It has been another dreary week here at Lawrence University, and the dawn of Midterm Week is slowly inching our way. Though, on a happier note, Midterm Reading Period is almost upon us, and we will be able to finally sit back and relax, and maybe even get some well-deserved reading time in during our long weekend. Unfortunately, I have not been able to take another glance at any HorrorTok titles this week, so instead this edition will highlight a few classic horror and thriller novels I have read during past “Spooky Seasons” that never fail to bring on the chills. Without further ado, let’s get to this week’s recommendations!
Stephen King is known as the king of horror, and has released numerous bestsellers that have often found a way to make it to the big screen. A few of his popular titles-turned-films include: IT, Pet Sematary and The Shining. However, just because you may have enjoyed the well-acclaimed film adaptions of IT, you may find it daunting to try and pick up the 1,000+ page book. So, where should you start on your Stephen King journey this October?
Though I have my own personal favorites, I still find it best to start with Stephen’s classics, or the books that got him in the business, so to speak. They are usually shorter compared to some of his other works, but chilling nevertheless. For example, Carrie focuses on a bullied high school girl who develops telekinetic powers, and eventually wreaks havoc on her classmates after their latest prank goes a step too far. It is King’s first published novel, and though I don’t find it to be the best, it is still a definitive classic.
Pet Sematary is another one of his rather popular ones, especially after the few movie adaptions that came out. I personally liked this one a lot more than the majority of his works, though it isn’t a favorite of mine. After a beloved cat is killed, Louis is shown the wonders and horrors of the Pet Sematary behind his home, where he is told to bury the body. Later, the cat reunites with Louis and his family, and everything is seemingly back to normal. But after another tragedy strikes, Louis returns to the Sematary, unaware that whatever is buried there doesn’t come back quite the same. I found this to be an interesting premise, especially since it poses an interesting question. If we have the power to bring our loved ones back to life, what are the costs?
A few of the other short, yet creepy novels of his include Cujo, which focuses on a rabid dog slowly murdering townsfolk. There’s Salem’s Lot, which is a modern-day Dracula in a sense, as a small village gets overtaken by vampires. And Misery centers around a well-acclaimed author who is kidnapped by his Number-One Fan and tortured into writing a new novel. I would say any of these novels are good for those interested in reading a brief horror novel that packs a punch, or rather a scare, this holiday season, and are wishing to start reading some works by the most popular author in the horror genre.
That is it for this week’s recommendations! I hope you are able to sit down and enjoy some of these horror classics this month. Next edition, I hope to have a new HorrorTok recommendation prepared for you all. But, until then, happy reading!