Flickhead
02-28-2004, 12:35 PM
Hello,
I'm interested in a top ten (or more if you're so inclined) list of the Best Horror novels of all time. I'm not interested in which books are necessarily important (like Dracula, or Frankenstein) but the books that you can go back and read again and again and still enjoy. This is definitely a subjective list, so your favorites should take precidence over novels you would otherwise feel obligated to list, because of their hallowed place in horrordom -just because <celebrity name here> may love it doesn't mean you have to.
I'd also like a bit of an explanation as to why you chose them, not just a raw list of books. It might be interesting to note the age at which you first read the book, which may be important for understanding why it had such an impact on you in the first place. For instance, I'm sure a lot of us became completely obsessed with HP Lovecraft between the ages of 12 and 15, but for me, personally, a lot of it doesn't hold up now that I'm in my thirties; his shortstories still hold up quite nicely, and I still really enjoy Shadow Over Innsmouth, but none of his novels will be making my top ten. I'm not prejudiced against the classics though; I'm sure to list "Occurence at Owl Creek..." by Ambrose Bierce in my top ten, so it's not like I'm excluding a title just for its age.
Just to clarify, no collections and no short stories, only novels. Novellas are fine, though.
In no particular order (except as they popped into my head):
Clive Barker, THE DAMNATION GAME.
- A book I usually go back and reread every few years. Very well written, with a wonderfully plotted story and believable charcters, with just the right amount of sex and gore. My nomination for the best first Novel of modern Horror.
Jack Ketchum, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
- Profoundly disturbing for having the narrator represent the average person, albeit in a very unfavorable light. How many real life horrors have occured because the people in a postion to do something end up doing nothing?
Stephen King, THE SHINING.
- What can I say? It's every bit as good as anyone ever told you it was.
Richard Laymon, BITE.
- Completely believeable, and a stand out in a field of the genre that has been overwritten to death, Vampires, but is it really a vampire story? Just solid chills, and a great modern Noir. It was a toss up between this and NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER, but with Laymon, you almost can't miss. He's solid.
Andrew Vacchs, BLOSSOM.
- This was my first Burke novel, and I've been back ever since. I really love the sparsenes to his prose, and like pretty much every non-batman thing he's written. It's good to see a writer who can tell you that "hell is for children" without actually getting off on the idea.
Peter Sotos, TOTAL ABUSE.
- Technically this is a collection, but with Sotos' writing, it's really all one story: the maniacal ramblings of sexual predator told in the first person beyond the worst anyone else is capable of writing, and beyond what most would dare to read. This is the exact opposit of Andrew Vacchs - it's horrifying to read that "hell is for children" from the man who wants to send them there.
Ray Garton, CRUCIFAX AUTUMN.
- One of the only examples of a book about goths that doesn't suck, and isn't about vampires. It also helps that I lived in the neighborhood he was describing. I liked it much more than LIVE GIRLS, which is also very good.
Charlee Jacob, HAUNTER.
- The most original horror novel I've read in a long, long time. Charlee is an amazing writer, and I always look forward to her work. Hard to believe that this housewife can write the disgusting things that she does.
Robert Devereaux, SANTA STEPS OUT.
- Like a Monty Python Horror take on the Myths of Childhood. The idea that Santa Clause even has a sex life, nevermind such a voracious one, is in and of itself upsetting. This was a tour de force. Hilarious.
Ambrose Bierce, AN OCCURENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE.
- Spooooky, man. This one stil sends chills up my spine every time I read it. One of the few classics that stands the test of time. Even after reading many authors who have taken his style and copied his stories, this one is still one of the best.
Rex Miller, CHAINGANG.
- Far superior to SLOB. This is the best of the vigilante paperback meeting the Greasy Meatball Sub style of Horror paperbacks. Just dive on in. It's disgusting, it's fun. You'll love it.
Honorable mention:
Edward Lee & Elizabeth Steffen, PORTRAIT OF THE YOUNG GIRL AS A PSYCHOPATH.
- A guilty pleasure. I like ED LEE better when he collaborates, and best when he collaborates with women. I also prefer him when he's more interested in telling a story, than in coming up with "new" ways to gross you out. Like I said, this list isn't meant to be the most important novels of horror fiction, just your favorites, and I really like this one and refuse to apologize for it. I also really dug DAHMER's NOT DEAD.
I'm interested in a top ten (or more if you're so inclined) list of the Best Horror novels of all time. I'm not interested in which books are necessarily important (like Dracula, or Frankenstein) but the books that you can go back and read again and again and still enjoy. This is definitely a subjective list, so your favorites should take precidence over novels you would otherwise feel obligated to list, because of their hallowed place in horrordom -just because <celebrity name here> may love it doesn't mean you have to.
I'd also like a bit of an explanation as to why you chose them, not just a raw list of books. It might be interesting to note the age at which you first read the book, which may be important for understanding why it had such an impact on you in the first place. For instance, I'm sure a lot of us became completely obsessed with HP Lovecraft between the ages of 12 and 15, but for me, personally, a lot of it doesn't hold up now that I'm in my thirties; his shortstories still hold up quite nicely, and I still really enjoy Shadow Over Innsmouth, but none of his novels will be making my top ten. I'm not prejudiced against the classics though; I'm sure to list "Occurence at Owl Creek..." by Ambrose Bierce in my top ten, so it's not like I'm excluding a title just for its age.
Just to clarify, no collections and no short stories, only novels. Novellas are fine, though.
In no particular order (except as they popped into my head):
Clive Barker, THE DAMNATION GAME.
- A book I usually go back and reread every few years. Very well written, with a wonderfully plotted story and believable charcters, with just the right amount of sex and gore. My nomination for the best first Novel of modern Horror.
Jack Ketchum, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
- Profoundly disturbing for having the narrator represent the average person, albeit in a very unfavorable light. How many real life horrors have occured because the people in a postion to do something end up doing nothing?
Stephen King, THE SHINING.
- What can I say? It's every bit as good as anyone ever told you it was.
Richard Laymon, BITE.
- Completely believeable, and a stand out in a field of the genre that has been overwritten to death, Vampires, but is it really a vampire story? Just solid chills, and a great modern Noir. It was a toss up between this and NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER, but with Laymon, you almost can't miss. He's solid.
Andrew Vacchs, BLOSSOM.
- This was my first Burke novel, and I've been back ever since. I really love the sparsenes to his prose, and like pretty much every non-batman thing he's written. It's good to see a writer who can tell you that "hell is for children" without actually getting off on the idea.
Peter Sotos, TOTAL ABUSE.
- Technically this is a collection, but with Sotos' writing, it's really all one story: the maniacal ramblings of sexual predator told in the first person beyond the worst anyone else is capable of writing, and beyond what most would dare to read. This is the exact opposit of Andrew Vacchs - it's horrifying to read that "hell is for children" from the man who wants to send them there.
Ray Garton, CRUCIFAX AUTUMN.
- One of the only examples of a book about goths that doesn't suck, and isn't about vampires. It also helps that I lived in the neighborhood he was describing. I liked it much more than LIVE GIRLS, which is also very good.
Charlee Jacob, HAUNTER.
- The most original horror novel I've read in a long, long time. Charlee is an amazing writer, and I always look forward to her work. Hard to believe that this housewife can write the disgusting things that she does.
Robert Devereaux, SANTA STEPS OUT.
- Like a Monty Python Horror take on the Myths of Childhood. The idea that Santa Clause even has a sex life, nevermind such a voracious one, is in and of itself upsetting. This was a tour de force. Hilarious.
Ambrose Bierce, AN OCCURENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE.
- Spooooky, man. This one stil sends chills up my spine every time I read it. One of the few classics that stands the test of time. Even after reading many authors who have taken his style and copied his stories, this one is still one of the best.
Rex Miller, CHAINGANG.
- Far superior to SLOB. This is the best of the vigilante paperback meeting the Greasy Meatball Sub style of Horror paperbacks. Just dive on in. It's disgusting, it's fun. You'll love it.
Honorable mention:
Edward Lee & Elizabeth Steffen, PORTRAIT OF THE YOUNG GIRL AS A PSYCHOPATH.
- A guilty pleasure. I like ED LEE better when he collaborates, and best when he collaborates with women. I also prefer him when he's more interested in telling a story, than in coming up with "new" ways to gross you out. Like I said, this list isn't meant to be the most important novels of horror fiction, just your favorites, and I really like this one and refuse to apologize for it. I also really dug DAHMER's NOT DEAD.