The statement that blood and gore in a book was the equivalent of a jump scare was brilliant. It's the same way for me. I'd rather have a creeping sense of dread, subtext and psychological horror. That's not to say I dislike blood and gore on occasion, but it doesn't belong in **every** story. :-)
Refreshing. Saw that King wasn’t included and immediately clicked. As much as I like king, everybody knows him so it is easier to find and experience new authors and novels.
The Ruins is an incredible book. It's gross, dark and super depressing. I admire the fact that it unnerved me so bad that I never want to read it again.
Matt Stryker the Ruins is a great metaphor for modern man suffering at the hands of primordial elements, the cell phone part he mentions is genuinely dark and hopeless.
Just picked it up after reading this thread. I saw the movie in elementary school and thought it was cool but I haven't seen it since so the overall story totally went over my head. I could rewatch the movie and it would seem like a new movie to me so it's a perfect time to read the book.
I'm finishing up American psycho by Brett Ellis.....some disturbingly awesome parts....it's way better than the movie...read the book first if you haven't watched the movie...recommended
Glad you mentioned Drood by Dan Simmons, I adored it, he got the Victorian Opium den underworld simply brilliantly, and I loved The Terror too. I want to read the rest of his works on the strength of both of these. Ghost Story is one of my favourites too. More recently, I adored Hex. It scared the eeby jeebies out of me, that witch ( shudders), oh and last year Neville’s The Ritual was pretty damn terrifying too. There is one scene in the middle of the woods, one of those what’s out there moments, when I had to stop listening to the audiobook at night in the dark and was sat upright, all lights a blazing scared rigid! That rarely happens.......
I'm so excited. Half of these are already on my TBR. You are the first person I hear mention the PiloFamily Circus. I came across this when researching circus books and immediately put it on my TBR. Also, I tried reading Ghost Story over 10 years ago but couldn't get into the writing style and DNFed it. Wish I hadn't unhauled it because I've been wanting to pick it up again.
The Ruins was awesome. Almost quit after about the first 50-pages. Mathias wasn't a bad dude, though. Probably the ONLY genuine character in it. -chirp chirp chirp-
I'm starting to get back into reading books more. It takes me a little longer to read than most people I know, and that's probably the reason why I haven't read more in a recreational sense. In my reading history, I have digested mostly science-fiction, but I'm getting more involved. I've read some Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Michael Crichton. I love horror movies, so what the heck. I like your videos, so I'll be checking more of them out. Thanks.
Jack Ketchum, "Off Season"; Thomas Emson, "Skarlet" (+ it's two sequels); Guy N. Smith, "Crabs"; James Herbert, "The Rats"; Clive Barker, "Books of Blood".
The Terror is in my top 10 favorite books! Like you said, even though it is so long it just flies by. When I reread it I always find myself reading it in 100+ page chunks at a time haha. Such a gripping book
Hell of a list. Got some names for you: Christopher Slatsky, Richard Gavin, Clint Smith, and Nathan Ballingrud. The fiction addiction is a cruel mistress but completely worth it lol Enjoy!
The terror is not only a book its an experience ,no amount of words would describe how good is this book to me , i dont know but this book set my imagination into motion when i was readin it , its a cinematic book
Thank you for the tips. The Terror by Dan Simmons is on my backlog pile. I ADORE Simmons's Carrion Comfort, would take a lot to kick that off my #1 horror novel spot.
You can find all kinds of really cool bookmarks in old books at thrift stores. Letters between lovers, family pictures are what I found. My personal favorite was a hippy letter from the 60's along with a guitar string and a couple of greyhound bus tickets around the same era. On topic: I haven't been real impressed with contemporary horror writing, I've read some of those authors. Maybe I just changed over the years and it doesn't interest me anymore. But I think also, a lot of these "horror" books are trending towards torture and cruelty themes, which seems to be the trend in horror movies over last several years as well. and that turns me off.
I finished “The Ruins” today. I’m with you in thinking it’s a great horror, pretty original and pretty damn creepy. I did not expect the thing that is the horror to be as disturbing as they are. Loved the ending too.
The Terror has got to be one of the best books I've read. There is so much information density, and I think this must be in part due to the reality that the story is based on.
I love your lists--you make me want to devour these books again...and buy the ones that I haven't. (Just bought three of your recommendations while watching this!) The Terror--Amen brother! Thanks for mentioning the Drood; I loved that book! So glad you mention Peter Straub, but did you read Floating Dragon? It's one of my all time favorites. Also, what about Clive Barker? I think Imagica and Great and Secret Show are two of the coolest horror novels of all time. Read them if you haven't already!
I liked The Ruins. I like how the author had the characters think 'I shouldn't say this' or 'do this' but did it anyway, or as they did it. I want to like Straub, but it's hard for me to. You ever read Bryan Smith? The author of Freakshow, or Strange Ways. He is also on Kindle and affordable. I dig him.
@@EdwardLorn My sense of those characters were that although they may have been unlikeable most of them were characters you can relate to and also from their points of view he, to me made them believable though it took a little while. I think it is a credit to him that he made the somewhat ludicrous in the light of day storyline believable too. Certainly a sacrifice to the supernatural powers and the powers of a haunted place is a trope because either there is something to it or because it's an archetype that helped us at one time. Anyway, I was utterly drawn into that book and could not believe when it came out that it was not another best seller along the lines of Silence of the Lambs.
My favorite horror is also a growing sense of dread. However most of the time I find that it’s best when the dread is caused by an actual person or not a haunted spirit. For instance I read Hell House and yes it’s kind of disturbing but I was never actually scared or spooked too much reading it. But I love Dracula’s suspense and setup style of horror. Any suggestions for me?
I am actually not a reader currently (haven't had the time since school has had me focusing on math non-stop). All the books I read are in the single digits. Now that I have a job, I want to get into reading, and since I am a horror fan, I thought I would start with horror. Are there any books that are similar to the paranoia filled-type story similar to John Carpenter's The Thing, or stories where the great turns out to be humans becoming monsters due to fear (like King's The Mist)? Psychological and cosmic horror are definitely my favorite. Also planning on looking for some horror manga. Japanese sure know how to make quality horror. I am definitely subbing cause I think your channel can help me throughout
Check out my Manga playlist. For horror lit, maybe try Hailey Piper's THE WORM AND HIS KINGS. It's cosmic horror. If I can think of something similar to THE THING, I'll let you know.
Hi, I am just starting out in the horror fiction genre and I am quite impressed by your list compared to other book tubers out there. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for horror books that are centered around creepy children? Thank you for your videos.
- mounting sense of dread... check! - subtext... check! plus - fleshed-out characters who develop over the course of the novel, - an exciting and unpredictable, yet believable plot, - relevance, - and most of all: a fitting language. put all that together, and you will most probably have a good (horror) novel.
p.s.: Talking about 'mounting sense of dread' - that could be the title for almost all of the Kealan Patrick Burke novellas I have read so far (most of all 'Blanky', of course, thanks again for the recommendation).
Edward Lorn Just in case I haven't mentioned it (and I know I have a thousand times, sorry): mounting dread + subtext = 'The Visible Filth' by Nathan Ballingrud.
Great video! Absolutely agree on The Terror! I can't wait to start Drood next as I've been looking forward to that one for awhile now. I'm dying to read Kin, The Ruins & Night Film. Kin sounds amazing & right up my alley. I also agree on Straub, I enjoy his work but he is so vague. Often times I have no idea what I just read & wish he would be a little more forward. I couldn't agree more with The Terror though, I'm nearly finished & it does not feel like I've read nearly 1000 pages at all. IT by King was the same way. Have you ever heard of the Dyatlov Pass Incident? Man, that's an eerie true story & I would love to see Simmons tackle that. I also have to agree on what you find horrifying & what you like best in your fiction. I read King for years & only recently began to branch out, & I've tried to go according to reviews & recommendations but all the "body horror" stuff loaded with gore I keep getting turned toward doesn't do it for me. I've found my definition of "horror" to be different from others. Sure it has it's place but I'll watch a slasher movie if I want that. Everyone keeps saying Laymon Laymon or you must read Jack Ketchum & yes I respect their work & what they've done for the genre but jeez.. I'll take The Terror over that stuff any day or even Bone White by Malfi. By the way I've heard great things about Dark Matter by Michelle Paver, especially if you enjoyed The Terror. It's a ghostly tale taking place during an expedition in the 1930's I believe, and she also has a story called Thin Air taking place in the 30's during a climb to the Himalayas, if I'm not mistaken. Thanks for the video sir & the rec's!!
Thanks again for the recommendation of 'The Terror', E.! İt's an amazing novel with a very dense atmosphere and interesting characters. İ read the first 200 or more pages in a rush, but then my vacation ended and İ didn't find the time to continue. Now I'm at it again, halfway through, and boy does this get dark. My personal highlight so far was the morbid party they have. From the beginning of the description of the differently colored rooms and the masks of the participants İ knew this was a direct reference to one of Poe's both shortest and most beautiful stories: 'The Masque Of The Red Death'. Haunting!
Awesome video! I was pleasantly surprised to see Night Film! Night Film was an impulse buy for me as well, at B&N way back around it’s release. Stanislas Cordova was a character so awesome, I wished he was real.
I am always intimidated by long, slow burn novels. But I love 'The Thing' and am willing to try any horror book set in the arctic. I am going to pick 'The Terror' from your list and will start reading tonight. I hope I won't be disappointed. Thanks for the recommendation. I think you are my fav booktuber!
Thanks for giving me some new authors to check out. I slightly disagree on Dan Simmons. I’ve read both ‘The Terror’ and ‘Drood’ the former I loved the latter was frustrating. Sometime after I had read both I happened to pick up one of those paperback horrors from the “eighties” also written by Dan Simmons. ‘Carrion Comfort’ knocked my socks off! One of the best if not the best horror novels I’ve read. Give it a try if you get the chance. I highly recommend it.
Love this! Just what I needed this year. It would have been helpful if you would have just held the book still in front of the camera for a few moments, but with pausing at the right time, I could catch a glimpse of the cover and author name spelling. Great list!
Just found your channel, E. Great stuff! I totally agree with you on “Ruins”. I read it a couple years ago and some of those scenes are still with me. Also, I thing the author wrapped it up perfectly. Very satisfying ending, at least for me.
I liked The Ballad of Black Tom. I love how he fleshed out the short story from Lovecraft. Have you checked out Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff? I really enjoyed it. Going with the Lovecraft theme, what do you think of some of his stories. The Dunwich Horror, The Shadow over Innsmouth, and The Colour Out of Space are a few of my favorites.
I've never enjoyed Lovecraft whatsoever. He bores me to death. I usually stay away from anything with his mythos but I read everything LaValle writes so I had to in this case. Glad I did. 😁
You seem so nice! I just stumbled across you because I saw you holding up The Ruins! Thats one of my faves & I knew you'd have good taste in books if that was on there! So happy I found a cool new channel to subscribe to!
The Ruins is a great read, much better than the film, but definitely check out both. Fun fact: Scott Smith was once thought to be a pseudonym of Stephen King because their writing is so similar.
this video inspired me to read "The Grip of It" and i could not be happier. thank you sincerely for the recommendation, and i very much look forward to watching more of your videos
Just found this video nealry four years after it went up! I was glad to see "The Grip of It". I read it and could hardly stop reading it. I like how another booktuber broughtup the question about whether "The Grip of It" is a story about the supernatural or about the death of a marriage. This may not be easy to find but Stephen King said that Anne Rivers Siddons "The House Next Door" from 1974 is one the most frightening books he ever read. I've never read Ms. Siddons's other work but my understanding is that her novels are about what might be called society people in Atlanta. Ms. Siddons has another early, scary novel called "Bad Dirt". I have a copy but haven't read it yet. I'm a great fan of "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson. I"m intrigued with "Night Film", sounds especially interesting.
The terror sounds so good, i mean every book on this list sounds interesting, i only heard of night film before and it's on my tbr so thank you for this video!
Anybody watching this, you'll wanna add "Fiends" by the amazing John Farris. A must read for horror fans. "Son of the Endless Night" is pretty good as well.
Good recommendations, I really need to branch out past SK so some of these will work swimmingly! So one good turn,I recommend ColdHeart Canyon-Clive Barker (Barker is hard to get into, but this was familiar) And best Non-Horror I've found in a long time Ready Player One-Ernest Clive (Skip Player Two)
Great list. I really need to finally read The Ruins. I'm going to buy Kin soon. I finished Blanky and enjoyed it. I thought it was pretty good. Ooh, I'll have to check out Ghost Story too. A homie gave me a ton of Dan Simmons books, and I'm really hyped to get into his work. I just added Night Film to my wishlist.
+mspoetic888 I will Dan Simmons is not always good. He's always engaging. Also he can be preachier than King, but in the opposite direction. That comes through in some books and not others tho.
I had a few of these already on my list (and the ones I didn't are there now), but I actually OWN Night Film after an impulse-buy similar to yours from my local charity shop. I feel like I don't know where to look first - I'm enjoying my current read (contemporary literature by Victoria Hislop about a real life leper colony off the coast of Crete that existed until the mid 50s) plus I have like eight other library books waiting for me that looked fascinating when I picked them up three weeks ago (before I left for the cruise), but now look a bit drab next to Night Film or my first King, and I also want to immediately dive into ALL THE BOOKS you've been talking about in the Theorist videos and your books and the books in this video. I am completely torn and it's all your fault. I will remedy this situation by avoiding the problem and continuing to watch the last of your videos.
For a sense of dread, I think of two films. Mad Max and the original Assault on Precinct 13. Particularly the scenes of deserted LA suburban streets. Check it out.
Mad respect for including Ghost Story. I truly can't understand why other you tubers are not mentioning this book in their lists. Maybe they skip the book after watching the horrible movie version first or they don't understand that Ghost Story is a, umm, ghost story like Cabin in the Woods is about a haunted cabin.
I read THREE of he books on your list and they’re my top favorite as well so for sure I will be buying your reconditions because I too love dread. Try HOUSE OF LEAVES and the newer book is THE APARTMENT by sl grey. The apartment you can read it a day, it’s a peace of cake and interesting. House of leaves you won’t read in a day but it will stick with you!
Someone's probably commented it on here but one of my all time favorites is House of Leaves. It's confusing, psychologically thrilling and terrifying and it makes you rethink what a novel is. It's not for everyone, I know a few people who have read it who don't like it or just hate it but it's definitely one of my all time favorite books.
@@EdwardLorn after several years I just saw your reply, I’m rewatching your videos as I do sometimes to find something new to read. I have to agree with you, 3 years and a reread later I don’t like Bird Box anymore either. I love The Ruins though, always have. I don’t get the dislike for it from the horror lit community. Maybe it’s because I absolutely love unlikeable characters in horror, and The Ruins just kills it in that department. Have you read Scott Smith’s other novel, A Simple Plan? I have a feeling you might like it a lot. I love your videos and your novels, thanks for being such a consistent presence in my life helping me find new stuff to read. You are awesome dude
Peter Straub is a peculiar author. I think you're right about him being vague in his stories, however he strikes a chord with people who have encountered the kind of people in his novels. I first read Koko and because he nailed the disconnect with society that people who have been in the armed forces experience I was caught up in the book. It's not exactly a horror story although one gets the feeling that the villain in the story, Dengler, has achieved some sort of supernatural capacity.
Hell yeah, The Terror was great! Gonna order Drood right now. Thanks for the reminder! Did you ever read The Devil in The White City? It’s good. Lots of history but well written so it’s not too boring. Take care!
I love the ruins. I see why some people don't like it, because really, it's a stupid premise with living plants and no likeable people in it that you can cheer on. But it's creepy. The whole lost tourists in a foreign country plot, has rarely let me down when it comes to horror, because the idea of it just scares me in general. And I like the book because it gets straight to the point and stays on point. It doesn't have a side story playing out, there's no sub plot, . It's not a bok that makes you have to think, it's not hard to understand. It's just entertainment. And sometimes that's great. Sometimes I just want to lay on my couch and get freaked out. I have The terror in my bookshelf, I've had it there for months, but it's so thick that I've always put it off. Maybe I should just get it off the shelf right now and start it. If I can recommend you one book, it would be Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. It's an easy to read book that I keep re'reading because it freaks me out in a great way. The mood of it is dark and cold. And perfect for winter!
I was so sad when you mentioned kin not because it’s not an awesome book but because I’m a newly minted horror fan and it’s one of the best horror books I’ve read so I’m like oooo that means there aren’t too many of that caliber book left
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this video. Every horror recommendation video I see is full of Stephen King books and I’m over it. He’s not the only horror writer!
Man, you've such a likeable personality.
Thank you!
Agreed! He is just adorable.
And original...at a time when many are beginning to look and sound the same...
I agree :)
When the filmstrip fell out, it was like the beginning of a Creepypasta.
UncannyValleyVideos HA!
I thought for sure it was part of the review to add suspense... but nothing happened!
Lol!
If it was a videoconference, you could make a scared face and say "What's THAT right behind you ?"
When the film roll dropped from the book, that legit felt like the start of a horror story.
I was creeped out, for sure lol
Agree, it will be a clue for sure!!
The statement that blood and gore in a book was the equivalent of a jump scare was brilliant. It's the same way for me. I'd rather have a creeping sense of dread, subtext and psychological horror. That's not to say I dislike blood and gore on occasion, but it doesn't belong in **every** story. :-)
"What I find horrific is a mounting sense of dread."
Was just thinking that. Subscribed.
Refreshing. Saw that King wasn’t included and immediately clicked. As much as I like king, everybody knows him so it is easier to find and experience new authors and novels.
I am a simple man:
Edward Lorn recommends, I buy.
+laertesdd I'm honored 😊
Yes I just purchased blankly by kealan Patrick Burke from amazon.
+pjwchung that's great!
The Ruins is an incredible book. It's gross, dark and super depressing. I admire the fact that it unnerved me so bad that I never want to read it again.
Matt Stryker the Ruins is a great metaphor for modern man suffering at the hands of primordial elements, the cell phone part he mentions is genuinely dark and hopeless.
@Fhjthnl Lol Iuyo the ruins made me physically widen my eyes, TWICE. great book
@Fhjthnl Lol Iuyo ive read offseason by ketchum as well. I don't really remember it, but I'm glad you liked the Ruins!
Just picked it up after reading this thread. I saw the movie in elementary school and thought it was cool but I haven't seen it since so the overall story totally went over my head. I could rewatch the movie and it would seem like a new movie to me so it's a perfect time to read the book.
is it better than the movie? i didn´t like the movie at all
do top 10 disturbing scenes from books youve read
+Salemcards that's a good one! Thanks for the suggestion!
Ooh, yes please,
I'm finishing up American psycho by Brett Ellis.....some disturbingly awesome parts....it's way better than the movie...read the book first if you haven't watched the movie...recommended
*they're
The girl next door. The whole book is disturbing. Doesn’t help that it’s a true story too
I know I'm 2 years late but I love your personality!!! Can't wait to watch your other videos
I am binge-watching your channel today! Keep up the quality content, E!
+Rhiannon & Silas Russell thank you so much! 😁
What up E! The Ruins is my ALL time favorite "non King" horror...LOVE IT!!!
+K&C Rocks awesome! It was damn good, wasn't it? 😁
King himself recommended it highly!
(2:53) It's called 'Schadenfreude' (meaning enjoying the damage done to others).
+laertesdd yes, yes! That's the word I was looking for. Thank you!
schade
Glad you mentioned Drood by Dan Simmons, I adored it, he got the Victorian Opium den underworld simply brilliantly, and I loved The Terror too. I want to read the rest of his works on the strength of both of these. Ghost Story is one of my favourites too. More recently, I adored Hex. It scared the eeby jeebies out of me, that witch ( shudders), oh and last year Neville’s The Ritual was pretty damn terrifying too. There is one scene in the middle of the woods, one of those what’s out there moments, when I had to stop listening to the audiobook at night in the dark and was sat upright, all lights a blazing scared rigid! That rarely happens.......
+Amanda nicholls I enjoyed HEX. Haven't read THE RITUAL yet but it's definitely on my radar.
I'm so excited. Half of these are already on my TBR. You are the first person I hear mention the PiloFamily Circus. I came across this when researching circus books and immediately put it on my TBR. Also, I tried reading Ghost Story over 10 years ago but couldn't get into the writing style and DNFed it. Wish I hadn't unhauled it because I've been wanting to pick it up again.
+monilily GHOST STORY is EXTREMELY hard to finish but worth the effort by the end. His best novel not written with King, for sure.
The Ruins was awesome. Almost quit after about the first 50-pages.
Mathias wasn't a bad dude, though. Probably the ONLY genuine character in it.
-chirp chirp chirp-
I'm starting to get back into reading books more. It takes me a little longer to read than most people I know, and that's probably the reason why I haven't read more in a recreational sense. In my reading history, I have digested mostly science-fiction, but I'm getting more involved. I've read some Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Michael Crichton. I love horror movies, so what the heck. I like your videos, so I'll be checking more of them out. Thanks.
Jack Ketchum, "Off Season"; Thomas Emson, "Skarlet" (+ it's two sequels); Guy N. Smith, "Crabs"; James Herbert, "The Rats"; Clive Barker, "Books of Blood".
"Naomi's room" by Jonathan Aycliffe is a forgotten classic, lean, mean (it's about 200 pages) and scary as feck…
The Terror is in my top 10 favorite books! Like you said, even though it is so long it just flies by. When I reread it I always find myself reading it in 100+ page chunks at a time haha. Such a gripping book
I'm that way with King's IT 😁
Hell of a list. Got some names for you: Christopher Slatsky, Richard Gavin, Clint Smith, and Nathan Ballingrud. The fiction addiction is a cruel mistress but completely worth it lol Enjoy!
The Terror is one of my favorite books ever. Love seeing it on your list!
The terror is not only a book its an experience ,no amount of words would describe how good is this book to me , i dont know but this book set my imagination into motion when i was readin it , its a cinematic book
@@reneperez2126 I agree. It’s one of the best book I’ve ever read.
Great list! I loved the Ruins and Night Film though that does seem to be an unpopular opinion too! I need to get to the Terror
+That's What She Read THE TERROR is amazing. If it wasn't so long I'd reread it right now.
@alprazolam1mgs Did you watch the tv series? Absolutely stunning.
Thank you for the tips. The Terror by Dan Simmons is on my backlog pile. I ADORE Simmons's Carrion Comfort, would take a lot to kick that off my #1 horror novel spot.
I am sure that top spot was already taken by the terror and will stay that way for many years as is my case
You can find all kinds of really cool bookmarks in old books at thrift stores. Letters between lovers, family pictures are what I found. My personal favorite was a hippy letter from the 60's along with a guitar string and a couple of greyhound bus tickets around the same era. On topic: I haven't been real impressed with contemporary horror writing, I've read some of those authors. Maybe I just changed over the years and it doesn't interest me anymore. But I think also, a lot of these "horror" books are trending towards torture and cruelty themes, which seems to be the trend in horror movies over last several years as well. and that turns me off.
Yes! I have found a cute Christmas photo, a construction-paper love letter, a clipping of someone's baseball team's win, and (creepy) a ponytail.
I finished “The Ruins” today. I’m with you in thinking it’s a great horror, pretty original and pretty damn creepy. I did not expect the thing that is the horror to be as disturbing as they are. Loved the ending too.
+Amanda nicholls agreed on all accounts.
The Terror has got to be one of the best books I've read. There is so much information density, and I think this must be in part due to the reality that the story is based on.
The Ruins is one of my all time favorite books ever! It was very well written.
Thank you! This is an awesome list. My goal this year is to read more than last year & this list is perfect place to start. Great video.
+Weird Ass Candy Review youre welcome. Always happy to help. 😁
I love your lists--you make me want to devour these books again...and buy the ones that I haven't. (Just bought three of your recommendations while watching this!) The Terror--Amen brother! Thanks for mentioning the Drood; I loved that book! So glad you mention Peter Straub, but did you read Floating Dragon? It's one of my all time favorites. Also, what about Clive Barker? I think Imagica and Great and Secret Show are two of the coolest horror novels of all time. Read them if you haven't already!
I liked The Ruins. I like how the author had the characters think 'I shouldn't say this' or 'do this' but did it anyway, or as they did it.
I want to like Straub, but it's hard for me to.
You ever read Bryan Smith? The author of Freakshow, or Strange Ways. He is also on Kindle and affordable. I dig him.
Yep. One of my favorite parts of THE RUINS were the unlikeable characters.
@@EdwardLorn My sense of those characters were that although they may have been unlikeable most of them were characters you can relate to and also from their points of view he, to me made them believable though it took a little while. I think it is a credit to him that he made the somewhat ludicrous in the light of day storyline believable too. Certainly a sacrifice to the supernatural powers and the powers of a haunted place is a trope because either there is something to it or because it's an archetype that helped us at one time. Anyway, I was utterly drawn into that book and could not believe when it came out that it was not another best seller along the lines of Silence of the Lambs.
My favorite horror is also a growing sense of dread. However most of the time I find that it’s best when the dread is caused by an actual person or not a haunted spirit.
For instance I read Hell House and yes it’s kind of disturbing but I was never actually scared or spooked too much reading it.
But I love Dracula’s suspense and setup style of horror.
Any suggestions for me?
After you mentioning Dan Simmons "the terror" it made me run into the local bookstore in my town to look for it.
Great list. God, I love The Ruins.
I am actually not a reader currently (haven't had the time since school has had me focusing on math non-stop). All the books I read are in the single digits. Now that I have a job, I want to get into reading, and since I am a horror fan, I thought I would start with horror. Are there any books that are similar to the paranoia filled-type story similar to John Carpenter's The Thing, or stories where the great turns out to be humans becoming monsters due to fear (like King's The Mist)? Psychological and cosmic horror are definitely my favorite. Also planning on looking for some horror manga. Japanese sure know how to make quality horror. I am definitely subbing cause I think your channel can help me throughout
Check out my Manga playlist. For horror lit, maybe try Hailey Piper's THE WORM AND HIS KINGS. It's cosmic horror. If I can think of something similar to THE THING, I'll let you know.
@@EdwardLorn Thanks! Also, definitely will check out your manga vids later. Cool that you also have manga material
Hi, I am just starting out in the horror fiction genre and I am quite impressed by your list compared to other book tubers out there. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for horror books that are centered around creepy children? Thank you for your videos.
Try LET THE RIGHT ONE IN and PET SEMATARY (it's spelled wrong on purpose).
Heather Nicole lost boys don’t remember author, this book will brake your heart
Suffer the children by Craig Dilouie
try reading Baby Teeth
BABY TEETH is a great book but I wouldn't call it horror
Sorry for so many comments but I LOVE YOU! You have a new subscriber! Yayyyy!
So nice to find someone who likes reads that I do! Looking forward to The Grip…
"Night Film" is one of my FAVORITE books. I have yet to find a book that makes me feel the same way!!
- mounting sense of dread... check!
- subtext... check!
plus
- fleshed-out characters who develop over the course of the novel,
- an exciting and unpredictable, yet believable plot,
- relevance,
- and most of all: a fitting language.
put all that together, and you will most probably have a good (horror) novel.
p.s.:
Talking about 'mounting sense of dread' - that could be the title for almost all of the Kealan Patrick Burke novellas I have read so far (most of all 'Blanky', of course, thanks again for the recommendation).
+laertesdd agreed on all counts!
+laertesdd you're very welcome! So glad you liked them. He's a terrific author!
Edward Lorn
Just in case I haven't mentioned it (and I know I have a thousand times, sorry):
mounting dread
+
subtext
=
'The Visible Filth'
by Nathan Ballingrud.
I’m a long term fan from Goodreads and randomly came across your video while putting together my October TBR. What a coincidence!
*waves* Hey, Taryn! 😁
Great video! Absolutely agree on The Terror! I can't wait to start Drood next as I've been looking forward to that one for awhile now. I'm dying to read Kin, The Ruins & Night Film. Kin sounds amazing & right up my alley. I also agree on Straub, I enjoy his work but he is so vague. Often times I have no idea what I just read & wish he would be a little more forward.
I couldn't agree more with The Terror though, I'm nearly finished & it does not feel like I've read nearly 1000 pages at all. IT by King was the same way. Have you ever heard of the Dyatlov Pass Incident? Man, that's an eerie true story & I would love to see Simmons tackle that.
I also have to agree on what you find horrifying & what you like best in your fiction. I read King for years & only recently began to branch out, & I've tried to go according to reviews & recommendations but all the "body horror" stuff loaded with gore I keep getting turned toward doesn't do it for me. I've found my definition of "horror" to be different from others. Sure it has it's place but I'll watch a slasher movie if I want that. Everyone keeps saying Laymon Laymon or you must read Jack Ketchum & yes I respect their work & what they've done for the genre but jeez.. I'll take The Terror over that stuff any day or even Bone White by Malfi.
By the way I've heard great things about Dark Matter by Michelle Paver, especially if you enjoyed The Terror. It's a ghostly tale taking place during an expedition in the 1930's I believe, and she also has a story called Thin Air taking place in the 30's during a climb to the Himalayas, if I'm not mistaken. Thanks for the video sir & the rec's!!
+Howbout Demboys BONE WHITE was exceptional! I'll definitely look into DARK MATTER. Thanks!
Night Film was really fun and addictive. Loved the world the author created.
+Paperback Mania same here. The films and the lore were really what made the book believable.
Thanks again for the recommendation of 'The Terror', E.! İt's an amazing novel with a very dense atmosphere and interesting characters.
İ read the first 200 or more pages in a rush, but then my vacation ended and İ didn't find the time to continue. Now I'm at it again, halfway through, and boy does this get dark.
My personal highlight so far was the morbid party they have. From the beginning of the description of the differently colored rooms and the masks of the participants İ knew this was a direct reference to one of Poe's both shortest and most beautiful stories: 'The Masque Of The Red Death'.
Haunting!
Hey, Laertes! Long time to chat. You're welcome. Glad you're enjoying the book and I hope the second half is just as good for you. 😁
"welcome to the discovery channel" thats hilarious!
Awesome video! I was pleasantly surprised to see Night Film! Night Film was an impulse buy for me as well, at B&N way back around it’s release. Stanislas Cordova was a character so awesome, I wished he was real.
ur taste in books is god-tier!!!!! the ruins disturbed me in the best way possible and it put a smile on my face to see someone else raving abt it!!!
The Terror was an awesome read! One of my favorites!
+Todd the Librarian! Cool! Thanks for watching!
Is it a ghost book?
If you haven’t already done it, I’d love to see your top ten list with all genres included. Thanks and keep doing what you’re doing.
I have a five part top 20, five books per episode, if you're interested. ua-cam.com/video/vfJ5bnkm9Uc/v-deo.html
The Ruins was pretty solid
I am always intimidated by long, slow burn novels. But I love 'The Thing' and am willing to try any horror book set in the arctic. I am going to pick 'The Terror' from your list and will start reading tonight. I hope I won't be disappointed. Thanks for the recommendation. I think you are my fav booktuber!
The Terror is my FAVOURITE NOVEL OF ALL TIME!!!!!! I can’t believe you shared this. It is perfection
I'm glad I found this video, seems like our taste overlaps a lot, so I think I'm going to have a real good time with these :)
Thanks for giving me some new authors to check out. I slightly disagree on Dan Simmons. I’ve read both ‘The Terror’ and ‘Drood’ the former I loved the latter was frustrating. Sometime after I had read both I happened to pick up one of those paperback horrors from the “eighties” also written by Dan Simmons. ‘Carrion Comfort’ knocked my socks off! One of the best if not the best horror novels I’ve read. Give it a try if you get the chance. I highly recommend it.
All your recommendations are awesome! Thanks for making these videos! Looking forward to many many more 👍
Thank you for watching😁
Thanks for your suggestion for The Ruins...listened to it on Audible and enjoyed it thoroughly. Enjoyed your video.
Love this! Just what I needed this year. It would have been helpful if you would have just held the book still in front of the camera for a few moments, but with pausing at the right time, I could catch a glimpse of the cover and author name spelling. Great list!
God the Ruins really freaked me out. That book really gives you the perfect sense of lost hope.
Just found your channel, E. Great stuff! I totally agree with you on “Ruins”. I read it a couple years ago and some of those scenes are still with me. Also, I thing the author wrapped it up perfectly. Very satisfying ending, at least for me.
I loved "The Terror." I was intimidated at first by it's size, but the story is so gripping you don't ever think about the length of the book again.
Read The Push by Ashley Audrain. Really creepy, manipulative, sociopathic child book. The Omen meets We Need To Talk About Kevin. So engrossing.
I liked The Ballad of Black Tom. I love how he fleshed out the short story from Lovecraft. Have you checked out Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff? I really enjoyed it. Going with the Lovecraft theme, what do you think of some of his stories. The Dunwich Horror, The Shadow over Innsmouth, and The Colour Out of Space are a few of my favorites.
I've never enjoyed Lovecraft whatsoever. He bores me to death. I usually stay away from anything with his mythos but I read everything LaValle writes so I had to in this case. Glad I did. 😁
I do recommend Lovecraft Country. It deals with the horrors of Jim Crow and a touch of supernatural horror.
Cool. I'll look into it. Thanks for the rec 😁
I just found your channel and was pleased that you featured The Terror. I've been a Dan Simmons fan for years, and this book does not disappoint.
I have the Terror by Dan Simmons and haven't read it YET ... But now I will definitely start reading it.
Thanks for this video. Added a few more books to my TBR pile!
You absolutely nailed it with Ghost Story! I absolutely love this book!
You seem so nice! I just stumbled across you because I saw you holding up The Ruins! Thats one of my faves & I knew you'd have good taste in books if that was on there! So happy I found a cool new channel to subscribe to!
The Ruins is a great read, much better than the film, but definitely check out both.
Fun fact: Scott Smith was once thought to be a pseudonym of Stephen King because their writing is so similar.
this video inspired me to read "The Grip of It" and i could not be happier. thank you sincerely for the recommendation, and i very much look forward to watching more of your videos
Thanks! Hope you find other videos you enjoy! 😁
Just found this video nealry four years after it went up! I was glad to see "The Grip of It". I read it and could hardly stop reading it. I like how another booktuber broughtup the question about whether "The Grip of It" is a story about the supernatural or about the death of a marriage.
This may not be easy to find but Stephen King said that Anne Rivers Siddons "The House Next Door" from 1974 is one the most frightening books he ever read. I've never read Ms. Siddons's other work but my understanding is that her novels are about what might be called society people in Atlanta. Ms. Siddons has another early, scary novel called "Bad Dirt". I have a copy but haven't read it yet.
I'm a great fan of "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson.
I"m intrigued with "Night Film", sounds especially interesting.
The terror sounds so good, i mean every book on this list sounds interesting, i only heard of night film before and it's on my tbr so thank you for this video!
Wow, the ballad of black tom is in my Kindle. I’ll definitely read it soon
Anybody watching this, you'll wanna add "Fiends" by the amazing John Farris. A must read for horror fans. "Son of the Endless Night" is pretty good as well.
I heard you speak for two seconds and immediatly subscribed 😂 I love your personality and your content! ♥
Good recommendations, I really need to branch out past SK so some of these will work swimmingly!
So one good turn,I recommend ColdHeart Canyon-Clive Barker (Barker is hard to get into, but this was familiar)
And best Non-Horror I've found in a long time Ready Player One-Ernest Clive (Skip Player Two)
I like your reviews because you’re honest and we have the same taste in books
Great list. I really need to finally read The Ruins. I'm going to buy Kin soon. I finished Blanky and enjoyed it. I thought it was pretty good. Ooh, I'll have to check out Ghost Story too. A homie gave me a ton of Dan Simmons books, and I'm really hyped to get into his work. I just added Night Film to my wishlist.
+mspoetic888 I will Dan Simmons is not always good. He's always engaging. Also he can be preachier than King, but in the opposite direction. That comes through in some books and not others tho.
I had a few of these already on my list (and the ones I didn't are there now), but I actually OWN Night Film after an impulse-buy similar to yours from my local charity shop.
I feel like I don't know where to look first - I'm enjoying my current read (contemporary literature by Victoria Hislop about a real life leper colony off the coast of Crete that existed until the mid 50s) plus I have like eight other library books waiting for me that looked fascinating when I picked them up three weeks ago (before I left for the cruise), but now look a bit drab next to Night Film or my first King, and I also want to immediately dive into ALL THE BOOKS you've been talking about in the Theorist videos and your books and the books in this video.
I am completely torn and it's all your fault. I will remedy this situation by avoiding the problem and continuing to watch the last of your videos.
+Sarah Frost ha! I'm trying to decide which Kind book you should start with. There's two choices and I don't want to steer you wrong. Thinking...
I like the ritual by Adam Nevill. It is not anything I would call a ritual, but friends go out into the wilderness….
For a sense of dread, I think of two films. Mad Max and the original Assault on Precinct 13. Particularly the scenes of deserted LA suburban streets. Check it out.
Ghost Story is creepy as hell
I read ghost story last year..it was a chore to get through. I saw night film in the bookstore the other day. I really wish I bought it now lol
It's definitely not for everyone, Mike.
It's a good movie
Mad respect for including Ghost Story. I truly can't understand why other you tubers are not mentioning this book in their lists. Maybe they skip the book after watching the horrible movie version first or they don't understand that Ghost Story is a, umm, ghost story like Cabin in the Woods is about a haunted cabin.
I think it has more to do with popularity. People still say Talisman, by Stephen King and don't mention Straub at all.
@@EdwardLornStraub's best writing can be found in his Washington Irving like If You Could See Me Now. And it is one of Stephen King's favorites too.
Damn, your opinions are spot on for me!
I read THREE of he books on your list and they’re my top favorite as well so for sure I will be buying your reconditions because I too love dread. Try HOUSE OF LEAVES and the newer book is THE APARTMENT by sl grey. The apartment you can read it a day, it’s a peace of cake and interesting. House of leaves you won’t read in a day but it will stick with you!
Awesomeness me. Thanks for the recs! 😁
Someone's probably commented it on here but one of my all time favorites is House of Leaves. It's confusing, psychologically thrilling and terrifying and it makes you rethink what a novel is. It's not for everyone, I know a few people who have read it who don't like it or just hate it but it's definitely one of my all time favorite books.
Yep, I get recommended that one at least twice a week.😁
Bird Box by Josh Malerman. Don’t google it, just read it. I love your taste, and think you’d appreciate this one
Sorry, Emily, I hated BIRD BOX.
@@EdwardLorn after several years I just saw your reply, I’m rewatching your videos as I do sometimes to find something new to read. I have to agree with you, 3 years and a reread later I don’t like Bird Box anymore either. I love The Ruins though, always have. I don’t get the dislike for it from the horror lit community. Maybe it’s because I absolutely love unlikeable characters in horror, and The Ruins just kills it in that department. Have you read Scott Smith’s other novel, A Simple Plan? I have a feeling you might like it a lot.
I love your videos and your novels, thanks for being such a consistent presence in my life helping me find new stuff to read. You are awesome dude
Omg! I had no idea you loved NIGHT FILM. That is my absolute favorite of all time too. Miss you, E. 🙂
Jennifer!!! How have you been???
Peter Straub is a peculiar author. I think you're right about him being vague in his stories, however he strikes a chord with people who have encountered the kind of people in his novels. I first read Koko and because he nailed the disconnect with society that people who have been in the armed forces experience I was caught up in the book. It's not exactly a horror story although one gets the feeling that the villain in the story, Dengler, has achieved some sort of supernatural capacity.
Thank you for the recommendations. Definitely going to check some of them out!
I recommend The Face of Twilight by Mark Samuels-- a vivid depiction of things falling apart, though to go into detail would be a spoiler.
Hell yeah, The Terror was great! Gonna order Drood right now. Thanks for the reminder! Did you ever read The Devil in The White City? It’s good. Lots of history but well written so it’s not too boring. Take care!
Thank you for including The Ruins! I loved that book. You are such a cool guy, I feel like we would be friends IRL
Thanx for including Ghost Story
That was a wonderful video, thank you. I loved Ghost Story but I also could not get into any of Peter Straub's other work.
Thanks man...just ordered The Terror based off of your recommendation.
I love the ruins. I see why some people don't like it, because really, it's a stupid premise with living plants and no likeable people in it that you can cheer on. But it's creepy. The whole lost tourists in a foreign country plot, has rarely let me down when it comes to horror, because the idea of it just scares me in general. And I like the book because it gets straight to the point and stays on point. It doesn't have a side story playing out, there's no sub plot, . It's not a bok that makes you have to think, it's not hard to understand. It's just entertainment. And sometimes that's great. Sometimes I just want to lay on my couch and get freaked out.
I have The terror in my bookshelf, I've had it there for months, but it's so thick that I've always put it off. Maybe I should just get it off the shelf right now and start it.
If I can recommend you one book, it would be Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. It's an easy to read book that I keep re'reading because it freaks me out in a great way. The mood of it is dark and cold. And perfect for winter!
Going to add all these books to my must read list.
I was so sad when you mentioned kin not because it’s not an awesome book but because I’m a newly minted horror fan and it’s one of the best horror books I’ve read so I’m like oooo that means there aren’t too many of that caliber book left
I really enjoyed the monk by Mathew Gregory lewis, it really and i mean really disturbed me. Could you do top 10 detective novels?
That's an oldie!
The grossest scenes EVER. Even after all this time, no one has surpassed him
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this video. Every horror recommendation video I see is full of Stephen King books and I’m over it. He’s not the only horror writer!