Thursday, October 09, 2008

Halloween Countdown: My Favorite Spooky Books

Salem's Lot by Stephen King - I just love this vampire story. The tv miniseries from the 70's scared me.
The Mist by Stephen King - A group of people get trapped in a grocery store as a strange mist filled with dangerous creatures envelops the town. What's not to like?
The Travelling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon - This book is weird. It's a graphic vampire story mixed with a coming-of-age novel. Strange combination but it works for me.
First Evidence by Ken Goddard - This is the spookiest book I think I have ever read. It's about aliens rather than the supernatural but it scared the bejeebers out of me.
Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon - This book is reminiscent of Stephen King's The Stand but I find it to be far superior. It's the first McCammon book I ever read but not the last.
Boy's Life by Robert R. McCammon - This isn't strictly a horror book but it has elements of the supernatural and a creepy mystery to boot. I love this book. It's probably my second fave book after To Kill A Mockingbird.
The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale - Another not strictly horror book but a good, scary read nonetheless.
Fragments by James F. David - Again, not strictly horror but dealing with the supernatural and some pretty gruesome deaths. This is a really good book.
Hunter by James Byron Huggins - This is an awesome story about science and nature gone wrong and the man who has to take care of it.
Watchers by Dean Koontz - Another science/nature gone wrong story. Excellent. You really fall in love with the characters.
The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher - Although it's been slipping quality lately, for the most part it's a solid series.
The Nightside Series by Simon R. Green - This series is so much fun. Green is one strange, creative guy.
Boneyard by Richard Moore - This is a series of comics about a guy who inherits a cemetary with some strange and funny inhabitants. Funny stuff.
The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling - I still can't believe how good these books are. Amazing.
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz - The ending spooked and moved me all at the same time.

3 comments:

goob44 said...

I agree, Salem's Lot is number 1 on my list. I've read nearly every book King (and Bachman) have wtitten, and Salem's Lot was the only one that ever made me fell a little antsy.
Harry Potter seemed to get better with eac book. I was a little disappointed in the ending of the series, it sort of seemed like Rowling couldn't figure out how to end the series (sort of like the Matrix trilogy).
Watchers by Koontz is good, so is Phantoms (the book is so much better than the movie it's not even in the same ballpark).
I've enjoyed the Dresden series also.

becca said...

Great books! :)
You've given me more ideas for books to read. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I'd have to recommend Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill, who's actually Stephen King, Jr. but would prefer you read his creepy-ass book because it's really moody and scary, and not because of who his dad is.