What do I like? Does it exist?

[Random]

I've been a lurker on this group for years but never posted before.

I want to start off, I know some of the things I say below might be taken by some as insulting. This is NOT my intention. I am speaking completely about my own tastes and not making general comments about the quality of the works I mention. They just don't happen to be my thing.

I've really been wanting something creepy and spooky and I'm having a horrible time finding it. Horror is not my main genre so I am lacking vocabulary and experience with the various sub genres. I'm hoping someone out there with more knowledge on the subject might be able to help me out.

That said, I have been reading various forms of spec fic since I was in grade school. Suspension of disbelief is not a problem for me. I can accept aliens, elves, trolls, magic, faster than light travel and communications, and similar without batting an eye.

I know this seems a little backwards, but I am going to start off with what I do not like. Mostly because its easier for me to describe.

Slasher/gore/the typical 80s style horror movie.
Examples: Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare of Elm Street, Hellraiser, Alien, and similar.
I do not find serial killers, psychopaths, and similar as spooky or creepy. I find them boring and unimaginative. And I can get me fill on these subjects by watching the evening news or CSPAN.

Monsters - vampires (even before they were taken over by paranormal romance), werewolves, zombies, etc. Again not scary, not creepy, not spooky.

Ghosts - you know, I thought I loved a good spooky ghost story. But then I've been having a horrible time finding a ghost story that rates as scary, creepy, or spooky. I am not creeped out by graveyards. My mom was into geneology and I spent way too much of my childhood in them. They can be sad, but not scary, creepy or similar.

Same goes with death. I've sat at way too many deathbeds to find death creepy or scary. Buried too many relatives. I am not afraid of dead bodies. I have held the hands of corpses, kissed the cheeks of my parents and brother (not all at same time) right before their coffins were closed when it was their time. I do not find death creepy or spooky. I just find it sad.

But back to ghosts, as soon as the ghost appears, it looses any spookiness it once had. I don't know why. It becomes real, described, known maybe?

Gore or similar. *snore*

While not horror specific, action. I am not into action. Watching people mow down zombies with shot guns bores me. Long action scenes bore me (whether or not its horror). Its just boring. Doesn't mean I won't accept action at all, but I prefer it in small chunks surrounded by much more interesting material.

So, for some more solid examples of what I don't like or don't find spooky, creepy, or scary.

Stephen King, at least what I've read so far (The Tommyknockers, Firestarter, Pet Sematary). They were ok I guess, just not spooky, creepy, or scary.

Into the Drowning Deep was an insult to my intelligence and infuriating. Nothing that hit spooky, creepy, scary.

The Passage and the rest of the series. Loved the books but in no way, shape, or form would I call them spooky, scary, or creepy.

The Haunting of Hill House I just felt was forced over dramatic. No spooky, scary or creepy.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle was a good story, but not spooky, creepy, or scary.

The Twisted Ones You know I thought this one might be it. Loved the story, loved the characters. It built tension so wonderfully. And then a character would make a quip and I would start laughing and the mood would be ruined.

I loved the movie Cabin in the Woods, but only because it was the funniest satire I had seen for many years.

I picked up Midnight in the Graveyard in hopes that I would find something I could point to and say I liked this. I'm about 1/4 of the way into it now and so far have failed to find anything I like for any reason, let alone spooky, creepy, or scary. I keep finding other things I want to read more than it.

So, for some things I have enjoyed for their spooky, creepy, or scary factors.

The Southern Reach series starting with Annihilation
I loved loved loved this entire series. I loved how it would creep me out.
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The tower and the lighthouse. I loved how we never really know what is going on. How there are no answers. That the only answers we do get are in regards to what the various people have done, but no real answer on what was going on or what will continue happening.
And I LOVED how no one has a name in the first book, just a title.
(hide spoiler)]

American Elsewhere granted its been a long time since I read this one so details are a little fuzzy. I remember some of the elements and I remember enjoying it, but I honestly can't remember exactly why.

Coraline I start to loose hope and here is a book that hits the spot and its for children.
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The mice were so creepy. Even after all these years
We are small but we are many, we are many we are small. We were here before you rose, we will be here when you fall."
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House of Leaves - I bought this years ago but lost it before I could finish and its not one that works in ebook or audio due to formatting.
(view spoiler)[
The house was CREEPY! That entire story line was wonderfully creepy, though I can't promise it keeps that way through the entire book as I didn't read the whole thing. The bits about the old blind man was interesting. The bit about the younger guy who finds all the stuff the old man had documented was not so interesting. Though again I did not finish the book so I can't say if that might have changed before it ended.
(hide spoiler)]

Blindsight
I love this book on so many levels. I love the science fiction. I also love the elements of horror it contains
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No, not the vampire. What got me was Rorschach. That was spooky. And Siri was an amazing narrator.
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I've been a fan of Poe since I was a kid when my 7th grade English teacher read "The Bells" aloud to us one day. I had read the text of the poem many times before and found it stupid, but it took on a whole different tone when she read it and I finally understood.

I adore The Tell-Tale Heart and other stories. I loved them, but never found them spooky, creepy, or scary.

I have been looking a bit into Lovecraft but I just keep loosing interest and can't really get into it far enough to know if it would ring any of my bells.

So, here I am at a total loss on where to go next. Anyone have any suggestions? Any ideas on what it is I actually like?

[Kel]

I'm a hard reader to please. I am not easily creeped out.
Naomi's Room creeped me out, the ending really fell short, but it was worth it for the rest.
The War of the Worlds still blows my mind...I try to put myself in the time that it was written.
The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus is highly sensationalized, but a very good read.
Lolita is fucking terrifying. This book is a masterpiece. Understand that the narrator is insane, a liar, and a murderer...then try to unravel the truths within his words as he tries to dazzle you into trusting him.

[Graeme]

Hi Random,

It sounds to me that many of the regular horror tropes are not going to work for you.

The other thing that stands out is that you keep coming back to something that is creepy, spooky etc...

I suspect you might be looking for stories with the following features.

[1] The reader has no clear idea what the true threat is until the reveal on the last page.

[2] There is a steady progression and risk throughout the story as tension is laid on top of tension until it is fit to burst.

[3] The reveal will not involve body horror (no exploding heads, etc).

[4] Your 'Coraline,' reference suggests that 'threats,' that speak to the insignificance of humanity may also speak to you.

Is that anywhere near the mark for you?

[Random]

Graeme wrote: "Is that anywhere near the mark for you?."

Hi Greame, thanks for the response.

#1 - a reveal is not entirely necessary, though I am not against it. but yes, if it happens, near the end is the best spot IMO.
#2 Yes, I love that building on tension.
#3 correct. It just doesn't do anything for me.
#4 absolutely yes!

#1 is illustrated again by The Twisted Ones
(view spoiler)[Once it was revealed about the twisted ones, who they were, etc, all tension went away and we were left with just sad and pathetic creatures wanting to serve masters who no longer existed. Still a good story, but the mood was completely gone. (hide spoiler)]

[Random]

If it helps, I ran across something else that while not exactly horror, had that creepy build though the entire thing.

The Last Conversation

I already have The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts in my wish list. I hope they share some of the qualities. I was really impressed by The Last Conversation.

[Randy]

Some possible titles for you to look into,
The House on the Borderland
The Croning
The Red Tree
The Drowning Girl
Agents of Dreamland
House of Windows
The Fisherman

Kiernan's and Barron's short stories might fit the bill, too, if you like short stories. And if you like short stories, older work by Arthur Machen ("The Great God Pan"; "The White People") and Algernon Blackwood ("The Willows" especially) might be of interest.

[Random]

Hi, Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm a little unsure about Kiernan. I've already read two of her books (Silk and Threshold) and honestly really kind of hated them. I suspect in part because she tried to make women strong by making all of the male characters drug addicts and overall bloody useless pieces of flesh. As a woman, I find that every bit as insulting as making a female character strong by putting her in a chain mail bikini and giving her a sword.

There were other reasons, but that's the one that stood out so well in my mind.

Agents of Dreamland looks like it might have potential though, so maybe I will reconsider.

The Croning is already on my radar. I'll stick it in my wishlist And I've already grabbed The House of Souls by Arthus Machen. Will have to raise its priority.

Thanks again for your suggestions. :)

[Randy]

I haven't read Silk and liked Threshold -- reading that was what spurred me to read her later novels. I honestly don't remember any male characters in The Drowning Girl or The Red Tree, so maybe that wouldn't be a problem. :)

[Tomi]

Hard to be sure really but how about Little Star?

[Kel]

I picked up The Twisted Ones to gain some perspective and am enjoying it more than I thought I would, thanks for that. I think a keyword in your searches should be "heady". It seems that you like a something that will deeply engage your thought while taking on a journey.

Heady sci-fi The Three-Body Problem

Heady esoteric fantasy weird The Vorrh

Heady math sci-fi non beach read Anathem

Pure fun Hollow Kingdom

[Random]

Kel wrote: "I picked up The Twisted Ones to gain some perspective and am enjoying it more than I thought I would, thanks for that. I think a keyword in your searches should be "heady". It seems that you like a..."

I'm a LONG time (most of my life) Fantasy and Science Fiction reader, so I'm already familiar with the list. In fact Anathem is one of my all time favorite book ever.

But, what I'm looking for now is spooky and creepy, none of which those books contain.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

[Kel]

Naomi's Room remains one of the only books that really creeped me out. It was not easy for me to accept it at first because it seemed like a book that I was going to hate. I don't like sappy happy shit. I'd rather get a root canal than sit through a Hallmark special. It has it's weaknesses, but I don't want to influence opinion.

Somewhere above Little Star was mentioned, I would suggest Let the Right One In or Handling the Undead Understand that anything by John Ajvide Lindqvist is going to be a translation...they are well translated, but sometimes I need to remind myself.

The Girl With All the Gifts is very good, as is it's companion book, The Boy on the Bridge.

Hell House is a good one, I don't normally enjoy the haunted house type read, this is something...different?!

You certainly have my wheels turning. Good luck on your journey to existential terror.
I too am in search of the ultimate scare, so when you find it...send the title my way!

[Randy]

Have you tried Ramsey Campbell?
Ancient Images
Midnight Sun
The Grin of the Dark

That last would be my strongest recommendation. I should note, it seems to be a love/hate book among horror fans, some adoring it, some abhorring it. I'm in the former category.

[Christopher]

I enthusiastically second The Grin of the Dark and Campbell generally. Visions from Brichester might be a good place to start with Lovecraftian fiction not actually written by Lovecraft.

[Random]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll look into them.