What's the most terrifying book you recommend?

[H78]

Fiction, of course.

I usually read Koontz when it comes to horror, but lately his books just haven't done it for me. They've become too similar; every chapter seems to be the same action just taking place in a different environment.

Here's Koontz's writing style, for the most part:

First chapter: Main character is introduced, developed. Character has some sort of strength, but an equally strong flaw.
Second chapter: Killer is introduced. Lives some sort of bizarre lifestyle, but appears to be normal to other characters in the book.
Next chapter: Killer chases main character. Main character gets away. Repeat this for 20-30 chapters, minimum.
Last few chapters: Killer chases main character. Main character narrowly gets away.
Final chapter: Killer chases main character. Main character seems to be in unsurmountable trouble because of his/her flaw. Main character overcomes flaw, kills killer, gets away.

Basically, I'm tired of that wash, rinse and repeat style of writing. I like Koontz, but he's having trouble evolving from that.

Having said all of that, do any of you guys have any great, horrifying books you've read that you'd suggest. I'm looking for something that breaks the above cycle. I've thought about Cliver Barker novels, but I don't want to keep my nose buried in a novel for close to 1,000 pages, which is how long many of his pieces of work seem to be. I get bored reading about the same characters for that long.

Suggestions?

[3/6]

hansel and grettel

deals with cannibalism, poverty, murder, child abandonment ...fuckin crazy

[H78]

hansel and grettel

deals with cannibalism, poverty, murder, child abandonment ...fuckin crazy

Look everyone, we have a comedian! BUUUUUUUR HUUUR HUR!!! :finger3:

:D

[3/6]

read it again...the fuckin witch wants to eat the kids...theyre poor as fuck...the mom tries to loose the kids int eh forest..the kids murder the witch...pretty fuckin terrifying if you ask me

[Darkgod]

Charlie and the choclate factory was a horror story as well, but changed to a childrens story.

[KING]

The Girl Next Door, I found quite disturbing.

[Misfit]

any xmas story involve'n santa claus....fuckin pedophile, watches you when you sleep and shit

[OtepFan616]

Stephen king. Fav was Desperation,Rose madder, and salems lot. Just finished The Ruins.pretty damn good.

[Aurone]

Stephen king. Fav was Desperation,Rose madder, and salems lot. Just finished The Ruins.pretty damn good.


You forgot It!

I also recemend the origenal Jaws book.

[OtepFan616]

Yea forgot "It" and "The Stand"

[archivesofthedead]

Plague Of The Dead: Morning Star Strain
Plague Of The Dead: Thunder & Ashes

[da Gay]

Stephen king. Fav was Desperation,Rose madder, and salems lot. Just finished The Ruins.pretty damn good.

rose madder is the shit! i read that book in the 6th grade thinking it was a book on that film "rose red" but i was plently surprised.

but THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON is an amazing novel by King.

[koolmike]

I Am Legend

[Darkgod]

I Am Legend

Didn't think it was too scary, but to each there own.

[smokey]

The Girl Next Door, I found quite disturbing.

I am with you on that one. That is one disturbing book.

[BooBerry]

Everyone's been confusing the word terrifying. If you want terrifying books, check these out:

The Girl Next Door (child abuse)
Blood Crazy by Simon Clark (anyone over 18 goes murderously insane, leaving children to try and survive)
Survivor by J.F. Gonzalez (Snuff orientated, but very disturbing)
Off Season/Offspring by Jack Ketchum are pretty exciting.

[IamCorvus]

William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist is quite an interesting read.

Far as King goes: Stand, It, Bag of Bones, Cell (Though I really find none of his books terrifying, the man can storycraft like a mofo)

[UzumakiW]

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

There was a picture in that book that scared the shit out of me when I was little.

[BooBerry]

Sissy.

[bitchslicer]

The Girl Next Door, I found quite disturbing.

yeah horrible book also the films good aswell

try off season also by jack ketchum ,like booberry said

[ShadowPeople]

Are you looking for something new, exciting, and truly frightening in a zombie horror novel?

SHADOW PEOPLE: Quickening of the Wicked ~ The Novel, is seeped in terror and gore to satisfy even the most hardcore zombie enthusiasts and veined with secrets that would free us from pain, want, and old age if we only dare to override the world's consensus of thought that we CAN'T and believe we CAN.

FOR THOSE WITH A KINDLE, CHECK IT OUT…
SHADOW PEOPLE: Quickening of the Wicked
http://www.amazon.com/SHADOW-PEOPLE-Quickening-Wicked-ebook/dp/B0026RHU30/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1240084877&sr=1-2

OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR STORY AND CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS:
http://stephensjackson.com/default.aspx

[BooBerry]

:starefreak:

[jessflix]

World War Z (of coarse) killer book.

[SkullBat308]

Any thing by H.P. Lovercraft or Brian Keene and Cell by Stephen King is good

[3/6]

RL Stine :rocker:

[BooBerry]

Everyone needs to read The Descent by Jeff Long... think the movie Descent but ten times more epic. 100 pgs in, the President declares war on Hell. One of the best contemporary horror novels I've ever read. 8/10.

[Lizzy Massacre]

RL Stine :rocker:

Oh man! How dare you even mention him! :lol:

If you want some really twisted stuff try any Richard Laymon.

[Tawd The Meatcutter]

Still has to be William Peter Blatty's Legion- which gave way to the movie Exorcist 3 (which in movie terms should actually be called Exorcist 2- ignore the John Boorman shitter- it has no place in the mythos!)

Also, a very emotional read- if you read it and don't just love the hell out of Leutenant Kinderman- well, go see My Bloody Valentine 3d again- you must be a tween!

[chrsnck]

Everyone needs to read The Descent by Jeff Long... think the movie Descent but ten times more epic. 100 pgs in, the President declares war on Hell. One of the best contemporary horror novels I've ever read. 8/10.

Agreed. Have you read the sequel Deeper: A novel? I started reading it but for some reason never finished it so I dont know how good it was being a sequel and all.

[chrsnck]

For me Mark E Rogers THE DEAD scared the hell out of me. With a resurgance in zombie fiction they put it back in reprint with some sweet graffic art.

Recently though a book that really terrified me was David Moodys HATER. Some of you may remember David Moody from his online novels like the Autumn series.

[CrazySicilian]

A Good and Happy Child.

There were a few parts where I literally looked over my shoulder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Good_and_Happy_Child

[jessflix]

Fragment by Warren Fahy.
Great book.:2thumbs:

[Aurone]

Battle Royal. You think the movie's disturbing, just read the book.

[Lemmywinks]

Battle Royal. You think the movie's disturbing, just read the book.

That's what I hear and want to grab a copy. Have you read any of the graphic novels?

[Aurone]

That I have not. I'll be keeping an eye out for it.

[Halcon Loco]

Battle Royal. You think the movie's disturbing, just read the book.

I also want to read the book, I need to find a copy of it.

[SkullBat308]

That's what I hear and want to grab a copy. Have you read any of the graphic novels?

The book is disturbing, but the mangas are fucked, they are great. A character gets fucked to death by the main female antagonist, whose name I forget....

[WickedNik]

I like Koontz, but I hear ya on his books being very similar lately.
I have never read a book that actually scared me. I read a short story that did, but it wasn't even meant to be scary just the visual I got was very creepy. I believe it was called The Yellow Wallpaper.

[BooBerry]

Battle Royale was a great book, but I didn't really find it scary or disturbing.

[Macready]

Ushers Passing by Robert R McCammon. One of the first scenes with "The Pumpkin Man" in this book is jaw dropping. For me
McCammon is the all time best horror author.

[Halcon Loco]

Battle Royale was a great book, but I didn't really find it scary or disturbing.


Hmm. But I still want to give it a read.

[Lemmywinks]

The book is disturbing, but the mangas are fucked, they are great. A character gets fucked to death by the main female antagonist, whose name I forget....

Well now I know which collection of mangas I will be building on. By the way try the spoiler alert next time. :D

[Halcon Loco]

Hmm, I also should get ahold of the Manga's.

[SkullBat308]

Well now I know which collection of mangas I will be building on. By the way try the spoiler alert next time. :D

My bad :ahheh:

[SkullBat308]

I thought The Mist novella was pretty freaky, very Lovecraftian. So was Kings short story Crouch End.

[Dexter]

Haven't read all pages, but a couple that stand out from years ago - probably the two occasions a book has got me unsettled... The Amityville Horror (Jay Anson) and IT (Stephen King).

After that - having to read a graphical Post Mortem book when at Uni....

[dzombie]

the woods are dark....fuck me i forgot about that one..
i've read it about 15 years ago and it sucked me in from the beginning.
thanks for reminding me.
ps in italy the book is titled "Gli alberi di satana" wich itranslates to "Satan's Trees" LMFAO

[Matty]

I pretty much only read Stephen King, just pick up all his shit! haha, i've been reading his stories since i was probably 14. love it!

[herbertwest]

If you like comic books at all there's a brutal series called Crossed. It's really disturbing stuff.

[JohnDSmith88]

I recommend you One Day by David Nicholls. I was reading One Day by David Nicholls then I finished it last weekend. A very funny novel about friendship.This story is about a man and a woman who one day come together as lovers, then break up, but stay connected. A hilarious and realistic love story.

[john t baptist]

If you like comic books at all there's a brutal series called Crossed. It's really disturbing stuff.

definitely read this if you get chance, the bleakest most dark thing Ennis has ever written. just finished it and i just feel cold (in a good way). please, i urge you to seek it out.

[Matty]

Anything from the Oprah book club is pretty terrifying..