Horror Fiction – pt. 1
For those looking to sample the best that horror fiction has to offer, I present my modest opinion on the matter. There was a time when I believed that the only art worth sampling was steeped in horror, be it film, game, or fiction. However, after a time I realized that, more often than not, horror in both film and gaming blew goats. Essentially, for every Suspiria there are 100 Jeepers Creepers. Likewise, for every Lurking Horror there are dozens of KISS: Psycho Circus games. However, horror fiction is an extremely mature and effective mechanism for delivering chills. That is not to say that there is not a mountain of dreck, there is, it’s just that horror fiction has a history as old as fiction itself and because of that, there is a lifetime of available titles for those interested. Having read my fair share of horror fiction, the following list enumerates some of my favorites (in no particular order).
Classics Frankenstein When I first read Frankenstein it did not scare me at all, although it was a pretty good book. I realize now that everything in the book has been rehashed innumerably and I had been exposed to it all previously. Too bad. I place it on this list for posterity’s sake.
Dracula Like Frankenstein, most of the elements of Dracula have been stolen by film and fiction alike. However, the prose in the book is genuinely creepy and does not generally translate well to hack fiction and film.
Macbeth Ghosts, murder, and witches from Shakespeare… and they also let me read it in high school. Amazing.
Pre-WWII The Turn of the Screw by Henry James An amazing ghost story. Additionally, it is an easy read and ideal for a stormy night.
The House of Souls by Arthur Machen Machen is credited as on of HP Lovecraft’s primary influences, and in reading this collection of novellas one can see why.
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by HP Lovecraft Lovecraft has published many great stories, by this is easily my favorite.
Pre-Golden Age I Am Legend by Matherson A great vampire story which was spun into two pretty good movie adaptations (as far as adaptations go): The Omega Man and The Last Man on Earth.
Psycho by Robert Bloch The invention of the modern psycho-killer archetype.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson A solid haunted house tale sustaining a constant state of dread. I read this book for the first time a month ago and was actually creeped out for the first time in years.
Rosemary’s Baby The best of the pre-golden age horror novels. Together with HofHH, RB lays the groundwork for the acceptance of horror fiction defining the golden age.
The Golden Age of Horror The Exorcist by Blatty This is the book that triggered the golden age of horror. More horror classics were written in the decade following than in any such span in history… IMO. This is a genuinely scary book, although I have recently found that the horror does not translate well to non-Christian influenced readers.
Salem’s Lot by King King’s second book and his best as far as I’ve read. The movies made from this book do it no justice. This is a pretty straight-forward vampire tale, but with many well done scenes.
The Other by Thomas Tryon Tryon was a failed actor, but this story of creepy twins instantly secured his place in history. Sadly, this book is not often reprinted and a nice copy is difficult to find.
Wolfen by Streiber One of the best werewolf books yet written. The movies made from this book are not worth watching.
The Shining by King King’s glory days were definitely during the 70s. While his later work contained a few gems, his output during the disco age earned him his reputation and place in horror history. Was he the best horror writer ever? No. But his 70s novels are the most likely to be marked as classics in horror fiction 100 years from now.
Ghost Story by Straub I do not care for any of Straub’s other books, but GS was an extremely good horror novel about ghosts, werewolves, death cults, zombies, and the unexplained. It is odd in that it tries to touch on many different themes and yet succeeds.
The 80s The Wasp Factory by Banks One of my favorite novels period… nevermind the horror genre, it stands on its own.
The Silence of the Lambs by Harris While not the best novel ever, the movie made from it is a classic. In addition, Harris masterfully molds the archetype created by Bloch into a truly memorable character in Hannibal Lecter.
Hellbound Heart Still the best story by Barker IMO. Winds the decadence of the 80s with demonology.
Modern Horror Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite Not for the squeamish, but pretty damn good from an ex-alt.horror poster.
American Psycho Again, not for the squeamish. Inside a wall street mind a psycho lurks; lines of cocaine cut in hell.
House of Leaves Like Wasp Factory, this book transcends its genre. In short, it is simply about a house that is bigger on the inside than the outside. The execution of this simple premise is breathtaking. Thanks again Rob
-m
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