Doing an October read-along with a friend and we’re both desperate for a good, scary horror. We’ve read most of Stephen King and looking for something new.
This question gets asked here multiple times a week and the problem is that what is scary to one person isn’t to the next, not to mention there are different types of horror. Based on what possibly scares YOU here are some suggestions.
**End of the World**
*The Gone World* by Tom Sweterlitsch – A time traveling government worker finds the end of the world, and goes back in time to try and figure out how to stop it.
*The Passage* is an excellent horror series that deals with life before and after a world altering cataclysm. Has some grounded characters and some interesting relationships. Jumps from pre-event to post-event and connects some cool dots by doing this.
**Bleak Dystopia**
*Battle Royale* is a controversial political book that arguably inspired Hunger Games and Squid Games
*The Power* by Naomi Alderman. It’s like a reverse Handmaid’s Tale. It’s dark but gripping. What happens to society when girls are granted a power to kill at puberty. Multiple viewpoints make this one a great read.
*Parable Of The Sower* is considered one of the best dystopian books ever written. Bleak, jaw dropping, horrifying book that is a bit too “close to home.” So beautifully written but so painful to get through, this story ends up being one of the most tearfully scary horror reads I’ve encountered without actually being marketed as a horror book. Avoid if current events have made you anxious, one of the few dystopian books you can actually see happening.
**Monsters**
*Gideon The Ninth* is a fantasy/sci fi blend that has a wild setting and a “ten little indians” mystery to it. This one is a much denser read, but I think this series has a satisfyingly unique world with deep lore, especially in the sequel Harrow The Ninth. Some biting humor, cool magic system, and little details in the story that you almost need to read twice to appreciate fully.
*Ring Shout* by P. Djèlí Clark is about three female demon slayers. A fun and fast ride. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer vs the KKK. Just won the Hugo for Best Novella of 2020.
*Carrion Comfort* is a classic from Dan Simmons (author of The Terror) and it’s dark, twisted, brutal, and extremely well written. About a trio of “mind vampires” being tracked by a holocaust survivor, one of their victim’s daughters, and a cop who stumbled into the case.
**Folk Horror**
*The Fisherman* by John Langan is a folk horror book that is one of the better Lovecraftian inspired modern horror books of late. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and creepy moments though the book could have been shortened a bit thanks to a meandering slow burn style of storytelling that isn’t for everyone.
*Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery* by Brom is my favorite new horror book of 2021. While not flawless, Brom has a gift for writing seemingly accurate “Puritian” atmosphere and plenty of characters that ride the line of flawed and misunderstood. What makes this book especially interesting is a “devil” that may or may not be as they seem, and is the true mystery of this tale.
*Little Eve* by Catriona Ward is an extremely well written gothic book about a young woman growing up in a cult. Her family is found murdered in the first chapter, and we spend the rest of the novel putting together the pieces of what led to this brutal scene.
**Gritty Modern Weirdness**
*No Gods, No Monsters* by Cadwell Turnbull is bizarre and unique, about the paths crossed in stranger’s lives when “monsters” are shown to be a reality. Manages to skillfully blend creepy moments with allegorical political commentary, and features very well written characters.
*Riot Baby* by Tochi Onyebuchi is very gritty and frantic, but an excellent read. About a girl with powers who can’t do anything to help those she loves.
*The City We Became* is a modern fantasy tale set in NYC. It’s very frantic and wild, but once the story kicks in it weaves a very unique story involving Lovecraftian twists. What makes this so cool is that every city in the world has an “avatar” that acts as it’s protector of sorts. Very hip and modern, smart and snarky.
**Bizarre and Unsettling**
*House of Leaves* by Mark Z. Danielewski is bound to come up. It’s creepy and weird for sure, but most of what makes the book so well loved is the experimentation with typography. It’s an experience book. Same with The *Raw Shark Texts* by Steven Hall which is equally as strange and experimental.
*The Only Good Indians* by Stephen Graham Jones is an emotionally raw horror book that features a group of friends who upset nature’s order. Interesting read in that the tone changes with each character, some in frantic ways to help guide the reader through that character’s struggles with anxiety or substance abuse.
*Bunny* by Mona Awad is a ride and pretty eff’d up. There is a creepy layer of “what’s going on here” through most of it. Very trippy and at the end it’s fun to try and figure out what it was that was actually happening. Not extreme as so much disturbing and bizarre.
**Human Condition**
*Tender Is The Flesh* is one of those horror books that is truly terrifying but in an American Psycho way. You are nauseous the entire time you read it and can’t quite believe you’ve read something so shocking and disturbing.
*The Wasp Factory* is one of the “best” books in the transgressive fiction landscape. It’s from the viewpoint of someone who is clearly quite troubled.
*The Last House On Needless Street* is a great horror book with multiple POVs that keep you guessing through this short read. It has some very bizarre moments that all become linked in a satisfying way by the ending. I also loved this author’s book *Sundial.*
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Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle. it’s pretty unique but also very creepy
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The Pines
The Little Stranger
Paper Ghosts
Sci-fi Dark Fantasy okay?
This question gets asked here multiple times a week and the problem is that what is scary to one person isn’t to the next, not to mention there are different types of horror. Based on what possibly scares YOU here are some suggestions.
**End of the World**
*The Gone World* by Tom Sweterlitsch – A time traveling government worker finds the end of the world, and goes back in time to try and figure out how to stop it.
*The Passage* is an excellent horror series that deals with life before and after a world altering cataclysm. Has some grounded characters and some interesting relationships. Jumps from pre-event to post-event and connects some cool dots by doing this.
**Bleak Dystopia**
*Battle Royale* is a controversial political book that arguably inspired Hunger Games and Squid Games
*The Power* by Naomi Alderman. It’s like a reverse Handmaid’s Tale. It’s dark but gripping. What happens to society when girls are granted a power to kill at puberty. Multiple viewpoints make this one a great read.
*Parable Of The Sower* is considered one of the best dystopian books ever written. Bleak, jaw dropping, horrifying book that is a bit too “close to home.” So beautifully written but so painful to get through, this story ends up being one of the most tearfully scary horror reads I’ve encountered without actually being marketed as a horror book. Avoid if current events have made you anxious, one of the few dystopian books you can actually see happening.
**Monsters**
*Gideon The Ninth* is a fantasy/sci fi blend that has a wild setting and a “ten little indians” mystery to it. This one is a much denser read, but I think this series has a satisfyingly unique world with deep lore, especially in the sequel Harrow The Ninth. Some biting humor, cool magic system, and little details in the story that you almost need to read twice to appreciate fully.
*Ring Shout* by P. Djèlí Clark is about three female demon slayers. A fun and fast ride. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer vs the KKK. Just won the Hugo for Best Novella of 2020.
*Carrion Comfort* is a classic from Dan Simmons (author of The Terror) and it’s dark, twisted, brutal, and extremely well written. About a trio of “mind vampires” being tracked by a holocaust survivor, one of their victim’s daughters, and a cop who stumbled into the case.
**Folk Horror**
*The Fisherman* by John Langan is a folk horror book that is one of the better Lovecraftian inspired modern horror books of late. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and creepy moments though the book could have been shortened a bit thanks to a meandering slow burn style of storytelling that isn’t for everyone.
*Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery* by Brom is my favorite new horror book of 2021. While not flawless, Brom has a gift for writing seemingly accurate “Puritian” atmosphere and plenty of characters that ride the line of flawed and misunderstood. What makes this book especially interesting is a “devil” that may or may not be as they seem, and is the true mystery of this tale.
*Little Eve* by Catriona Ward is an extremely well written gothic book about a young woman growing up in a cult. Her family is found murdered in the first chapter, and we spend the rest of the novel putting together the pieces of what led to this brutal scene.
**Gritty Modern Weirdness**
*No Gods, No Monsters* by Cadwell Turnbull is bizarre and unique, about the paths crossed in stranger’s lives when “monsters” are shown to be a reality. Manages to skillfully blend creepy moments with allegorical political commentary, and features very well written characters.
*Riot Baby* by Tochi Onyebuchi is very gritty and frantic, but an excellent read. About a girl with powers who can’t do anything to help those she loves.
*The City We Became* is a modern fantasy tale set in NYC. It’s very frantic and wild, but once the story kicks in it weaves a very unique story involving Lovecraftian twists. What makes this so cool is that every city in the world has an “avatar” that acts as it’s protector of sorts. Very hip and modern, smart and snarky.
**Bizarre and Unsettling**
*House of Leaves* by Mark Z. Danielewski is bound to come up. It’s creepy and weird for sure, but most of what makes the book so well loved is the experimentation with typography. It’s an experience book. Same with The *Raw Shark Texts* by Steven Hall which is equally as strange and experimental.
*The Only Good Indians* by Stephen Graham Jones is an emotionally raw horror book that features a group of friends who upset nature’s order. Interesting read in that the tone changes with each character, some in frantic ways to help guide the reader through that character’s struggles with anxiety or substance abuse.
*Bunny* by Mona Awad is a ride and pretty eff’d up. There is a creepy layer of “what’s going on here” through most of it. Very trippy and at the end it’s fun to try and figure out what it was that was actually happening. Not extreme as so much disturbing and bizarre.
**Human Condition**
*Tender Is The Flesh* is one of those horror books that is truly terrifying but in an American Psycho way. You are nauseous the entire time you read it and can’t quite believe you’ve read something so shocking and disturbing.
*The Wasp Factory* is one of the “best” books in the transgressive fiction landscape. It’s from the viewpoint of someone who is clearly quite troubled.
*The Last House On Needless Street* is a great horror book with multiple POVs that keep you guessing through this short read. It has some very bizarre moments that all become linked in a satisfying way by the ending. I also loved this author’s book *Sundial.*
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle. it’s pretty unique but also very creepy