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Horror in the Age of Steam: Tales of Terror in the Victorian Age of Transitions
by Carroll Clayton SavantChange is terrifying, and rapid change, within a small amount of time, is destabilizing to any culture. England, under the tutelage of Queen Victoria, witnessed precipitous change the likes of which it had not encountered in generations. Wholesale swaths of the economy and the social structure underwent complete recalibration, through the hands of economic progress, industrial innovation, scientific discovery, and social cohesiveness. Faced with such change, Britons had to redefine the concept of work, belief, and even what it meant to be English. Victorians relied on many methods to attempt to release the steam from the anxieties incurred through change, and one of those methods was the horror story of everyday existence during an age of transition. This book is a study of how authors Elizabeth Gaskell, Emily Brontë, and Anne Brontë turned to horrifying representations of everyday reality to illustrate the psychological-traumatic terrors of an age of transition
Horror Literature through History [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of the Stories That Speak to Our Deepest Fears [2 volumes]
by Editor Matt CardinThis two-volume set offers comprehensive coverage of horror literature that spans its deep history, dominant themes, significant works, and major authors, such as Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, and Anne Rice, as well as lesser-known horror writers.Many of today's horror story fans—who appreciate horror through movies, television, video games, graphic novels, and other forms—probably don't realize that horror literature is not only one of the most popular types of literature but one of the oldest. People have always been mesmerized by stories that speak to their deepest fears. Horror Literature through History shows 21st-century horror fans the literary sources of their favorite entertainment and the rich intrinsic value of horror literature in its own right. Through profiles of major authors, critical analyses of important works, and overview essays focused on horror during particular periods as well as on related issues such as religion, apocalypticism, social criticism, and gender, readers will discover the fascinating early roots and evolution of horror writings as well as the reciprocal influence of horror literature and horror cinema.This unique two-volume reference set provides wide coverage that is current and compelling to modern readers—who are of course also eager consumers of entertainment. In the first section, overview essays on horror during different historical periods situate works of horror literature within the social, cultural, historical, and intellectual currents of their respective eras, creating a seamless narrative of the genre's evolution from ancient times to the present. The second section demonstrates how otherwise unrelated works of horror have influenced each other, how horror subgenres have evolved, and how a broad range of topics within horror—such as ghosts, vampires, religion, and gender roles—have been handled across time. The set also provides alphabetically arranged reference entries on authors, works, and specialized topics that enable readers to zero in on information and concepts presented in the other sections.
Horror Literature through History [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of the Stories That Speak to Our Deepest Fears [2 volumes]
This two-volume set offers comprehensive coverage of horror literature that spans its deep history, dominant themes, significant works, and major authors, such as Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, and Anne Rice, as well as lesser-known horror writers.Many of today's horror story fans—who appreciate horror through movies, television, video games, graphic novels, and other forms—probably don't realize that horror literature is not only one of the most popular types of literature but one of the oldest. People have always been mesmerized by stories that speak to their deepest fears. Horror Literature through History shows 21st-century horror fans the literary sources of their favorite entertainment and the rich intrinsic value of horror literature in its own right. Through profiles of major authors, critical analyses of important works, and overview essays focused on horror during particular periods as well as on related issues such as religion, apocalypticism, social criticism, and gender, readers will discover the fascinating early roots and evolution of horror writings as well as the reciprocal influence of horror literature and horror cinema.This unique two-volume reference set provides wide coverage that is current and compelling to modern readers—who are of course also eager consumers of entertainment. In the first section, overview essays on horror during different historical periods situate works of horror literature within the social, cultural, historical, and intellectual currents of their respective eras, creating a seamless narrative of the genre's evolution from ancient times to the present. The second section demonstrates how otherwise unrelated works of horror have influenced each other, how horror subgenres have evolved, and how a broad range of topics within horror—such as ghosts, vampires, religion, and gender roles—have been handled across time. The set also provides alphabetically arranged reference entries on authors, works, and specialized topics that enable readers to zero in on information and concepts presented in the other sections.
A Horror Omnibus: Apartment 16, The Ritual, Last Days
by Adam NevillAdam Nevill's A Horror Omnibus contains three tales of supernatural terror from one of Britain’s best horror authors . . . Apartment 16: An apartment block in London has lain empty for fifty years. Seth is the night watchman and one night hears a disturbance in the strange apartment. What he experiences changes his life forever. Could the doorway to Apartment 16 be the gateway to something altogether more terrifying?The Ritual: Four old university friends reunite for a hiking trip in the Scandinavian wilderness of the Arctic Circle. When they take a shortcut, they soon discover old macabre remains and a bestial presence that turns their hike into a nightmare that could cost them their lives. But the four friends soon discover that death doesn’t come easy among these ancient trees . . . Last Days: Kyle Freeman is an indie film-maker with no money and few options, so when he lands a commission to make a documentary about The Temple of the Last Days cult, he jumps at the chance. Little does he know that his investigation into the cult’s bloody history will lead him into the darkest places he’s ever known.
Horror Short Stories
by H. P. LovecraftGhouls, ghosts, and macabre terrors stalk the night in this spine-tingling collection. With tales describing unnatural frights and haunting visions of cosmic terror, you will be taken on a journey into the disturbing imaginations of some of horror's greatest writers. The stories' heroes face incredible creatures, unknowable gods, and supernatural beings who have no regard for human life.Horror literature has its roots in the mists of time. In the 19th century, writers delved into ancient folk tales and local legends to inspire an entire genre. In the 20th century, the next generation of writers brought to life a brand new array of terrifying monsters.The authors in this volume range from Victorian pioneers, such as Bram Stoker and Edgar Allan Poe, to the pulp writers of the 20th century, such as William Hope Hodgson and H. P. Lovecraft. The tradition of horror writing that developed took very different turns on either side of the Atlantic - while American authors turned to unknowable horrors and cosmic terrors, British writers such as E. F. Benson and M. R. James mastered a more familiar form, the classic ghost story.It was not only English-speakers who sought to terrify their readers. The French writer Guy de Maupassant, a prolific short story writer and pupil of the acclaimed novelist Gustave Flaubert, found ways to make his protagonists doubt their own sanity as they faced terrors that would drive any ordinary man mad.This collection of bone-chilling tales comes from the pens of some of horror's most acclaimed writers. Authors include:E. F. BensonAmbrose BierceFrancis Marion CrawfordW. W. JacobsM. R. JamesWilliam Hope HodgsonH. P. LovecraftGuy de MaupassantEdgar Allan PoeBram Stoker
Horror Stories (Penguin Worlds)
by E. NesbitA groom promises to be at the church on time, even if he has to come back from the grave to do it.A man inherits a property where he discovers a portrait of a woman that will change his life forever.Two newlyweds find their dream country cottage, unaware of an ancient curse from the previous owners. A gripping, unsettling and utterly chilling collection of short stories from one of Britain's best loved storytellers.
Horror Stories to Tell in the Dark
by Anthony MastersThe flames flicker. The night deepens. Something's moving in the shadows. Alone on the moors they gather round the fire, all waiting to tell their own horror story. Just listen…
Horror: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
by Darryl JonesVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Four o'clock in the morning, and the lights are on and still there's no way we're going to sleep, not after the film we just saw. The book we just read. Fear is one of the most primal human emotions, and one of the hardest to reason with and dispel. So why do we scare ourselves? It seems almost mad that we would frighten ourselves for fun, and yet there are thousands of books, films, games, and other forms of entertainment designed to do exactly that. As Darryl Jones shows, the horror genre is huge. Ranging from vampires, ghosts, and werewolves to mad scientists, Satanists, and deranged serial killers, the cathartic release of scaring ourselves has made its appearance in everything from Shakespearean tragedies to internet memes. Exploring the key tropes of the genre, including its monsters, its psychological chills, and its love affair with the macabre, this Very Short Introduction discusses why horror stories disturb us, and how society responds to literary and film representations of the gruesome and taboo. Should the enjoyment of horror be regarded with suspicion? Are there different levels of the horrific, and should we distinguish between the commonly reviled carnage of contemporary torture porn and the culturally acceptable bloodbaths of ancient Greek tragedies? Analysing the way in which horror manifests multiple personalities, and has been used throughout history to articulate the fears and taboos of the current generation, Darryl Jones considers the continuing evolution of the genre today. As horror is mass marketed to mainstream society in the form of romantic vampires and blockbuster hits, it also continues to maintain its former shadowy presence on the edges of respectability, as banned films and violent internet phenomena push us to question both our own preconceptions and the terrifying capacity of human nature. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. First published in hardback as Sleeping with the Lights on.
Horror: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
by Darryl JonesVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Four o'clock in the morning, and the lights are on and still there's no way we're going to sleep, not after the film we just saw. The book we just read. Fear is one of the most primal human emotions, and one of the hardest to reason with and dispel. So why do we scare ourselves? It seems almost mad that we would frighten ourselves for fun, and yet there are thousands of books, films, games, and other forms of entertainment designed to do exactly that. As Darryl Jones shows, the horror genre is huge. Ranging from vampires, ghosts, and werewolves to mad scientists, Satanists, and deranged serial killers, the cathartic release of scaring ourselves has made its appearance in everything from Shakespearean tragedies to internet memes. Exploring the key tropes of the genre, including its monsters, its psychological chills, and its love affair with the macabre, this Very Short Introduction discusses why horror stories disturb us, and how society responds to literary and film representations of the gruesome and taboo. Should the enjoyment of horror be regarded with suspicion? Are there different levels of the horrific, and should we distinguish between the commonly reviled carnage of contemporary torture porn and the culturally acceptable bloodbaths of ancient Greek tragedies? Analysing the way in which horror manifests multiple personalities, and has been used throughout history to articulate the fears and taboos of the current generation, Darryl Jones considers the continuing evolution of the genre today. As horror is mass marketed to mainstream society in the form of romantic vampires and blockbuster hits, it also continues to maintain its former shadowy presence on the edges of respectability, as banned films and violent internet phenomena push us to question both our own preconceptions and the terrifying capacity of human nature. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. First published in hardback as Sleeping with the Lights on.
Horrorology: Books of Horror
by Stephen JonesCurated by award-winning editor Stephen Jones and illustrated by bestselling writer and artist Clive Barker, author of THE BOOKS OF BLOOD, welcome to HORROROLOGY: 'a dozen bone-chilling tales by modern masters' (Barry Forshaw, Independent).'Stephen Jones knows horror . . . he's become one of the best guides to its shifting landscape' says Kirkus, and in HORROROLOGY, a follow-up to the bestselling A BOOK OF HORRORS, he has enticed terrifying storytellers including Clive Barker (THE SCARLET GOSPELS), Joanne Harris (A POCKETFUL OF CROWS), Kim Newman (ANNO DRACULA), Muriel Gray (THE TRICKSTER) and Michael Marshall Smith (HANNAH GREEN AND HER UNFEASIBLY MUNDANE EXISTENCE), amongst many others. A dozen all-new stories from some of the best talents in the field, they present 'a gamut of fear and sombre wonders demonstrating how horror writing can be both entertaining and challenging' (Maxim Jakubowski, Lovereading). Be warned: you are about to discover the true meanings of fear!
Hospitality, Rape and Consent in Vampire Popular Culture
by David Baker Stephanie Green Agnieszka Stasiewicz-BieńkowskaThis unique study explores the vampire as host and guest, captor and hostage: a perfect lover and force of seductive predation. From Dracula and Carmilla, to True Blood and The Originals, the figure of the vampire embodies taboos and desires about hospitality, rape and consent. The first section welcomes the reader into ominous spaces of home, examining the vampire through concepts of hospitality and power, the metaphor of threshold, and the blurred boundaries between visitation, invasion and confinement. Section two reflects upon the historical development of vampire narratives and the monster as oppressed, alienated Other. Section three discusses cultural anxieties of youth, (im)maturity, childhood agency, abuse and the age of consent. The final section addresses vampire as intimate partner, mapping boundaries between invitation, passion and coercion. With its fresh insight into vampire genre, this book will appeal to academics, students and general public alike.
The Host (High/Low)
by Beth ChambersNic's friends laugh at him all the time: when he gets chased by a stray dog, when he spills juice on himself and when he gets into trouble at school. After a disasterous Halloween party, Nic can't risk giving them another excuse to laugh at him, so when the boys visit the local haunted house he accepts a dare to go inside. The trouble is, the boys don't realise that this party has a host, and he isn't very friendly... Bloomsbury High Low books encourage and support reading practice by providing gripping, age-appropriate stories for struggling and reluctant readers, those with dyslexia, or those with English as an additional language. Printed on tinted paper and with a dyslexia friendly font, The Bet is aimed at readers aged 11+ and has a manageable length (64 pages) and reading age (9+).Produced in association with reading experts at CatchUp, a charity which aims to address underachievement caused by literacy and numeracy difficulties.
The Host (High/Low)
by Beth ChambersNic's friends laugh at him all the time: when he gets chased by a stray dog, when he spills juice on himself and when he gets into trouble at school. After a disastrous Halloween party, Nic can't risk giving them another excuse to laugh at him, so when the boys visit the local haunted house he accepts a dare to go inside. The trouble is, the boys don't realise that this party has a host, and he isn't very friendly... Bloomsbury High Low books encourage and support reading practice by providing gripping, age-appropriate stories for struggling and reluctant readers, those with dyslexia, or those with English as an additional language. Printed on tinted paper and with a dyslexia friendly font, The Host is aimed at readers aged 11+ and has a manageable length (80 pages) and reading age (9+).Produced in association with reading experts at CatchUp, a charity which aims to address underachievement caused by literacy and numeracy difficulties.Book band: Brown
Host
by Peter JamesHow far would you go to live forever?Brilliant scientist Joe Messenger believes that people can be made to live for ever. Knowing the human body can be frozen indefinitely, Joe devises a way of downloading the human brain into a supercomputer called ARCHIVE. But Joe's wife, Karen, is worried by his preoccupation with ARCHIVE, which seems to be developing signs of a distinct and sinister personality of its own.Then, just as Joe is on the brink of a scientific breakthrough, a series of macabre accidents befall him and his family - and Joe finds himself facing the terrifying consequences of his own obsessions.'Easily James's best book to date; a thought-provoking menacer that's completely technological and genuinely frightening about the power of future communications.' Time Out'Compulsive ... I cannot remember when I last read a novel I enjoyed so much.' Sunday TelegraphRead more from the multi-million copy bestselling author of the Roy Grace novels:Possession DreamerSweet Heart Twilight Prophecy Host Alchemist Denial The Truth Faith * Each Peter James novel can be read as a standalone*
The Hotel
by Louise MumfordDo you dare pick up The Hotel, the stunning thriller readers are calling ‘fast paced’, ‘creepy’ and ‘gripping the whole way through’?
The Hound of Death
by Agatha ChristieA collection of macabre mysteries, including the superlative short story Witness for the Prosecution…
The Hour of the Gate: Spellsinger, The Hour Of The Gate, And The Day Of The Dissonance (Gateway Essentials #2)
by Alan Dean FosterTHE DREAD RETURNSJon Meriweather, plucked from his own world to a place where animals walk, talk and cast spells, is pitted once more against a deadly foe. Now he and his strange fellowship must embark on a journey from which none has survived.His way lies down the treacherous river that winds through the subterranean lair of Massaurath, Mother of Nightmares, across Helldrink through a tunnel of cold flame to the centre of the Earth...
Hourglass (Evernight #3)
by Claudia GrayThe third novel in the internationally bestselling EVERNIGHT series – a vampire romance with a shocking twist.
The House at Midnight
by Lucie WhitehouseFrom the beginning, the house changed everything…Lucas. Joanna. Martha. Michael. Danny. Rachel. Best friends since college, they are brought together at beautiful Stoneborough Manor when Lucas inherits it following the suicide of his beloved uncle.But over the course of a hot, decadent summer, what begins as an idyllic retreat from the pressures of adult life is transformed into a place where secrets are revealed, sexual tensions escalate and friendships and sanity unravel – beyond repair.
The House at Phantom Park
by Graham MastertonDisturbing. Original. Terrifying. The 'master of horror' is back with the chilling tale of what lurks in the walls of an abandoned hospital.In this abandoned hospital, pain lives on... and it wants revenge.St Philomena's military hospital has been abandoned for over three years. Now Lilian Chesterfield, who works for one of the most successful building companies in England, is in charge of developing it into a luxury housing complex.But as soon as she and her colleagues start work in the Jacobean-style mansion, their dream turns into a nightmare. They hear screaming from wards full of empty beds. They hear doors slamming and find cutlery scattered over the kitchen floor. Then they see faces peering at them from the mullioned windows.Lilian is pragmatic – she doesn't believe in the supernatural. But just when she's put her mind at rest by scouring the mansion from top to bottom and finding nothing, a former patient of St Philomena's arrives with a warning. The hospital is haunted. And it is haunted by something a thousand times more terrifying than ghosts...Perfect for fans of The Haunting of Hill House, The Shining and The Woman in Black.Praise for Graham Masterton:'One of Britain's finest horror writers' Daily Mail 'A true master of horror' James Herbert 'One of the most original and frightening storytellers of our time' Peter James'God, he's good' Stephen King
A House at the Bottom of a Lake
by Josh MalermanA haunting tale of love and mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie.At seventeen years old, James and Amelia can feel the rest of their lives beginning. They have got this summer and this summer alone to experience the extraordinary.But they didn't expect to find it in a house at the bottom of a lake.The house is cold and dark, but it's also their own.Caution be damned, until being carefree becomes dangerous. For the teens must decide: swim deeper into the house-all the while falling deeper in love?Whatever they do, they will never be able to turn their backs on what they discovered together. And what they learned: Just because a house is empty, doesn't mean nobody's home.
The House in the Olive Grove
by Emma Cowell‘A glorious story that celebrates the power of love’ – Bestselling author ADRIANA TRIGIANI ‘I adored The House in the Olive Grove. It is a hymn to friendship and love, and is utterly perfect’ – Bestselling author LIZ FENWICK Will one week in Greece change their lives for ever?
The House in the Pines
by Ana Reyes'EERIE AND ATMOSPHERIC'Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The House Across the Lake'GRIPPING . . . CHILLED ME TO THE BONE' Andrea Bartz, author of Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick We Were Never Here'GENUINELY CREEPY'M. W. Craven, Sunday Times bestselling author________This is the story of a house.The cabin lies deep in the woods, where the trees are so dense it's easy to miss. On the outside it might look like it's crumbling, crawling with weeds, but on the inside it's warm and cosy. A fire crackles in the fireplace. Dinner simmers on the stove.Maya once saw this cabin as an idyllic place, like a cottage from a fairy tale, but now she knows the danger that lurks beneath. The summer she visited the cabin was the summer her best friend Aubrey died.Now, another woman from Maya's hometown has died in the same strange, unexplained way, and Maya believes only she can save the next innocent girl.Guided by her fractured memory and a mysterious, unfinished book by her late father, Maya returns home to face the house in the pines and the man who waits there - the man she's tried so hard to forget . . .
The House of a Hundred Whispers
by Graham Masterton'God, it's good' STEPHEN KINGOn a windswept moor, an old house guards its secrets... The new standalone horror novel from 'a true master of horror.' All Hallows Hall is a rambling Tudor mansion on the edge of the bleak and misty Dartmoor. It is not a place many would choose to live. Yet the former Governer of Dartmoor Prison did just that. Now he's dead, and his children – long estranged – are set to inherit his estate.But when the dead man's family come to stay, the atmosphere of the moors seems to drift into every room. Floorboards creak, secret passageways echo, and wind whistles in the house's famous priest hole. And then, on the same morning the family decide to leave All Hallows Hall and never come back, their young son Timmy disappears – from inside the house.Does evil linger in the walls? Or is evil only ever found inside the minds of men? Praise for Graham Masterton: 'A true master of horror' James Herbert 'One of the most original and frightening storytellers of our time' Peter James 'A natural storyteller with a unique gift for turning the mundane into the terrifyingly real' New York Journal of Books 'This is a first-class thriller with some juicy horror touches. Mystery readers who don't know the Maguire novels should change that right now' Booklist 'One of Britain's finest horror writers' Daily Mail
House of Bones (Point Horror Unleashed Ser.)
by Graham MastertonNo one lives for very long in the houses they buy from Mr Vane. Neighbours complain of noises that chill the blood, and then deathly silence. Maybe the occupants have moved away, but then again, maybe they haven't.John has joined Mr Vane's estate agency. He thinks houses are for living in – happily ever after. He has no idea about the hidden forces inside Mr Vane's properties, nor about their strange appetites, but he's about to find out.First published in 1998, House of Bones is a chilling, gruesome, horror novel.