[lemming]

I read this really fantastic article once that set up definitions something like the following:

In SF, the universe usually doesn't care if people exist, and can be understood and manipulated using science.

In fantasy, the universe may or may not be benevolent/conscious/slanted, and can be understood and manipulated using magic.

In horror, the universe may or may not be malevolent. It can generally not be manipulated well or fully understood.


Anyone else have a take on this? How do you draw your genre lines? I've found these rules of thumb work pretty well for me... it's interesting some of the works they define as horror that are not called such but sure enough left me feeling uneasy.

[AuntiePam]

I like those definitions. Something to think about. Later, when I'm not so old and tired. :-)

I'm trying to think of stories that combine them all. The Hyperion series fits all three, I think.

[Penumbra]

Horror is clearly what happens when one tries to find a reliable literary agent. I thought everybody knew that.

[Puck]

I like the definitions too, although the definition of horror would expand the boundaries a bit for me. When I read the definition, I heard Jeff Goldblum's character in Jurassic Park in my head expounding on his theories of Chaos and how "nature" simply cannot be controlled. I would not classify Jurassic Park as horror... however under these conditions I think it fits in the category.

[Myrah the witch]

Horror, is the embodiment of a form of evil. It grabs the sences and takes the imagination for the ulimate scare ride. I feel good horror should hold you stedfast for the run of the story, be relentless. I accept lesser forms as well as the scare the living daylights out of you style. Stephen King has given me both verities, but I feel Koontz is quite good in the scare you good kind. I have read other lesser know authors who for me have given a good scare. But to be Honest, Anne Rice has yet to give me a good scare, her stuff is rather tame.

[Ladijen]

The definition Lemming posted is a good one in my opinion--suitably vague. Horror is about the darker side of nature or human nature, real or imagined. I've always thought of horror as more of an over-genre, because it can encompass almost all of the other genres. For instance, I consider all of the following to be horror: The Lottery (Shirley Jackson), Alien (Alan Dean Foster?), Dolores Claiborne and The Wastelands (Stephen King). However, they are also classic (i.e. school assignments http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif ), science fiction, suspense, and fantasy, respectively. Horror can be found in many places.

[This message has been edited by Ladijen (edited May 17, 2002).]

[andolimont]

Hum, how do I define horror, anything that sets my teeth on edge, makes me somewhat squemish, or keeps me intrigued. I feel King's horror is rather like this, he gets you by the throat and holds you until the book is finished. Rice, I like but she is more melodramatic, than scarey. I also like Koontz and Cook, they each have different styles and attitudes of how horror is handled. Four different authors and four different styles, variety...

[sor105]

I would say horror is like an add-on to any genre. It can be a genre itself, of course, but usually you see it "attached" to sci-fi (the sci-fi-ness brings about scary stuff)

[Tacitus]

Scariest thing i find in much of the horror i've enjoyed is that in most cases what makes the object of the horror(Vampire, werewolf insert person/entity here) is that in most cases they can pass for normal people. also, the passions/desires/needs/whatever that drove them to become horrific(seek out their transformation into whatever they became, commit the acts they do, etc)are very natural and very human(like you and I), but uncontrolled, and so the characters become controlled by them. Sort of a "moral of the story" situation, any of them could have been any of US, "if only". kind of a warning of what waits for those who stray into the shadows.....

Somewhere in there i hope that made sense.....?

[kahnovitch]

I love a good Vampire/Werewolf film and of course horror can come in many forms, sometimes the less obvious the object of horror, the more scary it can be.
My personal favourite horror is the parasitic type that grows inside a host. I’m thinking Alien and the Thing.
The fear that comes from the paranoia and sense of being trapped and defenceless in a closed environment where you have nowhere to run, is a classic horror scenario.
Best of all, and along the same lines, is the Bodysnatcher idea. A combination of the human parasite with the zombie scenario from the classic George A Romero flicks.
A great concept in horror where instead you have the whole world to run to and yet nowhere to hide, and best of all….. you dare no sleep.