Essential horror

[Waterwolf]

What are the best horror/supernatural/dark fantasy/whatever you want to call it books? And I don't mean the stuff which is just one long sequence of blood and guts.

[incitatus]

I would recommend a collection of short stories by Robert Aickman called "The unsettled dust". Also the classic King in Yellow series by R. W. Chambers. Hate to mention Stephen King as much of his output is pulp, but It and The Shining are very good reads. For traditionalists, Frankenstein is much better than Dracula.

[sgs]

For classic stuff try a collection of stories by Edith Wharton called The Ghost-Feeler. She's better known for her more literary material, but these are pretty good Gothic tales.

[AshDarkmoon]

Tanith Lee. Definetely. She's a Brithish author. I've found all of her books to be quite entertaining. She has nearly 90 of them. You may have seen some of her children's books out, but her horror is just as magnetic. Try, The Secret Books of Paradys, or the Secret Books of Venus. She's also very good at rewriting fairy tales. I am currently reading Snow White, Blood Red.
For a new twist on werewolf fantasy, try "The Wolf's Hour" br Robert R. McCammon. For Vampires, Freda Warrington has an interesting series that begins with "A Taste of Blood Wine"

~Ash
PS. Any further recommendations I'm going to try out myself!

[andy hughes]

Unlike my learned friend Incitatus, I would strongly recomend Stephen King. His 'Christine' is as good a horror novel as I've ever read, and after reading 'Salem's Lot' I did have to sleep with the light on, the night I finished it. Just completed 'Darklost' by Mick Farren, which is an interesting take on modern vampires.