Horror Aficionados discussion

There is some lively discussion in the Overrated Authors thread. How about some underrated authors? Who are those hidden gems?

Norman Partridge. Some really cool collections of his short stories, but you'll never find them in big-box bookstore. Except maybe his short novel DARK HARVEST.

Michael Gregorio - is the nom de plume of writing duo Daniela De Gregorio and Michael G. Jacob. The Hanno Stiffeniis detective series is set in 1700's Germany and has some very dark topics. I read book #4, Unholy Awakening first and have since read a couple of the earlier novels. Very nice!

Will Thomas is the author of the Barker & Llewelyn detective series. Set in 1800's London, the mysterious Barker leads his assistant Llewelyn through some very interesting cases. I think there are 5 books in this series but there has been a very long gap since the last one, leading me to believe that he may be done with this line...hope not!

Kealan Patrick Burke
Glen Krisch
James Newman
John R. Little

Joseph Delaney is the author of The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles series. I feel like there may be some burnout as far as reading YA novels is concerned. But, these are not to be missed. The first book, Revenge of the Witch sets a very dark tone for the remainder of the series.

John Harwood is the author of The Seance and The Ghost Writer. I have read comparisons of Harwood to Wilkie Collins. Not a bad comparison.

Sara Gran
Elizabeth Engstrom
Michel Faber
Sarah Langan
Michael McDowell

I think there's an old underrated authors thread, but here are mine.

Jon Recluse wrote: "Kealan Patrick Burke
Glen Krisch
James Newman
John R. Little"

I have a few of these guy's books on my to-read list, probably on your previous recommendations. The GR average ratings on all of their stuff is very high! Might have to accelerate those to the top of the list.

Ken wrote: "John Harwood is the author of The Seance and The Ghost Writer. I have read comparisons of Harwood to Wilkie Collins. Not a bad comparison."

I'll second that.

Ken wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "Kealan Patrick Burke
Glen Krisch
James Newman
John R. Little"

I have a few of these guy's books on my to-read list, probably on your previous recommendations. The GR average ra..."

Can't wait to hear what you think.

Joel Schreiber, author of No Doors, No Windows: A Novel and Eat the Dark: A Novel both really good horror books. Also, a couple of fun Star Wars zombie novels: Death Troopersand Red Harvest

I'd like to note that I suggested this thread lol.

I say Elmore Leonard is Underrated. I'm a fan of his as I have read 2 of his books and have like 5 others to read on my shelf. He is a very good writer and many of his books have been made into movies and even a tv show. The guy has written soo many books and I feel that unless you get into his work you don't really appreciate all he does.

Kealan Patrick Burke, Michael Marshall, Jeff Strand, Stephen Booth and Andrew Pyper, to name a few.

Gatorman wrote: "Kealan Patrick Burke, Michael Marshall, Jeff Strand, Stephen Booth and Andrew Pyper, to name a few."

Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith was fantastic. And Spares was pretty great as well. More people need to read this guy. I've been on the hunt for the Kindle version of One of Us but no luck so far. Several of his short story collections have just been released on Amazon, I haven't read any of them yet.

I agree with both Gator and Jon regarding Kealan Patrick Burke, Glen Krisch and Jeff Strand.

All of whom I would probably never have discovered if it weren't for my Kindle and this group.

I think Scott Sigler is underrated. He is the most personable author I've ever known, and has a great connection with his fans. His books are wonderful, but he just hasn't attained the status I think he deserves.

Bill wrote: "Gatorman wrote: "Kealan Patrick Burke, Michael Marshall, Jeff Strand, Stephen Booth and Andrew Pyper, to name a few."

Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith was fantastic. And Spares was pretty gr..."

I haven't read his earlier books as Michael Marshall Smith but probably should considering how good his later books are.

Tressa wrote: "I think Scott Sigler is underrated. He is the most personable author I've ever known, and has a great connection with his fans. His books are wonderful, but he just hasn't attained the status I thi..."

oh i agree-he should have a bigger audience

Tressa wrote: "I think Scott Sigler is underrated. He is the most personable author I've ever known, and has a great connection with his fans. His books are wonderful, but he just hasn't attained the status I thi..."

I agree

Nora, didn't you recently read Infected?

Yes, it's was the ASMB book club Feb or March BOTM.
I really liked that one.

Did you read Contagious, too? Pandemic should be out soon. Can't remember the date.

Yes, I did. Also quite good.

oh Infected and Contagious were both great! i have Nocturnal on hold with the library.

I have Ancestor hiding somewhere in my house. ugh, I have to find that. lol

I listened to Nocturnal on podcast and loved it. I read Ancestor and like it, too, but I think he recently revised Ancestor and released it. My husband likes his series about intergalactic alien football. I never could get into that.

This is going to sound goofy, but hear me out...

I'm going to say Stephen King.

Yeah, I know, how can Stephen King be underrated?

I think his modern work - along with his reputation for being overrated - is causing a lot of younger readers to miss some truly great books.

When people think of Stephen King today, they often think of giant epics or cheesy horror movies.

I'm really surprised at the amount of folks who've never read his early stuff. 'Salem's Lot. The Shining. Pet Sematary. These are really great books that any new fan of horror should read.

I think his newer stuff is very overrated, but his older stuff seems to be largely ignored and greatly underrated by newer fans of the genre.

I know it's completely paradoxical for me to say it, but I think King is simultaneously one of the most overrated and underrated authors around today. :)

I like a lot of King's new stuff but I agree that Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Shining, The Stand and Pet Semetary are what make him legendary.

Bill wrote: "Gatorman wrote: "Kealan Patrick Burke, Michael Marshall, Jeff Strand, Stephen Booth and Andrew Pyper, to name a few."

Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith was fantastic. And Spares was pretty gr..."

We did a Michael Marshall Smith story on Pseudopod. He was very nice to work with!

"This Is Now" by Michael Marshall Smith on Pseudopod

Robert Aickman & Dennis Etchison are the two that first spring to mind.

Also not underrated at all, but someone who is very much known for their fantasy not horror George R.R. Martin. I read his sci-fi/horror story 'The Sandkings' recently, and it was like a blow to the head. So impressive - the sci-fi and the weird fiction element blended together seamlessly to create a really unique story. Loved it.

James wrote: "Robert Aickman & Dennis Etchison are the two that first spring to mind.

Also not underrated at all, but someone who is very much known for their fantasy not horror George R.R. Martin. I read his ..."

James, did you really? Sandkings is my favorite short story (novella?) of ALL time!

Hi Charlene - Yes, a few weeks back. I thought it fantastic, as I say. I love the development of the creatures themselves & how the story gets progressively weirder. One of those stories that's so good makes me feel like a complete fraud about my own writing. Definitely a new favourite.

One that springs to mind for me would be Charlee Jacob. Her novels Haunter and Still are both very disturbing and original reads.

Ken wrote: "Will Thomas is the author of the Barker & Llewelyn detective series. Set in 1800's London, the mysterious Barker leads his assistant Llewelyn through some very interesting cases. I think there are ..."

If you like that series, try the Bryant and May series with a supernatural twist by Christopher Fowler. A blend of history, modern detective work, well rounded characters, horror elements mixed with dark and comedy. The characters are English eccentric.

Christopher Fowler
Full Dark House
The Water Room

I like Simon Clark alot. His stuff seems to come out with very little notice and his ability to keep a sense of dread and sinister underlying his plot makes his books very interesting. Blood Crazy, The Night of the Triffids, Nailed by the Heart

I just mentioned him in another thread, but Karl Edward Wagner wrote some very good horror. He was much better known for his fantasy work, but his horror spanned the field. There is a two volume set of his horror work that was recently released. Unfortunately, they are 30$ each in paperback. I'll probably pony up for them at some point anyway, but those prices are just ridiculous.

Ack, I stand corrected! Those are not paperbacks. I feel properly chastised.

I love Wagner's work.
In a Lonely Place is one of my favorite story collections.

And I really enjoyed what he wrote about the genre when he was editor of The Year's Best Horror Stories.

I just finished The Bleeding Season and I loved it. Greg Gifune is an awesome writer-almost lyrical at times and this book impressed the *hit out of me. (Which was messy!)

He seems to write very well when it comes to depicting misfits, outcasts and damaged people. His words hit home with me quite a few times.
This one is going on my favorites list and I am lining up more Gifune works for the future. : )

Joseph A. Citro, most definitely -- he was one of many whose writing career was derailed by the 80's horror-novel implosion.

He went on to put out a lot of non-fic essay collections about regional legends, ghost stories, and such, but his fiction -- "Deus-X" in particular -- is aces.

Luckily, a university press keeps his novels in print, but he's still under the radar of most horror readers.

Stephen wrote: "Joseph A. Citro, most definitely -- he was one of many whose writing career was derailed by the 80's horror-novel implosion.

He went on to put out a lot of non-fic essay collections about regional..."

http://www.amazon.com/DEUS-X-The-Real...

Charlene wrote: "I just finished The Bleeding Season and I loved it. Greg Gifune is an awesome writer-almost lyrical at times and this book impressed the *hit out of me. (Which was messy!)

He seems to write very w..."

Read my first Gifune novel (Raising Hell) last month and instantly became a fan and bought a couple other books by him...

There was an author who wrote a few books back in the 80's by the name of William Schoell (think that's the right spelling) that I really enjoyed...one was about this prehistoric-type monster from the deep that started eating people...just a fun and gory novel but well-written...and read a couple others by him and enjoyed them.

Chris wrote: "Charlene wrote: "I just finished The Bleeding Season and I loved it. Greg Gifune is an awesome writer-almost lyrical at times and this book impressed the *hit out of me. (Which was messy!)

He seem..."

I haven't come across Raising Hell yet, Chris. Thanks!

Robert R. McCammon. I mean, I know he's had success, but for SWAN SONG and THE WOLF'S HOUR alone, he deserves to be up there with the likes of King, Koontz, Matheson, and the rest of the A-list of A-listers.

If you haven't heard, McCammon is working on a new horror novel. (whoohoo!).

what do you guys think about bently little?

I'm a fan of Little, think he is very talented, has been consistently writing decent horror for over a decade...

Not sure if I'd consider him underrated though...