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recommendations for newbies to horror

veggiedog

veggiedog

New Member
I'm kind of new to horror. What would be good starters for people who want a good scare but don't plan on wetting the bed or having delusionary nightmares on their first night after reading?
 
Hmm, when I first began reading horror, I think I started with Dean Koontz or John Saul. IMO they're both good. Some more scarey than others. I recommend Richard Laymon too.
 
veggiedog said:
I'm kind of new to horror. What would be good starters for people who want a good scare but don't plan on wetting the bed or having delusionary nightmares on their first night after reading?
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Look to the classics, first:
  • Dracula, Bram Stoker
  • Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
  • The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
  • The Castle of Otranto, Horace Walpole
  • The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
And then try short story collections of other contemporary authors. No point wasting time on a lengthy novel if you don't like their style - at least with short fiction you can read one or two tales, see if you like them, and proceed from there.
 
Thanks guys! A lot of this stuff is now on my to-be-read list (that is, if I ever get around to it.)

The Picture of Dorian Gray -- Wilde
The Shining -- King
Frankenstein -- Shelley
Dracula -- Stoker

Good for starters?

What books would you recommend at firsts for the authors you've mentioned (i.e. Herbert, Saul, Laymon, etc.)?
 
And, how could I forget, Lovecraft?


For Herbert, I would have to say Haunted because it's a ghost story rather than a horror but it has this nice Gothic quality to it.

Another to think about is the urban horror of London's Christopher Fowler.

And Clive Barker's Books of Blood, followed by The Damnation Game are also worth reading since they took on common horror archetypes and twisted them enough to be fresh at the time. Barker, unlike many contemporary horror authors, has a better worldview and way with words, I think, and his work also brings in an obvious influence from his education in philosophy. Nothing major, though.
 
Frankenstein and Poe are great starts for a horror jaunt, but how about Dr.Jekhyl and Mr. Hyde by R.L. Stevenson?
 
Stewart said:
How about reading the recommendations first? :D
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When your eyes are as old as mine you can get lippy:p Actually, I did check...I think my lack of sleep is showing! Sorry..
 
I wouldn't go with a classic, unless you're just really into that kind of thing. If you really wanna get hooked on horror read something by Stephen King. The Shining, Pet Sematary, It.. any of those would be great.
 
DiscoDan said:
I wouldn't go with a classic, unless you're just really into that kind of thing. If you really wanna get hooked on horror read something by Stephen King. The Shining, Pet Sematary, It.. any of those would be great.
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I can see what you're saying, Mr DiscoDan, but it could be suggested that reading a classic or two would give veggiedog a deeper appreciation of the genre.
 
veggiedog said:
Thanks guys! A lot of this stuff is now on my to-be-read list (that is, if I ever get around to it.)

The Picture of Dorian Gray -- Wilde
The Shining -- King
Frankenstein -- Shelley
Dracula -- Stoker

Good for starters?

What books would you recommend at firsts for the authors you've mentioned (i.e. Herbert, Saul, Laymon, etc.)?
Click to expand...

Let's see....
Nathaniel-John Saul
Traveling Vampire Show-Richard Laymon.
The Voice of the Night-Dean Koontz
 
I would have to say Inhuman Condition or Cabal by Clive Barker are good for first time horror readers. They're really intense and descriptive. Also, I would recommend any Stephen King, Bentley Little, or. H.P. Lovecraft.

But as far as classics go, its really a matter of personal taste. Its hard to convince people to read Dracula, or Frankenstein without thier eyes glazing over.

But thats just speaking from personal experience.
 
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