Horror Classics from Great Authors
When people think of authors that have written horror classics over the years, they most often think of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, McCammon, and perhaps a few others. These authors are certainly the best selling of the bunch but by no means the entire spectrum. The horror genre has become much more popular over the years since Stephen King first wrote his best-selling novel “Carrie”, the one book that did more than any other to push the limits of scary literature in the 20th century. After that came a slew of copycat writers, Koontz included, and even Stephen King himself became somewhat stuck in the genre, despite his repeated attempts later in life to break out.
Horror classics may be the toughest kind of books to write because with the proliferation of horror movies, most people think they are jaded. Since most people today do not read but rather wait for the movie (which is a big mistake since only one book out of a thousand gets made into a movie) they do not know all of the thrilling chills they are missing. Great horror classics in literature form are far more frightening than their celluloid (or digital) knock-offs. Very few great horror movies have been made from great horror books but the best of the bunch are “The Exorcist” (original book by William Peter Blatty), “Carrie” (Stephen King), and “The Shining” (King once again).
One of the greatest books ever written and of the true modern horror classics is “Song of Kali” by Dan Simmons. Published in 1985, Song of Kali tells the story of a poetry editor who goes to Calcutta with his wife and newborn baby girl in order to find some poetry left behind by a supposedly dead poet. What he finds is a filthy, disgusting, criminally insane city that holds deep mysteries, crazed cults, and supernatural terrors far beyond anything he could ever have imagined. Read this one with the light on.
“Carrie” by Stephen King is still widely considered the author’s best and one of the enduring horror classics of the last century. King’s ability to turn the mundane, in this case the story of a nerdy, introverted girl being bullied in high school, into a riveting tale of the supernatural is amazing and sheer genius. The great characters that populate Carrie, including her religion crazed mother, are very memorable and you will never forget the ending. Although the movie was good, the book is way better, as they usually always are.
Other horror classics include “Something Wicked This Way Comes” by the late, great Ray Bradbury who is better known for his science fiction than his startling horror, and “Ghost Story” by Peter Straub. Both are great books and you should not miss them. Another great author of horror classics is Ramsay Campbell and his great book “The Hungry Moon” will leave you howling. “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson was turned into a hit Hollywood movie but once again the book is way better.
