5 Horror Books that Scare Me.

For no good reason, I constructed a list of the 5 Horror Stories that left a mark on me. 

No, not literally. 

These are  books that stand out when I think of being creeped out. Some are rather well-known, while others are a little more obscure. I hope it either encourages you to experience a new story or to revisit an old classic. 

5. Endless Night

by Richard Laymon

While I first read this book as a teenager, it still registers every time I speak of horror novels.

Endless Night focuses on a 16-year-old girl named Jody, who during a sleepover at her friend Evelyn's house finds herself at the mercy of two killers. Jody snatches up Evelyn's brother Andy and they begin running for their lives. 

This tale is extremely gruesome, graphic--you name it--but it is a terrific tale. On one hand, the story exposes a close relationship between Jody and Andy as they continue to run from the killers. On the other hand, some of the chapters are told in 1st-person by one of the killers. The latter is quite obscene, so you know, reader beware.

The reason Endless Night stays in my memory is because it keeps you hooked from one page to the next with teeth-scraping  horror married to psychological thriller trappings.  If you don't believe me, trust inLaymon's multiple Bram Stoker Awards (and that was just in 2000--there's an actual award named after him now too). 

4. Pet Semetary 

by Stephen King

My old, weathered copy of Pet Semetary--book worms and all!

It's a tale about Louis Creed, Director of Health Services at the University of Maine, and his family who move into a fairly large house at the edge of  small-town Ludlow. Louis' neighbor Jud accidentally introduces him to the Pet "Semetary," which leads to the resurrection of a cat. Before long, the cat turns evil. 

Louis' son dies, and he has one thought in mind: Taking his son, like the cat, to be resurrected at the Pet Semetary. Obviously, the cat is part of the foreshadowing. 

Nothing really beats a horror story with a protagonist who  never learns from his mistakes. If you haven't checked out this classic, do it. 

3. House of Leaves 

by Mark Z. Danielewski

Admittedly, this book can be a real pain in the ass to read, but it's worth it.

Some argue this is more of a love story than it is a horror story. Either way, it's a  creepy narrative that I could not leave out of this list.  

It's about Johnny, a tattoo artist, and his friend Lude who accidentally discover the works of a blind ederly man named  Zampanò. In particular, Johnny becomes immersed in an academic analysis of a documentary called the Navidson Record, which may or may not have been a real film. The manuscript itself is flawed and relies on  fictional citations.

The book is a bit complicated and is considered ergodic. It features footnotes--often with their own footnotes--from Zampanò, Johnny, the editors, Johnny's mother, and more.  Some of the thrill comes from assembling the narrative from the disorganized pages, almost like a choose-your-own-destiny but you simply choose which plot-line to follow for a moment. 

2. I Am Legend 

by Richard Matheson 

I Am Legend is interesting in the fact that it's a last-man standing tale involving vampire-like creatures that were actually more of zombies. Wait, or were they zombies that acted like vampires? 

Personally, I felt like they were more like vampires than zombies at first. Of course, many agree the book is about zombies, as George a Romero pointed out. 

Of course, when two parties argue over what a story is really about, a third voice has to chime in. Some argue the book is about loneliness more than horror, zombies, and vampires. 

Check it out if you haven't. If you've only seen the movies, you're in for a treat. I've never really felt like a movie got it right. 

1.Something Wicked This Way Comes 

by Ray Bradbury

Some people might get sassy with me because this book is actually classified as fantasy, but anyone who has read this story already knows  how sinister Mr. Dark makes the tale. 

It's  about two 13 year-olds, Jim and Will, who get mixed up with Mr. Dark as a carnival passes through their hometown. Mr. Dark seemingly has the power to grant wishes, etc., but it is nothing more than a way to trick people into servitude. To add to the eerie trappings of this narrative, Mr. Dark has the face of each person he tricks tattooed on his body. 

One of the best carny-based stories I've read, and definitely one of the creepiest. 

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