Innovative horror novel recommendations

[Krug]

I always thought Clive Barker's Books of Blood were some of the most innovative and original horror stories around, much more than his novels.

 

[Michael Tree]

I really liked Steven Brust's Agyar. It's probably shelved in the fantasy section with the rest of Brust's books, but it's really much more of a horror novel. I won't tell what it's about, for reasons that will hopefully become obvious if you read it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I really liked Steven Brust's Agyar. It's probably shelved in the fantasy section with the rest of Brust's books, but it's really much more of a horror novel. I won't tell what it's about, for reasons that will hopefully become obvious if you read it.

The most annoying thing about that is that the most recent edition I picked up (I lost my original) had all of that spelled out in the blurb on the back!

Gah!

I bought a copy for someone, but had to tell them "By the way, don't read the back cover".

-Hyp.

 

[Hijinks]

Hmmmm, they aren't exactly new (and indeed, I think he might have stopped writing them), but Paul Doherty has a series called "Canterbury Tales of Mystery And Murder". Based on the premise that the various people in the Canterbury tales told amusing stories in the day, but at night, told ghost/supernatural stories.

Oy. Are these in Olde English too? I spoke it once when I had to read every. single. Canterbury. Tale. in college. I think I've blocked it from my mind.

*thinks of the Prioress and curls up whimpering in the corner*

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

*thinks of the Prioress and curls up whimpering in the corner*

One of my favorite memories in high school was the discussion of the Wife of Bath's tale, when the cute-as-a-button cheerleader piped up and asked 'Why did the Knight cut the girl's head off?'

The teacher gave me the 'keep your smart mouth shut' look and calmly explained to her what "By utter force, he took away her maidenhead" meant.

 

[Tonguez]

By verray force, he rafte hire maydenhede

actually sounds better in Middle English

 

[Jubilee]

As a general rule, I don't read horror for the same reason I don't watch movies with zombies in them, but I did once read a horror novel by F Paul Wilson, I think it was called the Keep, and I remember thinking it was really creepy. I don't know if it counts as innovative, but his sci-fi series is one of my favorites and stands out from far-future sci-fi quite well, imo. I think many of his books are out of print these days, and are best picked up used. Keep in mind I think I was in my late teens when read it, though. ;P

/ali

 

[trancejeremy]

As a general rule, I don't read horror for the same reason I don't watch movies with zombies in them, but I did once read a horror novel by F Paul Wilson, I think it was called the Keep, and I remember thinking it was really creepy. I don't know if it counts as innovative, but his sci-fi series is one of my favorites and stands out from far-future sci-fi quite well, imo. I think many of his books are out of print these days, and are best picked up used. Keep in mind I think I was in my late teens when read it, though. ;P

/ali

The Keep was actually the first of a series. The Adversary Cycle, I think it's called. Most of them are out of print, I think, at least in paperback, but he's also got a related series, Repairman Jack. He was in one of the novles in the cycle (The Tomb), but got his own series because he was something of a popular character. He might not appeal to all people though, he's basically a vigilante. And indeed, most of his stuff is somewhat political (libertarian). Not overly so, but might offend some people

 

[trancejeremy]

Oy. Are these in Olde English too? I spoke it once when I had to read every. single. Canterbury. Tale. in college. I think I've blocked it from my mind.

No, regular British English

 

[Pielorinho]

You want an unusual recommendation? Try Joyce Carol Oates. Some of her stuff is dreadfully literary, but her horror freaks me the heck out. My favorite is Zombie. It has a plot somewhat similar to another book in this thread (I won't say which). It won the 1996 Bram Stoker award, and it is utterly chilling. All I'll say is that it's the diary of a not-terribly-bright murderer.

Another unusual recommendation? Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy. It's ostensibly a historical novel, but it's so surreally horrific that it might more properly be read as a horror novel. Totally gripping, totally terrifying.

One more, and this is a fun one that you've probably heard of: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. It's sort of like an epistolary (sp?) novel: the story is told in a series of interviews with people involved in the events. My sister thought it was disjointed at first, but the story really starts to come together, and I found it very compelling.

The more I think about this, the more I can think of to recommend that is sort of in the genre but sort of not . Okay, one more recommendation, this time completely not what you're asking for but might be worthwhile anyway: any one of the twenty or so Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. The superb editors (at least one of whom has left the series in the past few years) define both genres widely, and they find some real gems to recommend. I've found several really great authors by reading the short stories in these collections and going on to find the authors' novels.

Daniel