That creeping feeling down the back of your spine, that horrible sensation that you’re being watched…It’s the genre that has you sleeping with the lights on and jumping at every sound. Prepare for a scare–it’s time to learn about horror!
The Horror!
Horror is a genre designed to scare readers. Horror stories contain elements that frighten, disgust, and unnerve, and they’re not for the faint of heart. Additionally, horror stories (unlike other genres like romance) never promise a happy ending. Of course, you could get one–the hero kills the vampire and saves his girlfriend. Or, you could close that back cover having just learned that the beast in the forest has claimed its latest victim and is making its way towards the town. Horror plays on the unknown. We never know when the monster will show up next, what will happen to our hero, or who will survive.
Why Do Readers Like Horror?
The short answer is that we enjoy being scared. But, if you’re still flabbergasted as to why, here are a few more reasons. There’s something really thrilling about exploring the unknown (kind of like for readers who enjoy a good mystery), except in horror, the unknown is rarely something that you can wrap up in a neat little package. Also, too, there’s something exciting about an adrenaline rush–especially knowing that we’re safe. Yes, there’s a hideous monster devouring people…in the book. It’s not going to eat us, too. Right? …Right?
Blood Type
Horror comes in a variety of flavors (and we’re not even talking subgenres yet!). If you’re trying to find the right horror novel for yourself or for another reader, here are a few key terms to keep in mind. Sometimes, horror stories are gory! People get eaten, chopped to pieces, etc. Other times, the scares are more psychological in nature. When you’re suggesting or finding suggestions, bear in mind that terms like “gruesome”, “gory,” or “intense” imply a more graphic story. Books that are “psychological” or “haunting” will usually have less gore, but that doesn’t mean that that they’ll necessarily be any less scary.
The Definition Debate
There’s been a bit of a debate in the literary world of what makes a book horror. And it comes down to the supernatural. Some readers will tell you that for a book to be considered true horror, it has to have a supernatural monster of some sort, such as a vampire, demon, giant blob of slime, ghost, etc. Others (myself included) will tell you that the horror story has to create a sense of terror in the reader, but the monster can definitely still be human (because sometimes, the biggest monster is man). For example, The Silence of the Lambs features two killers– Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter and Buffalo Bill. One eats people and the other is making himself a skin suit (yuck!). These killers might still be human, but their behavior is monstrous. I’d certainly consider that a horror story…wouldn’t you? But, if you’re still convinced that horror needs a supernatural menace, then by definition, stories like The Silence of the Lambs would be considered psychological thriller (which we’ll cover later).
Scary Subgenres
Everyone is scared by something different. Here are a few ways to frighten yourself:
- Ghost stories: The monster is a ghost!
- Cosmic horror: A being from beyond time and space terrorizes the world
- Southern Gothic: Crumbling mansions overrun with vines, dark secrets, and something in the bayou…
- Apocalypse: The end of the world is at hand
Related Genres
Horror is part of a genre group known as Speculative Fiction. These are books that look at the “What If?” question. If you like that concept, but don’t want to be scared too much, consider checking one of these out:
- Science Fiction: An imagined future full of cool new technologies
- Dark Fantasy: Adventures and intrigue set in a world unlike our own, with a dark mood and tone
- Dystopian: There is a new world order, and its horrible
- Psychological Thriller: Designed to get into your head and freak you out
Reading Recommendations
This Thing of Darkness (Fiorella De Maria and KV Turley) Hollywood, 1956. Journalist and war widow Evangeline Kilhooley is assigned to write a “star profile” of the fading actor Bela Lugosi, made famous by his role as Count Dracula. During a series of interviews, Lugosi draws Evi into his curious Eastern European background, gradually revealing the link between Old World shadows and the twilight realm of modern horror films. Along the way, Evi meets another English expatriate, Hugo Radelle, a movie buff who offers to help with her research. As their relationship deepens, Evi begins to suspect that he knows more about her and her soldier husband than he is letting on. Meanwhile, a menacing Darkness stalks all three characters as their histories and destinies mysteriously begin to intertwine.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth (Cassandra Khaw) A Heian-era mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her company. It’s the perfect venue for a group of thrill-seeking friends, brought back together to celebrate a wedding. A night of food, drinks, and games quickly spirals into a nightmare as secrets get dragged out and relationships are tested. But the house has secrets too. Lurking in the shadows is the ghost bride with a black smile and a hungry heart. And she gets lonely down there in the dirt.
The Shining (Stephen King) Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.
Haunting of Hill House (Shirley Jackson) First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting”; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers–and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
Something Wicked This Way Comes (Ray Bradbury) For those who still dream and remember, for those yet to experience the hypnotic power of its dark poetry, step inside. The show is about to begin. Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. A calliope’s shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. Two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all too well the heavy cost of wishes…and the stuff of nightmares.
