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
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 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!
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 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."
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.
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 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!!! 😂
@@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.
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!
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).
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.
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'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 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.
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.
I have a life long love affair with Christine by Stephan King. I saw the movie when I was way to young and it became a movie night favourite. It was a must have when I grew old enough to actually read king.
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.
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.
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'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!
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.
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'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.
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 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 can vouch for the "i have no mouth and must scream" video game lol. its kinda weird especially if you dont know wtf is going on. everything can seem random but once you know wtf is going on you're just like "HOLY SHET DUDE" edit: forgot my fav horror book. sadly i dont have one yet but i do enjoy the horror mangas of junji ito.
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
Dean Koontz, The Bad Place. William Peter Blatty, Legion. Not really horror but suspenseful sci-fi Jack Chalker's Soul Rider series. Robert R. McCammon, Mine and Mystery Walk. Thomas Harris, Red Dragon, I like it just a little bit more the Silence of the Lambs probably because I read it first. Stephen King, The Shining, also my first King novel although when I got Pet Sematery I read a little on the way to school on the bus and then when I got home finished it because I could not put it down. Clive Barker, The Great and Secret Show. Lastly again not a true horror novel Piers Anthony, On A Pale Horse becaues of the Grim Reaper theme, just be careful it might make you want to read the rest of the series. Great list and scary reading.
How about Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. It's about a guy trying to make the perfect perfume by killing young women for their scents. Some books put images in your head but ever heard of a book that puts smells in the room with you? This book nearly does that.
Best horror novel? Haven't written it yet. No list is complete without me, of course. The Stand is King's best, IMHO. Said as much, himself, too. Sentimental fav of mine, it was the first King book I've ever read.
American Psycho is Brett Easton-Ellis saying “No, really, fuck yourself.” to the lifestyle and attitudes of corporate execs he encountered in New York in the mid-to-late-80s.
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.
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"
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
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 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.
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
Bambi by Felix Sulten. forget everything you know bout the Disney version. Is it traditional horror? No. But it’s one of the few books I had to put down and just stare at the wall for a minute after reading. Those winter chapters will mess you up.
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 😅
I notice you have no Richard Laymon here. He's my go to guy for horror. All his books are awesome, so hard to pick recommendations... perhaps Savage, Island or Body Rides. Or for a good mind bender - the stake (what would you do if you discovered an old corpse with a stake through the heart?). Bentley Little is great too (Dominion & The Store). Personally preferred Red Dragon over Silence of the Lambs. Stephen King - 'IT' takes the crown!
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.
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 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
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 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!
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 :)
King's IT was Also One of the Best Horror Novel Ever 😁🎈
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."
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.
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.
The Ruins is a masterpiece. I'm still wondering why Scott Smith has only written two novels so far.
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!!! 😂
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.
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!
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. Terrifying introduction to Hannibal Lecter
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.
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.
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!
The Silence of the Lambs was a pretty lame choice, imo. It has little depth, no great prose. Much better horror books out there!
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 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
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 👍
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 have a life long love affair with Christine by Stephan King.
I saw the movie when I was way to young and it became a movie night favourite. It was a must have when I grew old enough to actually read king.
Ah, The Hellbound Heart is a masterpiece! Zombie gave me the creeps 🤣 it did its job!
I just got my library card lol excited to get into gothic literature again
How can "It" not be your favorite? :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.
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.
Weaveworld by Clive Barker is sublime.
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.
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'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!
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
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.
Pet Sematary and Salem’s Lot!
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'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🇳🇦❤
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 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
My Top 5 : Red Dragon , Salem's Lot , The Historian, The Other , Dracul ( the prequel by Dacre Stoker)
i can vouch for the "i have no mouth and must scream" video game lol. its kinda weird especially if you dont know wtf is going on. everything can seem random but once you know wtf is going on you're just like "HOLY SHET DUDE"
edit: forgot my fav horror book. sadly i dont have one yet but i do enjoy the horror mangas of junji ito.
The Other by Tom Tyron.
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
PLEASE tell me where you got “I have no mouth and I must scream” I’ve been searching for it for YEARS and can’t find a copy under like $100!!!
Fear by L. Ron Hubbard, Something wicked this way comes by Ray Bradbury, and conjure wife by fritz leiber
Dean Koontz, The Bad Place. William Peter Blatty, Legion. Not really horror but suspenseful sci-fi Jack Chalker's Soul Rider series. Robert R. McCammon, Mine and Mystery Walk. Thomas Harris, Red Dragon, I like it just a little bit more the Silence of the Lambs probably because I read it first. Stephen King, The Shining, also my first King novel although when I got Pet Sematery I read a little on the way to school on the bus and then when I got home finished it because I could not put it down. Clive Barker, The Great and Secret Show. Lastly again not a true horror novel Piers Anthony, On A Pale Horse becaues of the Grim Reaper theme, just be careful it might make you want to read the rest of the series. Great list and scary reading.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury and It by Stephen King
How about Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. It's about a guy trying to make the perfect perfume by killing young women for their scents. Some books put images in your head but ever heard of a book that puts smells in the room with you? This book nearly does that.
I must know. What's your shirt say? "The Golden...Ghouls????
Best horror novel? Haven't written it yet. No list is complete without me, of course.
The Stand is King's best, IMHO. Said as much, himself, too. Sentimental fav of mine, it was the first King book I've ever read.
American Psycho is Brett Easton-Ellis saying “No, really, fuck yourself.” to the lifestyle and attitudes of corporate execs he encountered in New York in the mid-to-late-80s.
Dante’s Inferno is beautiful
"Mystery" Peter Straub ;) And more obviously, "Ghost Story."
Don’t Play Games With The Builder…. Is a better read than Shirley Jackson HIll House.
The hellbound heart is a amazing book. Stephen King, Clive Barker and HP Lovecraft are by far my favorite. Thank you for your video
Your husband proposing with a Hellraiser box is incredible!! He definitely knows you, lol, you got a keeper!
Read - 'The Hicksville Horror' by Augustus Black.
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.
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"
where can I get "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream"? I can't find it anywhere...
He's not mainstream but I would recommend Nothing Men by Doug Brunell.
You would like Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. It came out before Silence of the Lambs.
I've heard there's a lot of victim blaming and inherent misogyny in I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
House of Leaves and Dracula are probably at the top of the list for me. I'm bad at choosing favorites, though!
Wow. Interesting list, half of the books are incredibly awesome, half of them are trash.
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
F. Marion Crawford's “The Upper Berth”. Is one of my favorite short horror stories.
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
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!
UA-cam: Joseph Smith HORROR mansion
The book is always better! My favorite horror novel is probably The Shining
Clive Barkers book The Great and Secret Show is great if you haven't read it.
The most poetic of Stephen King's works is 'Duma Key'.
I am soooo thrilled to see a list that mentions A Head Full of Ghosts.
While not in the horror genre if you'd like to be absolutely terrified after reading a book pick up blood meridian by cormac mccarthy.
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.
The Woman in Black is still one of my all-time favorite books! It's the most *perfect* gothic horror/ghost story.
Some great choices in there :) x
The movie adaptation of "the ruins" is awful, as usually happens with adaptations.
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
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!
I made a movie about the first book you were talking about ruins,
I remember that plot word by word
Song of Kali by Dan Simmons made feel like I needed a shower after reading it. It was so evil and rank.
My favourite ever are the Necroscope series by Brian Lumley
Bambi by Felix Sulten.
forget everything you know bout the Disney version. Is it traditional horror? No. But it’s one of the few books I had to put down and just stare at the wall for a minute after reading.
Those winter chapters will mess you up.
I've read a few of those original fairytales and they've been pretty dark. I definitely have to check this one out. Thank you for the recommendation!
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 😅
I notice you have no Richard Laymon here. He's my go to guy for horror. All his books are awesome, so hard to pick recommendations... perhaps Savage, Island or Body Rides. Or for a good mind bender - the stake (what would you do if you discovered an old corpse with a stake through the heart?). Bentley Little is great too (Dominion & The Store). Personally preferred Red Dragon over Silence of the Lambs. Stephen King - 'IT' takes the crown!
Thanks for the recommendations! I'll definitely pick up a Richard Laymon book and see how I like it.
House of Leaves is really, really good and tells an engrossing, unsettling story in a nonconventional way.
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 😂
You lost me at ray Bradbury. I fvhuking hate his long winded bs. We get it ray, let's move the story forward.
😂
I wish i could read American Psycho.
American Psycho is the only book I ever threw in the bin.
Guy de Maupassant: " The Horla".
You should play the PC game of 'I have no mouth and I must scream' - It looks dated now, but it's really good. Harlan Ellison voiced AM in the game x
I had no idea there was a game!
a head full of ghosts is one of my favourites too!
I had to read Dante’s inferno in highschool. It had pictures. It’s something.
That's a WILD book to make high schoolers read
Dante’s Inferno is a masterclass in pettiness and I adore it.
What’s your opinion on House of Leaves?