Favorite Horror Authors.

[Arsen]

Who are your personal favorites and what do you believe they added to the scene?

H.P. Lovecraft - The insdisputed demi-god of horror literature.

Ray Bradbury - Many of his earlier tales, specifically in the "Dark Carnival" tales, were beyond brilliant. In few words this man can convey a sense of fear and dread that isn't bogged down with stereotypical themes.

Stephen King - Yeah, yeah people say he's overated and too popular. Whatever. Just check out N., 1408, and many of his earlier short stories for better reference.

Clark Ashton Smith - The fact that this man is underated is criminal. One of Lovecraft's personal proteges.

Algernon Blackwood - Another famous face whose name only registers in the older horror scene.

Ambrose Bierce - "An Incident at Owl Creek Bridge" is beyond words.

Clive Barker - The man injected fun back into horror in a modern day Bradbury-esque way. Not to mention he added layers of detail to a genre that sometimes gets bogged down in formula.

Arthur Machen - "The Great God Pan" set the stage for many to come.

 

[2fish]

Mary SanGiovanni's The Hollower. A nice little horror story that kept me reading, which is not easy for horror stories to do.

 

[dlsevern]

H.P. Lovecraft
Edgar Allen Poe
Stephen King
Ramsey Campbell
Ray Bradbury
Brian Keene
Robert W. Chambers
Clive Barker
Richard Laymon
Brian Lumley
Bentley Little
Peter Straub
Gord Rollo
John Skipp
Craig Spector
F. Paul Wilson
Charles L. Grant

There are several of the classics that I haven't read like Aickman, James, Blackwood, Bierce, Hodson, and so forth, so I really need to get to reading some of these classics whom I'm sure will make my list.

 

[flim.geek.chic]

RL Stine. (don't kill me) I got to meet him once as a kid he was so nice and funny. Not to metion who didn't read or watch the Goosebumbs seris in the 90s?

 

[Drakmeire]

I'm just going to be different and say David Wong. John dies at the end was a very twisted yet funny story.

 

[FalloutJack]

I like a whole number of them, myself. However, I believe it would be H.P. Lovecraft who is loved the most, though for all the wrong reasons. Seriously, can you imagine his reaction to all the Cthulhu fanaticism?

 

[Quiet Stranger]

My favs are Stephen King and Clive Barker (they're the only ones i've read) love them, I've been really trying hard to get back into reading novels, think I'll get some Stephen king books out from my library

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

H.P Lovecraft is my favourite author of ANY genre, so I guess I have to go with him.

Ironically im not particularly scared by his horror stories, but they are just so insanely good that I can recognize them as good horror stories anyway.

 

[DoubleTime]

Gotta say Richard Matheson. I loved the book I am Legend and his short stories could be sooooo creepy. He also wrote a whole lot of the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits episodes (like Nightmare at 20,000 Feet). Also that movie about the possessed little tribal doll called Prey.

 

[Tiny116]

James Herbert and Richard Laymon.
The Rats, Lair and Domain top the list for Herbert
Endless Night for Laymon

 

[Taranaich]

Clark Ashton Smith - The fact that this man is underated is criminal. One of Lovecraft's personal proteges.

Don't sell Smith short: he wasn't a mere protoge, he was Lovecraft's colleague, friend and equal. And I agree, his obscurity is simply criminal.

 

[Viking Incognito]

David Wong author of John Dies in the end.

 

[Reptiloid]

H.P. Lovecraft.

I'm not a book person, generally don't have any interest in reading whatsoever. Lovecraft is the ONLY exception. He's just that good.

 

[Koroviev]

Edgar Allen Poe can make me afraid to turn out the lights. Lovecraft does the same when I'm not distracted by his purple prose.

 

[kakaomasse]

im just gonna repeat the others, but its H.P. Lovecraft and Clive Barker.
Back in the old days i read a lot of Stephen King. I respect the man, but...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc7ZaZz4CoU


also many of his books would be 100x better with bout 300 pages less.

 

[Macabre9037]

I believe my avatar can speak for me.

 

[ensouls]

I love Lovecraft but the occasional racism is...really distracting and repulsive.

 

[Gord Rollo]

H.P. Lovecraft
Edgar Allen Poe
Stephen King
Ramsey Campbell
Ray Bradbury
Brian Keene
Robert W. Chambers
Clive Barker
Richard Laymon
Brian Lumley
Bentley Little
Peter Straub
Gord Rollo
John Skipp
Craig Spector
F. Paul Wilson
Charles L. Grant

There are several of the classics that I haven't read like Aickman, James, Blackwood, Bierce, Hodson, and so forth, so I really need to get to reading some of these classics whom I'm sure will make my list.

Wow! I'm really honored to be included on a list like that. Thanks a lot!

Cheers,

Gord