What's the scariest fictional book you've read?

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

I liked cell right up until the end lol. There is only 1 King book that i didn't like, and i know i'll take crap for this, which is the Green Mile.

Now that I've thought about it more, and looked through my books, Another novel that scared me pretty intensely as an adult was The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Also for everyone who likes 1984, I would recommend We by Yevgeny Zamyatin.


ETA: everyone should read Hell House by Richard Matheson.

a reply to: Autorico

Didn't some of the stuff that came out around that time leave you the same way? Like the ending was some rushed cop out...

originally posted by: Autorico
a reply to: AutumnWitch657

I liked cell right up until the end lol. There is only 1 King book that i didn't like, and i know i'll take crap for this, which is the Green Mile.

I refused to read the green mile when he was writing it because I had already started the Dark Tower series and he was taking an eternity getting that written. I've since read it and it was pretty sad. What I do love about king is that there are things from one story to the next that connects them that only a king fan would realize. Like he was telling a bigger story within each of the books. Those connections wound up relating to the dark tower,in the end.

a reply to: Atsbhct

I did read Hell House.

I agree with your Dad. Books get into your head the way no movie ever can. a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

a reply to: Atsbhct

I was debating mentioning Cormac McCarthy myself. Can't say anything I've yet read by him is horror, but most certainly can be called dark.

a reply to: AlmostRosey

When I was a kid (12 to 17) I read The Call of Cthulu and The Colour Out Of Space, well actually the entire HP Lovecraft series. At the time, being young and all, they gave me a bit of a fright, but I just couldn't put them down LOL. We all grow up however and I have seen some things in the field, what man can do to man and I did have to readjust my thinking on horror in general. There's something about real life up-close-and-personal that kind of reduces the impact of fiction.

Cheers - Dave

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

I hope they bring the dark tower series to tv series, mini series or film. And yea, i love how Flagg permeates into his other works, awesome villain!

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

I also felt like he was trying waaay to hard to be "meaningful" with Green Mile, which was why i didn't care for it.

originally posted by: StopLookingAtMe
"The Great and Secret Show" and "Imajica" by Clive Barker are two that I found to be frightening.

I've found those to be more fascinating than frightening. The Books of Blood are damn scary though.

a reply to: AlmostRosey

The Exorcist - William Peter Blatty - sneaked my my Mother's copy out of her chest of drawers when I was 10 years old - still sleep with a light on in the closet. My husband has become used to it after 15 years, but rues the day I read it!

The Witching Hour - Anne Rice - beautiful prose, yet a super creep factor, especially for anyone that loves NOLA.

Blue Rose Trilogy - Especially the novel "Mystery" - Peter Straub. Very weird combo of paranormal, Vietnam War and murder mystery that weaves in and out of the three books.

And Yes - The Amityville Horror - Jay Anson. Trashy but has a great *shiver* factor. Makes you not want to buy an old Colonial with an Eyebrow Window anytime soon...LOL.

a reply to: Missmissie173

I wonder if the Blue Rose trilogy has anything to do with the Blue Rose thing in Twin Peaks. Meaning I wonder if Lynch was inspired by it.

'Supervolcano' by Harry Turtledove.

He imagines Yellowstone erupting.
The gradual nature of the devastation is really unsettling; it blows, the ash falls, the weather cools...slow motion disaster.

a reply to: Missmissie173

I really liked the Blue Rose books. The Throat was wicked. I think that Peter Straub is an under rated author.

a reply to: Missmissie173

I loved the Straub books co written with King. The Talisman and Black house which both related back to the dark tower.
I grew up in Babylon a town next to Amityville and knew too much of the area for the Amityville horror to affect me. Anson got road names wrong and place names wrong. Like he mentions East Babylon and though there is a West Babylon and a North Babylon and Babylon village there is no East Babylon. I also was familiar with the Ronnie Defeo story which was true. But the guy was a wack job and no one believed a thing he said. The truth was Lutz got into more house than he could afford and used the horror story to get out of the mortgage by claiming he wasn't advised that the house was haunted or possessed which believe it or not on long island is a,law.

Probably Amityville Horror because it was supposed to be a true story and I know that a lot of those kinds of metaphysical things CAN happen. Even though we now know the story was 'hollywoodized' to build it up, demonic things can happen and that's what makes it scary to me.

originally posted by: LiveForever8
A lot of people mentioning Nineteen Eighty-Four by Orwell but I find Huxley's Brave New World to be a far more accurate depiction of the dystopia we are currently surviving in, therefore, a far scarier story.

I think the two compliment one another, and show two writers perspectives on similar events. Either way, both have become somewhat prophetic.

Brave new world
1984
IT
One Second After
Supervolcano

some are happening some are possible you chose which!

a reply to: Autorico

Hi Auto:

Not sure about the ties between Blue Rose/Straub and Twin Peaks/David Lynch, but that is an interesting analogy.

Both Straub and Lynch can be kind of "out there" so it is entirely possible.

Loved me some Twin Peaks back in the day!