Great horror writers know how to pen stories that chill the blood and make the hairs stand
up on the back of your neck we've compiled a list featuring our picks for the top 10
masters of the horror genre number 10 Dean Koontz New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz has written books in numerous
genres but for many readers it's his psychological horror novels such as Twilight Eyes, The Bad Place
and Odd Thomas that really stand out number 9 Anne Rice gothic horror author Anne Rice
is known best for her Vampire Chronicles series which has been adapted into two films
Interview With A Vampire, and Queen Of The Damned Rice's unique spin on the vampire genre
helped spawn the rising trend in vampire books, movies, and television shows number 8 Peter Straub
Bram Stoker award winning author Peter Straub has co-written books with renowned
horror author Stephen King additionally he's made his mark on the horror genre with ghoulish
tales such as In The Night Room, The Hellfire Club, and A Dark Matter number 7 Richard Matheson
born in our home state of New Jersey Richard Matheson is equal parts author and screenwriter
Matheson has terrified readers with novels such as The Shrinking Man, and I Am Legend
the latter being adapted into a feature-length film in 2007 starring Will Smith
Matheson was also one of the few contributing writers for the television series The Twilight Zone
number 6 Clive Barker coming into prominence during the mid-80s with his collection of
short fiction Books Of Blood, Clive Barker's evil visions have been adapted into well-known
horror films such as Hellraiser and Candyman Barker's distinctive style is characterized
by the notion of hidden fantastical worlds coexisting with our own number 5 R.L. Stine
R.L. Stine has carved a niche in writing horror books for children and young adults with his
Goosebumps and Fear Street series selling over 400 million copies Goosebumps has been
adapted into a TV series and most-recently a feature film in 2015 starring Jack Black
number 4 is a TIE between Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley both Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley
have terrified readers with their signature monsters Stoker's Dracula and Shelley's Frankenstein
are 2 of the most famous and feared creatures inspiring generations of horror writers
Number 3 H.P. Lovecraft virtually unknown and published only in pulp magazines before his death
Lovecraft is now regarded as one of the most significant 20th century horror authors many writers today
cite H.P. Lovecraft as being one of their main inspirations Lovecraft's monster of the
deep from his story Cthulhu Mythos is frequently referenced in TV, movies, and music even today
number 2 Edgar Allan Poe author, poet, editor, and literary critic, Edgar Allan Poe is widely
known for his macabre tales Poe is cited as one of the earliest American practitioners
of the short story and has influenced numerous writers with poems like The Raven and short
fiction such as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, and The Masque Of The Red Death
Number 1 Stephen King one of the most recognizable faces in modern horror Stephen King has sold
over 350 million books and won numerous awards such as the Bram Stoker Award
The National Book Foundation Medal, King's stories such as Carrie, The Shining
Pet Sematary, and It, are just a few novels that have left a lasting impression on millions of frightened readers
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