My Top 3 are Summer of Night by Dan Simmons, The Terror by Dan Simmons, and The Long Walk by SKing :) bonus point to Shirley Jackson's The Bus short story :)
1. The Ruins - Smith 2. The October Country - Bradbury 3. The Hellbound Heart - Barker 4. Zombie - Oates 5. Pet Sematary - King 6. Dante's Inferno 7. American Psycho - Ellis 8. Who Goes There? - Campbell 9. The Silence of the Lambs - Harris 10. I have no mouth and I must scream - Ellison An interesting list, to be sure. I can vouch for The Ruins. It's a thrilling read.
Thanks here’s mine: Hp lovecraft complete fiction Poe tales of mystery and terror The shining Salems lot Swan song Books of blood Night things The mummy the will & the crypt (or any bellairs) Interview with the vampire Something wicked this way comes
I strongly recommend the “Area X trilogy” by Jeff Vandermeer. It’s a modern literature masterpiece. It’s haunting and beautiful but also nightmarish. Plus the body horror elements. It’s a perfect sci-fi, fantasy-horror. (I just realized this video is a year old…sorry)
I enjoyed the reading experience, but I have to say as someone who usually pretty confident in their reading analysis- Area X was so abstract I had no idea what it was saying/what was happening half the time. 😂
YES! Love the Area X Trilogy! The creeping sense of paranoia and the dawning sense that there are actually TWO dangers in the series: Area X and the duplicitous Southern Reach organization itself. I've enjoyed every weird book I've read by Vandermeer!
Salem’s Lot is my favorite book of all time. I am a simple person. I was a literature major, and it was SO uncool to like Stephen King back then. I’m so glad I’m old now, and don’t have to care about what’s cool.
I love Pet Semetary! I read it every year. King does such a good job of "suggesting" things in ways that are vague but terrifying. "What you sow is what you own; and sooner or later, what you own comes back to you."
The fact you BLUR THE BOOKS in the thumbnail is freaking great. I like being surprised not looking at thumbnails and going "oh....well I guess I don't need to watch this video now".
I am forever chasing that hollow, surreal, and haunting otherness of that first-time read of Annihilation and House of Leaves. I love that this channel exists. You have my dream job!
I just came across your video. I have been in the book business and a reader for 55 years. I read a lot, but horror is my favorite. I just got into "Extreme" horror and "American Psycho" has scenes that truly stick with you...I mean.. 😳. I followed up by reading "Less than Zero" It's dark, but not like "Psycho". I met Harlan at a Scifi convention years ago and asked him where he came up with the idea of "I have no mouth...". He said he got the idea from Asimov and his robot stories and instead of saving humanity what would it be like if they went the complete opposite of the rules. Thank you for your list. More for the "TBR" pile!!! 😂
Author H.P. Lovecraft. True horror., if you can understand his 19th century writing style. After reading him,you can see where soooo many other writers got their themes.
Harlan Ellison's audiobook narration of his story is fantastic and worth a listen. Also that is amazing to hear how your husband proposed to you! Very fun!
omg i love your enthusiasm for these! and as a horror film nerd who doesn't know many horror books this list is a perfect way in for me. your analyses are spot on too - never thought about Hellraiser as a Faust story but once you said it a lightbulb went on in my head. so interesting that you think the book complements the film, now i really wanna find that book - I've looked before but seems hard to come by... anyway thanks for making this! ^_^
I've read a fair few horror books in my life, but my favourite by a long margin is Last Days by Adam Nevill. You may recall that his first novel 'The Ritual' was made into the major motion picture, although 'Last Days' would have been a much spookier choice! For anyone who hasn't read it, I thoroughly recommend it. Here's the skinny from the back of the book: When guerrilla documentary maker, Kyle Freeman, is asked to shoot a film on the notorious cult known as the Temple of the Last Days, it appears his prayers have been answered. The cult became a worldwide phenomenon in 1975 when there was a massacre including the death of its infamous leader, Sister Katherine. Kyle's brief is to explore the paranormal myths surrounding an organization that became a testament to paranoia, murderous rage, and occult rituals. The shoot's locations take him to the cult's first temple in London, an abandoned farm in France, and a derelict copper mine in the Arizonan desert where The Temple of the Last Days met its bloody end. But when he interviews those involved in the case, those who haven't broken silence in decades, a series of uncanny events plague the shoots. Troubling out-of-body experiences, nocturnal visitations, the sudden demise of their interviewees and the discovery of ghastly artifacts in their room make Kyle question what exactly it is the cult managed to awaken - and what is its interest in him?
I'm a novice in the horror genre, I've only read 'Salem's Lot and Ring Shout so far. Just added some more books to my list... Love your passion for the genre!
The short story “Heat” by Joyce Carol Oats is one of my favorite reads. The narrator is recalling the murder of twin girls that happened were her class mates. It’s a small southern town and the story is told like a dreamy memory. Not the way it happened but the way you remember it. Just love it. One of the best twenty minutes you can spend. And I can never stop recommending The Yellow Wallpaper. Another short story, this one (written in the 19th century) about the psychological impacts of misogyny.
Wow! The yellow wallpaper! You just brought back really clear memories of reading that as a teen. I absolutely loved rhe imagery of the yellow becoming sickly while descending to madness was really memorable
So far I see Bradbury and Clive Barker and I'm happy. p.s. I haven't thought about my favorite horror book, but The Exorcist is the first that comes to mind and nothing is competing with it right now so it must be it. And to me it's quite different than A head full of ghosts. In the latter I didn't mind the part with TV, but the blogging was too much for me. I couldn't take it seriously. I feel like a grumpy old man saying this...
Haha! I think a lot of people felt that way about A Head Full of Ghosts. But the creepy behavior of the sister was enough to keep me intrigued. I honestly considered adding The Exorcist but it seemed like an obvious choice for a good horror book.
I really like the background, sets the environment in a proper way. The shelves with so many books, I mean famous books.Super clean,no dusts.Having such a shelf is a dream of every bookworm like me. Really appreciate your work.
Definitely going to use this as a reading list for the year. If I could make one horror novel recommendation, it would be House of Leaves. One of the most challenging books I’ve ever read, but also one of the absolute best.
I left a comment on another video about Cormac McCarthy, and hearing you talk about loving horrific scenes and events described in beautiful, poetic language I'm certain he would rocket up your list of favorite authors. You can find some of his work on UA-cam in very good audiobook format.
Interesting list. I'm particularly intrigues by Zombie, which I've never heard of. I don't know if I have a favorite horror novel, but a recent one that took me by surprise was The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher. The horror element kind of snuck up on me, and was much creepier than I was expecting.
I had a very similar reaction to Anda when reading Zombie. I happened to find it on a list of most disturbing books. I also recommend Tender is the Flesh if you’re looking to be both viscerally and morally appalled and surprised by a book.
I just stopped by to make sure that Hellbound Heart was on the list. Clive Barker's use of vocabulary is perfect for the genre. Head and shoulders above the competition in my opinion.
Fantastic list! Thank you for introducing me to a few novels I had not heard of before! To add my own recommendation, I would recomment Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons. That book messes me up every time I read it.
Oh. My. GOSH. That is one of my very favorite books and I never see it mentioned in horror novel recommendations. I never realized the full, horrific potential of mind control until I read that book.
Love the state of your pet semetary book. I have many like that, pages coming away from the spine. I always buy a new one just to look good on my shelf and continue reading my "well read ones"
I'm a fan of the work of Karl Edward Wagner. Unfortunately, most of his books are out of print, or only available as expensive collector's editions, but recently Valancourt books published a collection of his horror/supernatural stories, 'In a Lonely Place', which I would highly recommend.
Yes I think I read at least 1 Stephen King book a years and I love Pet sematary lol and most of mine have covers like that lol and Yes Silence of the Lamb! also I love your shirt
And the full novel Legion by William Peter Blatty is genius. It’s the literary continuation of The Exorcist (also genius). Blatty makes you love the characters and laugh with them all the while showing you terrible horrors and horrible truths about human nature. So much soul. . . And don’t judge it based on the movie Exorcist III which Blatty (despite having directed) was famously disappointed in what the studio forced him to do to the ending.
@@fancimcguffin2227 I need to read this book again. Not many books have scared me, but some of the scenes in The Haunting of Hill House still get to me today
What are you people talking about?. It was the most boringly dull book I've ever read. Nothing creepy even happens in it and the writing is just too pretentiously posh.
Great list. Pet Semetary and The Ruins are so good! My favorite book is by Ronald Kelly and it is called Fear. It’s a coming of age story that takes place in the 40’s. An amazing book! 😁
The books that scared me the most and literally made me pee in bed in my sleep were Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, Pines by Blake Crouch, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Thank you.
My first “read” of American Psycho was as an audiobook and it definitely changed my perspective on horror, absolutely loved the book but it made me feel pretty bad inside lol
I wasn't going to read The Ruins because i thought it was just another monster novel. But i saw it had good reviews so I read it on a whim, and boy was i surprised! Enjoyed it very much. The October Country is a great collection too and The Divine Comedy a must read for anybody that loves literature. My all time favorite horror novel is The Ceremonies by T.E.D. Klein. And Ghost Story by Peter Straub my second. Great video, am glad i found your channel. Subscribed!
I love Straub’s first “horror” novel, “Julia,” which was written in the early 1970s. It’s probably my favorite ghost story ever. Subtle and somewhat low key, I guess what you would call a slow burner, but very creepy.
American Psycho is a great book. If, and when you have the time, and if you haven’t read them already, I recommend Kathryn Dunn’s Geek Love about a family of freaks with a powerful telekinetic young boy called Chick and also Richard Matherson’s I Am Legend - because its brilliant (the film is not).
You have a lot of insight into Ellis. I haven’t read American Psycho, but I’ve read other stuff of his like Less Than Zero. I think that his writing is very conspicuously and intentionally monotonous. I’m going to try AP on your recommendation,but Ellis, while being an interesting American writer, is not a lot of fun for me.
Ooo I havne't read a lot of these but I'm always looking for new horror books to read and the creepier the better. Lol! Pet Sematary is one of my favorites and it's always been but like you, I read it several times and it is way scarier when you read it after a loss of a loved one. It puts a different perspective on it and you can really relate on a deeper level to the characters. I have seen silence of the lambs many times but have never read the books and the one about the sisters and the ghosts seems interesting too. . Great video and I'll catch you in the next one!
Hi. I just discovered your channel. I've been a horror fanatic for over 40 years so I've seen and read alot of horror in my life. I'm familiar with all of these titles and there's only a couple I haven't read. Zombie and Dante's Inferno. American Psycho is not for me, sorry. I've tried to read it a couple of times but I just can't get through the monotony and tedium. A couple of British authors I recommend are James Herbert and Shaun Hutson. Their stuff can be hard to find though. Especially Hutson.
Pet Sematary, American Psycho, Hellbound Heart and Silence of the Lambs are some of my favorites as well (: Some others I really love are: Swan Song and A Boy’s Life by Robert Mccamon Carrion Comfort, The Abominable and Seasons of Horror by Dan Simmons Pressure by Jeff Strand Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward Heart Shaped Box and Nos4a2 by Joe Hill Tons of other books by Stephen King, Clive Barker, Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, Bentley Little, Robert Mccamon, Cormac McCarthy, Joe Hill, Dean Koontz, Darren Shan, H.P. Lovecraft, Gerald Brom, and a few other authors that could make this list multiple times. I’ve also read tons of horror comics and manga that could be listed here as well like Junji Ito, Shuzo Oshimi, Inio Asano, Berserk, Gantz, Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul, Parasyte, Locke and Key, Preacher, Hellboy, From Hell, Rachel Rising, Walking Dead, and dozens of others. I’m a horror fanatic 😅
Thanks so much for this. I’m listening to Silence of the lambs now. I’m ashamed to say it is one of my favorite movies and I didn’t even know it was a book. Pet semetary is my favorite horror book ever, for all the reasons you stated. so I can tell we have similar tastes.
I'm so glad you were able to find something new to read/listen to. There are so many movies that I had no idea were books until I started making videos of them. Thank you so much for watching!
@@AndaKent of course:) I’m almost done with silence of the lambs and I’m so happy I read it. I will probably try to read all of the books you put in this video. Well, I mostly do audio books. I’m a massage therapist so I have a lot of quiet time where I listen to books all day:) excited to see more of your recs
(I know this video is a year old, im very late) I just ordered The Ruins just today and i was surprised to see it being the first book you talk about. Makes me really excited to start reading. I havent watched the movie. Ive never heard of it but it was recommended to me and im super excited to get started.
The Ruins was an amazing book. I’m only on my third horror book currently. So far Misery by Stephen King has to be my favorite, but I did really enjoy that The Ruins had more violence and gore (I wouldn’t classify it as scatterplunk tho). I like to be scared and The Ruins did that really well. But it’s still more tame, and frankly more ethical, than what I’m reading now which is Playground by Aron Beauregard. I’m actually loving Playground once I got past pages 40 - 50. Everything else after page 50 isn’t as bad and is actually really well done but for the love of god check trigger warnings.
Great review and I like that you jumped around in time with your reading. I think I have read about half of your selection. Based on your review of Zombie, I think you might enjoy Finishing Touches by Thomas Tessier. Another non-supernatural horror story, I read it with a feeling of dread all the way and then the ending is bone jarring. You might want to try Michael McDowell's Toplin. All of his work was excellent (my favorite is Blackwater -- a Southern Gothic Family Saga involving shape-shifting humanoid river monsters who intermarry with the family and such). Also, one of my favorites which few people discuss is Fingers of Fear written by J. U. Nicolson (a horror one hit wonder), written in 1937 that involves a family curse, lycanthropy, infanticide and other horrors. It has been said it was the basis for Dark Shadows, but I always hated that show as nothing but atmosphere and innuendo ever happened. Plenty happens in Fingers of Fear. A recent discovery was John W. Campbell's original longer manuscript for "Who Goes There?" published as FROZEN HELL. I just read it and it is not as good, There is a reason why the original manuscript was edited and shortened. The novelette you review as originally published is a sweat inducing page turner. I think of it as very close to the superior 70s movie. I grew up with the 1951 Howard Hawks version, which is great though not quite the same story; they couldn't manage the effects in those days that Rob Bottin was able to deliver in the John Carpenter movie.
If you're a big Brett Easton Ellis fan, there's a really interesting podcast, "Once Upon a Time at Bennington College," about Ellis and two of his classmates who also became famous authors, Donna Tartt and the guy who wrote "Motherless Brooklyn." (I can't remember his name, sorry!) And there is one moment in A Head Full of Ghosts when the big sister is talking to the younger one in such a cruel, menacing way that it sent a chill down my spine.
Nice video The Ruins - Agree, the book was far better than the movie. I'm glad I read the book first because I never would have read it had I seen the movie first. The Silence of the Lambs - great book as are all of Thomas Harris' books A few of suggestions, I loved them all Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill Dying Inside by Robert Silverberg Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons Swan Song by Robert McCammon enjoy
Great selection of books Anda! I love that you had Dante's Divine Comedy on this list. It one great masterpiece. You lasted favorite is also interesting. If hear of it, but I never actually read it. I might need to correct that soon.
My recommendation: "The Elm House" by Paul C. Skertich. It's the "Troll 2" of books. Terrible in every aspect, but so entertaining. My friends and I had "read aloud" parties with this. Example of the masterful writing: "The toolshed appeared to be practically falling apart - surprisingly somehow miraculously still structurally still intact - but it still looked like it'll collapse down onto its skeletal knees any second." Best. Sentence. Ever.
My goodness, we share similar tastes. My top three movies are Silence of the Lambs, American Psycho and We Need to Talk About Kevin. I love these books too. I also love Paul Tremblay overall and A Head Full of Ghosts actually got me back into horror after a long hiatus. I love Dante's work too and on a different note, love Milton's Paradis Lost. I always compare these two for some reason. My last guilty pleasure is anything Omen related - I have all the books and movies and will always cherish them.
That's amazing! Man, We Need to Talk About Kevin is VERY messed up. I actually haven't read any of the Omen books. I'll have to keep an eye out for these.
Anything by Stephen Graham Jones (My Heart is a Chainsaw, The Only Good Indians, Mannequins) Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (her other books are great too) Leech by Hiron Ennes The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig Salvation Day by Kali Wallace Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
That’s a pretty good top ten list! I’m curious where would Cujo rank on the list I mean obviously not on the top ten haha but how far down would it be?
I have never read I Have No Mouth but I Must Scream but i have watched Wendigoons analysis like 5 times and its so fascinating. I think about it often.
Great job on the video here: No cats jumping on you, no stuttering, full & intelligent analysis, good insight with explanations... Thank you--much appreciation from a Literature fan!
I hadn't either! I just found it at my used bookstore for a few dollars in the horror section. I'm not sure why it isn't talked about more often. It really is fantastic.
Very true about the art of film and literature complement each other. One is not meant to be exactly like the other. It's also nearly impossible as each person perceives a book differently, and nothing could ever live up to that image in your head of what you think it should be like, because someone else is making that movie.
I enjoy hellbound heart. Bit it is tough to say. I just remember that book was enjoyable to read from start to finish. Also like cosmic horror or Lovecraft type stuff as well.
Wow we have almost the exact same taste ! Every book on here is one of my favorite or on my TBR (with the exception of a couple books I'd never heard of). Personally my favorite horror novels are Lisey's Story by Stephen King, Negative Space by B.R. Yeager, and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski :D
This book is often critiqued for its “anticlimactic” ending and ambiguous nature of the haunting. But I honestly love every aspect of this book. It’s so…haunting and bitterly romantic, it sticks with you.
That was a fun list! Meanwhile, my favourite Horror book up till now is Nazareth Hill (aka The House on Nazareth Hill) by Ramsey Campbell. Special shout out to an oldie…The Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue.
For what it's worth, I'd suggest the Hollander translation of l'Inferno (and the remainder of the Comedy, as well); the Hollanders are a husband and wife team: he is a Dante scholar from Princeton, who actually translates the original Italian text, and she is a poet, who prepares the English text in order to best evoke the underlying context, etc., while trying to maintain as much of the Terza Rime flow as possible, but in open verse. The endnotes are very thorough, and provide some of the best background and name identification, including why that person appears where they do, that I've seen without getting too bogged down in the details so as to undermine the read.
I prefer my horror in short form.so here are my five favorite short stories. Carmella by J Sheridan LeFanu. Teenage Lesbian Vampires! The Great God Pan. Arthur Machen. God Grant That She Lie Still by Lady Cynthia Asquith. The Gray God Passes by Robert E. Howard. aka Twilight of the Gray God, or Swords of Clontarf. At First Just Ghostly by Karl Edward Wagner. Anything by Lovecraft.
Know im late to the game but just wanted to say, the robert pinsky translation of inferno is the best!!! His footnotes are excellent and since he is normally a poet he really makes the work sing!
I love your energy and enthusiasm. I have readed horror from the age of 10, and i have too many favorite books in this genre. So I'll just name the haunting of hill house by Jackson, and terror by Simmons here. Otherwice this comment will be way too lengthy.
Personally, I would’ve included “a prayer for the dying” in this list. The second person narrative is unusual and a bit offputting, until it’s really disturbing. Also, since you were mentioning Dante, I’m surprised you didn’t at least mention, if not recommend, Marquis de Sade.
The ruins is my favorite book of all time. My second is the thief of always by Clive Barker. Its YA but so creepy and just so amazing that I got a tattoo of one of the illustrations.
Loved your reviews and presentation. Could not agree withe you more about American Psycho. It took me 5 times to read it through completely. Also have you read his Glamorama? Check it out if not. Keep up the good work!
That's interesting what you said about Pet Sematary. It's also one of my top 10 books of all time, across all genres. I think Stephen King is a great writer when it comes to the human mind, but he is just on another level in this one. It's rich, it's classic King, and in it's own way it's beautiful. I've wanted to reread it and you have inspired me to come to it again to see what I can pull from it a aecond time around.
What is your favorite horror book of all time? I think it would be fun to make a video where I read some of your favorites.
My Top 3 are Summer of Night by Dan Simmons, The Terror by Dan Simmons, and The Long Walk by SKing :) bonus point to Shirley Jackson's The Bus short story :)
not sure if it counts but definitely up there for me is The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg =]
House of Leaves and the only good indians :)
Might not be "of all time", but I just finished reading S A Barnes "Dead Silence" which was pretty good!
Stephen King's Revival. Scarier than Pet Sematary.
1. The Ruins - Smith
2. The October Country - Bradbury
3. The Hellbound Heart - Barker
4. Zombie - Oates
5. Pet Sematary - King
6. Dante's Inferno
7. American Psycho - Ellis
8. Who Goes There? - Campbell
9. The Silence of the Lambs - Harris
10. I have no mouth and I must scream - Ellison
An interesting list, to be sure. I can vouch for The Ruins. It's a thrilling read.
Thanks here’s mine:
Hp lovecraft complete fiction
Poe tales of mystery and terror
The shining
Salems lot
Swan song
Books of blood
Night things
The mummy the will & the crypt (or any bellairs)
Interview with the vampire
Something wicked this way comes
Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I strongly recommend the “Area X trilogy” by Jeff Vandermeer. It’s a modern literature masterpiece. It’s haunting and beautiful but also nightmarish. Plus the body horror elements. It’s a perfect sci-fi, fantasy-horror. (I just realized this video is a year old…sorry)
I just finished Annihilation today and I thought it was so lackluster 😅 maybe I need to reread it
@@Breeski1 i May have over sold it a little. I love the 3 books. But I can understand them not being for everyone.
Annihilation was amazing. Vandermeer is a wonderful author
I enjoyed the reading experience, but I have to say as someone who usually pretty confident in their reading analysis- Area X was so abstract I had no idea what it was saying/what was happening half the time. 😂
YES! Love the Area X Trilogy! The creeping sense of paranoia and the dawning sense that there are actually TWO dangers in the series: Area X and the duplicitous Southern Reach organization itself. I've enjoyed every weird book I've read by Vandermeer!
Salem’s Lot is my favorite book of all time. I am a simple person. I was a literature major, and it was SO uncool to like Stephen King back then. I’m so glad I’m old now, and don’t have to care about what’s cool.
This is my second favourite novel of all time and my favourite Stephen king novel
I love Pet Semetary! I read it every year. King does such a good job of "suggesting" things in ways that are vague but terrifying. "What you sow is what you own; and sooner or later, what you own comes back to you."
The fact you BLUR THE BOOKS in the thumbnail is freaking great. I like being surprised not looking at thumbnails and going "oh....well I guess I don't need to watch this video now".
I've read The Hellbound Heart three times and it never gets old. Pretty much any Clive Barker book is a great surreal and nightmarish time :)
I am forever chasing that hollow, surreal, and haunting otherness of that first-time read of Annihilation and House of Leaves. I love that this channel exists. You have my dream job!
I just came across your video. I have been in the book business and a reader for 55 years. I read a lot, but horror is my favorite. I just got into "Extreme" horror and "American Psycho" has scenes that truly stick with you...I mean.. 😳. I followed up by reading "Less than Zero" It's dark, but not like "Psycho". I met Harlan at a Scifi convention years ago and asked him where he came up with the idea of "I have no mouth...". He said he got the idea from Asimov and his robot stories and instead of saving humanity what would it be like if they went the complete opposite of the rules. Thank you for your list. More for the "TBR" pile!!! 😂
King's IT was Also One of the Best Horror Novel Ever 😁🎈
Author H.P. Lovecraft. True horror., if you can understand his 19th century writing style. After reading him,you can see where soooo many other writers got their themes.
Harlan Ellison's audiobook narration of his story is fantastic and worth a listen. Also that is amazing to hear how your husband proposed to you! Very fun!
omg i love your enthusiasm for these! and as a horror film nerd who doesn't know many horror books this list is a perfect way in for me. your analyses are spot on too - never thought about Hellraiser as a Faust story but once you said it a lightbulb went on in my head. so interesting that you think the book complements the film, now i really wanna find that book - I've looked before but seems hard to come by... anyway thanks for making this! ^_^
Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment. It is always nice to find other people who love horror.
I've read a fair few horror books in my life, but my favourite by a long margin is Last Days by Adam Nevill. You may recall that his first novel 'The Ritual' was made into the major motion picture, although 'Last Days' would have been a much spookier choice!
For anyone who hasn't read it, I thoroughly recommend it.
Here's the skinny from the back of the book:
When guerrilla documentary maker, Kyle Freeman, is asked to shoot a film on the notorious cult known as the Temple of the Last Days, it appears his prayers have been answered. The cult became a worldwide phenomenon in 1975 when there was a massacre including the death of its infamous leader, Sister Katherine. Kyle's brief is to explore the paranormal myths surrounding an organization that became a testament to paranoia, murderous rage, and occult rituals. The shoot's locations take him to the cult's first temple in London, an abandoned farm in France, and a derelict copper mine in the Arizonan desert where The Temple of the Last Days met its bloody end. But when he interviews those involved in the case, those who haven't broken silence in decades, a series of uncanny events plague the shoots. Troubling out-of-body experiences, nocturnal visitations, the sudden demise of their interviewees and the discovery of ghastly artifacts in their room make Kyle question what exactly it is the cult managed to awaken - and what is its interest in him?
I'm a novice in the horror genre, I've only read 'Salem's Lot and Ring Shout so far. Just added some more books to my list... Love your passion for the genre!
I'm so glad this video helped you find something to read! Hopefully some of the books can convert you to being a horror lover, too.
Ring Shout was so well-written and unique!
The short story “Heat” by Joyce Carol Oats is one of my favorite reads. The narrator is recalling the murder of twin girls that happened were her class mates. It’s a small southern town and the story is told like a dreamy memory. Not the way it happened but the way you remember it. Just love it. One of the best twenty minutes you can spend. And I can never stop recommending The Yellow Wallpaper. Another short story, this one (written in the 19th century) about the psychological impacts of misogyny.
Wow! The yellow wallpaper! You just brought back really clear memories of reading that as a teen. I absolutely loved rhe imagery of the yellow becoming sickly while descending to madness was really memorable
I need to get into more Oates. I read “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” in college and it was harrowing
So far I see Bradbury and Clive Barker and I'm happy. p.s. I haven't thought about my favorite horror book, but The Exorcist is the first that comes to mind and nothing is competing with it right now so it must be it. And to me it's quite different than A head full of ghosts. In the latter I didn't mind the part with TV, but the blogging was too much for me. I couldn't take it seriously. I feel like a grumpy old man saying this...
Haha! I think a lot of people felt that way about A Head Full of Ghosts. But the creepy behavior of the sister was enough to keep me intrigued. I honestly considered adding The Exorcist but it seemed like an obvious choice for a good horror book.
I read Pet Sematery only now in 2022. 40 years old and a father.
This book broke me. Left me desolate and yet, it is beautiful.
I really like the background, sets the environment in a proper way. The shelves with so many books, I mean famous books.Super clean,no dusts.Having such a shelf is a dream of every bookworm like me. Really appreciate your work.
Definitely going to use this as a reading list for the year. If I could make one horror novel recommendation, it would be House of Leaves. One of the most challenging books I’ve ever read, but also one of the absolute best.
House of Leaves is less a book that you read and more a book that you “experience“.
I left a comment on another video about Cormac McCarthy, and hearing you talk about loving horrific scenes and events described in beautiful, poetic language I'm certain he would rocket up your list of favorite authors. You can find some of his work on UA-cam in very good audiobook format.
For Mac McCarthy is great, but did you think a boom UA-camr hadn’t heard of him? That’s like suggesting Tarantino to a film buff
The Ruins is a masterpiece. I'm still wondering why Scott Smith has only written two novels so far.
Interesting list. I'm particularly intrigues by Zombie, which I've never heard of. I don't know if I have a favorite horror novel, but a recent one that took me by surprise was The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher. The horror element kind of snuck up on me, and was much creepier than I was expecting.
I've never read this. I'll have to add it to my list. Thanks for the suggestion!
Forgot who wrote it, but for some "body horror", Try "The Troop".
I had a very similar reaction to Anda when reading Zombie. I happened to find it on a list of most disturbing books. I also recommend Tender is the Flesh if you’re looking to be both viscerally and morally appalled and surprised by a book.
I am soooo thrilled to see a list that mentions A Head Full of Ghosts.
I just stopped by to make sure that Hellbound Heart was on the list. Clive Barker's use of vocabulary is perfect for the genre. Head and shoulders above the competition in my opinion.
He's a fantastic writer. You can't go wrong with a Clive Barker book.
Fantastic list! Thank you for introducing me to a few novels I had not heard of before! To add my own recommendation, I would recomment Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons. That book messes me up every time I read it.
Oh. My. GOSH. That is one of my very favorite books and I never see it mentioned in horror novel recommendations.
I never realized the full, horrific potential of mind control until I read that book.
Love the state of your pet semetary book. I have many like that, pages coming away from the spine. I always buy a new one just to look good on my shelf and continue reading my "well read ones"
I'm a fan of the work of Karl Edward Wagner. Unfortunately, most of his books are out of print, or only available as expensive collector's editions, but recently Valancourt books published a collection of his horror/supernatural stories, 'In a Lonely Place', which I would highly recommend.
I really love this channel very much. Pet semetery was probably my favourite Steven King book ever.
Love from Namibia🇳🇦❤
Yes I think I read at least 1 Stephen King book a years and I love Pet sematary lol and most of mine have covers like that lol and Yes Silence of the Lamb! also I love your shirt
And the full novel Legion by William Peter Blatty is genius. It’s the literary continuation of The Exorcist (also genius). Blatty makes you love the characters and laugh with them all the while showing you terrible horrors and horrible truths about human nature. So much soul. . . And don’t judge it based on the movie Exorcist III which Blatty (despite having directed) was famously disappointed in what the studio forced him to do to the ending.
Yes! Saw the movie also! It was good 👍
Shirley Jackson. "The Haunting of Hill House"
I've read other Shirley Jackson books but I just bought this one! I'll definitely have to read it soon.
@@AndaKent The opening paragraph is one of the best ever written in my opinion.
@@fancimcguffin2227 I need to read this book again. Not many books have scared me, but some of the scenes in The Haunting of Hill House still get to me today
I just listened to it on audiobook on UA-cam and it brought out even more unease in me. Such an amazing book!
What are you people talking about?. It was the most boringly dull book I've ever read. Nothing creepy even happens in it and the writing is just too pretentiously posh.
Fun fact: the author of "I Have No Mouth But I Must Scream" also did the voice of the sentient being in the game based off the book
Great list. Pet Semetary and The Ruins are so good! My favorite book is by Ronald Kelly and it is called Fear. It’s a coming of age story that takes place in the 40’s. An amazing book! 😁
Interesting. I don't think I've ever heard of this one. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.
@@AndaKent yeah! It’s really good! In fact, I recommend Ronald Kelly’s books as a whole! :D
The books that scared me the most and literally made me pee in bed in my sleep were Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, Pines by Blake Crouch, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Thank you.
My first “read” of American Psycho was as an audiobook and it definitely changed my perspective on horror, absolutely loved the book but it made me feel pretty bad inside lol
I just got my library card lol excited to get into gothic literature again
The Woman in Black is still one of my all-time favorite books! It's the most *perfect* gothic horror/ghost story.
I wasn't going to read The Ruins because i thought it was just another monster novel. But i saw it had good reviews so I read it on a whim, and boy was i surprised! Enjoyed it very much. The October Country is a great collection too and The Divine Comedy a must read for anybody that loves literature. My all time favorite horror novel is The Ceremonies by T.E.D. Klein. And Ghost Story by Peter Straub my second. Great video, am glad i found your channel. Subscribed!
I love Straub’s first “horror” novel, “Julia,” which was written in the early 1970s. It’s probably my favorite ghost story ever. Subtle and somewhat low key, I guess what you would call a slow burner, but very creepy.
My favorite is Richard Laymon Endless Night. Great list I liked Pet Semetary and The Ruins.
Oh I forgot about Endless Night, that one was soooooo good too! Damn, I'm going to have to go back and read all his books again I think!
ive been watching reviews and its really hard to find a book i like when ppl dont talk more about the books. thats why i like your review
Thank you for the great recommendations. American Psycho is one of the most disturbing books I've read. I can't wait to read Head Full of Ghosts next.
Loved the breadth of your selection, definitely added some of your picks to my reading list.
American Psycho is a great book. If, and when you have the time, and if you haven’t read them already, I recommend Kathryn Dunn’s Geek Love about a family of freaks with a powerful telekinetic young boy called Chick and also Richard Matherson’s I Am Legend - because its brilliant (the film is not).
I agree with your take on I Am Legend. A fantastic book. And yes, the movie is an abomination.
October Country is a masterpiece! Glad you included it.
You have a lot of insight into Ellis. I haven’t read American Psycho, but I’ve read other stuff of his like Less Than Zero. I think that his writing is very conspicuously and intentionally monotonous. I’m going to try AP on your recommendation,but Ellis, while being an interesting American writer, is not a lot of fun for me.
The hellbound heart is a amazing book. Stephen King, Clive Barker and HP Lovecraft are by far my favorite. Thank you for your video
Ooo I havne't read a lot of these but I'm always looking for new horror books to read and the creepier the better. Lol! Pet Sematary is one of my favorites and it's always been but like you, I read it several times and it is way scarier when you read it after a loss of a loved one. It puts a different perspective on it and you can really relate on a deeper level to the characters. I have seen silence of the lambs many times but have never read the books and the one about the sisters and the ghosts seems interesting too. . Great video and I'll catch you in the next one!
Hi. I just discovered your channel. I've been a horror fanatic for over 40 years so I've seen and read alot of horror in my life. I'm familiar with all of these titles and there's only a couple I haven't read. Zombie and Dante's Inferno. American Psycho is not for me, sorry. I've tried to read it a couple of times but I just can't get through the monotony and tedium. A couple of British authors I recommend are James Herbert and Shaun Hutson. Their stuff can be hard to find though. Especially Hutson.
Pet Sematary, American Psycho, Hellbound Heart and Silence of the Lambs are some of my favorites as well (:
Some others I really love are:
Swan Song and A Boy’s Life by Robert Mccamon
Carrion Comfort, The Abominable and Seasons of Horror by Dan Simmons
Pressure by Jeff Strand
Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
Heart Shaped Box and Nos4a2 by Joe Hill
Tons of other books by Stephen King, Clive Barker, Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, Bentley Little, Robert Mccamon, Cormac McCarthy, Joe Hill, Dean Koontz, Darren Shan, H.P. Lovecraft, Gerald Brom, and a few other authors that could make this list multiple times.
I’ve also read tons of horror comics and manga that could be listed here as well like Junji Ito, Shuzo Oshimi, Inio Asano, Berserk, Gantz, Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul, Parasyte, Locke and Key, Preacher, Hellboy, From Hell, Rachel Rising, Walking Dead, and dozens of others.
I’m a horror fanatic 😅
Thanks so much for this. I’m listening to Silence of the lambs now. I’m ashamed to say it is one of my favorite movies and I didn’t even know it was a book. Pet semetary is my favorite horror book ever, for all the reasons you stated. so I can tell we have similar tastes.
I'm so glad you were able to find something new to read/listen to. There are so many movies that I had no idea were books until I started making videos of them. Thank you so much for watching!
@@AndaKent of course:) I’m almost done with silence of the lambs and I’m so happy I read it. I will probably try to read all of the books you put in this video. Well, I mostly do audio books. I’m a massage therapist so I have a lot of quiet time where I listen to books all day:) excited to see more of your recs
(I know this video is a year old, im very late)
I just ordered The Ruins just today and i was surprised to see it being the first book you talk about.
Makes me really excited to start reading. I havent watched the movie. Ive never heard of it but it was recommended to me and im super excited to get started.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! The movie is okay but that book is fantastic. Happy reading :)
The Ruins was an amazing book. I’m only on my third horror book currently. So far Misery by Stephen King has to be my favorite, but I did really enjoy that The Ruins had more violence and gore (I wouldn’t classify it as scatterplunk tho). I like to be scared and The Ruins did that really well. But it’s still more tame, and frankly more ethical, than what I’m reading now which is Playground by Aron Beauregard. I’m actually loving Playground once I got past pages 40 - 50. Everything else after page 50 isn’t as bad and is actually really well done but for the love of god check trigger warnings.
Yes! Everything after the incest doesn't seem so bad 😂
Great review and I like that you jumped around in time with your reading. I think I have read about half of your selection.
Based on your review of Zombie, I think you might enjoy Finishing Touches by Thomas Tessier. Another non-supernatural horror story, I read it with a feeling of dread all the way and then the ending is bone jarring.
You might want to try Michael McDowell's Toplin. All of his work was excellent (my favorite is Blackwater -- a Southern Gothic Family Saga involving shape-shifting humanoid river monsters who intermarry with the family and such).
Also, one of my favorites which few people discuss is Fingers of Fear written by J. U. Nicolson (a horror one hit wonder), written in 1937 that involves a family curse, lycanthropy, infanticide and other horrors. It has been said it was the basis for Dark Shadows, but I always hated that show as nothing but atmosphere and innuendo ever happened. Plenty happens in Fingers of Fear.
A recent discovery was John W. Campbell's original longer manuscript for "Who Goes There?" published as FROZEN HELL. I just read it and it is not as good, There is a reason why the original manuscript was edited and shortened. The novelette you review as originally published is a sweat inducing page turner. I think of it as very close to the superior 70s movie. I grew up with the 1951 Howard Hawks version, which is great though not quite the same story; they couldn't manage the effects in those days that Rob Bottin was able to deliver in the John Carpenter movie.
Ah, The Hellbound Heart is a masterpiece! Zombie gave me the creeps 🤣 it did its job!
My Top 5 : Red Dragon , Salem's Lot , The Historian, The Other , Dracul ( the prequel by Dacre Stoker)
If you're a big Brett Easton Ellis fan, there's a really interesting podcast, "Once Upon a Time at Bennington College," about Ellis and two of his classmates who also became famous authors, Donna Tartt and the guy who wrote "Motherless Brooklyn." (I can't remember his name, sorry!)
And there is one moment in A Head Full of Ghosts when the big sister is talking to the younger one in such a cruel, menacing way that it sent a chill down my spine.
Some great choices in there :) x
Nice video
The Ruins - Agree, the book was far better than the movie. I'm glad I read the book first because I never would have read it had I seen the movie first.
The Silence of the Lambs - great book as are all of Thomas Harris' books
A few of suggestions, I loved them all
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Dying Inside by Robert Silverberg
Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons
Swan Song by Robert McCammon
enjoy
I have Carrion Comfort and Swan Song but haven't had a chance to read them yet. I should move them up on my reading list! Thanks for the suggestions!
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. Terrifying introduction to Hannibal Lecter
Great selection of books Anda! I love that you had Dante's Divine Comedy on this list. It one great masterpiece. You lasted favorite is also interesting. If hear of it, but I never actually read it. I might need to correct that soon.
Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy reading it! It really is an interesting little short story.
I agree with you so much on Pet Semetary. I have read the book seven times.
Every few years it calls to me haha. It's so good!
My recommendation: "The Elm House" by Paul C. Skertich. It's the "Troll 2" of books. Terrible in every aspect, but so entertaining. My friends and I had "read aloud" parties with this.
Example of the masterful writing: "The toolshed appeared to be practically falling apart - surprisingly somehow miraculously still structurally still intact - but it still looked like it'll collapse down onto its skeletal knees any second."
Best. Sentence. Ever.
My goodness, we share similar tastes. My top three movies are Silence of the Lambs, American Psycho and We Need to Talk About Kevin. I love these books too. I also love Paul Tremblay overall and A Head Full of Ghosts actually got me back into horror after a long hiatus. I love Dante's work too and on a different note, love Milton's Paradis Lost. I always compare these two for some reason. My last guilty pleasure is anything Omen related - I have all the books and movies and will always cherish them.
That's amazing! Man, We Need to Talk About Kevin is VERY messed up. I actually haven't read any of the Omen books. I'll have to keep an eye out for these.
wow, I was not expecting to see Dante's Inferno on this list :)
Anything by Stephen Graham Jones (My Heart is a Chainsaw, The Only Good Indians, Mannequins)
Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (her other books are great too)
Leech by Hiron Ennes
The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig
Salvation Day by Kali Wallace
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
I'm so glad I found your channel omg! I'm so excited to read these!!!!
Great list. I highly recommend the Hater series by David Moody (his Autumn series is good, too) and Garbage Man by Joseph D’Lacey.
Your husband proposing with a Hellraiser box is incredible!! He definitely knows you, lol, you got a keeper!
That’s a pretty good top ten list! I’m curious where would Cujo rank on the list I mean obviously not on the top ten haha but how far down would it be?
Cujo let me depressed for a while after I read it for sure!
@@randomanda yeah I agree haha
Great Content! This is one of the most heartfelt descriptions of Pet Sematary I've come across :)
Some really good entries in this little list - great job
I have never read I Have No Mouth but I Must Scream but i have watched Wendigoons analysis like 5 times and its so fascinating. I think about it often.
Great job on the video here: No cats jumping on you, no stuttering, full & intelligent analysis, good insight with explanations... Thank you--much appreciation from a Literature fan!
Excellent and well crafted list! Thanks for putting some of these on my radar
Thank you so much! I hope you find something you enjoy reading.
Loved American Psycho! Thanks for the recs.
Pet Sematary and Salem’s Lot!
omg, not even a minute in and I have to say your shirt is priceless!! OK, now back to the show
I need to check out Zombie. I had never heard of it. It sounds right up my alley!
I hadn't either! I just found it at my used bookstore for a few dollars in the horror section. I'm not sure why it isn't talked about more often. It really is fantastic.
F. Marion Crawford's “The Upper Berth”. Is one of my favorite short horror stories.
Very true about the art of film and literature complement each other. One is not meant to be exactly like the other. It's also nearly impossible as each person perceives a book differently, and nothing could ever live up to that image in your head of what you think it should be like, because someone else is making that movie.
I enjoy hellbound heart. Bit it is tough to say. I just remember that book was enjoyable to read from start to finish. Also like cosmic horror or Lovecraft type stuff as well.
Wow we have almost the exact same taste ! Every book on here is one of my favorite or on my TBR (with the exception of a couple books I'd never heard of). Personally my favorite horror novels are Lisey's Story by Stephen King, Negative Space by B.R. Yeager, and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski :D
I haven't gotten to House of Leaves yet. Every time I pick it up, I get intimidated. I'll defeat it one day!
This book is often critiqued for its “anticlimactic” ending and ambiguous nature of the haunting. But I honestly love every aspect of this book. It’s so…haunting and bitterly romantic, it sticks with you.
Which book?
That was a fun list! Meanwhile, my favourite Horror book up till now is Nazareth Hill (aka The House on Nazareth Hill) by Ramsey Campbell. Special shout out to an oldie…The Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue.
For what it's worth, I'd suggest the Hollander translation of l'Inferno (and the remainder of the Comedy, as well); the Hollanders are a husband and wife team: he is a Dante scholar from Princeton, who actually translates the original Italian text, and she is a poet, who prepares the English text in order to best evoke the underlying context, etc., while trying to maintain as much of the Terza Rime flow as possible, but in open verse.
The endnotes are very thorough, and provide some of the best background and name identification, including why that person appears where they do, that I've seen without getting too bogged down in the details so as to undermine the read.
This is great to know! Thanks for the info. I might have to pick up this one myself to see if my book left out anything important.
@@AndaKent My pleasure! If you pick it up, let me know what you think; I'd love to hear your take on it.
American Psycho ❤️
If you liked Zombie, try Poppy Brite’s Exquisite Corpse or Dennis Cooper’s Frisk
Your shirt is everything !!! Great video!
Good choices. Good discussion. Thank you!
I live 20 minutes from Stephen King, so i grew up loving the horror genre. Thanks for some new suggestions I hadn't read yet
Love me some horror. Who goes there is a classic, love reading that and then watching the multiple adaptations
I prefer my horror in short form.so here are my five favorite short stories.
Carmella by J Sheridan LeFanu. Teenage Lesbian Vampires!
The Great God Pan. Arthur Machen.
God Grant That She Lie Still by Lady Cynthia Asquith.
The Gray God Passes by Robert E. Howard. aka Twilight of the Gray God, or Swords of Clontarf.
At First Just Ghostly by Karl Edward Wagner.
Anything by Lovecraft.
Have you read The Willows by Algernon Blackwood? It is one of my favorites.
So many great recs in this vid!!!! Thank you for giving me so many new books to check out!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Weaveworld by Clive Barker is sublime.
Know im late to the game but just wanted to say, the robert pinsky translation of inferno is the best!!! His footnotes are excellent and since he is normally a poet he really makes the work sing!
Thanks for letting me know! I'll have to pick this version up.
I love your energy and enthusiasm. I have readed horror from the age of 10, and i have too many favorite books in this genre. So I'll just name the haunting of hill house by Jackson, and terror by Simmons here.
Otherwice this comment will be way too lengthy.
Personally, I would’ve included “a prayer for the dying” in this list. The second person narrative is unusual and a bit offputting, until it’s really disturbing. Also, since you were mentioning Dante, I’m surprised you didn’t at least mention, if not recommend, Marquis de Sade.
The ruins is my favorite book of all time. My second is the thief of always by Clive Barker. Its YA but so creepy and just so amazing that I got a tattoo of one of the illustrations.
Loved your reviews and presentation. Could not agree withe you more about American Psycho. It took me 5 times to read it through completely. Also have you read his Glamorama? Check it out if not. Keep up the good work!
That's interesting what you said about Pet Sematary. It's also one of my top 10 books of all time, across all genres. I think Stephen King is a great writer when it comes to the human mind, but he is just on another level in this one. It's rich, it's classic King, and in it's own way it's beautiful. I've wanted to reread it and you have inspired me to come to it again to see what I can pull from it a aecond time around.
I love this! I feel like I get something new out of it with each read. I hope you do too.