Supernatural Fiction of the 70s & 80s discussion

What's the last supernatural book you read from the 70s/80s? When did you read it? How was it?

Mine is Stinger by Robert McCammon which I'm currently reading, should finish it tonight. I read it six years ago, loved it then, and I'm loving it more now.

Before this one I think it was Floating Dragon by Peter Straub, which I read a few months ago. Wow! What a trip that book is.

I loved Floating Dragon! Not quite as much as Ghost Story or Shadowland, but it was still very good. :)

I'm going through an 80's horror phase right now. Recently I've read James Herbert's Magic Cottage, Das Haus auf dem Land (I can never find the English version of it here) and Creed.
I've read some Michael McDowell: The Amulet and The Elementals. I'm currently reading The Flood. It's an excellent start to a 6 book series.

Yeah, it was. Will probably reread it in a few years.

I clicked on The Flood, the premise sounds interesting.

This summer I read The Fog and The Elementals, Ghost Story and Boy's Life. They were all 5 star reads for me, The Fog may have got 4.

Charlene, I wish I was reading The Flood with you guys! I only have the 3rd book in that series.

I agree with your ratings on all of those.
You obviously have great taste. ;)

Charlene wrote: "I agree with your ratings on all of those.
You obviously have great taste. ;)"

Yes(ha!), and friends with great book recommendations! :)

It's not supernatural but I just finished Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. It was a reread and I love it still. Francis Dolarhyde is such an amazing villain.

Kirstin wrote: "It's not supernatural but I just finished Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. It was a reread and I love it still. Francis Dolarhyde is such an amazing villain."

He was super scary because he was a monster created by his childhood and could be your next door neighbor for all you knew. I loved that book.

Same here. His character is amazing to me because he's so complex. (view spoiler)[A total terrifying monster, and then, all of a sudden, you're feeling sorry for him. I actually FELT for him when he fell in love and wanted The Dragon to go away. Incredible. (hide spoiler)] Graham is also a great character.

I've not read any of Thomas Harris's books. Does Red Dragon have any connection to the Hannibal Lecter character? If the answer is a spoiler, tag it as such and I'll view the spoiler.

I don't think it's a spoiler(says right on the back cover) It's the introduction of Hannibal Lecter. He's in a max security prison, and Will Graham put him there. He goes to visit him for insight into the killer he's trying to catch(just like Clarice in Silence of the Lambs, I guess). I haven't read any other books by Harris.

I highly recommend the 1984(?) movie Manhunter, based on this book. I saw the movie first and it is very similar til the end. I love both endings. It's a beautiful movie.

I've read all of Harris' books and they are all total mind screwers. Like Kirstin, I felt for Dollarhyde and that made me feel guilty. Any writer that can cause that much emotion in what basically amounts to horror fiction is a talent in my opinion!

Black Sunday by Harris is really good as well and a detour from his usual institutionalized crazies.

Thanks, I'll check that out! It's one from my dad's bookshelf. I can remember him telling me about it. I shied away because books that have ANYTHING to do with sports make my eyes glaze over. It's a personal problem. lol

Kirstin wrote: "Thanks, I'll check that out! It's one from my dad's bookshelf. I can remember him telling me about it. I shied away because books that have ANYTHING to do with sports make my eyes glaze over. It's ..."

It's not really about football, just happens to take place on Super Bowl Sunday to take advantage of the crowds. :) Promise!

:)

Cold Moon Over Babylon by Michael McDowell. Started last night. Not a good idea if you have to work the next day

I'll be looking for that one! Anything by McDowell actually.

That one is coming back from Valancourt books next year, in case you don't find one, Kristin.
I can't wait!

Sweet! I knew that, but had forgotten.

Just started Minotaur by John Farris. 1985. Continuing on my Farris adventure because for some reason keep finding books of his at the Homeless Mission thrift shop. (.50)

Tom wrote: "Just started Minotaur by John Farris. 1985. Continuing on my Farris adventure because for some reason keep finding books of his at the Homeless Mission thrift shop. ..."

I love when one person obviously donated a gob of books to the thrift store down the street form me! You can tell because they will be in the same condition and if that person's tastes coincide with mine it's like hitting the jackpot. Especially if I happen upon that stash on a Saturday when all paperbacks are $0.50 and hardbacks are $1.00. (I'm a cheapskate)

Yeah me too. I used to drop a lot on books (and still will sometimes) but i love the thrift stores and the trade in stores and the library.

I live for our library's booksale a couple times a year. We don't have any used book stores in our immediate are. Ugh!

Minotaur Finally finished. Not exactly horror but some creepy moments. Was more espionage. The most horrifying thing about both John Farris books I have read so far have been that the male killers do their killing naked. I am not sure if this is a theme in Farris books but him using descriptions like pendulous.... terrifying!

This year I re-read The Light at the End, by John Skipp and Craig Spector



It's the vampire novel that most stuck with me. This is one of those novels that I remember, as if recalling a movie that I saw. Burned-in visuals.

Coincidentally, Stinger is another of those books. I could almost swear that I watched the movie. (though Robert McCammon is like that).

Are you psyched that McCammon's returning to horror this year? I know I am. :)

I never read all of his output. Though Boy's Life is one of my favourite books. But that's not horror, more fantasy... and it reminds me of Ray Bradbury, who is one of my all-time tops.



However, yes, I think I'm even more interested in reading his new one. I want to see how he's grown.

Found Audrey Rose by Frank De Felitta at the Goodwill today for $1!

I've not read anything by DeFelitta, though I have seen Audrey Rose and The Entity paperbacks at various yard sales and book sales over the years. He any good?

I don't know but I remember this book from when I was a kid. It was on my aunts bookshelf and I always thought the cover was cool. I don't know why I never read it. The Entity was up there too, with an equally cool cover. I know Valancourt is releasing this author so he must have something going for him.

I worked in my local library when I was in high school and it had The Entity, and I remember that cover--it was cool.

Good score, Tom! I really want to read both The Entity and Audrey Rose. I'll need to fit in a trip to my USB soon! :)

My Humane Society 25 cent sale is this Saturday. I already have my bags lined up!

Kirstin, What's USB?

Tom, looking forward to my library's summer used book sale. Paperbacks $.50. Gotta love it.

Tom wrote: "My Humane Society 25 cent sale is this Saturday. I already have my bags lined up!"

Nice!! Love those!

C. wrote: "Kirstin, What's USB?

Tom, looking forward to my library's summer used book sale. Paperbacks $.50. Gotta love it."

LOL! I meant to write UBS(used book store)

Ah, I thought so. I'm thinking, "What, she wants to go on a trip to a computer USB port? Huh??"

I just finished The Portent. Sadly, it didn't do it for me. I found it dated, even offensive at times. The ending was was good or, at least, less boring than the rest of the book.

Kirstin, I had been searching and searching for that book for decades, I finally got it last year on eBay, and I couldn't finish it. It was dated, the writing wasn't as well written as I expected, the prose was too explanatory, and exclamation points were everywhere! I was so disappointed.

That's a sad book story, Chad. It was pretty terrible, which is a shame because I liked the idea of the earth fighting back. I don't know how far you got but I was surprised this was written by a woman. There are some truly bizarre scenes in this book.

I've recently re-read Dark Companions by Ramsey Campbell. I'd almost forgotten how amazingly good his stuff was. The Show Goes On, is just sheer atmosphere. My absolute favourite though, is The Chimney.

Sadly, I've read only one piece of Campbell's writing, a short story title Heading Home, which I loved. I read it way back in the early 80s, when I was in junior high or high school. I loved the story, it completely blew me away. I'd like to try one of his novels sometime in the near future. The Chimney...that's an interesting title.

Cast A Cold Eye A pretty good ghost story from the 80's.

Wow, I envy someone who has yet to read all of Campbell's stuff for the first time. His novels The Parasite, Incarnate and The Hungry Moon are all great ones to get started with, and of course my all time favourite short story collection (apart from Night Shift), Cold Print.

I just found out the movie versions of The Fury and The Manitou are available on Amazon Prime. I have my weekend planned out!

Charlene wrote: "Cast A Cold Eye A pretty good ghost story from the 80's."

The only Ryan book I've read is Dead White. It was pretty good, not too surprising, but a good read for the dead of winter. I'll keep my eyes open for Cast a Cold Eye at book sales.

Tom wrote: "I just found out the movie versions of The Fury and The Manitou are available on Amazon Prime. I have my weekend planned out!"

Both of those titles are on my TBR list, especially The Fury. Hope you enjoy the movies!

I read both of them recently. Not the best books in the world but worth the time

I recently read 'The House Next Door' by Anne Rivers Siddons. I was surprised by how good it was.

Jeremy wrote: "I recently read 'The House Next Door' by Anne Rivers Siddons. I was surprised by how good it was."

That's one of my ALL TIME favorites!!
(view spoiler)[ What I especially liked about it was the fact that nothing for sure supernatural happened. IT could have all been chalked up to other things. (hide spoiler)]