Literary Horror discussion

I just finished The Other Side and really enjoyed it. I thought it would be a good choice for this group.

I'll nominate highly rated stuff, which may or not be available as ebooks:

1. Malpertuis by Jean Ray
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
2. Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of Daphne du Maurier by Daphne du Maurier
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
3. The Wine Dark Sea by Robert Aickman
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
4. The Light is the Darkness by Laird Barron
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
5. Mercy and Other Stories by Rebecca Lloyd
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
6. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
7. The Dreams of Cardinal Vittorini by Reggie Oliver
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
8. Ana Kai Tangata by Scott Nicolay
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
9. Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural edited by Phyllis Wagner
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
10. At Fear's Altar by Richard Gavin
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

we've done The Wine-Dark Sea.

I would like to nominate The Feast of Bacchus. I bought it at Christmas time but haven't had a chance to read it yet. I thought it looked good.

Ronald and Charlene seem to be doing all of the heavy lifting when it comes to nominating books, so I’ll toss a few in the pot.

Magic Terror , Peter Straub (2000) — one of the author’s older story collections that I’ve never quite gotten around to reading. The entry that’s probably the best known is the novella, “Mr. Clubb and Mr.Cuff”. Still in print; available as a mass market paperback or e-book.

Burnt Offerings , Robert Marasco (1973) — I’m not quite sure how “literary” this one is. I passed up on this book when it first came out, assuming it was yet another crappy knockoff of The Exorcist . But over the past 5-10 years it seems to have been “rediscovered” and I’ve heard from various sources good things about it. Still in print as a mass market paperback; also, recently released in e-format by Valancourt.

The Edge of Running Water , William Sloane (1939). Jerad Walters of Centipede Press has for the past few years been touting Sloane; he published one his books, To Walk the Night , a while back as a limited hardcover. Both Walk and Edge have been described as science fiction fused with elements of horror. Both have been widely praised in genre circles; judging from what little I’ve read about Sloane, Walk is perhaps the better of the two, but harder to come by cheaply. Edge is out of print but used copies can be had for under $10.

The Land of Laughs , Jonathan Carroll (1980) — maybe more fantasy than horror, but it is listed in Newman and Jones’ Horror: 100 Best Books . Laughs is Carroll’s first and — according to some — best novel. Still in print; available as a mass market paperback or e-book.

Alraune , Hanns Heinz Ewers (1911) — in this semi-famous novel, Ewers makes use of an old myth involving the mandrake root and fashions a sort of Decadent version of Frankenstein. It’s the second of the author’s Frank Braun trilogy, but my understanding is that it stands on its own. Side Real Press issued a very nice (and expensive) limited edition some years back. It is also currently available as a relatively cheap e-book.

Oooh, I was thinking about nominating Burnt Offerings too. :)

I don't think I have anything on my shelves that qualify which I haven't already tried a few times. Or that are in print.

Ronald wrote: "I'll nominate highly rated stuff, which may or not be available as ebooks:

1. Malpertuis by Jean Ray
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
2. Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of..."

I would like to second Ronald's suggestion of "I Am Legend by Richard Matheson". An excellent book and reasonably priced if not in your local library. I read it some time ago, but would happily read it again. If you happen to have seen the mediocre film version - rest assured, they are not comparable!

I believe there has been a total of 3 films based on I Am Legend. (I loved that book!)

Randolph said:

I like the Vincent Price one for all its flaws.

I feel much the same about the Charlton Heston version, The Omega Man.

Canavan wrote: "Randolph said:


I like the Vincent Price one for all its flaws.


I feel much the same about the Charlton Heston version, The Omega Man."

I have only seen the Will Smith one.