Stephen king is so much better writing shorter stuff. His novellas are great.
I've just read langoliers which is really good
My favourite is apt pupil though. That books is crazy.
Mate I couldn't agree more. I've always said that many of King's books felt like he had this incredible idea, built the world out really well but never considered the ending and sort of just went "fuck it, this'll do". Same with Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box started out brilliantly and went the same way.
His shorter works are just impeccable. So many amazing short stories.
I have the langoliers here but just can't bring myself to read it thanks to the 90s movie making it feel near laughable.
100% agree. *Heart-Shaped Box* had a great first half, and one of the best opening pages I've ever read,. It sure goes downhill in that second half, though.
Stephen King always seems happier, and more in his element with his shorter fiction. They never seem to have the same issues that his novels have.
I felt the exact same way about it, started off amazingly and built up well only to completely shit bed. Really disappointed me. Love their short fiction though, yet to read one I don’t like
I would recommend the book mate. Its very eerie and there's a scene that still sticks in my mind today it's messed up.
The only longer books I've enjoyed of Kings is the stand and 11/22/63.
My personal favorite novella collection of his is Full Dark, No Stars. The winner in there for me is Big Driver, definite trigger warning for SA, however. 1922 is phenomenal as well. A Good Marriage is awesome. Didn't care for the last one (can't even recall it's name, tbh, and don't feel like googling)
Last days by Brian Evanson was a pretty good and short read.
Left Hand by Paul Currant is definitely extreme horror, and it is pretty disturbing and bizarre but it really stuck with me.
Some of my favorite novellas are part of story collections. Are you looking for standalone only?
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw was one of my favorites from this year.
The Croning by Laird Barron if you like cosmic/ weird horror
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle
Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones
I'm open to either for sure, I might have 100 odd short story collections but I'm always open to adding more! Just noticed how poorly represented the novellas were in my library.
Thank you!! I've heard so much about The Ballad of Black Tom, really need to pull my finger out and get it
I don’t have any suggestions but I just finished a short stay in hell literally like 5 minutes ago and it’s one of the best reads I’ve had in over a year
Brandon Faircloth is my favorite for short horror. Very dark and always has me thinking after his stories. You can find him on Amazon (physical or kindle) or most of his stories are posted here on reddit at r/verastahl
Sorry for not linking it, I dont know how but if you check him out I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do.
Edit: oh I guess it did link.
Nathan Ballingrud’s North American Lake Monsters, Wounds collection (short stories)
Bazterrica’s “Tender is the Flesh” (full novel)
Most of Laird Barron’s stories and Thomas Ligotti are “thinker” pieces
I've heard amazing things about Tender is the flesh, I've got it here in my TBR pile at present.
Really want to read Wounds, I watched the movie and was a little underwhelmed (loved the concept though) hoping the book is better, which is nearly always the case.
Massive fan of Ligotti and Barron, everything they write I buy. Same goes for John Langan too!
The movie isn't even close to how good "Wounds" is - it's my #1 recommendation for shorter stuff. If you like indies I really enjoyed "Born Wrong" by Garrett Lynch.
I read 'Our Own Unique Affliction' by Scott J. Moses recently and thought it was very interesting. It's a vampire novel with a unique plot; well-written and hard to put down. Deep philosophical concepts and questions are raised throughout the book that I'm still pondering on now, a week later.
You Should Have Left - Daniel Kehlmann
The Ballad of Black Tom - Victor LaValle
By The Time We Leave Here, We’ll Be Friends - J. David Osborne
The Snake Handler - Cody Goodfellow and J. David Osborne
___
~~This one has lived rent free in my head for 25 years:~~
~~The Long Walk - Richard Bachman~~
Longer than a novella, my memory is shit.
Every time I see a thread along these lines I think there can't be anything recommended that I haven't seen before, and almost every time I come across something new.
Thanks for this tip, sounds right up my street.
Stephen King's Different Seasons has four novellas, and all great. There's a scene in The Breathing Method that sticks to my mind even after many years. Talk about determination.
JG Faherty has done some of the best novellas I've ever ready. The Cold Spot, He Waits, and Legacy are particularly dark and chilling. Not extreme, but definitely creepy.
Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand, I’ll Bring You the Birds From Out of the Sky by Brian Hodge, The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen are what I can think of off the top of my head.
Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke
He has a bunch of novellas that are solid
The infusorium by Jon Padgett (if you like Ligotti you'll likely enjoy this)
The Willows/Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood
Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud
Spectral Link by Ligotti
I’m excited to read A short stay in hell, have heard nothing but good things about it. That being said, The Last House on Needless Street stuck with me for quite awhile, total brain melter!
Hysteria: Lolly and Lady Vanity Benny Rose: the Cannibal King The Law of the Skies Comfort Me With Apples To Be Devoured
Stephen king is so much better writing shorter stuff. His novellas are great. I've just read langoliers which is really good My favourite is apt pupil though. That books is crazy.
Mate I couldn't agree more. I've always said that many of King's books felt like he had this incredible idea, built the world out really well but never considered the ending and sort of just went "fuck it, this'll do". Same with Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box started out brilliantly and went the same way. His shorter works are just impeccable. So many amazing short stories. I have the langoliers here but just can't bring myself to read it thanks to the 90s movie making it feel near laughable.
100% agree. *Heart-Shaped Box* had a great first half, and one of the best opening pages I've ever read,. It sure goes downhill in that second half, though. Stephen King always seems happier, and more in his element with his shorter fiction. They never seem to have the same issues that his novels have.
I felt the exact same way about it, started off amazingly and built up well only to completely shit bed. Really disappointed me. Love their short fiction though, yet to read one I don’t like
Kings ability to write a decent finale is something many people are dubious of. You're far from being alone in thinking that.
I would recommend the book mate. Its very eerie and there's a scene that still sticks in my mind today it's messed up. The only longer books I've enjoyed of Kings is the stand and 11/22/63.
My personal favorite novella collection of his is Full Dark, No Stars. The winner in there for me is Big Driver, definite trigger warning for SA, however. 1922 is phenomenal as well. A Good Marriage is awesome. Didn't care for the last one (can't even recall it's name, tbh, and don't feel like googling)
I haven't read that yet so I'm glad to hear it's good
The Breathing Method is so underrated.
Last days by Brian Evanson was a pretty good and short read. Left Hand by Paul Currant is definitely extreme horror, and it is pretty disturbing and bizarre but it really stuck with me.
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. "The Mist" by Stephen King.
Some of my favorite novellas are part of story collections. Are you looking for standalone only? The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw was one of my favorites from this year. The Croning by Laird Barron if you like cosmic/ weird horror The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones
I'm open to either for sure, I might have 100 odd short story collections but I'm always open to adding more! Just noticed how poorly represented the novellas were in my library. Thank you!! I've heard so much about The Ballad of Black Tom, really need to pull my finger out and get it
Awesome. I will have some more suggestions for you after the weekend. I have them now, just no time to write it up. Cheers
I don’t have any suggestions but I just finished a short stay in hell literally like 5 minutes ago and it’s one of the best reads I’ve had in over a year
It's incredible isn't it! I really enjoyed it, makes you think!
Brandon Faircloth is my favorite for short horror. Very dark and always has me thinking after his stories. You can find him on Amazon (physical or kindle) or most of his stories are posted here on reddit at r/verastahl Sorry for not linking it, I dont know how but if you check him out I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do. Edit: oh I guess it did link.
Nathan Ballingrud’s North American Lake Monsters, Wounds collection (short stories) Bazterrica’s “Tender is the Flesh” (full novel) Most of Laird Barron’s stories and Thomas Ligotti are “thinker” pieces
I've heard amazing things about Tender is the flesh, I've got it here in my TBR pile at present. Really want to read Wounds, I watched the movie and was a little underwhelmed (loved the concept though) hoping the book is better, which is nearly always the case. Massive fan of Ligotti and Barron, everything they write I buy. Same goes for John Langan too!
The movie isn't even close to how good "Wounds" is - it's my #1 recommendation for shorter stuff. If you like indies I really enjoyed "Born Wrong" by Garrett Lynch.
I read 'Our Own Unique Affliction' by Scott J. Moses recently and thought it was very interesting. It's a vampire novel with a unique plot; well-written and hard to put down. Deep philosophical concepts and questions are raised throughout the book that I'm still pondering on now, a week later.
Wounds is fantastic. There are a several stories that have been living in my head since I read them
Who is the author?
Nathan Ballingrud
Pretty much everything published by Tor Nightfire will be worth reading.
You Should Have Left - Daniel Kehlmann The Ballad of Black Tom - Victor LaValle By The Time We Leave Here, We’ll Be Friends - J. David Osborne The Snake Handler - Cody Goodfellow and J. David Osborne ___ ~~This one has lived rent free in my head for 25 years:~~ ~~The Long Walk - Richard Bachman~~ Longer than a novella, my memory is shit.
The long walk isn't a novella it's nearly 400 pages
Ah right, apologies. I forgot it was half of the Bachman Books.
“I can’t! I can’t!” A throwaway line that I find myself thinking about randomly.
“A Short Stay in Hell” is extremely thought-provoking. Others here also recommend “The Divine Farce” as a counterpart to it.
Every time I see a thread along these lines I think there can't be anything recommended that I haven't seen before, and almost every time I come across something new. Thanks for this tip, sounds right up my street.
Let us know what you think. I loved them both.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke definitely made an impression on me.
I am Legend
The hellbound heart. The wine dark sea.
The Black Farm. The Rising. Pet Sematary The Hellbound Heart Books of Blood Just my personal few that are on my mind a lot.
Soft Targets by Carson Winter is a recent one that really got to me.
Piercing by Murukami
Right to Life by Jack Ketchum
Stephen King's Different Seasons has four novellas, and all great. There's a scene in The Breathing Method that sticks to my mind even after many years. Talk about determination.
JG Faherty has done some of the best novellas I've ever ready. The Cold Spot, He Waits, and Legacy are particularly dark and chilling. Not extreme, but definitely creepy.
Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand, I’ll Bring You the Birds From Out of the Sky by Brian Hodge, The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen are what I can think of off the top of my head.
At The Mountains of Madness & The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, by: H.P. Lovecraft
Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke He has a bunch of novellas that are solid The infusorium by Jon Padgett (if you like Ligotti you'll likely enjoy this) The Willows/Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud Spectral Link by Ligotti
I still think of these often, *The Rim of Morning* by William Sloane. *A Lush and Seething Hell* by John Hornor Jacobs. *Wounds* by Nathan Ballingrud.
I’m excited to read A short stay in hell, have heard nothing but good things about it. That being said, The Last House on Needless Street stuck with me for quite awhile, total brain melter!
Read anything by EricLaRocca, Gemma Amor, or Chad Lutzke. Some great novellas here.
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark