Horror Aficionados discussion

I read horror all the time anyway, so just picking a horror novel to read near Halloween is not very hard. I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions for good books with a distinct autumn or Halloween 'flavor'. I am considering ordering Dark Harvest for this. Let me know what you think.

You know, I've read a few horror books that included fall, Halloween, haunted houses, and scarecrows, but now I can't remember them at all.

Oh, I did enjoy this one last year .

Dark Harvest looks familiar but I don't think I've read it. I put it on reserve because it looks pretty good.

DUH!!(Hitting myself in the forehead)WHY PRAY TELL...did I not come here to look for books for NI for October?????? Instead I was wildly searching the internet for Halloween/scary type books. We did come up with two polls...we don't have many die-hard horror fans except you Tressa...wish you would have chimed in..lol! Check out our polls anyway(you might laugh)

I would reccommend Under the Dome by Stephen King. That one takes place in the fall and Halloween is very important in it.
I haven't read this, but Douglas Clegg has a novel called the Halloween Man that might be promising.

Try , too.

I saw that poll, Shelli, and was tempted to vote. But I wasn't sure if I could devote time to another group read. I might check it out again, though. I promise I won't laugh.

Vote anyway....It's fun for me to watch the results(I know, I need to get a life!!!)

I will. I'll probably join the October group read, too.

Pretty much anything within genre is ok for me this time of year. That said, I've always felt that was pitch perfect for the season.

I totally agree with Something Wicked This Way Comes, and would add:

The Halloween Tree
The Nightmare Factory (includes one Halloween-set story and also a scarecrow story)
A Night in the Lonesome October
Ghost Road Blues

Tressa wrote: "I will. I'll probably join the October group read, too."

Awesome!!

Thanks guys! I have Ghost Road Blues on my to-read right now, it may end up being one of my Halloween books. I have also been meaning to read Something Wicked This Way Comes for years, this seems like the perfect excuse to order it!

Martha wrote: "Thanks guys! I have Ghost Road Blues on my to-read right now, it may end up being one of my Halloween books. I have also been meaning to read Something Wicked This Way Comes for years, this seems l..."

Ghost Road Blues was amazing, I think you will really enjoy it!

Tressa wrote: "You know, I've read a few horror books that included fall, Halloween, haunted houses, and scarecrows, but now I can't remember them at all.

Oh, I did enjoy this one last year[bookcover:The Farm|1..."

There were a lot of goats in this one! I liked it though, good reads.

Kasia, did you read Bad Moon Rising? I was shelving books yesterday and saw it on the shelf. I remembered how so many people here praised it so highly. I'm juggling so many books right now, but I checked it out just to have on hand when I'm ready to begin.

I looked at "Dark Harvest" but the price seems a bit steep for such a short book. I read the Kindle sample and it seemed okay, but didn't get me so excited that I decided to buy it at that price tag. If it were a 6.99 title or so I'd buy it without hesitation.

Of course there's always The October Country by Ray Bradbury...

For October I'm planning to read Summer Of Night by Dan Simmons.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80...

I've had quite a few ppl recommend it on here.

Hey, how do you get the book pic to appear instead of the link?

Kevin wrote: "Hey, how do you get the book pic to appear instead of the link?"

On the bottom, there is a button that says "add:" and gives you the option of link or cover. Click the cover bubble, and enjoy!

Kevin, I am glad you are reading Summer Of Night. Jeez, I do love it so. I need to finish the book I am reading so I can delve into another in time for Halloween season.

Tressa, I have read Bad Moon Rising. I loved the entire Pine Deep series. For someone that is a fast reader those books would be perfect for Halloween!!

Another "Halloween" writer is Charles Grant. It's been a long while (at least since the 80's) that I've read any of his books but I remember many of the Oxrun Station stories being pretty good. I seem to recall some of his novels taking place around Halloween.

I've read some good stories by Al Sarrantonio that are very Halloween inspired also.

Is Bad Moon Rising the first of the series?

Nope, It goes Ghost Road Blues, Dead Man's Song then Bad Moon Rising.

Do they have to be read in order?

Tressa wrote: "Do they have to be read in order?"

Yep it'll goof the plot if you don't.

Al Sorentorio (my spelling might be off on his name) also has a series of books about a Halloween themed town that might be pretty nice for this time of year. Actually most of his books might.

I'd also say that Tim Waggoner's Like Death or Ray Garton's the Loveliest Dead would do nicely.

I was going to add THE HALLOWEEN TREE, but was glad somebody beat me to it. I always pictured the late, John Carradine as Mr. Moundshroud. I've never seen the animated version with Leonard Nimoy voicing Moundshroud, but would love to see it eventually.

Kevin wrote: "For October I'm planning to read Summer Of Night by Dan Simmons.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80...

I've had quite a few ppl recommend it on here."

Summer of Night Kevin, is right at the top for best novels ever, IMHO.... enjoy!

Hmm I've had Something Wicked on my shelf for years but never got round to reading it. Maybe this autumn huh...

I really enjoyed Dark Harvest. Norm Partridge is a heckuva writer. I also have his collection The Man with the Barbed-Wire Fists, which I recommend.

Larry - you got me wanting to reread Something Wicked again. That's one of those books that really gets me in a Halloween mood!

Joel Arnold

Too bad there's no Kindle version available for "Something Wicked This Way Comes." I'd love to check it out.

This is such a great thread. I've just added so many of these to my TBR--I'm excited to read them!

The Manse is a pretty good read.

I have that anthology, BarkLess. I found it in a used book store. I haven't read it yet, but it looks awesome!

I've always loved Robert Bloch's short storie around Halloween..... especially, "Your Truely, Jack the Ripper".

Lisa Cantrell sounds interesting, but her books seem to be very hard to find in decent condition. (I try to keep my books for ages !) Any good sources for her books?

Here's a thought... are the any worthwhile non-fiction books that carry on the Halloween spirit?

Adam wrote: "I would reccommend Under the Dome by Stephen King. That one takes place in the fall and Halloween is very important in it.
I haven't read this, but Douglas Clegg has a novel called the Halloween M..."

I read Halloween Man last Halloween. I'm a fan of Douglas Clegg, so I enjoyed it.

Tressa wrote: "You know, I've read a few horror books that included fall, Halloween, haunted houses, and scarecrows, but now I can't remember them at all.

Oh, I did enjoy this one last year[bookcover:The Farm|1..."

I've enjoyed every Scott Nicholson book I've read, haven't read The Farm yet though...

He wrote a good vampire novel called They Hunger, set in the Appalachian mountains, as most of his stories are. I really enjoyed that one too.

I'll check out They Hunger. Sounds good. Thanks.

I'm reading Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury to kick off my Halloween read. So far, it's pretty good.

As for Scott Nicholson, I've only read some of his short stories. I've been wanting to read his novels for a long time now. I have The Farm, but have yet readied myself to get my toes wet.

You should give him a try Jason. I've read The Manor (haunted house), They Hunger (vampires), and The Red Church (the second coming). 4 star reads...

Which one would you suggest as a starting point for reading Nicholson, Amy?

Jason wrote: "I'm reading Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury to kick off my Halloween read. So far, it's pretty good.

As for Scott Nicholson, I've only read some of his short stori..."

Something Wicked This Way Comes is very good. Bradbury is one of the great storytellers.

I've read some of the short stories in Scott Nicholson's Thank You for the Flowers: Stories of Suspense & Imagination. I think I got about half-way through it. They were OK, but they didn't do a whole lot for me. Then again, I'm not a big short-stories kind of guy.

Jason wrote: "Which one would you suggest as a starting point for reading Nicholson, Amy?"

Jason: I started with The Red Church, which was his first novel and it was a Bram Stoker nominee for Best First Novel. Of the three I've read, I liked They Hunger best. The Red Church would be a good Halloween read though.

Bill: I've never read his short stories.

Awesome. Thanks, Amy. I think that I'll give The Red Church a go. I've been eyeing it on Amazon.

I look forward to your thoughts on it Jason!

I loaned The Red Church to a friend years ago and never got it back. Come to think of it, she never read it.

I've decided that after 25 years or more I will re-read "Salem's Lot" this Halloween. I'm curious to find how it held up.

I still haven't found a decent Halloween-related horror book, sorry. Have read a few of them over the years and am never impressed.

Currently reading The Haunted Forest Tour by James A. Moore and Jeff Strand. It's sorta Halloween-related but really more of an all-out "Monster Mash Party". Lots of fun!
Also reading Bradbury's classic Something Wicked This Way Comes. Hard to believe I've never read this one! Was a huge Bradbury fan back in high school but for some reason never read much outside of his sci fi stuff.
For our "family-time" reading we're reading one of the Goosebumps Horrorland books. Never read any of these myself, they're actually kind of fun!

I loved the Goosebumps books as a kid. I still have all mine packed away somewhere. They are so odd and I think may have influenced my current love for horror and pulp.