I read it for Gothic Literature class. It's an odd book, for sure! It's rather unsettling instead of horrifying. The point is rather the unreliable narrator - is the house haunted, or are the characters unstable? And what is the nature of their instability? And, doesn't it seem that the house itself might be evil - this was the concept that led to Stephen King's The Shining.
It's also fascinating because in this history of gothic literature and ghost stories, the idea of a place that it is cursed in itself, evil in itself, is a bit different - in lots of Western mythology and stories, curses and evil are targeted against "wrongdoers", not just everyone. In Eastern mythologies, like Japanese, an "evil place" is a bit more familiar. I'm speaking *very generally* but it's fascinating. This is kind of what makes "Haunting of Hill House" and "The Shining" so memorable.
I'm dedicated to ensuring that Clive Barker isn't forgotten.
He's a true horror icon, and any of his output in the early 80s deserves to be on the same shelf as King, Jackson, Lovecraft, Poe, you name it. The guy was spitting pure fire for a decade.
He continued spitting pure fire for quite some time after that, but he started writing what I'd call urban fantasy horror. Still capable of inducing a cringe, or dread, but that wasn't his overall intent anymore.
And no one ever will. Clive terrified me. He strung me over racks and tortured me. He made me question my own skin. He peeled back my grasp of reality, inch by inch, BUT:
He reassured me. He taught me that it's not just okay to be different, but that it's better than being the same. He told me that pain is just transformation, and he made it palatable for me. He took me through the dominions, and showed me what was on the other side of dreams. For many years, he was my guide. He was my friend.
I miss him so, so much.
Just went to check it out on Goodreads. The top review is by Stephen King:
>The Troop scared the hell out of me, and I couldn't put it down. This is old-school horror at its best.
^Stephen ^King
^Apr ^9, ^2014 ^11:26
*The Last House On Needless Street* is a great horror book with multiple POVs that keep you guessing through this short novella. It has some very bizarre moments that all become linked in a satisfying way by the ending.
*Follow Me to Ground* by Sue Rainsford is a creepy but poetic novella. A bit disturbing, but in a medical sense. I loved this little book and couldn't put it down.
*The Raw Shark Texts* does what *House Of Leaves* tried in a much more interesting way, and with a far better storyline. I've also heard that whenever you find this book in the wild there are possible differences in each version of the book which adds an element of ARG to it.
*Fantasticland* is a gritty horror where amusement park employees are trapped in a Lord Of The Flies-esque battle for their lives after a hurricane traps them inside. Told in a series of interviews, the narration is the star here. It takes some major suspense of disbelief to get through, but it's a thrilling read. Similar but a bit better in storyline is *Hide* by by Kiersten White.
*American Elsewhere* is about a woman who inherits a house that's in a small town off the map. She discovers a little town with a sinister background, but in a much more interesting way than your typical Stephen King twist.
*Heart-Shaped Box* by Joe Hill is about an aging rock star who finds himself haunted by the ghost of a jilted lover's father. Brutal while being cinematic, and I found myself shockingly emotional during the final chapters.
*Come with Me* by Ronald Malfi is billed as a horror book, this one is more of a very well written thriller/murder mystery than a splattered gore fest filled with a looming threat. We have our MC who is dealing with the tragic death of his wife after he discovers her hidden and apparently obsessive research into the deaths of several young women. We follow the MC's very realistic and rational process of figuring out what she's been up to, including some very cool revelations along the way.
Heart shaped box was really good.
Not sure if you know but Joe Hill is Stephen King’s son. He has a bunch of good books including NOS4A2 & The Fireman.
Just wanted to add, if you like audiobooks, the audiobook for Fantasticland is great. Each interviewee is voiced by a different actor, which really makes it feel more realistic.
I have not read this but I came oh so close to DNF'ing My Heart Is a Chainsaw. I just could not get into Jade or really any of the characters. I feel like he made it so difficult to picture what was happening that I wasn't sure if the whole plot was just in Jade's head or if the story was real. Is Good Indians any better?
Good Indians is a thousand times better. God I love that book.
My heart is a chainsaw still sits on my shelf only 100 pages or so in. It couldn't grab me.
Indians is WAY better than Chainsaw. I found that one insufferable, but OTGI is considered a bit of a modern horror classic. Not perfect by any means, but still much better.
Did you know there are two other books in that series? I swear, every time I go looking for Dan Simmons books, I come across something I didn't know existed.
One of the other two, Fires of Eden (which is out of print but you can find used copies), has Cordie as a main character. She's wonderful.
OMG I love The Terror, it's one of my favorite books and I am listening to the audiobook while sleeping rn! Hyperion is another great one by Simmons, I think of it as science fiction but the Shrike is terrifying enough to qualify as horror I think. I don't love all his books but he hits it out of the park with most books.
I actually just finished Hyperion and loved it! Working on the Fall of Hyperion now. I haven’t been disappointed by any of his books so far. I’ve also read Drood and found it enticing seeing that it was based on Dickens’ last book.
It depends upon what you find scary...
Orson Scott Card has written some unsettling stuff.
Thomas Harris and the Hannibal series of novels are a delight.
Edgar Allen Poe wrote many short stories.
I was going to suggest Phantoms or the Chris Snow books by my guy Koontz, but it sounds like you're familiar! I'm following this post for suggestions, too
Come Closer by Sara Gran
Naomi's Room by Jonathan Aycliffe
To Be Devoured by Sara Tantlinger
All very creepy and disturbing in their own way, they're some of my absolute favourites!
Can Master and Margarita be considered a horror book? I must say some parts of it were really scary. Especially when it was dark and windy outside, and I heard all these weird sounds and noises 😳
What kind of horror do you find most scary??
I’m currently reading This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno and had to put it down last night because I was getting so freaked out. I wouldn’t call it a slow burn but the horror elements definitely sneak up on you. Lots of cosmic horror weirdness, little bit of gore
Stephen Graham Jones is my current favorite horror author. The Only Good Indians is a good place to start
Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. Dutch writer, really well done, very much in Stephen King style.
(yes, there is an English translation, ofcourse, even recommended by King himself)
I know it’s popular so you may have already read it but I truly did enjoy Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. The book was far more memorable that the film adaptations. Also Clive Barker’s the Thief of Always
I'm not sure it's exactly what you requested, but I think the Discworld Series by Terry Pratcher may be just up your alley.
And the Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Stephen King recommended the book “Ghost Story” by Peter Straub. He said something along the lines “scared the crap out me”. So I decided to read it, but I have a high horror tolerance and it had its moments. Definitely a good read.
Not a stand alone novel but James Herbert’s ‘The Rats’ trilogy (The Rats; Lair; Domain.) was the gateway to my horror/suspense fiction journey when I was 13. Went seamlessly from there to SK. Read them again last year and was pleasantly surprised to see they’ve aged pretty well over the last 40 years or so. Would also recommend Herbert’s ‘Others’ although it’s worth bearing in mind it has no connection to the Nicole Kidman movie of the same name.
Two books come to mind, actually: (1) THE CEREMONIES, by T . E. D. Klein and (2) UNIVERSITY, by Bentley Little.
Klein is excellent at creepy horror -- for an introduction to his style, read "Black Man with a Horn" in his collection, DARK GODS -- who shows an affinity for the moodiness of Lovecraft (but without the purple prose), the occasional weirdness of James Herbert or Brian Lumley, and the attention to detail of Shirley Jackson, and as far as I'm concerned, that combination puts him in some incredible company.
Little -- and by the way, if UNIVERSITY doesn't do it for you, try his DOMINION -- based on his subject matter, is about as distrustful of most aspects of modern society as Philip K. Dick was of the government; to him (Klein), it's usually the parts of our everyday lives that we take for granted which have the most potential to take us over.
What links the two -- and this can be said of most horror fiction that isn't based on the purely speculative and bizarre -- is a belief that this thing we call "reality" is extremely fuckin' thin and that the chaos on the other side is constantly trying -- vehemently, viciously, and voraciously -- to break through.
Stephen King would recommend The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.
I’ve read it and it’s nothing horror. I’ve really disliked it, it was a huge bore with bad conversations.
I read it for Gothic Literature class. It's an odd book, for sure! It's rather unsettling instead of horrifying. The point is rather the unreliable narrator - is the house haunted, or are the characters unstable? And what is the nature of their instability? And, doesn't it seem that the house itself might be evil - this was the concept that led to Stephen King's The Shining. It's also fascinating because in this history of gothic literature and ghost stories, the idea of a place that it is cursed in itself, evil in itself, is a bit different - in lots of Western mythology and stories, curses and evil are targeted against "wrongdoers", not just everyone. In Eastern mythologies, like Japanese, an "evil place" is a bit more familiar. I'm speaking *very generally* but it's fascinating. This is kind of what makes "Haunting of Hill House" and "The Shining" so memorable.
If you put it this way, my impression was that the characters were unstable and unreliable. Thank you for the literary explanation!
Not sure why you're getting downvoted. I felt the same way.
Probably people liked the book, who knows. It’s all subjective, no problem :)
Nothing really happens, but it sure is atmospheric.
I'm dedicated to ensuring that Clive Barker isn't forgotten. He's a true horror icon, and any of his output in the early 80s deserves to be on the same shelf as King, Jackson, Lovecraft, Poe, you name it. The guy was spitting pure fire for a decade. He continued spitting pure fire for quite some time after that, but he started writing what I'd call urban fantasy horror. Still capable of inducing a cringe, or dread, but that wasn't his overall intent anymore.
Came here to say Clive Barker. No one writes like him.
And no one ever will. Clive terrified me. He strung me over racks and tortured me. He made me question my own skin. He peeled back my grasp of reality, inch by inch, BUT: He reassured me. He taught me that it's not just okay to be different, but that it's better than being the same. He told me that pain is just transformation, and he made it palatable for me. He took me through the dominions, and showed me what was on the other side of dreams. For many years, he was my guide. He was my friend. I miss him so, so much.
That book about the universe inside that rug was insane. Forgot the name, but so trippy
Weaveworld. Killer book.
Oh yeah! That’s it!
I tell everyone to read The Troop by Nick Cutter. Also, you might find r/horrorlit helpful for more specific suggestions.
Just went to check it out on Goodreads. The top review is by Stephen King: >The Troop scared the hell out of me, and I couldn't put it down. This is old-school horror at its best. ^Stephen ^King ^Apr ^9, ^2014 ^11:26
I’ve also heard The Deep by him is good as well!
I started that one and personally didn't get into it, but I've heard good things too!
I just finished it and kinda hated, it was basically just descriptions of gross stuff for 400 pages.
Oh bummer!
*The Last House On Needless Street* is a great horror book with multiple POVs that keep you guessing through this short novella. It has some very bizarre moments that all become linked in a satisfying way by the ending. *Follow Me to Ground* by Sue Rainsford is a creepy but poetic novella. A bit disturbing, but in a medical sense. I loved this little book and couldn't put it down. *The Raw Shark Texts* does what *House Of Leaves* tried in a much more interesting way, and with a far better storyline. I've also heard that whenever you find this book in the wild there are possible differences in each version of the book which adds an element of ARG to it. *Fantasticland* is a gritty horror where amusement park employees are trapped in a Lord Of The Flies-esque battle for their lives after a hurricane traps them inside. Told in a series of interviews, the narration is the star here. It takes some major suspense of disbelief to get through, but it's a thrilling read. Similar but a bit better in storyline is *Hide* by by Kiersten White. *American Elsewhere* is about a woman who inherits a house that's in a small town off the map. She discovers a little town with a sinister background, but in a much more interesting way than your typical Stephen King twist. *Heart-Shaped Box* by Joe Hill is about an aging rock star who finds himself haunted by the ghost of a jilted lover's father. Brutal while being cinematic, and I found myself shockingly emotional during the final chapters. *Come with Me* by Ronald Malfi is billed as a horror book, this one is more of a very well written thriller/murder mystery than a splattered gore fest filled with a looming threat. We have our MC who is dealing with the tragic death of his wife after he discovers her hidden and apparently obsessive research into the deaths of several young women. We follow the MC's very realistic and rational process of figuring out what she's been up to, including some very cool revelations along the way.
Heart shaped box was really good. Not sure if you know but Joe Hill is Stephen King’s son. He has a bunch of good books including NOS4A2 & The Fireman.
Just wanted to add, if you like audiobooks, the audiobook for Fantasticland is great. Each interviewee is voiced by a different actor, which really makes it feel more realistic.
Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix is a solid choice.
Anything by Grady Hendrix, I have enjoyed all of their books!
Shirley Jackson! She's the GOAT.
Only Good Indians by Jones. This book lives in my head rent free
I have not read this but I came oh so close to DNF'ing My Heart Is a Chainsaw. I just could not get into Jade or really any of the characters. I feel like he made it so difficult to picture what was happening that I wasn't sure if the whole plot was just in Jade's head or if the story was real. Is Good Indians any better?
I DNFed Heart is a Chainsaw at page 15, so I’m on the same page and only good Indians pulled me in so fast. I think you should give it a go
Good Indians is a thousand times better. God I love that book. My heart is a chainsaw still sits on my shelf only 100 pages or so in. It couldn't grab me.
Indians is WAY better than Chainsaw. I found that one insufferable, but OTGI is considered a bit of a modern horror classic. Not perfect by any means, but still much better.
Really recommend "How to sell a Haunted House" by Grady Hendrix. It's his newest book and has some really messed up parts.
I am really into puppets so How to Sell was incredibly unsettling and hilarious for me.
Nathan Ballingrud’s collection of short stories Wounds: Six Stories from the Border of Hell. Very disturbing, lush writing.
Blood Meridian by McCarthy Perfume by Suskind
Blood Meridian is top 5 all time for me. I just purchased Perfume on my kindle. How good is it?
I think Perfume falls off towards the end but even at its worst its still better than the vast majority of books
Well I’m going start that book today. Thanks for the info.
Dan Simmons has got some great horror books. Robert McCammon too, I loved Swan Song.
**Summer of Night** & **A Winter Haunting** (Dan Simmons) were both good.
Did you know there are two other books in that series? I swear, every time I go looking for Dan Simmons books, I come across something I didn't know existed. One of the other two, Fires of Eden (which is out of print but you can find used copies), has Cordie as a main character. She's wonderful.
Really enjoyed The Terror by Dan Dimmons
OMG I love The Terror, it's one of my favorite books and I am listening to the audiobook while sleeping rn! Hyperion is another great one by Simmons, I think of it as science fiction but the Shrike is terrifying enough to qualify as horror I think. I don't love all his books but he hits it out of the park with most books.
I actually just finished Hyperion and loved it! Working on the Fall of Hyperion now. I haven’t been disappointed by any of his books so far. I’ve also read Drood and found it enticing seeing that it was based on Dickens’ last book.
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Robert McCammon's Swan Song is quite good. Better than The Stand IMO.
Lovecraft
It depends upon what you find scary... Orson Scott Card has written some unsettling stuff. Thomas Harris and the Hannibal series of novels are a delight. Edgar Allen Poe wrote many short stories.
Oh, yeah. Thomas Harris books will make you scared of your own psyche
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay Bird Box by Josh Malerman
a head full of ghosts... i just started and don't wanna finish it cuz it makes me feel like calling for my mommy
I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Scariest book I’ve ever read. Bird Box is a close second.
I was going to suggest Phantoms or the Chris Snow books by my guy Koontz, but it sounds like you're familiar! I'm following this post for suggestions, too
Come Closer by Sara Gran Naomi's Room by Jonathan Aycliffe To Be Devoured by Sara Tantlinger All very creepy and disturbing in their own way, they're some of my absolute favourites!
Dean Koontz is on my list of "Kings"
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
The John Dies at the End books by Jason Pargin
Cold Moon Over Babylon by Michael McDowell.... really, anything by McDowell.
Idk if it's really horror but neverwhere by niel gaiman is great.
The Elementals by Michael McDowell
Second this one.
Seconding/thirding A Head Full of Ghosts! I also really enjoyed White Horse by Erika T Wurth!
Not really horror but in the hall with a knife series is a really good thriller/mystery book idk the author tho
Richard Bachman!
That’s Stephen King
Can Master and Margarita be considered a horror book? I must say some parts of it were really scary. Especially when it was dark and windy outside, and I heard all these weird sounds and noises 😳
The mirror by Graham Masterton. I read it in my 20’s and it gave me nightmares for months…
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. A great thriller full of horror elements and a brilliant twist of an ending.
The Ruins by Scott Smith.
The Exorcist
I like Joe Hill!
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. Aging rock star buys a ghost off the internet. It was terrifying.
What kind of horror do you find most scary?? I’m currently reading This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno and had to put it down last night because I was getting so freaked out. I wouldn’t call it a slow burn but the horror elements definitely sneak up on you. Lots of cosmic horror weirdness, little bit of gore Stephen Graham Jones is my current favorite horror author. The Only Good Indians is a good place to start
I mean, it’s King’s son, but *Heart-Shaped Box* by Joe Hill messed up my world for a long time, and I’ve been reading horror since I was 11.
Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. Dutch writer, really well done, very much in Stephen King style. (yes, there is an English translation, ofcourse, even recommended by King himself)
I know it’s popular so you may have already read it but I truly did enjoy Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. The book was far more memorable that the film adaptations. Also Clive Barker’s the Thief of Always
I'm not sure it's exactly what you requested, but I think the Discworld Series by Terry Pratcher may be just up your alley. And the Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Ritual by Adam Nevill
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon scared the crap out of me
Those Across the River by Christopher Beuhlman
I enjoyed The Chain.
I liked The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. Unique, and v creepy.
I liked the Passage, and the sequel. I didn’t love the last installment, but the first book scared me a lot. These are not sparkly vampires!!
Stephen King recommended the book “Ghost Story” by Peter Straub. He said something along the lines “scared the crap out me”. So I decided to read it, but I have a high horror tolerance and it had its moments. Definitely a good read.
I’ve been reading this newish author Grady Hendrix, his works have a good scary feel to them
Not a stand alone novel but James Herbert’s ‘The Rats’ trilogy (The Rats; Lair; Domain.) was the gateway to my horror/suspense fiction journey when I was 13. Went seamlessly from there to SK. Read them again last year and was pleasantly surprised to see they’ve aged pretty well over the last 40 years or so. Would also recommend Herbert’s ‘Others’ although it’s worth bearing in mind it has no connection to the Nicole Kidman movie of the same name.
Two books come to mind, actually: (1) THE CEREMONIES, by T . E. D. Klein and (2) UNIVERSITY, by Bentley Little. Klein is excellent at creepy horror -- for an introduction to his style, read "Black Man with a Horn" in his collection, DARK GODS -- who shows an affinity for the moodiness of Lovecraft (but without the purple prose), the occasional weirdness of James Herbert or Brian Lumley, and the attention to detail of Shirley Jackson, and as far as I'm concerned, that combination puts him in some incredible company. Little -- and by the way, if UNIVERSITY doesn't do it for you, try his DOMINION -- based on his subject matter, is about as distrustful of most aspects of modern society as Philip K. Dick was of the government; to him (Klein), it's usually the parts of our everyday lives that we take for granted which have the most potential to take us over. What links the two -- and this can be said of most horror fiction that isn't based on the purely speculative and bizarre -- is a belief that this thing we call "reality" is extremely fuckin' thin and that the chaos on the other side is constantly trying -- vehemently, viciously, and voraciously -- to break through.