Why do we like being scared?
Stephen King, the expert on the matter, once explained it this way: "We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones."
And that makes sense. Everything's relative, and the bully at the lunch table becomes something less of a threat when compared to - say - a town infested with vampires. Work deadlines can seem less intimidating, too, when held up to a zombie apocalypse.
Whatever the reason, suffice it to say many people enjoy a good (make believe) fright. If you're in search of one to see you through the upcoming dark, windy nights of the Halloween season, here are a few materials worth checking out:
The Abominable, By Dan Simmons: As if climbing Mount Everest isn't terrifying enough, Simmons' latest delves into what happens to a group of hikers struggling through the climb while being pursued at night by someone...or something. Due out Oct. 22.
Dr. Sleep, by Stephen King: Danny Torrance revisits the not-so-fond memories from his days at the Overlook Hotel as he does battle with some present-day "empty devils" in this sequel to
The Shining.
Bellman and Black: A Ghost Story, by Diane Setterfield: From the author of
The Thirteenth Tale, a story of the consequences that haunt a husband and father and the lengths to which he goes to protect what's precious to him. Due out Nov. 5.
World War Z: The movie version is
28 Days Later-ish, but still a frightening film.
The Conjuring: You'll have to leave the lights on after watching this one, based on an allegedly true story of a haunted house whose terrified owners seek the help of paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren (in their pre-Amityville days). Due out Oct. 22.
The Purge: Anything goes when all crime is legalized for a 12-hour period, during which one family has the misfortune of being held hostage by a murderous syndicate in this Ethan Hawke vehicle.
Due out Oct. 8.
All of these books and films are available (or will be at the time of their release) at the Wallkill Public Library.