Great discussion, Greg! I remember my best friend buying Rosemary’s Baby the day I bought Stephen King’s first published novel, Carrie, back in 1974. It will be interesting to see how your impressions of these books change over time….
Great list, Greg! I’ve read probably about half of them and the other half are going in my TBR notebook. The Relic got me hooked on the whole Pendergast series.
I listened to The Exorcist for the first time this year. I think the narration was excellent. I was talking to a friend who is a horror fan this evening, and I mentioned that I just finished the book, and she said she typically stays away from possession/demonic stories. I told her it was a lot more vague regarding actual possession versus mental illness than I assume the movie was (I've never seen the movie). I also thought it was interesting how late into the story the exorcist actually shows up. Overall I really enjoyed it. I also thought the characters were well fleshed out and believable.
Yeah, I do sort of remember The Exorcist novel being open to skeptical interpretation. I saw the movie in the early 80s and it is mostly fog in my mind.
I loved reading Interview With the Vampire. The descriptive prose was so lush and I could feel the velvety pillows, etc. First time a book gave me that. I also loved The Vampire Lestat, but I agree with you completely about That Damned Queen. Such a waste of interesting characters, not to mention my time and money.
Great discussion and chat about each book, Greg. The only one I’ve read from this list is Interview With the Vampire, which I read in my teens and I loved. I would like to do a reread of that one someday. It is really interesting how our viewpoints can change so much as we get older. There are so many on your list that I would like to read, especially Rosemary’s Baby, IT and Swan Song. Enjoyed the video 😊.
I have read books I love over and over, seeming to get something new each time. Agree with your opinion on Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. I waited expectantly for Queen of the Damned, even spent the big bucks on the hardback, and didn’t even finish it. I had one of the first copies of The Exorcist, it had been purchased by one of my parents when it came out. I don’t usually do this, but I got rid of it. I did not want it in my house. Re-read ‘Salems Lot last year, just as good as I remembered! Will have to check out a few others on your list. IT I did not like at all, wouldn’t read that one again if you paid me.
I first read IT when I was 15 and have re-read it many times since then. While I can understand the initial revulsion at that particular scene, I have never felt that way, it wasn't just plopped in there out of nowhere, it fit with the undercurrents of the book. Children forced to deal with things beyond their years and the only people they could rely on was their tight-knit group. I think people forget how much trauma these characters went through and that was before they were called to deal with it all again years later.
I also really like Dead Sea, but my copy says 2007. I'm sure it's been republished in new editions more than once, but I definitely remember buying it before 2012. Not a huge deal, just thought I'd mention it... Great video. You got a new subscriber here!
I look forward to seeing how/if your opinions about some of these have changed, now that you've read so much more. I was surprised to see the McCammon novel. When I was a teenager, I got a lot of fun out of reading him. Never heard of Saurian or its author. A lot of the books on this list are inextricably knotted with my pre-teen and teen years. Never read Ruins; but I really enjoyed Scott Smith's first novel. The movie had some slight changes; but I enjoyed it, right up till the end. Cheers.
@@unstopitable I read a bunch of McCammon in the 80s and 90s. He took a long writing break after Gone South and I never picked him up again after he returned to publishing.
I've read Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, The Damnation Game, Swan Song, Song of Kali, It (didn't really like) and The Relic from this list. I couldn't get into Anne Rice but my wife has some. I've read a lot of Dan Simmons' early horror (The Terror and Drood too) as well as Clive Barker's and a lot of other stuff. Have to check out the others on this list. I've seen the movie of The Ruins but I did read A Simple Plan which was great.
A lot of the books you chose seem to be by movie adaptation / cultural saturation, and I think that's a great idea! Good luck Greg, I hope to hear the reviews of all of these.
Rosemary’s baby was a good read 👍. The Exorcist, I’ve seen the movie but never read the book. Pea soup was never the same 🤣 interview with a vampire, I reread a couple of years ago 👍 lol, at least her vampires don’t twinkle ✨ 🤣🤣🤣 Interesting until recently the only novel of Dan Simmons I knew until recently is The Terror, great read 👍 Pennywise definitely memorable. I have been looking for a copy of Swan Song for awhile, so far no luck. Several I haven’t read, will have to check them out 👍
About Barker: Weaveworld, Imajica, The Great and Secret Show, and Everville are all really good. The first two, I think, are great. I reread Damnation Game last year and really enjoyed it, but it has pacing problems his next couple of novels don’t. Still a first-rate read overall, though. I reread Song of Kali some years ago and was dismayed at how racist it becomes. A similar vein of venom mars the mostly brilliant Hyperion Cantos and eats Ilium. Then there are stories where it doesn’t show up at all. Bleah. I think Rice peaked with the first hundred pages of Lestat. Queen of the Damned certainly didn’t motivate me to want to read any further. But I want to reread Interview and Lestat sometime. I’d like to reread both of Smith’s books soon. His narrative style and plots are so good. Dead Sea! Yes! Just amazing. It’s like a Clive Cussler novel being possessed by Algernon Blackwood. I like a bunch of his others, too.
I loved The Relic, (movie too). Don’t know if I prefer the book or movie scenes with the boys hiding in the museum, I can understand why the movie changed it though. James Herbert is my fav horror author to reread
I've read "Swan Song" multiple times... it's that great and better than The Stand IMO! "They Thirst" (L.A. Vampire story) is another great McCammon novel, but there are many more.
I think you might enjoy "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" by H. P. Lovecraft. IMO it is the best thing he ever wrote. I am not a fan of the Lovecraft mythos, but this one has many creepy, chilling sections.
I found 'The Excorcist' a real slog to get through when I read it not long after the film came out, but I should give it another try. I liked 'Intervew with the Vampire', but Rice lost me soon after. If I reread any Barker, it would be 'The Books of Blood'. I reread 'Salem's Lot' in the last few years, but I still haven't read 'It'. The McCammon I'd reread would be 'They Thirst'! I've never heard of Schoell, so he must be obscure! I'd reread 'The Manitou', but I've never read 'The Feast'.
I would love to read IT by Stephen King in the new year . I do have the physical copy and it would be a great accomplishment to read a book like that due to all the pages.
Regarding the scene in It, I believe it was out of place. One of the main themes of the book was growing up, and the scene was related to one aspect of changing from a child to an adult; although, again, I felt it wasn’t organic to the story.
Growing up into what, though? Someone who will use your friend or let yourself be used by people who are supposed to be your friends? Someone with no self respect or respect for the other person? That would be ugly if it were about adults.
Not a big reader of novels, mostly short stories. But one novel I'm itching to reread is Fear, by L. Ron Hubbard. That was the weirdest freaking thing I have ever read in my life. Written well before he invented Scientology and all that crap. I saw two copies on the shelf at Powell Books in Portland, and bought one -- wished I'd bought them both so I'd have a copy to give to a neophyte.
Great pick, have read most of them. I read IT with 16. Hade no problems with that scene too. As an adult I reread that book and I couldn't read the scene where Patrick Hcokstetdter? abuses and killed that Dog in the old fridge. That scene was even slightly more dirsturbend for me than the killing of his newborn brother, Today Abuse of children and animals and torture I just cant read anymore. That's a reading habit I developed the last decades. Swan Song I read recently and didn't finish it although another booktober whose opinion I highly appreciated recommended that book. I read the german Translation and I cant see if it was a bad translation, but I didn't get worm with the characters at all, they were flat, in the moment i was introduced to them I knew immediately if good or bad etc. very dissapoiniign book for me. My expectations were to high I think, The Stand, Worldware Z I liked way better.
Excellent List Greg! 🤣🤣Yes, my wife did throw Ritual away I sincerely hope it was not the edition you mentioned. 🤣I have also not read Saurian, The Descent and Dead Sea. From your list, I found Song of Kali and The Ruins underwhelming, but I did enjoy the rest. I found the characters in The Ruins annoyed the hell out of me and this took me out of the story.
Great chat and picks! ❤ Rosemary’s Baby is the best.
Great discussion, Greg! I remember my best friend buying Rosemary’s Baby the day I bought Stephen King’s first published novel, Carrie, back in 1974. It will be interesting to see how your impressions of these books change over time….
Thanks Pat
Great list, Greg! I’ve read probably about half of them and the other half are going in my TBR notebook. The Relic got me hooked on the whole Pendergast series.
There’s nothing better than horror/mystery novels when I need to escape from life...😊 subscribed your channel, thank you for your recommendations.
@@s_9752 Thanks
I listened to The Exorcist for the first time this year. I think the narration was excellent. I was talking to a friend who is a horror fan this evening, and I mentioned that I just finished the book, and she said she typically stays away from possession/demonic stories. I told her it was a lot more vague regarding actual possession versus mental illness than I assume the movie was (I've never seen the movie). I also thought it was interesting how late into the story the exorcist actually shows up. Overall I really enjoyed it. I also thought the characters were well fleshed out and believable.
Yeah, I do sort of remember The Exorcist novel being open to skeptical interpretation. I saw the movie in the early 80s and it is mostly fog in my mind.
I loved reading Interview With the Vampire. The descriptive prose was so lush and I could feel the velvety pillows, etc. First time a book gave me that. I also loved The Vampire Lestat, but I agree with you completely about That Damned Queen. Such a waste of interesting characters, not to mention my time and money.
Thanks Constance.
Great discussion and chat about each book, Greg. The only one I’ve read from this list is Interview With the Vampire, which I read in my teens and I loved. I would like to do a reread of that one someday. It is really interesting how our viewpoints can change so much as we get older. There are so many on your list that I would like to read, especially Rosemary’s Baby, IT and Swan Song. Enjoyed the video 😊.
Great to know where I can get hold of these rare novels! I'm a big fan of horror stories.
😁
I have read books I love over and over, seeming to get something new each time. Agree with your opinion on Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. I waited expectantly for Queen of the Damned, even spent the big bucks on the hardback, and didn’t even finish it. I had one of the first copies of The Exorcist, it had been purchased by one of my parents when it came out. I don’t usually do this, but I got rid of it. I did not want it in my house. Re-read ‘Salems Lot last year, just as good as I remembered! Will have to check out a few others on your list. IT I did not like at all, wouldn’t read that one again if you paid me.
I first read IT when I was 15 and have re-read it many times since then. While I can understand the initial revulsion at that particular scene, I have never felt that way, it wasn't just plopped in there out of nowhere, it fit with the undercurrents of the book. Children forced to deal with things beyond their years and the only people they could rely on was their tight-knit group. I think people forget how much trauma these characters went through and that was before they were called to deal with it all again years later.
I also really like Dead Sea, but my copy says 2007. I'm sure it's been republished in new editions more than once, but I definitely remember buying it before 2012. Not a huge deal, just thought I'd mention it...
Great video. You got a new subscriber here!
You could be right about the Dead Sea publication year. I just looked at Wikipedia or Amazon. Thanks for commenting and subscribing.
Not a fan of horror but that is what is great about books, something for everyone.
Great picks sounds like you have some good reading ahead oh you.
I look forward to seeing how/if your opinions about some of these have changed, now that you've read so much more. I was surprised to see the McCammon novel. When I was a teenager, I got a lot of fun out of reading him. Never heard of Saurian or its author. A lot of the books on this list are inextricably knotted with my pre-teen and teen years. Never read Ruins; but I really enjoyed Scott Smith's first novel. The movie had some slight changes; but I enjoyed it, right up till the end. Cheers.
@@unstopitable I read a bunch of McCammon in the 80s and 90s. He took a long writing break after Gone South and I never picked him up again after he returned to publishing.
@@anotherbibliophilereads Oh, wow, you've read Gone South. Cool. I still have memories of that novel. He was a pretty good storyteller. Cheers!
I've read Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, The Damnation Game, Swan Song, Song of Kali, It (didn't really like) and The Relic from this list. I couldn't get into Anne Rice but my wife has some. I've read a lot of Dan Simmons' early horror (The Terror and Drood too) as well as Clive Barker's and a lot of other stuff. Have to check out the others on this list. I've seen the movie of The Ruins but I did read A Simple Plan which was great.
Yeah, Anne Rice does seem polarizing for some reason.
A lot of the books you chose seem to be by movie adaptation / cultural saturation, and I think that's a great idea!
Good luck Greg, I hope to hear the reviews of all of these.
I was only really thinking about movie adaptations of Rosemary’s Baby and the exorcist, but I guess there were others too.
@@anotherbibliophilereads and those that weren't movies, many of them also had cultural saturation.
King regrets writing “that scene”. However, the audiobook is fantastic. Worth the price
Good to know about the audiobook.
Rosemary’s baby was a good read 👍. The Exorcist, I’ve seen the movie but never read the book. Pea soup was never the same 🤣 interview with a vampire, I reread a couple of years ago 👍 lol, at least her vampires don’t twinkle ✨ 🤣🤣🤣 Interesting until recently the only novel of Dan Simmons I knew until recently is The Terror, great read 👍 Pennywise definitely memorable. I have been looking for a copy of Swan Song for awhile, so far no luck. Several I haven’t read, will have to check them out 👍
About Barker: Weaveworld, Imajica, The Great and Secret Show, and Everville are all really good. The first two, I think, are great. I reread Damnation Game last year and really enjoyed it, but it has pacing problems his next couple of novels don’t. Still a first-rate read overall, though.
I reread Song of Kali some years ago and was dismayed at how racist it becomes. A similar vein of venom mars the mostly brilliant Hyperion Cantos and eats Ilium. Then there are stories where it doesn’t show up at all. Bleah.
I think Rice peaked with the first hundred pages of Lestat. Queen of the Damned certainly didn’t motivate me to want to read any further. But I want to reread Interview and Lestat sometime.
I’d like to reread both of Smith’s books soon. His narrative style and plots are so good.
Dead Sea! Yes! Just amazing. It’s like a Clive Cussler novel being possessed by Algernon Blackwood. I like a bunch of his others, too.
Kali's swansong inside a week.
The Descent. Brings to mind our present day mention of D.U.M.B.S.
If you know -- you know. 🤨 Enjoyed video. 📚
Deep Underground Military Bases? 🤪
@@anotherbibliophilereads you know. 🙂
@ I have to say 🤪 like a 💩🏠🐀
I loved The Relic, (movie too). Don’t know if I prefer the book or movie scenes with the boys hiding in the museum, I can understand why the movie changed it though.
James Herbert is my fav horror author to reread
@@jenniparks8539 The Rats was on my long list but I had reread two years ago so let it pass.
I've read "Swan Song" multiple times... it's that great and better than The Stand IMO! "They Thirst" (L.A. Vampire story) is another great McCammon novel, but there are many more.
@@MarkLewis... They Thirst is one of the few early McCammon novels I haven’t read. One day I’ll get to it.
I think you might enjoy "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" by H. P. Lovecraft. IMO it is the best thing he ever wrote. I am not a fan of the Lovecraft mythos, but this one has many creepy, chilling sections.
I have read Dexter Ward a few times. It doesn’t always hold up to his short stories.
I found 'The Excorcist' a real slog to get through when I read it not long after the film came out, but I should give it another try.
I liked 'Intervew with the Vampire', but Rice lost me soon after.
If I reread any Barker, it would be 'The Books of Blood'.
I reread 'Salem's Lot' in the last few years, but I still haven't read 'It'.
The McCammon I'd reread would be 'They Thirst'!
I've never heard of Schoell, so he must be obscure!
I'd reread 'The Manitou', but I've never read 'The Feast'.
They Thirst is one of the few early McCammon I have read.
I would love to read IT by Stephen King in the new year . I do have the physical copy and it would be a great accomplishment to read a book like that due to all the pages.
Let’s do an It buddy read. What about March?
@@anotherbibliophilereads That’s a big yes from me! 🤡 March it is . 📖
Regarding the scene in It, I believe it was out of place. One of the main themes of the book was growing up, and the scene was related to one aspect of changing from a child to an adult; although, again, I felt it wasn’t organic to the story.
I agree. I understand the arguments people make in favor of the scene, but I'm convinced it would be a better book without that scene.
@@stevegilhool8526 I really need to reread the book before passing judgment.
Growing up into what, though? Someone who will use your friend or let yourself be used by people who are supposed to be your friends? Someone with no self respect or respect for the other person? That would be ugly if it were about adults.
Not a big reader of novels, mostly short stories. But one novel I'm itching to reread is Fear, by L. Ron Hubbard. That was the weirdest freaking thing I have ever read in my life. Written well before he invented Scientology and all that crap. I saw two copies on the shelf at Powell Books in Portland, and bought one -- wished I'd bought them both so I'd have a copy to give to a neophyte.
Fear is only $2.99 on Kindle right now. Tempting.
Raegan is not a young girl, he is a former president of the USA :)
🤪
You never saw him when he was very private, did you?
Great pick, have read most of them. I read IT with 16. Hade no problems with that scene too. As an adult I reread that book and I couldn't read the scene where Patrick Hcokstetdter? abuses and killed that Dog in the old fridge. That scene was even slightly more dirsturbend for me than the killing of his newborn brother, Today Abuse of children and animals and torture I just cant read anymore. That's a reading habit I developed the last decades. Swan Song I read recently and didn't finish it although another booktober whose opinion I highly appreciated recommended that book. I read the german Translation and I cant see if it was a bad translation, but I didn't get worm with the characters at all, they were flat, in the moment i was introduced to them I knew immediately if good or bad etc. very dissapoiniign book for me. My expectations were to high I think, The Stand, Worldware Z I liked way better.
I remember there’s old fridge involved but none of the details.
Excellent List Greg! 🤣🤣Yes, my wife did throw Ritual away I sincerely hope it was not the edition you mentioned. 🤣I have also not read Saurian, The Descent and Dead Sea. From your list, I found Song of Kali and The Ruins underwhelming, but I did enjoy the rest. I found the characters in The Ruins annoyed the hell out of me and this took me out of the story.
I can’t remember any of the characters from the Ruins.
OMG... Can somebody PLEASE tell me, HOW is it possible someone who has this many books pronounces nuclear like "NUKE-YOU-LER"?!? MAKE IT STOP
I wish people would stop saying "nu-que-lar". Some surprisingly educated people still say it. Oh, and "ej-u-cated", too.
I just finished a contemporary novel where a character was saying pretty the same thing.