Horror Aficionados discussion

It's that time again. This month, let's try to think outside the box. I see the same titles popping up over and over again.

You have until Thursday (5/28) and then the poll will begin.

Ready? Set? Start suggesting!

I just ordered this last night. Apparently, it was made into a movie in the 70's with Jodie Foster. I have never seen the movie and have heard this book is quite good. I am not sure if it has been suggested or read in the past here on HA, but I am suggesting:

The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane

Nicole wrote: "I just ordered this last night. Apparently, it was made into a movie in the 70's with Jodie Foster. I have never seen the movie and have heard this book is quite good. I am not sure if it has been ..."

Nice pick Nicole, this looks promising.

Fyi to search you can enter the name of the book on the right side of the screen to see where it was mentioned.

https://www.goodreads.com/group/comme...

Kasia wrote: "Nicole wrote: "I just ordered this last night. Apparently, it was made into a movie in the 70's with Jodie Foster. I have never seen the movie and have heard this book is quite good. I am not sure ..."

It looks like it has been mentioned a few times among some of the members here, but it doesn't appear to have been a group read before. Thank you Kasia. :)

Nicole wrote: "It looks like it has been mentioned a few times among some of the members here, but it doesn't appear to have been a group read before. Thank you Kasia. :)"

Now I have to put my thinking cap on and come up with something as well.

And you are very welcome :)

How about

The Store by Bentley Little

I just saw the movie version of this and am keen to read the book now - The Resurrectionist

Or how about - The Scarlet Gospels

How about "The War Against the Assholes"
by Sam Munson

The novel is set in a Manhattan “shrouded in mystery” and follows a 17-year-old Catholic high school student who begins to acquire supernatural powers after being introduced to a book called The Calendar of Sleights by a strange classmate. The protagonist is then pulled into a long-running war among rival factions of magicians.

GoodReads link here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

The Red Church is my nomination.

How about "The Bird Eater" by Ania Ahlborn? It's relatively short (under 300 pages) and my husband thinks it's one of the best horrors novels he ever read! I've been wanting to pick it up to read and got distracted so I'd love to share thoughts and opinions about it with you guys :)

Kasia wrote: "Nicole wrote: "It looks like it has been mentioned a few times among some of the members here, but it doesn't appear to have been a group read before. Thank you Kasia. :)"

Now I have to put my thi..."

I'm eager to see what you pick :)

Nancy wrote: "How about "The Bird Eater" by Ania Ahlborn? It's relatively short (under 300 pages) and my husband thinks it's one of the best horrors novels he ever read! I've been wanting to pick it up to read..."

"a festering darkness lurks"

Here's one for outside the box, a non-American author.
I Remember You, by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Nancy wrote: "How about "The Bird Eater" by Ania Ahlborn? It's relatively short (under 300 pages) and my husband thinks it's one of the best horrors novels he ever read! I've been wanting to pick it up to read..."

Finished it recently. It was good, I'd definitely recommend it.

Kasia wrote: "Nicole wrote: "I just ordered this last night. Apparently, it was made into a movie in the 70's with Jodie Foster. I have never seen the movie and have heard this book is quite good. I am not sure ..."

It's a very good movie. I haven't read the book, but Jodie Foster was really young and did a great job pretty much carrying the movie, and a young Martin Sheen is damn creepy.

Jon Recluse wrote: ""

Poking my head up -- this sounds interesting.

The Bighead by Edward Lee is my nomination.

Stephen kings it

Fright House by Fred Wiehe
Published April 1st 2015 by Damnation Books
Fright House, an insane asylum turned Halloween attraction, is the last place Penny Winters should be. She has awakened its long-dormant ghosts, giving it unimaginable power. Now it wants to possess her, absorb her psychic energy, and keep its ghosts forever alive. Only Tory Jackson and his Paranormal Scene Investigations team can save her. Time, however, is running out. On Halloween night, Penny has to die and become one with the ghosts. To that end, Fright House is willing to kill everyone.

John Brunner has two classic novels, "Stand On Zanzibar" (1968) and "The Sheep Look Up" (1972), both of which are borderline social-horror, set in dystophic near futures, both heavily stylized narratives, and both of which include haunting passages, imagery and dialogue.
Also, both of these books were written during what is now referred to by sci-fi/dark fiction historians and critics/academics as 'The New Wave Movement' in sci-fi. Despite the fact that they are considered sci-fi, the dark realism inherent in aspects of that movement have made these two books somewhat of a 'must-reads' for anyone who is into horror, dark fantasy, etc., etc.
That's two definitely 'outside the box' ideas to ponder as potential choices.

And since we're talking 'outside-the-box' thinking in regards to mixing it up a bit, most of Jorge Luis Borges short story collections are definitely works that should be required reading for anyone who likes their dark fiction mixed with Latin Fantastique/quasi-magical-realism literature. If it hasn't been suggested before, his "Ficciones" (1944) is one of Stephen King's favorite collections, and if you've ever read the collection, it's easy to see why. In fact, I'm pretty sure that collection was one of King's primary influences when he first started writing his Dark Towers series. If you've read it, then you probably know why I'm suggesting it had to have been an influence on, at the very least, the first three books in the series.

Another suggestion to mix it up for the next month's selection choices would be William Goldman's "Marathon Man" (1974). It's a thriller, not a supernatural horror work, not even close to fitting the usual definitions of what falls into Horror and its one million sub-genres (HA!). But when I say thriller, I've got to go with all caps, as in: IT'S A THRILLER!!! What a read! I read it way back in the late 80s, during a time when I was seeking out any titles outside the Horror category suggested by horror writers. Goldman's "Marathon Man" is a title I kept seeing suggested again and again by dark fiction writers who were at their peak (and still alive) back then. It's got a simple premise. But what he did with that simple premise was nothing short of genius.

And one last suggestion, although I'd be surprised if this hasn't already been suggested and/or chosen in the past year. Nathan Ballingrud's multiple award-nominated (and winning, I believe) collection, "North American Lake Monsters". I was given a copy by an author whom I've known and read and admired for years, who told me I had to give it a read. And, so far, he's absolutely correct when he told me there's a reason why the book was suddenly on everyone's 'must read' list and then on several genre fiction awards list of nominees for 'single author best short story collections'. It was up for World Fantasy awards, the Shirley Jackson award and HWA's Stoker Award just to name a few. Which is why I figure someone, or more likely lots of someones, have already suggested in the past year or so, and it might have even been selected, too. I didn't do a check to see if it had been. I figured, even if it had, I still get a chance to rave about one of the best 'weird horror' short story collections I've read in years.

Okay, I'll stop there, and hope I've not stretched the collective patience of my fellow club members with my usual essay-near rant post. HA!

Mary: The Summoning is a rather disturbing one about Bloody Mary.

I wanted to suggest THE THIRD GRAVE, by David Case, but I don't see that it is available for kindle, which could be a problem for some...

Otherwise PICTURE OF EVIL, by Graham Masterton.

Jon Recluse wrote: ""

A Bram Stoker nominee, I'd be up for this one!

Joe wrote: "Stephen kings it"

This has been on my tbr potentials for the horror challenge so I'll second it to try and get it off my tbr.

I would please like to withdraw my nomination and second Kimberly's vote for "The Third Grave" by Case. And I humbly vote against any stephen king.

i would like to second The Bighead and hope that no one notices that i am seconding my own nomination allowing it to make the list...

where is eleven when i need him???

Ms. Nikki wrote: "I'm eager to see what you pick :) ."

Well no pressure there :P I've spend the last hour reading and looking up books, I promise to post when I find it:)

Kasia wrote: "Ms. Nikki wrote: "I'm eager to see what you pick :) ."

Well no pressure there :P I've spend the last hour reading and looking up books, I promise to post when I find it:)"

We're waiting......

Addendum: for those who are not able to scrap up the 99 cents, the first two volumes of Lustmord; Anatomy of a Serial Butcher are absolutely FREE. On 'Zon, Barnes & Noble...and other places. Please note: book was banned on Apple, Kobo, Scrbd, etc. Too strong for them. Not for the easily offended.

I will just throw this one out there. I'm currently reading The Dark. I'm reading it on kindle unlimited and it's a 500 ish page book. Don't know if anyone is interested in one that long but it's good a creepy with some crazy gore here and there.

Second , minus the Freudian slip of boxed sex.

I just bought on my Kobo for $1.21

LOL, Dean. :)

Bargain of the year.

Jon Recluse wrote: ""

That's on my list. Probably because of you. :-)

Marc-Antoine wrote: "i would like to second The Bighead and hope that no one notices that i am seconding my own nomination allowing it to make the list..."

*deadpan* I noticed.

Jonathan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: ""

That's on my list. Probably because of you. :-)"

I bought this months ago, but yeah, great pick!

Karl wrote: "I would please like to withdraw my nomination and second Kimberly's vote for "The Third Grave" by Case. And I humbly vote against any stephen king."

Understood.

Jonathan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: ""

That's on my list. Probably because of you. :-)"

Probably. ;)

Ms. Nikki wrote: "It's that time again. This month, let's try to think outside the box. I see the same titles popping up over and over again."

I note that there's a George R. R. Martin horror novel called Fevre Dream.

"Bram Stoker meets Mark Twain"

I always meant to read this.

James wrote: "Ms. Nikki wrote: "It's that time again. This month, let's try to think outside the box. I see the same titles popping up over and over again."

I note that there's a [author:George R. R. Martin|140..."

Fevre Dream is a wonderful book -- read it years ago, highly recommend it to anyone.

Jon Recluse wrote: ""

Crawlspace looks interesting.

Pines

Started watching the 10 episode special and it is extremely intriguing. Going to read either way. :)

James wrote: "Ms. Nikki wrote: "It's that time again. This month, let's try to think outside the box. I see the same titles popping up over and over again."

I note that there's a [author:George R. R. Martin|140..."

I second that. :D

I would like to throw an anthology in, Bram Stoker winner/nominee Limbus, Inc. - Book II . $0.99 right now at amazon.

Nicole wrote: "Pines

Started watching the 10 episode special and it is extremely intriguing. Going to read either way. :)"

Wasn't that the group read 3? months ago? If I knew the tv show was coming I would've participated.

David wrote: "Why not try The Roots of Evil by David E. Gates?"

Hi David. For future reference, please note that you may not nominate your own book.