Thread: Good Horror.

Originally Posted by kidstaple

Probably because he's amazing...

That's a stretch. Laymon's little more than soft porn a lot of the time, and I wouldn't put him in the same sentence as Stephen King, and definitely wouldn't compare him with Lovecraft. Robert Bloch however...

I've also heard great things about House of Leaves, but it's hard to get.

Maybe that's why he did so well in the UK?

I agree Kidstaple, although everyone is entitles to their opinions. Laymon is like an addiction for me. I own 31 of 41 of his titles (one being listed at well over $500...but I understand it should be re-released after 2010...The Wilds. Another, A Writers Tale, was only pressed 1-500 (and the same few copies seem to bounce around E-Bay at about $400-$500). So those are two I don't expect to own anytime soon. Laymon isn't the only author I read in the genre (as I forsake writing frequently for reading unfortunately...I CAN'T stop), nor is he the greatest per singular story, but if you count volume of work that has no steep decline and always has entertained me, he was/is the best at his horror/slasher/creeper craft. I will say without reservation, or fear of what all the cool kids will say, that over the last few years Laymon is the horror writer that I have enjoyed the most and I look forward to reading anything I can get my hands on.

Also just got through w/ a few (City Infernal, Infernal Angel, Brides of the Impaler) Edward Lee books. I really enjoyed them as well. Especially the Infernal series (have House Infernal on the way).

As far as the Stephen King thing...if I have some of his books on my bookshelf, does this mean I need a different area to store them in as well? So the Laymon titles don't taint them? Should I contact Laymons widow and daughter and ask for Stephen King's endorsement to be removed from any future pressing of his titles?

Regardless, horror's a scream. Read some.

Originally Posted by Talia_Brie

That's a stretch. Laymon's little more than soft porn a lot of the time, and I wouldn't put him in the same sentence as Stephen King, and definitely wouldn't compare him with Lovecraft. Robert Bloch however...

I've also heard great things about House of Leaves, but it's hard to get.

Some of Robert Bloch's work goes hard. I have to say Lovecraft is the king though. I arrived at this conclusion after realizing that when I'm done reading a lovecraft story I feel like curling up in a corner and crying.

Stephen King is sick but lately it seems like he's just trying to sell books and ride the blockbuster New York times best seller wave.

Originally Posted by Industrial

Some of Robert Bloch's work goes hard. I have to say Lovecraft is the king though. I arrived at this conclusion after realizing that when I'm done reading a lovecraft story I feel like curling up in a corner and crying.

Stephen King is sick but lately it seems like he's just trying to sell books and ride the blockbuster New York times best seller wave.

Hasn't he been doing that for the last thirty years or so?

I'm not trying to stick up for Stephen King, -- not even in the slightest -- but I think that if a person were to sit down and read some of his new stuff, they would realize, that as a writer, he has become more mature in his writing voice than he ever was before. And I think because of it, there are many more people who are willing to read his stuff, or pick up one of his new books randomly and give it a whirl and see if they like it. Thus, growing his fan base, and keeping his status as a New York Times Bestseller, alive and going.

I agree. Stephen King has matured as a writer. Sure, maybe he sold out a little, but most success stories require this because so many people are narrow minded about their media, they don't want to be challenged. I thoroughly enjoyed Cell, The Duma Key, and Lisey's Story. I thought Lisey's Story was one of his very best.

House of Leaves was fantastic! I love it. Creepy as hell, I slept with the lights on.

Originally Posted by An Axe to Grundd

House of Leaves was fantastic! I love it. Creepy as hell, I slept with the lights on.

Only book I've read that actually fucks with your mind. I loved it. The footnotes get tedious, but the book has got to be one of the most refreshing in terms of horror and style.

The Darren Shan books by Darren Shan are good books - I enjoyed them anyway ! although they're probably the only horror i've really ever read and they're not really scary. Not the less perhaps worth a go?

Originally Posted by crazed scribe

The Darren Shan books by Darren Shan are good books - I enjoyed them anyway ! although they're probably the only horror i've really ever read and they're not really scary. Not the less perhaps worth a go?

I read his Procession of the Dead; alot of plot holes and not written very well. Might just be me though. I read the whole thing, but that might have been just to see if the whole thing was just a dream...it wasn't.

Not really a big fan of Darren Shan. I can't say he is anything special.

Read "A House on Haunted Hill" by Shirley Jackson

Our Lady Of Darkness Fritz Leiber.

I read mostly short fiction, though. Check out any collection by Joe Lansdale. He rocks. He does every shade of horror from the splattermad to the slightly bizarre to the flat out comic, and does it well. High Cotton is a good one to start with.

Also always worth the read are any of the Datlow/Windling edited Year's Best Fantasy & Horror. The two editors have very good taste and very broad tastes, so there's sure to be something in these huge collections to appeal to you. In the Sixteenth collection, China Mieville has a story called "Details" that is the best Lovecraft inspired tale I've ever read. It came from a collection called Children Of Cthulu, so you may also be interested in that.

Originally Posted by Vulgar`

Read "A House on Haunted Hill" by Shirley Jackson

Anything by Shirley Jackson, but I think you're talking about The Haunting of Hill House.

Jack Ketchum has some sick and twisted stuff. Open Season and the sequel to it were almost too much in my opinion.

Originally Posted by An Axe to Grundd

I thought Lisey's Story was one of [King's] very best.

We have a thread on it here. I thought it a dreadful attempt at trying to be more literary and, despite being a voracious reader, he's just not able to carry off the influential styles of others to his own prose.