UsedBookSearch.net is a portal for searching for used and rare books. Enter the title, author, ISBN, or keyword, and it will crawl the Web’s major sellers of used and rare books, and give you the prices for the book at each site. It’s very easy to use– I have used it to search for books myself. They currently have a list of what they consider the best horror books. Their choices there are hard to argue with.
Because many horror readers are also collectors, UsedBooksSearch.net also offered to provide us with a few recommendations of rare titles that may intrigue readers interested in a rare and unusual scare. Here are their choices.
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If you have been trawling the shelves for something to give you a chill this Halloween but can’t find anything outside the usual confinements of Dracula, then this list is for you. These books have been designed to creep into our innermost core, and scare us right down to the bone. They aren’t about bathing in blood, mutilating body parts to give a shock, or sparkling vampires; rather, they’re about those rare ideas that were too good, too bad and too ugly to stay on the shelves. Take a look at these recommendations to help you get a glimpse into something else this Hallow’s Eve.
The Delicate Dependency – Michael Talbot
The Delicate Dependency is a novel every collector wants to get their mitts on. A flash in the pan back in the 1980s, it quickly got added to the slush pile and pulped. Now, however, this Michael Talbot classic has gained a reputation for being much more than a dime store horror failure. Narrated by a Victorian virologist who gets caught up in the world of the Illuminati after his daughter is snatched, this story takes you into a world woven of dreams and nightmares. The result may not have you crawling under your bed for safety, but vampire fans will adore the elegant horror writing and the faded covers that can cost you high into the double figures.
The House on the Borderland – William Hope Hodgson
The House on the Borderland was highly praised by Lovecraft. A rare manuscript is found and within the pages tells the story of a strange recluse and his strange home where horrific creatures and giant gods roam from another plane into this world. It’s weird, it’s dark, and even if you don’t like the cut of Hodgson’s jib, the disturbing imagery that crawls forth from the pages will certainly stay with you.
The Witch of Prague & Other Stories- Francis Marion Crawford
Not only rare if you manage to grab one of the early copies but also incredibly creepy, this collection by Crawford surpasses the mark as both a rare book and one with cult status. Demand may be leading to a reprint so everyone can enjoy Crawford’s mixed-up mind. “The Screaming Skull” and “For the Blood is the Life” make this collection completely worthwhile. Gothic, atmospheric and unlike anything you will have read before, The Witch of Prague & Other Stories is well worth tracking down.
The author’s most famous story was printed back in the early 1920s. It tells the tale of a man escaping the dark castle of which he has held himself captive. Lovecraft is the master of gothic horror and manages to blend the supernatural, the strange, and the macabre into this sterling short story. Tackling the fear of the darkness and the unknown gives this tale the meat on the bones: it’s quite similar to Kafka’s dark and haunting world. This story has without a doubt achieved cult status and is a must read for Lovecraft lovers.
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