Depressing/Nihilistic Horror? =D

[Jack]

I was reading that other thread about books that aren't nihilistic or depressing, and it made me wonder where all these awesome-sounding, incredibly dark, hopeless horror novels are. Sounds right up my alley... the more thematic disdain for life and human existence, the better... and bonus points for Lovecraftian themes.

Any recommendations?

[[deleted user]]

The Rising by Brian Keene. Actually, it is a whole series of books. If you want to see mankind and life on this planet being conquered by the forces of cosmic evil and anti-life, this is one of the best choices for you.

Keene's Terminal is also a good read. Extremely bleak and depressing, but more of a thriller with supernatural elements than typical horror.

[Jack]

Sounds good. Not too long ago I read Darkness on the Edge of Town, and that definitely didn't disappoint. I'll have to check out some of his other work.

[[deleted user]]

Tim Curran also wrote some pretty depressive and nihilistic novels and novellas: Blackout and Biohazard. His best work I've read so far is Dead Sea, which is also quite lovecraftian, but I'm not sure if I would consider it depressing or nihilistic, since imho these terms are either reserved for motifs like the tragic irony and futiltity of human existence or the physical extinction of mankind as a whole. It is "just" hard horror about a bunch of sailors stranded in an alien dimension. Biohazard however fits the nihilistic/depressive criteria the best, I guess.

Another good choice: Domain by James Herbert. Domain is the last novel in his Rats trilogy, but a good standalone as well. The first two books already had mutant rats feasting on human flesh, but Domnain also adds nuclear war, post-apocalyptic settings and the notion that mankind might simply not be the dominant species anymore...

[[deleted user]]

Try some Thomas Ligotti, Jack.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

[[deleted user]]

The Collected Fictions of Jorge Luis Borges.

This Argentinian master doesn't really fit into the horror genre, but he is the most literary author comparable to Lovecraft and for sure the most literary author that ever wrote a short story dedicated to Lovecraft (There Are More Things). His best and strongest stories, like The Library of Babel, also have a notion of nihilism and futility.

[Jay]

Borges makes my brain go sideways. Incredible writer, but deeply strange and subversive. Funny, too.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Definitely The Nameless by Ramsey Campbell


Also Gary Braunbeck writes some truly depressing horror stuff like

[James]

I found Pet Sematary by King to be quite sad and depressing.

[VanillaSky]

Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill was quite depressing and dark.

[Famine]

Anything by Adam Nevill.

In particular

Also Brian Keene's zombie trilogy.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

James wrote: "I found Pet Sematary by King to be quite sad and depressing."

Oh, it was! Cujo too at the end

[Teresa]

The Crooked God Machine by Autumn Christian was certainly nihilistic and dark.

[Bill]

Are you a/theist?

[11811 (Eleven)]

Let's Go Play At The Adams' depressed the hell out of me. I read it a few years ago and I'm still recovering. Recommended.

[Crowinator]

I have to recommend Stephen King's Revival. Quite a gut punch at the end.

[[deleted user]]

Another work by Keene qualified for the list:

[Mike]

The Ruins by Scott Smith or for the ultimate downer the film version of Stephen King's The Mist.