MY 10 FAVORITE HORROR BOOKS; PERHAPS OF ALL TIME
I thought I would do something a bit more diverse this fine Sunday evening. Just to prove to everyone that I read, here is my list of my 10 favorite horror books of all time. Let’s see what we have here:
1. Ghoul by Michael Slade
Michael Slade combines horror, history, mystery and police procedural better than any author I’ve ever read. Ghoul, his second novel, combines sex, insanity, rock and roll and H.P. Lovecraft better than any other book I’ve ever read.
2 and 3. When the Autumn Moon is Bright and Heart of Scars: The Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter Books One and Two by Brian Easton
A one-two combination of the two finest werewolf novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Brian Easton’s books may be about one man. Sylvester Logan James and his lifelong vendetta against the furry beasties; but dig deeper and they’re about how hatred can consume a person until there is nothing left.
4. It by Stephen King
I used to think that clowns were nasty, evil creatures that hid their true faces behind fake smiles, rubber noses and greasepaint, Then I read Stephen King’s It and I knew that is exactly what they are. Take seven kids, all losers, and pit them against a shape-shifting clown named Pennywise that preys on children and you have King’s second masterpiece. The first was of course The Stand. Coulrophobics should steer clear.
5. Survivor by J. F. Gonzalez
The Federal Bureau of Investigation states that, for the record, snuff films do not exist. If they’ve ever read J. F. Gonzalez’ novel about snuff producers and the woman who must make an ultimate and horrifying decision in order to save her own life then off the record I would say that their opinion is quite the opposite. Survivor kept me awake at night.
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Dracula was the first major novel I ever read and I have had a love for reading my entire life because of it. Stoker’s novel is over a hundred years old; so I’m not going to tell you what it’s about. You’ve had plenty of time to read it.
7. The Hot Blood Series; Jeff Gelb, Lonn Friend and Michael Garrett, editors
Who would have thought that sex and horror would make such lovely bedfellows? Jeff Gelb, Lonn Friend and Michael Garrett, obviously; they’ve edited 13 volumes of the erotic and the macabre that range from a Dorian Gray-esque tale updated for the age of AIDS; to a woman with way too many vaginas. Oh yeah, there’s also carnivorous shape-shifting porn stars.
8. The Stand by Stephen King
It’s the end of the world as we know it and not a damned soul feels fine in this magnum opus by Stephen King. A deadly virus leads to the ultimate battle between good and evil. The Stand should be required reading. Randall Flagg aka ‘The Dark Man’ aka ‘The Walkin’ Dude’ could be the rule by which all other villains are measured.
9. The Howling by Gary Brandner
The book and the movie have nothing in common except for werewolves and a woman named Karen stuck in the middle as their chew toy of choice. The book isn’t great by any means; but since it was the launching pad for what was the greatest werewolf movie of all time it earns a spot on this list.
10. Son of the Endless Night by John Farris
A demon- possessed man, an Irish priest turned professional wrestler, a courtroom scene straight out of hell and Zarach Bal Tagh, the entity orchestrating the whole bloody affair. What more could you ask for from the author Stephen King has said was the one he tried the hardest to emulate?
There you have it, my favorites. Maybe some of yours are on the list; or maybe not, who knows?
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Posted on 11/04/2012, in My Favorite Horror Books and tagged Books, Bram Stoker, Brian Easton, demon possession, Dorian Gray, Dracula, erotic, erotica, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Gary Brandner, Ghoul, H. P. Lovecraft, horror novels, Hot Blood, J. F. Gonzalez, John Farris, Lonn Friend, Michael Slade, Picture of Dorian Gray, porn, Pornography, Randall Flagg, reading, sex, Stand, Stephen King, Survival horror, Survivor, The Howling, The Stand, Vampire, vampires, virus, Werewolf, werewolves. Bookmark the permalink. 24 Comments.
I have only read the King books on here, I’ll need to check the others out. But The Stand…I read it at least once a year. LOVE it.
I can see why you included Stephen King and Bram Stoker but I haven’t read any of the others. Guess I should widen my reading list.
This is a seriously eclectic list. I love King, of course, but Farris is one I forget about until reminded.
I haven’t liked everything by Farris, but I devoured Son of the Endless Night. I’ve read it at least 4 times. Thanks!
Great choices all! I still remember Flagg scaring the crap out of me in The Stand. “Hey Bobby-Terry you screwed up!” Shudder.
He was one wicked son of a bitch.
Oh yeah!
Okay…you got The Stand…I was starting to panic
Hee hee hee I like making pretty girls panic
Some fine reading here, John. Great list.
Have you read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley?
Indeed I have. I would have included it, but the Count won out over it. Thanks!
Yeah……The Stand is right up there with the great books of all time! I love King and have read most of his stuff! To me, the scariest thing he wrote was Pet Sematery……well, it affected me the most! Maybe ‘cos the little boy in the story was the same age as my son at that time!
Thinking back though, the scariest stuff I ever read were the Pan horror short story books! I think there was about 25 of them and there was some terribly frightening stuff in those!
Hard to find these days I presume!
Who wrote them?
Many authors contributed to these outstanding compilations of short story horror. I’ll never forget my first reading of ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ (now THAT was a story)! I slept with the lights on for many nights.
Stephen King (yes…….him), Ray Bradbury, Peter Straub & Ramsey Campbell…..to name but a few.
Apparently there were 30 of these books. The cover art of each of them was scary enough!
Check out…..www.trashfiction.co.uk/horror_pan.html
Short stories……easy to read…….terrifying! Trust me!
Cool! Thanks, Saints!
Oh quite a few there I haven’t read best I get searching on kindle. May I recommend hater by David moody and outpost by Adam baker.
You may you may
I’ve heard of Hater
But not Outpost
What a great list! A few on there I’ll need to read next! Right now I’m reading Stephen King’s ‘Needful Things’ and really enjoying it.
I have that one but I still need to read it. Thanks, Ryan!!
Great list Survivor is amazing and downright shocking. My review for it http://www.readingmylifeawayalways.com/2012/07/j-f-gonzalez-survivor.html i could never get into The Stand although I did read it I perfer Carrie in its place.
We all have our personal favorites. Thanks for commenting, Abraham.
Reblogged this on Official Site of Alex Laybourne – Author.
I have read depressingly few of these novels, I need to buck up my ideas a little and get reading some more. I find since I immersed myself in the indie writing scene, all the books I read are by other such authors. Not read much older stuff in years. That needs to change. Thanks for the list, I have a great starting point. IT and the Stand of course have both already been devoured. Loved them from cover to cover.
Thanks for commenting and for re-blogging, Alex!!