Sci-Fi Horror?

[MuMu]

I've seen so much crazed AIs and people going mad in space in movies, games and whatsoever, I figured there must be some nice novels about it too.

I'm aiming at isolation having unpleasant effects on people's mind, but I won't object to horrendous aliens and murderous computers. Or in case this isn't a genre as popular as I thought, any horror fiction set in a confined space(Say, a submarine for example).


Yes, I was thinking of Prisioner of Ice and Live-a-Live when I decided to make the topic.

[Magus]

The only thing this reminds me of is the short story "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream" (http://www.surfturk.com/endoftheworld/ihavenomouth.html), and I'd think you already knew about it. I'll rack my brains for something else I've read...

[tacticslion]

Well, it's not exactly sci-fi horror... but the book Star Fish (a rare find) is highly psychological, and deals extensively with isolationism and group-mentality, as well as asking the question of what it means to be human. For example, is a human still human when they're mostly machine? What if their RNA sequence is 'infected' by another one? Etc. The kinds of effects talked about were certainly unpleasant, but handled almost in a "so this is also bad" kind of way.

For Sci-Fantasy stuff, you've got most of the Cthulu group of stories.

C.S. Freidman's the Wilding focuses mostly on people who aren't left in isolation, but whose main goal is someone who is (social, if not completely physical isolation, I can't recall for sure). As a cautionary note, it's predicesor, In Conquest Born, is better, although it's not quite what you're looking for, I don't think.

I don't know where most of my Sci-Fi books are right now, but a genuinly creepy semi-modern (1800's U.S.) fantasy novel called A Scattering of Jades is absolutely fantastic. It's like reading the creepiest Aztec-research paper ever written, only playing out in story form. Fascinating stuff.

Otherwise, yeah, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream is a well-known classic.

[Geminex]

There's a lot of awesome short stories relating to that sort of thing, I haven't come across anything with 70< pages, though.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

John Dies at the End. Great themes are present and interesting concepts pop out between the absurdities.

[MuMu]

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream

I figured this one would get mentioned first and yeah, it's in my list already.

Star Fish (a rare find)
John Dies at the End(Also a bit rare)

Now this just sucks, not because of the books themselves but for the rarity factor. It's a bit hard to find a book here unless it's pretty popular or has been made into a movie, something that's already rare to begin with would be pretty much impossible.

A Scattering of Jades

I'll look into it and since you mentioned, the 'Modified Human' aspect would be a neat factor in a more sinister story, I'll take a look into it.

Edit: Wah? Do you not have access to amazon.com?

Non-english speaking country. I COULD import it somehow, but I'd rather read in my own language.

[Magic_Marker]

Wah? Do you not have access to amazon.com?

Here: This is Amazon (Amazon.com) it's a site where you can buy books and most other things.

It makes rare things common.

Also, John Dies at the End was great fun. It takes a certain talent to be funny and scary at the same time.

[Magus]

Now I just saw a movie based on a Harlan Ellison book called A Boy and His Dog and besides being post-apocalyptic and darkly humorous it had some horror aspects in it (such as the Screamers, or the incredibly-mild claustrophobia of Down Under, a bomb shelter made into a dystopian society). Since the guy wrote I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream I'm going to surmise that maybe the book was scarier than the film, which was actually mostly humorous/parodical if you ask me, but I certainly can't guarantee it.

See the movie, though, that is one great movie.

[tacticslion]

I'll look into it and since you mentioned, the 'Modified Human' aspect would be a neat factor in a more sinister story, I'll take a look into it.

A Scattering of Jades is actually not Modified Human, though Starfish is.

SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC BUT FOR A PURPOSE: As for the language, what is your native tongue? You apparently have excellent English skills.

[MuMu]

A Boy and His Dog

I do remember hearing about this movie some time ago, going to download and watch it...someday.

As for the language, what is your native tongue?

Brazilian Portuguese and nah, I'm pretty awful at the whole Communication stuff.

Also, I discovered This (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere_%28novel%29) novel that might be close to what I want, in case anyone else is interested.

[tacticslion]

Brazilian Portuguese and nah, I'm pretty awful at the whole Communication stuff.

Yeah, modesty, whatever, but you type quite well and clearly.

Also, Sphere

Just don't see the movie. It's just so... meh.

[Magus]

I kind of totally forgot about Michael Crichton...I also liked Prey, even though I think it was so short I read it in a day or something. The Terminal Man is pretty good too but it's only sort of science fictional with the horror elements mainly taking over.

[phil_]

I just grabbed Sphere by Crichton off the communal bookshelf today. I'll let you know if it's scary tomorrow, Mumu, after I read it at work.

Also, lol, Bellsouth. You and Mumu should hook up, maybe he can help your grammar.

Edit: Read it at work. It's sorta scary. However, it's also scientists talking about science and using lingo, like every Crichton book, so be ready for that.