I like Stephen King. Recommendations?

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Hi. I enjoy Stephen King's work. Anybody know of another author I might like?

Richard Matheson. After I read an interview with King in which he called Matheson his favorite writer and admitting to ripping him off, I gave him a try. I've found him to be a much better writer overall. He's very similar, but writes better dialogue and isn't as self-indulgent. (He writes in 50 pages what King writes in 300.) I'd recommend I Am Legend, or The Incredible Shrinking Man. Both books include the novella of the title plus several short stories. The latter includes "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," which was made into a classic Twilight Zone episode, and "Duel," which Steven Spielberg filmed before Jaws. He's excellent.

He does sound excellent. As for King, I'm reading the Stand, and there are sections where I wish he'd get to the point. It's well-written and entertaining, but I just want the plot to advance already. Then again, I'm reading the longer edition of the Stand, which includes previously omitted passages. It's a more detailed edition of a work that's already long.

Dean Koontz is one of my favorites. He recently released 77 Shadow Street.

EDIT: The book also has an autistic character.

There are a few books worth checking out by Bentley Little:

The Store
The Ignore

maybe Dominion or University


Most of his work can't seem to decide if it's horror or satire. Sometimes it's hit and miss. The Store kind of satires Walmart as a sinister Big Box store. It sends out zombie like Night Managers after hours who find small independent store owners and stab them to death.

The Ignored is a little different and parts of feel like a horror story heading towards a Twilight Zone moment.

One more, John Steakley's Vampire$.

This is written from the perspective a contemporary team of vampire hunters who kill the undead for big money. They're mercenaries.

They take the job seriously and some of the vampires exhibit strength nearly comparable to Superman. They find the vampire lair during the day and annihilate it with demolition charges. They'll just destroy the house they're in with bombs to expose them to sunlight.

(NOTE: if you happen to be aware of the John Carpenter movie based on this book just ignore it. It was a horrible adaption)

H.P. Lovecraft, who Stephen King acknowledges as one of his primary influences.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

If you are ok with teen books I would suggest The Monstrumologist series. The violence is comparable to a few of king's books.

There's a multilayered horror novel called House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. Quite good, but it's also multilayered and admittedly bad for paranoia.

I dunno I have mixed feelings about House of Leaves.

I think the OP should handle a copy and flip through the pages crazy texts and fonts and decide if it's something they really want to deal with.

I will say that within this book I found the House itself and The Navidson Record very fascinating, but you had to wade through Truant's rambling.

H.P. Lovecraft. He was extremelt unique and had some dark, dark thoughts. Very interesting themes like misanthropy throughout his work.

Graham Masterton is similar, imo. I also endorse Lovecraft.