Horror Aficionados discussion

So there are many many things that scare us whether it be an undead zombie or vampire or a evil psycho clown who is out to kill.
Then of course you have haunted houses, creepy and strange I mean I could go on and on about things that are truly scary and are definitions of the essence of horror. Sometimes it's the not knowing, the unknown that's also quite scary which kind of sort of ties into what I believe to be the scariest horror of all...

You know what the scariest type of horror is? The kind that has no purpose, no intent, no concept, no thought, no motive, no reasoning, to quote the newest cliche quote "it is what it is" ...nothing. Nothing at all except that the reason behind the crazy killer or shadows lurking or alien probing or sick twisted gut wrenching mortifying things that scare us just are. It's kind of like the philosopher Decarte infamous saying "I think therfore I am", in this sense horror is what it is, it needs no explanation other then that fact that it exists.

Now if your still reading this your either truly scared or confused as to what I just said. If your scared then well good and if your confused go back and read it a few times until it sinks in. The scariest horror of all is what isn't known, the type that you can sit there and ask yourself over and over why is this so horrifying or why is this guy a killer, why are these zombies out to get me and no matter how many times you think it over there is only one conclusion..they just are...that horror just is.

Unemployment is VERY scary.

Dont I know it, 3 yrs unemployed now.

I totally empathise with you. I have never ever known it to be so bad for jobs. Horrible times.

I can't imagine being unemployed in this economy. I remember the days when jobs were plentiful, workers felt secure, and they moved up in a company if they worked hard and were loyal. I especially feel for the young people just starting careers. Or trying to start a career. But what did we think would happen when we kept outsourcing jobs to other countries and hardly anything is made in America anymore. Very scary times.

Okay well this thread isnt about unemployment so yeah back on topic!

On that note, the silent psychotics. Those people that seem perfectly normal then snap and go on a rampage.

NOVA had a special on the other night about that trying to explain what causes people to be like that and all I got was "eh, we don't really know".

Sweet smoky skunkweed is the only thing that stands between myself and possible psychotic activities about 90% of the time. Anyone wishing to prevent future atrocities may send the appropriate donations to me.

Exactly! Serial Killers that if you ask them why they killed and they only reply, because they were home or because I wanted to or..I..didn't have..a...reason..i just..wanted..to...KILL...

Now that's what I called scary @$$ horror!

Gary "Green River" Ridgway, who took his 5 year old son with him while hunting hookers.

I agree with Jon. Gary Ridgway really scared me because he was interviewed by police FOUR times and since he didn't fit the profile of a serial killer, they continued to let him go.

Paedophiles and animal abusers. They deliberately prey on innocent and defenceless beings that are unable to defend themselves. They have no remorse and no empathy. For me, they are the worst scum this planet has to offer and what real horror is all about. They are parasites, and should be treated as such.

I'm obsessed with seriel killers.. one story in nj really freaked me out because i live in jersey..this truck driver would just go to house if the door was open he would rape and kill anyway there.. he did it all over the country.. I always get scared that someone is trying to break in.. use to keep a knive under the mattress

Anthony Zuiker's "Dark" series is a really good serial killer series.

I don't think I've read a fictional serial killer book that's scared me more than the true crime books I've read (ie Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders or Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box").

Heh I was even listening to Kiss Me, Kill Me and Other True Cases on my drive home and was terrified to go into the house because my husband wasn't home yet.

By Reason of Insanity
Ghoul
Slob

Nicole wrote: "I don't think I've read a fictional serial killer book that's scared me more than the true crime books I've read (ie Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders or Perfect Victim: The True..."


I watch those true crime and bio shows all the time..scare me way more then a big werewolf ..lol

That ridgeway guy sounds hella scary..like who the hell takes their 5yr old son out killing with them? as if going out killing could get any worse..

Damn scary.
20+ years and over 100 victims.

wow...thats crazy!

Survivor About the most horrifying and unputdownable thing I have ever read!!

Waking up in hospital with a tube in your nose not knowing where you are or how you got there. No one speaks to you and they all speak a foreign language. Made me think of Stephen King's 'Misery'

Alan wrote: "I totally empathise with you. I have never ever known it to be so bad for jobs. Horrible times."

I have started my own writing business, as I am FED UP with the futility of trying to get a job on Merseyside. Here is the link: www.wirralwriter.co.uk

Wish me well, folks.

Helter Skelter was a very scary book, mostly because it actually happened.

Tommy wrote: "Anthony Zuiker's "Dark" series is a really good serial killer series."

Rudolf Höss.

Running out of books.

Charles Manson gives me the creeps. I read Helter Skelter and saw the excellent 1976 movie.

Stephen King's IT scared the daylights out of me.

Serial killers, paedophiles, animal abusers frighten and anger me. Anne Rule's The Stranger Beside Me documented Ted Bundy's killing spree. People like him are terrifying.

Teresa wrote: "I'm obsessed with seriel killers.. one story in nj really freaked me out because i live in jersey..this truck driver would just go to house if the door was open he would rape and kill anyway there...."

The character in the novel Lustmord: Anatomy of a Serial Butcher Vol. 1 (of 6) is like that. He's got cadavers stashed throughout the crawlspace in his basement, bodies hanging in his walk-in cooler. Cruises the streets of Sunny Southern California baiting victims with drugs and money. If you get in his car you better be prepared to fight for your life. Because if he gets you back to his dungeon of depravity you'll be begging him to kill you. Currently available as a FREE Goodreads download. Get it before it goes back to $3.99! Nothing beats free.

Ron wrote: "Rudolf Höss."

Ron wrote: "Rudolf Höss."

Alan wrote: "Helter Skelter was a very scary book, mostly because it actually happened.

Tommy wrote: "Anthony Zuiker's "Dark" series is a really good serial killer series.""

Nicole wrote: "I don't think I've read a fictional serial killer book that's scared me more than the true crime books I've read (ie Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders or Perfect Victim: The True..."

Try Truman Capote's In Cold Blood; try Joseph Wambough's The Onion Field; give Norman Mailer's The Executioner's Song a read. All true. Well written. Might induce nightmares, though.

If your interested in serial killers then you should read about the zodiac. There is a book about the investigation, it's very interesting, there is also a film based on the book, that is very accurate. They never discovered the identity or caught Jack the Ripper or The Zodiac. No will ever know who either of these serial killers are.

The absolute scariest books I've ever read were:

1. The Girl Next Door - Jack Ketchum
2. The Shining - Stephen King
3. The Amityville Horror - Jay Anson
4. The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson
5. 'Salem's Lot - Stephen King
6. Ghost Story - Peter Straub
7. The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule
8. IT - Stephen King
9. Dracula - Bram Stoker
10. Night Shift - Stephen King

Those are the ones that really made me sleep with the lights on.

Great list, Nathaniel. I've read #'s 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10. They are all terrifying books.

After watching Paranormal Witness it gave me an idea for a story that will pertain to this topic. I don't have all the ideas thought out yet but when I do I'll get started and write it.

A Rakasha demon could definitely be considered one of the scariest things of all...

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and being Buried Alive scares me the most

Mental illness of any variety. Alzheimer's probably wins the first place prize but there are many (too many) second place winners. Nothing scarier than knowing you're not all there and there isn't a fix.

Demons that possess children and have no intention whatsoever to leave their body until they've scared the living crap out of the family of that child.

Hearing sick sadistic laughter in an old rundown asylum and you and a friend are the only ones in there..

Breaking a bone clean from the body so its viewable and popping out...

I discovered that something quite harmless freaks me out big time. During Halloween week I had a film festival of horror movies. Decapitations, eviscerations, eye gouging, cannibalism......ho hum, yawn......but then I get a view of a guy walking down some basement stairs and there are cobwebs everywhere......I'm panicking on his behalf. "Dude, go get a stick or something and knock those down......they are all going to cling to you.......oh man, so creepy I just can't stand it!"

Shadow People!

oh man my son is into shadow people. hes 8 he lovesbghost shows. fire scares me off smells ect. two homes catch fire growing up than few years ago bad carbon monoxide poisoning.

The scariest kind of horror (to me) is the supernatural or psychological kind like Silent Hill 2. (The video game.)

Nathaniel wrote: "The absolute scariest books I've ever read were:

1. The Girl Next Door - Jack Ketchum
2. The Shining - Stephen King
3. The Amityville Horror - Jay Anson
4. The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jac..."

Good list. I can agree with most of those.

Hellbound Hellraiser

I am just going to throw my idea out here, Horror which deals with psychological and physical abuse is very scary. Jack Ketchum book the Girl next door was loosely based on very scary events, of the victimisation on one girl and how one whole family and even some from the community allowed themselves to be part of the abuse. I have not read the book yet, but I read some of his books, last night I read his short novella A right to life. It was scariest thing I read in long time. It was about a lady who is kidnapped before she has a abortion. The suffering she goes through and how the bully's try to take her will and courage away is to my mind the scariest horror. Why because it's real and common. I not sure if I can build the courage to read Girl next door because like the short novel I read I would not be able to get it from my mind. I only read it because it was included in his book Old Flames which was good but not so disturbing.

So to sum up my post, I believe this type of horror is the scariest because the person committing the crime try to justify it and some people even turn a blind eye and become accomplices to the whole event. It's this that is scary.

The scariest thing is seeing madness and not knowing if that is your fate or not.

Looks like an awesome read and just got the boxed set on my Kobo for $1.21!

Mehmet wrote: "I am just going to throw my idea out here, Horror which deals with psychological and physical abuse is very scary. Jack Ketchum book the Girl next door was loosely based on very scary events, of th..."

I agree with you on that, Mehmet. I read a book a few years ago that dealt with something along those lines. I was a teenager at the time and it affected me quite deeply. It is and I highly recommend giving it a read.

Thanks Missy :-) is it recommended I read the first book in the series or are they different stories set around one character and can be read individually ?

Sign of Seven trilogy by Nora Roberts. It might be a little shocking but, it scared me more than Amityville horror.