Whats the first book that seriously scared you? - Page 2

Happy Monkey · 09-10-2008, 12:50 PM

Some short story in a Hitchcock anthology about a guy who slit throats and hid in a wax museum.

SteveDallas · 09-10-2008, 12:58 PM

I can't think of a specific book--I'm not really into horror fiction. But I became interested in ancient Egyptian stuff at an early age. I was never bothered by any of the mummy stuff. One time, though, I must have been 8 or so, I was reading something about the seven ancient wonders of the world. It was talking about the Colossus of Rhodes, and it referred to a king... it said something like, "Built in the reign of King Ptolemy I, the colossus stood in the harbor . . . . etc." I didn't realize that was a Roman numeral and not the word "I." So I interpreted as, the colossus wrote this sentence(!) and was explaining how he stood in the harbor during the reign of King Ptolemy. EEEEewwwwwwwwww it just creeped me out to no end. I still remember it.

Flint · 09-10-2008, 01:30 PM

It.

Sheldonrs · 09-10-2008, 01:42 PM

Harlan Ellison - "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" freaked me out and depressed me for days.

Number 2 Pencil · 09-10-2008, 01:47 PM

Ellison can be really depressing, the story you mention Sheldon has to be one of the most disturbing. I would say Harlan Ellison can be scarier to me than Stephen King.

Flint · 09-10-2008, 01:50 PM

God, when he described what the computer's thoughts were like in his head, like blinding-bright neon being etched directly into his brain with acid, or something. Amazing writing, describing sensory perceptions that don't exist in reality.

Juniper · 09-10-2008, 01:54 PM

A Clockwork Orange.

I read it in high school, just picked it off the shelf for fun, and have no idea how they allowed it into the high school library of a private, Catholic all-girl school. Scared the crap out of me, on many levels.

Also, The Handmaid's Tale.

I don't usually read horror fiction. Some of the speculative/sci-fi stuff is scarier, IMO, than anything Stephen King could write.

Flint · 09-10-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juniper

A Clockwork Orange.

Was that the British version, or the American version with the last chapter deleted?

Trilby · 09-10-2008, 02:39 PM

The Cask of Amontillado. Weeeeeee-hooo!

wolf · 09-10-2008, 03:03 PM

The Exorcist, which I read around the time the movie came out, since I was too young to get into the movie, which means I was about 11.

I had gotten in trouble in Catholic school in 4th grade for reading The Ratman's Notebooks (book Willard was based on) during class. I was easily bored by the teach and so spent more time reading books I would hide in my desk. Catholic school 4th grade was essentially a repeat of what I had done in 2nd and 3rd grade in public school in another state, so I had a lot of spare time on my hands. Willard, though, was more icky than scary.

Chocolatl · 09-10-2008, 08:48 PM

Sphere by Michael Crichton.

When I was a kid, my dad travelled a lot. We were living in South America at the time, so my access to books in English was rather limited. Dad used to pick up novels as he stopped in airports here and there, and then pass them along to me -- so I ended up reading books like Jurassic Park and Sphere at the age of nine because they were all I could get my hands on.

Anyway, Sphere scared me badly enough that when I was done reading for the night, I would put the book in the freezer so that nothing could manifest out of it while I was sleeping. I had heard about little kids getting trapped in the fridge, so I guess I thought that any evil creatures that manifested would not only be trapped but would also freeze to death.

ETA: I just glanced at the bookburning thread and am amused to find that several people seem to have hated this same book.

Number 2 Pencil · 09-10-2008, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

The Cask of Amontillado. Weeeeeee-hooo!

The Tell-tale Heart.... He was staring at me I tell you! His EVIL EYE!! I had to do it!

Oh oh, and the Masque of the Red Death... *shiver*

Sundae · 09-11-2008, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolatl

Anyway, Sphere scared me badly enough that when I was done reading for the night, I would put the book in the freezer so that nothing could manifest out of it while I was sleeping. I had heard about little kids getting trapped in the fridge, so I guess I thought that any evil creatures that manifested would not only be trapped but would also freeze to death.

Yup, that's proper scared! I piled things on top of The Shining for exactly the same reason. I remember one of the things that creeped me out most - Danny looking at the hose, feeling uneasy, and the hose falling off. Why? It's never explained. And technically nothing happens. That's real-world creepiness.

Quote:

ETA: I just glanced at the bookburning thread and am amused to find that several people seem to have hated this same book.

You read it at the right age

Shawnee123 · 09-11-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number 2 Pencil

The Tell-tale Heart.... He was staring at me I tell you! His EVIL EYE!! I had to do it!

Oh oh, and the Masque of the Red Death... *shiver*

OH, I love reading The Tell-tale Heart. Good one!

Pico and ME · 09-11-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolatl

Sphere by Michael Crichton.

When I was a kid, my dad travelled a lot. We were living in South America at the time, so my access to books in English was rather limited. Dad used to pick up novels as he stopped in airports here and there, and then pass them along to me -- so I ended up reading books like Jurassic Park and Sphere at the age of nine because they were all I could get my hands on.

Anyway, Sphere scared me badly enough that when I was done reading for the night, I would put the book in the freezer so that nothing could manifest out of it while I was sleeping. I had heard about little kids getting trapped in the fridge, so I guess I thought that any evil creatures that manifested would not only be trapped but would also freeze to death.

ETA: I just glanced at the bookburning thread and am amused to find that several people seem to have hated this same book.

I didnt hate it, but I do remember feeling a bit ambiguous about the ending. Still, Im pretty easy on most Sci Fi.

09-10-2008, 12:50 PM	#16
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Some short story in a Hitchcock anthology about a guy who slit throats and hid in a wax museum. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

09-10-2008, 01:30 PM	#18
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	It. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

09-10-2008, 01:42 PM	#19
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	Harlan Ellison - "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" freaked me out and depressed me for days. __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

09-10-2008, 01:47 PM	#20
Number 2 Pencil Not too hard, not too soft Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Next to a yapping dog Posts: 75	Ellison can be really depressing, the story you mention Sheldon has to be one of the most disturbing. I would say Harlan Ellison can be scarier to me than Stephen King. __________________ Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream? -Poe

09-10-2008, 01:50 PM	#21
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	God, when he described what the computer's thoughts were like in his head, like blinding-bright neon being etched directly into his brain with acid, or something. Amazing writing, describing sensory perceptions that don't exist in reality. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

09-10-2008, 12:58 PM	#17
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	I can't think of a specific book--I'm not really into horror fiction. But I became interested in ancient Egyptian stuff at an early age. I was never bothered by any of the mummy stuff. One time, though, I must have been 8 or so, I was reading something about the seven ancient wonders of the world. It was talking about the Colossus of Rhodes, and it referred to a king... it said something like, "Built in the reign of King Ptolemy I, the colossus stood in the harbor . . . . etc." I didn't realize that was a Roman numeral and not the word "I." So I interpreted as, the colossus wrote this sentence(!) and was explaining how he stood in the harbor during the reign of King Ptolemy. EEEEewwwwwwwwww it just creeped me out to no end. I still remember it.

09-10-2008, 01:54 PM	#22
Juniper I know, right? Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,539	A Clockwork Orange. I read it in high school, just picked it off the shelf for fun, and have no idea how they allowed it into the high school library of a private, Catholic all-girl school. Scared the crap out of me, on many levels. Also, The Handmaid's Tale. I don't usually read horror fiction. Some of the speculative/sci-fi stuff is scarier, IMO, than anything Stephen King could write.

09-10-2008, 02:39 PM	#24
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	The Cask of Amontillado. Weeeeeee-hooo! __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

09-10-2008, 03:03 PM	#25
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	The Exorcist, which I read around the time the movie came out, since I was too young to get into the movie, which means I was about 11. I had gotten in trouble in Catholic school in 4th grade for reading The Ratman's Notebooks (book Willard was based on) during class. I was easily bored by the teach and so spent more time reading books I would hide in my desk. Catholic school 4th grade was essentially a repeat of what I had done in 2nd and 3rd grade in public school in another state, so I had a lot of spare time on my hands. Willard, though, was more icky than scary. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis Last edited by wolf; 09-10-2008 at 10:35 PM. Reason: unnecessary preposition I just noticed

09-10-2008, 08:48 PM	#26
Chocolatl Glutton for Gluttony Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,409	Sphere by Michael Crichton. When I was a kid, my dad travelled a lot. We were living in South America at the time, so my access to books in English was rather limited. Dad used to pick up novels as he stopped in airports here and there, and then pass them along to me -- so I ended up reading books like Jurassic Park and Sphere at the age of nine because they were all I could get my hands on. Anyway, Sphere scared me badly enough that when I was done reading for the night, I would put the book in the freezer so that nothing could manifest out of it while I was sleeping. I had heard about little kids getting trapped in the fridge, so I guess I thought that any evil creatures that manifested would not only be trapped but would also freeze to death. ETA: I just glanced at the bookburning thread and am amused to find that several people seem to have hated this same book. Last edited by Chocolatl; 09-10-2008 at 09:20 PM.

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