Horrors

Bright and emotionally rich stories are loved by those who seek thrills. They are able to enliven everyday life, bringing the reader new impressions and emotions. Scary horror books help get rid of boredom, and some of them open new perspectives on the value of life. This catalog contains the best works of famous masters of the horror genre. We recommend buying scary horror books in the online store book.ua, where you will find not only the most favorable prices, but also professional service, as well as the possibility of prompt delivery throughout Kiev and all of Ukraine.

How the horror genre appeared

The interesting thing about this genre is that it has been developing dynamically over the past decades, and, in fact, modern man could see this in the novels of Bram Stoker, Howard Lovecraft, films by George Romero, etc. Although the first work in this genre is conventionally considered to be «Wonders of the Invisible World» Cotton Mather, which dates back to 1693 (it was published a year after the Salem witch trials), this book and in general the works of the past years are very different from today's mystical literature. Here is a certain chronology of the formation of the genre:

1. The origin of the genre leaves many questions, but many believe that horror originated in folklore. And although we are used to reading fairy tales to children, you probably noticed that they carry elements of the horror genre - questions of good and evil, the afterlife and the dead, and in them you can also constantly meet the forest man, Baba Yaga, Koschey the Immortal, etc.
2. It was from fairy tales that the first creatures that appeared in horror books were borrowed. Here you can meet everything: from the king of vampires and zombies to werewolves glowing with blue light, ghosts and mischievous little devils. 
3. The next stage in the development of the genre was Gothic literature, where supernatural phenomena had already become part of reality. The authors described events so skillfully that some people actually believed in the story.
4. In the 19th century, horror books took on a classic form, and this genre continued to develop in the 20th century.

Today, horror books often move away from psychologism in the direction of an attempt to captivate the reader with sharp plots and unexpected solutions.

Horror books and their varieties

In the initial stages of development, horror literature was represented mainly by Gothic novels with their castles, ghosts and otherworldly forces. However, over time, the genre expanded, giving rise to many subgenres:

• Lovecraftian horror. A combination of mysticism and horror, where the main fear is not blood or death, but something incomprehensible. Lovecraft created a world of cosmic gods, forbidden knowledge and mysterious scientific discoveries.
• Mystical or paranormal horror. One of the most common subgenres, encompassing stories about ghosts, demons, poltergeists and exorcisms. A favorite among directors of films of this genre.
• Psychological horror. Here, the horror is based on the unstable emotional state of the characters. The characters are engaged in an internal struggle with their own fears, desires, or even a second "I".
• Dark fantasy and grimdark. Cruel dystopias where anarchy and violence reign. Often these are books "without inhibitions" and they can contain very frank scenes and language.

Classical motifs that are most often found in the horror genre:

• A call from beyond. An ancient spell book gathers people around it who are eager to discover something forbidden, not even suspecting what awaits them.
• An abandoned place. A gloomy house, a mysterious forest, an old school or an abandoned hospital, full of secrets and ghosts that may be hiding just around the corner.
• A cursed antique object. An attractive find hides a dark past, and over time it becomes clear that its owner has fallen into a deadly trap.
• A sinister neighbor. A mysterious person who is obviously hiding something mysterious and with whom the main characters will sooner or later come face to face.

Not so much variety, but fans of the genre are not complaining — This is enough to make ants run on the skin and adrenaline jump, as if the story is not happening on the pages of a book, but in front of their eyes.

What are the scariest books in the horror genre that everyone should read

Here are some of the best horror books that are worth reading if you are starting to study this genre:

• Edgar Allan Poe. Complete collection of prose works. A collection of texts from 1832-1838, presented on our website in two volumes. Here you will find both early horror stories, such as «Metzengerstein», and classic horror works of the later period, such as «Manuscript Found in a Bottle».
• «Pet Sematary». One of Stephen King's most famous horror novels, which remains a bestseller and favorite of readers around the world today.
• Clark Ashton Smith. Collected Works – a collection of short prose from the master of mystical and Gothic stories.
• «I See You're Interested in Darkness» – a book by Illarion Pavlyuk about human indifference, the darkness within everyone and the price we are willing to pay for oblivion.
• Howard Phillips Lovecraft. A complete collection of prose works. A selection of stories from a legendary author who masterfully creates mysterious, terrifying and bizarre worlds.

These books will open up a world of creepy stories filled with suspense, mysteries and terrifying images that will stay in your memory for a long time.

Why you should order the scariest literature in the online bookstore book.ua

You can order horror books online at a bargain price on our website or visit our coffee shops and bookstores in Kyiv. Choose books that interest you with their description, reviews or even the cover, place an order and pay for it online. We will quickly send your purchase by Nova Poshta in Kyiv or to any city in Ukraine where there is a branch or post office. The delivery cost is determined by the carrier's tariffs.