Top 61 Monster Complex posts in 2022 about authors and books
“We don’t give horror enough respect.”—Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Here at Monster Complex we talk about monster books and their authors—a lot. Whether you love the classic literary works or more current titles—or any of the thousands of books that fit in between—we do our best to explore the pages of urban fantasy, horror, supernatural thrillers, paranormal, zombie, vampire, magic and other kinds of monster fiction.
As we enter 2023, we thought it would be nice to take a look at the most popular articles that folks were reading on Monster Complex over the past year. Take a look at the list and maybe find something you really want to read…
#1 Complete Dresden Files Books by Jim Butcher In Order
“When I realized wizards and PIs were the same character, it became real easy.” The Dresden Files is a hard-boiled detective and urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher that follows private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden, who investigates supernatural cases in Chicago. This article includes a complete list of books in the series, plus more info from author interviews about his wizard detective. Find out more here.
#2 True Blood: Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse Books In Order
The Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as The True Blood Novels and The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, is an urban fantasy novel series written by Charlaine Harris. that revolves around a world inhabited by supernatural characters, including vampires, werewolves, and magical beings. This post include a complete of the books in the series plus more inside info from interviews with the author about the vampire mystery series. Find out more here.
#3 The Supernatural Book Series in Order
The CW television series Supernatural (2005-2020) follows brothers Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) as they hunt all manner of supernatural beings, including monsters, ghosts, demons, and more. The long-running show spawned a number of tie-in books, including a series of novels that expanded on the stories in the Supernatural universe. Find a complete list of the official Supernatural novels!
#4 100 Supernatural Detective Series
Want books that mix urban fantasy and crime fiction? Including Jim Butcher, Shweta Taneja, Seanan McGuire, Jewell Parker Rhodes, plus novels from X-Files, Supernatural—and more. Find out more here.
#5 60+ Special Vampire Book Series—from Anne Rice, L.A. Banks, Charlaine Harris, more
Vampire fiction has captivated readers and audiences for more than a hundred years. Some of these vampire novels lean into horror or paranormal romance, while others fall in between. The list includes notable vampire authors like Anne Rice, Kim Harrison, Nalini Singh, L.A. Banks, Charlaine Harris, Kenesha Williams, Stephenie Meyer, Jessica Cage, L.J. Smith, Delizhia Jenkins, Laurell K. Hamilton, P.C. Cast, MaryJanice Davidson and so many more! Find out more here.
#6 Brandon Sanderson: Where Should You Start With His Books?
Brandon Sanderson is a prolific author of epic fantasy and science fiction—best known for his Cosmere shared universe, which links together most of his novels. He also finished Robert Jordan’s fantasy series The Wheel of Time. Sanderson made Kickstart history with a Kickstarter campaign that was the most successful ever. Given that he has dozens of books available, wondering where to start? Find out more here.
#7 Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Books by Laurell K. Hamilton In Order
“I decided I would try to even things up. I may have overcompensated just a little.” Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter is a series of urban fantasy novels, short stories, and comic books by Laurell K. Hamilton. In these interview excerpts, the author explains where she got the idea for the Anita Blake series, talks about how Anita’s love life has evolved over the course of the series, and reveals why her combination of romance, mystery, and horror is here to stay. Read the Laurell K. Hamilton roundup here!
#8 Best Zombie Books: 40+ Great Zombie Novels
Looking for a zombie story? You can’t swing an undead cat without hitting another one. If you want some help narrowing down the field, here are some zombie novels worth checking out. Our list includes books from a diverse group of authors—ranging from acclaimed novelist Justina Ireland and horror legend Stephen King to up-and-comer Zoraida Córdova, from Hugo-winner Octavia Butler and Pulitzer Prize-nominated Colson Whitehead to Internet sensation Rhiannon Frater, from the global perspective of Manel Loureiro and up-to-date political angle of Mira Grant to the Regency mashup of Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith and alien invasion scenario of Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due. We’ve also got horror legend Richard Matheson, as well as winners from Isaac Marion, David Wellington, Alden Bell, J. L. Bourne, Brian Keene, Courtney Summers, Daryl Gregory, S. G. Browne, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Daniel Waters, Robert Kirkman, Ilsa J. Bick, and more! Whatever you’re in the mood for, there are zombie tales here for all kinds of (heh) tastes. Scroll down for book info, links to author interviews, and more information to take you further in-depth. Find out more here.
#9 Urban Fantasy Showcase: 40 Authors To Know
The category of urban fantasy has exploded in the past couple of decades, so there are quite a few authors who write it. Check out our list of urban fantasy authors including Ben Aaronovitch, Kenesha Williams, Neil Gaiman, Kiran Manral, Jim Butcher, L.A. Banks, Patricia Briggs, Nalini Singh, Seanan McGuire, Zoraida Cordova, Kim Harrison, Maurice Broaddus, Faith Hunter, Nalo Hopkinson and many more. Find out more here.
#10 Kim Harrison Rachel Morgan | Hollows Series Reading Order + Author Q&A
“I like to think that for every act of magic there ought to be a price.” Find the complete reading order of Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan AKA The Hollows Series, plus the author on switching from epic fantasy to urban fantasy, why she restarted the Rachel Morgan series, and her scientific approach to magic. Find out more here.
#11 Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson Series in Order
This urban fantasy series from Patricia Briggs stars shape-shifting mechanic Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson, who can take the form of a coyote at will. She lives and works in a version of the Tri-Cities that also includes werewolves, vampires, and an assortment of fae. Mercy is often called upon to use her wits. “I actively avoid power creep,” the author said. “I think that underpowered characters make much better protagonists.” Here’s a complete list to date of Mercy Thompson books.
#12 Brandon Sanderson: Complete Mistborn Series
This saga dares to ask, “What if the hero of prophecy fails?” Mistborn is a series of epic fantasy novels written by Brandon Sanderson. The first trilogy, published 2006-2008, was followed by a transitional sequel, which then became the first installment in a set that took place 300 years later. A third trilogy is being planned, set to take place “in the early days of computer programming” and with novels set to release in 2025-2027. Find out more here.
#13 The X-Files Novels in Order
The X-Files is a TV series revolving primarily around FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigating inexplicable cases that have been cataloged as “X-Files.” The series originally aired for nine seasons (1993-2002), returned for a season ten in 2016 and a season eleven in 2018. There were also two feature films, 1998’s The X-Files and 2008’s The X-Files: I Want to Believe. The series also inspired several works of fiction, including adaptions of episodes and original novels. Find out more here.
#14 Brandon Sanderson: Complete The Stormlight Archive
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Stormlight Archive is an incredible saga of epic proportion. The Stormlight Archive is a series of epic fantasy novels written by Brandon Sanderson, planned to consist of ten books. Roshar, the name of the planet on which The Stormlight Archive is set, is also the name of the supercontinent on which the series takes place. Here is a list of all the Stormlight books so far, which exist as part of his Cosmere shared universe.
#15 70+ Zombie Book Series
If you want zombie fiction, there are lots of storytellers ready to supply! Our list features more than 70 zombie book series. Featured authors include Seanan McGuire AKA Mira Grant, Manel Loureiro, Carrie Ryan, Jonathan Maberry, Justina Ireland, J.L. Bourne, Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due, David Wellington, Rhiannon Fater, Isaac Marion, Diana Rowland, Sylvester Barzey, Sophie Littlefield, David Moody and more. Whatever you want from a zombie story—light or weighty; political or romantic; futuristic or set in the past—you’re bound to find a series here to match your, um, taste…
#16 The Vampire Issue: Faith Hunter, L.A. Banks, Anne Rice, Buffy vs. X-Files
Vampire Author Interviews, Features, Lists, Quizzes, and More: We’re thrilled to offer exclusive interviews with urban fantasy authors Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock) and Delizhia Jenkins (Vampire Hunters Academy), our tribute to L.A. Banks (Vampire Huntress Legend), and overviews of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. Test your knowledge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the X-Files, and the Universal Monsters, check out the Top 5 Underrated Vampire Movies, and peruse our list of 50 Vampire Book Series. If you want even more—check out BONUS links to other websites about vampire books, vampire movies, vampires on television, and vampires in comics. Find all the articles on this webpage!
#17 Hellboy Novels and Anthologies In Order
Paranormal investigator Hellboy, created by writer-artist Mike Mignola, is a half-demon summoned as a baby by Nazis. He was rescued and raised by the founder of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). They’ve been adapted for several media, including novels and short stories. Find out more here.
#18 Patricia Briggs Complete Alpha and Omega Series
The urban fantasy author talks about the books in her Mercy Thompson spin-off series. Set in the same world as the Mercy Thompson series, the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs begins with the novella “Alpha and Omega,” found in the collection On the Prowl. To date, the story of mated werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick has continued through six novels. Find the list of books and interviews with the author here.
#19 If You Like Kim Harrison: 25 More Authors
Kim Harrison’s urban fantasy Rachel Morgan / The Hollows series is set in an alternate universe where supernatural beings (vampires, werewolves, witches, what have you) live among the human population. Series star Rachel Morgan is a bounty hunter witch who faces threats (natural and supernatural), and navigates complicated relationships. Want to discover more authors who write about the fantastical among the everyday? Check out the list here.
#20 25+ Indian Authors Who Write Science Fiction, Horror, and Urban Fantasy
While so many “best horror writer” lists are dominated by white and Western authors, there are actually writers all over the world that can also keep you reading late into the night. For example, here’s a list of authors of Indian ancestry—including Kiran Manral, Nalini Singh, Shweta Taneja, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Mainak Dhar, Krishna Udayasankar, and many more. Many of these authors draw from their cultural backgrounds and traditions to write unique science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, and/or horror fiction that are also often uniquely Indian. Find out more here.
#21 Complete Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews in Order + Q&A
The Kate Daniels series from Ilona Andrews takes place in a magical version of Atlanta where the world has suffered a magic apocalypse. Monsters prowl the ruined streets, werebears and werehyenas stalk their prey; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds. In this world lives Kate Daniels, who likes her sword a little too much, and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. Find out the book list and quotes from the author team here.
#22 Complete Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh
Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter novels take place in a world where archangels hold sway over both mortals and immortals—with the Guild Hunters caught in between, tasked with retrieving vampires who break contracts with their angelic masters. Nalini Singh is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series. Find out more about the Guild Hunter series here!
#23 Supernatural Books: Who Writes the Supernatural Books?
List Of Authors Who Write Novels or Books About the Popular TV Series Supernatural: The TV series Supernatural, created by Eric Kripke, starred Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester. The series followed the two brothers as they hunted demons, ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural beings. The long-running show spawned a number of tie-in books, including a series of Supernatural novels that expanded on the world of the series. Find our list of authors who wrote books featuring or about Supernatural!
#24 Complete Rivers of London / Peter Grant Books By Ben Aaronovitch
This bestselling urban fantasy series comes from author and screenwriter Ben Aaronovitch. The Rivers of London books follow Peter Grant, an ordinary constable turned magician’s apprentice, as he solves crimes across London in a sensational blend of inventive urban fantasy, gripping mystery thriller, and hilarious fantasy caper. The Peter Grant series (alternatively, the Rivers of London series or the PC Grant series) also includes comics/graphic novels written by Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, and illustrated by Lee Sullivan. Here’s a complete list to date of the novels and comics.
#25 No Spoilers: Best Order For The Shadowhunters Series by Cassandra Clare
Your Guide To Reading The Shadowhunters Books. Best Way To Avoid Spoilers! Video by Noria Reads. HOW TO READ THE SHADOWHUNTER CHRONICLES (updated). Video by Emma Books. Find out more here.
#26 200 Authors Every Horror Reader Should Know (a work in progress)
Here’s a massive list of authors for fans of horror fiction, urban fantasy, vampires, zombies, ghost stories, magic, science fiction, dark fantasy, and other monster fiction. You’ll see familiar names, some unfamiliar ones, as well as pillars of the genre—including Ray Bradbury, Linda D. Addison, Stephen King, Patricia Briggs, Tomi Adeyemi, Faith Hunter, Clive Barker, Octavia E. Butler, Jim Butcher, Jonathan Maberry, Tananarive Due, Ilona Andrews and a whole bunch more. NOTE: These pages are a major project that I’ll be revising over time. Find out more here.
#27 If You Like Neil Gaiman: 25 More Authors
Prolific storyteller Neil Gaiman writes fantasy stories across different media, including novels and short stories, comic books, audio dramas, as well as for television and films. Want to find some more authors who occupy the same genre territory? Check out a list that includes Terry Pratchett, Nalo Hopkinson, Madeleine L'Engle, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Brandon Sanderson, N.K. Jemisin and a bunch more! See the whole list here.
#28 Complete The Laundry Files Series by Charles Stross
What if Occult Threats Were Fought by Cubicle Workers? Charles Stross’ The Laundry Files series is an occult workplace comedy that mixes Lovecraft with spycraft. The multiple Hugo Award-winning series follows the exploits of a former tech support worker now-turned field agent, Bob Howard, at a top secret British intelligence agency dedicated to protecting the human race from nefarious supernatural phenomenon. Find out more here.
#29 Jonathan Maberry: Complete Joe Ledger Series
Horror writer Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger is the star of series of bio-terrorism thrillers that follows Captain Joe Ledger, who fights terrorist threats that range from zombie pathogens to weaponized plagues to transgenic monsters. We show the complete list to date of Joe Ledger stories by Jonathan Maberry. Find out more here.
#30 Frank Herbert's Dune: Complete Dune Books in Publication Order
Often said to be the biggest selling science fiction novel in history. Dune by Frank Herbert launched a media empire in 1965 that has grown to include novels, Games, comics, films and television, and more. Published in 1965, the original novel Dune won the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1965, and the 1966 Hugo Award, and was later adapted into a 1984 film, a 2000 television miniseries, and a 2021 film. Herbert wrote five sequels himself, and several were written by others. Find out more here.
#31 The Zombie Issue: Isaac Marion, Justina Ireland, Zombie Comedy Movies, More!
We’re thrilled to offer exclusive interviews with authors Isaac Marion (Warm Bodies series), Dana Fredsti (Ashley Parker series), Andy Kumpon (Seeds of the Dead), and Sylvester Barzey (Planet Dead series), plus roundups of online interviews with Justina Ireland, Mainak Dhar, Seanan McGuire AKA Mira Grant, and Jonathan Maberry. Check out our lists of zombie movies and books, including Top 13 Zombie Comedy Movies and 70+ Zombie Book Series. If you want even more—check out BONUS links to other websites about zombie books, zombie movies, zombies on television, and zombies in comics. Find out more here.
#32 Top 20 Authors Who Write About Werewolves
Includes links for more info about authors L.A. Banks, Patricia Briggs, Kelley Armstrong, Nalini Singh, Jessica Cage, Stephenie Meyer, Charlaine Harris, Anne Rice, R.L Stine, Laurell K. Hamilton and lots more. Find the list here.
#33 Vampire Academy Books by Richelle Mead In Order
Richelle Mead’s YA paranormal romance series Vampire Academy revolves around students at St. Vladimir’s Academy—where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. The first book, Vampire Academy (Razorbill), was adapted into a 2014 movie starring Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Olga Kurylenko, Dominic Sherwood, and Gabriel Byrne. The six book series is followed by the spin-off series Bloodlines. Find out more about the books here.
#34 200+ Monster Book Series
Check out our list of book series that feature monsters, magic, folklore, urban fantasy, science gone wrong, alien invasions, zombies, vampires, and the supernatural. These range from original series from authors like Patricia Briggs, Seanan McGuire, and Jim Butcher, novels that inspired movies and TV series like Vampire Academy and Percy Jackson, novels that expand on media properties like King Kong, Hellboy, and Supernatural, to comic book collections like Tomb of Dracula and Swamp Thing. Find out more here.
#35 Frankenstein: Everything You Need to Know to Read Mary Shelley’s Novel
As part of our massive Celebrating Frankenstein series, find out how a storytelling challenge gave the world one of the most influential novels of all time. Find out more and watch the video here.
#36 Laugh Or Scream: 50+ Comedy Horror Books
Horror and comedy both make us jump—which is why these elements work together so well together. Here are more than 50 books that touch on elements that are funny and scary. This list includes several authors you might be familiar with (including Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Tanya Huff, Kelley Armstrong, John Scalzi, Diana Rowland, Jason Pargin, Linda Addison, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kelly Link, Grady Hendrix, and Christopher Moore) as well as many authors you should meet. There are also several books that come from series—meaning there are even more books out there for you to check out! Find out more here.
#37 Stephen King: Debut novel 1974’s CARRIE was a failure—at first
Horror legend Stephen King published his debut novel, CARRIE, in 1974. King, then working as a high school English teacher, had written three novels before he started writing CARRIE. Even then, he was only three pages into the new book before he gave up—and threw the first three pages in the trash. His wife rescued the pages and encouraged him to finish. Find out the rest of the story here.
#38 New Harry Potter TV Coming to HBO Max, Cartoon Network, TBS
Plans Include Interactive TV Quiz, New Adaptation of Original Books. In the twenty years after Daniel Radcliffe first portrayed the boy wizard in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the franchise has exploded from books and movies to include a Broadway play, theme park rides, videogames, retail stores—and now TV shows. Find out more here.
#39 Anne Rice’s ‘Vampire Chronicles,’ ‘Mayfair Witches’ At AMC
“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof.” A look at what Anne Rice calls the the “most significant and thrilling deal” of her career, plus an overview of the impact of The Vampire Chronicles on literature, screen, and the stage—and the future with AMC. Find out more here.
#40 Kill the Queen: Crown of Shards Series by Jennifer Estep In Order
Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series focuses on Everleigh Blair, a member of the royal family who is distantly in line for the throne of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. But when the unthinkable happens, Evie finds herself fighting for her life—both inside and outside the gladiator arena. The Crown of Shards books include nods to Roman, Norse, and other mythologies. Find out more here.
#41 Chloe Neill Chicagoland Vampires Books In Order + Interview
Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires, Heirs of Chicagoland, Devil’s Isle, and Dark Elite novels. Her urban fantasy vampire romance novels includes many types of supernatural beings, including vampires, angels, demons, trolls, shapeshifters, sorcerers, and more. Read the article for the novels in order and for interview quotes from the author about the books.
#42 True Blood Reboot Still in Early Stages
There's a True Blood Series in the works, but HBO is taking its time. With so many fans of the original show, itself based on the beloved book series Southern Vampire Mysteries from author Charlaine Harris, they’re likely taking it slowly to make sure everybody is happy. Find out more details here.
#43 Wizard Writers: Jim Butcher + 31 More
Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series is full of magic—plus ghosts, faeries, vampires, demons, priests, werewolves, knights, and the like. On Monster Complex, you’ll find a wide assortment of authors who write urban fantasy—combining the supernatural with the world out your window. While “wizards” and stories about magic have been with us for centuries—think Grimm’s Fairy Tales, or the legends of King Arthur and Merlin—they have only exploded in literature in the past 30-odd years. Find a list of more than two-dozen authors who write about magic, magic practitioners, and those who live in a world of magic. Including Simon R. Green, Shweta Taneja, Seanan McGuire, Marlon James, Faith Hunter, Jessica Cage, Benedict Jacka, Daniel José Older, Ilona Andrews, Tomi Adeyemi and several more authors! Find the whole list here.
#44 Complete Vampire Huntress Legend Series by L.A. Banks
Damali Richards is a successful hip-hop artist by day, but come nightfall, she hunts vampires and demon-predators. Author Leslie Esdaile Banks (1959-2011) wrote the Vampire Huntress Legend series under the pen name L.A. Banks. Find out more info from author interviews plus a complete list of books in the Vampire Huntress Legend series.
#45 Harry Potter: The Problem of Representation in the Series
“Parvati and Padma were likely never meant to be more than harmless background characters, but … it would've been nice to see a white author allow them to wield that power in a meaningful, awe-inspiring way.” In an article for Insider, Sruthi Darbhamulla relates how J.K. Rowling’s half-hearted attempt at Indian representation in the Harry Potter book series led her to relate more to the white female lead, Hermione Granger. “I related much more to Hermione than to the characters who looked more like me.” Find out more here.
#46 16 Mermaid Book Series
Mermaids have long been a part of mythology around the world. With a live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid approaching, there’s never been a better time to check out some more mermaid fiction. Check out our list of mermaid book series from several authors, including Jessica Cage, Tera Lynn Childs, Amanda Hocking, Aaron Galvin, Emory Gayle and others. Find out more here.
#47 Complete Jane Yellowrock Novels by Faith Hunter
The Jane Yellowrock series by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter stars a Cherokee shapeshifter who works as a professional vampire hunter in New Orleans. Through an accident of black magic, her soul is bonded with that of a mountain lion—and she is often struggling to fight for balance. “Jane started out as a sort of ‘paranormal biker chick-meets-Lee Child’s Jack Reacher,’” Faith told Monster Complex. “Then you’ve got the external conflict that Jane, who kills insane vampires who are killing humans—that’s what she does, she tracks them and kills them—by the time we’re in book fourteen, she has not only been working for the vampires to keep peace in the vampire community because that keeps her friends, the witches, and humans safe, but she also has found a position of power among them. She goes from hating them to working with her worst enemy.” Find out more here, including a complete list of books to date in the Jane Yellowrock Skinwalker series.
#48 Dean Koontz's Frankenstein Book Series In Order
If you think you know the legend, you know only half the truth. From the celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one of the classic stories of all time. Here is the mystery, the myth, the terror, and the magic that is Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein. Find out more about the series—including a complete list—here.
#49 Writing Tips from 31 Horror Authors
Writing horror fiction can be a scary proposition—for the author as well as the reader! Find tips and advice from several relevant authors, including Stephen King, Anne Rice, Zoraida Córdova, H.P. Lovecraft, Linda D. Addison, Peter Straub, Faith Hunter, Dean Koontz, Nalini Singh, Clive Barker, Shirley Jackson, Ramsey Campbell, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Ania Ahlborn, Victor LaValle, Poppy Z. Brite, Ray Bradbury, Alma Katsu, Mylo Carbia, and more! Find out more here.
#50 Mira Grant AKA Seanan McGuire: Complete Newsflesh series + Interviews
“I wanted to see what would happen if I started explaining zombies.” Author Seanan McGuire outlines the differences between “Seanan McGuire” and “Mira Grant,” reveals what she wanted to bring to the zombie genre, and explains why diverse readers can see themselves in her books. Oh—and she teaches us how to survive the zombie apocalypse. Find out more here.
#51 Remembering novelist Peter Straub (1943-2022)
Writer Peter Straub (1943-2022), author of horror, supernatural, and mystery fiction, died September 4 at age 79. In a career stretching nearly 50 years, he wrote many popular novels and won several awards. He also saw two of his books made into supernatural horror films. Find out more here.
#52 ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Fans—16 Vampire Books You Should Check Out
For fans of vampire stories that break into new territory, check out these 16 vampire books that offer their own unique spin on vampire mythology. Featuring stories from Kendare Blake, Octavia E. Butler, Terry Pratchett, Sheree Renée Thomas, Kim Newman, Drew Hayes, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Tanya Huff, Christopher Moore, Kenesha Williams, Tananarive Due, Delizhia D. Jenkins, Samira Ahmed and Dhonielle Clayton. Find out more here.
#53 Naomi Novik: The Scholomance series + Q&A
Naomi Novik creates a school bursting with magic like you’ve never seen before, and a heroine for the ages. From the author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver comes the Scholomance trilogy, the story of an unwilling dark sorceress who is destined to rewrite the rules of magic. “It’s a magic school trilogy set in the Scholomance,” Novik said, “which is an old folk legend that’s mentioned in Dracula—of a dark school where the students study dark arts and the last one out pays with their life. That’s the folk legend that sort of inspired it.” Find out more here.
#54 75+ Urban Fantasy Writers Who Aren’t White
From the beginning, I knew that Monster Complex needed to welcome readers who are different from me. This list isn’t intended to parse out or separate these authors—many of these authors have already or will show up in other lists and other articles on the site. The list below is simply a reference I’m creating for my own use. But it seemed selfish to just keep it to myself. Including L.A. Banks, Zoraida Córdova, Maurice Broaddus, Owl Goingback, Jessica Cage, Nalo Hopkinson, Shweta Taneja, N. K. Jemisin, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Kenesha Williams, and more. Meet all the authors on the list here.
#55 Complete Women of the Otherworld novels by Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series features vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, necromancers, and witches struggling to fit in as “normal” in the modern world. The series spreads out across novels, novellas, and short stories. The initial idea that launched the series was a short story that the author came up with for a writer’s group. Find out more—and see the complete list of Women of the Otherworld novels in order—here.
#56 Harry Potter fans—21 series you should check out
Unnatural forces? Check. Amazing monsters? Check. Heartwarming friendships? Check. Want something else like Harry Potter? Go through our list—with authors Zoraida Cordova, Brandon Sanderson, Tomi Adeyemi, Neil Gaiman and more! Find the whole list here.
#57 FLASHBACK: Ring by Koji Suzuki (1991)
The basis for several adaptions in manga, film, and TV, the Japanese mystery horror novel RING was written by Koji Suzuki and published in 1991. A mysterious videotape warns that the viewer will die in one week unless a certain—unspecified—act is performed. A hardworking journalist, intrigued by his niece’s inexplicable death, attempts to solve the tape’s mystery before it’s too late. The novel led to several more books, plus lots of adaptations. Find out more here.
#58 Urban Fantasy Author Patricia Briggs—Walking The Line
In this magazine article, the top-selling urban fantasy author explains how working with animals helps her write about people. (Who are also animals.) Find out abut the origins of the book series, how she keeps the character relatable, and the rules she follows for the stories. Click through for more details.
#59 Monster Complex Spotlight Authors
Learn more about these noteworthy authors from the worlds of horror, speculative, urban fantasy, and related genres. Including Nalini Singh, Faith Hunter, Delizhia Jenkins, Lynn Zubernis, Linda D. Addison, Dana Fredsti, L.A. Banks, Matt Cardin, Zen Cho, N.E. Conneely, Kenesha Williams, Jennifer Meinking, Deborah Wilde, John J. Zelenski, Zoraida Cordova, Jessica Cage, Dan Willis, Moni Boyce, Stephen King, Helen Oyeyemi, Anne Rice, Maurice Broaddus, Ilona Andrews, Nalo Hopkinson, Ben Aaronovitch, Kelley Armstrong, Seressia Glass, Minister Faust, Kim Harrison, Daniel Jose Older, Seanan McGuire, Scott Sigler, Tade Thompson and Patricia Briggs. Find out more here.
#60 Flashback: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)
This original novella by Robert Louis Stevenson details the trials of a respected doctor whose repressed evil urges are manifested by an an alternate personality. Literary critics have studied the work from a number of angles, considering it as a gothic novel, allegory, fable, detective story, Doppelgänger literature, and more. In the year since its publication, the novella has been adapted, copied, spoofed, and otherwise borrowed hundreds of times in films, literature, comics, stage plays, and more. Find out more here.
#61 Urban Fantasy Author Faith Hunter: The Monster Complex Interview
“She goes from hating vampires to working with her worst enemy.” New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter has written more than 40 books in a variety of genres, including urban fantasy, thrillers and mysteries. Her Jane Yellowrock novels are part of a dark urban fantasy series starring a Cherokee who is a shape-shifter and vampire hunter for hire. In this exclusive interview, urban fantasy author Faith Hunter shares how her shapeshifting Cherokee vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock has grown over the course of the books, explains why she doesn’t write sex scenes, and reveals how she’ll know when it’s time to end the series. Read the interview here.
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Horror and comedy both make us jump—which is why these elements work together so well together. Looking at books from authors like Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Tanya Huff, Kelley Armstrong, John Scalzi, Diana Rowland, and Kevin J. Anderson, plus many authors you should meet.