A key characteristic is the ability to play on our fears. In 'Pet Sematary', the fear of death and the afterlife is exploited. They may also use vivid descriptions. 'The Exorcist' has very detailed and disturbing descriptions of the possessed girl. Another aspect is a good pacing. 'The Haunting of Hill House' builds up the horror slowly but surely.
Good fiction horror books often have a sense of the unknown. They create an atmosphere of dread and unease. For example, in 'The Shining', the haunted hotel has many secrets that are slowly revealed. They also usually have strong, relatable characters. In 'Dracula', the characters' reactions to the vampire are very human.
Good horror fiction books often have a strong sense of atmosphere. For example, in 'The Shining', the snow - covered, isolated hotel creates a feeling of being cut off from the world, which adds to the horror. They also have relatable characters. In 'Dracula', Mina is a character that readers can empathize with, which makes her terror more palpable. And there's usually an element of the unknown. 'Pet Sematary' has the mystery of what lies beyond the burial ground that terrifies the characters and the readers.
They might have had a strong sense of atmosphere. In 1988, horror books often created a really spooky and oppressive mood, like dark, foggy settings or creaky old houses. This helped to draw the reader in and make them feel the horror.
The horror fiction books from 1986 probably had vivid descriptions to create a spooky atmosphere. They would use details like the creaking of old floorboards in a deserted house, or the howling of the wind on a desolate night. These descriptions were used to draw the reader into the terrifying world of the story.
Horror books fiction often has a build - up of suspense. Authors slowly reveal the horror elements to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Take 'Dracula'. Stoker gradually shows the power and threat of the vampire. Also, a lot of horror books play with the unknown. They introduce concepts that are not easily understood, like the otherworldly in 'Lovecraft's works. This makes the readers feel unease as they try to figure out what's going on.
Horror fiction books often have a sense of the unknown. They create an atmosphere of fear and dread. For example, in 'The Shining', the readers don't really know what lurks in the hotel corridors at first. Another characteristic is the use of grotesque or disturbing elements, like the monster in 'Frankenstein'.
Some might have a strong sense of psychological horror. For example, like in 'The Silence of the Lambs', it plays on the fears and the mindsets of the characters and the readers. The idea of a serial killer on the loose and the complex relationship between the hunter and the hunted is a characteristic that makes it so engaging.
Some of the books in that list likely had a strong sense of atmosphere. For example, they might have created a really gloomy and oppressive setting, like a haunted house or a desolate forest. This helps to build up the fear factor.
In horror fiction, a sense of atmosphere is crucial. Books like 'Dracula' create a spooky and foreboding atmosphere that adds to the horror. They might also use supernatural elements effectively. Psychological thrillers, on the other hand, are all about mind games. They often have unreliable narrators. Take 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' for example. The mother's narration makes you question what's really going on as she tries to come to terms with her son's actions.
The characters in these books are often faced with extreme situations. They might be isolated, either physically like being trapped in a desolate place, or emotionally, having no one to trust. This isolation amplifies the horror because they have to face the terrifying events all alone. And the pacing is usually fast - paced in the parts where the horror is intensifying, to keep the reader's heart racing.
Dark horror fiction books often feature elements like the supernatural. For example, ghosts, demons, or vampires. They also tend to have a sense of dread and unease throughout the story. Characters are usually in some sort of peril, either physically or mentally.