While there are many courses and tutorials online, learning from a book is still one of the best ways to greatly improve your skills. Below I have selected top Cosmic Horror books.
- Shadows of Carcosa: Tales of Cosmic Other Masters of the Weird (New York Review Books Classics) (2015)
- The Fisherman (2016)
- The Rim of Morning: Two Tales of Cosmic Horror (New York Review Books Classics) (2015)
- Seven Spires: Whispers of the Necropolis (2018)
- Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe (2015)
- The Colouring Book Out of Space: A Lovecraft Inspired Coloring Book of Cosmic Horror (2016)
- I Am Providence: A Novel (2016)
- The Tingleverse: The Official Chuck Tingle Role-Playing Game (2019)
- Periphery: A Tale of Cosmic Horror (2019)
- Bloodborne: A Song of Crows (2019)
- John Dies at the End (2012)
- Ride the Star Wind: Cthulhu, Space Opera, and the Cosmic Weird (2017)
- Berserk, Vol. 33 (2010)
- Rick and Morty Vol. 1 (1) (2015)
Shadows of Carcosa: Tales of Cosmic Other Masters of the Weird (New York Review Books Classics) (2015)
From the fictional land of Carcosa that inspired the HBO show True Detective to H. P. Lovecraft’s accursed New England hills, this collection features some of the most legendary landscapes of the cosmic horror genre. The collection includes the following twelve stories: Edgar Allan Poe, “MS. Found in a Bottle” Bram Stoker, “The Squaw” Ambrose Bierce, “Moxon’s Master” Ambrose Bierce, “The Damned Thing” Ambrose Bierce, “An Inhabitant of Carcosa” R. W.
The Fisherman (2016)
In upstate New York, in the woods around Woodstock, Dutchman’s Creek flows out of the Ashokan Reservoir. Steep-banked, fast-moving, it offers the promise of fine fishing, and of something more, a possibility too fantastic to be true. When Abe and Dan, two widowers who have found solace in each other’s company and a shared passion for fishing, hear rumors of the Creek, and what might be found there, the remedy to both their losses, they dismiss it as just another fish story.
The Rim of Morning: Two Tales of Cosmic Horror (New York Review Books Classics) (2015)
In the 1930s, William Sloane wrote two brilliant novels that gave a whole new meaning to cosmic horror.
Seven Spires: Whispers of the Necropolis (2018)
Dive into a world of madness and cosmic horror. J. M. Nelson’s anthology of short stories is filled with dread and sheer terror, all revolving around a lost city known only as “The Necropolis.” This collection features sixteen tales of pure dismay, including the nightmare inducing stories of: “Among the Court of the Stag-King”; “In the Shadow of the Necropolis”; “The Fourth Pyramid of Giza”; and many others. The gothic horror of J. M. Nelson will be sure to keep you up at night.
Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe (2015)
Thomas Ligotti’s debut collection, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, and his second, Grimscribe, permanently inscribed a new name in the pantheon of horror fiction. Influenced by the strange terrors of Lovecraft and Poe and by the brutal absurdity of Kafka, Ligotti eschews cheap, gory thrills for his own brand of horror, which shocks at the deepest, existential, levels.Ligotti’s stories take on decaying cities and lurid dreamscapes in a style ranging from rich, orna…
The Colouring Book Out of Space: A Lovecraft Inspired Coloring Book of Cosmic Horror (2016)
The Colouring Book Out of Space is a well of eldritch monsters, inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Summon your coloring pencils and pledge your oath to the Great Old Ones. It is time to color your way through the Mythos! Every image was lovingly hand drawn with ink and brush by artist Jacob Walker. Forty fiends fill this Necronomicon like tome, each featured on single sided pages for your convenience. The coloring of cosmic horror within is safe for adults and kids alike.
I Am Providence: A Novel (2016)
At the Summer Tentacular, murder is non-fiction.For fans of legendary pulp author H. P. Lovecraft, there is nothing bigger than the annual Providence-based convention the Summer Tentacular.
The Tingleverse: The Official Chuck Tingle Role-Playing Game (2019)
Sporting events at the Billings Community Center are ending in angry outbursts, and in the woods nearby, sightings of The Manifested Concept Of Rage are becoming more and more frequent. Could the two be related? An entrepreneur moves to Montana and opens up a petting zoo for creatures of The Void. They claims the cages are secure, but when a big storm rolls into Billings some of the creatures escape. Was this their plan all along?
Periphery: A Tale of Cosmic Horror (2019)
From the Corner of Your Eye to the Focus of Your FearTampa Fire Rescue paramedic Andrew Tate thought he had put all of his father’s crazy nonsense behind him. Twenty years ago, John Tate had been the respected dean of biology at the University of Tampa, a coolly intellectual researcher and devoted family man. Certainly not the type prone to outbursts of hysterical dementia.
Bloodborne: A Song of Crows (2019)
The City of Yharnam is buried in snow.Eileen the Crow buries the Hunters. But one eludes her. Poisoned and overcome with beastly senses, he prowls Yharnam causing misery and havoc. Meanwhile the bodies mount, reality shakes, and strange things are amiss in Byrgenwerth.
John Dies at the End (2012)
You should not have touched this book with your bare hands.NO, don’t put it down. It’s too late. They’re watching you.My name is David Wong. My best friend is John. Those names are fake. You might want to change yours.You may not want to know about the things you’ll read on these pages, about , about , about the invasion, and the future. But it’s too late. You touched the book. You’re in the game. You’re under .The only defense is knowledge. You need to read John Dies at the End, to the end.
Ride the Star Wind: Cthulhu, Space Opera, and the Cosmic Weird (2017)
Space madness! Fly away with us to the deeps of space for action and adventure, alien intrigue and bloody surprises. Join us out here where all things alien and weird flow freely. Dive headlong into spaceships and monsters, tentacles and insanity, determined struggle and starborne terror.
Berserk, Vol. 33 (2010)
Guts the Black Swordsman and his companions brave the open sea, hoping to reach Puck’s homeland, Elfhelm, and its powerful elven king, who might be able to restore the sanity of Guts’ former lover, Casca. But seeking out a sanctuary for Casca means that Guts must postpone his hunt for his ex-friend and leader, Griffith, who has been reborn as a demon lord hell-bent on conquest.
Rick and Morty Vol. 1 (1) (2015)
The hit comic book series based on Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland’s hilarious [adult swim] animated show RICK & MORTY is now available in its first collection! Join the excitement as depraved genius Rick Sanchez embarks on insane adventures with his awkward grandson Morty across the universe and across time. Caught in the crossfire are his teenage granddaughter Summer, his veterinary surgeon daughter Beth, and his hapless son-in-law Jerry.
Best Cosmic Horror Books You Should Enjoy
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Library Genesis and download some cosmic horror books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
A Century of Weird Fiction, 1832–1937: Disgust, Metaphysics, and the Aesthetics of Cosmic Horror
Author(s): Jonathan Newell
ID: 3301625, Publisher: University of Wales Press, Year: 2020, Size: 7 Mb, Format: pdf
What the Hell Did I Just Read: A Novel of Cosmic Horror
Author(s): David Wong
ID: 2258999, Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Year: 2017, Size: 863 Kb, Format: epub
Please note that this booklist is not errorless. Some books are really hot items according to The New York Times, others are composed by unknown writers. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant links you could recommend? Leave a comment if you have any feedback on the list.