have you ever read a book thats scared you more than a film?

MossyUK

MossyUK

MossyUK

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i dont enjoy horror films, i find them too scary. would reading a horror book be the same / worse or less?

eg - the cthulu books, or steven king books vs his films?

thx
 
I have read books that make me think "Wow, that's wierd!?" 'The Missing' By Chris Mooney did that, some of the situations just make you think, "How do these people think of these situations?" But they've never really scared me to a point where I'd have to stop reading.
 
Shadow over Innsmouth... dude its Lovecraft, I dont know how he does, I think its because he writes so matter of factly.

Alos didn't scare me Stand - Stephen King is a such an epic tale of good Vs evil.

Dont know why I'm posting tbh as film/books never creep me out really.
 
gillywibble said:
I couldn't watch Salem's Lot after reading the book.

Theoretically, the film should be worse because of the sound etc.
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Salems Lot, never seen the film, but I tend to avoid Kings book to films like plague.

The only good thing visually he was involved with was Kingdom Hospital.
 
would it be worth reading a steven king / lovecraft book if i didnt ever watch horror films? would they be a more accessable way into the genre than some visual mental scarefest horror?
 
Talkie_Toaster said:
The Rats James Herbert, the film was laughable though.
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LOL, I've read that, the way he describes the queen rat, hairless, and all that still manages to send shivers down my spine, also it was all based around the east London canals, which currentky I'm about 100m walk from lol.... I sleep easy!
 
When I first read Jurassic Park. I think I must have been about 14, and read a lot of it during the summer whilst sleeping outside in a tent at night. Certainly messed with my head.
 
djmc0 said:
LOL, I've read that, the way he describes the queen rat, hairless, and all that still manages to send shivers down my spine, also it was all based around the east London canals, which currentky I'm about 100m walk from lol.... I sleep easy!
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My favorite one of the three was Domain, can still remember parts of when the nuclear bombs dropped.
Highly recommend series to read.
 
Another book that really scared me was Evolution by Stephen Baxter, which followed a made line of evolution from ameoba to homosapian and onwards, he predicted wars over water which seem plausable in a few years. Really good read if your into Sci-fi.

Another book just came to mind, the wasp factory by Iain Banks, very creepy!
 
I think I've read The Rats (when I was about ten :/ )...If its the one I'm thinking of, the section in a school(?) with the rats chewing through the doors and being held back by the fire hoses had me bricking it.

*n
 
MossyUK said:
would it be worth reading a steven king / lovecraft book if i didnt ever watch horror films? would they be a more accessable way into the genre than some visual mental scarefest horror?
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Both good places to start although very different styles of writing. I personally find books much more tense than films, I watched Men Behind that Sun last week and to be honest bar the (alleged) animal torture scene it didn't do a lot to get my heart beating (and that was from repulsion rather than fear). However reading a good horror novel in the right circumstances (dark, empty house) will have me checking the doors are locked :D

MB
 
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Horror in film is completely different to the written version. Film focuses on visuals and sound, where as a book is more about plot, character progression, and the reader's interpretation of what's written down.

I've never found a book scary, but I find reading far more emotional than a film can ever get. Take King's The Stand. The film tried to make it a traditional horror which the book was never about. Also I find reading history more terrifying than a horror book, maybe because its more real.

djmc0 said:
Salems Lot, never seen the film, but I tend to avoid Kings book to films like plague.

The only good thing visually he was involved with was Kingdom Hospital.
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So do I, but occasionally they do come off. Shawshank, Green Mile... Green Mile was an odd one, after reading it I went to the cinema to see it with two girls who both came out in tears, but it just did nothing for me on the film, the book however was probably the last best thing he's wriiten.
 
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Edinho said:
Horror in film is completely different to the written version. Film focuses on visuals and sound, where as a book is more about plot, character progression, and the reader's interpretation of what's written down.

I've never found a book scary, but I find reading far more emotional than a film can ever get. Take King's The Stand. The film tried to make it a traditional horror which the book was never about. Also I find reading history more terrifying than a horror book, maybe because its more real.



So do I, but occasionally they do come off. Shawshank, Green Mile... Green Mile was an odd one, after reading it I went to the cinema to see it with two girls who both came out in tears, but it just did nothing for me on the film, the book however was probably the last best thing he's wriiten.
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Completely agree. I've never been scared by a book but I do far prefer them to a film, wheras films can get me edgy. The book The Stand was exceptional; I had avoided Stephen King books for years and finally read this and I was enthralled.
 
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