Six Of The Scariest Books Ever

brainstorm77 · Apr 9, 2009

List taken from Simple Living Magazine. Have any of you read these titles? Thoughts? Opinions?

1. The Exorcist-William Peter Blatty
2.The Haunting of Hill House-Shirley Jackson
3.The House on The Borderland-William Hope Hodgson
4.Our Lady of Darkness-Fritz Leiber
5.The Shining-Stephen King
6.The Monk-Matthew Lewis

Also, what scary books would you recommend?

And yes I do know scariest has one R. If a Mod could change that in the thread title I would be ever so happy

firedrake · Apr 9, 2009

I've read three of those.
I'd certainly agree with 'The Exorcist' and 'The Haunting of Hill House', but I think King has written scarier books than 'The Shining'. 'Pet Semetary' is the one that freaked me out and, since our son was born (10 years ago), I can't bring myself to re-read it. Come to think of it, 'Salem's Lot' was downright creepy too. I read it all in one sitting, finished at 3.00am, was alone in the house. Slept with a cross under my pillow and the lights on and hoped that nothing would start scratching at the window asking to be let in.

selkn.asrai · Apr 9, 2009

I've read The Shining, coz I love ghost stories.

Honestly, I'm surprised Coraline isn't on that list; I've heard, and read, that some people consider it one of the most terrifying pieces of modern fiction, no matter its YA category. I thought it was quite unnerving, not gonna lie.

Ken · Apr 9, 2009

Cugo was pretty creepy and so was Christine.
(Haven't really read many scary books.)
Saw the movie version of the Exorcist :-O

RLB · Apr 9, 2009

Just finished The Shining last week. (I'd seen the movie and never read the book.) I don't know about the scariest book ever, but I am having trouble facing drawn shower curtains. Yikes!

(But on reflection, I think Pet Semetary was scarier.)

I'll have to check out Coraline. It looked like a kids movie, so I didn't think the book would be that frightening.

brainstorm77 · Apr 9, 2009

So far from that list I've ordered The Shining and The Haunting of Hill HOuse

brainstorm77 · Apr 9, 2009

RLB said:
Just finished The Shining last week. (I'd seen the movie and never read the book.) I don't know about the scariest book ever, but I am having trouble facing drawn shower curtains. Yikes!

(But on reflection, I think Pet Semetary was scarier.)

I'll have to check out Coraline. It looked like a kids movie, so I didn't think the book would be that frightening.

Coraline, I think I will add that one on my list of books to get.

AMCrenshaw · Apr 9, 2009

I'll second The Shining-- That was Stephen King's "shining" moment for me.

House of Leaves-- Mark Z. D.
Book of Revelation ???
The Road --Cormac McCarthy
Beloved --Toni Morrison

AMC

JamieB · Apr 9, 2009

selkn.asrai said:
Honestly, I'm surprised Coraline isn't on that list; I've heard, and read, that some people consider it one of the most terrifying pieces of modern fiction, no matter its YA category. I thought it was quite unnerving, not gonna lie.

Didn't read the book, but saw the movie with my 5 and 6 year olds and it flipped them out for days. It wasn't scary to me, just very creepy. Disturbing is a good word. I can see how reading it could be terrifying depending on how active the reader's imagination is.

willietheshakes · Apr 9, 2009

The interesting thing about Coraline (which I first heard from Neil before the book came out, but which has been proven to me time and again since) is that kids tend to find it exciting, a suspenseful adventure story, while adults tend to find it terrifying and utterly disturbing.

jodiodi · Apr 11, 2009

I have to go with:

The Shining - Scariest book evah.
Salem's Lot - Couldn't read it alone at my house with my parents gone.
Some book by James Herbert about a plane crash in a field and ghosts showing up in the area afterward.
Jane Eyre - scared me the first time I read it as a kid. I love big old spooky houses.

williemeikle · Apr 11, 2009

jodiodi said:
I have to go with:
Some book by James Herbert about a plane crash in a field and ghosts showing up in the area afterward.

That was THE SURVIVOR

For me, I'll go with the six mentioned at the start and add

SHADOWLAND - Peter Straub
NAIOMI'S ROOM - Jonathan Aycliffe
TO WAKE THE DEAD - Ramsey Campbell
CAST A COLD EYE - Alan Ryan
ALL HEADS TURN WHEN THE WILD HUNT GOES BY - John Farris

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Apr 11, 2009

IMHO, you can't beat 'The Haunting of Hill House'... but 'The Exorcist' comes close.

Delhomeboy · Apr 11, 2009

Read The Shining, The Exorcist, and The Haunting of Hill House...and while I agree with the first too, THOHH just wasn't all that scary...good, don't get me wrong, just not scary.

AMCrenshaw said:
I'll second The Shining-- That was Stephen King's "shining" moment for me.

House of Leaves-- Mark Z. D.
Book of Revelation ???
The Road --Cormac McCarthy
Beloved --Toni Morrison

AMC

Beloved, really? Interesting...I'd love to hear your thoughts on that. and The Road, too...didn't really see either of those as scary.

Adelaide · Apr 16, 2009

I don't know about AMC, but for me Beloved wasn't scary in the traditional horror sense, but it definitely was scary. Some parts were so bizarre they were unsettling; other parts were just outright unsettling, particularly the climax of the book, towards the end (I don't care to ruin for anybody

). Perhaps most terrifying was the examination of one of the darkest parts of human history: slavery and its effect on those involved. But yeah. Scary stuff. :O

brainstorm77 · Apr 16, 2009

Delhomeboy said:
Read The Shining, The Exorcist, and The Haunting of Hill House...and while I agree with the first too, THOHH just wasn't all that scary...good, don't get me wrong, just not scary.

Beloved, really? Interesting...I'd love to hear your thoughts on that. and The Road, too...didn't really see either of those as scary.

I agree, I just finished The Haunting of Hill House and I didn't find it scary.

Abraham · Apr 16, 2009

"The Shining" is great but I have to agree that "Pet Semetary" is King's most frightening, probably followed by "Salem's Lot". I also love "The Haunting of Hill House". If you haven't checked it out read "We Have Always Lived in the Castle". It's not really scary, but it is extremely creepy and unsettling.

jodiodi · Apr 16, 2009

Abraham said:
"The Shining" is great but I have to agree that "Pet Semetary" is King's most frightening, probably followed by "Salem's Lot". I also love "The Haunting of Hill House". If you haven't checked it out read "We Have Always Lived in the Castle". It's not really scary, but it is extremely creepy and unsettling.

I think I've read We Have Always Lived in the Castle, but I'm not sure. I need to look it up.

I tend to love books with gothic motifs: big old isolated house, mysterious surroundigs, questionable motives of 'hero', dark secrets.

I didn't find Pet Sematary scary, frightening or even unsettling. I was just depressed by the whole book. I felt bad for the animals who died and sorry for the dad.

'Salem's Lot had its moments, but The Shining is the one I'll always remember and re-read.

katiemac · Apr 16, 2009

I read Haunting of Hill House a long time ago, but I remember it being kind of dull, not scary. I'll check out The Survivor though, that sounds interesting.

Kris · Apr 16, 2009

I am a big wimp. I thought "Carrie" was intriguing, so I picked up "Christine"...you know, the one about the haunted car? I thought I'd never sleep again. Then I read "'Salem's Lot"...GAWD. I really can't read scary books, they make me a jittery wreck. I also went through a big Patricia Cornwell phase when I lived alone. I know, those books are mild for fans of really scary stuff. But again, jittery wreck. *shudder*

Satori1977 · Apr 17, 2009

Only read The Shining, but I agree that he has written scarier books. I think Peter Straub has written scary books, and anything by HP Lovecraft gives me the chills. And Clive Barker's Books of Blood are pretty creepy.

jodiodi · Apr 17, 2009

The Survivor was really good. I think I still have a copy somewhere packed away in one of those boxes I haven't seen in years.

I don't find gore scary and I have a high tolerence for 'fright'. I'm increasingly disappointed in most books I try to read though I've found the Dexter books to be quite creepy, more so than even the show (my favorite TV show).

Unease, something not quite right, something a little off--those are the sort of characteristics I look for in a scary book or movie or TV show. If the writer can make me suspend my disbelief, then it's a good book. Too often, I'll be reading and think, "Oh, that's ridiculous. No one does that in Real Life." even in fantasies. But if the author grounds the events in what is real for their universe and makes me believe that's how it goes in their world, than I'm along for the ride.

World-building isn't just for fantasy.

brainstorm77 · Apr 17, 2009

jodiodi said:
The Survivor was really good. I think I still have a copy somewhere packed away in one of those boxes I haven't seen in years.

I don't find gore scary and I have a high tolerence for 'fright'. I'm increasingly disappointed in most books I try to read though I've found the Dexter books to be quite creepy, more so than even the show (my favorite TV show).

Unease, something not quite right, something a little off--those are the sort of characteristics I look for in a scary book or movie or TV show. If the writer can make me suspend my disbelief, then it's a good book. Too often, I'll be reading and think, "Oh, that's ridiculous. No one does that in Real Life." even in fantasies. But if the author grounds the events in what is real for their universe and makes me believe that's how it goes in their world, than I'm along for the ride.

World-building isn't just for fantasy.

I'm a huge fan of Dexter (he's hot) and I plan on starting the book series

"A" Is For "Agent" · Apr 17, 2009

Didn't anyone read Desperation by Stephen King? That's by far his scariest work.
Deadlock is pretty 'effing scary too.

Delhomeboy · Apr 18, 2009

I've read Desperation...good, like all of his stuff, but not his scariest, in my own opinion, of course. I would say Pet Sematary is his scariest, The Shining is his best.

Six Of The Scariest Books Ever

practical experience, FTW

practical experience, FTW

Rawr.

bundled

practical experience, FTW

practical experience, FTW

...

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Reflections of Reality

The force is strong in this one.

Hand? What hand?

Stalking Jennifer Aniston!

practical experience, FTW

Reflections of Reality

Five by Five

like motherf&cking Tolstoy

Listening to the Voices In My Head

Reflections of Reality

practical experience, FTW

Big Meanie Head

Stalking Jennifer Aniston!