# Most disturbing/scary books that you've read?



## The Beard (Jul 15, 2012)

I'm looking for good, disturbing/scary horror books, I'm loading up my ipod with audiobooks so I can listen to them at work 

I know disturbing/scary books will interesting to listen to, so do you guys have any recommendations?


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## atimoc (Jul 15, 2012)

Maybe try some H.P. Lovecraft? The case of Charles Dexter Ward is the longest novel and the rest (Call of Cthulhu, Mouth of Madness etc.) are all shorter stories if my memory serves me right.

The monster depictions are often a bit over the top, but that aside, I think he's the master of creating a disturbing and eerie atmosphere.


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## SenorDingDong (Jul 15, 2012)

I'm a horror writer, so this is my specialty subject. 

I've got three books in mind, in order from most disturbing to not-as-disturbing-as-the-previous. If they don't leave you feeling disturbed, there is something seriously wrong with you.



Jack Ketchum - _The Girl Next Door_

Joyce Carol Oates - _Zombie_

A.M. Homes - _The End of Alice_



If you're still looking for something after those, try:



Lionel Shriver - _We Need To Talk About Kevin_

Iain Banks - _The Wasp Factory_

Chuck Palahniuk - _Haunted_

Stephen King - _Gerald's Game_


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## The Grief Hole (Jul 15, 2012)

I thought Luna Park by brett easton ellis was pretty brutal. More so than books like american psycho.

Misery is fantastic.

Some of Michael Gira's short stories are vomit inducing. He was the singer of Swans so its kind of understandable.

Also Blood Meridien and Crash are just negative holes of brutality that most people cant stomach.


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## broj15 (Jul 15, 2012)

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. Probably one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. Topics range from dirty old men swindling soccer moms to have sex with them, kids ruining there lives by masturbating and old rich people who get away from it all by pretending to be homeless (and eventually end up getting shot by mobsters).

Edit: Ninja'd by Senor Ding Dong


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## The Grief Hole (Jul 15, 2012)

And also the Alan Moore written Swamp Thing saga. Although it is a graphic novel if you want something horrific read that.


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## MFB (Jul 15, 2012)

No love for "House of Leaves"? Seriously, the only book I've read that's made me feel so uneasy.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Jul 15, 2012)

I see plenty of suggestions for things that are disturbing and/or disgusting, but how about some that are just, you know, _scary?_ Does anybody write quality horror like that anymore, or has it devolved into who can write the most gruesome depiction of a horrifyingly brutal event? I can only reread the same old horror stories (Oliver Onions and the like) so many times .


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## morrowcosom (Jul 15, 2012)

As for just scary/creepy, maybe some Stephen King. Serial killer autobiographies. Hell House. I am Legend.

If I wanted to read about gore, I would just read a CD lyrics booklet by a gore-obsessed metal band.


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## ittoa666 (Jul 16, 2012)

Honestly, Lovecraft isn't really disturbing or scary. It's just really out their, almost like another form of fantasy.


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## Tang (Jul 16, 2012)

MFB said:


> No love for "House of Leaves"? Seriously, the only book I've read that's made me feel so uneasy.



This. So much this.

I had to stop reading it late at night because my imagination would just run wild with it.

So OP, House of Leaves is a must.


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## flint757 (Jul 18, 2012)

I've heard IT by Stephen King is terrifying.


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## TheShreddinHand (Jul 19, 2012)

Not sure if this qualifies for what you're looking for but if you want to read/listen to a true story of a man taken into Japanese POW camps during WWII and the horrors he lived through and ultimately survived then get 'Unbroken'. It's an amazing amazing story.

Eric


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## MrPepperoniNipples (Jul 19, 2012)

"Another" by Yukito Ayatsuji


Excellent book.
I'd recommend everyone on this forum read it ASAP


If not, watch the 12 episode anime on it
Or wait for the movie to come out on August 4th, though it expect it to be terrible, and hard to get anywhere other than east asia


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## SenorDingDong (Jul 20, 2012)

ittoa666 said:


> Honestly, Lovecraft isn't really disturbing or scary. It's just really out their, almost like another form of fantasy.



I've never found Lovecraft disturbing or scary. He tends to spend more time using big, unnecessary words than building story.





Grand Moff Tim said:


> I see plenty of suggestions for things that are disturbing and/or disgusting, but how about some that are just, you know, _scary?_ Does anybody write quality horror like that anymore, or has it devolved into who can write the most gruesome depiction of a horrifyingly brutal event? I can only reread the same old horror stories (Oliver Onions and the like) so many times .




None of the books I listed are really gory (besides _Haunted_), but for me, it's hard to find a book that is truly "scary." That's why I stuck to disturbing suggestions. 

I think the only book that has ever genuinely gotten to me is Richard Matheson's _I am Legend_. Maybe the less-monotonous bits of _Dracula_ as well; the parts where


Spoiler



Jonathan Harker explores the castle and finds Dracula's "brides" in one of the lower rooms.


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## JeffFromMtl (Jul 20, 2012)

I'll third the recommendation for House of Leaves. That book is a masterpiece. See my signature


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## espman (Jul 21, 2012)

House of leaves is by a long ways the best book I've ever read, make that 4 recomendations


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## revclay (Jul 24, 2012)

And a fifth recommendation for House of Leaves. It's one of the best books I have ever read and it is as scary as your mind lets it be.


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## petereanima (Jul 24, 2012)

Seriously, what's up with the "House" beeing wirtten in blue? 

Argh, damn you all, I will find out if this is an insider or just my browser acting weird by simply reading that book - with all that recommendations from you guys, I can hardly go wrong...


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## The Reverend (Jul 24, 2012)

petereanima said:


> Seriously, what's up with the "House" beeing wirtten in blue?
> 
> Argh, damn you all, I will find out if this is an insider or just my browser acting weird by simply reading that book - with all that recommendations from you guys, I can hardly go wrong...



It's blue for me too.

My pick for scariest book is The Bible. 
Really, though, The Shining by Stephen King had some downright frightening parts when I read it at age 12.

Since my balls dropped completely, I have not been scared by movies or books, and not for lack of trying. Actually, a few scenes in Drag Me To Hell scared me shitless because I have a phobia of elderly people.


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## revclay (Jul 24, 2012)

If you read House of Leaves, you will understand why the word house is in blue.


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## petereanima (Jul 25, 2012)

revclay said:


> If you read House of Leaves, you will understand why the word house is in blue.



Just got the shipping-confirmation from amazon, I am on holidays next week -guess what.


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## Edika (Jul 25, 2012)

In horror books I found Graham Masterton's book "The Pariah" quite disturbing especially in the beginning.

From non horror books I am reading Ken Follett's "The pillars of the earth". It is placed in middle ages-Renaissance time period and has some really disturbing characters.


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## revclay (Jul 25, 2012)

petereanima said:


> Just got the shipping-confirmation from amazon, I am on holidays next week -guess what.



Good call. Enjoy the read. It's a long one but it is so worth it. Let us know what you think about it when you finish.


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## petereanima (Jul 26, 2012)

Postman just delivered it. As I always do, especcially on bigger books (as this (at least in this version) is), i rush through a few pges to see how smal/big its written...

What is this book, what have you done to me, that format, holy...what?....

I haven't read a single word yet, and I think I am loving it already.


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## revclay (Jul 26, 2012)

Hahaha, you don't even know the half of it. You are in for a treat. It may be the only book of its kind that requires a mirror to read.


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## explosivo (Jul 26, 2012)

HoL is definitely a wonderful piece of literature!


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## SPLANCHN0PHILE (Jul 26, 2012)

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. It's really f*cked up


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## mcd (Jul 28, 2012)

broj15 said:


> Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. Probably one of the most disturbing books I've ever read. Topics range from dirty old men swindling soccer moms to have sex with them, kids ruining there lives by masturbating and old rich people who get away from it all by pretending to be homeless (and eventually end up getting shot by mobsters).
> 
> Edit: Ninja'd by Senor Ding Dong



second on haunted that book was insane


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## Murdstone (Jul 29, 2012)

The first 150 pages or so of House of Leaves took me a week or two. The last ~350 I finished in a night. 

So stick with it. And read everything, including the footnotes that seem to go on for pages.


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## CannibalKiller (Aug 1, 2012)

IT by Stephen King is IMHO the greatest book ever written, regardless of genre or time period. Also The Shining, Cujo, Cell, and anything by Edgar Allan Poe. But mostly just Stephen King.


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## flint757 (Aug 1, 2012)

I'm too scared to read IT as the movie traumatized me as a young child. I can only imagine how the book would fuck with me.


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## petereanima (Aug 5, 2012)

revclay said:


> Good call. Enjoy the read. It's a long one but it is so worth it. Let us know what you think about it when you finish.



just finished it. very unique book, definitely a good recommendation, thanks guys.

i am on holidays at the moment, so reading it at the beach made it hard to really get into it as deep as - lets say, reading it in cold and dark winternights, maybe listening to sunn o))), Hahaha...that would add some atmosphere to it for sure. nonetheless, one of the best things i have read in a long time.


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## revclay (Aug 5, 2012)

petereanima said:


> just finished it. very unique book, definitely a good recommendation, thanks guys.
> 
> i am on holidays at the moment, so reading it at the beach made it hard to really get into it as deep as - lets say, reading it in cold and dark winternights, maybe listening to sunn o))), Hahaha...that would add some atmosphere to it for sure. nonetheless, one of the best things i have read in a long time.



Haha, I definitely read this book while listening to Sunn 0))) and Xasthur at points. Definitely not something for the faint of heart, hahaha. Glad you enjoyed the book.


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## MFB (Aug 5, 2012)

petereanima said:


> just finished it. very unique book, definitely a good recommendation, thanks guys.
> 
> i am on holidays at the moment, so reading it at the beach made it hard to really get into it as deep as - lets say, reading it in cold and dark winternights, maybe listening to sunn o))), Hahaha...that would add some atmosphere to it for sure. nonetheless, one of the best things i have read in a long time.



Coincidentally, when I first tried to read HoL's - I was on a cruise in the middle of the Bahamas. There I was, a 20-going-on-21 male on the upper deck of a giant Carnival cruise line reading a book about god knows what while there's music blasting, people in bikinis everywhere in crystal clear water and alcohol getting the better of everyone  Needless to say it made it a very interesting read in the atmosphere


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## The Reverend (Aug 5, 2012)

Just finished The Regulators by Stephen King. It's not scary, really, but there were some parts where I was incredibly engrossed in the stuff going on. It's the kind of thing where you look up and see that you've read fifty pages already and are surprised. 

I'm interested in reading Desperation by King as well, it's apparently an alternate reality companion book using all the same characters. Should be interesting. The mere concept has given me some pretty compelling ideas for my own work.


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## Murdstone (Aug 8, 2012)

MFB said:


> Coincidentally, when I first tried to read HoL's - I was on a cruise in the middle of the Bahamas. There I was, a 20-going-on-21 male on the upper deck of a giant Carnival cruise line reading a book about god knows what while there's music blasting, people in bikinis everywhere in crystal clear water and alcohol getting the better of everyone  Needless to say it made it a very interesting read in the atmosphere



My first HoL experience was actually on copious amounts of psychedelics. It made it that much better.


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## Pedantic (Aug 8, 2012)

I'll second we need to talk about kevin. I only saw the movie but it was very disturbing.


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## dethFNmetal (Aug 8, 2012)

stay classic with stephen king

the shining

under the done

the stand

all fantastic books by stephen king that will scare the crap out of you. not in a gory type of way just in a way that like holy shit look what these people did in this situation type of thing.


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## Captain_Awesome (Aug 9, 2012)

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King creeped me out, but I think that's due to the fact that I was reading it til 1 in the morning  it's a good read, regardless.


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## jsl2h90 (Aug 9, 2012)

flint757 said:


> I've heard IT by Stephen King is terrifying.


It is.


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## SenorDingDong (Aug 11, 2012)

jsl2h90 said:


> It is.



Especially the circle-jerk part


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## jwade (Aug 16, 2012)

HOL I wouldn't call 'scary' but it definitely worms it's way into your subconscious. Impressive book.

The only book I've ever read that actually 'scared' me was Phantoms by Dean Koontz. Might've been the fact that I was sick while reading it, but I had unbelievably screwed-up dreams the night I read it.


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## SilenceIsACrime (Aug 16, 2012)

John Dies At The End by David Wong.

It is equal parts hilarious along with equal parts freaky as shit.

I remember I was reading that at home alone and freaking out, then someone called me to go see Paranormal Activity in theaters and I felt so relieved!


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## SenorDingDong (Aug 16, 2012)

SilenceIsACrime said:


> John Dies At The End by David Wong.
> 
> It is equal parts hilarious along with equal parts freaky as shit.
> 
> I remember I was reading that at home alone and freaking out, then someone called me to go see Paranormal Activity in theaters and I felt so relieved!



I've wanted to read this for a while. Definitely going to pick it up now


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## espman (Aug 16, 2012)

SenorDingDong said:


> I've wanted to read this for a while. Definitely going to pick it up now


SilenceIsACrime pretty much summed that one up perfectly 

I'm looking forward to the sequel in October, anything with a title like "Seriously dude, This book is full of Spiders", is bound to be entertaining


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## The Reverend (Aug 16, 2012)

I'm considering going out right now and getting House Of Leaves.


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## MFB (Aug 16, 2012)

The Reverend said:


> I'm considering going out right now and getting House Of Leaves.





jwade said:


> HOL I wouldn't call 'scary' but it definitely worms it's way into your subconscious. Impressive book.
> 
> The only book I've ever read that actually 'scared' me was Phantoms by Dean Koontz. Might've been the fact that I was sick while reading it, but I had unbelievably screwed-up dreams the night I read it.



Yeah, I don't believe HoL to be scary, so much as it is just un-nerving/unsettling; which is why I always try to use those words to describe it instead of scary. Same thing goes for the Shining, do scary things happen? Yeah, at the very end, but for the first 99% of the book it's just this building of tension and things being weird and uneasy that makes you kind of squirm in your seat as you read it.


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## Deviliumrei (Aug 18, 2012)

I have read just about every Stephen King book but I could't finish Pet Cemetary. Disturbing it was


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## wankerness (Aug 19, 2012)

House of Leaves is good, but it goes on for way too long. It basically restarts the story about 3 times. Also, all the stuff with the narrator getting laid could have been removed. 

The one book that ever legitimately freaked me out was Gerald's Game by Stephen King. I went through a Stephen King phase back in middle school/high school and read everything that was out by him at the time (2000 or so) and that was one of the last I read, and also the only one that scared me. I don't think it's one of his better books in terms of plotting or writing or anything, but something about it really messed me up for a few days. The whole premise of being stuck in a remote cabin in the woods with the door wide open is scary enough, but then it goes over the top and throws the space cowboy in there, which simultaneously makes it stupid and really disturbing. That section of the book where she's trying to tell if the shadow in the corner is a person or her imagination really affected me on some primal level. The last like, 1/4 of that book was just terrifying to me.


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## MythicSquirrel (Aug 20, 2012)

Surprised no one's mentioned _Survivor_ by JF Gonzalez yet. Although the book definitely feels a tad bit amateurish and some of the dialogue is a bit unrealistic, it's still generally a good read and definitely quite a bit disturbing.
_Off Season_ by Jack Ketchum is another good one. And of course, being the total Brian Keene fanboy I am, I have to mention him; _Urban Gothic_ is a bit disturbing, and as it was my first horror novel, definitely scared me quite a bit. _Ghoul_ is another good one by him.


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## Captain Shoggoth (Aug 20, 2012)

jsl2h90 said:


> It is.



Read it when I was 12, prior to that I used to sleep with the door open and the light from the bathroom coming into the room-I didn't like total darkness.

After that book, darkness seemed like the better option. 


edit: Best. 666th post. Ever.


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