What was the scariest book you've read and why?? - Page 2

Suzibee · 01-13-2011, 08:01 PM

The most frightening books for me have been by Robin Cook in the past. They are medical thrillers & I finally stopped reading them altogether.
Steven King is great, but not so scary that I stopped reading his books.

thrawn_aj · 01-13-2011, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhempel24

Just curious as to this. I'm not talking about books that make you want to vomit because they have descriptive scenes of violence, but books that have shook you to your core. Can't read for more than an hour at a time because you are terrified, and can't turn the light off to go to sleep.

I think mine was Pet Semetary, but I really only think that because I was about 12 when I read it, and really haven't read it since. We were also taking a cat to be euthanized as well, so everything kind of just stuck with me.

So what made you keep the light on?

Unbelievable

. I saw the title of your thread in the list (without even reading your post) and Pet Sematry immediately rose up in my mind, even though it's been nearly a decade since I read it. I think the horror came out of the highly emotional descriptions of the young son (I even remember his name - Gage

).

More recently, The library policeman, which I first heard as an audiobook driving down I-5 on a long trip scared me silly (again, dunno why). A word of advice, never read a Stephen King book dealing with road trips or cars (Desperation, From a Buick 8, Riding the Bullet) while taking a road trip

.

mikeayers · 01-13-2011, 08:50 PM

Salem's Lot. When I was about 14, my parents left me at home. All I did was read the book till I was done. I finished right at dusk. My parents didn't come home for hours and hours. I was fine sitting in the house alone in the day time reading... but to have the sun go down and be finished with Salem's Lot and be alone was a little much! Years latter I read it again... it wasn't nearly as bad the 2nd time.

Belfaborac · 01-13-2011, 09:10 PM

One more vote for Stephen King's IT. I honestly can't remember exactly what I found so scary, but scary it was.

caleb72 · 01-13-2011, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NNolan

The part in "Salem's Lot" where the little vampire kid is outside his buddy's house trying to talk him into opening the window really creeped me out.

I've never read the book, but I now have it in my library. One of the few King books that I considered a must read along with The Stand.

However, I found this scene in the original movie chilling to the core, so I look forward to the same scene in the book.

Regards
Caleb

montsnmags · 01-13-2011, 10:42 PM

Floating Dragon by Peter Straub is probably the one for me. I think it was a particular scene with spiders that had me decide to pack in reading for the night and pick it up in reassuring daylight the next day.

Cheers,
Marc

babs_johnson · 01-13-2011, 10:52 PM

Communion by Whitley Strieber freaked me out. It was one of the few books that had me running around the house closing the curtains. Aliens are scary!

Jillbee · 01-13-2011, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belfaborac

One more vote for Stephen King's IT. I honestly can't remember exactly what I found so scary, but scary it was.

Yep me too. I was a teenager and slept with the lights on for a week. No more King for me.

RolandD · 01-14-2011, 12:57 AM

Stephen King's ss/novella The Mist was one of the few things that scared me. Gerald's Game, the handcuff escape for biggest gross out. Makes me cringe to think of it.

jhempel24 · 01-14-2011, 01:00 AM

So do these books hit you after you read them? Or do the grip you AS you are reading them.

With Nightmare (currently reading), it is hitting me after the fact...perhaps one of the reasons is one of the locations is the Waverly Place Sanitarium in Louisville, KY. I did their haunted stay, where you stay overnight, and it was creepy....creepy...creepy...beats any haunted house.

I'm not done with the book, but one thing that gets me, is when there is something in the mirror that isn't there, or when pictures change, one expression to another.

caleb72 · 01-14-2011, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhempel24

So do these books hit you after you read them? Or do the grip you AS you are reading them.

In the cases I mentioned it was as I was reading them.

I've thought of another example - again not scared, but more horrified. "The Walk" by Bachman (King).

As I read this short story I became almost concussed by the story and after I completed the story, I would sometimes find myself washing dishes but staring aimlessly out of the window as if suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

I recently recommended the Bachman Books to someone who wanted to experiment with King's writing.

Regards
Caleb

jhempel24 · 01-14-2011, 01:16 AM

The Walk is awesome....it's the one where people have to keep a certain pace, and the "last one standing" wins right?

I think I have it as "The Long Walk"

Daniel A Roberts · 01-14-2011, 01:28 AM

Hobgoblin by John Coyne.

The end part where we find out the 'monster' that killed people so horribly was actually a deranged psychopathic old man who's lunatic strength pretty much made sure he could easily off people, made every past scene in the book suddenly seem it could really happen. Never before had a book turned what could have been a seeming fantasy to reality so easily for me. They even thought he was a monster, he was so decrepit and stooped over... he fit the lore of a Black Annis in a roleplay game the protagonist of the book played called Hobgoblin. Good stuff.

Alsicole · 01-14-2011, 01:28 AM

For me it would be The Shining. Read it a long time ago now, but I still have to pull back a closed shower curtain to check what or who is behind it. I think Stephen King has the remarkable ability to take normal stuff and mess with it in such a way that it sticks in your head.

Alsicole · 01-14-2011, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel A Roberts

Hobgoblin by John Coyne.

The end part where we find out the 'monster' that killed people so horribly was actually a deranged psychopathic old man who's lunatic strength pretty much made sure he could easily off people, made every past scene in the book suddenly seem it could really happen. Never before had a book turned what could have been a seeming fantasy to reality so easily for me. They even thought he was a monster, he was so decrepit and stooped over... he fit the lore of a Black Annis in a roleplay game the protagonist of the book played called Hobgoblin. Good stuff.

I loved this book too - it's quite hard to find now and my paperback is pretty battered. Brilliant story though.

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01-13-2011, 08:01 PM	#16
Suzibee Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Coby Kyros	The most frightening books for me have been by Robin Cook in the past. They are medical thrillers & I finally stopped reading them altogether. Steven King is great, but not so scary that I stopped reading his books.

01-13-2011, 08:50 PM	#18
mikeayers Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 432377 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle PW 10thGen, Kobo Clara HD	Salem's Lot. When I was about 14, my parents left me at home. All I did was read the book till I was done. I finished right at dusk. My parents didn't come home for hours and hours. I was fine sitting in the house alone in the day time reading... but to have the sun go down and be finished with Salem's Lot and be alone was a little much! Years latter I read it again... it wasn't nearly as bad the 2nd time.

01-13-2011, 09:10 PM	#19
Belfaborac Wizard Posts: 1,498 Karma: 5199835 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Norway Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-950	One more vote for Stephen King's IT. I honestly can't remember exactly what I found so scary, but scary it was.

01-13-2011, 10:42 PM	#21
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	Floating Dragon by Peter Straub is probably the one for me. I think it was a particular scene with spiders that had me decide to pack in reading for the night and pick it up in reassuring daylight the next day. Cheers, Marc

01-13-2011, 10:52 PM	#22
babs_johnson filthiest person alive! Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Boise Device: Prs-900	Communion by Whitley Strieber freaked me out. It was one of the few books that had me running around the house closing the curtains. Aliens are scary!

01-14-2011, 12:57 AM	#24
RolandD Fanatic Posts: 561 Karma: 3228980 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Branson, MO, USA Device: Kindle Touch is now my main eReader.	Stephen King's ss/novella The Mist was one of the few things that scared me. Gerald's Game, the handcuff escape for biggest gross out. Makes me cringe to think of it.

01-14-2011, 01:00 AM	#25
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	So do these books hit you after you read them? Or do the grip you AS you are reading them. With Nightmare (currently reading), it is hitting me after the fact...perhaps one of the reasons is one of the locations is the Waverly Place Sanitarium in Louisville, KY. I did their haunted stay, where you stay overnight, and it was creepy....creepy...creepy...beats any haunted house. I'm not done with the book, but one thing that gets me, is when there is something in the mirror that isn't there, or when pictures change, one expression to another.

01-14-2011, 01:16 AM	#27
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	The Walk is awesome....it's the one where people have to keep a certain pace, and the "last one standing" wins right? I think I have it as "The Long Walk"

01-14-2011, 01:28 AM	#28
Daniel A Roberts Author Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oklahoma City Device: Mobi Pocket	Hobgoblin by John Coyne. The end part where we find out the 'monster' that killed people so horribly was actually a deranged psychopathic old man who's lunatic strength pretty much made sure he could easily off people, made every past scene in the book suddenly seem it could really happen. Never before had a book turned what could have been a seeming fantasy to reality so easily for me. They even thought he was a monster, he was so decrepit and stooped over... he fit the lore of a Black Annis in a roleplay game the protagonist of the book played called Hobgoblin. Good stuff.

01-14-2011, 01:28 AM	#29
Alsicole Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 590326 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: UK Device: Kindle Voyage, iPhone 6, iPad Mini Retina,	For me it would be The Shining. Read it a long time ago now, but I still have to pull back a closed shower curtain to check what or who is behind it. I think Stephen King has the remarkable ability to take normal stuff and mess with it in such a way that it sticks in your head.

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