For book lovers, there are never too many book suggestions. However, after a little while, they begin to overlap, especially when looking for specific types of books.
Have no fear, for the books listed below are some truly terrifying reads to get you in the mood for the Halloween season — and they aren’t the same handful of Stephen King novels recommended each year.
1. ‘The Deep’ by Nick Cutter
Plague has overrun the Earth with no man-made cure in sight. However, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, researchers believe they have found a miracle cure-all: a strange substance nicknamed “ambrosia” for the heavenly nectar of the gods.
As research is conducted on the ocean floor, more and more begins to go wrong, culminating in the research station losing contact with the world above. The brother of the lead researcher is sent down, down, down into the dark and unsettling world at the base of the Mariana Trench, where it is revealed that all is not as it seems.
This novel delves deep into the horrors of the human mind and tugs readers’ minds in directions not previously thought possible. Combining eldritch horror and a fear of the unknown, Cutter thoroughly terrifies his audience.
2. ‘Bird Box’ by Josh Malerman
With most book-to-movie adaptations, not many people read the book. “Bird Box” is a book that is far better than the movie. When the apocalypse begins, the main character, Malorie, is pregnant.
A force unable to be seen haunts the world, causing those who see it to go insane and kill themselves. The books flips between the first nine months of the apocalypse and five years later.
In the first nine months, the reader sees people trying to adjust to a new and dangerous world while making bonds in order to survive. Five years later, Malorie is floating down a river with her children, trying to make it to a safe haven.
By flipping between time periods, Malerman allows for suspense to build and stagnate, leaving the reader in a state of anxiety. “Bird Box” is a great way to feel the anxiety of the suspense commonplace in horror films.
3. ‘The Troop’ by Nick Cutter
The second Nick Cutter book to make the list, “The Troop” tells a story of human arrogance and the downfalls that ensue when one is too kind for their situation. A human bioweapon has escaped containment on a small island in Canada.
Typically uninhabited, the island hosts a Boy Scouts troop when this bioweapon appears. This book follows the boys of the troop as they try to survive, unable to contact home and or get any information. Cutter truly disgusts his audience with this body horror novel.
Unlike “The Deep,” which explores the horrors of creatures beyond human imagination, “The Troop“ solely focuses on horrors created by humankind.
4. ‘Annihilation’ by Jeff VanderMeer
As the second book that was turned into a movie adaptation on this list, “Annihilation” follows four unnamed women into Area X.
The book reads like journal entries of one of the woman characters, the biologist. Area X has been closed to the public for decades, with very little information known to the women. These four are believed to be the 12th expedition, with those who returned from the 11th dying shortly after.
VanderMeer writes a story of suspense, suspicion and the truly horrifying nature of the wilderness. As more secrets unfold and more goes wrong, the reader is unable to look away, desperate for answers.
5. ‘The Grip of It’ by Jac Jemc
This novel follows a young couple as they move into a new house. The couple is troubled, to say the least, living in a relationship built on belief in one another rather than each other’s actions.
This delusion — the refusal to accept something is wrong — grows cracks in their minds, twisting and turning their life into something horrible.
“The Grip of It” is a psychological horror that plays on the classic setting for horror stories: the new house that is, unknown to the owners, haunted. However, in this story, the haunting is not inflicted by some vengeful spirit.
So there you have it, bookworms. A full list to add to the reading pile. Enjoy the Halloween season and these spooky stories.
Reach Audrey Weishaar at [email protected] or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.
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