American horror fiction boom 80's

It seems that in the 80's was a boom of horror fiction in the USA, the roots could be the success of Stephen King and the novel The exorcist by William Peter Blatty, it was a period of paperbacks and anthologies with excellent authors, some of them were translated to spanish, like T.E.D. Klein, Dennis Etchison, Charles L Grant, Karl Edward Wagner, Steve Rasnic Tem, Graham Masterton, Lisa Tuttle, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Robert R McCammon, Dan Simmons and a lot more... it lasted more or less until the first 90's

Have you read some of this author? Do you enjoy that kind of modern horror? Or you prefer the classic one? Do you like better the psycological, quiet horror of Charles L Grant or Ramsey Campbell? Or the more explicit by Richard Laymon?

Some interesting links

http://www.h-net.org...w.cgi?ID=178427

http://bymichaelwest...read=563&page=1

Laymon is great, but I have discovered Edward Lee and that satisfies my other interests.

The Dell Abyss line of horror novels began in early 90s introduced some promising new horror voices too. Edited by Jeanne Cavelos.

I have a few of those Abyss horror novels and am usually more willing to to take a chance on those when I find a used copy. It's really something to look back and see a publisher willing to take a chance on more 'experimental' horror fiction.

I know there are folks that collect the Abyss novels. I found a site by Googling once, but can't remember it now.

#4: Might it be this site: http://toomuchhorrorfiction.blogspot.com ? It has a lot of Abyss covers, reviews, etc., like on this page: http://toomuchhorrorfiction.blogspot.com/2011/02/dellabyss-books-paperback-cover... .

I loved Kathe Koja's Abyss books. Good stuff.

I was a huge Dan Simmons fan for his horror and even a bunch of his sci-fi. The guy can really write. That being said, I struggled with some of his stuff from the past few years, although I liked his latest Flashback. That was more science fiction or distopia than horror however, and the political viewpoint may turn some off.

Also a fan of McCammon. Recently read The Five which was far different than some of his earlier stuff. Boys Life was great and I really enjoyed Swan Song as well as some of his others.

Richard Laymon was one of my gateway authors alongwith Stephen King as well as James Herbert and Shaun Hutson from the UK. These days I lean more towards the quieter horrors of Campbell but I still have thoroughly enjoyed Edward Lee and Wrath James White, to pick two writers still waving the flag for the visceral tradition.

#8 - I only read one James Herbert novel, Haunted and I thought it was awful. Now I don't remember much about it. I wonder if I should give him a second chance?

I've read six books by him now and have found him quite hit or miss - I enjoyed The Rats (and one of it's sequel Lair) and The Fog, but found Domain and Portent to be quite boring and lacklustre.

#8&9 Early James Herbert is best, he was quite prolific after his early success, but his later books haven't worked for me. The first one I read was The Survivor when I was at school - more creepy than scary, but I remember being really scared by Shrine, although I was a kid and may be remembering it as being more scary than it actually was.... hmmm might have to re-find and re-read now. Also I remember enjoying the 'Rats' trilogy The Rats, Lair and Domain. If you do read any, I'd be interested to know what you think.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Joe R. Lansdale. His early works feature a lot of horror, and he is one America's great voices. Does anybody remember Zebra Books horror from the '80 with those AWESOME covers? Some even had holograms! Man, I miss the publishing world of the '80s. Anything went in those days.

#12 - Joe Lansdale ALWAYS deserves a mention. I guess I think of him as a '90's writer, because that is when I discovered him.

What are some '80's writers you've been meaning to try, but haven't?

For me there is Rick Hautala (especially Little Brothers), Ken Eulo (anything, I guess), Christopher Pike (his novels for adults anyway, like The Season of Passage) and John Farris (All Heads Turn When the Hunt Goes By, because how can you not be curious about that title?). Are any of them worth a read?