The only Horror I know

[biodroid]

I used to hate reading until someone said to I should read Pet Sematary by Stephen King. I devoured that book so fast. I then wanted more so I perused my local library and then I met a school buddy who pointed me to Dean Koontz's Watchers and yet again I was blown away by the uncanny scariness of the monster and great action and overall excellent thrill ride. I only know of horror ever written by SK and DK, I tried to read James Herbert but I think he is a very boring writer. Is there any other kind of horror out there, I really thought The Shining, Phantoms and all that should be classed as great horror and I really loved them but I cannot get by the view that those are more horrors for commercial sales to get the author to earn millions. My point is is there any other "style" of horror other than SK or DK?

PS: I don't know what Lovecraftian horror is.

 

[D_Davis]

Man, there is so much out there.

Maybe start with a couple anthologies. This way, you can be exposed to different authors and styles without having to commit too much time to each.

A couple recommendations:

 

[biodroid]

Awesome thanks D Davis!! I keep forgetting about anthologies. I hope they are available on Kindle, which is now my new pride and joy.

 

[nixie]

I do like a good horror anthology, the older the better. What James Herbert books did you try? Have to say I prefer Herbert to both King and Koontz. I'd also stay clear of Paul Saul.

 

[D_Davis]

Awesome thanks D Davis!! I keep forgetting about anthologies. I hope they are available on Kindle, which is now my new pride and joy.

There are a bunch of super cheap Lovecraft collections on the Kindle.

Here is one with 67 short stories for only $2.

 

[J Riff]

Read the old stuff, it's more believable.

 

[dask]

I do like a good horror anthology, the older the better. What James Herbert books did you try? Have to say I prefer Herbert to both King and Koontz. I'd also stay clear of Paul Saul.

You by chance mean John Saul? Paul Saul wrote a bunch of letters for the New Testament, I think.

 

[dask]

There are a bunch of super cheap Lovecraft collections on the Kindle.

Here is one with 67 short stories for only $2.

Can't think of a better place to start. Here's another suggestion:

 

[nixie]

You by chance mean John Saul? Paul Saul wrote a bunch of letters for the New Testament, I think.

That's the one

 

[digs]

I'm pretty much the same as you biodroid. I've read King extensively and a bit of Koontz. I have read some Lovecraft though - I picked up a couple of cheap anthologies when I was traveling in the UK. I'd recommend it; apart from being great (and genuinely chilling) in its own right, it also allowed me to understand King's novels better. There are tons of parallels there. They're even set in roughly the same part of America.

 

[dlsevern]

biodroid, try some of these writers: Dan Simmons, Brian Keene, Mary SanGiovani, Gary A.

Braunbeck, Rick Hautala, John Skipp and Craig Spector, Robert Bloch, Ramsey Campbell,

Douglas Clegg, Dennis Etchison, John Everson, Joe Hill, Joe R. Lansdale, John Farris, Peter

Straub, Ray Garton, Richard Laymon, Bryan Smith, Ed Lee, Ed Gorman, J.F. Gonzales, Charles

L. Grant, Nate Kenyon, Jack Ketchum, T.E.D. Klein, Michael Laimo, Michael Slade, Stephen

Laws, Clive Barker, Mark Morris, Cody Goodfellow, Tim Lebbon, Bentley Little, Brian Lumley,

Jonathan Maberry, Ronald Malfi, Graham Masterton, Richard Matheson and Richard Matheson

Jr., Gord Rollo, L.H. Maynard and M.P.N. Sims, Robert McCammon, Michael McDowell, Scott

Nicholson, Tom Piccirilli, Phil Rickman, Al Sarrantonio, David J. Schow, S.P. Somtow, F. Paul

Wilson, J.N. Williamson, T.M. Wright, or Wrath James White.