Horror Aficionados discussion

Forget the themes. Forget the list of award winners. Name the one horror book you'd love to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island. I'll place up to 10 in the poll and let the voting commence.

I've never read Swan Song and since I would be stranded on an island I would need a long book.

I'd like to suggest Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin. I've been meaning to read this one for a long time, just never got around to it.

Jason, William sent Swan Song to me last Christmas and I haven't read it yet. Looks like an undertaking, that's for sure, but I've heard so many good things about it.

The Stand would be my pick.

Bad Things or The Forgotten by Tamara Thorne She's good and not enough people have read her.

The one book I'd want with me is not horror. Really doesn't fit this group. If I can take one of every genre I'd make my horror book . Anyone who says it isn't horror is out of their friggin' mind.

Kristy wrote: "The one book I'd want with me is not horror. Really doesn't fit this group. If I can take one of every genre I'd make my horror book . Anyone who say..."

I can imagine.

have Ghost Road Blues, Blood Crazy, Coffin County, or Writ in Blood been a book of the month yet? those are all on my shelf waiting to be read.

ah but now that i read the top of the thread, this is a desert island pick. hmm, dunno. i'd say The Passage but i didn't get the impression that was too popular in here.

how bout It? would love a reason to read that one again.

Hmm... Island by Richard Laymon seems appropriate. However, I'm determined to read Swan Song by Robert McCammon and It by Stephen King before I die, so if I was stranded on a desert island, I would want one of those two books to read. Don't make me pick one :o(

Mark wrote: "i'd say The Passage but i didn't get the impression that was too popular in here"

The Passage was our group read over the summer when it was released. There were mixed opinions. I loved it.

Tressa wrote: "Jason, William sent Swan Song to me last Christmas and I haven't read it yet. Looks like an undertaking, that's for sure, but I've heard so many good things about it."

I thought you had read Swan Song. Aren't you always raving about RM?

Amy wrote: "The Passage was our group read over the summer when it was released. There were mixed opinions. I l..."

oh yeah, that's why i even read it in the first place! forgot for a moment there that it was actually a group read and not just a random discussion topic. i even wrote my longest review yet because of it.

i suggested it because it sure is lengthy enough for a desert island pick. and awesome enough as well, in my opinion. i'm looking forward to re-reading it again, maybe after the whole trilogy is complete. but can't have a book be a group read twice, so my vote is for IT! unless that too has already been a group read.

Amy, I do rave about Robert McCammon over the few books of his I've read: Boy's Life, Mine, and Speaks the Nightbird. I always imagined Swan Song was too similar to The Stand for me to enjoy. Stupid, I know, but it put me off it for decades.

IT is a good book; I've read it several times.

I have Ghost Road Blues here at the house and have been wanting to read that one for the longest time.

We read Ghost Road Blues last October.

I do recall that now. Guess I'll have to go solo on that one.

Tressa, you will enjoy that trilogy.

I would love to read Snow by Ronald Malfi. I own Swan Song but I am going to be in a new place and needing to unpack. I don't want to tackle something that huge right after a move.

I don't think any of us want to tackle anything huge for a monthly read.

Zombette, that's what everyone says. I hope to get to the trilogy soon.

I'd love to reread any early Stephen King novel. The early ones aren't jaw-droppingly long, either. :)

I can't bring myself to reread any King. I read him so often back in the '80s I'm burned out.

Awe, drat!
OK, how about some John Saul?

I read some Saul back then. I still remember Comes the Blind Fury (or at least I think he wrote that).

I don't think this "theme" of mine is working. Would anyone be interested in choosing books from a prolific author like Graham Masterton to include in a poll? There are a lot of his books I'd like to get to soon.

Or if anyone can come up with a good idea, I'm all ears/eyes.

I have It, Ghost Road Blues, and Snow already waiting to be read, so I'm pretty open. Also, I'm in for a non-huge book to read as I will be busy with finals.

We can read GRB together T!

Did you mean your non theme theme isn't working?

I too have some Graham Masterton to read, but some of the books I have I later learned were part of a series. I don't want to do a series.

How about November Mourns? I was going to read that in November...

Yeah, my non-theme theme isn't working.

I'd be happy to read GRB with you whenever I can get around to it.

I read Masterton's Prey and loved it.

Except for a few cherished series, I am usually not interested in them. I think a good premise gets watered down in time when book after book in a series keeps getting written and it's a turn off.

I'll check into November Mourns.

I'm gonna suggest a new book that I know little about, except the excerpts I read looked great:

Full Dark No Stars Stephen King comes out on November 4 or 6.

The Dark by James Herbert!
The Dark

So far:

Full Dark No Stars by Stephen King
The Dark by James Herbert
November Mourns by Tom Piccirilli
Snow by Ronald Malfi
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Bad Things by Tamara Thorne
Family Portrait by Graham Masterton

Think I'll make a poll today. I didn't include the really big reads, though, but thanks for the suggestions.

Go vote! Voting ends Monday, October 25. I know it's not a full week, but the Frozen Blood not being published sort of threw a kink into the plans.

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/40...

So perhaps I missed the discussion but I had thought that you posted a thread about Frozen Blood being the group read for November. I got a very beat up copy of it from the library. Is it still the November group read or is this one we are voting on?

Felina, we were waiting for the October reissue of Frozen Blood, but the recent shake up at Leisure put the October release on hold. So it's going to be hard for everyone who wants to participate to get a copy. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Canadian Jason e-mailed Joel Sutherland and received this response:

I wish I had better news but unfortunately the problems at Leisure have definitely affected my book and everything is up in the air at this time. I doubt that it will come out for November and I'd therefore advise your group to select a different book. It's really a shame since I was honoured to be picked and hoping to offer some prizes/gifts to all who read/reviewed it. If it ever does see the light of day with Leisure (or a different publishing company) I will be sure to let you know.

Cheers,
Joel

Which was a shame. I was looking forward to it.

Me, too. I hope you don't mind me sharing Joel's e-mail with the group. He summed it up more nicely than I could. Plus, he's an author. *gazing up in adoration and worship*

I didn't mind. I thought it was good to let everyone know what's going on. :)

Swan Song looks fat & big...but, it's such a great read, it flys by.

Leisure is expected to issue their monthly selections in a trade paperback in 2011. I look forward to having Frozen Blood selected for our group read when it becomes available.

Lee wrote: "Swan Song looks fat & big...but, it's such a great read, it flys by."

I picked up a copy of Swan Song at a used book store not too long ago, but its soooooo long I cant make myself start it. The last really long book I read was The Great and Secret Show, but i was kinda disappointed so Ive been sticking to books under or around 500 pages.

I hate to hear that. That book came highly recommended here on the Clive Barker thread, so I snatched a copy. I hear ya on not wanting to pick up thick books lately though...

Charles wrote: "Lee wrote: "Swan Song looks fat & big...but, it's such a great read, it flys by."

I picked up a copy of Swan Song at a used book store not too long ago, but its soooooo long I cant ma..."

Swan song was good. Reminded me of The stand.