The best novel writer

[tld314]

There are quite a few "most influential horror writers," "best horror writers," etc. threads going, but one thing I noticed was that the lists always included the authors' full body of work. As it should.

But I thought it would be interesting to compile a list (top 15 or 20) when only considering novels, not short stories. I think the list might look very different, since some of the authors are known only for short fiction, or are only at their best with short fiction.

So let's see what we can come up with (regarding influence, talent, etc)

 

[dask]

Known for just novels? List like this sounds dangerously close to being a laundry list of bestselling authors. Not exactly what I'm into. People I really like tend to have a fair amount of short fiction available. But any such list would have to at least include Stephen King whether you like his monumental output or not.

 

[tld314]

I don't see why it would have to include King, unless there really are fewer horror novelists out there than I thought. King is a very successful horror writer, but that doesn't necessarily make him influential (or even good). But still, I've yet to see a best of list without him, and those lists even include short story writers.

So possibly he should be in there, since there are one or two of his works that are good, but I don't think it's necessary.

Here are some others, in no particular order:

Bloch, Stoker, Shelley, Jackson, Matheson

 

[dask]

By its very nature success can't help but generate influence if only in the number of imitators that spring up around it. King might not make it onto any of your top 20 lists but that doesn't mean he's a bad writer, just that you don't like him or prefer others more. From the vantage of my comfy chair I see no source of profit for major publishers spending huge amounts of time and money publishing poorly written bad stories. King is a publishing phenomenon largely because of his talent, not because there are a whole of ignorant fans with awe inspiring expendable incomes waiting to be flushed down a porcelain pothole.

Bloch, Matheson, Stoker, Shelly, and Jackson. Absolutely. Should have thought of them when writing my earlier post. I was mostly thinking of what I see on the supermarket racks when I go grocery shopping. Not saying they're bad by any means, just not what I lean towards currently.

 

[tld314]

I think you've made many good points. It's impossible to know for certain how history will treat Mr. King, but because of his popularity, it may be safe to assume he'll be remembered for at least one of his works.

King is added.

I've looked through some other lists and extracted some authors: Campbell, Straub, Lansdale, Koontz, Ketchum, John Saul, Robert McCammon, F. Paul Wilson, Brian Lumley,

I admittedly haven't read all of them, so I can't speak towards their being in the list. I'm also sure I have some glaring omissions.

 

[Randy M.]

I don't see why it would have to include King, unless there really are fewer horror novelists out there than I thought. King is a very successful horror writer, but that doesn't necessarily make him influential (or even good). But still, I've yet to see a best of list without him, and those lists even include short story writers.

So possibly he should be in there, since there are one or two of his works that are good, but I don't think it's necessary.

Here are some others, in no particular order:

Bloch, Stoker, Shelley, Jackson, Matheson

I wouldn't include Bloch -- Bloch was strong in the short story form, but I find his novels thin, even Psycho, no matter how influential it has been. Which isn't to say I don't recommend Psycho, it's a core read for horror fans; but the novel in sf/f/h has developed substantially over the last 30 years or so, becoming rather more complex than it had been.

I've only read Stoker's one great novel. The others are so poorly reviewed, I haven't tried them, though there's at least one I may eventually dip into.

My list of "best" novel writers would include Shirley Jackson, King, Richard Matheson, Ramsey Campbell, Peter Straub, Fritz Leiber and Caitlin Kiernan.

Thomas Tryon is a possible addition, but I should reread Harvest Home, because I wasn't that fond of it years ago and wonder if I might have been hasty in that judgement. Also, I haven't read enough of Thomas Tessier to judge by, but if any of his other novels approach Finishing Touches, then I'd add him to my list.

Randy M.

 

[dask]

I need to try some McCammon novels. I only read one of his short stories but it was flat out the best one in the anthology I read for last Halloween. I read Tyron's first novel when it came out (sorry I can't recall the title) and liked it a lot but haven't read anything else by him.

 

[tld314]

I wouldn't include Bloch -- Bloch was strong in the short story form, but I find his novels thin, even Psycho, no matter how influential it has been. Which isn't to say I don't recommend Psycho, it's a core read for horror fans; but the novel in sf/f/h has developed substantially over the last 30 years or so, becoming rather more complex than it had been.

Randy M.

I actually just read Pscyho a few weeks ago, and I enjoyed it. I've somehow gone this long in life without knowing anything about the plot, so it felt fresh. I was a little underwhelmed, though; the characterization was good, I didn't see the ending coming, but it just felt like it lacked something. Maybe it's because it didn't disturb or scare me at all. It just felt like a really entertaining drama.

I know the movie had a huge impact on cinema, but does anyone know if the novel shares the impact of the movie?

 

[Randy M.]

I actually just read Pscyho a few weeks ago, and I enjoyed it. I've somehow gone this long in life without knowing anything about the plot, so it felt fresh. I was a little underwhelmed, though; the characterization was good, I didn't see the ending coming, but it just felt like it lacked something. Maybe it's because it didn't disturb or scare me at all. It just felt like a really entertaining drama.

I know the movie had a huge impact on cinema, but does anyone know if the novel shares the impact of the movie?

I think the book had some impact, but I think the impact was greatly amplified after the movie, which was a precursor of Halloween (a very good horror movie), which was a precursor of Friday, the 13th (a very not-so-good horror movie), both of which spawned multiple sequels, which in turn inspired other movie makers to make similar movies, which inspired writers to write stories kinda like those movies, and so the slasher subgenre was spawned.

I'm not sure what Bloch thought of the progression, though his years in Hollywood probably prepared him for carbon-copies and inexact imitations.


Randy M.

 

[tld314]

Also, from my limited knowledge of horror history, I think Ketchum's Off Season, and Barker's Books of Blood had a lot to do with the emergence of the slasher sub-genre.

 

[Randy M.]

Also, from my limited knowledge of horror history, I think Ketchum's Off Season, and Barker's Books of Blood had a lot to do with the emergence of the slasher sub-genre.

Agreed, and you can probably throw in Richard Laymon and even a couple of flavors of Stephen King as early influences on the writers.


Randy M.