Horror Aficionados discussion
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What is the scariest book you have ever read?
I would have to say Intensity, by Dean Koontz. At one point, early in the book, I actually had to put it down and didn't pick it back up for a few days. It still sends a shudder up my spine when I think of it.(view spoiler)
Tacky. :-(
If you have ever had any kind of claustrophobia, The Descent(no relation to the movies) and the sequel, Deeper, by Jeff Long, are both incredibly good reads. I would turn most of the lights off in the house, begin reading, and in minutes I would be squirming out of my shirt. YEESH!
Mod
What part of "Not books you've written" don't you understand?
I remember first reading Pet Sematary and The Amityville Horror while home alone and hearing sounds--in retrospect, probably just the house settling--that raised goosebumps. While the former was a much better written book than the latter, both had genuinely scary atmospheric scenes. The last few pages of Pet Sematary show Stephen King in top scary form. I also remember the back of the paperback in big white type exclaiming:
"THE MOST FRIGHTENING BOOK STEPHEN KING HAS EVER WRITTEN!"
666 by Jay Anson was also creepy. Carrion Comfort spooked me good (psychic vampires!).
There are more but all these years later I still wouldn't want to read any of the books mentioned above home alone.
Was not a huge fan of 666, didn't care about the characters, actually wanted the bad shit to happen to them...
Mod
Hi Jon & Marc-Antoine :) The OP asked what scared you, not what didn't, "Something that really engrossed you, gave you chills and made you feel just a wee bit paranoid after shutting out the lights?"
So, tell us, what scared you?
Mod
Sorry, my mind wandered off. ;)
Gimme a minute.
Don John wrote: "If you have ever had any kind of claustrophobia, The Descent(no relation to the movies) and the sequel, Deeper, by Jeff Long, are both incredibly good reads. I would turn most of the lights off in ..."Loved The Descent but didn't read the sequel.
Gosh, I've read a lot of horror and there were some scary moments in them, but not many overall that truly scared me. But I would have to agree with Carrion Comfort. And throw in Naomi's Room and In Cold Blood. Nothing King has ever written has truly scared me.
The only author that's made me feel genuinely scared while reading was Lovecraft. After reading The Call of Cthulhu, I had to turn all the lights on in my house.Other books that I feel have good, creepy moments:
Hell House
The Ritual
The Ruins
It
Hey horror connoisseurs, it was a few years ago now but I found Clive Barker's Cabal/Night breed fairly scary especially the psychiatrist in the stitched mask idea, and the notion of humans being the true monsters. Anyone else tried it? Oh and Misery gave me a few scary moments too.
Courtney wrote: "The only author that's made me feel genuinely scared while reading was Lovecraft. After reading The Call of Cthulhu, I had to turn all the lights on in my house.Other books that I feel have good,..."
Pennywise is such a powerful and iconic figure, don't you think - especially in his many forms. The eye in the sink and werewolf in the toilet had me reading saucer-eyed with the lights on:)
Mod
Algernon Blackwood's THE WILLOWS
M.R. James
Arthur Machen
To really get a rise out of me, a book has to be atmospheric and involve individuals who are truly alone facing an unknown menace.
It really scared the crap out of me. Still does I don't know how many years later (without a re-read). I swear that Pennywise lives in my basement. If I don't run up the stairs, he'll get me.
Salem's Lot (Stephen King, of course). Was up reading until probably 3 am and when I turned the lights out, well... (As a side note, although the movie wasn't very good, i still have that creepy scene with the kid's friend floating outside the window in my mind).
Intensity by Dean Koontz scared the crap out of me.
Danny Glick scratching at the window from Salem's Lot.Pennywise-everywhere in IT.
Pet Semetary because of the real life human horror it involves (view spoiler)
Ghoul-just all around creepy.
As I've said before, very few things scare me. I am more frightened by visual media than by books anyway, so if something can scare me, I am actually more impressed by it than anything. That being said, The Shining gave me a fright or two, as did Pet Semetary. Anne Rice's Tale of the Body Thief scared me too, but mostly because of the scene with Claudia haunted Lestat while riding a tiger. I am scared of tigers, so that was a frightening moment. As far as underlying creepiness throughout, another King tale, "1408", was one of those that kept the lights on. And the movie is one of the ones that actually scared the crap out of me!
From a similar thread to this one (in a different group) some folks had mentioned House of Leaves. Has anyone here read it? I had to go and buy it after 3 folks in that thread mentioned it. 
Gertie wrote: "From a similar thread to this one (in a different group) some folks had mentioned House of Leaves. Has anyone here read it? I had to go and buy it after 3 folks in that thread mentioned it. [book..."
I'm currently reading this book, and I am enjoying it a lot. It has a fascinating premise, the writing style and how the plot is set up is different and very interesting. I'm about halfway through, and it's getting really creepy :)
Fabulous. I'm starting it as soon as I've finished Ready Player One. (Or maybe I should finish one of the other 5 books on my currently reading shelf, tsk tsk.)
How are you liking Ready Player One, Gertie? I've just finished it and seem to be in the minority that were unimpressed
You didn't like RPO? That book is awesome. No cookie for you!
I am only a few pages in - going to remedy that now. And if I say I like it later... do I get a cookie? I am willing to lie for a cookie if it has chocolate in it. But not raisins, which only deserve honesty. Sorry, raisins.
I agree with Intensity (the only truly scary book Dean Koontz ever wrote). Ditto It and Pet Sematary. King's early short story work has scared me more than any of his full length novels though, especially his Night Shift collection: "The Bogeyman" and "Children of the Corn" just chill me on every re-read. So effective in so few words. "The Mist" (which appears in Skeleton Crew) also scared the pee out of me.
I remember some of the stories from Jack Ketchum's collection Peaceable Kingdom scaring the bejeebers out of me too. Someone mentioned The Ritual. That had my heart pumping good, I tell you. The first half is so CREEPY.
Trudi wrote "King's early short story work has scared me more than any of his full length novels though, e..."Oh yeah I has forgotten about The Mist! I actually listened to it on audiobook (which was in stereo and included sound effects) in the dark. If I was trying to scare myself, it worked.
Tressa wrote: "You didn't like RPO? That book is awesome. No cookie for you!"But I read the whole thing, don't I deserve a cookie for effort?
Great book, Jon...I think probably Pet Semetary, just because it was the first horror novel I'd read...but also I'd have to say Ketchum's The Girl Next Door, for realism (based on true events)...and perhaps Kilborn's Afraid. Probably missing a few more...long work day...
Long work day? Well, at least it's Friday. Guess you'll have to go home and curl up with a scary book! (And a beverage. And a blanket. And a cat/dog.)
Well, had a beer and curling up with my laptop...my cat is around here somewhere...
Well done. (The cat will appear once the laptop is warm enough for the cat to get in your way.)
No, she isn't much of a lap cat, just nudges me in the right forearm, smearing her lovely eye-boogers on me, when she wants some attention...
Bandit wrote: "Tressa wrote: "You didn't like RPO? That book is awesome. No cookie for you!"But I read the whole thing, don't I deserve a cookie for effort?"
Yes, of course. What secret ingredient shall I put in it for you?
Bandit wrote: "I'm a bit scared now...but...raisins?"Sure thing. You're gonna be shocked if I ever do send you some cookies. The only person I've sent cookies so far is Tim, who has disappeared off the face of the HA earth. I hope there was no connection. It was at Christmastime and the package did take quite a while to reach him.
You promised me cookies once, still waiting...
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
The Other (other topics)The Shining (other topics)
The Rats (other topics)
Haunted (other topics)
The Jewel of Seven Stars (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Stephen King (other topics)Julia Verlanger (other topics)
(And not books you've written.)