Do you know a really scary Horror Novel?

Question

Im intrested in reading Scary books at the moment. Have you read one that is really, really scary?

Answer 1

Well, I certainly disagree that you need to be a liturature buff to read Stephen King. Some of stuff is worth reading. You might like IT or Needful Things. Try The Talisman and Black House. Mr. King co-wrote those with Peter Straub and they are very good.

Peter Straub is really good on his own, too. You should read Floating Dragon. Great, scary stuff.

Try Clive Barker's Coldheart Canyon. Some of his books are a little fantasy-esque, but I think you'd like that one.

H.P. Lovecraft is absolutely great. Try Dagon. Or any of them. His books tend to be pretty short but they are very scary. They are like beautifully written nightmares! Intense imagery.

There is a lot of garbage to look out for in the horror genre. The above are not the only good ones, there are some classics that are great, but any of the above would be a good start. Enjoy.

Answer 2

Edgar Allan Poe is amazing at setting a tense story and pacing it beautifully. He truly created an art.

Stephen King is good, but heafty and many of his novels are wordy. If you are not a literature buff, i would recommend staying away from King's books and just reading his short stories. "Everything's Eventual" is a compliation of short stories. Some are scary and some are dramatic...but it does the job. "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" another of King's works is highly recommended as well.

Scary is a subjective term, so i imagine you need to be clear as to what scares you... Gore? Fantasy? Unimaginable?

Answer 3

Try some by Richard Laymon, Stephen King, James Herbert, Dean Koontz early works.
Or go for a classic like mary shelley's frankenstein, Bram stokers Dracula, anything by Edgar Allan Poe, or HP Lovecraft.

Answer 4

Definately read Steven King novels, Misery is a good one and the one I'm reading right now, but all of his books are scary on varying levels

Answer 5

I love horror books/movies, but I never really read a book that scared me, until I read Stephen King's Salem's Lot. Much better than the movie and I remember having nightmares over that one, which was definitely a first for me. The Stand by SK is also one of my favorites, but Salem's Lot wins hands down.

Answer 6

Almost all the Stephen King novels are amazing. You definitely read one of his. Edgar Allen Poe Also wrote some very good stories that I'm sure you would like!

Answer 7

Try Stephen King especially his short stories.

- Desperation by Stephen King is a good one
- Mystery by Peter Straub is excellent
- Ghost Story by Peter Straub
- Daemonic by Stephen Laws
- The Fury by John Farris

- Clive Barker
- Dean Koontz
- James Herbert all excellent horror writers.

Answer 8

The user above recommended "House of Leaves" (which is by Mark Z. Danielewski), but I have to say, that book is not scary whatsoever. It's post-modernist drivel and highly obnoxious in my opinion... I was actually really dissappointed because all these people on Amazon were saying how it was the scariest book they ever read, blah blah blah, but, god, it just sucked!!! Don't waste your money like I did! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves

Answer 9

Try reading the older classic horror stories..Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" or even Edgar Allan Poe. There is much to be said for the classics. One upon a midnight dreary..as I pondered weak and weary..Nothing like a good old Edgar to scare the pants off ya..EEEEEEKKKK...have a good nights sleep dearie.

Answer 10

Melmoth the wanderer by Charles Maturin
Heavy going but very scary