Top 100 Horror Writers - need your contribution

[_____V_____]

I was just going through a few top 100 projects which fell through in 2010 and 2011, and one post by Neverending (in the "100 Horror Books") caught my eye -

I'm wondering if it might not be a more useful list if we try and come up with the top 100 horror writers, as opposed to single books. That way we could nominate people like Poe, Lovecraft & King for their bodies of work, and other writers for significant works.

I have a bit of time in hand, maybe till next month-end. ;)

What do you all say, gang?

[_____V_____]

And a nice little article to whet your collective appetites -

http://www.mania.com/top-20-greatest-horror-writers-alltime_article_113153.html

[TheWickerFan]

I say yes. I don't think Doc's getting around to it.

Flayed also started a films by decade list as well; I don't think that's getting done either.:(

[_____V_____]

I say yes. I don't think Doc's getting around to it.

Flayed also started a films by decade list as well; I don't think that's getting done either.:(

Going through Doc's thread now, and saving all the recs posted by HDC members in that thread into an Excel sheet, as I type this. Hopefully I might revive it in the not-too-distant future.

Went through Flayed's effort as well, but it feels too similar to other top 100 horror movie projects we have as stickys, and not too inspiring. But, who knows...

But that post by NE brought a spark inside my thought processes. I thought, "Why not?" almost immediately.

Anyways, I can't think of many guidelines for this, except that all nominated horror writers must have delved in horror fiction.

Just novels only or graphic stuff (comic books, graphic novels) to be included also, I leave it to all of you to decide.

[Angra]

Dude, why horror writers?? Why not horror novels and graphic novels?

Isn't that more fun?

[nightmare_of _death]

i think a top book list sounds like a good idea, i think graphic novels and comics should be allowed they're still books after all

[_____V_____]

Dude, why horror writers?? Why not horror novels and graphic novels?

Isn't that more fun?

i think a top book list sounds like a good idea, i think graphic novels and comics should be allowed they're still books after all

Because we have an incomplete project on the same by Doc Faustus - http://www.horror.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57359

If he doesn't return to finish that project, I will pick up from where he left it.

Plus, NE's post in that thread gave me this idea.

Plus, it would be tough to include writers like Poe and Lovecraft who wrote short stories extensively, in a novel/graphic novel standalone compilation. Through this way, we can cover all horror writers - short story writers and novel writers alike - and put the spotlight on the creme de la creme of the lot through a HDC Top 100.

[Elvis_Christ]

Sounds like a great idea V! It'll more interesting seeing an overview of authors work rather than just a book. Plus it'll be a more varied list as I can see a few authors popping up more than once in a list of top 100 books. Looking forward to checking it out and helping where I can :cool:

[_____V_____]

Thanks, buddy.

For starters, everyone can start off by listing their top 10 favorite authors. I will go first:-

1) Edgar Allan Poe
2) H.P. Lovecraft
3) Clive Barker
4) Stephen King
5) M.R. James
6) Algernon Blackwood
7) Dean Koontz
8) Mary Shelley
9) Richard Matheson
10) Bram Stoker

[neverending]

Just off the top of my head I'd add

Ray Bradbury
Peter Straub
Shirley Jackson
Sheridan Le Fanu
Frank Belknap Long
Robert Bloch
William Burroughs

[roshiq]

A very much long due project for HDC, imo. A compilation of all those great writers who significantly contributed to create, shape & set the standard of our beloved genre...is truly need to be done.

Anyway, though already mentioned but here are my favorites...

Edgar Allan Poe
H.P. Lovecraft
Mary Shelley
Bram Stoker
M.R. James
Richard Matheson
Robert Bloch
Clive Barker
Stephen King
Ramsey Campbell

[Angra]

Richard Laymond
Jack Ketchum
Clark Ashton Smith
Alex Scarrow
Arthur Conan Doyle

[_____V_____]

I am thinking of having a ranked list for this project. We haven't had one of these ranked lists for quite some time.

It will be interesting to see who HDC picks as their #1 favorite author from so many of our genre's absolute best. And also it would be very interesting to see who all break into the Top 10 of the 100 as well. (although I have a feeling it will be the usual)

#1 in your list will pick up 10 points, #2 gets 9, #3 gets 8...till #10, who gets 1 point.

If you have more nominations to add after your #10, they will get ½ point each.

Let's see your top 10 choices, folks.

[TheWickerFan]

Here's my ranked list:

1. Stephen King
2. H.P. Lovecraft
3. Edgar Allan Poe
4. M. R. James
5. Ray Bradbury
6. Shirley Jackson
7. Roald Dahl
8. Bentley Little
9. Richard Matheson
10. Hector Hugh Munro (Saki)

[Angra]

1. King
2. Koontz
3. Dan Simmons
3. Alex Scarrow
4. Clark Ashton Smith
5. Arthur Conan Doyle
6. John Ajvide Lindqvist
8. Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
8. Clive Barker
9. Poe
10. Lovecraft

[_____V_____]

Nice. Let's see plenty more, folks!

8. Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Can't choose between the two?

[The Villain]

1. Stephen King
2. Richard Laymom
3. Brian Keene
4. HP Lovecraft
5. Edgar Allan Poe
6. Gord Rollo
7. Jack Ketchum
8. Joe Hill
9. Mary Shelley
10. Bram Stoker
11. Clive Barker
12. Edward Lee

[Angra]

Can't choose between the two?


Sorry. You can't have one without the other. So far. ;)

[sfear]

In order:

H.P. Lovecraft
Edgar Allan Poe
Richard Matheson
Ray Bradbury
Robert Bloch
Robert E. Howard
Stephen King
Shirley Jackson
Leslie H. Whitten
Bob Leman

[_____V_____]

Sorry. You can't have one without the other. So far. ;)

Eventually you will get around to choosing one, over the other. :)

Thanks, guys. Keep them coming!

[hammerfan]

Edgar Allen Poe
Mary Shelley
Bram Stoker
Robert McCammon
Stephen King
Peter Straub
H.P. Lovecraft
Joe Hill
Clive Barker

[EllieNalivaiko]

Not in any order....

Stephen King
Jack Ketchum
H.P. Lovecraft
Ray Bradbury
Peter Straub
Clive Barker
Ramsey Campbell

[hammerfan]

I notice a few people listed Ray Bradbury. I've always considered his work to be more science fiction than horror.

[EllieNalivaiko]

In my opinion, a good deal of Bradbury's work could be classified as horror, or even "light" horror. He isn't outright scary or gruesome, but a lot of his stories have an underlying, unsettling creepiness to them that I think would place them in the horror genre. Even if it's just barely. :)

[Karl Kopfrkingl]

1 - Blackwood
2 - Matheson
3 - Lovecraft
4 - Rice
5 - Koontz
6 - King
7 - Herbert
8 - Stoker
9 - Poe
10 - Laymon

[neverending]

I notice a few people listed Ray Bradbury. I've always considered his work to be more science fiction than horror.

As Ellie said, a lot of his work has horror elements and a good deal of his early work is straight up horror. His work appeared in Weird Tales and other horror pulps of the era. Something Wicked This Way Comes is definitely a horror story, and the collection October Country has many terrifying tales in it.

I'll make my ranked list in a few days.

[Horror4ever]

Mary Shelley
Bram Stoker
H.P. Lovecraft
Edgar Allan Poe
M R James
Richard Matheson
Ray Bradbury
Robert McCammon
Peter Straub
Jack Ketchum

[Fearonsarms]

1.HP Lovecraft
2.Clive Barker
3.Edgar Allan Poe
4.Ramsey Campbell
5.James Herbert
6.Stephen King
7.MR James
8.Peter Straub
9.Anne Rice
10.Dean Koontz

[neverending]

1. Lovecraft
2. Poe
3. Blackwood
4. Bradbury
5. Stephen King
6. Mary Shelley
7. Bram Stoker
8. Sheridan La Fanu
9. Frank Belknap Long
10. William Burroughs

And the rest worthy of 1/2 point, as per V's instructions:

Clive Barker
MR James
Richard Matheson
Shirley Jackson
Robert Bloch
Jack Ketchum
Clark Ashton Smith
HH Munro
Peter Straub
Whitley Streiber (whether you consider him a lunatic or a clever publicist of his work post Communion, it's good to remember he wrote some really great horror before that, such as The Hunger and Wolfen)
Franz Kafka

[Doc Faustus]

I was told by Neverending I should come by and offer up my ten, focusing on ones you guys might miss.

1. Dante Alighieri
2.Franz Kafka
3. Arthur Machen
4. Brett Easton Ellis
5. William Burroughs
6. Joyce Carol Oates
7.Joe Lansdale
8. Thomas Ligotti
9.Robert W. Chambers
10. William Hope Hodgson

1/2 point

John Skipp
M.R James
Goethe
The Marquis De Sade
William Peter Blatty
Ira Levin
Harlan Ellison

[_____V_____]

Thanks for chipping in, Doc. And thanks NE for getting him here! :)

Hoping to have a few more before we start the sorting process.

[Elvis_Christ]

1. Lovecraft
2. Stephen King
3. Clive Barker
4. Bram Stoker
5. Robert Bloch
6. William Peter Blatty
7. William S Burroughs
8. Poe
9. Ira Levin
10. Franz Kafka

[Doc Faustus]

Thanks for chipping in, Doc. And thanks NE for getting him here! :)

Hoping to have a few more before we start the sorting process.

You're welcome, V! Long as I don't get into anything big, I might stick around awhile.

[Bob Gray]

My Top 100 in no order

H.P. Lovecraft
Stephen King
Dan Simmons
Peter Straub
Brian Keene
John Skipp
Robert Bloch
Clive Barker
Arthur Machen
F. Paul Wilson
Ramsey Campbell
Craig Spector
Ambrose Bierce
M.R. James
Joe R. Lansdale
David J. Schow
Robert Bloch
Ray Bradbury
T.E.D. Klein
Gary A. Braunbeck
Poppy Z. Brite
Robert W. Chambers
Mort Castle
Ray Garton
August Derleth
Don D'Ammassa
Dennis Etchison
John Everson
Mark Morris
John Farris
Charles L. Grant
Ed Gorman
Christopher Golden
James Herbert
J.F. Gonzalas
Rick Hautala
Joe Hill
Dean Koontz
Jack Ketchum
Nate Kenyon
Scott Nicholson
Brian Lumley
Ed Lee
Richard Laymon
Tim Lebbon
Bentley Little
Frank Belknap Long
Algernon Blackwood
Michael McDowell
Jonathan Maberry
Graham Masterton
Elizabeth Massie
Robert McCammon
Oliver Onions
Edgar Allen Poe
Tom Piccirilli
Anne Rice
Mary SanGiovani
Gord Rollo
John Saul
Bryan Smith
Thomas Tryon
Steve Rasnic Tem
Melanie Tem
T.M. Wright
Chet Williamson
William Hope Hodgson
Richard Matheson
Richard Christian Matheson
Shirley Jackson
Mary Shelley
Bram Stoker
Robert Louis Stevenson
Joseph Sheridan La Fanu
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Frietz Lieber
Peter Benchley
Charles Beaumont
William Peter Blatty
Ira Levin
Douglas Clegg
Peter Crowther
Phil Rickman
Simon Clark
W.D. Gagliani
Wrath James Wright
Cody Goodfellow
Jeff Strand
John Shirley
Michael Laimo
Deborah LeBlanc
Sarah Pinborough
Ronald Malfi
L.H. Maynard
M.P.N. Sims
Kim Newman
S.P. Somtow
Al Sarrantonio
Whitley Strieber
Michael Slade

[Doc Faustus]

Good to see someone showing some love for both Skipp and Keene. I hung out with both of them at last Bizarrocon. They're great guys who've changed the genre and have a lot of vision for the future.

[The Villain]

Good to see someone showing some love for both Skipp and Keene. I hung out with both of them at last Bizarrocon. They're great guys who've changed the genre and have a lot of vision for the future.

Reading Keene introduced me to a lot of authors i had never heard of it and his style of writing greatly inspired my own.

[_____V_____]

Good to see someone showing some love for both Skipp and Keene. I hung out with both of them at last Bizarrocon. They're great guys who've changed the genre and have a lot of vision for the future.

Keene is a fantastic author. He would be my #11 for sure.

Will update the entire nomination list in a day or two. Keep posting your top 10s, folks!

[_____V_____]

Thread Stickied till the project is complete.

[Weapon X]

1. King
2. Poe
3. Lovecraft
4. Keene
5. Barker
6. Shelley
7. Straub
8. Koontz
9. Simmons
10. Danielewski

[_____V_____]

Received 16 entries so far.

Question for Roshiq, Hammerfan, Ellie, horror4ever & Bob Gray -

Are the lists you submitted your ranked lists (from #1 to #10)?
Please go through your submitted entries and if you need to rank them, do so in a subsequent post.
If they are already ranked, post your confirmation.

Waiting for more entries.

[hammerfan]

Question for Hammerfan - Are the lists you submitted your ranked lists (from #1 to #10)? Please go through your submitted entries and if you need to rank them, do so in a subsequent post.
If they are already ranked, post your confirmation.

Yes, mine are in correct rank.

[_____V_____]

My Top 100 in no order

That's a pretty list but I need a ranked Top 10 from you, Bob.


Yes, mine are in correct rank.

In that case you need to name your #10, dear. Your list has 9 nominations. :p

[Bob Gray]

That's a pretty list but I need a ranked Top 10 from you, Bob.




In that case

1. H.P. Lovecraft
2. Stephen King
3. Dan Simmons
(this is where it starts getting hard)
4. Peter Straub
5. Brian Keene
6. Richard Laymon
7. John Skipp
8. Joe R. Lansdale
9. Clive Barker
10. Ramsey Campbell

[_____V_____]

Thanks, Bob. :)

Keep the entries coming, folks.

I am headed out in 30 minutes, to a conference for a week. Will be back on the 27th.

[_____V_____]

17 entries so far, the latest ranked list by Bob Gray joining the ranks.

Still waiting for confirmation on rankings from Roshiq, horror4ever & Ellie.

And I need more entries!

Come on, all you avid readers of HDC! Let's show some love for our genre!

[hammerfan]

In that case you need to name your #10, dear. Your list has 9 nominations. :p

:p

Ray Bradbury

[_____V_____]

:p

Ray Bradbury

Thanks, darling.

Let's move, people! I need to reach 30 before we start the countdown! :mad:

:D

[_____V_____]

The deadline for submitting your entries is February 19th, 2012.

So, all those of you who have started a list, or thinking of writing one but haven't done so, complete your lists by the next 2 weeks.

Compilation work will start by this weekend.

[fortunato]

1. Poe
2. Kafka
3. Roald Dahl
4. Stephen King
5. Lovecraft
6. Richard Matheson
7. Joyce Carol Oates
8. Ambrose Bierce
9. Lafacadio Hearn
10. William Burroughs

[Zero]

1. Edgar Allen Poe
2. HP Lovecraft
3 Bram Stoker
4. Mary Shelley
5. Stephen King
6. Clive Barker
7. Brian Keene
8. William Peter Blatty
9. Richard Matheson
10 Jonathan Mayberry

[_____V_____]

Anyone else wish to share their ranked Top 10 for this project?

I have some free time (finally!) from tomorrow so I will be starting initial work on the compilation. Hoping to have the Top 100 up by February-end, so the next 2 weeks are the only time you have, to send in your ranked top 10 entry.

Let's see some more by then!

[Angra]

Henry James

[_____V_____]

First round of compilation work is complete, and the first horrifying news I have for all of you is - we don't have 100 Horror Writers yet! :eek:

Surprised? Yes, that's the truth.

Here are some numbers for you folks -


Number of entries = 18.

Number of nominated writers = 60. (See? We are 40 short!)

Most nominated writer = No, it's not Stephen King. Not Edgar Allan Poe either.
It's a certain gentleman who brought you the dreaded Cthulhu!
Yep, him.

Maximum points scored by a single author (and so, the leader) = 135½.

Minimum points scored by a single author = ½ (but of course).

Leading the maximum number of lists = 2 writers, both #1 in 4 lists.


I am skeptical about receiving any more entries (maybe 2-3 more by the 29th), so I will call to arms all members who have already submitted their entries, and ask them to ponder some more and send me TEN more selections of their choice after their Top 10s, who they would want to rank from #11 to #20 in their top lists.

Members are -

myself - need at least 10 more.
TheWickerFan - need at least 10 more.
Angra - need at least 6 more.
The Villain - need at least 8 more.
sfear - need at least 10 more.
Karl Kopfrkingl - need at least 10 more.
Fearonsarms - need at least 10 more.
Elvis Christ - need at least 10 more.
Neverending - already submitted 21 nominations, feel free for some more.
Doc Faustus - need at least 3 more.
Weapon X - need at least 10 more.
Hammerfan - need at least 10 more.
Ellie - need at least 13 more.
Zero - need at least 10 more.
Bob Gray - need at least 10 more.
Fortunato - need at least 10 more.
Roshiq - need at least 10 more.
horror4ever - need at least 10 more.


In addition, if anybody is still mulling over a Top 10 list, I ask you to extend it to include your Top 20 writers instead before sending it to me.

Thank you. I wait in anticipation for your extended entries.

[The Villain]

Here's 10:

1. Richard Bachman (Whoever has a problem with this since it's Stephen King, i feel like i can include him since King wrote differently when he wrote as Bachman. If this doesn't count though i'll find someone else.)
2. Dean Koontz
3. Mary San Giovanni
4. Kelli Owen
5. Robert Ford
6. Dan Simmons
7. James Herbert
8. Scott Smith
9. Tim Lebbon
10. Ray Garton

[_____V_____]

Thanks for the prompt response, my friend.

Sending PMs to everyone else.

[The Villain]

Thanks for the prompt response, my friend.

Sending PMs to everyone else.

You're welcome

[Doc Faustus]

I'll add Fritz Leiber, Thomas Ligotti, Ira Levin and William Peter Blatty if they're not there. Theodore Sturgeon and Henry James who wrote some very relevant ghost stories.

[Elvis_Christ]

Embarrassingly enough... my list is about all I've got. I honestly don't read a lot of horror.

[Karl Kopfrkingl]

if you need ten more then last time I gave 10 that I felt were important - this time I'll give you 10 I just enjoy reading:

11 - Tom Tryon
12 - John Saul
13 - Graham Masterson
14 - Robert McCammon
15 - Tananarive Due
16 - Bentley Little
17 - James Herbert
18 - Mira Grant
19 - John Wyndham
20 - Joe Hill

[neverending]

Karl has listed some I intended to put on my third list, but I'll mention them anyway:

Kealan Patrick Burke
Alan M. Clark
August Derleth
Neil Gaiman
Nikolai Gogol
Nathaniel Hawthorne
William Hope Hodgson
T. E. D. Klein
Henry Kuttner
Tanith Lee
Graham Masterton
Ann Radcliffe
Tom Tryon
Rod Serling (though he wrote exclusively for the screen - both small and big - I think the quality of his work and his influence on horror writers merits his inclusion)
Horace Walpole

[Angra]

I got nothing. Sorry.

[_____V_____]

Still 4 more days to go.

I need more.

[fortunato]

Embarrassingly enough... my list is about all I've got. I honestly don't read a lot of horror.

Gah, yeah same here. Sorry V, I racked my brain trying to think of ones no one else had, but I just couldn't :/

[Weapon X]

10 more:

11 - Graham Masterson
12 - John Shirley
13 - TED Klein
14 - Dennis Wheatley
15 - Shirley Jackson
16 - James Herbert
17 - John Saul
18 - Joe R. Lansdale
19 - F. Paul Wilson
20 - Joe Hill

[_____V_____]

Thanks, buddy.

I wrap up in 3 days. Let's see some more, folks!

[Weapon X]

I can give you 10 more if you want me to.

[_____V_____]

Please do. I need all the help I can get.

[sfear]

Okay, I checked some of my old anthologies I've read over the years and came up with a few more I remember enjoying a lot:

J. Sheridan LeFanu
Henry James
Algernon Blackwood
Lord Dunsany
Henry Kuttner
Ambrose Bierce
Theodore Sturgeon
Philip M. Fisher
John Beynon Harris
Max Brand
W.C. Morrow
Dorothy Baker
Richard Middleton
André Maurois
Rod Serling (In one of my earlier lists I was going to include Rod Serling but wasn't sure he'd count but since someone else had the courage to do it I'm going to follow in his wake and include him too.)

[_____V_____]

Thanks, my friend.

Let's see some more in the next 24 hours, folks. The Sticky will be up in the first week of March.

[Weapon X]

Some more:

Sax Rohmer
Brian Lumley
M.R. James
Walter de la Mare
R.L. Stevenson
Arthur Machen
Darren Shan
John R. Little
H. Russell Wakefield
Harlan Ellison

[ofekbmi]

Nice idea thanks dude ... : p

[fortunato]

Hey all, this project will be delayed a couple weeks while it gets some finishing touches. Is anyone interested in writing blurbs for particular authors?

[sfear]

H.P. Lovecraft: the standard by which all other writers of the horror and terror tale are eventually measured.

Not very original, I know, but the best I can do --- and most probably true.

[fortunato]

H.P. Lovecraft: the standard by which all other writers of the horror and terror tale are eventually measured.

Not very original, I know, but the best I can do --- and most probably true.

No, haha you're right. Either him or Poe, generally. Usually the blurbs are a bit longer (you can look at some of the film lists for examples), but we'll worry about that once I get the whole thing posted.

[Elvis_Christ]

Yeah man I'll be up for doing some (well the authors I know anyway :D )

[fortunato]

Yeah man I'll be up for doing some (well the authors I know anyway :D )

Awesome, thanks Elvis! I should have the list up within the next couple of weeks. Then, people can go through and choose which authors they'd like to write about. I guess I'll take requests now if anyone has any.

[fortunato]

Hey, just a little update.
This list is done and ready to be posted. As soon as all the new mod stuff is squared away, it will be posted. Still need people to write blurbs for the authors! PM me if you'd like to request certain author(s).

[_____V_____]

Sticky will be up in a few.

[fortunato]

Sticky will be up in a few.

Yeah, I've been waiting on mod status to post the list, but ElGato is not responding, as usual.

[_____V_____]

Yeah, I've been waiting on mod status to post the list, but ElGato is not responding, as usual.

Post it.

[_____V_____]

Rummaging through Google for some suitable pics. The 100 will be up by tonight, PST.

[_____V_____]

Been a bit tough to find the photos. 50 more to go.

[_____V_____]

Official thread up - http://www.horror.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61434

Closing this thread.