HDC Top 100 Horror Books

[swiss tony]

Originally Posted by neverending

If we don't expand the list beyond the top 10 most popular books of horror, how are we ever to compile a top 100? As the Prez said in the first post, this is not the time to criticize people's choices, now is the time to brainstorm.

You've misunderstood. I'm not criticisizing others selections (which have been wonderful thus far), I'm just stating the criteria I've set for myself. There's no point in offering Wayne Simmons' Flu, cause nobody will have read it and I know it's probably not one of the best 100 horror works of all time.

Anyway, I'll vote for...

Flu by Wayne Simmons (a local author; think Dickens writing Romero)

The Island of Dr Moreau, you know who it's by!

The Frankenstein Diaries, edited by Rev Hubert Venables

[neverending]

Originally Posted by swiss tony

There's no point in offering Wayne Simmons' Flu, cause nobody will have read it and I know it's probably not one of the best 100 horror works of all time.

Anyway, I'll vote for...

Flu by Wayne Simmons (a local author; think Dickens writing Romero)

I actually own a copy of Flu, and have read it... it has some great atmosphere and local color.

[neverending]

I'm wondering if it might not be a more useful list if we try and come up with the top 100 horror writers, as opposed to single books. That way we could nominate people like Poe, Lovecraft & King for their bodies of work, and other writers for significant works...

What do you think, Prez!

[swiss tony]

Originally Posted by Ferox13

My edition doesn't have The LOved Dead in it which is one of the weirdest Lovecraft Stories (collaborations) :(

Here's the one you need to get http://64.227.162.73/miva/merchant.m...egory_Code=001

The other HP Lovecrafts that I mention are on this site; it's the official Arkham House site. Many believe these are the definitive editions as the publisher was established by several of Lovecraft's inner circle concerned with keeping his work in circulation. They had first hand access to his manuscripts. He wasn't well known when he popped his clogs and they didn't want his work lost.

[swiss tony]

Originally Posted by neverending

I actually own a copy of Flu, and have read it... it has some great atmosphere and local color.

Excellent! I picked up a signed copy at his book launch in Belfast. I chatted to him for a while and he talked about his love of classic horror and how he hated the dumbing down and 'gorification' of the genre recently. Anyway, glad you liked it.

[TheWickerFan]

Originally Posted by neverending

I'm wondering if it might not be a more useful list if we try and come up with the top 100 horror writers, as opposed to single books. That way we could nominate people like Poe, Lovecraft & King for their bodies of work, and other writers for significant works...

What do you think, Prez!

I really like this idea. As everyone's picking collections of stories from writers like Poe and Lovecraft anyway (which I personally think is cheating:p) we probably should do this. Maybe write down favorites from each author as well, then you'd have a top 5 to work with in each author's profile.

[neverending]

Originally Posted by swiss tony

Here's the one you need to get http://64.227.162.73/miva/merchant.m...egory_Code=001

The other HP Lovecrafts that I mention are on this site; it's the official Arkham House site. Many believe these are the definitive editions as the publisher was established by several of Lovecraft's inner circle concerned with keeping his work in circulation. They had first hand access to his manuscripts. He wasn't well known when he popped his clogs and they didn't want his work lost.

Opinions are divided. Some believe Derleth put a bit too much of himself in Arkham Houses editions, and that the volumes that Joshi edited and annotated are closer to the original Lovecraft.

This dichotomy is born out in the two different portrayals of Lovecraft presented in the respective biographies they each wrote.

[swiss tony]

Originally Posted by neverending

Opinions are divided. Some believe Derleth put a bit too much of himself in Arkham Houses editions, and that the volumes that Joshi edited and annotated are closer to the original Lovecraft.

This dichotomy is born out in the two different portrayals of Lovecraft presented in the respective biographies they each wrote.

You're not the first person I've heard saying that. I know that Derleth can be a little self-promoting and some people say he completely ripped off HPL's style. I tried to track down a good used copy of Joshi's biography a while back but it was a fortune. Would you recommend it?

[swiss tony]

Originally Posted by TheWickerFan

I really like this idea. As everyone's picking collections of stories from writers like Poe and Lovecraft anyway (which I personally think is cheating:p) we probably should do this. Maybe write down favorites from each author as well, then you'd have a top 5 to work with in each author's profile.

I second that! If we just go by book, there will be numerous entries for several writers ie. King, Poe, Lovecraft, Herbert etc. But then, it'll be hard to narrow down 100 authors, especially as some only ever write one or two works that can be defined as 'horror'.

Lovecraft wrote mostly novellas and short pieces for popular 'weird fiction' publications during his time. It's not practical to enter numerous short stories in a top 100 but then the top 100 wouldn't be complete without the Call of Cthulu. Perhaps we could cap it at five books/entries per author. Or one entry entitled 'The complete works of...'.

[neverending]

Originally Posted by swiss tony

You're not the first person I've heard saying that. I know that Derleth can be a little self-promoting and some people say he completely ripped off HPL's style. I tried to track down a good used copy of Joshi's biography a while back but it was a fortune. Would you recommend it?

Joshi's biography is essential for a Lovecraft fan. The work is exhaustive. In the end, he offers a portrait of a man significantly different than the somewhat pathetic creature Derleth presents in his bio. Though there's no denying Lovecraft felt out of place in the time he lived, socially, he was well liked, had a wide circle of friends who respected and adored him, and he was well traveled.