10 Thrilling Books That Blend Science Fiction and Horror

Horror/Sci-Fi Books: Our 10 Picks

Fun Activities for Sci-Fi & Horror Fans

• Host a horror/science fiction movie night
• Get a fog machine and make your own haunted house
• Embrace your inner child with some science toys
• Bake spooky desserts, like zombie gingerbread men
• Have a board game night
• Decorate with cauldrons and skeletons
• Use a Ouija board to hold a seance
• Create a cosplay of your favorite character

8 Great Sci-Fi Horror Movies

1. Alien (1979)
2. Pitch Black (2000)
3. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
4. Altered States (1980)
5. The Fly (1986)
6. They Live (1988)
7. Event Horizon (1997)
8. The Thing (1982)

Why Do We Like Being Scared?

In Depth

Some like their science fiction entirely based on fact, while others enjoy having a little supernatural terror mixed in. The combination can lead to a bizarre but thought-provoking future full of action-packed thrills. If you have a taste for sci-fi horror, check out these ten books, presented in no particular order.

In the #1 spot is "Ecstatic Inferno" by Autumn Christian. The ten short stories in this collection range from eerie Southern Gothic to intergalactic horror and beyond. The story "The Dog That Bit Her" depicts a woman hallucinating rabid dogs after being bitten by one, until one day she decides to bite back. In "The Bad Baby Meniscus," a woman is about to undergo an operation that should put her in a dreamless sleep while her body continues to work. But unlike most, she's resistant to the surgery. Reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft and Philip K. Dick, these unique stories are mind-bending and surreal.

At #2 we have "Revolver" by Michael Patrick Hicks, a horror novella. Cara Stone is broke and homeless. Enticed by the opportunity to win five thousand dollars for herself and her family, she agrees to be a contestant on "Revolver," a deadly, state-run reality TV series. Desperate to win, and with nothing to lose, Cara will do anything to get her hands on that money. Meanwhile, society outside the game is rioting, fed up with their lack of rights.

Meanwhile, society outside the game is rioting, fed up with their lack of rights.

#3 is "Cry Your Way Home" by Damien Angelica Walters, a collection of seventeen dark short stories. The tales portray women struggling with loss, transitioning into new roles, and transforming into supernatural creatures. The collection opens with a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," where second daughters are sacrificed to a monster in order to maintain peace. In another story, an astronaut discovers that her father is a serial killer as she works on a space station. In a third, an aging circus elephant relates a series of disturbing abuses. These works are an eclectic mix of fairy tales, horror, and science fiction with feminist themes.

Coming in at #4 is "Ubo" by Steve Rasnic Tem. One moment Daniel is in an airport considering leaving his wife and son. In the next, he's imprisoned on Ubo by roaches in lab coats. Each day, he and the other prisoners are forced into the minds of history's most notorious killers, from Jack the Ripper to Stalin. As the subjects go mad and the roaches continue their experiments, Daniel struggles to figure out the purpose behind his abduction and find his way back home.

For #5 we get "Day One" by Nate Kenyon. When a famous tech CEO invites journalist John Hawke to his office for a feature, Hawke is thrilled; this could save his career. But when he arrives, an invisible enemy attacks all technology, and things quickly spiral out of control until only a few survivors remain in the city. All Hawke wants to do is return to his pregnant wife and son, but first, he and the survivors need to try and save humanity.

But when he arrives, an invisible enemy attacks all technology, and things quickly spiral out of control until only a few survivors remain in the city.

At #6 is "Broken Bulbs" by Eddie Wright. Frank Fisher wants to be a somebody, but he doesn't know how. A mysterious woman calling herself Bonnie offers a solution: she can inject a drug directly into his brain that will inspire his creativity. Soon Frank is addicted, and his head is scarred and bloody from the injections. But he's also writing a brilliant screenplay. How far will he go to be special?

For #7 we have "Zombies vs Aliens" by Kristin Jacques. After a zombie named Li eats part of an alien, she turns almost completely back into her human self, only to find that humanity has been wiped out and zombies have taken over the world. Dodging both aliens and the undead, she sets out to see if there are any other human survivors. If she can find enough allies to help her, they might just be able to keep their enemies at bay.

At #8 is "Daughters of Forgotten Light" by Sean Grigsby. On the deep space penal colony Oubliette, three vicious all-women gangs fight for survival. Lena "Horror" Horowitz leads one of them. When a fresh batch of prisoners and supplies lands on the colony, Horror and her group rush over to scavenge first. Packed in with the supplies they find a baby that might belong to Linda Dolfuse, a senator from Earth who is currently investigating the gangs on Oubliette. As these women's tales entwine, a story of horrific social injustice is revealed.

As these women's tales entwine, a story of horrific social injustice is revealed.

Coming in at #9 is "The Seventh Glitch" by Ronel van Tonder. The Game transports users into a virtual dreamscape. When a cyber-terrorist attack crashes it, everyone is suddenly trapped inside. New user Kitty teams up with a more experienced player and travels to an arena at Bang-Bang Island, where a random message has instructed everyone to go. The stranger has secrets he's hiding from Kitty, and with The Game crashing around her, she needs to decide whether to trust him or find her own way home.

Finally, at #10, is "The Loch" by Steve Alten. Marine biologist Zach Wallace's career takes a huge hit after he almost drowns in the Sargasso Sea. The incident has awakened childhood memories of a previous near-death experience in Loch Ness, and now Zach is deathly afraid of entering water, which puts his research on hold. He's summoned back to Inverness to attend the trial of his estranged father, accused of murdering his business partner. With his father claiming the Loch Ness monster is to blame, Zach must face his fears and find the legendary creature.