Vote: October Challenge
Every October since 2009, we've managed to read something spooky together. First, it was "Classic Horror" and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Then we read Mira Grant's Feed for "Zombies!" You would think that 2011 would've broken the spooky streak with "Alphabet Soup," but as luck would have it, we ended up with Melissa Marr's Graveminder (though the only scary thing about that title was how disappointing it was). This year, I wanted to continue the scare fest for October, but what to do? Originally, I wanted to do "Haunted Houses," because Jo Walton's post on Nina Kiriki Hoffman's "Haunted House" books (you can read about them here) sounded super-cool; however, the first book in the series was out of print, and I don't like putting out-of-print titles on the poll.
So what now? I continued my "Haunted House" idea, but there weren't enough haunted house stories I discovered that truly excited me. Then I thought about resurrecting the "Zombies!" theme, but we've been there, done that, and since zombies are the current fad, why bother? So I settled on "Oh, the Horror!" and started combing through both the Stoker Awards and the Shirley Jackson Awards for titles I was already interested in, but had received recognition.
Jackpot!
Now, I know we don't read a lot of horror for the book club. Hell, I don't read a lot of horror as a rule. So what kinds of books win the Stoker or the Jackson Awards?
Well, I've reviewed books by Joe Hill (The Heart-Shaped Box & Horns), Dan Simmons (The Terror), Mira Grant (Feed), Steve Rasnic Tem & Melanie Tem (The Man on the Ceiling), Toby Barlow (Sharp Teeth) and Elizabeth Hand (Generation Loss) just to name a few. And every single book in the poll is a book on my Amazon wishlist, and those were just the ones I narrowed it down to! And trust me when I say it's a mix of different kinds of horror and suspense. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how October turns out, and if our pick really makes our toes curl in terror!
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Alden Bell: The Reapers Are the Angels
Zombies have infested a fallen America. A young girl named Temple is on the run. Haunted by her past and pursued by a killer, Temple is surrounded by death and danger, hoping to be set free.
For twenty-five years, civilization has survived in meager enclaves, guarded against a plague of the dead. Temple wanders this blighted landscape, keeping to herself and keeping her demons inside her heart. She can't remember a time before the zombies, but she does remember an old man who took her in and the younger brother she cared for until the tragedy that set her on a personal journey toward redemption. Moving back and forth between the insulated remnants of society and the brutal frontier beyond, Temple must decide where ultimately to make a home and find the salvation she seeks.
Robert Jackson Bennett: Mr. Shivers
It is the time of the Great Depression.
Thousands have left their homes looking for a better life, a new life. But Marcus Connelly is not one of them. He searches for one thing, and one thing only. Revenge.
Because out there, riding the rails, stalking the camps, is the scarred vagrant who murdered Connelly's daughter. No one knows him, but everyone knows his name: Mr. Shivers.
In this extraordinary debut, Robert Jackson Bennett tells the story of an America haunted by murder and desperation. A world in which one man must face a dark truth and answer the question-how much is he willing to sacrifice for his satisfaction?
Daryl Gregory: Pandemonium
It is a world like our own in every respect . . . save one. In the 1950s, random acts of possession begin to occur. Ordinary men, women, and children are the targets of entities that seem to spring from the depths of the collective unconscious, pop-cultural avatars some call demons. There’s the Truth, implacable avenger of falsehood. The Captain, brave and self-sacrificing soldier. The Little Angel, whose kiss brings death, whether desired or not. And a string of others, ranging from the bizarre to the benign to the horrific.
As a boy, Del Pierce is possessed by the Hellion, an entity whose mischief-making can be deadly. With the help of Del’s family and a caring psychiatrist, the demon is exorcised . . . or is it? Years later, following a car accident, the Hellion is back, trapped inside Del’s head and clamoring to get out.
Del’s quest for help leads him to Valis, an entity possessing the science fiction writer formerly known as Philip K. Dick; to Mother Mariette, a nun who inspires decidedly unchaste feelings; and to the Human League, a secret society devoted to the extermination of demons. All believe that Del holds the key to the plague of possession-and its solution. But for Del, the cure may be worse than the disease.
Sarah Langan: Audrey's Door
Built on the Upper West Side, the elegant Breviary claims a regal history. But despite 14B's astonishingly low rental price, the recent tragedy within its walls has frightened away all potential tenants . . . except for Audrey Lucas.
No stranger to tragedy at thirty-two-a survivor of a fatherless childhood and a mother's hopeless dementia- Audrey is obsessively determined to make her own way in a city that often strangles the weak. But is it something otherworldly or Audrey's own increasing instability that's to blame for the dark visions that haunt her . . . and for the voice that demands that she build a door? A door it would be true madness to open . . .
All synopses ganked from Amazon.
Remember, pick the book that interests you the most. Even if this isn't your genre of choice, the idea is to challenge yourself. Read something new. You never know, you might like it. :)
And while this might be obvious, consider the following before making your selection:
1) Does the premise interest you?
2) Do the first couple of pages (if available) interest you?
3) Do any of the reviews on Amazon, Goodreads (or elsewhere) make you reconsider?
Don't vote solely on the prettiest cover (tempting as it might be), and that's especially true if you don't plan on reading the book, because your vote dictates what others (like me!) are going to read for the challenge. And don't let the three questions above scare you out of a book, and don't let them convince you that you won't like any of them. The trick IS to challenge yourself, but I hope you're giving each book a fair shake before voting. :) I want you to know what you're getting into if your selection wins!
Know what you want to read? Then it's time to vote!
Poll October Challenge: Oh, the Horror!
Please note, I will not vote unless it is to break a tie.
You've got until midnight, Monday, August 6th to make your decision. Vote for the book that YOU want to read the most, and if you're torn, tough. You gotta pick one. :) If you've already read ALL of the books, pick the one you'd most like to re-read. If you're not participating, then maybe next month will bring something more to your liking. :)
I'll announce the official winner on Tuesday, August 7th, so don't pick up your copy (whether you buy or borrow) until I make it official. Unless, of course, all of these books are so appealing to you that you must have them all. In that case, have fun and start reading! :)