50 Best Horror Books of All Time 

I knew you would come for Frankenstein. I have an undying love for that novel, but I know it doesn't work for everyone. Your "horror gems" tier includes some of my favorite classics. I'm planning to read House of Leaves (finally!) in autumn of this year. Great video!

The narrator for NOS4A2 did an incredible job.

A good title can sucker me in! I've picked up books before just based on the title alone, sometimes it paid off, sometimes not. Love the categories you broke these down into. Great list, Michael!

I find it intriguing that you & I share the same opinions on some books but differ greatly in opinions on others. I really want to read The Reddening based on your reviews of it, but I'm leery. Suggestion for future post: Top 5 (or so) books you found compulsively readable. Perhaps not necessarily great books in your opinion, but ones you found "hard to put down" and read quickly. I'll definitely try reading some of those! Cheers!

On a serious note, it's a waste of time getting angry about someone's book critique's. I applaud your unique and confident point of view.

I totally agree with the shining. Maybe it's because I read it during trips to the plasma center, but that book wasn't fun. Maybe it has to do with my love for the movie as well. The film is the definitive version of The Shining. Not even an opinion, just the truth.

Great video Michael! So many books I have not heard of. NOS4A2 and Heart Shaped Box are great books, I think you should give Joe Hill another chance. Some great choices for horror gems. Read Swan Song! 🤣I love The Shining, but the bottom line is that not every book resonates the same for every reader. I enjoyed your choices.

That’s it! You’ve done it this time! I’ll be picking up Head Full of Ghosts.😊

American Psycho is definitely not a horror book. Yeah, there is killing in it, but that doesn't make it any more of a horror than The Hobbit or Fight Club. I'd call American Psycho a satirical comedy or a dark comedy... Satirical "coming of age" comedy. Dracula is fantastic. I like the middle part of it, the Harker entries let the audience in on the horrific nature of the vampire that the characters of the book in the Mina/Seward chapters aren't aware of - it looks like the sort of suspense that inspired Hitchcock.

Nailed it with the gems, and fails, for me anyway! Little Star was blah,,and i only read it bc I loved Harbor so much by same author. I couldn't finish the Terror. It wasn't bad but i felt like i was reading it for history class in school. Heart shaped box was boring, and i don't like Shining either!😂 that was fun! Hope you love Pet Semetary it's one of my favorites! xx❤️

This was very entertaining. I’m on your side for some of these, not all! 😂

Funny thing about Shining is I have no idea if I read it or not. I surely saw the movie, but whether I read the book or not, I do not have any recollection, however I cannot swear I haven't - I read a lot of Stephen King back in the day :) Concerning exorcisms - one book about them wort reading is Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley (not a novel).

I wonder if you, Michael, have read "The Auctioneer" (1975) by Joan Samson. It generated quite a buzz when Valancourt Books republished it in 2018. I read it in December 2023. I liked it.

You’re missing a really good one with Woman in Black. I think it’d be an exception for you the way Headful of Ghosts is. I found the movie version of Audition more insightful than the book. But the book is good. John Dies at the End is wacky, but surprisingly intelligent. Worth a read. Geek Love was actually too messed up for me. Might work great for you - you. Can handle some things I don’t. Tekeli-li!, I say to you, sir. Tekeli-li! Hell House could have been a Lumley book. Or a Colin Wilson one, come to think of it. So earnestly serious, so blind to its own perspective. Let the Right One In does great things with the fact that the vampire is physically young but at *all* a child internally, in a way I seldom see. She’s older than any living person can be, and the author really works that. The movie also has a truly marvelous scene showing what happens when a vampire tries to enter uninvited. Spooked the bejeezus out of me.

I LOVE AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS!!!!! I binged H. P. last year and that was my favourite. Closely followed by The Shadow Out Of Time. I think I read a horror by Clive Barker, it was The Night Something. It was about some people who sort of became superheroes to fight a witch. I found it a bit ridiculous. The most disappointed I've ever been with a horror book was with The Man Whom The Trees Loved. It started off as the most enticing, intriguing thing ever, then it went round and round in circles and disappeared up its own arse. I'll be looking out for your recommendations.

Good video! I agreed with most of your placements, but you’re allowed to be wrong sometimes. 😉 you said you like Ira Levin, have you read This Perfect Day?

Well, I am glad The Ceremonies made the list. On the other hand NOS4A2, Hard Shaped Box and Swan Song are some of the most overrated horror novels i have read. I don't agree with many of your opinions but that's cool by me. Good video, take care.

Rebecca is more psychological thriller/mystery than horror!

My best horror are: They Thirst Robert Mcammon Salem's Lot Stephen King Light at the End Stephen King At the Mountains of Madness by HP lovecraft Monstrosity Tim Curran Djinn Graham Masterton Descendant Graham Masterton World War Z Max Brooks Drachenfels Jack Yeovil(Kim Newman) fantasy horror Mirror Graham Masterton Damnation Game Clive Barker Falling Angel William Hjortsberg I am Legend Richard Matheson The Howling Gary Brander

❤ for Barker

Michael!!! Weird weird weird choices from you!!! You are leaving out the good ones and liking the most crappy ones! I don´t understand what you like in a book anymore. You put in the top cathegory some of the worst books in the list and at the bottom some of the best ones.... in my opinion. As always, this is the beauty of reading: one book, 100 readers, 100 different reactions. And, also as always, I really enjoy watching your videos even when I disagree so much with you!!!!!

I reckon that bottle will be finished by the time your video finishes 🙂

Plenty there to keep you busy and out of mischief? I hope you are reading something good.

How dare you have an opinion that is different from mine!! {{{{UNSUBSCRIBED}}}}. Bad Man!! I bet there's grapefruit juice in that glass. IT: 813pgs in and th-th-the stut stut stuttering is a-a-ah-a-ah-noying. I'm currently reading Penpal (Dathan Auerbach) and I have a hold on Grey Dog (Elliott Gish) and The First Day of Spring (Nancy Tucker).

I've read 5 horror books. Disliked them all. One was NOS4A2. Just sayin'. (Based on your recommendation though, The Reddening looks like its going to buck the trend.)

You're Never going to read the masterpiece " The Stand " ? How about you try. Also you are missing out on Anne Rice. No Vampires Ann Rices' " The Mayfair Witches Trilogy "' HER Masterpiece ! Just what do you like? I think you are a Stephen King Snob.

Did you really just say that about the shining…. I lost all respect for you. Also these books mostly suck & seem like the author was trying to be a hipster with these choices.

I am sick of exorcism in books and movies.