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Those who don't like horror...


Michelle

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If you don't like horror, what is it in particular you don't like? Do you maybe avoid gory stories, but are ok with something a little creepy.. or is it maybe it's those creepy aspects which put you off more?

 

Is there a particular type of book you wouldn't mind trying.. would you like some recommendations for the more 'gentle' ones? 

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I don't like gore for the sake of gore.....I like there to be a story behind the horror (or should that be, a bit of horror behind a good story?). I think I also like creepy subtlety and menace, rather than something involving violence. Definitely something understated. For me, there has to be a good story and that's the main thing about whether I enjoy a book or not, regardless of the genre.

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I'm definitely not a horror person.  I don't like being scared, whether it's psychological thrillers, bloody, gory violence … in fact, anything that's just nasty.  I don't watch horror films and I don't read horror books.

 

I've just about managed to read a few books which some say are creepy, such as The Woman in Black (which I know is lightweight to some of our horror aficionados :D) and I didn't find very scary, but I think it's because I suspect I almost skim read in order to try and not let it affect me.  I know I'm susceptible to horror images and stories, and will suffer from nightmares if I succumb to books or films, so I avoid them. :hide:   In fact, I'm such a scaredy cat, I'm getting more wary about venturing into "the last film you saw" thread and some book blogs on here, as I know there are posters for horror films and books in there that I find unsettling.  :lurker: 

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I've never liked "horror".  Don't like gory.  I do like stories that have a certain psychological nervous tension to them,

 

I haven't been able to read King's  IT yet.  But I do plan on doing so.  I'm not sure if Justin Cronin's series would classify as horror.  I don't really think so, although there is some blood and guts in it, but for me they classify more as post apocalyptic.  Or am I just confused.  :D 

 

Actually, the older I get, the less those things seem to bother me. 

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I'm not a horror fan either. I like psychological thrillers, murders (as long as they aren't too gory), the type of eerie story Neil Gaiman writes and I used to love the old black and white vampire movies, but plain downright horror .....no.  I don't find horror has any positive entertainment value for me .....I'm probably just a big scaredy cat :hide: 

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I'm a scaredy cat too. I liked a lot of horror when I was a child and teenager, but after that I didn't read it so often anymore. I find I'm stressed enough in real life and don't need too much stress to add to it. I've been trying to read a bit more horror in the past year though and I enjoyed those books I read. I just can't read them when it's really dark outside or anything like that :hide:. I don't watch horror films, unless maybe when they are based on a book I've read in which case I know what'll happen.

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I don't 'do' horror, although I did read The Entity many years ago, and a few James Herbert books. 

 

I definitely don't do gore.  I'm so squeamish that I've had trouble reading a couple of books due to their descriptions.  One was the non-fiction A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer and another was A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon.  Just one tiny scene in that particular book which I'm sure those of you who've read it will recognise immediately!  :giggle:

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I definitely don't do gore.  I'm so squeamish that I've had trouble reading a couple of books due to their descriptions.  One was the non-fiction A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer and another was A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon.  Just one tiny scene in that particular book which I'm sure those of you who've read it will recognise immediately!  :giggle:

The first one is on my TBR, the second one on my wishlist. I'll keep it in mind :).

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The first one is on my TBR, the second one on my wishlist. I'll keep it in mind :).

I mentioned it in the other thread, but Clive Barker has a really good one, a YA, The Thief of Always.  I'll be reading it to P when she is around 10 or so.

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The first one is on my TBR, the second one on my wishlist. I'll keep it in mind :).

The first one is a harrowing read, and due to its very nature it couldn't be anything but.  The 'gore' in A Spot of Bother only takes a few seconds to read so don't let my comment put you off - it's the briefest of mentions.  :)

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I don't like horror as a rule although I do like psychological thrillers. However, my love of the first King I've ever read - 11/22/63 - has persuaded me to try The Shining this October. :)

 

I suspect you'd like The Stand, Alexi. 

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  • 4 years later...

I was a "stay clear of horror" person till my late twenties, when I opened "Interview with a Vampire" by Anne Rice.

My quick scan turned into me reading the book from cover to cover, glued to the story despite occasional protests from my scary cat side!😀

That led to more Anne Rice books, all of them enticing me into the stories of characters who just happened to be un dead at the time. Strangely, for the most part I found none of them frightening, but chilling certainly, and that was worse, they stayed with me longer. What a gifted author.

 

I'm still cautious about trying  new authors in the "scary" sections, not many have the Rice deft touch.

Reluctant too, about trying anything about seemingly normal folks turning out to be gruesome murderers, or other scary types.

On the other hand, give me the homely ta!e of a shapeshifter, vampire, werewolf or like, and I can cope much more easily with any of their doings. 

So - if anyone has any suggestions on those lines I'd be glad of knowing them.

 

Aren't we human beings so strange?! I denied this part of myself for years. Now, I've e found it can almost be fun😀

 

Happy :hide::readingtwo: to All.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Booknutt said:

I was a "stay clear of horror" person till my late twenties, when I opened "Interview with a Vampire" by Anne Rice.

My quick scan turned into me reading the book from cover to cover, glued to the story despite occasional protests from my scary cat side!😀

That led to more Anne Rice books, all of them enticing me into the stories of characters who just happened to be un dead at the time. Strangely, for the most part I found none of them frightening, but chilling certainly, and that was worse, they stayed with me longer. What a gifted author.

 

I'm still cautious about trying  new authors in the "scary" sections, not many have the Rice deft touch.

Reluctant too, about trying anything about seemingly normal folks turning out to be gruesome murderers, or other scary types.

On the other hand, give me the homely ta!e of a shapeshifter, vampire, werewolf or like, and I can cope much more easily with any of their doings. 

So - if anyone has any suggestions on those lines I'd be glad of knowing them.

 

Aren't we human beings so strange?! I denied this part of myself for years. Now, I've e found it can almost be fun😀

 

Happy :hide::readingtwo: to All.

 

 

 

 

The Fantastic World of Kamtellar by R. Chetwynd-Hayes includes a quite brilliant vampire novella that I'd recommend.  It's not too gory or horrific, rather chilling and atmospheric, and especially exciting towards the end.  The other stories in the book aren't bad either!

 

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I used to love Anne Rice's books, like you I read "Interview..." and was sucked in! I didn't find them scary, but strangely compelling and yes seductive (fine if anyone think that's weird!), but Lestat is a great character.  However I do feel they went off a bit for a while after The Body Thief (which I loved) and then picked up a bit with Blackwood and Blood Canticle, but sadly the first book she wrote after leaving the series for a while, did nothing for me at all - Prince Lestat I think it is?

 

Have you read her Mayfair Witches trilogy?  I really loved those as well.

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  • 1 year later...

I've been an avid reader since childhood, but I never took to horror. A few years ago, I forced myself to read some classics in the genre to figure out what I must definitely be missing. Still, I had to strain to get through the books that came highly recommended to me. All I could get through were very interesting scholarly horror essays that detailed the genesis and sociocultural commentary that is attributed to this genre.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi All,

I suppose really it's down to what we rate as "horrific". Nowadays the market is flooded with all kinds of monsters in dvd's, games, and books - it's almost unscary now!

 

During the lockdown especially I've been escaping reality into fantasy reading - would you believe a lot of YA like Vampire Academy and it's sequel series, and now the Mortal Instruments series of Cassandra Clare?!

Actually all good books, enjoyable, so far not too violent etc.,  but full of vampires, witches, demons, younameits.

I'm loving them!:D

 

Written with a light hand, as if this is part and parcel of daily life of the characters concerned who are regular folks - they're very readable, and not scary at all. Makes you think of how we assess "bad" people too.

 

At heart, such books express the different kind of "bad" normal people can turn into - a vampire, witch or demon, and the degree of "bad" they go to. Some can be redeemed, as happens in the stories. It's not all gloomy.

So don't give up completely on the genre. Give some of the "YA" titles a try. Some are amazingly good stories, and out to do more than terrify readers.

 

Meanwhile, I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas, Happy :readingtwo: and a Healthy New Year!

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