What is the most terrifying horror novel?

**Zsinj16** · February 4th, 2002, 04:31 AM

I'm wondering, just for the sake of curiosity, what is the scariest, most frightening, most terrifying horror novel anyone's ever read on this board?

**kray3** · February 4th, 2002, 05:27 AM

Well i havent read all that much horror, basically limitint myself to Stephen King.

But out of all his books, i found Salem's Lot to be the sacriest.

[This message has been edited by kray3 (edited February 04, 2002).]

**ookey** · February 4th, 2002, 09:43 AM

I'm not all that well versed in King but of what I've read I'd say It is the scariest book I've read.

**AuntiePam** · February 4th, 2002, 11:53 AM

Peter Straub's Ghost Story is high on my Chill Meter.

At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft -- I totally believed what I was reading.

**estranghero** · February 4th, 2002, 04:09 PM

Unfortunately, I'm a Stephen King stepchild.

My dad had most of his books and I grew up reading the stuff.

For scariest novels, I would agree that IT is the one for me. Imagine, a 13-year old kid reading about a monster that dismembers 13-year old children through their worst nightmares.

But SALEM'S LOT is a favorite of mine as well since I remember being so engrossed reading it at the wake of my grandfather's funeral. It was only half-way through the night that I remembered what the hell was I doing reading about vampires in the middle of a friggin' wake!?!

**Coldfire** · February 18th, 2002, 01:02 AM

For me it would be Pet Sematary. Scared the crap outta me.

**Rob B** · February 18th, 2002, 11:23 AM

estranghero, sounds alot like my upbringing

Your dad's not a mechanic btw, is he?

Anyway, two novels that have given me nightmares.

The Shining by King
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. Similar story to It but there were a couple of very subtly spooky scenes that really got me good. I read the book during the summer too, so maybe that's part of it.

**Nathan Carter** · February 19th, 2002, 04:37 AM

F.Paul Wilson
The Keep

It displays fear on more than just one level... supernatural and realistic. It's also one of the best written books I've ever come across, The writing style goes for the jugular like like a pit bull and does not relent.

**estranghero** · February 23rd, 2002, 01:53 AM

estranghero, sounds alot like my upbringing
Your dad's not a mechanic btw, is he?

Nup.

Just a prolific reader. He also loved The Shining.

Hey, FF how's the Simmons book? I'm kinda doubtful of his horror works since I didn't like his 'psi-vampires' book (forgot the name) and The Hollow Man was generally ok but nothing memorable.

I'm hoping for a good word since I love his Hyperion sci-fi work.

**Corwwyn** · February 24th, 2002, 01:12 AM

Wow, someone's read The Keep! Excellent.

This novel was also made into a very good RPG module and surprisingly enjoyable movie too.

**Nathan Carter** · February 25th, 2002, 02:17 AM

Ya know... I heard the movie stunk by more than one reliable scorce... but I still wanted to see it simply because I enjoyed the book so much... You have revived my curiosity... now to track this obscure and archaic beast down.

**AuntiePam** · February 25th, 2002, 12:32 PM

The Keep is definitely worth a search. Michael Mann of Miami Vice fame did it -- that's a plus, IMHO.

**Rob B** · February 26th, 2002, 02:09 AM

estranghero:

I liked the Simmons book quite a bit. Not as long as IT but as I said, similar storyline. Kids in a small farm town come together to go up against the evil that lurks in the town. Thats a cheesy sounding summary, but the characters are drawn pretty well and it is an overall good read. I actually liked it better than his SciFi stuff.

Simmons' new one A Winter Haunting is a sequel of sorts, picks up the life of one of the characters as an adult. (haven't read it yet.)

Children of the Night by Simmons is a really good vampire tale. Again, a character from Summer of Night is grown up and has to deal with Dracula. A very plausible telling of vampires and how the AIDS virus is incorporated into the story.

**Ogg** · March 14th, 2002, 03:17 AM

The e-book by Neil, Ode to Ogg the Flatulent Underling.

Now there was a real work on the tragedy of human experiences combined with the horror of trying to make ones way through the harsh reality of the world trying to find happiness and home as all the forces of nature are aligned against the protagonist.