# Poe -\> Lovecraft -\> Matheson -\> King -\> ?????

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poe-lovecraft-matheson-king/659619>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 29, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poe-lovecraft-matheson-king/659619 "2013-05-29T13:48:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poe-lovecraft-matheson-king/659619/21 "2013-05-31T20:25:40Z")

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> [@Jragon](#):
>
> Is Mark Z. Danielewski (most notably House of Leaves) too obscure? I hang around in horror circles so it’s hard to tell who’s popular **among horror fans** and who’s popular in general.

I think he might fall into Sigler status. I’m not sure that he has the staying power the OP’s list have.

That said, I did just get an electronic copy of his House of Leaves and I plan on reading it shortly (so I maybe completely incorrect about my initial impression).

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**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poe-lovecraft-matheson-king/659619/22 "2013-05-31T20:31:46Z")

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> [@Meatros](#):
>
> I think he might fall into Sigler status. I’m not sure that he has the staying power the OP’s list have.

Plus, Danielewski’s almost anti-prolific. He’s only written a single novel and three novellas in the last 13 years.

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poe-lovecraft-matheson-king/659619/23 "2013-06-01T15:14:09Z")

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> [@yanceylebeef](#):
>
> I’m in the middle of NOS4A2 right now, so I’d have to say Joe Hill.
> 
> He definitely has his daddy’s chops.

> [@Dung\_Beetle](#):
>
> **yancey** , I was going to say the same. That’s how great King is…he gave us his own replacement! 😃

> [@papergirl](#):
>
> I like Joe Hill quite a lot. Inventive, who’d-a-thunk-of-that plots, which he manages to make seem pretty plausible. Much like Stephen King in his earlier books, I think. I hope he can keep up the momentum.  
> I’ll have to check out some of the other newer authors mentioned here. I usually stick with short horror fiction but I’m trying to read more realio trulio books.

> [@Just\_Ed](#):
>
> Hill is indeed his father’s son, but having said that, also has his own voice. I haven’t read the new one, but I thought _Heart-Shaped Box_ and _Horns_ were both very good – and _20[sup]th[/sup] Century Ghosts_ has some real chills, too.

> [@pinkfreud](#):
>
> Joe Hill, as mentioned by others, is very good, too, but my money is on Robert Jackson Bennett.

Hello? Hill’s _mother_ is novelist Tabitha King, and she definitely deserves a mention. I think he’s the rare case of both parent’s genetics coming through.

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poe-lovecraft-matheson-king/659619/24 "2013-06-10T15:48:26Z")

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I read Joe Hill’s collection of short stories 20th Century Ghosts over the weekend. The man is incredible, and will probably take up the mantle.

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