s exceptional at transporting you into a setting and scene, I NEEDED to get out of that nasty cabin!
The ONLY book that scared me all the way through was THE SHINING. DRACULA had one scene that scared hell out of me that is Dracula crawling along the face of his castle.
I am frequented by a same memory but from a movie, maybe 'the' movie, an old movie. I cannot get that visual out of my mind. Dracula slithering at snail pace up that wall.
Slithering is the perfect word.
Both of those are in my top 5 all time
Yes! The opening of Dracula is excellent!
try crash by jg ballard, and high rise...you'll never trust your neighbours again
I loved Crash! Brilliant. It's one of my recommendations in the video 'Books To Read After You die' ua-cam.com/video/Zz1aNKwOEzU/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MichaelWertenberg
High rise was pretty trippy
Maybe it was the age I was when I read it - because I know Dean Koontz is not the highest caliber of authors - but I think Phantoms was my personal scariest book. An entire town disappearing, locked room mysteries, things that go bump in the night - I really enjoyed the suspense and the creepiness and I thought the monster was truly something different and terrifying. As I grew up afterwards, books just didn't scare me as much even though i still loved reading them.
I need to give Koontz another shot (maybe with Phantoms). I've only read Dragon Tears and didn't care for it, but I tell myself, he's so popular I should probablu give him a second chance...
I'm not sure why you say that about Koontz. I think he's a great writer. One of my book clubs just selected "Velocity" and I binged it and loved it. Give that one a go. It just might upgrade your oppinion.
@@frances-ie6dt Oh I don't think he's a bad writer (he did write my scariest book), I just wouldn't put him in the same category as H.P. Lovecraft or Clive Barker. But thanks for the recommendation.
@@mrg3241 Agreed! HP Lovecraft invented his own brand of creepy. I love Barker but more for his dark fantasy noels. Btw, I just read that "I'm thinking of ending things" book from this video....not good. "Come Closer" by Sara Graham was pretty sinister though.
Great list of books. I've read them all except the Ketchum. Not a fan and it has more to do with the way he makes connections than the yikes factor. The only book that has ever unnerved me as an adult was Michael McDowell's The Elementals.
Thanks. Did you like The Reddening as much as I did? I wish I had liked The Elementals. I had high expectations, but I just thought it was silly. 😔I know I'm in the minority on that one.
@@Michael_Wertenberg Once I finished it I liked The Reddening more than I did through the actual read. But I have a problem with repetition and I thought it could have used an editorial slice and dice to get rid of at least a hundred pages. I find myself struggling with all the self-published Nevill books for that reason. As far as The Elementals I grew up in the American South and recognized all the lunatics in the book. Like one of the neighbors when I was a kid used to shoot at wasps with a rifle. When the book tipped over into the strange it all seemed pretty real.
@@eriebeverly That makes sense. It's quite a southern book; a lot of it went over my head. I didn't realize Adam Nevill had started his own imprint. Thanks for mentioning that. I just had a look at it online. I'll be getting to those books later this year. For me, The Redenning was my first Adam Nevill experience, so that has surely biased me on it.
The Elementals scared me to death. What an underrated BANGER of a Southern horror story. Loved it.
I've only been truly frightened by one book and that may have been because I was doing a TEOTWAWKI binge. But Jack Ketchum wrote one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. As The Off Season was based on the Sawney Bean family, this book, too, was based on a real life story - The Girl Next Door. I've never read anything else by him.
Between Two Fires also got me a bit disturbed. A horror novel set during the Black Death, because a pandemic that destroyed 1/3 to 1/2 of the European population just wasn't scary enough!
I've heard good things about The Girl Next Door, but after my Off Season experience, I'm thinking I'm good with Ketchum. I like to be scared in a fun way; that's a different kind of scare, for me at least.
You did a great job- thank you. I’ll be picking these up.
Hi Kelli. Thank you for the kind words! I love the positive energy😁
Hi Michael I recently read Cunning Folk by Adam Neville. I found it a bit of a slog to get through & the plot was maybe too fantastical for my taste. Based on your top 5 I may add the reddening onto my tbr. Sounds interesting. Thanks!!
Hi Scottishbuffy. I haven't read Cunning Folk yet (I will soon.) The Redenning was my first then The Ritual. I loved them so much I decided to go back to his first and read them all in order of their publication dates. (Then I'll have to make another author ranking video because I'm obsessed with that.) You're not the first to tell me they didn't like his later releases. Apparently, he left his publisher, created his own publishing house, and has been releasing his books now on his own. That may explain something. But that trend started with the Redenning which, after reading 8 of his, is so far my favourite. Maybe The Ritual is more 'grounded'. I might recommend that one for you. I think it's his most popular. But it's tense.🙂
Great list! :) I felt the same way about Off Season.
Have you read Adam Neville's short story collections? If you haven't yet, you should definitely check them out! They're excellent and very creepy
He has short story collections out?! I've been trying to get through his 11 novels. (3 more to go.) Between him and Catriona Ward and Nick Cutter and.... I'm never going to clear my TBR list!
awesome. enjoy how straightforward and direct you are. will be on the hunt for a few of these for this winter's reading. horror is my favorite genre. i myself only have only read a few that actually have 'scared' me thus far.
Hi. Thank you for the kind words😀Happy hunting!
3 that gave me goosebumps
1 - Perfect Nightmare by John Saul
2 - Monster by Anne Shwartz
3 - Pet Sematary by Stephen King @@Michael_Wertenberg
Nice. I hadn't heard of those first 2. Just looked them up. I avoid reality, so I'll pass on Monster. But John Saul is on my radar now. Thanks!@@Bimmermpower4
I understand that. True crime has always intrigued me, and this particular deep dive into Dahmer's life made me set the book down on my chest and just go ' wow 'a few times. I highly recommend Perfect Nightmare. I've read several of John Saul's works and this one stuck with me. Very disturbing and I believe you would rate it well. please fallow up if you get the chance with it ! @@Michael_Wertenberg
Great reviews. Thank you.
Thabks😁Glad you liked it.
1984 scared me
True that!
Excellent list! I thought Last Days by Adam Nevill was very scary. I haven’t read the ones you mentioned yet. The Shining is the scariest book I’ve read.
Hi fiberartsyreads. I liked Last Days, too. But the camera the protagonist was often holding distanced me from the action more than I would have liked. (I'm so picky.) Have you read Doctor Sleep? I'm probably in the minority on this one, but I even prefered it to The Shining.
@@Michael_Wertenberg I have read Doctor Sleep and I liked it a lot, didn’t scare me like The Shining though.
I stayed up until 3am reading, couldn't put it down even tho I was breathlessly scared. Scariest one for me, too.
I've started reading The Deep last night based on your recommendation. I shall be back for more recommendations when I have finished this one. Thanks Michael!
😁Oh, please let me know how it works out for you! Thanks.
Great choices! Love Adam Nevill!
The scariest book I've read so far is "Altered States" by Paddy Chayefsky. That book scared me so badly, I got only halfway through it, and I had to put it down. I have seen the entire movie.
I just looked it up on Goodreads. I remember the movie, vaguely. But the book has some very cool '70s and '80s covers. How I miss those pre-digital covers!
Awesome video! Did you read The Troop? Have to admit I felt a bit let down by that one. I will definitely check out The Ritual. Off Season is on the top of my tbr but is unavailable in South Africa and for some reason on my kindle as well. So frustrating! Do you have any advise on how I can go about finding this novel, without paying a fortune to have it imported? Even the cover of The Reddening scares the crap out of me. I will definitely be checking out Adam Neville soon. The scariest book I've read this year was The Terror by Dan Simmons but I may have to think a bit and release a similar video at some stage. I will check out your books soon, and review them, with your permission.
I love reviews! I would be very grateful. If you don't mind reading online, here is a website with a free scanned version of Off Season: archive.org/details/offseasonunexpur0000jack
I liked the Troop. I'm on a bit of a Nick Cutter kick. I should be posting a ranking video of his novels in the coming weeks...
Thank you so much man! @@Michael_Wertenberg
@@Michael_Wertenberg Nick Cutter also writes under the names Patrick Lestewka and Craig Davidson. You should also check out _The Coliseum_ by Patrick Lestewka.
@@SmartCookie2022 Thanks for the tip. I just looked it up on Goodreads. Sounds brutal!
I felt your into on a deep level! I absolutely loved The Ritual. 2 of my other favorites alongside The Ritual are Night Film by Marisha Pessl and Gone to see The River Man by Kristopher Triana. Have you read those 2 yet? If not, please add them to the list. Alongside The Ritual they are some of the best horror I've come across.
Hi Clifford. I've heard good things about Gone to See the River Man. You've sold me on it. Will be checking it out soon. Thanks😃
@@Michael_WertenbergOh man that’s exciting. There is a 2nd book as well called along the river of flesh, that to me was a masterfully done sequel. Literally have goosebumps right now just talking and thinking about them both. It’s one of my favorite things about reading when you come across those books that fully pull you in and get the imagination running on all levels. It’s rare when it happens and Gone To See The River Man and its sequel is the strongest it’s happened in a while now. And I’ve been on a reading quest for some time now, especially in horror. You’re in for a treat and I hope it exceeds any expectations you may have for it going into it, like it did for me! After you read it, please pop back in here and let me know how it went, I’m a nerd for discussing my favorite books.
@@Clifford777 I love the enthusiasm! Will do.
Jack Ketchum…The Girl Next Door. He crank its up a notch
I can't do any more notches! Already, Off Season was too many notches for me.
And that was a real murder case, making it even more terrifying.
I really loved The Ritual! I was the only one in my book club who did, though 😂
That's an adventurous book club that's reading The Ritual!
That intro was terrifying
😁Thank you
Opinions of The Road and House Of Leaves please.
Hi Keith. Ask, and you shall receive. I LOVE House of Leaves. I recommend it in 2 of my videos. Unique Haunted House Book Recommendations - ua-cam.com/video/q3ZEXSlVBNQ/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MichaelWertenberg and Top 10 Best Horror Novels of All Time - ua-cam.com/video/c7nTBXYGuvI/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MichaelWertenberg 😁
@@Michael_Wertenberg it's much more than just a haunted house story. The low life characters, the family drama, the expedition team, how the book is printed, the ending. So much to get into.
A masterpiece. Gorgeously constructed. At times scary, at times funny, and with passages of poetic beauty. I also talk about it in my video I Respond to 1-star Reviews of Books I Love ua-cam.com/video/UD6sPom-RwA/v-deo.html&ab_channel=MichaelWertenberg Yeah, I talk about it quite a bit. It really blew me away.@@keithmcgrath687
Cannot speak of the leaves, the road was as dark as it gets. When they opened the door that was a horror scene masterpiece. When I think of McCarthy horror though, I immediatlry go to outer dark. Incredible book, and his closest thing to a true horror novel that he has.
@@kierankehoe2275 I've only read the Road and Blood Meridean. Just looked up Outer Dark on Goodreads. Intriguing premise. Thanks for the recommendation
New subscriber. I will definitely be watching more of your videos and I’m going to check out The Reddening. Have you read anything from Eric LaRocca? He’s a new favorite of mine.
Hi Jennifer. Thanks for subscribing and for stopping by the comment section. 😁Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke is on my TBR. Is that a good LaRocca to start with? I hear so many good things about that one. And what a great title!
@@Michael_Wertenberg yes that’s actually the very first title of his that I read! After that I was hooked. His newest book Everything the Darkness Eats is also on my TBR.
The book that terrified me the most was Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates.
I read a novella called “Movers” by Even J Clark that gave me a bit of existential concern
Existential concern is a lever of scare I can't handle! I looked up Even J Clark on Goodread but couldn't find anything :(
@@Michael_Wertenberg. I found: Toronto author Meaghan McIsaac, Movers. Page count 288. Seems a bit too long for a Novella. I couldn’t find anything on Goodreads either. Further on….. ages 12 to 17
@@dyanstoutenburg9974 Somehow, on my second try, I found it. Interesting premise and very good reviews. www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/24860939
I like my horror very scary. Thanks for your list. I'll take a Deep dive.
Let me know how it works out for you. Also, if you have any recommendations, I'm always on the lookout. Thanks😁
hello! new subscriber, I really liked your book list! the scariest book I've read was Our share of night by Mariana Enriquez, it gave me goosebumps and nightmares
Hi Jimena. I still haven't read Mariana Enriquez yet. Things We Lost in the Fire has been on my TBR list for ages. I just looked up Our Share of Night on Goodread. 4.35 rating! That's crazy high. I'll never get through my TBR list now🙃
HI! I think I'll give the reddening a try, thanks!
Hi, Tom. I'm hoping you like it as much as I did (or even half as much would be a lot!).
May I suggest Darkest Heart by Eddie Evans
Is it Christian horror??
@@Michael_Wertenberg no, it's dark horror
@@Michael_Wertenberg and trigger warning
I can't think of a book that truly terrified me unless it's Ketchum's "The Girl Next Door." I actually couldn't finish it. It was too much and I'll have to pass on his other books as well.
I'm with you on that. Not for me. No Thanks.
Ketchum is good. Have only read Off Season but I remember it being tense, realistic, and that it got to me psychologically. Something most horror novels don’t manage to do
@@nicholasjones3207 You are more resilient than I. I remember recognizing that it was well crafted (scared the witts out of me), but I just couldn't take it. The realism was too much for me. (But that was 12 years ago. Maybe if I gave him another go now...)
The deepest point in oceans is about 11 kilometers, the Mariana Trench, so "hundreds of kilometers below the ocean" is a terrible mistake.
Anything by Cormac McCarthy.
Outer dark is a horror masterpiece. When he met the 3 dark strangers, that was intense
@@kierankehoe2275 that scene lives rent free in my head. When he was making him eat the mystery meat, so uncomfortable
Horrific 👀countdown collection😱🧠😵💀
Here's another challenge, what are your thoughts on
Thomas M. Disch
The Genocides?
Hi Daniel. Thanks for your comment. Your emoji game is strong💪😀I'd never heard of The Genocides. Just looked it up on Goodreads. It's classified as science fiction 😞I'm afraid that's not a genre that works well on me (exception for Anthony Burgess). Sadly, I can't accept the challenge😞My apologies.
It is still horror just the kind that can fit in two genres like H.P. Lovecraft
Are you sold now?
I learned a new word looking into this work: ‘Apocalyptic Greenery’ like the famous Day of the Triffids. Reviewers are saying it's 'the most 'homicidal and biblical of the genre' and with 'an ending that will leave most people either flustered or upset.' It's on my radar now😃Thanks for the recommendation. @@danielkibira4064
The protocols of elders of zion are the scariest.
based
Can't hear you well.
Technology and me, we don't get on too well.
Can someone please make it short!
Hundreds of kilometers? I wanted to read the deep jus didn't wanna buy it
Yeah, I misspoke. Its deepest part is about 11 kilometers deep.
That's still pretty insane!
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👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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120 Days of Sodom by Marquis de Sade and
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise by The Herigtage Foundation
Lol at 2025
I have read your two first recommendations and I love them. Sade was unique and Tender Is The Flesh, although not too long, delivers a punch. The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski was also horrifying, but I have never really been scared reading literature, perhaps some writings of Lovecraft (especially In The Mountains Of Madness) give me the creeps.
Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust by Charles Patterson
The Conspiracy against the human race by Thomas Ligotti
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells
The Emperor of all Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee