27 Comments
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Pablo's avatar

Harry, I dont read much Horror but one short story I can recommend is Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream". It's insane!

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

I know it well my friend! I should've included AM!!

Matt Cyr's avatar

Also, +1 for including a Machen character.

Matt Cyr's avatar

Yes, I just found Machen this year and was so impressed. First of his I read was “The White People” on my phone, kinda tripped me out.

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

I still need to read it

Matt Cyr's avatar

This will sound strange but I recommend reading it on a tablet or phone, so you can scroll as you read it, as opposed to reading a physical copy where you flip pages. Counterintuitive given it was written 100 years ago but less interruption makes it better.

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

I'm on board. I've got a link from a fellow Substacker somewhere

Matt Cyr's avatar

Great list. I actually prefer Brody in the movie more than his character in the book. Good character, I just think some of the cuts Spielberg made created cleaner man vs beast dynamic vs some of the stuff that his character goes through in the book re: Hooper and the thematic sharks he has to overcome.

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

I definitely see what you mean, Matt

Skyla's avatar

Ok, this is my sign to read the Jaws novel. This is the third time I’ve seen someone talking about it!

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

It's pretty good!! Would love to hear your thoughts

Giles's avatar

That shot of Brody with the cig dangling is gold. I haven't read 3 of these, and I'm so ashamed to admit The Tooth is one of them (Sepulchre & Darren Shan are the others). I'll get my shit together one of these days.

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

It's a top tier shot isn't it.

The Tooth is really short and you could smash through it in twenty minutes.

Darren Shan is skippable, though if you're interested I do have another post about it

Sepulchre is a horror classic!

Jamie B.'s avatar

Awesome choices, Harry! Really happy to see the Hell House peeps here!

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

They just make the story so fun. I wouldn't want to be stuck there with em though

Jamie B.'s avatar

Me either! 😬

George R. Galuschak's avatar

I never read Sepulchre, I'll have to give it a try. The only books I read by Herbert are the ones he wrote about the killer rats, which I liked.

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

The Rats was great, but Sepulchre was even better. Though very nasty.

The Story Machine's avatar

Great piece! I'm actually halfway through reading Rebecca at the moment - and I would also suggest Mrs Danvers as one of the most incredible characters from a horror novel. She is such a malignant, suffocating presence in the book, haunting Manderley every bit as much as Rebecca. I'm crying out for the unnamed narrator to give her a slap.

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

A great shout. She's extremely grim and sinister isn't she!!

The Story Machine's avatar

Yeah she's awful. The whole book has such a suffocating atmosphere. So good!

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

It's one of the best

Daniel O’Donnell's avatar

Great list Harry 👍🏼

I’ve got my top 10 Stephen King characters coming along in the not too distant future and Roland is on there. I considered Paul Sheldon but went for his nemesis instead! 😁

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

I joked to my girlfriend I could do a ten SK characters list instead, but every place would go to Carrie.

Annie is a perfect choice, of course, and I can't wait to see your list.

Lee Mannell's avatar

I haven’t read half of these! *Runs to TBR list*

Hellish Views - Harry Evans's avatar

It got a bit random towards the end!