Horror thread

[xg4bx]

I didn't want to totally hijack the Jack Ketchum thread so I decided to make one dedicated to lesser known horror authors. Much of what I read in terms of horror falls towards the "extreme" side of the spectrum (very gory, deals with "taboo" subjects such as snuff films, disturbing situations) so if I recommend anything I'll add that extreme label so those interested are forewarned.

Tim Curran. He's pretty prolific and criminally underrated. I've read most of his work except for his 3 horror westerns. If you like post-apocalyptic fiction filled with mutants and almost laughably outrageous gore check out Biohazard. For those into atmospheric, Lovecraftian horror Dead Sea is a good bet. Very creepy.

Edward Lee. I'm not a huge fan but he's got a massive catalogue of work. His "Infernal" series which starts with City Infernal is probably his best work imo. It's basically a series of semi-interconnected novels set in Hell and all the demons, monsters and insane situations that entails. The latest book, Lucifer's Lottery features HP Lovecraft as a tour guide through the sights and sounds of Hell. Awesome ending.

Wrath James White. Here's where we start getting extreme. Population Zero concerns an employee in a welfare office who is disgusted by what he sees everyday and he's willing to use any means to correct the situation. Extreme extreme extreme, I can't stress that enough. The climax is literally the most revolting thing I've ever read in fiction. While the book has an excellent social commentary, only the strongest stomachs need apply. The Resurrectionist is about a man gifted with the ability to bring the dead back to life and uses his gift on the neighbor he's obsessed with night after night.

JF Gonzalez. Survivor is probably my favorite novel of his but it definitely skews on the extreme side. Its about a woman kidnapped by a filmmaker looking to make her the star of a snuff film. What she's willing to do to survive is what pushes the book into extreme/twisted territory.

The Clickers series by JF Gonzalez and Brian Keene deserves its own special mention. Its an awesome B-movie style monster series about mutated crabs on a killing spree. There's 3 books and I've only read the first two but they're good, bloodsplattered fun. Book 3 starts turning the series in a more supernatural direction with ties to Dagon.

Speaking of, Brian Keene. He's not the greatest writer but I enjoy most of his work. The Rising, City of the Dead and Dead Sea (no relation to the previously mentioned) are fun, solid zombie novels where everything that dies comes back:humans, animals, insects, fish, etc. The Conquerer Worms is a fun novel about Earth being flooded and the biblical Leviathan and Behemoth ruling the sea and the few remaining spots of dry land. Terminal is probably his best novel. Its about a down on his luck guy and a bank robbery gone wrong. Theres definitely a supernatural element.

I have more but my hunt and peck typing is making my finger hurt so I'll add them later.

[xg4bx]

One more before I go to bed.

Eric S. Brown. Insanely prolific, I've only read maybe 1/4 of his output. His enthusiasm definitely shines through in his work. His Bigfoot War novels are probably his most popular, they're B-movie siege horror involving sasquatches. Book 2 introduces zombies and military combat into the mix. They're a fun read if you're looking for some good, pure monster action. They're not insanely gory but they do feature violence common to the monster and zombie genres.

He also did a mash-up, War of the Worlds Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies. Its a good mash-up and the zombies add a nice angle to the WotW story. To me it felt like the zombies were meant to be there all along lol.

[jhempel24]

I picked up Biohazard, and I actually really like it. It's pretty much what I thought a post-apocalyptic world would look like...and reminds me of the Fallout games kind of lol.

I might have to check out Population Zero.....but the extreme to the extreme might keep me from checking it out.

Edward Lee...meh, I've read a couple of this things, and I don't know he is even an author. Some of the worst things I've ever read.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by jhempel24

I might have to check out Population Zero.....but the extreme to the extreme might keep me from checking it out.

I'd often wondered how abortions were carried out with a coat hanger. Reading that book, I found out.

If you can find it, try Hero by him and JF Gonzalez. It's more psychological horror than gross-out. The official ebook has been removed from sale, but there's a few pre-owned copies floating around.

[OtterBooks]

I've been rather fanatical about a lesser-known, though award winning author named Rick Yancey and his Monstrumologist series. Horror/adventure. It's labeled as YA but is extremely dark, graphic, and written with Victorian literary flair. It's not shock-lit but he doesn't spare the brutality, and he delivers it with an emotional element and flowery prose that makes it all the more disturbing.

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

I've been rather fanatical about a lesser-known, though award winning author named Rick Yancey and his Monstrumologist series. Horror/adventure. It's labeled as YA but is extremely dark, graphic, and written with Victorian literary flair. It's not shock-lit but he doesn't spare the brutality, and he delivers it with an emotional element and flowery prose that makes it all the more disturbing.

i haven't read them yet but i've seen these books. i really like the tone and the medical illustrations give them an awesome aesthetic. *sigh* added them to my ever growing wish list lol.

[replica145]

I'm scared

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

i haven't read them yet but i've seen these books. i really like the tone and the medical illustrations give them an awesome aesthetic. *sigh* added them to my ever growing wish list lol.

The little medical illustrations on random pages are so awesome. I love stuff like that. Makes me want to read it by candlelight. Can't recommend that series enough. It's more paranormal science than supernatural, and in a really cool 19th century way, with an H. Rider Haggard sense of adventure. Babies may or not be eaten at some point. And I'd guess maybe 5% of young adults are advanced enough readers for it. Guy is a heavy hitter when it comes to prose, at least for simple folk like me.

[jhempel24]

Does anyone know if Biohazard by Tim Curran is DRM free on Amazon? It's the only place to get the eBook.

[jhempel24]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

I'd often wondered how abortions were carried out with a coat hanger. Reading that book, I found out.

If you can find it, try Hero by him and JF Gonzalez. It's more psychological horror than gross-out. The official ebook has been removed from sale, but there's a few pre-owned copies floating around.

Okay I'll pass on that one.....I'll check out Hero!

[Renaldo]

If you liked the Clicker's books, look for the crab series by Guy N. Smith. They're pulp from the 70's, and a big inspiration for these. Reading them as serious literature will not do. Take them as silly crab stories and delight in their sometimes unintentional hilarity, and they're pure gold.

Night of the Crabs (1976) [5]
Killer Crabs (1978)
The Origin of the Crabs (1979)
Crabs on the Rampage (1981)
Crabs' Moon (1984)
Crabs: The Human Sacrifice (1988)

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Renaldo

If you liked the Clicker's books, look for the crab series by Guy N. Smith. They're pulp from the 70's, and a big inspiration for these. Reading them as serious literature will not do. Take them as silly crab stories and delight in their sometimes unintentional hilarity, and they're pure gold.

Night of the Crabs (1976) [5]
Killer Crabs (1978)
The Origin of the Crabs (1979)
Crabs on the Rampage (1981)
Crabs' Moon (1984)
Crabs: The Human Sacrifice (1988)

I grew up reading those books, which probably explains a lot. He has an annoying pro-hunt/bloodsports view, which is particularly evident in Human Sacrifice, but the rest are all good reads. There was also a graphic novel and a chapbook with 3 crab related short stories.

William Meikle (who used to post here a while ago) was supposed to be doing an update co-written with Smith, but it seems to have fell through. But he did write one called Crustaceans with giant crabs in America that has characters with a remarkable similarity to the characters in Night of the Crabs