Stephen King just stopped trying...

[19itmicmac]

Stephen King is the Nickleback of the literary world.

Lol, well I completely disagree but to each his own. For me, he ranks at the top of the horror literary world right next to Lovecraft, Poe, Ligotti, Machen, Blackwood, etc.

[19itmicmac]

Just for curiosity's sake, who are some writers all of you would recommend? Chances are I've already read them but it will give me an idea of the kind of horror you like and maybe I can suggest some writers that would be more up your alley.

[Alien Redrum]

Just off the top of my head (and in no order):

Joe Lansdale - (If you've never read him, you would probably like him. As much as I love King's work, I think Lansdale is a bit better at telling a story.)
Jeff Strand
Brian Keene
Richard Laymon
Ed Lee
Jack Ketchum
Gary Braunbeck
J.F. Gonzalez
Kealon Patrick Burke
Norman Patridge
John Skipp (shockingly enough, I prefer his solo stuff, not the work with Shirley)

[19itmicmac]

John Skipp (shockingly enough, I prefer his solo stuff, not the work with Shirley)

His name was Craig Spector. Really, I've read The Long Last Call and Jake's Wake and though I enjoyed them, I just didn't enjoy them as much as The Scream, The Bridge, or The Light At the End.

I still haven't been able to find any Burke (I only buy from used bookstores and occasionally retail, no online buying), so unfortunately I am unfamiliar with his work. Craig Spector told me he just absolutely loves this guy's work so I've been trying to find him.

Yes, I have read Lansdale and love his work but still wouldn't say he is better than King at telling a story.

Keene and Laymon are also two of my favorites.

[Alien Redrum]

Yes, Spector! Shit, confusing him with John Shirley (who is also good).

Burke is fantastic. He can write a good haunting.

Lansdale owns. He has yet to disappoint me and has only gotten better with each subsequent work. I'm happy he's finally getting the attention he deserves with this last novel.

[19itmicmac]

Yeah, I've read Wet Bones and a collection of short stories called Black Butterflies by Shirley, both were very good.

[19itmicmac]

Just off the top of my head (and in no order):

Joe Lansdale - (If you've never read him, you would probably like him. As much as I love King's work, I think Lansdale is a bit better at telling a story.)
Jeff Strand
Brian Keene
Richard Laymon
Ed Lee
Jack Ketchum
Gary Braunbeck
J.F. Gonzalez
Kealon Patrick Burke
Norman Patridge
John Skipp (shockingly enough, I prefer his solo stuff, not the work with Shirley)

You seem to enjoy more of the pulp and splatterpunk genre by the looks of this list. Have you ever read any of these authors: David J. Schow, Mary SanGiovani, Gord Rollo, Dennis Etchison, John Everson, Ray Garton, Nate Kenyon, Ronald Malfi, or Bryan Smith?

[Neon Maniac]

I mainly read books with giant crabs in them. I'm a fetishist that way.

[19itmicmac]

I mainly read books with giant crabs in them. I'm a fetishist that way.

That limits things a bit, lol.

[Alien Redrum]

David J. Schow - Yes
Mary SanGiovani - Yes
Gord Rollo - Not to my knowledge.
Dennis Etchison - Maybe
John Everson - Not to my knowledge.
Ray Garton - Yes
Nate Kenyon - I think so.
Ronald Malfi - Yes. I think he lives in my area.
Bryan Smith - I think so.

And there are a bunch of AWESOME crab books. All were born from the man of men, Guy Smith:



Speaking of whom, it's nice that a lot of his work is now on Kindle.

[19itmicmac]

That's the first time I have heard of Mr. Smith. The idea of giant killer crabs sounds kind of silly yet at the same time intriguing and J.F. Gonzalez wrote the introduction for the re-release of Night of the Crabs which intrigues me even further. I believe I will have to keep my eye out for these books, thank you.

[Alien Redrum]

There's no doubt that the Clickers series Gonzalez co-wrote was influenced by these.

[19itmicmac]

There's no doubt that the Clickers series Gonzalez co-wrote was influenced by these.

Yeah, that's another series I've been looking for.

[Neon Maniac]

Definitely read Clickers. I don't think I've read the sequel. Guy 'Crabs' Smith is awesome. He can take one incident, and make 90 books out of it, just by telling it from the perspective of 90 different people. Wow, that sounds really creative and intriguing. No, not really. Just really bad and lazy, in a good way.

[Alien Redrum]

And he can write a steamy sex scene to boot.