Interesting list, thanks for creating it! :)

I guess it's a little bittersweet to be included on a "Overlooked and Underappreciated" list, but thanks for including my Yellow Moon. In many ways, I think it would be better to be on an "Overrated" list, but I'll take what I can get.

If anyone's interested, my "Bloodthirst in Babylon" will be released by Samhain Horror in electronic form in January, then as a trade paperback in the spring of '12.

Thanks again for list inclusion.

David Searls

PS: I highly recommend T.E.D. Klein's The Ceremonies, which is on this list...though the novella upon which the novel is loosely based, The Events of Poroth Farm, is even better. One of the most chilling short stories I've ever read.

Neat idea for a list. I am always looking for new authors to read, or books I've never heard of. Looks like this list will help me find some. I'm not sure how any Stephen King books made this list. In what universe is he overlooked or underappreciated?

Forgotten all about Let's Go Play At The Adams' One of the first books that I picked from my parents collection to read, when I was far to young. Great story.

I wish there was a way to "vote off" completely inappropriate items, like anything by Stephen King.

*So we have Stephen King.......Which he certainly isn't overlooked/forgotten/underappreciated/little known
*Joe Hill, his son
*Clive Barker (admittedly one of my faves but still pretty relevant writing wise still that I would argue shouldn't be on the list)
*Poe (which, not sure about other countries, but I know most Americans in public schools at least get him shoved down their throats still so definitely not overlooked, little known, or forgotten)
*Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book (which is a kid's book firstly, and secondly, there's so few genres he *HASN'T* written in yet I argue he shouldn't be on this list as he's pretty well known)
*Ray Bradbury, particularly Something Wicked This Way Comes showing up first as that's practically a staple in most horror/fantasy/sci fi/speculative fiction circles that I've seen (and rebelling against religious parents circles)
*Mark Danielewski's House of Leaves which, go *ANYWHERE* and say you're new to horror genre (and certain places with philosophy) and looking for books and that's one of the first books you get recc'd. It's a toss up between that and King (and sometimes if not specific and say you're looking for a new book to read someone will ultimately pop up and rec it).
*And then books 1 and 8 of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series which, depending on who you talk to is either paranormal or urban fantasy and wind up with my problem with Hollywood. Paranormal creatures DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY EQUAL HORROR.

Can someone explain how the above mentioned should be in a list for forgotten/overlooked/underappreciated/little known horror? I get that some of the books themselves aren't well known. But the authors are particularly for the horror genre (or like in Gaiman's case for writing in almost every genre anyway) so they shouldn't be on this list. Dean Koontz shouldn't even be on the list because all he writes is horror.

The Stepford Wives and Lord of the Flies I don't think should even be on this list. The latter, again, studied in American schools. The former last I checked still cultural phenomenon beloved by Hollywood. I go back and forth about Shirley Jackson even being on this list because she wrote speculative fiction that was/is interpreted as horror (though definitely see how/why). Also, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children shouldn't be on the list either. Popular book with teens plus a movie that I believe they're doing the trilogy out of? Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine I feel go in and out of style depending on your age. They're geared toward middle grade and young adult readers in general for the majority of their books so theirs not even sure they'll ever go into obscurity (also stine has a lot of ghostwriting into his goosebumps series). Fat Vampire, while amusing, not sure I'd classify as horror.

Naomi's room the last 1/4 of the book makes me not want to call it horror (but the first 3/4 was FANTASTIC horror then it went into a 180 torture porn spin).

And Roald Dahl I've long been saying people have been misclassifying for ages. If you really read his stories they border more on horror than anything else but of course people read what they want to and see happy endings and stuff so.....

Anyway....that's my longwinded I-hate-horror-lover-community-love-of-stephen-king and other things rant to take for what it's worth.

But I am 100% with Nona that I wish there was a way to vote off inappropriate items like anything by Stephen King and I'd extend to his son, Joe Hill and King's pen names Richard Bachman and John Swithen (neither of which appear on the list but should still be banned from the list regardless as King doesn't need to be on the list under his pen names imo).

This list would be so much better if the books had 50,000 ratings or lower. As a librarian I can fix the description - but not without the list creator's permission. Are you there, Jordan West?

Yes, I am; I haven't contributed to this list in some time, but I would definitely be ok with making those changes.

Thanks Jordan. I will get busy removing the books on your list that are far from being obscure....

#14 - Swan Song can be removed for reaching 50k ratings.

Sean wrote: "#14 - Swan Song can be removed for reaching 50k ratings."

Done