Horror Aficionados discussion

Getting back into leisurely reading is becoming a bit bothersome for me at this point. I feel like I don't know who to read, or what I am looking for. I love Horror; plain and simple. Zombies, post-apocalyptic, disaster, ghosts, etc. I have several books on my list, but so far, the first two I have tried to read, I have decided not to finish due to lack of interest. I have previously described my qualms with Hell House.
Now I am putting down Riptide because I just plain don't want to put a lot of work into the book I am reading. There is so much sailing terminology used in this book, it's ridiculous, and I feel the authors do a poor job with scene descriptions. Unless you go into this book knowing port, aft, gunwale, Whaleback, lee, leeward, starboard, stern, etc. etc., your going to have to stop, look the words up, memorize them, and move forward.
I am not opposed to this, but I do not feel like putting that kind of effort into a book right now. I don't mind learning, but I just want to read a book and enjoy it, not study terminology so I can understand it.
I am becoming discouraged because I am 0 for 2 now. I can't remember a time where I have hit a string of books that did not hold my interest. Not finishing a book really irks me! I am trying to stop reading multiple books at once.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I have Salem's Lot, Gone South, The Night Boat, and a few others that are historical fiction and fantasy. I just want to relax and get lost in the book. I want it to be simple. I am already reading other psychology based books that require my effort, attention, and study. Is it wrong to want a book to be just simple so I can veg out with it? Below are my to read books. I am new to King. I have only read "Cell" by him. I did enjoy it. I am open to suggestions. I just want to find a book that grabs me, and finish it. Sorry for the rant.

List:
Salem's Lot - Stephen King
Full Dark No Stars - Stephen King
Gone South - Robert McCammon
The Night Boat - Robert McCammon
Pawn of Prophecy - David Eddings
The Quest - Wilbur Smith
Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follet

Salem's Lot is a personal favorite. Hard to beat that one! I'm not one to save a book after I read it, but I have a copy of Salem's Lot on the shelf because I know I will be reading it again.

I second Salem's Lot. Can't go wrong with that one, imo.

I'll go along with Salem's Lot.
Or The Night Boat.

I recommend Manly Wade Wellman - Song of the slaves
It's a short story so if you don't like it you didn't waste much time... here's a link http://talesofmytery.blogspot.com/201...

You could also look into my book Red Century. It's not a very long story but a big one nonetheless.

Full Dark is very good.

Have any of you ever experienced this? You hit just a string of bad books that you can't bring yourself to finish? I may go back to Riptide, but right now, I do not want to put much effort into what I am reading. I am going to give Salem's Lot a read. I love scary. I am also looking into Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill, and I heard Ghost Story by Straub was really good. Is Haunting of Hill House by Jackson good? I am also putting I am Legend on my list. I haven't done leisurely reading since college, so I really don't know what I like, and what author suits me. I would love to get into a series. I know that I like fantasy video games with knights, zombies in the forest, etc. But I absolutely LOVE horror movies. I have always been a fan of Romero's dead series, the 1978 Dawn of the Dead being my favorite. I love post-apocalyptic, disaster, etc. So many choices, but I don't know where to start! :)

One thing I want to mention. The copy of Salem's Lot I have, is the same edition of the book that Bub in Day of the Dead held when being watched by Dr. Frankenstein and the others to see how he would interact with certain objects. I will definitely be keeping it, even after reading!

Bp4christ wrote: "Have any of you ever experienced this?..."

Check out this thread:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Bp4christ wrote: "Have any of you ever experienced this? You hit just a string of bad books that you can't bring yourself to finish? I may go back to Riptide, but right now, I do not want to put much effort into w..."

You might want to avoid Peter Straub books until you get back into the hang of reading for fun. His stuff is very "dense".

Heart Shaped Box is a good choice.

Ken wrote: "Bp4christ wrote: "Have any of you ever experienced this?..."

Check out this thread:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1..."

Thank you for that link Ken. That makes me feel better. I am really stressing myself out way too much about this. I like the term "Reading Block" :)
I am going through a lot of stress in my life right now, and I am very tired tonight as well (intense workout at the gym), so that may be the reason I am struggling. Maybe once things calm down a bit, I'll be able to give a good book my full attention. I am going to veg out to a comedy show on hulu and go to sleep. Thanks everyone! :) I really like you guys as a group, and appreciate all of your input. I agree with your advice there Jon.

Heart-shaped Box is a good one. Tim Curran has a few highly rated ones - Fear Me (gets great reviews) and The Underdwelling are two of my favorites. Dead Sea by him is also fantastic but may get tedious for you since the descriptions of the fog get repetitive.

I'm in a bit of a reading funk right now too so I'm trying different authors and reading some novellas so I'm not committed to a full book.

Im gonna go with 'Pawn of Prophecy - David Eddings'. Not that others are not good, far from it, they are excellent. But because Eddings is easy and its about a fantasy land also very 'feel good' read.

When I have a readers block one thing that works for me is picking up a different genre, so yea, Eddings is different from those mentioned. And if you like it, you'll be set up for a long time, he has a lot of series.

I have felt like that recently, every book I was reading seemed to take me ages to get through so I decided to carry on with the Game of Thrones series of which I'm on A Dance with Dragons: Dreams and Dust and I can't put it down. It's such an easy series to read and I love the structure of it.

I second that Straub is a bit dense. Great, but dense. And yes, Heart Shaped Box is very good. Tight writing that's fun to read. Chuck Wendig's Black Birds is another fun one that sucked me right in.

World War Z!!!

Yeah. Of course. Everyone of us has. Probably. I have.
It all depends on what you're in the mood for. It sounds to me as though you're in the mood for something on the light side and quick. So do not try to force down anything thicker. Out of your list Salem's Lot. And you can also go with early King. Another author you might try is Richard Laymon. I read Island - and it fits what you're looking for.

Bp4christ wrote: "Have any of you ever experienced this? You hit just a string of bad books that you can't bring yourself to finish? I may go back to Riptide, but right now, I do not want to put much effort into w..."

The Haunting of Hill House is one of the best haunted house stories, EVA! Seriously, I don't think you could go wrong with it. It's not a dense work like Peter Straub's works and the language is just so damn beautiful. I bet it would reel you in. It features one of the best (if not THE best) opening paragraph in all of literature, in my opinion. :)
Good luck with whatever you choose. All the recs given to you are good ones.

I really, really, really appreciate all of the encouragement and suggestions everyone. Thank you so much. I needed it. Send me a friend request if you are interested.

I was also very exhausted last night. I couldn't really focus on anything I tried to read. I ended up falling asleep to an episode of The Office.

Charlene wrote: "Bp4christ wrote: "Have any of you ever experienced this? You hit just a string of bad books that you can't bring yourself to finish? I may go back to Riptide, but right now, I do not want to put ..."

I second The Haunting of Hill House. That was a creepy read.

The start was a marvel, sets the tone beautifully for the rest of the story.

I went through a period last year where I found it difficult to get into anything I read, so I went back to a personal favourite of mine, Clive Barker. I re-read Weaveworld and that seemed to somehow reset me.

Also agree with Heart Shaped Box and Salem's Lot. Horns by Joe Hill was great, too.

Another one I read and thoroughly enjoyed was The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I read that in one day. It's just such an easy read.

I wonder if the original poster ever found a book that fit the bill.

You could try the sandman slim books by Richard kadrey or if you want zombies look up Lyle Perez tinics, he's got a few books but he also puts together anthologies with lots of writers involved.

I'd recommend The Ocean at the End of the Lane too as a briefer novella you can't put down. Reading Joe Hill's NOS4A2 now, enjoying it.

I know I've only left a suggestion a bit ago but Edward w Robertson's breakers series is really more than good. I read parts 2 & 3 in 2 days. They are called meltdown and knifepoint, but there's a special offer on we're you can get 1,2,& 3 in a box set at the moment. If I was having trouble sticking to a book they'd work for me. But I'd agree to the other people that heart shaped box & nos4r2 are great books. I bought them as real books, and have read HSB many times and loved it every time

Marty wrote: "I went through a period last year where I found it difficult to get into anything I read, so I went back to a personal favourite of mine, Clive Barker. I re-read Weaveworld and that seemed to someh..."


Weaveworld was the first ever Clive barker book I ever read and I agree it is now one of my favourites. Plus it led me to more of his books which before this I'd just never considered. This is getting crazy, I can't seem to suggest just one book. Sorry about that.

Earlier this year I read a fantasy book I won in a Goodreads giveaway: The Great Succession Crisis Extended Edition. It caused me to lose interest in recreational reading for about a month. (The author offered to send me the sequel which she me assured was better, but I declined. Actually, I just ignored the offer.)

Currently, I've grown bored with NOS4A2 and couldn't get into The Chosen and am in a "burned out" period with reading. I don't expect to take anything up again until mid-September (gotta read Doctor Sleep!)

I even changed my goal of 100 books to 75. And I probably won't even make that.

:-(

Salem's lot is a good read. It's far better than the film.
Deadlocked by AR wise is a good zombie read, and it's free on kindle at the moment. I also really enjoyed Origins (Zombie Games #1) by Kristen Middleton, but that's a series, and it ends on a cliff hanger. I'm reading # 2 at the moment.

Bryan wrote: "Getting back into leisurely reading is becoming a bit bothersome for me at this point. I feel like I don't know who to read, or what I am looking for. I love Horror; plain and simple. Zombies, po..."

I know I'm jumping into this thread a bit late, I haven't even read the comments, so maybe you don't have a problem with your reading any more and maybe someone else has already proposed something similar. Still, I'd like to contribute with my perspective.

I have noticed when I can't get into the books I'm reading, or maybe even don't know which book to pick up, it's usually because of one of two reasons:

1) I need a break from reading: this usually happens when I've read a lot in a short amount of time (for me). My brain simply needs a break from reading, it has become too saturated. It's not a writing block but a reading block.

2) I've read too much that has been too similar, which could be either in writing style or genre. This makes the reading boring, uninspired and extremely repetitive.

My solutions that have helped me are:

Take a break from reading and don't stress over it. It's ok to be "bookless" for a while. Then, when I start reading again, I usually pick a book that would normally be either outside of my comfort zone or in a different genre. Non-fiction is usually a good start for me. Doing this both widens your reading spectrum and it makes you look forward to your next read within your favourite genre.

Hope this helps!

Actually The Night Boat is one I put down. Big Robert R. McCammon fan, but this was one of his first novels and the quality just wasn't there for me at the time. I'm still interested in the storyline though, I may yet go back at revisit it.

You might want to avoid Peter Straub books until you get back into the hang of reading for fun. His stuff is very "dense".

I tried listening to the Shadowland audiobook while driving, was totally unable to keep up with the story and not wreck.

don't pressure yourself. if you know you want to read it. you'll know cause the pages will draw you in. as far as trouble with fluent reading. it is like anything - go slow - get a index card to block out lines below. if you get headache quick you might need glasses otherwise take time out to look up words not familiar with. ex. I read Theodore commit suicide in Ethopia. I said huh?? looked it up and it was the emperor was some etheopia name but his nickname was Theodore - crazy eh? feel the fun in reading. chow Becky

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (Stephen King's son). It's creepy and well written and not hard to follow. Recommend it.