Top Five: Scary Classics to prepare you for Hallowe’en

It’s that time of year again, approaching fast. The most wonderful time of the year: costumes and parties, and Sainsbury’s running out of pumpkins and reading week. Whether you’re planning on staying at uni or going home for the week, and no matter your preferred genre of scary, we have a few seasonal classics to fill your lecture-less time that will definitely promise a scare!

1. The Gore Fest: American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis
This first-person narrative plays out through the eyes of the handsome and successful businessman, Patrick Bateman (immortalised by Christian Bale in the 2000 adaptation). He is obsessed with the details of his life, from brand names to business cards, and becomes increasingly obsessed with the details of his very dark, very gory fetish. And details are certainly what you get. This book is definitely not for the squeamish, faint hearted or easily offended. It was initially banned in many areas of the world due to the explicit level of its disturbing sexual and violent content, so read it if you dare…

2. Real Life Chiller: Helter Skelter, by Vincent Bugliosi & Curt Gentry
This true story is told through the eyes of its ensuing prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi. It tells the notorious Manson Family’s story; the ‘family’ comprised a group of hippies led by Charles Manson who together committed no small number of gruesome murders. The vivid, descriptive nature of this book is visceral, truly brutal, and if nothing else will make you seriously question any form of drug use.

3. The Dystopian Scare – A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
You may have to persevere with this one, at first. Burgess writes in ‘nadsat’ (a made-up slang of his own creation that is mostly nonsense but vaguely based on Russian and Cockney rhyming slang), that is the narrator, Alex’s own register, which, as the reader grows more and more familiar with the language, has the effect of slowly reconciling the gaze of the reader to that of the narrator. You literally view the story through/as Alex. And, once you get over the first hurdle, the book is a real page-turner. Featuring more than its fair share of violence (and also transformed into celluloid magic, in 1974 by Kubrick) this book raises questions (and hairs) concerning how far humans can and will go in controlling each other, and how much free will makes a difference.

4. The Psychological Thriller – The Shining, by Stephen King
This is probably one of the best known of Stephen King’s novels, and for good reason. It’s about a small boy, Danny, who has a very special gift, a gift that begins to negatively impact his father when he starts a new job working in a hotel. This is one of those books that will completely engross you, and then not let you go.

5. The Supernatural Horror – Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill
Written by Stephen King’s son, this book is a spine-chilling story of an old rock star that becomes plagued by the poltergeist of an old lover’s father, in the form of an old suit. Yes, that is the premise. In trying to free himself from the rage of this spirit, he uncovers the true horrors behind the suicide of his ex-. It’s fast-paced, exciting and modern – and will make you think twice about buying things online…