sub genres challenge

[Justin]

Demons

Demons are supernatural entities that are typically depicted as malicious creatures who either create fear and violence or attempt to coerce or lure humans into doing evil. Demons are similar to devils, and may even be described as originating from Hell.

Fairytale Horror

In early versions of the stories, the Pied Piper led the children to drown, Red Riding Hood was devoured and digested, and the Little Mermaid died in the sea. Not all fairy tales are for kids. Also stories of little, winged fairies who are not pleased with human company.

Ghosts

Ghosts are supernatural entities which are the incorporeal spirits of deceased persons (although sometimes ghosts may also represent deceased animals). Ghosts are often associated with paranormal activity, including cold spots, glowing orbs, and objects that seem to move by themselves. Belief in ghosts is found in virtually every culture on earth, and throughout the history of literature and art.

Gothic

The early precursor to the Horror genre, the Gothic novel tells tales of mysteries, forbidden loves, ruined castles, moral decay, fallen aristocracies, madmen, and various sorts of spirits.

Humorous Horror

Humorous horror is a form of black humor which combines horror and comedy. It may take the form of parody, pastiche, or be completely original.

Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos

Much of H. P. Lovecraft's fiction revolved around the notion that our world was originally ruled by alien beings which now exist out of our sight, waiting for the time to return and destroy humanity. The Cthulhu Mythos is any work of horror fiction which involves any of the "Elder Gods" created by Lovecraft.

Man-Made Horrors

Man-made horrors are non-supernatural creatures or situations which are either produced by man or a by-product of industry or technology. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) is the first great story of a man-made horror, but man-made horrors are not limited to creatures produced by mad scientists - they can also be genetically created viruses, toxic pollution, or mutated animals (among others). Man-made horrors may involve science fictional elements, but the distinctive element is an intent to create fear.

Monsters

Monsters are creatures that are typically malevolent, although they sometimes act violently in response to persecution; they're usually supernatural, but not always. Vampires, werewolves, and zombies all fall into the broader category of monsters, but monsters need not be confined to these types—they can also include other shapeshifters, aquatic menaces (mermaids or gillmen), cryptozoological animals (Bigfoot, the chupacabra, the Loch Ness monster), or unnaturally evolved animals (King Kong). The term "monster" is also occasionally applied to deformed humans such as The Phantom of the Opera or The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Mythic Fiction (Horror)

Horrific tales told in the backdrop of ancient mythology and folklore. Pagan pantheons of gods and nature spirits (e.g., nymphs and banshees) frequent this subgenre.

Occult

Stories of witchcraft, wizardry, Satan worship, esoteric brotherhoods, and the general communion with evil or morally ambiguous spirits.

Post-Apocalyptic Horror

Post-apocalyptic horror typically presents an end-of-the-world scenario in which some sort of event has destroyed most of the world's population, leaving only a few survivors to battle for diminishing resources. Post-apocalyptic horror may verge on science fiction, presenting post-nuclear holocaust or other man-made situations, but emphasizes the horror of the protagonist's situation.

Psychic Abilities

Psychic abilities are often presented at the center of horror novels. Psychic abilities may include telekinesis, ESP, mind control, pyrokinesis, and other abilities. Horror novels focusing on psychic abilities frequently present children as the possessors of these unique powers. Science fiction works may also employ the use of psychic abilities, but in these works it's usually the protagonist - not the antagonist - who possesses these powers, and the intent is not to produce fear.

Psychological

Psychological horror is horror in which the antagonists are non-supernatural. Psychological horror most commonly involves the serial killer, but may also refer to the protagonist's state of mind (as in Stephen King's Cujo). Psychological horror is close to the thriller or mystery novels, but is differentiated by focusing more on producing fear rather than resolving a mystery.

Splatterpunk

A revolt against the subtly suggestive Gothic novel, Splatterpunk ratchets the gore up to eleven with as much violence and graphic description as it can muster.

Vampires

Vampires are supernatural creatures that are reanimated corpses who survive by drinking the blood of the living. Vampires are found in nearly every culture in the world, and vampire variants include the lamia from Greece, the wurdalak from Russia, and the goong-si (or "hopping vampire") from China. Prior to the 19th century, in Europe vampires were generally thought to be foul, ragged creatures that rose at night from their graves to stalk their victims (who were often family members). However, the 19th century concept of the vampire changed radically thanks to literature, with the most important works being Dr. John Polidori's 1819 short story "The Vampyre" (which created the character of "Lord Ruthven") and Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. Stoker's work in particular added the vampire's ability to shapeshift (especially into a vampire bat), the vampire's use of erotic seduction, and the use of a stake through the heart to slay the creature.

Werewolves

Werewolves are supernatural creatures that are humans by day, but are afflicted with lycanthropy and shapeshift into monstrous wolf-like creatures at night (typically by the light of the full moon). Werewolves are one type of shapeshifter; other shapeshifting entities might transform into other animals, or even non-organic objects.

Witches

Witches are typically portrayed as aged women with tall, pointed hats, possibly bent over a cauldron, holding a broomstick, or accompanied by a black cat; they cause mischief and havoc by casting spells. However, witches may also be young or male (although male witches may be referred to as sorcerers), and may be good rather than evil.

Zombies

Zombies are supernatural creatures which are re-animated corpses that lack intelligence and self-awareness. Prior to 1968, zombies were associated with Haitian voodoo practices, and were often corpses of the recently deceased that were brought back to life by a voodoo practitioner to perform manual labor (usually on a plantation). However, in 1968 George Romero's influential film Night of the Living Dead redefined the zombie as a reanimated corpse that seeks to eat the living. Unlike vampires, zombies are not confined to appearing only at night, and they are not affected by religious icons such as crucifixes and holy water; in fact, post-1968 zombies usually can only be stopped by damaging the brain (usually with gunshots)

Serial killers
Cannibals
Satanic/cult
Aliens
Creature feature
Campy
Revenge

[Maxine Marsh]

This one looks interesting...

[Justin]

Post any other sub genres you guys can think of and I will add them to the main post.

[Andy]

Awesome list, Justin! Maybe a good challenge would be to read one book for each sub genre. There are probably a lot of books that would count for more than one.

Demons -
Fairytale Horror -
Ghosts -
Gothic -
Humorous Horror -
Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos -
Man-Made Horrors -
Monsters -Snow, Ronald Malfi 4*
Mythic Fiction (Horror) -
Occult - Darkness, Tell Us, Richard Laymon 4*
Post-Apocalyptic Horror -
Psychic Abilities -
Psychological -
Splatterpunk -
Vampires -
Werewolves -
Witches
Zombies -

Serial killers -
Cannibals -
Satanic/cult -
Aliens -
Creature feature -
Campy -
Revenge -

[RachelvlehcaR]

Sub Genres Challenge:
Start Date: 1/1/15
Finish Date:

Demons - Disturbing Events by Steven Stark Date Read: 4/25/15
Fairytale Horror - Alice by Christina Henry Date Read: 12/4/15
Ghosts - We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson Date Read: 1/10/15
Gothic - Freak by Ron Sanders Date Read: 3/24/15
Humorous Horror - John Dies at the End by David Wong Date Read: 3/21/15
Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos - The Dunwich Horror by H.P. Lovecraft Date Read: 9/9/15
Man-Made Horrors - Tale of the Gévaudan Beast by Edison Crux Date Read: 3/4/15
Monsters - A Hollow Dream of Summer's End by Andrew Van Wey Date Read: 4/30/15
Mythic Fiction (Horror) -
Occult -
Post-Apocalyptic Horror - World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks Date Read: 9/17/15
Psychic Abilities - Lone Cypress by Laura K. Cowan Date Read: 4/28/15
Psychological - The Collector by John Fowles Date Read: 1/7/15
Splatterpunk - Header by Edward Lee Date Read: 2/14/15
Vampires - 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King Date Read: 1/31/15
Werewolves - Silverweed: A Supernatural Fairy Tale by Dorlana Vann Date Read: 1/17/15
Witches - The Witch's Revenge by Danny Odato Date Read: 4/28/15
Zombies - HavenHaven by Stevie Kopas Date Read: 1/17/15

Serial killers - Cheating Karma by Glen Batchelor Date Read: 3/10/15
Cannibals - Hannibal by Thomas Harris Date Read: 4/14/15
Satanic/cult - Hailstone by Nina Smith Date Read: 4/25/15
Aliens - Dark Meridian by Matthew Tait Date Read: 4/27/15
Creature feature - Meg by Steve Alten Date Read: 1/24/15
Campy -
Revenge - Rage by G. Lusby Date Read: 5/2/15



Other horror books read but I'm not sure where they'd be categorized.
The Snow and The Darkness by Matthew Warren Wilson Date Read: 2/8/15 (Backwoods)
The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson Date Read: 2/25/15 (Haunting and possession)
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King Date Read: 3/3/15 (Killer)
Strangers by Michaelbrent Collings Date Read: 4/9/15 (Killer, Abduction)
Unnatural Tales by Andy Sayles Date Read: 4/25/15 (collection, short stories)

[Andy]

Thanks for the copy/paste, Rachel.

[RachelvlehcaR]

Andy, No problem. It just makes it easier. ;)

[Kate]

Here's my spot.

14/25

Demons -Tortured Souls : The Legend of Primordium 4.5*
Fairytale Horror - The Asylum for Fairy Tale Creatures 3*
Ghosts - The Walls Around Us 5*
Gothic -
Humorous Horror - Wolf Hunt 4*
Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos - The Dunfield Terror 3*
Man-Made Horrors - Blockbuster 3.5*
Monsters -
Mythic Fiction (Horror) - Curse of the Wendigo 4*
Occult - Storm Front 4*
Post-Apocalyptic Horror - Left To Darkness 4*
Psychic Abilities - Beneath the Boards 4*
Psychological -
Splatterpunk -
Vampires - American Vampire, Vol. 1 5*
Werewolves - Full Moon Over Cedar Hill 4*
Witches - Wytches #1 4*
Zombies - The Walking Dead, Compendium 1 5*
Serial killers -
Cannibals - Dead of Winter 5*
Satanic/cult -
Aliens - Boom Town 4*
Creature feature -
Campy -
Revenge - Frank Miller's Sin City Volume 1: The Hard Goodbye 3rd Edition 5*

[Maxine Marsh]

This one will make for some good variety. I'm just going to fill it in as I read and see how many genres I hit as the year goes on.

20/26

Demons - The Demonologist 5*
Fairytale Horror -
Ghosts - Ghost Story 5*
Gothic - The Feast of Bacchus 4*
Humorous Horror - ClownFellas: Tales of the Bozo Family 4*
Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos - The Thing on the Doorstep and Other Weird Stories 5*
Man-Made Horrors - Blindspot 5*
Monsters - Snow 4*
Mythic Fiction (Horror) - Dark Hollow 3*
Occult - Darkness, Tell Us 3*
Post-Apocalyptic Horror - A Necessary End 5*
Psychic Abilities - The Witch of Napoli 5*
Psychological - Wakening the Crow 5*
Splatterpunk - Tribesmen 4*
Vampires - Fingers of Fear 3*
Werewolves - The Bog 4*
Witches - Storm Front 3*
Zombies - Patient Zero 4*
Serial killers - Right to Life 2*
Cannibals - Off Season 3*
Satanic/cult - Dark Places 4*
Aliens - The Drive-In? 4*
Creature feature - Clickers 4*
Campy - In the Dark 3*
Revenge - Life After Dane 5*
Southern Gothic - Blackwater: The Complete Caskey Family Saga 5*



Last Days, The Croning, The Woodwitch, The Drive-In, Burnt Offerings, The Waking That Kills, The Wanderer, Koko, Come Closer, Clickers II, Old Flames, Offspring, Plague of Gulls, Jack of Spades, The Uncanny Valley, Night Shift, Tortured Souls, Dark Screams Vol. 2 and 3, The Cormorant


Fairytale Horror
Gothic
Man-Made Horrors
Vampires
Werewolves
Witches

[Julissa]

Sub Genres Challenge:
Start Date: 1/1/15
Finish Date:

Demons - Seed
Fairytale Horror -
Ghosts - The Haunting of Hill House
Gothic -
Humorous Horror -
Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos -
Man-Made Horrors - While the Savage Sleeps
Monsters - The Shuddering
Mythic Fiction (Horror) -
Occult -
Post-Apocalyptic Horror -
Psychic Abilities -
Psychological -
Splatterpunk -
Vampires -
Werewolves -
Witches
Zombies - What Our Eyes Have Witnessed

Serial killers - The Neighbors
Cannibals -
Satanic/cult -
Aliens -
Creature feature -
Campy -
Revenge -

[Addy]

Oh! I need to do this!

[Kate]

How is everyone doing with the sub genre challenge? I still have 11 sub genre books to read.

[Maxine Marsh]

I need to go back and update my list! I think I added an extra category, too: Southern Gothic.

I have 6 subcategories to go! Apparently I don't read enough vampire, witch or werewolf stories.

[RachelvlehcaR]

I have 4 more to read. I'm hoping to have them read by the end of the year.

[Tom]

Here's what I have done so far:

Demons -
Fairytale Horror -
Ghosts -
Gothic -
Humorous Horror -
Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos - Dead Sea
Man-Made Horrors – The Rats
Monsters – Moon
Mythic Fiction (Horror) – Relic
Occult – The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
Post-Apocalyptic Horror – Dead World
Psychic Abilities – The Fury
Psychological – Take One With You
Splatterpunk – Depraved 2
Vampires – Nos4A2 ?
Werewolves -
Witches – Storm Front
Zombies – Welcome to Dead House
Serial killers – Child 44
Cannibals – The Woods Are Dark
Satanic/cult - Sacrifice
Aliens -
Creature feature -
Campy - Body Rides
Revenge - The Amulet

[RachelvlehcaR]

I have just 3 more to read.

[RachelvlehcaR]

Looks like I will be 3 short by the end of the year.

[Maxine Marsh]

Argh, I got stuck on the Fairy Tale Horror genre. I got all but that one.

[Kate]

I cheated and reduced my number. Hehehe