The genre of horror has become popular in recent times mainly due to the increasing popularity of horror films. While horror is often portrayed as a means of giving goosebumps and sending shivers down the spine, it is much…much more than that. In fact, horror is so broad that it in itself contains several interesting subgenres. Let us explore some of them…
If you are looking to scream and laugh your lungs out at the same time then Comedy horror might be the perfect genre for you. They contain the perfect balance of humor and spook to keep the readers indulged. Some of the best comedy horror novels are –
Horrorstör– Grandy Hendrix
This Book Is Full of Spiders– David Wong
you can check out a full list of spookish-comedy novels from here
If you are looking for a more frightening and deadly experience with a touch of reality, I would prefer you go with Gothic horror. This subgenre of horror plays with the different emotional spectrums of the reader and leaves him/her hungry for more. Some good recommendations for this genre are-
Dracula– Bram Stoker
Frankenstein– Mary Shelley
To discover more of gothic novels tap here
Love space and technology? yes, me too. Now combine that with aliens, extraterrestrial life and monsters. Even better right? this subgenre is called Sci-Fi horror which blends elements of science fiction and horror fiction to give a perfect byproduct. My favorite novels from this genre are-
Infected– Scott Sigler
Carrion Comfort– Dan Simmons
To dive in deeper into some of the other novels from this genre click here
Hopefully these fascinating subgenres of horror can keep you busy and encourage you to dig deeper into the world of horror. Here are some more underrated subgenres that you can explore-
- Post- Apocalyptical horror
- Lovecraftian horror
- Noir horror
- Media tie-in horror
binge read away 🙂
here are some questions to ponder on-
- Which subgenre of horror did you like the most and why?
- Have you ever had a real life horror experience? if yes, could it be classified under one of the subgenres?
I didn’t know about the subgenres, but that’s really cool! I was thinking of reading Frankenstein, actually. I didn’t know it fell under horror, though, but now that I do I’m reconsidering it, lol. It’s funny how the genre name affects my opinion of a work of literature. Word choice is everything
oh damn I never realized there is a genre such as comedy horror. I’d love to look into these recommendations, great post!