Literary Horror discussion

Yes, Manly Wade Wellman would be a good nomination.

Here are some more suggestions:

At Fear's Altar by Richard Gavin. Richard Gavin is like a Dark god to me. At Fear's Altar has a goodreads rating over 4, has one Halloween story, and a superb novella which is autumnal.

Burnt Black Suns by Simon Stantzas. Published this year, available both in paperback and electronically. Average goodreads rating over 4 stars. Likely will be nominated for awards.

Shadows and Tall Trees, Issue 6. Came in second place in the previous poll. Average goodreads rating over 4 stars.

The Wine Dark Sea by Robert Aickman. Average goodreads rating over 4 stars. Just as good, if not better, than the book the group is currently reading.

The Children of Old Leech: A Tribute to the Carnivorous Cosmos of Laird Barron, edited by Ross Lockhart and Justin Steele. Average goodreads rating over 4 stars, likely will be nominated for awards.

Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of Daphne Du Maurier. Contains the stories "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now", also some other interesting stories, and my favorite novella of all time, Monte Verita. Average goodreads rating over 4 stars.

The Dreams of Cardinal Vittorini by Reggie Oliver. Just as good as the other two books this group read. Contains the story "The Seventeenth Sister" which I consider a classic in the genre. Average goodreads rating over 4 stars.

I'm not sure if this has anything seasonal about it, but has everyone read Laird Barron's The Croning already?

Randolph wrote (in part):

I'm personally thinkin' Manly Wade Wellman. Silver John?

I’ve always thought that Silver John was just too much of a good guy to make for an interesting character. This isn’t an insurmountable problem for the short stories featuring John (because the focus is more on plot), but becomes one (for me at least) in the novels.

The Halloween Tree by Bradbury
or possibly
Long After Midnight: 22 Hauntings & Celebrations (there's a story called "The October Game" but I don't know how much of it is Halloweenish.)

Randolph opined:

I always thought the Silver John stories were always a bit tongue in cheek.

I honestly didn’t get that sense when I read these stories, even those as outlandish as “The Desrick on Yandro”, but of course it wouldn’t be the first time that such nuance went completely over my head. And I did read most of these stories a long, long time ago.

Charlene inquired:

I'm not sure if this has anything seasonal about it, but has everyone read Laird Barron's The Croning already?

Perhaps I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I have not.

I haven't, either. But I'm a bit iffy on Barron.

I've read one novella and one short story collection from Barron, and I loved them both.
Scott, what have you read that turned you of?

Charlene wrote: "I'm not sure if this has anything seasonal about it, but has everyone read Laird Barron's The Croning already?"

Hi, Char. I finished The Croning last week. I wasn't that impressed; 3 stars at most.

That's okay, Steve. I wasn't impressed with Teatro Grottesco, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't like it. :)

I think that happens sometimes too. I think that we often want to like something...especially when we've been told how great it is by people that we trust. If that makes any sense. :)

Randolph said (in part):

I'm glad we have some honest reviewers. Sometimes I think people inflate their reviews just because an author is currently hot or seems to be in such high regard by others.

Exactly. I'd much rather hear an honestly expressed viewpoint even if it's at odds with mine.

Charlene observed:

I think that happens sometimes too. I think that we often want to like something...especially when we've been told how great it is by people that we trust. If that makes any sense. :)

Yes, I have sometimes recognized that tendency in myself -- especially in my younger days.

I'm excited for the group read of The Halloween Tree. I think I'll read it as a bedtime story with my daughter. I haven't read Ray Bradbury since I was a child.

Charlene wrote: "I've read one novella and one short story collection from Barron, and I loved them both.
Scott, what have you read that turned you of?"

I read The Imago Sequence and Other Stories. I don't remember a thing about it, but I think all of it just left me cold. He seems like one of those writers who writes weird for the sake of being weird, without any meaning or point to it.

But I guess you could say the same of Ligotti, whom I like very much. *shrug*

BTW, I think this is the first time one of my picks has ever won for a monthly read anywhere. :D

This is why I don't understand why I disliked Teatro Grottesco so much, but loved The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All. It doesn't make sense, really, but there it is.

I did find an audiobook of The Halloween Tree here (U.S.): http://www.amazon.com/The-Halloween-T...

Then I found a much less pricey version here (this version is dramatized):
http://www.amazon.com/The-Halloween-T...

Randolph wrote: " He is running the same track as Ligotti so it's not surprising that if you don't like Ligotti then Barron is probably not your cup of tea."

But I love Ligotti. I think he is a much better writer than Barron.

I wasn't trying to do something "again"; I just thought you misread what I had said before.