Do you love that rush of adrenaline when facing something truly terrifying?
Horror is at the heart of any good story, but especially speculative fiction. Today we (Hart Johnson and Crystal Collier) invite you to vote for the more horrifying monster in the comments for your chance to win Parallels: Felix Was Here.
Or rather Cecily's, in The Seventeen.
The Seventeen is not a story of monsters, but the horror Cecily feels is real. It is the horror of lack of control. She is a peon-level employee for a large pharmaceutical company and while she can protest if something isn't right, in the end she just has to do what she is told. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but let's just say there is a point at which Cecily feels truly horrified at what is happening, and more specifically, at her lack of power to do anything about it.
My favorite horror creatures is the banshee. (So much so that I based a character in another novel off her.) This version of the banshee may not appear too intimidating, but the true horror is psychological, for to hear a banshee crying means you will die within 24 hours. You spend those last 24 hours watching for death and never knowing how it will take you.
True horror to me is the anticipation of something horrible, something beneath the surface and sinister--like Jak's mirror image in The Mirror People. He lives on the reverse side of the mirror and is tied to a serial killer. If Jak doesn't mimic his mirror self completely, which means killing people, he will cease to exist.
Of these creatures, which do you find more terrifying? Cthulu from the deep, or Banshee, herald of your demise?
Horror is at the heart of any good story, but especially speculative fiction. Today we (Hart Johnson and Crystal Collier) invite you to vote for the more horrifying monster in the comments for your chance to win Parallels: Felix Was Here.
HART'S HORROR
Or rather Cecily's, in The Seventeen.
The Seventeen is not a story of monsters, but the horror Cecily feels is real. It is the horror of lack of control. She is a peon-level employee for a large pharmaceutical company and while she can protest if something isn't right, in the end she just has to do what she is told. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but let's just say there is a point at which Cecily feels truly horrified at what is happening, and more specifically, at her lack of power to do anything about it.
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| I like horror you can't see, but of the creatures, Cthulu is the one. |
CRYSTAL'S HORROR
My favorite horror creatures is the banshee. (So much so that I based a character in another novel off her.) This version of the banshee may not appear too intimidating, but the true horror is psychological, for to hear a banshee crying means you will die within 24 hours. You spend those last 24 hours watching for death and never knowing how it will take you.
True horror to me is the anticipation of something horrible, something beneath the surface and sinister--like Jak's mirror image in The Mirror People. He lives on the reverse side of the mirror and is tied to a serial killer. If Jak doesn't mimic his mirror self completely, which means killing people, he will cease to exist.
Of these creatures, which do you find more terrifying? Cthulu from the deep, or Banshee, herald of your demise?
Don't forget, every comment you leave is a chance you have to win one of ten copies of Parallels: Felix Was Here.
Jak's horror was the most terrifying.
ReplyDeleteOf the two creatures, I'd go with Cthulhu. An gigantic, ancient god-like creature from outer space that once awoken will destroy Earth. That's a scary monster.
Yet I've seen the most adorable plush Cthulus... teehee. But Yeah, he is pretty terrifying.
ReplyDeleteThe winds outside my house this week have sounded like a covenant of banshees howling through the day and night. Today is the first calm day. the creatures we can't see are always the scariest. Most of them hide in the political world, their masks permanently sealing our fate! :)
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteI love horror stories, but I'm more into psychological horror than monsters
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Ooh, tough question. I think Cthulu strikes me on a more primitive level and is thus my vote. Thanks for the chance to win a good read!
ReplyDeleteAwakening Dreams and Conquering Nightmares with a Pen
Thank you, Yolanda, for visiting my blog and helping me find this. Best wishes!
Both of these creatures gives writers so much potential! I can see writing a story about each one - only then would I be able to pick a favorite based on where they took me in the tale!
ReplyDeleteGotta love Cthulu! Jak's situation would be absolutely horrifying, as would Cecily's. Both represent a terrifying lack of autonomy.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading a LOT of horror recently...but I still can't watch it.
ReplyDeleteWriter In Transit
Definitely the psychological horror gets me every time rather than monsters.
ReplyDelete