Library Tour part 12: More bloody horror! Including rants about Dean Koontz and Richard Curtis
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- Опубликовано: 26 апр 2022
- Another instalment in my ongoing library tour, this time featuring a bunch of old horror books.
Books mentioned:
Midnight Mass by F Paul Wilson
The Surrogate by Nick Sharman
The Secret of Anatomy by Mark Morris
The Black Hotel by Andrew Laurance
The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz
Squirm by Richard Curtis
Whispers by Dean Koontz
Night Chills by Dean Koontz
Wetbones by John Shirley
Instinct by Ben Kay
Spectre by Stephen Laws
Blight by Mark Sonders
Horns by Joe Hill
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
The Good Guy by Dean Koontz
Icebound by Dean Koontz
Nightfall by Dean Koontz
Family Portrait by Graham Masterton
They Thirst by Robert McCammon
Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz
Spiral by Koji Suzuki
Loop by Koji Suzuki
Dark Water by Koji Suzuki
The Man in the Moss by Phil Rickman
Crybbe by Phil Rickman
Bryant & May On the Loose by Christopher Fowler
Tender Loving Care by Andrew Neiderman
The Island by TM Wright
Scare Tactics by John Farris
Hellborn by Gary Brandner
Brainchild by John Saul
Johnny Alucard by Kim Newman (Anno Dracula series)
The Swarm by Frank Schatzing
The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone
The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
Growing Things and Other Stories by Paul Tremblay
The Trickster by Muriel Gray
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Music: Who's Afraid of Halloween by Alfred Grupstra from Pixabay
A belting video Olly. Midnight Mass and Whispers - absolute classics!
I need to get to Midnight Mass
“He’s really into dogs isn’t he…in quite an annoying way…” Ha! If only he had written about…a 🐈 cat….Fantastic collection of books…except for the newer Koontz rubbish…
Imagine how much better the world would be if Koontz had written about cats
I use Rosonol lighter fluid to take those pesky stickers off. It dissolves the glue and dries fast. It does not damage the book. Dampen the sticker and it should come off fairly well. You may have to scrape a bit with your fingernail or a blade.
Thank you! I’ll give that a try
Loved this tour of horror! Lots of great covers.
Old horror covers are the best
Wow! What a box full of horror goodness! The blurbs are next level, Olly! 👏🏻 - 📚MJ
Thank you! I do love a good bad blurb
I really liked Heart Shaped Box a lot. I also have read the whole Ring series, which became very involved and to my mind less engrossing by the end. Growing Things! You have it! There are some associated stories in there you'll probably like because they tie into Head Full of Ghosts.
Good to know!
The Secret of Anatomy is a very, very strange book, I loved it, for some reason I have managed to collect quite a lot of uncorrected proofs, and this is one of them, mine's in a box in the loft but I would happily read it again. It's weird! Uncorrected proofs and promo copies of books often crop up in charity shops in the U.K.
Yes, I've spotted a few of those over the years too
Oh no! You'll have to get some more vintage horror books! 😄
That might be the only solution!
Thank you for this... Will be checking these out on my Kindle.. hi from the Philippines
Hello! Thanks for watching!
Apologise for the numerous posts. If you can find a copy I would highly recommend THE WOLF's HOUR by Robert R McCammon. A werewolf novel set during the second world war. A werewolf works for the British army and finds himself hunting and being hunted. There is a section in the novel involving a train and a maze with walls plastered with broken razor blades that will have you holding your breath. A brilliant novel and one of his best alongside Swan Song and Stinger.
No need to apologise! I’m pretty sure I had a copy of the Wolf’s Hour years ago but can’t remember if I ever read it! Sounds great though!
Paul Tremblay is well worth reading, I would say he is at the forefront of modern mainstream horror, along with Stephen Graham Jones, Grady Hendrix, Adam Nevill and Thomas Olde Heuvelt. Tremblay's Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World are both excellent as is the short story collection you own, as long as you don't mind children being horrifically slaughtered of course.
I definitely need to read Tremblay - I've put Head Full of Ghosts on my TBR for December. Funnily enough I'll also be reading Hex by Heuvelt next month.
@@CriminOllyBlog Watch out with Hex, I found it hit me hard.
Another entertaining library tour! I really like Phil Rickman. Crybbe is one of my favorites.
Thanks Mary! Noted re Crybbe! I think Rickman is a really entertaining writer and doesn’t get the attention he deserves.
Wonderful library tour as always! I always enjoy listening to you spill your knowledge about all of these different authors. Cheers!
Thank you! Turns out reading trashy books for decades was good for something 😂
As a fan of The Sisters of Mercy the book with Astrogoth sounds great!
LOL
Here I was enjoying your French and you come in with that creepy moth shit again! 😂 Very thankful for that sticker placement. Do you have Goo Gone in the UK? That's what I use.
🤣Those Hugh Grant movies are my dad's favorites. I can't tell you how many times I've seen Love Actually. He even watches it outside of the holiday season. It's terrible.
I hope this isn't truly the last horror box. You're really winning me over with these tours lately!
Ha! Sorry about that, I forgot to put a moth trigger warning up.
We do have goo gone, I’ll try it!
Sorry about your dad! 😂
Your comments about moth dust made me think of a pretty good book called, well, Dust, by Charles Pellegrino. Crichton-esque SF/horror -- worth a look. There's also another pretty good killer wasp book called Invasive Species, by Joseph Wallace. In case you need anything more to read ...
Thank you! Not heard of either of those but will check them out.
One strange thing I've noticed in my neck of the woods is at used book stores, there is very little horror. Maybe a Stephen King from the 90s, but mostly nothing. There is one store that has a selection of Dean Koontz, but it looks like nobody ever touches any of it. The only horror novel I've found was a small reprint of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I wonder if everyone just holds onto their horror books or if people are very quick to buy them.
My theory on this is that it’s kind of a cyclical thing - so most of the books you see in second hand book shops are from say 10-20 years ago, and horror really wasn’t that big then. So that’s why you just get the really big name authors.
@@CriminOllyBlog I've asked workers in charity shops in the U.K. about this and some charities especially of a religious nature just won't put them out on the shelves. Bunch of wankers. Be careful who your books get donated to when you shuffle off this mortal coil. Your pulp just might get pulped.
@@Paul_Bond. I kind of suspected that might be the case. Disappointing to hear though
No, it isn't THAT Richard Curtis. Richard Curtis was an editor or literary agent, I think. He also wrote the Halloween novelisation as Curtis Richards.
Aha! Thank you. I was pretty sure it wasn’t, but good to have confirmation!
Great collection of books! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Thanks for watching 😊
I have The Hatching Trilogy all ready to read. Thanks for showing us your stash
Awesome! Hope you enjoy them! Thanks for watching 😊
I need to get that book on killer moths. The Man in the Moss was decent, but I remember the end as holding up. Koontz has always been a little off, IMHO, and way too obsessed with dogs.
Stephen Laws wrote one of the most infuriating annoying scenes in any horror novel.
Ha! Which Laws book was that in?
@@CriminOllyBlog The Wyrm.
@@anotherbibliophilereads ah I don’t think I ever read that one.
This order to read the Kim Newman Anno Dracula series is :
1. Anno Dracula
2. The Bloody Red Baron
3. Dracula Cha Cha Cha
4. Johnny Alucard
5. One Thousand Monsters
6. Daikaiju
Anno Dracula 1899
Thank you! I do think Dracula Cha Cha Cha is one of the best titles ever
Just found your channel! I'm all the way over in St Pete, Florida. I currently have been catching up on all things Brian Keene, Paul tremblay, Grady Hendricks, and just going back into some classic Robert McCammon! Swan song I read in 8th grade just revisited it at the age of 47 and man that was so good! Brian Keene just put out a novel, sort of like his Dark Tower and I highly recommend it. it's called The Seven part one of the labyrinth series that he just started and it blew my mind!
I don't think I've ever actually read Brian Keene but I definitely need to!
@@CriminOllyBlog I am currently reading his book originally titled the conqueror worms but has been retitled to its original that he wanted it now called earthworm gods! Loving it! But he has a really cool sort of Amish magical character called Levi stultsfutz and there's a series of books with that character I highly recommend, checking out all of his stuff but he's amazing! He had a great podcast for many years all the episodes are up on RUclips now but it was called the horror show with Brian Keene where he interviews all his writer friends and lots of great recommendations and topics. But the first hit he had was a zombie book called The rising and he did the sequel City of the Dead pretty grizzly and amazing and a nice new take on the zombie lore. But eventually all this stuff ends up connecting in his labyrinth series. I really think you'll dig it I mean him and his work
@@SLAYGOTH Love the idea of everything linking together. I'll be sure to check him out. Thank you!
@@CriminOllyBlog yeah the Levi stoltzfus character that I was talking about that he created he's like an ex- Amish guy 30 something years old but still kind of lives by his heritage, but he practices pow wow magic and he sort of like his version of Constantine very cool stuff. The first book he appears in I think is dark hollow but the next one is all with him and it called ghost walk then the next book is a gathering of crows and then Legends or something of the whip stitch I know he's going to eventually appear in this labyrinth series because he's got a big part to play in the big scheme of things.
Muriel Gray wrote just three books, all of them quite good reads. They were
The Trickster
Furnace
The Ancient
Ah! I had it in my head it was four. I’ve read The Ancient and enjoyed it.
@@CriminOllyBlog I just wish she had carried on as her stories were always interesting and creepy. It's a pity.
@@mikeprendergast1826 yeah it is. I don’t really know why she stopped writing. I think she’s Dean of Glasgow School of Art now or something like that
Koontz has turned into a rug wearer! There's no coming back from that 🤣 Gee you were off the long run up with Curtis. His films aren't that bad are they? I haven't watched any recently.
😂😂😂 I hate them deeply, but then I’m a miserable old bastard
Great video! The other day I picked up a book by Stephen Gallagher called Down River. I've never heard any booktuber speak about this author or his work. He wrote a book called Chimera that you might remember was turned into an ITV serial in the very early 90s. It feels a bit seedy and vague, like a mix between early Koontz and Laymon. He describes divisions in society really well, almost in a matter of fact way. Maybe Barker and King would be a better comparison.
Gallagher’s one of those 80s/90s horror/thriller authors who seems to be mostly forgotten nowadays- although I think he is still publishing. I think I read most of his books back then - Valley of Lights and Nightmare, With Angel were my favourites.
That you were able to go on holiday to the Isle of Wight kinda blows my mind. If I had a bucket list 😆 Osborne House would be at the top! I can't believe I've actually read one of the books that you shared, Heart Shaped Box. So creepy, but really good!
Really? It’s very close to me. Only takes a couple of hours to get there on public transport. Although I must confess I’ve never actually been to Osborne House!
@@CriminOllyBlog Yes! I have a thing for Queen Victoria! 🙄 If you ever go, I would love to hear about it. 😬
@@Lu.G. will do! My parents have a signed portrait of her I think.
@@CriminOllyBlog 😲 That's amazing!!
@@Lu.G. yeah they’ve a pair - one of her and one of Albert - I think they were from an embassy or something
WWE wrestler Lance Storm is a big Paul F Wilson advocate
That’s very random, but quite cool!
Love the content Olly.
Thank you!
@@CriminOllyBlog Enjoyed The Trickster by Muriel Grey, hope you do too👍🙂
@@CriminOllyBlog Have you read any Owl Goingback Olly? Native American horror..very good👍
@@ASIF_M1934 I think I’ve read a short story but that’s all. I’ve heard great thing though!
I have not read any of these but the older ones look really interesting. I don’t think I’ve read too much older horror
Oh you should 70s and 80s horror is the best!
Is skinning alive really possible? The things us horror fans ponder. 🤔
Ha! It does seem that, at the least, it would be very difficult
Ah Olly am a new sub catching up on your channel and you have mentioned a load of Dean Kootnz but not the only three I think are noteworthy so if you haven’t I recommend Twilight Eyes, Lightning and Watchers which are top notch and not wanky. Also have you read any Ira Levin? If not I think you would like his stuff very much some of it has been made into films of course. Would love to hear your thoughts on the Koontz if you have read or ever do read them x
I've definitely read all of those (although not for a long time). Watchers is the one I remember best and probably my favourite Koontz book. And yes I've read most of Levin's books and really like him
My advice is to stay far away from both of those Koontz books, haha. Two of his worst as I recall.
Ha! Oh dear!
I enjoyed ‘Blight’ and thought ‘The Cats’ was OK. I think I might have read ‘Squirm’ a long time ago but it might have been some other book about deadly worms. Edit to add - it might have been ‘Slither’ or ‘Squelch’ that I read - Edited again to say it was ‘Slither’ by John Halkin I read as I recognised the cover.
Slither was pretty good fun from what I remember. In fact I think it’s in another one of these library tours
how about that Brian Lumley. like to see his wampira show these modern vampire a thing or two about evil!
I did (I think!) feature Necroscope in a previous library tour video. I certainly have a copy!
@@CriminOllyBlog my favorite monster story ever why was there never a movie?I used to own every book in the entire series.
@@caseyalbright2762 it would definitely have made a great movie, there’s so much cool stuff going on it it
Have you reviewed or read any Aron Beauregard's splatter punk books? I have heard about him but have not read any of his books.
Hi Lynn - I've read The Slob and wasn't a big fan of it at all. I don't think I actually reviewed it on the channel though
I like the old Koontz, Night Chills, Whispers and Darkfall really grabbed me, admittedly I was in my late teens, early 20s when I read those and Icebound was entertaining too. I think I started doubting him when he dismissed the movie version of Hideaway (which I kind of enjoyed although it is far from a masterpiece) but approved Phantoms (I really wanted to like that movie, I really really did... but I think it is a waste of time and money). Unfortunately, it's kind of revealing that there is no actually good movie based on his work (the TV mini series of Intensity might be the best effort). Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed some of them but there are at least some genuinely good movies made of Stephen King's output (besides the average and the trashy ones).
I read some John Saul but after the third or fourth i found him to be all repetitive.
I wonder if you like The Swarm, it starts kind of standard but well executed nature strikes back story which leads to a climactic ending... of the first half.
If the british Richard Curtis had been responsible for Squirm, it would have been quite different for sure! :))
Interesting observation about Koontz and movie adaptations! That had never really occurred to me but you're definitely right. To my mind the best King adaptations are the ones of shorter books that are able to stick more closely to the source text.
I've been intrigued by The Swarm for ages, not sure when I'll get to it but you've made even more intrigued!
Yes, chick flicks suck. Oh Muriel Gray presented The Tube, the UKs messy but best music TV show. I notice horror costs more than sci fi on eBay….
Oh yeah! I always forget she presented The Tube as well. Great show.
What is the story behind all the “Read Me and Return Me” stickers?
Truly a criminal, Olly takes books and doesn't return them! 😆
They use them in some charity shops over here - the idea is you donate the book back to them once you've read it
LMAO
Great books! Those damn stickers really ruin them sometimes. I wanted to ask whether you could recommend any good books by Dean Koontz? You mention him a lot and to my embarrassment I've never got to read any of his work. Cheers!
The one I remember liking, although I haven’t read it for ages, is Watchers. I did read Shattered recently too, and that was pretty fun
Check out: Voice of the Night, Soul Survivor, Intensity, Lightning, Shadowfires or The Bad Place. Great place to start with any of those.
Also Strangers and Midnight.
@@creepsomber I'm literally listening to the audiobook for Midnight on Scrib'd right now. After over 30+ years, finally getting around to this one. Not bad so far but I'm only about 1/3 of the way in.
Thank you! I will definitely try it out!
I read 1 Dean Koontz back about 20 years ago. I dont' remember what it was called, but it had some supernatural element... I thought it was okay, but no hurray to read more of his. I read 1 Paul Tremblay last year. Cabin in the Woods I think??? I thnk I did a video on it. Again, thought it was okay. You may like it more than I did. Brain Child looks interesting, from the cover and title. What do you think of Joe Hill's writing? I'm curious if it's similar in style to his dad's or if he has a distinct voice all his own.
I think the Tremblay one is Cabin at the End of the World. I’ve heard good things about it
@@CriminOllyBlog Yes, that's the one. I heard a lot of good things about it as well. I liked it - I think you would probably really like it, it just isn't the style of writing I like to read.
@@ShannonsChannel I do definitely need to check his work out
@@CriminOllyBlog yeah, I'm thinking you are his audience, lol
@@ShannonsChannel ha! That may be so