However, fans of horror novels will argue that these books give an adrenaline rush as the heart races in anticipation of the next event. Moreover, it allows readers to face their fears safely.

Whatever your reason for enjoying this genre, this article discusses five of the best horror books across different times. Let’s get right into it.

Top 5 Books to Read for Horror Literature Enthusiasts

The horror genre has several books spanning across different decades, even centuries. However, after careful examination, we have curated five of the best this genre has to offer.

Our list, though in no particular order, goes thus:

• IT, by Stephen King
• Bird Box, by Josh Malerman
• Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
• The Pit and the Pendulum, by Edgar Allan Poe
• Fever Dream, by George R. R. Martin

If you are a horror book fan and need a comprehensive book that keeps you engaged, with heart pacing throughout, you should check out one of the five. Below is a detailed overview of each book.

IT

It’s unlikely you come across a list of the best horror books and not find one of the works of Stephen King. He’s one of the best when discussing this genre. “IT” is a large book, spanning an astonishing 1200 pages! However, it is beautiful, profoundly captivating, and rewarding to readers. Little wonder, even though it was published almost 40 years ago, fans are still returning to this classic. In fact, IT has now been made into a movie, which is one of the most significant in the horror genre.

Plot

The plot easily entices readers: In the fictional town of Derry, Maine, five young misfits fight a malevolent evil around the 50s. This went on through a long summer; however, decades after (the 80s), they returned as adults and had to engage in this fight again. This might be your cue if you fancy yourself a horror book lover and have yet to read this.

The book follows a dark theme of fear and trauma, including sexual abuse, racism, child murder, and homophobia. However, it also portrays love and friendship and focuses on pitching good against evil rather than evil itself.

Bird Box

Like “IT”, “Bird Box” is already adopted into motion pictures, which was an immediate hit. However, like many movies from novel adaptations, the film failed to deliver up to the standard of the book. The novel will keep you engrossed as you read through the pages till the end.

Plot

The plot follows a 2014 post-apocalyptic world, where there’s something out there that, upon seeing it, can make you go mad! This psychological thriller introduces the story of a woman, Malorie, who must navigate this world with her kids as she tries to find safety. Josh Malerman did justice to this story by telling it in a series of flashbacks, as it follows three different timelines. One is the present time, another a recent past, and the third discusses a near-distant future.

Besides the nerve-wracking tension, this novel tends to evoke raw emotion as you immediately begin to root for Malorie. You may feel tense, even holding your breath with a pacing heart as you read each page. The writer paints a picture shrouded in fear; you still feel chills down your spine even after reading. It is a must-read for all horror book lovers!

Frankenstein

Listing the best horror books without including Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” will be challenging. It’s a classic! A book written by a 19-year-old in the 19th century, yet still relevant. Frankenstein is sometimes called The Modern Prometheus, linking the story with the mythological Greek figure Prometheus.

Plot

The book tells the story of a young, ambitious scientist – Dr. Victor Frankenstein. It focuses on the horrors associated with the doctor’s works as he explores the secret of life. Ultimately, the result was the miscreation of a malformed and lonely murderous human-like creature that exceeded his control. This novel by Mary Shelley is arguably the first science fiction novel in the modern world.

This novel is a classical horror tale, as it digs deep into our imaginations, revealing one of human deepest fears. It showcases the subtle difference between life and lifelessness. Besides the creature’s story, it also takes readers through emotional episodes as the writer delves into the human psyche. The story leaves you with empathy and a lesson on our actions’ consequences and humanity’s essence.

The Pit and The Pendulum

All lovers of horror novels are familiar with the name Edgar Allan Poe, Mr. Horror himself. “The Pit and the Pendulum” is one of his most famous works.

Plot

The story describes the horrors and tortures of an unnamed narrator, imprisoned and condemned to death by the Spanish Inquisition. Though the book failed to give us insight into the cause of imprisonment, Poe used his mastery of storytelling to pique readers’ interest. Initially, the narrator was in a dark prison-like dungeon with a pit at the epicentre.

The narrator manages to survive this prison, and soon after, he finds himself bound to a wooden frame with a sharp pendulum that threatens his life, slowly descending upon him. The book uses the different ordeals the prisoner faces as they battle for their survival to keep readers busy and engaged.

The story talks about how humans can endure dire and dreadful circumstances and continue to endure, persevere, and fight to stay alive. In the end, Poe showcases his mastery again as the narrator receives liberation at the eleventh hour.

Fevre Dream

The blockbuster TV show – Game of Thrones – will be familiar to George R. R. Martin. You are probably surprised that he has sometimes engaged himself in horror-filled books, like “Fevre Dream”. If you are familiar with his works, you’d agree that he’s a brilliant writer, and we assure you he didn’t disappoint in this piece.

Plot

“Fevre Dream” is a unique vampire-themed novel that perfectly blends historical fiction and the supernatural. It’s set aboard a steamboat sailing across the antebellum Mississippi River. As you read through the book’s pages, you discover an unexpected alliance resulting in a defying bond between the boat owner and the creature.

The author used his crafty storytelling to tell a beautiful story of a horror creature with a heart like a human being. As you read, you see the vampire struggles through his villainous nature and the motivations for his actions that blur the line of morality. Therefore, if you are searching for a story that paints vampires in a good light beyond the cliche of these creatures being all dark.

Summary

A good horror book, like the ones in this piece, should provide readers with an emotional purge, something you can describe as cathartic.

The table below summarises all the books discussed in this article.

The Allure of Fear: What Fascinates Readers About Horror Books?

As briefly mentioned, horror books allow readers to face their fears in a safe and controlled environment. Authors exploring this genre use their artistic mastery to blend fictional narratives to create something that explores fear and terror while keeping readers engrossed in their seats.

Below are other credible reasons why people enjoy horror literature

• Appreciation of the art of scary and suspenseful storytelling.
• Feed their curiosity into darker places of human nature.
• To confront and explore that which they dread.
• Gush of adrenaline and pleasure from the controlled fear.
• Get an insight into the unknown and the supernatural world.

As they read through each page, even as fear lurks around the dark corners, they should get an exhilarating experience that leaves them thrilled.

However, besides the general themes of fear and horror, these books should be able to shed more light on the mind’s curiosity and the fiction it tells.

Conclusion

Through this piece, we provided insight into some of the best horror books you can enjoy. Even though all the books fall under the same genre, they follow different storylines.

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We encourage you to find a book that interests you and carve out a few minutes every day to read at least a few pages. You’ll be amazed at the difference it will make in your journey toward success!

1. How To Win Friends and Influence People

First published in 1937, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie was an overnight success with staying power. Today, this book is regarded as one of the all-time best for its lessons on dealing with people.

The chapter titles seem, at first, a little manipulative: “Six ways to make people like you,” “12 ways to win people to your way of thinking.” But the reality of Carnegie’s teachings is that none will work if the intent is manipulation. The word “genuine” appears repeatedly throughout the book. Only with authenticity and honesty will Carnegie’s methods work consistently.

How to Win Friends and Influence People is packed with anecdotes from historical leaders and lessons learned or taught by some of history’s greatest businessmen, making the read as interesting as it is enlightening. And the methods–calling a person by his or her name or looking at the situation from the other’s point of view–work in business and in personal life with family and friends.

Carnegie’s book is a classic. Though he credits many people for inspiring his ideas, his methods are the foundation for many of today’s personal-development and business-management books.

2. The Richest Man in Babylon

Too often, life doesn’t turn out as expected. And money, or the lack of money, plays a large role in people’s ability to handle life’s ups and downs. Perhaps that’s why, in the 1920s, banks and insurance companies decided to distribute short parables written to educate people on important financial principles. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason began in 1926 as a series of pamphlets, the most famous ones later compiled into one of the best-loved money guides of all time.

The book begins with two men realizing that, while they lived a meager existence, one of their childhood friends had become known as the wealthiest man in Babylon. Despite growing up in similar circumstances, their friend seemed to have created a life of gold while they barely scratched out a living.

The situation is all too familiar even today. And like the men who’d come to the realization that they’d failed to think beyond the day at hand, readers have the opportunity to sit at the feet of the richest man in Babylon and learn how to build wealth. They learn how to plan for the future, make wise investments and how to view money as a tool rather than a measure of success.

With time-tested principles and an engaging format, The Richest Man in Babylon is an excellent introduction to finance, and a classic.

3. Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill, inspired by business legend Andrew Carnegie, spent 20 years of his life studying the lives of some of history’s most successful people. The culmination of his research was the in-depth series, The Laws of Success. In 1937, Hill published another book, Think and Grow Rich, founded on the same philosophies of success. This book condensed the wealth of knowledge he’s accumulated into 13 principles for successful living.

Shorter and perhaps easier to get through than its multivolume predecessor, Think and Grow Rich is as applicable today as it was when it was first released. The title’s principles are founded on Hill’s belief in the power of the mind, and his famous quotes, such as, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve,” have changed the way millions of people view their lives. When read in its entirety and its principles put into action, Think and Grow Rich not only helps people change their views on life, but also the way they behave and, ultimately, their reality.

More than 30 million copies of Think and Grow Rich have been bought by business students, entrepreneurs and goal-setters around the world. When it was re-released in 2004, it rocketed once again to the top, holding a place on BusinessWeek‘s Best Seller list for paperback business books for more than 20 months.

Think and Grow Rich is a timeless classic that should be read by everyone interested in improving their lives and reaching their goals.

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Anna Karenina

Any fan of stories that involve juicy subjects like adultery, gambling, marriage plots, and, well, Russian feudalism, would instantly place Anna Karenina at the peak of their “greatest novels” list. And that’s exactly the ranking that publications like Time magazine have given the novel since it was published in its entirety in 1878. Written by Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, the eight-part towering work of fiction tells the story of two major characters: a tragic, disenchanted housewife, the titular Anna, who runs off with her young lover, and a lovestruck landowner named Konstantin Levin, who struggles in faith and philosophy. Tolstoy molds together thoughtful discussions on love, pain, and family in Russian society with a sizable cast of characters regarded for their realistic humanity. The novel was especially revolutionary in its treatment of women, depicting prejudices and social hardships of the time with vivid emotion.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee, believed to be one of the most influential authors to have ever existed, famously published only a single novel (up until its controversial sequel was published in 2015 just before her death). Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and became an immediate classic of literature. The novel examines racism in the American South through the innocent wide eyes of a clever young girl named Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch. Its iconic characters, most notably the sympathetic and just lawyer and father Atticus Finch, served as role models and changed perspectives in the United States at a time when tensions regarding race were high. To Kill a Mockingbird earned the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961 and was made into an Academy Award-winning film in 1962, giving the story and its characters further life and influence over the American social sphere.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is distinguished as one of the greatest texts for introducing students to the art of reading literature critically (which means you may have read it in school). The novel is told from the perspective of a young man named Nick Carraway who has recently moved to New York City and is befriended by his eccentric nouveau riche neighbor with mysterious origins, Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby provides an insider’s look into the Jazz Age of the 1920s in United States history while at the same time critiquing the idea of the “American Dream.” Perhaps the most-famous aspect of the novel is its cover art—a piercing face projected onto a dark blue night sky and lights from a cityscape—an image that is also found, in a slightly different configuration, within the text itself as a key symbol.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

The late Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez published his most-famous work, One Hundred Years of Solitude, in 1967. The novel tells the story of seven generations of the Buendía family and follows the establishment of their town Macondo until its destruction along with the last of the family’s descendents. In fantastical form, the novel explores the genre of magic realism by emphasizing the extraordinary nature of commonplace things while mystical things are shown to be common. Márquez highlights the prevalence and power of myth and folktale in relating history and Latin American culture. The novel won many awards for Márquez, leading the way to his eventual honor of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982 for his entire body of work, of which One Hundred Years of Solitude is often lauded as his most triumphant.

A Passage to India

E.M. Forster wrote his novel A Passage to India after multiple trips to the country throughout his early life. The book was published in 1924 and follows a Muslim Indian doctor named Aziz and his relationships with an English professor, Cyril Fielding, and a visiting English schoolteacher named Adela Quested. When Adela believes that Aziz has assaulted her while on a trip to the Marabar caves near the fictional city of Chandrapore, where the story is set, tensions between the Indian community and the colonial British community rise. The possibility of friendship and connection between English and Indian people, despite their cultural differences and imperial tensions, is explored in the conflict. The novel’s colorful descriptions of nature, the landscape of India, and the figurative power that they are given within the text solidifies it as a great work of fiction.

Invisible Man

Often confused with H.G. Wells’s science-fiction novella of nearly the same name (just subtract a “The”), Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is a groundbreaking novel in the expression of identity for the African American male. The narrator of the novel, a man who is never named but believes he is “invisible” to others socially, tells the story of his move from the South to college and then to New York City. In each location he faces extreme adversity and discrimination, falling into and out of work, relationships, and questionable social movements in a wayward and ethereal mindset. The novel is renowned for its surreal and experimental style of writing that explores the symbolism surrounding African American identity and culture. Invisible Man won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction in 1953.

Don Quixote

Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote, perhaps the most influential and well-known work of Spanish literature, was first published in full in 1615. The novel, which is very regularly regarded as one of the best literary works of all time, tells the story of a man who takes the name “Don Quixote de la Mancha” and sets off in a fit of obsession over romantic novels about chivalry to revive the custom and become a hero himself. The character of Don Quixote has become an idol and somewhat of an archetypal character, influencing many major works of art, music, and literature since the novel’s publication. The text has been so influential that a word, quixotic, based on the Don Quixote character, was created to describe someone who is, “foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; especially: marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action.”

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My tastes on books to read run the gamut, from romance to science fiction to entrepreneurial to fantasy. It doesn’t matter much as long as it’s entertaining, educational or inspirational. With that said, the one genre that seems to always be last on the reading list is classic novels. This probably due to the fact that so many were mandatory reading way back in high school, which turns enjoyable reading into homework. I never liked homework. That’s why I decided to create this list of must-read classic books.

 1. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A well-known Christmas tale where Charles Dickens tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge was a wealthy man with a very cold heart who was paid a visit by the spirits on Christmas Eve and faced to make a choice about changing.

2. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Orwell’s books always give me a heavy feeling after reading. Animal Farm is an allegory to Stalin’s tyranny. It’s about a farm where the animals rebelled and overthrew the humans for treating them poorly. The pigs led a new system and established the Seven Commandments.

The farm prospered at first, but then the pigs began to fight for power. From a democratic system, it became a tyranny. Over the years, the pigs began to act like men—wearing clothes, sleeping on beds, and drinking scotch. While the common animals in the barn have barely to eat, shivering in the cold, hopeless.

3. Dracula by Bram Stoker

A young English solicitor travels to Count Dracula’s castle for a business visit and encounters a series of unfortunate incidents. The  Count has set his sights on the young man and his friends, but with a legendary vampire hunter by his side they embark on a nightmarish adventure.

4. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

The bookworm in me shuddered upon reading Fahrenheit 451. I can’t even imagine a world where reading is a crime and books are burned. In Bradbury’s novel, technology was becoming advanced and people were choosing simpler forms of entertainment like televisions and radio.

Books were no longer favored because the contents are the same for fear of offending some groups. The book didn’t state why the books are banned, but it may be to censor the people from certain truths; and to give the people equal levels of knowledge (by burning all the books, no one can be more knowledgeable than the other).

5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Originally called Jane Eyre: An Autobiography, this novel is about the inner struggles of a woman caused by social norms, moral obligations, and personal desires. It describes how from a young age she was able to withstand the hardships she experienced after losing her parents and how she grew to be a good woman with a straight moral compass.

Jane Eyre rose above social standards, choosing not to get married just because society dictates. She was independent and self-reliant. She did marry in the end, though, but only for love. Now, that’s my kind of hero!

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