Need a good fantasy / mystery / horror book... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ManWithAPlan · 08-20-2009, 05:50 PM

Every once in a while I really have the urge to read a good book, and I can never just find one...

Can someone recommend me a good fantasy or mystery book to read? Perhaps something a bit scary, or rather scary?

I remember I enjoyed House of Leaves, and American Gods is probably still my favorite book ever.

Plan9 · 08-20-2009, 06:18 PM

House of Leaves is great.

I've never read a scary book... but I highly recommend "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson and "The Regulators" by Richard Bachman.

fresnelly · 08-20-2009, 06:21 PM

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman.

It's a collection of his short stories. Some of them are definitely unsettling and one of them is a novella featuring Shadow from American Gods. He's a tourist in Scotland and stumbles into something ancient and both a bit and rather scary.

PulpMind · 08-20-2009, 09:39 PM

When I read your subject of "fantasy/horror/mystery" House of Leaves immediately came to mind... but it looks like you've already read that one. Sorry I'm no help! ha..

levite · 08-20-2009, 10:54 PM

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
Smoke and Mirrors, by Neil Gaiman

The Greywalker novels by Kat Richardson
The Dresden series by Jim Butcher
Anything by HP Lovecraft

Frosstbyte · 08-20-2009, 11:17 PM

If you haven't read Lovecraft, find a good collection and have at it. I would also second Levite's recommendation of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, even if I have to concede that it gets very strange and intense by the end.

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King is an excellent horror/fantasy hybrid if you're looking for something to take up a lot of time.

And, even if it can't strictly be called horror either, I'd be remiss if I didn't in a fantasy thread recommend the Realm of the Elderling books by Robin Hobb (3 trilogies, make sure you read them in order) and, of course, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin.

powerclown · 08-20-2009, 11:46 PM

I will agree with the previous members' recommendations for H.P. Lovecraft and Matheson's "I Am Legend", and would add "Living History" by Hilary Clinton for pure, unadulerated horror.

cellophanedeity · 08-21-2009, 04:24 AM

If you like speculative fiction, Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake is a good read.

Also, if you like Gaiman's novels, make sure you've read the Sandman series of comics. They're probably the best thing out there.

guy44 · 08-21-2009, 04:13 PM

The best book I've read which fits that exact description is The Prestige by Christopher Priest. Great, great, book - and a great movie as well. As a bonus, the book and movie are different enough that they're totally different experiences.

jewels · 08-22-2009, 04:47 AM

My first thought: Weaveworld by Clive Barker.

ManWithAPlan · 08-23-2009, 04:32 AM

Wow guys, lots of responses. Thanks so much

I've read Fragile Things. Enjoyed it quite a bit. Can't decide what I think about the one with Shadow though... Kind of felt "off" to me, hehe.

I'm going to takes this list and look through it. Thanks again !

thirdsun · 09-04-2009, 01:42 PM

Try the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake . It's a fantasy, gothic, mystery, Dickensonian tale of darkness spun out by a master story-teller. The character depth and style of writing are right up there with the best of the genre. Illustrated by the author. If you saw the BBC movie version, don't judge the book by the movie....

m0rpheus · 09-04-2009, 03:08 PM

Try World War Z by Max Brooks. It's an oral history of the zombie war. It is the BEST Zombie book out there. It's a collection of interconnected short stories that tell the story of the zombie war from the point of view of the survivors.

Vaultboy · 09-06-2009, 09:12 AM

I'm busy reading Drood, by Dan Simmons. Excellent mystery with a tinge of horror. But I'm a total Simmons fanboy.

Duskwynd · 09-11-2009, 07:58 PM

Not scary, but a FANTASTIC read with "adult" philosophical concepts is "The Chronicles of Hawklan" by Roger Taylor. The books in the initial series are:

"The Call of the Sword"
"The Fall of Fyorlund"
"The Waking of Orthlund"
"Into Narsindal"

I was really, really surprised when I first read these and now read them again at least once a year.

Scary fantasy: "Mulengro" by Charles de Lint. He is one of my favourite Speculative Fantasy authors and most of his books have a kind of scary element to them as well.

Hope this helps

Blessings!
Duskwynd

ratbastid · 09-11-2009, 08:11 PM

I'm just finishing up Drood by Dan Simmons. It's SPECTACULAR. Magical gothic horror at its finest, circling around Charles Dickens and his family and literary peers. Based heavily on the true history of Dickens' last years. I completely recommend it.

Duskwynd · 09-12-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratbastid

I'm just finishing up Drood by Dan Simmons. It's SPECTACULAR. Magical gothic horror at its finest, circling around Charles Dickens and his family and literary peers. Based heavily on the true history of Dickens' last years. I completely recommend it.

This is on my list of books that I'm thinking about getting. I'm going to bump it up to my 'books to get' list. Thanks for your recommendation

Blessings!
Duskwynd

Spiritsoar · 09-12-2009, 05:43 AM

If you liked American Gods, have you read Anansi Boys? Neverwhere is very good too. Well, come to think of it, I don't think I've read anything by Gaiman I didn't like yet.

Duskwynd · 09-12-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiritsoar

If you liked American Gods, have you read Anansi Boys? Neverwhere is very good too. Well, come to think of it, I don't think I've read anything by Gaiman I didn't like yet.

I've read "American Gods", which I totally adored. I've also just finished "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, which I also highly recommend. Anansi Boys is in my 'to read' pile (which just keeps on getting bigger and bigger *sigh*).

Blessings!
Duskwynd

docbungle · 09-12-2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManWithAPlan

Every once in a while I really have the urge to read a good book, and I can never just find one...

Can someone recommend me a good fantasy or mystery book to read? Perhaps something a bit scary, or rather scary?

I remember I enjoyed House of Leaves, and American Gods is probably still my favorite book ever.

As for scary: have you read The Descent(no relation to the movie), by Jeff Long? Pretty creepy stuff.

The_Jazz · 10-29-2010, 11:51 AM

It really pisses me off when spammers post something that might actually be interesting but make it so fucking obvious about what they're doing that I have to ban them.

Authors, if you're going to try to sell us your books, please have the common courtesy to at least LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. Not asking permission or giving the staff a heads up is just going to force us to ban you.

Strange Famous · 10-29-2010, 02:12 PM

its big and expensive, but to me well worth it:

From Hell - Alan Moore
(I guess a combination of horror and mystery - although the mystery is why and not who does it)

08-20-2009, 05:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
ManWithAPlan Addict Location: M[ass]achusetts	Need a good fantasy / mystery / horror book... Every once in a while I really have the urge to read a good book, and I can never just find one... Can someone recommend me a good fantasy or mystery book to read? Perhaps something a bit scary, or rather scary? I remember I enjoyed House of Leaves, and American Gods is probably still my favorite book ever. __________________ In the end we are but wisps

08-20-2009, 06:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	House of Leaves is great. I've never read a scary book... but I highly recommend "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson and "The Regulators" by Richard Bachman. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

08-20-2009, 06:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
fresnelly Functionally Appropriate Location: Toronto	Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman. It's a collection of his short stories. Some of them are definitely unsettling and one of them is a novella featuring Shadow from American Gods. He's a tourist in Scotland and stumbles into something ancient and both a bit and rather scary. __________________ Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

08-20-2009, 10:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
levite Minion of Joss Location: The Windy City	Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke Smoke and Mirrors, by Neil Gaiman The Greywalker novels by Kat Richardson The Dresden series by Jim Butcher Anything by HP Lovecraft __________________ Dull sublunary lovers love, Whose soul is sense, cannot admit Absence, because it doth remove That thing which elemented it. (From "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne)

08-21-2009, 04:24 AM	#8 (permalink)
cellophanedeity Heliotrope Location: A warm room	If you like speculative fiction, Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake is a good read. Also, if you like Gaiman's novels, make sure you've read the Sandman series of comics. They're probably the best thing out there. __________________ who am I to refuse the universe? -Leonard Cohen, Beautiful Losers

08-20-2009, 09:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
PulpMind Addict Location: Portland	When I read your subject of "fantasy/horror/mystery" House of Leaves immediately came to mind... but it looks like you've already read that one. Sorry I'm no help! ha..

08-20-2009, 11:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Frosstbyte Winter is Coming Location: The North	If you haven't read Lovecraft, find a good collection and have at it. I would also second Levite's recommendation of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, even if I have to concede that it gets very strange and intense by the end. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King is an excellent horror/fantasy hybrid if you're looking for something to take up a lot of time. And, even if it can't strictly be called horror either, I'd be remiss if I didn't in a fantasy thread recommend the Realm of the Elderling books by Robin Hobb (3 trilogies, make sure you read them in order) and, of course, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin.

08-20-2009, 11:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
powerclown Junkie Location: Detroit, MI	I will agree with the previous members' recommendations for H.P. Lovecraft and Matheson's "I Am Legend", and would add "Living History" by Hilary Clinton for pure, unadulerated horror.

08-21-2009, 04:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
guy44 Somnabulist Location: corner of No and Where	The best book I've read which fits that exact description is The Prestige by Christopher Priest. Great, great, book - and a great movie as well. As a bonus, the book and movie are different enough that they're totally different experiences. __________________ "You have reached Ritual Sacrifice. For goats press one, or say 'goats.'"

08-22-2009, 04:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
jewels Eponymous Location: Central Central Florida	My first thought: Weaveworld by Clive Barker. __________________ We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess. Mark Twain

08-23-2009, 04:32 AM	#11 (permalink)
ManWithAPlan Addict Location: M[ass]achusetts	Wow guys, lots of responses. Thanks so much I've read Fragile Things. Enjoyed it quite a bit. Can't decide what I think about the one with Shadow though... Kind of felt "off" to me, hehe. I'm going to takes this list and look through it. Thanks again ! __________________ In the end we are but wisps

09-04-2009, 01:42 PM	#12 (permalink)
thirdsun rolls good	Try the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake . It's a fantasy, gothic, mystery, Dickensonian tale of darkness spun out by a master story-teller. The character depth and style of writing are right up there with the best of the genre. Illustrated by the author. If you saw the BBC movie version, don't judge the book by the movie....

09-04-2009, 03:08 PM	#13 (permalink)
m0rpheus bad craziness Location: Guelph, Ontario	Try World War Z by Max Brooks. It's an oral history of the zombie war. It is the BEST Zombie book out there. It's a collection of interconnected short stories that tell the story of the zombie war from the point of view of the survivors. __________________ "it never got weird enough for me." - Hunter S. Thompson

09-06-2009, 09:12 AM	#14 (permalink)
Vaultboy Addict Location: Third World	I'm busy reading Drood, by Dan Simmons. Excellent mystery with a tinge of horror. But I'm a total Simmons fanboy. __________________ "Failing tastes of bile and dog vomit. Pity any man that gets used to that taste."

09-11-2009, 07:58 PM	#15 (permalink)
Duskwynd Upright Location: Toronto, Ontario	Not scary, but a FANTASTIC read with "adult" philosophical concepts is "The Chronicles of Hawklan" by Roger Taylor. The books in the initial series are: "The Call of the Sword" "The Fall of Fyorlund" "The Waking of Orthlund" "Into Narsindal" I was really, really surprised when I first read these and now read them again at least once a year. Scary fantasy: "Mulengro" by Charles de Lint. He is one of my favourite Speculative Fantasy authors and most of his books have a kind of scary element to them as well. Hope this helps Blessings! Duskwynd __________________ "A true master makes a life not a living." ~ Unknown

09-11-2009, 08:11 PM	#16 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	I'm just finishing up Drood by Dan Simmons. It's SPECTACULAR. Magical gothic horror at its finest, circling around Charles Dickens and his family and literary peers. Based heavily on the true history of Dickens' last years. I completely recommend it.

09-12-2009, 05:43 AM	#18 (permalink)
Spiritsoar Tilted Location: Tacoma, WA	If you liked American Gods, have you read Anansi Boys? Neverwhere is very good too. Well, come to think of it, I don't think I've read anything by Gaiman I didn't like yet. __________________ Veritas Vos Liberabit

10-29-2010, 11:51 AM	#21 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	It really pisses me off when spammers post something that might actually be interesting but make it so fucking obvious about what they're doing that I have to ban them. Authors, if you're going to try to sell us your books, please have the common courtesy to at least LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. Not asking permission or giving the staff a heads up is just going to force us to ban you. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

10-29-2010, 02:12 PM	#22 (permalink)
Strange Famous follower of the child's crusade?	its big and expensive, but to me well worth it: From Hell - Alan Moore (I guess a combination of horror and mystery - although the mystery is why and not who does it) __________________ "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered." The Gospel of Thomas