For a newbie, 'The Turn of the Screw' by Henry James could be a good choice. It's a novella that has this ambiguous horror. You're not quite sure if the governess is really seeing ghosts or if she's going mad. It's a really interesting and weird take on horror. Also, 'Rosemary's Baby' by Ira Levin. The slow - building dread as Rosemary realizes that something is wrong with her pregnancy is really strange. It's a horror classic that is both disturbing and weird.
Sure. 'The Woman in Black' by Susan Hill is a great start. It has a simple yet spooky story about a haunted house and a vengeful ghost. It's not overly complex but still manages to be really creepy. Another good one is 'Pet Sematary' by Stephen King. The idea of a place where dead things come back to life, but not in a normal way, is really weird. It's a classic King story with his signature style of horror.
I'd recommend 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's a classic that has a really strange concept of a man with two personalities, one good and one evil. The transformation between the two is really creepy. And 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It's a short story that has a very strange and psychological horror. The way the narrator descends into madness because of the wallpaper is really weird and can be a great introduction to horror for a newbie.
You could also try 'A Christmas Horror Story' by various authors. It contains a collection of short horror stories all centered around Christmas. This gives you a variety of different horror styles and themes within the Christmas context, allowing you to explore what you like in horror without being too overwhelmed by a long, single - story narrative.
Sure. 'The Shining' by Stephen King is a great start. It has a simple yet very effective horror concept of a haunted hotel. The characters are well - developed and the sense of isolation and dread is palpable. Another good one is 'Pet Sematary'. It's easy to get into and the idea of the dead coming back wrong is really spooky. 'Fright Night' is also good for newbies as it has a modern - day vampire story that's not too complex but still really scary.
For a horror newbie, I'd recommend 'Carrie' by Stephen King. It's one of his earlier works and it has a relatable protagonist in Carrie, and the story of her telekinetic revenge is both sad and scary. 'The Call of Cthulhu' by H. P. Lovecraft is also great. It's a short story that introduces the Lovecraftian horror elements, like the incomprehensible and ancient evils. And 'Bird Box' by Josh Malerman, which has a unique concept of a world where seeing something can kill you.
Some of the weirdest horror novels include 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson. It's a classic that uses psychological horror in a really unique way. The house itself seems to have a life of its own, and the characters' experiences within it are truly strange. 'The Call of Cthulhu' by H.P. Lovecraft is also a very odd one. The cosmic horror it presents, with these ancient and powerful beings that are beyond human comprehension, is really out there. And 'The Exorcist' by William Peter Blatty. The idea of a young girl being possessed by a demon and the grotesque things that happen during the exorcism is quite a strange and terrifying concept.
Sure. 'The Library at Mount Char' by Scott Hawkins. It has a really out - there concept with a library that contains all knowledge and the strange, powerful librarians. 'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern is also quite odd. The circus that appears only at night, with its magical tents and performers, creates a very dreamy and weird atmosphere. Another one is 'City of Saints and Madmen' by Jeff VanderMeer. It's a collection of stories set in a very strange and surreal city.
For a horror newbie, I'd recommend 'The Slenderman Tapes'. It's not too overly complex or gory. It gives a good introduction to the Slenderman concept with some spooky moments like strange noises in the background and sightings of the faceless figure in the distance.
For a horror newbie, I'd recommend 'The Haunting of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson. It's a psychological horror that builds tension really well. Then there's 'Rosemary's Baby' which is about a woman's pregnancy with a devil - like child. It's very suspenseful. Also, 'Psycho' by Robert Bloch, which was made into a famous movie, is a great read with its shocking twists.
Then there's 'The Wasp Factory' by Iain Banks. It's a disturbing and often overlooked horror novel. The story is about a young man with some very strange and violent tendencies, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Sure. 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams is quite weird. It has absurd situations like the Earth being a computer built by mice, and the idea of the Infinite Improbability Drive. It's full of wacky characters and crazy adventures across the galaxy.
For a beginner, 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' is a great start. It's really weird but also very funny. You get to follow Arthur Dent as he travels through the galaxy in the most unexpected ways. Another good one is 'Annihilation'. It's not too complex in terms of writing style but has a really strange and mysterious setting that will draw you in. 'The Giver' by Lois Lowry also has some elements of a strange, dystopian world that is different from our own, which can be an easy introduction to the weirdness of scifi and fantasy.