Horror Aficionados discussion

I wasn't quite sure where to start this thread, so I opted for Novels.

I thought it would be interesting to see what people's opinions are on bad endings:

What are the novels you believe have the worst, or least satisfying, endings?

Are there any writers with a consistent track record for running out of magic in the home stretch and ending on the brown note?

If you're going to use spoilers, please hide them. Just curious to see everyone's choices! I'll post mine in a bit--I've got to think on it.

Good question. I'll have to think on it, too. I don't think I've run into too many endings of books I've not appreciated or understood, even if I don't like the outcome about who lives or dies. For me the worst ending of a horror story is for the protagonist, after an entire book of dodging and deftly outpacing a monster or whatever it is, uses some hokey voodoo/talisman/chant, etc., to defeat the monster in the final showdown. Boring!

Tressa wrote: "Good question. I'll have to think on it, too. I don't think I've run into too many endings of books I've not appreciated or understood, even if I don't like the outcome about who lives or dies. For..."


Ugh, those are the worst--the "I couldn't be bothered to work things out" endings. I call those the Suddenly-Visible-Escape-Pod endings. I've run in to too many recently, and they never cease to annoy me. I always feel insulted by them, too, as if the author doesn't think I'm intelligent enough to notice/realize.

I HATE these dud endings, which is why I stay away from a lot of mainstream horror.

Oddly enough, even though I love Stephen King two of his books jumped right out at me.

Tommyknockers-HATED the ending

IT-I understood the ending somewhat but I was really thrown by (view spoiler)[ the gangbang finish (hide spoiler)].

For me the worst endings are cliff hangers with the next book coming out in a year...wtf..

Now i read reviews if the book ends in a cliffhanger I won't read it unless its a really great book and the next book has already been released

Charlene, why didn't I think of that one? I hated that copout ending. Over the years fans have tried to justify it, but it is downright ridiculous.

I have to say that it seems rare to find a horror book with a satisfactory ending. While many are strong through the middle, most of them seem to limp lamely across the finish line. I can deal with that.....it is like a roller coaster ride.....the end is always pretty tame.

I have few endings I hate, too. If it's a generic horror story, I expect the lame ending, so it's not like I'm dissatisfied with it.

Tressa wrote: "I have few endings I hate, too. If it's a generic horror story, I expect the lame ending, so it's not like I'm dissatisfied with it."

That's basically what I'm like now with horror as well. But I've run into some fantasy and YA with real copout endings like you mentioned earlier as well.

I deffinetly agree with IT. So much build up and then it was such a let down it was sort of surprising. Leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth over the whole book
Also, at least to me, Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs had a bad ending for Buffalo Bill. Plenty of cat and mouse and then just an abrupt end to his story. Truly, he was just a backdrop to the real story with Hannibal and Sterling. Which is a shame since Bill was an interesting character.

Kyle ~Special K: Rebel Leader~ wrote: "Yeah, same here. Predictability is boring. I like to be shocked and challenged.

Still can't find a book...."

I agree; I need something to set my mind spinning, or at least make me stop and take a breath and say "Wow." Rarely happens, unfortunately.

I'm going to look through some of the five-star ratings I've given to bizarro and horror books to see how these endings made me feel. Sometimes I just love the entire story, e.g., The Haunted Vagina; The Summer I Died; Under the Skin; Dead Sea (Curran); Pilo's Family Circus. The endings don't necessarily have to blow my mind to be satisfying. And I mean satisfying even if I hate that a character I love dies.

I despise cliffhanger endings designed to just get you to get the next book like a TV show. Huge cliffhangers don't belong in books. If I'm into the series I'm already dying enough to read the next installment.

I also don't like abruptly wrapped up endings where it's like the author ran out of time and room. I like endings which make sense, and then at least a chapter or a few pages afterward to say how it goes after the crisis.

Erin wrote: "I despise cliffhanger endings designed to just get you to get the next book like a TV show. Huge cliffhangers don't believe in books. If I'm into the series I'm already dying enough to read the nex..."

Like The Waste Lands? (Luckily I read all the novels in a row--I would have been pissed off if I had to wait six years for Wizard and Glass to resolve things.)

Jesse wrote: "Erin wrote: "I despise cliffhanger endings designed to just get you to get the next book like a TV show. Huge cliffhangers don't believe in books. If I'm into the series I'm already dying enough to..."

I'm trying to remember The Waste Lands ending. I did have an author in mind who is ridiculous about it. Thankfully most authors don't do cliffhangers TOO often, otherwise it gets irritating.

Though I love Stephen King, sometimes his endings are either too drawn out or seem like copouts. People have been complaining about IT for years but one ending I didn't like recently was Under the Dome. Loved the book, but the ending seemed to have been tacked on at the end without much thought or care as to what came before it. I also didn't like the ending to the Dark Tower series, but I thought it was appropriate and fitting for the series, which will probably only truly end when King stops writing. As an author myself, I have used what some might call a cliffhanger ending, but I at least brought the book to a conclusion so that waiting for the second installment isn't excruciating. Cliffhangers can be good, but I have read (and watched on TV or movies) many that never got their resolution. As for copout endings, South Park fans all remember the Crab People...

Erin wrote: "Jesse wrote: "Erin wrote: "I despise cliffhanger endings designed to just get you to get the next book like a TV show. Huge cliffhangers don't believe in books. If I'm into the series I'm already d..."

(view spoiler)[They're on the train and heading speeding toward death and then the book ends, unresolved. (hide spoiler)]

I liked the ending of Under the Dome. It didn't feel rushed to me; seemed like that was a fitting ending and one I had hoped for because l like that kind of thing.

I thought Rosemary's Baby had one of the best endings ever! It was chilling! What didn't you like about it?

By the end of Rosemary's Baby, we'd all been hankering for a peek at the baby, and that's all we got. I liked the ending. Not sure how it could have ended any other way; Rosemary was defeated.

Never read the sequel, but over the years I picked up on the fact that it isn't very good. But I always did wonder what happened to Rosemary and her son.

Jonathan wrote: "It's not that I think the ending was illogical. In fairness to Ira Levin, "Rosemary's Baby" was competently constructed, but not my cup of tea--and I was hoping for a little more bang during the cl..."

I am curious as to whether or not you already knew the secret of the paternity of Rosemary's baby before you started reading?

Tressa wrote: "By the end of Rosemary's Baby, we'd all been hankering for a peek at the baby, and that's all we got. I liked the ending. Not sure how it could have ended any other way; Rosemary was defeated.

Ne..."

I have wondered too, Tressa. What I found so chilling about the ending was that (view spoiler)[ Rosemary gave in. For a little bit I thought she would kill the child, but she didn't. I think she was just defeated, knew it and was determined to be a mother to that baby, no matter what. I thought that the simplicity of it, (just having her say ok, basically) was part of what made it so chilling. No explanation, no nothing but her caring for the baby. (hide spoiler)]

Charlene, I do believe that (view spoiler)[her mothering instincts kicked in and she thought, "Hell, I'd rather stay and raise my demon spawn than have them kill me and them raise Andy without me. I fricking hated her husband. What a selfish prick. (hide spoiler)]

I get where you're coming from, Jonathan. Probably in a later horror story there would be one of those big bang generic endings where she kicks butt and saves little Andy. But there's nothing to save, so why bother. The fact that the (view spoiler)[worshipers from all over the world were in the room calmly chatting and enjoying the anti-christ's birth is pretty chilling. (hide spoiler)]

Ok. On this GR app, you can't see spoilers that are marked. That's helpful.

Tressa, yes-exactly. That's why I thought it was so chilling. In fact, I think that's the most chilling ending that story could have had.

But Jonathan, you're entitled to your opinion. I can see where you're coming from.

I didn't care for Stephen king's The Long Walk's ending, as a matter of fact I don't really enjoy this author as much as I did as when I was a teen. I'm not sure if it's him or if I grew up and no longer find his writing as scary as I once did.

Holly wrote: "I have to say that it seems rare to find a horror book with a satisfactory ending. While many are strong through the middle, most of them seem to limp lamely across the finish line. I can deal wi..."

Holly, alas I have to agree. In horror a good ending is hard to find.

⊱❁Jo Ann❁⊰ wrote: "I didn't care for Stephen king's The Long Walk's ending, as a matter of fact I don't really enjoy this author as much as I did as when I was a teen. I'm not sure if it's him or if I grew up and no..."

I've always loved the Long Walk and was always very confused by its ending, but you have to remember that the book was written from the kids POV and by the end of the story, he probably wasn't even sure where he was anymore. It makes sense to me that the ending would be so disjointed and confusing because that kid probably didn't even know what was going on.

Ardy wrote: "⊱❁Jo Ann❁⊰ wrote: "I didn't care for Stephen king's The Long Walk's ending, as a matter of fact I don't really enjoy this author as much as I did as when I was a teen. I'm not sure if it's him or ..."

True,

(view spoiler)[but I think I would have been happier if they would have just shot him as he crossed the finish line or if they let the reader in on the "secret" that the long walk was bogus and non of the contestants ever saw the big prize. (hide spoiler)]

Charlene wrote: "Tressa, yes-exactly. That's why I thought it was so chilling. In fact, I think that's the most chilling ending that story could have had...."

Calm (view spoiler)[ acceptance that you just birthed the anti-christ. (hide spoiler)] Very chilling, lol.

Jesse wrote: "Erin wrote: "Jesse wrote: "Erin wrote: "I despise cliffhanger endings designed to just get you to get the next book like a TV show. Huge cliffhangers don't believe in books. If I'm into the series ..."

Ah yes, now I do remember that cliffhanger. It was particularly aggravating.

Tressa wrote: "Never read the sequel, but over the years I picked up on the fact that it isn't very good. But I always did wonder what happened to Rosemary and her son. "

Wow trust me, the sequel is the perfect example of a horrible ending. I didn't find the book bad myself, but at the end it completely changed into an ultra cheese fest that was just laughable and cringe-inducing.

The Stand

It wasn't so much the ending itself.
It was the way it dragged on long after the climax of the story.

Crawlspace by Evans Light had a sort of WTF ending for me. I dont like getting totally into a book and then at the end something crazy happens and im like no...no sorry I cannot appreciate that. I like Twilight Zone endings, ones that are like oh wow didnt see that coming but its good and makes sense.

Mmm. Stephen King is one of my favorite authors but I could list most of his books for being disappointed by the end. I won't though. The one book that I wanted to physically destroy after finishing it was Son of Rosemary. I hated that book. Rosemary's Baby is a favorite - and love the movie. I thought the end was perfect for the story and for Rosemary.

Other than Needful Things (I didn't like the book as a whole), I've had no problem with King's endings, including IT, The Stand and Tommyknockers. Maybe it's because I don't have grand expectations for the ending but just enjoy the ride getting there. King's books are never really about the ending but rather the journey.

I wasn't crazy about the ending of Swan Song. Too rushed and didn't live up to the story that preceded it.

As much as I greatly admire the writing of Stephen King, the endings of both IT and Tommyknockers sucked. The ending of Under The Dome disappointed too.

Actually, IT gets my vote as the worst WTF! ending.

Teresa wrote: "For me the worst endings are cliff hangers with the next book coming out in a year...wtf..

Now i read reviews if the book ends in a cliffhanger I won't read it unless its a really great book and ..."


I with you on that one! every new book seems to be a trilogy these days GRRR

Dee wrote: "Teresa wrote: "For me the worst endings are cliff hangers with the next book coming out in a year...wtf..

Now i read reviews if the book ends in a cliffhanger I won't read it unless its a really ..."

I so agree Dee Trilogies seem to be are the style of the day. I enjoyed the Strain series but that to qualify as a worst ending. As does Under the Dome.

My biggest problem with the ending of It was, (view spoiler)[after they get their memories back, after they found each other again, they forget again. I know two of them end up together - but their true memories are gone again. And I hated that. (hide spoiler)]

I loved the ending to UTD. But, yeah, hated IT's ending.

For me it was Mist by the King, of course. I hated that ending! I was like, "No!!!!" And then thought about it for days.

Addy wrote: "For me it was Mist by the King, of course. I hated that ending! I was like, "No!!!!" And then thought about it for days."

Yeah, the ending to Mist wasn't great(I'm being polite).

Wow...seriously no one has mentioned "The Stand"? I hated that so much I nearly threw the book, and mostly because there was a BETTER - LOGICAL ending, and he ignored it for the silliness. I also hated the ending of "They Thirst" by McCammon. THere was an entire era of horror where the ambigous "but is it really over??? dum dum dum" ending was almost the norm.

by Thomas Harris. Years ago I jumped on the hardback as soon as it came out...and zipped thru the book....when I got to the ending I was so disappointed. I gave the book to a fellow reader who promised to give it back after he was done reading it.....and I said "don't bother". I have not watched the movie version either. Really....how was Harris suppose to top ?

David wrote: "Wow...seriously no one has mentioned "The Stand"? I hated that so much I nearly threw the book, and mostly because there was a BETTER - LOGICAL ending, and he ignored it for the silliness. I also..."

I can understand your dislike of THE STAND, and to be honest a fair few of Stephen King's endings have felt like let downs - although probably not such a high ratio of WTF! when you consider his productivity rate.
But I still think that, at least as far as S.K. goes, nothing can compare to IT.

You're bang on about the ambiguous "is it really all over?" type of finish. That sort of thing was being done to death at one point.

Why did people hate the ending of The Mist?

I remember loving that story. I haven't read it in a while so maybe I need to reread it.

I loved the ending of The Mist, in both the movie and the book-even though they are entirely different from each other.