I've been trying to figure out what to do a review on. Instead of a review, and since it's that time of year again, it's time to list off my favorite horror novels. Since last year I did my favorite movies, which actually haven't changed much.
1. Salem's Lot by Stephen King.
I know that I have already done a review on this book, so I wont go in to details. But this is a vampire story for those of us who don't like reading about sparkly vampires. Enough said.
2.Horns by Joe Hill.
This is a recent read for me, if only because the movie is coming out in a couple of days. I did put off reading it for years and years, mostly because I am not the biggest Joe Hill fan. Better late than never, and I must say this is right up there with Salem's Lot as far as bad ass horror novels go.
Imagine waking up one morning from a drunken bender, with horns on your head. Also imagine people coming up to you just to tell you their most disturbing and horror secrets. Ig isn't sure how he should handle this either.
I'm not going to go in to a full on review, since I do plan on doing one a little later. If you love semi religious horror like I do, read this.
3.Snuff by Adam Huber & Eric Enck.
Where to even begin with this book.This is one of the shortest horror novels I know, and to be honest I was slightly disappointed at first. Then I read it, and was thrilled it wasn't any longer. This is probably one of the most horrific books I have ever read. There is no in between with this book, either you don't mind reading it, or you hate it. There is no enjoying or liking it. Unless you enjoy reading about a psychotic, down on his luck actor and his friend being paid by others to make snuff films of them raping and killing women in the worst ways.
The main character (the actor), is already raping and killing women for the thrill of it. One day his friend, (for the life of me I can't remember his name), comes to him with the idea of a snuff film business venture, where they could actually make money from something actor dude already enjoys doing. The business takes off, and everything is going well for these two psycho's, until they kill the wrong girl. The hunters then become the hunted by someone ten times more psychotic and creative.
This book is not for the faint of heart. To be honest I've only read it twice, but if you are in the mood for gore this would be the book for you.
4. The Strain by Guillero Del Toro & Chuck Hogan
This is book one of a three book series, (is also a series on FX). It is one of the more interesting vampire tales. It begins with a flight coming in to JFK airport, and lands with only four survivors. They were allowed to survive for a reason; to spread the vampire infection. These are your classic vampires. Not attractive, no gaining of the trust of humans. Just out right mean and ready to harvest the human race.
If I remember correctly, (pretty sure I am not), vampirisim in this trilogy is more like a parasite that needs a host in order to feed on the blood it needs to live. Like I said, I might be wrong on that, but I don't think I am.
It's good up until the last book. The ending was rushed and felt cliched. But the journey there was sure gory and fun.
5.Terror Town by James Roy Daley
I'm pretty sure I did a review on this book already. Or at least started one. This is a lot like Salem's Lot, minus the vampires but add in some weird mutant bugs. It takes you through the life of the towns people, which all seem normal enough at first, until we get to one of our main villain's. Actually he is the only actual human villain in this whole story. This dude seems normal enough at first, but even normal people have secrets. He just happens to enjoy kidnapping young girls, locking them up in cages and keeping them for years and years, until they die. He is more disturbing than the bugs that come later on.
This book was brutal, but fun. I hate saying that about any book with torture in it, but it really was. The ending was a little odd, but it was still a good and interesting read.
6. Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Take Salem's Lot, take away the vampires, add a haunted house with some super pissed off ghosts. Now you have Ghost Story. It doesn't surprise me that Straub's writing is similar to King's own writing style. They have co-wrote several books together so I went in completely expecting a King type book. Luckily, it was in the spirit of Salem's Lot, which, as all know, is near and dear to my heart, (are we sensing a theme here?).
I will say that sometimes this book did drag a little, but that is forgivable thanks to the great characters Straub gives us.
7. The Devil Next Door by Tim Curran
Now I KNOW that I have done a review on this story. It starts out grabbing you by the throat. Really, it's a look in to the human mind in times of dire stress and chaos. It's ending is disappointing, but everything before that is brutal and unforgiving. Don't get attached to any one character, because they wont be living for long.
8. 99 Coffins by David Wellington.
Now THIS right here is vampire brutality at it's finest. The supernatural already exists here, it's more of a struggle of humanity trying to contain them.
The hero of this story is Laura Caxton. She has no superpowers herself. No superior knowledge of vampires. She is just a human cop trying to survive and save people. She somehow manages to come face to face with a vampire. She not only lives to tell the tale, but she manages to kill it. For someone with no training in slaying, some of the higher law enforcement agencies take a interest in her. It is only after she kills her first vamp, that she receives the training she will need to reluctantly fill her new off the books job.
This is the first book in a fantastic series. This is one of the few vampire series I've read where the ending was satisfying, the all around story was fast paced and brutal. It is a must read for any vampire junkie.
9. Hater by David Moody.
Let's be honest here, we have all had one of those days where we just want to bash in the head of someone who has pissed us off, then kick them while they are down. Well, this becomes the norm of the world. The hate virus is quickly spreading. It skips over some, but not many. You can't look at anyone, talk to anyone without risk of a chainsaw in the face, or worse.
I will totally admit that I have a weakness for society crumbling horror novels. The name of the book should make the contents obvious. What if hate were a virus, spreading like wildfire and infected those you know and love. Families turning on family members. Friends turning on friends. Strangers turning on anyone who looks at them wrong. Cops beating the shit out of people for fun. Society has no rules anymore, and everyone is fair game for the beating.
I have yet to finish the third and last book, but the first two captured my attention and were really well written.
10. The Stand by Stephen King.
I love me some King. I love many of his books, but The Stand took a while for me to even crack open and read. It is REALLY intimidatingly huge. Once I started reading this, I kicked myself for not reading it sooner. It is a fantastic post apocalyptic story. Where the good guys are semi good, but make hard decisions in order to stay alive. The bad guys are out to take the world for themselves and hope all others mindlessly follow. There is, of course, more to this novel than that, but I wont be giving any of it away.
11. The Shining by Stephen King.
This book was one I put off for a while. I will be totally honest, I judged this book by the movie. I HATED the movie. It wasn't until many, may years later, when I heard it was fairly different from it's shitty counter part, that I even decided to give it a try. The characters have the same names, but the pacing of the plot and content are somewhat different.
I will assume most have seen the piece of shit movie. So I wont go in to details about the story. If you have seen the movie, I highly suggest giving the book a try. It is WAY better.
12. The Relic by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Science, a monster and murder. That is pretty much this book in a nutshell. I make this sound far more boring than it actually is. Believe me, it is anything but boring. If you have seen the movie, I beg you, please don't judge this book by it's campy Hollywood counterpart. This is labeled as the first book in the Pendergast series, (which is another favorite, but doesn't fit in to the horror genre), but it really is a stand alone novel.
People are dying mysteriously in the New York Museum of natural history. It is obvious whatever is killing all these people is not human. This is where the science comes in.
13. The Howling by Gary Brandner.
Yes. The Howling series started out as a book, and they are just as good as the movie. If you have not seen the movie, or read the books; The Howling is a Werewolf among us kind of series. Now, I will say that the last two books are thankfully NOTHING like the second and third movies.Which make them worth reading. These aren't the Werewolves who enjoy the company of people, nor do they even like people. To them Humans are food and that is it. End of story. One woman stands against Werewolves and it's not pretty. Her Husband turns against her and then hunts her. All in all she is kinda having a bad year. It doesn't get any better for her in book two. She can't kill her husband and it comes back to bite her on the ass. HA! Pun totally intended.
14. Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater.
Another book I reviewed, but it is so good. The whole series took me completely by surprise. All of the books are bloody, gory, with a slight bit of romance thrown in, but thankfully not much.
Amaliya wakes up a vampire and hungry. A nearby frat house pays the price for her hunger. Now she must not only learn the vampire rules, but she must also take on the powerful vampire that changed her for his amusement.
15.Feed by Mira Grant.
An interesting social commentary take on the Zombie Apocalypse. Blogging, Post apocalyptic politics, and zombies of course. I haven't read very many zombie books that have kept my interest like this one did. Actually, the whole trilogy did up until the end of the last book.
The characters are enjoyable. Story is easy to follow and fun. It is also morbidly funny in some places.
16. Zombie Ohio by Scott Kenemore
My expectation of zombie novels are pretty low, since they all tend to be alike in one way or another. But Zombie Ohio is one of the best zombie stories I have read in a while. A man wakes up dead and not really knowing how he came across his current state. He's a zombie who has managed to retain his mind. I know it sounds a lot like Warm Bodies, and I suppose there are some similarities. Romance. Humor. Gore. Although I will say there is a bit more gore in Zombie Ohio. Our main character starts out as zombie who doesn't want to lower himself to the zombie mentality, he wants to hold on to that bit of humanity he has left. It is a slow progression, but the more he is attacked by humans, the more he gives in to his new nature. By the end it becomes "if you can't beat them, join them". It's his journey to this train of thought that makes this novel funny and interesting.
17. Alaskan Undead Apocalypse by Sean Schubert
I might like this series as much as I do because it takes place in my town. This is a really ungory zombie series, which is really surprising. Not saying that is a bad thing, but it is different. This is more of a game of survival than killing monsters. Of course there is zombie killing going on, but it is very minimal. I enjoyed the characters, it was easy to related to their struggles and personal relationships. I will say the ending was (like many zombie series), VERY disappointing, so I suggest skipping book four. Books 1-3 are fantastic.
18. Let the Right one In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
If there is one book on this list that beats out Salem's lot as my favorite novel of all time, it would be this one. Rarely do I call a horror novel beautiful, but it is the only word I can use to describe this one.
This takes place in 1980 Sweden. Young Oskar goes through life friendless, teased and bullied. It is hard not to connect with with him and his struggles. All he wants is a friend. He finally finds one in Eli, a young vampire who actually has no interest in being friends with anyone. Eli finds something of a soul mate in Oskar.
There is gore along with a heartwarming story here. It is also one of the new books on this list with a beyond satisfying ending.
The movies based on this book aren't bad. Let The Right One In follows the book a little better than Let Me In, (The American version), but both movies are both fairly good.
And there you have it.
