Horror Fiction Help

[Lou]

I could use some recommendations on some good horror authors to look into. I'm interested in finding some good, lesser known writers.
Not the Stephen King, Koontz, Joe Hill, etc. If it helps, the following are authors that I have read extensively and enjoy...

Edward Lee
Jack Ketchum
Bryan Smith
Richard Laymon
Graham Masterton
J F Gonzalez
Mark Lukens
Jeremy Bates
Douglas Clegg
Bentley Little
Peter Straub
Robert McCammon
Nick Cutter

Probably forgetting a lot, but this is a good start. Who else do I need to read?

[Lopez]

Thomas Tessier (start with Finishing Touches)
Jonathan Carroll (start with The Land of Laughs)
Ray Garton (start anywhere, just start)
Richard Christian Matheson (his very short stories are pretty horrific)

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Second Ray Garton.
Robert Aickman.
And, for ghod's sake, Shirley Jackson, who was one of the finest writers the US ever produced. Start with "The Haunting of Hill House," "We Have Always Lived in the Castle," or a short story collection.

[Lopez]

How could I forget: Joe R. Lansdale, Joe R. Lansdale, and Champion Joe R. Lansdale, his ownself!

He's written in many genres (horror, sci-fi, suspense, crime, juvenile, graphic novels, westerns) and is probably best known for his Hap and Leonard series, but his horror stuff seems to be forgotten. Try short stories "The Night They Missed the Horror Show" and "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road."

[Lou]

Any Lansdale or Garton suggestions?

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Yeah, for Lansdale, the utterly surreal "The Drive-In" and its sequel, "The Drive-In 2."

[philsunset]

Thomas Tessier (start with Finishing Touches)
Jonathan Carroll (start with The Land of Laughs)
Ray Garton (start anywhere, just start)
Richard Christian Matheson (his very short stories are pretty horrific)

Good choices here. Although I would recommend anything by Tessier. The first four books by Kathe Koja are tremendous.

[JKL2000]

Dan Simmons - Carrion Comfort

[Lou]

Dan Simmons - Carrion Comfort

I have this one as part of my ever broadening "on deck circle".

[Joe F.]

John Langan- The Fisherman

Weird fiction ala Lovecraft. The best thing I've read in a few years.

[Lopez]

Any Lansdale or Garton suggestions?

For Lansdale, yes, indeed, the Drive-Ins are superb. Look for the short story collections By Bizarre Hands, Bestsellers Guaranteed, and Writer of the Purple Rage. These contain his early horror stories. Purple Rage contains "Bubba Ho-Tep," which was the basis for the Bruce Campbell movie of the same name.

For Garton, I'd recommend the novels Crucifax, Live Girls, and The New Neighbor. Crucifax is about a new comer to town who leads the youts astray. Live Girls: vampirettes who work in a peep show. The New Neighbor: a succubus moves in and, well, there goes the neighborhood. Also look for his YA books written as "Joseph Locke." They are definitely more than Young Adult.

[Lou]

Thank you to everyone for your recommendations. I go to Amazon and check all of them out. Some good new stuff to explore!

Re Garton...I actually have read Live Girls. I forgot I have it.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Oh, and: Just finished Horrorstör, by Grady Hendrix. If you hate IKEA as much as I do, this is a must-read.

[Lopez]

Oh, and: Just finished Horrorstör, by Grady Hendrix. If you hate IKEA as much as I do, this is a must-read.

Just went to the Amazon site to read up on this book. I'm heading to the library in a few moments to look for it. Sounds a little like the Bentley Little novel, The Store, which is his take on a horrifying Walmart.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

"...a horrifying Walmart."

You mean there's another kind?

[JKL2000]

You mean there's another kind?

Since the only Walmart I've ever gone to is the one near the ProgDay hotel to buy ProgDay supplies, I have only good associations with it!

[dropforge]

Yeah, for Lansdale, the utterly surreal "The Drive-In" and its sequel, "The Drive-In 2."

I love those. I just ordered a newer edition of Joe's collection By Bizarre Hands.

[dropforge]

I could use some recommendations on some good horror authors to look into. I'm interested in finding some good, lesser known writers.
Not the Stephen King, Koontz, Joe Hill, etc. If it helps, the following are authors that I have read extensively and enjoy...

Edward Lee
Jack Ketchum
Bryan Smith
Richard Laymon
Graham Masterton
J F Gonzalez
Mark Lukens
Jeremy Bates
Douglas Clegg
Bentley Little
Peter Straub
Robert McCammon
Nick Cutter

Probably forgetting a lot, but this is a good start. Who else do I need to read?

If you like occult/supernatural horror (not vampires, werewolves, zombies, evil dolls, slashers, psychological), check out Ramsey Campbell.

[Lopez]

If you like occult/supernatural horror (not vampires, werewolves, zombies, evil dolls, slashers, psychological), check out Ramsey Campbell.

Quite a while ago I read his The Doll Who Ate It's Mother. That was really out there.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Since the only Walmart I've ever gone to is the one near the ProgDay hotel to buy ProgDay supplies, I have only good associations with it!

If that's the only place nearby to buy supplies, I am never going...

[JKL2000]

If that's the only place nearby to buy supplies, I am never going...

It's not the only place, but IMO the best for some things. There's also a Dick's Sporting Goods and a Krogers that will have most of what you might need. And of course Total Wine!

[Lopez]

Total Wine!

One opened up near me earlier this year. Fantastic! We don't have to drive to New Hampshire anymore for good prices on adult beverages.

[Lou]

If you like occult/supernatural horror (not vampires, werewolves, zombies, evil dolls, slashers, psychological), check out Ramsey Campbell.

That name sounds very familiar. I'll have to check out the collection. I may one of his.

[Lou]

Been on a Richard Matheson kick. Read Hell House, which was absolutely superb, and Hunted Past Reason, which was good, but paled in comparison.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

My favorite Matheson is still _I Am Legend_, which has been filmed three times, each time worse than the one before. The first (_The Last Man on Earth_, starring Vincent Price) was actually pretty good; the second (_The Omega Man_, starring Charlton Heston) was embarrassing, and the third (_I Am Legend_, starring Will Smith, who should have known better) sucked.

But the book is better than any of the movies.