Quote by Ray Bradbury.
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In previous posts it was pointed out how difficult (or biased) it is to make a list that contains “the best horror books” in just one page. The reason is simple: such a short length of letters is not enough to describe all the outstanding authors of this subgenre. It is a type of narrative fiction inaugurated by the British Mary Shelley with Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus (1818).
Then the cool Edgar Allan Poe introduced new ways to terrorize readers and writers such as Bram Stoker or HP Lovecraft sublimated “heritage.” Already in the second half of the 20th century, the master pens of Anne Rice and Stephen King appeared. Additionally, in that same century it is worth mentioning Shirley Jackson, Ray Bradbury, John Fowles, and William P. Blatty, among others. Here is a list of highly recommended works in the horror genre.
Call of Cthulhu (1928), by HP Lovecraft
Plot and synopsis
This title represents the first appearance of the main mythological figure of the so-called “literary cycle of the Cthulhu Mythos”. It is a story prepared in the format of novelette and structured in a two-part narrative by Lovecraft. The first section begins with the death of a renowned professor at Brown University in Providence and is related to the assault of a sect faithful to Cthulhu.
This figure is an alleged extraterrestrial being that has been sleeping soundly since before the appearance of the Homo Sappiens within R’lyeh (a submerged city). Then, in the second section, the log of a captain who found the ancestral metropolis under the surface of the Pacific Ocean is revealed. Apparently, the time for the awakening of Cthulhu and his offspring has come.
The curse of Hill House (1959), by Shirley Jackson
Influence
Also known as The haunted house, this title set an inescapable precedent in ghost stories. Therefore, The success of the American author S. Jackson with this book goes far beyond its good sales. Only at the audiovisual level, The Hauting of the Hill House (in English) inspired two Hollywood movies and a series of the same name on the small screen.
Similarly, Stephen King points to this novel as one of the best horror pieces of the 20th century. (As well as being the inspiration for The Salem’s Lot Mystery). Further, Sophie Missing rated this text in his column of The Guardian (2010) as “the definitive story about haunted houses.”
Synopsis and main characters
In an unspecified location in the United States, the mansion is found Hill House, built by the late Hugh Crain. It is a gloomy looking property that has been inherited by Luke Sanderson, one of the four protagonists. Together with him, the characters mentioned below converge in that residence (each of them endowed with a remarkable psychological depth):
– Dr. John Montague, an expert researcher in paranormal phenomena.
– Eleanor Vance, a shy girl resentful of the feeling of having had an existence without freedom, tied up with a handicapped and rigorous mother.
– Theodora, an artist with an eccentric and carefree nature.
The fair of darkness (1962), de Ray Bradbury
Plot and synopsis
Originally titled in English Something Wicked This Way Comes (Something bad is about to happen), it is a superb piece of fantasy and horror. Its protagonists are Jim and William, both 13 years old, who live a spooky situation with a mysterious fair in the Midwest. That place is run by the enigmatic Mr. Dark, whose skin shows a tattoo by each of his workers.
The employees of the fair are people who ended up deceived by Mr. Dark due to the offering of a forbidden fantasy. One of the most irresistible offers is the dream of eternal life. Faced with such a nightmare trap, the only chance of salvation for the protagonists seems to be laughter and affection. A dark and rare work of art achieved by Bradbury.
The collector (1963), by John Fowles
Context and impact on pop culture
This book by English author John Fowles has had a huge impact on Anglo-Saxon pop culture. In 1965, his story was brought to the big screen under the direction of W. Wyler. Similarly, From the 70s to the present it has been alluded to in pieces by numerous musical bands in Europe and the United States. Entre ellas, The Jam, Slipknot, The Smiths, Duran Duran, Steve Wilson y The Raves.
Even the “master of terror”, Stephen King, names The Collector in at least two of his novels (Mysery and The Dark Tower). Already in the new millennium, this book inspired some episodes and characters of Criminal Minds and of The Simpsons, two very popular television series internationally.
Argument
Frederick Clegg, a state employee and amateur butterfly collector, becomes obsessed with Miranda Gray, a graceful art student whom he secretly admires. One day, he wins a big soccer bet, quits his job, and buys a country house. But, he feels alone in the house and decides to kidnap Miranda to add her to his collection of beautiful inanimate insects.
The Exorcist (1971), de William Peter Blatty
Context
The core of this novel was inspired by an exorcism that William P. Blatty heard about while he was studying at Georgetown University. This event would have occurred in two American locations, Mount Rainer (Maryland) and Bel-Nor (Missouri) between the months of March and April 1949. The strange event was widely reported by the local dam.
Synopsis
The premonition
Priest Lankester Merrin finds a figure of the Sumerian imp Pazuzu juxtaposed with a Saint Christopher medal in the middle of an archaeological dig in Iraq. Consequently, he interprets that there is a confrontation between good and evil, a matter in which he has experience with his exorcisms throughout all of Africa.
Development
The omen is confirmed when a teenage girl named Regan McNeil – the daughter of a well-known actress – shows sudden symptoms of a strange disease. In fact, the most disturbing thing for her mother turns out to be the terrifying physical changes and supernatural events suffered by the girl. So, the desperate woman decides to request the help of Father Damien Karras.
At first, Karras is hesitant to get involved because he has recently lost his mother and is having a religious crisis. Afterward, he agrees to address the case, albeit with considerable skepticism. Nevertheless, The evidences of demonic possession are overwhelming and Karras enlists the help of Father Merrin. Thus begins an exhausting exorcism that will put the faith and will of all present to the test.
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