# I'm jaded. Please recommend me some \*good\* horror fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [May 14, 2023, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018 "2023-05-14T02:43:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bleach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bleach/32/3106_2.png) [@bleach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bleach)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/41 "2023-05-21T01:55:53Z")
Here are two more that you may not have come across: _Penpal_ by Dathan Auerbach _A Lush and Seething Hell_ by John Hornor Jacobs If you find yourself in a similar situation again, I would suggest /r/horrorlit on Reddit. They are huge fans of the genre over there, and they are very generous with their recommendations. That’s where I came across _The Cipher_, which @NinthAcolyte suggested. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/42 "2023-05-21T22:54:20Z")
> [@bleach](#): > > _Penpal_ by Dathan Auerbach _Penpal_ was very good. It started out as a series of postings on the “nosleep” reddit years ago, and took on a life of its own. Very creepy stuff. I wouldn’t recommend his second book, _Bad Man_, though. I found it dull, too long, and not nearly as good as _Penpal_. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/43 "2023-05-21T23:22:28Z")
The OP is not a fan of Lovecraft, but if that aversion doesn’t extend to all cosmic horror I’d recommend Laird Barron. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/44 "2023-05-22T00:31:33Z")
_Under the Pendulum Sun_ was Gothic and perverse. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/45 "2023-05-22T12:32:46Z")
> [@Dark\_Sponge](#): > > Have you read Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer? I didn’t find it terribly scary but still really enjoyed it. Very modern lovecraftian. I highly recommend the first two books in the series, _Annihilation_ and _Authority_. The third one, _Acceptance_, had some issues, mostly that he didn’t leave the McGuffin from the first two books as a McGuffin. > [@pullin](#): > > Peter Clines’ novel [“14”](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/15062217), is pretty good. It’s horror, sci-fi, and some dimensional scariness mixed together. It’s part of a series called “Threshold”. Just finished the 2nd book and they’re very different but are related. I really liked the first 3/4 or so of _14_ and _The Fold_. What I didn’t like is that the last fourth of both of those books changed tone entirely. Rather than a creepy mystery, we got a non-stop action romp. It’s like if the first 3/4 of a movie was _The Exorcist_ ad the last 1/4 _Terminator_. I was hoping _The Fold_ wouldn’t repeat the pattern, but unfortunately it did. I haven’t been able to bring myself to finish the series because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/46 "2023-05-22T13:24:40Z")
There’s also Junji Ito if graphic novels are your thing. A lot of body horror in particular - he seems to have a thing about teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Blindmellowjelly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindmellowjelly/32/13920_2.png) [@Blindmellowjelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blindmellowjelly)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2023, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/47 "2023-05-24T03:11:17Z")
Have you read, The Big Book of Ohio? Check this out! [https://a.co/d/gFvbCQ5](https://a.co/d/gFvbCQ5) I have taken people out to see the headless Motorcyclists on Wolfcreek. After the proper headlight and blinkering signalling on the bridge. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018/48 "2023-05-30T22:40:50Z")
I thought this one was pretty good. (If you like your horror mixed with SF) > **[Dead Silence](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693184-dead-silence)** > > Titanic meets The Shining in S.A. Barnes’ Dead Silence,… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-jaded-please-recommend-me-some-good-horror-fiction/984018.md?page=2)