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10 Horror Books You’ve Never Read?

Photo credit: Publisher’s Weekly/Kevin Kelly

 

Nick Cutter, author of The Troop (reviewed here) and, most recently, The Deep, compiled a list for Booklist titled  “10 Horror Books You’ve Never Read”. It’s kind of a fun list because he left off some of the books that typically appear on “Best Of” lists, but it’s kinda hard for me to believe that the average horror reader isn’t familiar with the majority of them.  Cutter notes that his taste in horror is on the “visceral” side, and certainly a number of the authors on his list don’t stint on the gore and violence. Still, it’s an interesting list, and it’s easy to see that Cutter definitely is an enthusiastic fan of horror fiction.  Here’s a  link to the list.

So, what do you think? Is there anything you’d add?

Posted on January 23, 2015 by , Reply

Book Review: Professor Challenger: The Kew Growths and Other Stories by William Meikle

Professor Challenger: The Kew Growths And Other Stories by William Meikle

Dark Renaissance Books, 2014

ISBN-13: 978-1-937128-84-5

Availability: Trade Paperback
 
Professor Challenger: The Kew Growths And Other Stories introduces journalist Edward Malone, who is on suspension at his newspaper and is rehabilitating after an ill-fated trip to the Amazon. He craves adventure, but is given nothing but obituaries, flower shows, and weddings to report on. He is considering leaving his employer for the French Riviera when he is given the task of reporting on the opening of a new greenhouse at Kew Gardens.

The greenhouse is a fantastic structure, home to many exotic plants that only serve to remind Malone of what he is missing from a real adventure. That is, until he sees the Kew Growths: three foot tall parasol mushrooms from Mongolia that sing, like a choir of monks in the wind … absolutely charming! The next day, however, ten of the attendees are in the hospital, comatose from an unidentifiable infection, and an investigation commences. Malone meets up with Thomas Carnacki, a student of the arcane, who has deduced that the cause is the Mongolian mushrooms, which are highly dangerous and should not be cultivated under any circumstances. The worst is yet to come! It is time to call in Professor Challenger.

This adventure story was a fantastic read. It is a series of short stories that flow together so well as to be one complete work. The characters are lesser known creations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and William Meikle does them proud. Sherlock Holmes and Watson have nothing on Professor Challenger and Malone. The tone was beautifully set right from the start and carried on throughout. The phrases and descriptions felt very 1800’s, and the characters were distinctive and easy to identify; the dialog really made this work for me. The descriptions were very well done– just enough without going too far. The action sections were also superb. The eleven illustrations spread throughout the text were a nice bonus. When I finished the last page, I definitely wanted more. Other works by the author I have read are: Professor Challenger: The Island Of Terror, Island Life, and Watchers: The Coming of the King.

Highly recommended for adult readers.

Reviewed by Aaron Fletcher

Posted on January 11, 2015 by , Reply

Book Review: Made For You by Melissa Marr

Made For You by Melissa Marr

HarperCollins, 2014

ISBN-13: 978-0062011190

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition, audiobook download.

 

Melissa Marr’s latest is the magic-light tale of Eva, a southern princess (child of the elite in the tiny town of Jessup, NC) who after being struck by a car and left for dead finds herself with the unpredictable ability to read the deaths of people who touch her.

Even more disturbing is how many of her friends die at the hands of a serial killer, a maniac that has begun leaving messages through flowers and carved into the flesh of his victims.

The whole premise of Eva being a genteel, popular, universally loved southern lady almost ruins this book. But in the chapters where readers find themselves in Eva’s head (which is most of them) we learn she finds it just as repressive and ridiculous as I did when I read the back cover. Eva feels trapped by societal expectations, a note that rings stronger when a psycho-serial killer starts sending her messages.

Made for You is a great introductory horror novel for teens. There’s a lot of the creepy, stalky, murdery bits with stronger drawn characters. There is horror and gore here, but without the loving descriptions often found in adult novels. Definitely recommended for teen audiences, especially ones who already enjoy Marr’s other series.

Contains: sexual language, violence, murder

Reviewed by Michele Lee

Editor’s Note: This review appeared previously at our partner blog on YA fiction, Reading Bites.

Posted on December 15, 2014 by , Reply
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