What's the scariest book you've ever read?

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   Laura Ginnposted 12 years ago

   I have just finished reading 'The Shining' by Steven King and whilst I must say it is an absolutely fantastic book, it is also the scariest book I have ever read!  I'm not sure whether I will be able to sleep for a few nights it has freaked me out so much!
   
   What is the scariest book you have ever read and would you recommend it to others?

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      shea duaneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      In college, I read The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym by Poe. It was adventure story, but a few parts were really frightening... at one point two characters are lost at sea on a small boat, and they see a ship. They see people moving on the ship, but when they get closer, the ‘people; are skeletons whose heads and eyes are being eaten by sea birds, thus the movement. Another aspect of the book that was frightening was the descriptions of some the characters... one character had very long arms...that gave me nightmares. The book ends in a really frightening way, also... not going to spoil it for any of you.

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   jjackson786posted 12 years ago

   I have two. The first is called "The Monstrumologist" by Rick Yancey and "The Terror" by Dan Simmons. The first is actually written for young adults, but it was pretty scary for me (a 24-year old.) I actually just finished the second and loved it. It was terrifying for a lot of reasons, but mainly because the entire story is based on true events. I definitely recommend the both of them, but only if you can handle graphics scenes of death and gore.

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   thooghunposted 12 years ago

   Death and gore are my middle-names! I will check those out JJ, thanks for the tips. Personally, and for an entirely different reason, Prometheus Rising scared the living crap out of me (it's a kind of manual on how the brain works). Fantastic, thrilling, depressing, empowering and utterly terrifying!

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   will345davisposted 12 years ago

   I'm not sure if it was the book or maybe the current situation, but Stephen King's Duma Key creeped me out big time.
   It was during Hurricane Gustav a few years back. The power was out in almost all of Baton Rouge. I was reading alone in complete darkness at like 4:00am. The only light on was my booklight. I kept scanning the room with the light cause I kept getting the creeps

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   Jean Bakulaposted 12 years ago

   I really enjoyed Duma Key. I thought it was one of the better books SK wrote after his accident. He wrote a few afterwards that were not up to his usual standards. I also liked that he took his characters out of ME for a change (though I love ME) and told a story from FL. Duma Key is really one of his best, in my book. I also love Bag of Bones. That's not as scary, but is a difficult mystery and haunted love story, all in one. Way back when The Shining was new, many people had to read it in small dozes, it really is scary.

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   Ummijjposted 12 years ago

   I read " In Cold Blood" as a young girl and must say, to date, it is the scariest book I've ever read. All the blood and gore in the world has nothing on the kind of fear that book ignited in me.
   
   Second to that was the book, " The Exorcist". I am afraid of any type of thriller that has the potential to happen to me for real.
   
   Demon possession, or becoming the unsuspecting victim of murderous stalkers, are subjects that can cause me to have many sleepless nights.

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      thooghunposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The exorcist creeps me out every-time and I don't even believe in that stuff. I can't imagine how it must affect those that do. *shiver*

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   will345davisposted 12 years ago

   I agree The Exorcist was a scary read. It had so many people messed up back then. The problem is that the market has changed so much. What was terrifying years ago is now not even frightening to children.

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   Alex Simringposted 12 years ago

   Stephen King books are all great for horror. In particular, 'It' by Stephen King was the scariest book I read. This story follows seven children who are terrorized by a predatory life form who exploits their fears and phobias. Scary!

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   will345davisposted 12 years ago

   Another creepy book is The Dark by James Hebert. That's another that I was up reading alone late at night and successfully freaked myself out.

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    Laura Ginnposted 12 years ago

    Awesome replies I will have to check some of these out... and Jean - in small doses is how I read The Shining too!

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    WriteAngledposted 12 years ago

    No blood or gore, but Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury is very scary, but also a marvellous read.

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