The Most Unsettling Sci-fi Books | The Horrors of Science Fiction

Summary

In this Halloween special, Quinn delves into spooky science fiction, recommending books that blend horror with cosmic themes. Highlighting Stephen King's 'The Gunslinger' and 'The Skeleton Crew', they explore the Dark Tower series' connection to King's macroverse and the chilling 'The Mist'. Other picks include 'Book of the New Sun' for its eerie atmosphere, 'The Passage' for its unique apocalyptic twist, and Alastair Reynolds' works for cosmic horror. Classic novels like '1984' and 'Frankenstein' are also discussed for their timeless horror relevance, with honorable mentions to 'Hyperion' for its creepy narratives.

Takeaways

• 📜 The video is a Halloween special where the host discusses spooky science fiction books.
• 🧙‍♂️ The host mentions an ancient family book of magic with prophecies and depictions of demons.
• 🎃 The host's first love was horror, citing H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King as early influences.
• 🔫 'The Gunslinger' by Stephen King is recommended as a semi-standalone novel with elements of cosmic horror.
• 🌌 'The Dark Tower' series is King's magnum opus, connecting his other works in a shared universe.
• 📚 'Book of the New Sun' by Gene Wolfe is a challenging read with a creepy atmosphere set in a distant, feudal-like future.
• 🦠 'The Passage' is an apocalyptic novel involving a government experiment that results in a virus and viral zombies.
• 🌌 Alastair Reynolds' works are highlighted for their cosmic horror elements and the sense of deep time in the universe.
• 💀 'The Skeleton Crew' is a collection of Stephen King's short stories, including 'The Mist,' which involves otherworldly horrors.
• 📡 '1984' by George Orwell is discussed as a cautionary tale that is increasingly relevant with themes of government surveillance and social conditioning.
• 🧬 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley is the first science fiction novel, exploring the horrors of creation and rejection.

Q & A

What is the theme of Quinn ID's Halloween special video?

The theme of Quinn ID's Halloween special video is to explore and recommend some of their favorite spooky science fiction books for the Halloween season.

Why does Quinn recommend 'The Gunslinger' by Stephen King for Halloween?

Quinn recommends 'The Gunslinger' because it can be viewed as a semi-standalone novel with elements of science fiction, cosmic horror, and is set in Stephen King's macroverse, making it a good fit for the spooky season.

What is the significance of the number 19 in the book 'The Gunslinger'?

In 'The Gunslinger', the number 19 is associated with a self-fulfilling prophecy given by the Man in Black to a woman named Ally, hinting at the knowledge of death and the afterlife, which is disturbing and chilling.

How does 'The Book of the New Sun' by Gene Wolfe differ from other books mentioned in the video?

'The Book of the New Sun' is noted for being a challenging read with a truly disturbing and creepy atmosphere, set in a distant future where mankind has returned to a pseudo-feudal era, and the reader discovers the world alongside the main character.

What makes 'The Passage' different from a typical zombie apocalypse story?

'The Passage' stands out by showing the beginning of the apocalypse, its progression, and jumping 93 years into the future, with references to even further years ahead, making it more than just a basic zombie apocalypse story.

What elements of Alastair Reynolds' books does Quinn find particularly creepy?

Quinn finds the elements of deep time, the mysteries of the universe, and the sense of insignificance when compared to the vastness of the cosmos in Alastair Reynolds' books particularly creepy.

Why does Quinn include '1984' in a list of spooky books for Halloween?

Quinn includes '1984' because the themes of government surveillance, loss of freedoms, and social conditioning are becoming increasingly relevant and thus scarier in the present day.

What is the connection between 'The Mist' and Stephen King's 'macroverse'?

In 'The Mist', the horrors originate from 'two-dash space', a concept in Stephen King's 'macroverse' where the barriers between realms are thin, allowing creatures from this space to enter and cause chaos.

How does 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley relate to the theme of horror?

'Frankenstein' relates to the theme of horror by exploring the fear of creation, rejection by one's creator, and the loneliness and cruelty faced by the creature, which is seen as less than human due to its difference.

What makes 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons an honorable mention in Quinn's Halloween special?

'Hyperion' is an honorable mention due to its science fiction epic setting, the presence of horrifying elements like the Shrike and the time tombs, and its multiple scary moments that fit the Halloween theme.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Spooky Sci-Fi Recommendations

The video script begins with the narrator discussing an ancient book of magic from their family, which includes prophecies and depictions of demons. They segue into the main topic of the video, which is a Halloween special focusing on spooky science fiction book recommendations. The narrator, Quinn, introduces the video and mentions their love for both horror and science fiction genres, hinting at the books that will be discussed, including Stephen King's 'The Gunslinger' and its significance as part of the Dark Tower series, which connects many of King's works into a shared universe.

05:01

🌙 The Dark Tower's Cosmic Horror

In this paragraph, the focus is on 'The Gunslinger,' the first book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. The narrator describes the book's plot, which involves the protagonist, Roland, pursuing a man in black across a desert in a world where time is fluid and difficult to measure. The man in black is a recurring character in King's works and poses various traps to deter Roland from his quest to find the Dark Tower, a nexus that connects all things. The summary highlights a particularly eerie part of the book involving a town called Tull, where the man in black has raised the dead and left a woman with a prophecy that could lead to madness.

10:02

🌌 Challenging Reads and Cosmic Mysteries

The narrator moves on to recommend 'Book of the New Sun' by Gene Wolfe, a challenging read set in a distant, pseudo-feudal future. The book features a mysterious, dim sun and a world that is not as it once was. The protagonist, who is a torturer by profession, is as clueless as the reader about the larger world, creating a sense of mystery and discovery. The narrator also mentions 'The Passage,' an apocalyptic novel that involves a government experiment gone wrong, creating a virus that leads to an apocalyptic scenario with viral zombies. The book is praised for its long view of history and its tense, scary moments.

15:02

🚀 Space Operas and Stephen King's Short Stories

This paragraph discusses Alastair Reynolds' space operas, particularly 'Revelation Space,' which contains horror elements and explores the mysteries of the universe, evoking a sense of cosmic dread. The narrator also recommends 'The Skeleton Crew,' a collection of Stephen King's short stories, highlighting 'The Mist' for its government experiment gone awry and the subsequent unleashing of Lovecraftian horrors. The summary touches on the concept of 'two-dash space' from King's macroverse, where the thin barriers between realms allow for the intrusion of otherworldly creatures.

📖 Classic Dystopian and Horror Novels

The final paragraph covers classic novels with horror and dystopian themes. '1984' by George Orwell is discussed for its relevance to modern concerns about government surveillance and the erosion of freedoms. The narrator finds the book scarier now than when it was written due to the parallels with current societal issues. 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley is highlighted as the first science fiction novel, exploring the horrors of creation, rejection, and the cruelty of existence. The narrator emphasizes the depth of the creature's character and the book's historical significance.

Keywords

💡Ancient Book of Magic

The 'Ancient Book of Magic' is a central element in the video's narrative, symbolizing a connection to a rich and mysterious past. It contains spells, depictions of demons, and prophecies, which are all key elements of the horror genre. The book is described as being in the family for many generations, adding a layer of personal and inherited mystery to the story.

💡Halloween Special

The 'Halloween Special' refers to the video's thematic focus on the spooky and the supernatural, aligning with the Halloween season. It is a curated selection of books that fit the eerie and frightening mood of the holiday. The term is used to introduce the video's purpose, which is to provide recommendations of science fiction and horror literature.

💡Stephen King

Stephen King is a renowned author known for his contributions to the horror genre, with works that often blend elements of science fiction and cosmic horror. In the video, King's 'The Gunslinger' and 'The Skeleton Crew' are highlighted, showcasing his ability to craft stories that resonate with the video's theme of exploring the dark and the unknown.

💡The Dark Tower Series

The 'The Dark Tower Series' is a significant work by Stephen King, which is mentioned as King's magnum opus. The series is unique for its interconnected universe that links many of King's other works. The 'Gunslinger' is the first book in this series and is recommended in the video due to its standalone nature and its introduction to the complex world of the Dark Tower.

💡Cosmic Horror

Cosmic horror is a subgenre of horror fiction that emphasizes the vastness and indifference of the universe, often evoking a sense of dread and insignificance in the face of the unknown. The video discusses how certain books, like 'The Gunslinger' and Alastair Reynolds' works, incorporate elements of cosmic horror, adding depth to the horror experience.

💡Spooky Season

The term 'Spooky Season' is a colloquial reference to the Halloween season, characterized by a celebration of all things eerie and supernatural. It is used in the video to frame the context of the book recommendations, suggesting that these are ideal reads for embracing the spirit of Halloween.

💡The Book of the New Sun

'The Book of the New Sun' by Gene Wolfe is highlighted in the video as a challenging but rewarding read with a disturbing and mysterious atmosphere. Set in a distant, dystopian future, the book is noted for its enigmatic narrative that requires the reader to actively decipher the world alongside the protagonist.

💡The Passage

The 'The Passage' is an apocalyptic novel mentioned in the video, which presents a unique take on the zombie apocalypse genre. It is distinguished by its exploration of the long view of history and its intricate storytelling that spans across different time periods, adding a layer of complexity to the horror narrative.

💡Alastair Reynolds

Alastair Reynolds is an author of science fiction known for incorporating horror elements into his space operas. The video specifically mentions 'Revelation Space' as an example of his work that evokes a sense of cosmic dread and explores the mysteries of the universe, aligning with the video's theme of horror and the unknown.

💡1984

The novel '1984' by George Orwell is discussed in the video as a classic that carries a chilling relevance to contemporary issues of surveillance and loss of freedom. The term is used to illustrate how the dystopian themes of the book resonate with real-world concerns, adding a layer of horror to the societal critique.

💡Frankenstein

'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley is recognized in the video as the first science fiction novel ever written. The story explores themes of creation, rejection, and the existential horror of existence. It is recommended in the video for its historical significance and its deep exploration of what it means to be alive and conscious.

Highlights

Introduction to an ancient book of magic with family lineage, spells, demons, and prophecies.

Quinn's Halloween special focusing on spooky science fiction book recommendations.

Stephen King's 'The Gunslinger' as an entry point to his macroverse with elements of science fiction and cosmic horror.

The Dark Tower series as King's magnum opus, connecting his other works in a conjoined universe.

The Gunslinger's narrative of Roland's pursuit of the man in Black and the mysterious Dark Tower.

Disturbing depictions in the town of Tull and the self-fulfilling prophecy involving the number 19.

The genre-blending nature of The Dark Tower series, combining western, horror, and science fiction.

Recommendation of 'Book of the New Sun' by Gene Wolfe for its challenging read and creepy atmosphere.

The Passage as an apocalyptic novel with a unique take on the zombie apocalypse theme.

Alistair Reynolds' space operas for their cosmic horror elements and the sense of deep time.

The Skeleton Crew short story collection, particularly 'The Mist', for its government experiment gone wrong.

1984's relevance and scariness in the context of modern surveillance and loss of freedoms.

Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' as the first science fiction novel with themes of creation, rejection, and humanity.

Honorable mention of 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons for its scary moments and science fiction epic setting.

Quinn's personal connection to the material, studying the ancient book of magic and planning a Halloween special.

The importance of deciphering and re-reading challenging books like 'Book of the New Sun' to uncover new insights.

The macroverse concept in Stephen King's works and its relation to the creatures in 'The Mist'.

Transcripts

so I was sitting here flipping through

this ancient book of magic that's been

in my family for many generations it's

got spells and depictions of demons and

other stuff and prophecies about how

they're going to come after me but

whatever it doesn't matter that much

anyway I was sitting here studying the

disturbing depictions and I thought to

myself I have not planned a Halloween

special for this year so I thought that

maybe I would take this time to explore

some of my favorite spooky science

fiction books and give you guys some

recommendations for the Halloween season

this is quin ID's Halloween special

number

three

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hi guys it's Quinn here if you

appreciate my content consider hitting

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algorithm notices me if you'd like to do

more to keep this channel a float

consider donating through the PayPal

Link in the description or checking out

our patreon thanks guys so much so you

guys know that I love science fiction

but my first love was really horror I

got into Lovecraft as a teenager and I

also picked up the work of Stephen King

as a teenager and Stephen King no matter

what anybody says has some of the best

horror stories ever and plenty of them

have elements of Science Fiction and

Cosmic horror as well we talked about

his book it in my Halloween special last

year but in this video we're going to

talk about another another one of his

books the Gunslinger the Gunslinger is

the first in a series of books that

takes you on a journey through Stephen

King's macroverse Stephen King considers

The Dark Tower series as his magnum

opus the series connects most of his

other works in a conjoined universe so

in this series there is an object known

as The Dark Tower that exists both

physically and

non-physically it is the Nexus that

connects all

things the reason I'm recommending the

Gunslinger and not the entire series is

because the entire series is a huge

investment and to get the full impact of

the entire series you really need to be

familiar with the work of Stephen King

but the Gunslinger itself can be viewed

as a semi Standalone novel although it

does directly connect to the other books

the Gunslinger opens up with the title

character following a man in Black

across the desert he's been following

this man for some vague amount of time

in this particular world time moves

strangely in fact it's almost impossible

to measure Roland is in Pursuit Of The

Dark Tower and he believes that he needs

to reach the man in Black in order to

find it throughout the book while Roland

is in Pursuit Of The Man in Black the

man in Black who also appears in other

Stephen King stories like the stand

leaves various traps in order to tempt

Roland away from his quest

one of the scariest parts of the book in

my opinion is when Roland visits a town

called tol it is a town that the man in

Black has been to as well in this town

the man in Black has raised a man from

the dead and he gives this man a number

night te also in this strange Eerie

little town is a woman named Ally and

the Man in Black leaves her with a kind

of self-fulfilling prophecy he says to

her you want to know about death

I left him a word that word is 19 if you

say it to him his mind will be opened he

will tell you what lies Beyond he will

tell you what he saw the word is 19

knowing will drive you mad but sooner or

later you will ask you won't be able to

help yourself have a nice day Walter o

dim PS the word is 19 you will try to

forget but sooner or later it will come

out of your mouth like

vomit this part is disturbing to me

because someone she knows has been

brought back from the dead from the

other side and all she'd have to do to

know was say the number but it comes

with the price to me this is very love

crafy and it just gives me the chills it

implies that there is an afterlife but

the horror of what actually waits in the

afterlife is is terrifying the land of

19 now the Gunslinger and the entire

Dark Tower series Series has a lot of

very abstract moments it's very surreal

at times because you're dealing with the

Multiverse and the craziness of the

entire Cosmos it's hard to call The Dark

Tower series science fiction even it's

kind of Science Fiction and it's kind of

a western and it's kind of a horror and

it's kind of every genre blurred

together it's genre less so if you want

a book that's definitely got creepy

Cosmic horror Vibes and that's easy to

read and that's a quick read the

Gunslinger is probably the spooky season

book for you the next St on my list book

of the new Sun by Jean wolf now I'm not

going to lie to you guys the book of the

new sun is a challenging read it is a

book that you have to decipher as you

consume it but it has a truly disturbing

and creepy atmosphere it takes place at

some point in the distant distant future

where mankind has kind of returned to

this pseudo feudal era and reading this

book you're just as clueless as the main

character who doesn't really know

anything beyond the very small view of

the world that he's had so you're

discovering the world with him and as

the title implies there's something

wrong with the sun it's dim it's read

the world is not what it once was the

protagonist is literally a torturer and

an executioner that is his job the book

of the new son has a very strong sense

of mystery and I think that is a key

part of what makes it work because I do

think it's written in a way that might

turn some people off but once you

realize how fun it is to decipher and

once you start to uncover the dark

secrets that this world has hidden

within it it gets a lot more fun so if

you're the type of person that likes

challenge in reading and if you're the

type of person that likes to read books

more than once to uncover new things and

you like disturbing mysterious science

fiction worlds then the book of the new

son by Jane Wolf might be the book for

you moving right along next we're going

to talk about the passage the passage is

an apocalyptic novel kind of in the vein

of the stand by step King but it has its

own thing happening basically Tail as

old as time the government is doing

experiments on inmates they're trying to

prolong human life and they end up

creating a virus that kills most people

and turns some people into creatures now

I promise you this is not your basic

zombie apocalypse story there's so much

more to it is how it shows you the

beginning of the apocalypse and how

things happen and then it jumps like 93

years and throughout the book it's also

making references to up to a, years in

the future by the way this book is also

a part of a series that continues on and

on and on I really love science fiction

that deals with the long view of History

it's something that I've always liked

that's why I like Dune that's why I like

foundation and the passage is another

example of something like that but it's

told through this story that involves an

apocalypse and nukes going off and viral

zombies that we're all familiar with but

the way it's written in my opinion sits

it several steps

above most things of a similar nature

also this book is freaking scary there

are some extremely tense moments in this

book so definitely if you are a big

horror fan this is a great horror book

for The Fall

season next on my list is basically

anything by aliser Reynolds alist

Reynolds has

Great Horror elements in His science

fiction books especially Revelation

space I've talked about these books

before on my channel but I've never

really highlighted how creepy they can

be at times and really the creepiness

comes from the fact that he's playing

with the mysteries of the universe and

there are various moments in his books

that evoke this ominous sense of the

cosmos what's really out there alist

Reynold's books often have have this

sense of deep time the universe is very

very old and sometimes when I think

about how old the universe is and how

big the universe is I do kind of get

this

feeling that's almost like anxiety or

fear and I think Alistar Reynold's books

do a good job of evoking that same sense

upon reading compared to the universe we

are so tiny we are so small and it's

good to be reminded that so definitely

check out Alis Reynold's books if you

like space

operas moving right along I bet you

thought I was done talking about Stephen

King so this is actually a collection of

short stories called The Skeleton Crew

and the reason I'm recommending this one

is because of the story The

Mist predictably the horrors in this

particular Story start with another

government project the arrowhead project

so let me explain something about

Stephen King's macroverse think of the

macroverse as a huge bubble within the

macroverse are a bunch of other bubbles

those bubbles are universes but there's

also space between those bubbles and the

greater macroverse that space is called

two dash space it might be pronounced to

dash space but I've never heard anyone

say the word out loud so whatever the

creatures that appear in the Mist after

the arrowhead project accidentally op

some kind of gate seemed to be from two

dash space The Dark Tower series at some

points mentions that the barriers

between certain Realms and two dash

space are thinner these places are

called thinnies

when the barrier is too thin these

worlds become twisted and dark versions

of themselves full of the horrors that

inhabit two Dash space this is what

happens in the Mist so basically in the

Mist the arrowhead project has opened up

a gateway to all sorts of Lovecraft and

Horrors and the story follows a man and

a son who think they're just on a trip

to the grocery store after this big

storm but it turns out that trip is

going to last a lot longer because them

and a bunch of other people in the

grocery store are trapped and there's a

bunch of monsters

outside now the Mist is a great story if

you have not read it it's another quick

creepy one set in a small town that you

can get through rather quickly it's got

sci-fi elements it's got Cosmic horror

elements and it's also got plenty of

contemporary horror elements as well

definitely check this one

out all right next on my list a

classic

1984 everyone talks about this book all

the time but why is it

scary this book is scarier now than I

think it was when it was written because

when it was written it's like hey guys

don't get to the point where we've given

away too many freedoms and now I feel

like we have hit this Landslide where

our freedoms are being gradually taken

away and government surveillance has

become more and more prominent lots of

things in 1984 are becoming true some of

the societal ills present in 1984 were

present in 1949 but a lot more are

present now in my opinion I truly pray

that we never get the ability to read

people's minds because thought crime

could become a very real thing there's a

very specific warning in

1984 it's warning how easy it is to slip

back into

Fascism and how technology can Aid in

that process and how

incredibly difficult it is to get out of

it once we've gotten into it the book

also deals with ideas like social

conditioning which is something that's

particularly Eerie to me when someone is

conditioned to believe something it's

really hard to break that condition

often there are plenty of things that

Society wants you to believe that aren't

true we still live in a world right now

where it's okay technically to disagree

with the powers that be to think

whatever you want to think but how much

longer can we hold on to it if we don't

fight for these rights more so 1984 is a

banger of a book and it's a mustre a lot

of people think it's boring it's not a

boring book I do not agree it's riveting

every time I have the chance of reading

it next up on my list another classic

Mary Shell's Frankenstein Frankenstein

is actually the first science fiction

novel ever written I love Frankenstein I

was actually Frankenstein for Halloween

this year we threw a whole mad scientist

Halloween party Frankenstein is a book

that is about the horror of looking your

creator in the face and seeing something

that is unworthy it is the horror about

being rejected by your Creator and being

forced to face the world alone the

horror of being smacked in the face with

the cruelty of the world and the cruelty

of life and existence

it's about the horror of being seen as

less human or not even human a creature

a monster because you're different

everybody knows the story of

Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein wants

to create life he takes all the most

beautiful dead body parts that he can

find and he zaps it to life but once he

looks this creature in the eye once he

looks at his creation he is disgusted he

rejects what he has created but the

so-called monster is a living conscious

being he thinks profound thoughts he

dreams profound dreams I think a lot of

people have been tricked by the

portrayal of Frankenstein in the

mainstream he's always kind of a dumb

monster Frankenstein is definitely not

dumb in this book this is such a

profound story about what it means to be

alive and conscious and I highly

recommend it if not for the story then

just for the historical value of this

being the first science fiction novel

ever

written and finally without further Ado

honorable mentions Hyperion Dan Simmons

I love Hyperion I've talked about it a

bunch on this channel but I just wanted

to reiterate it here Hyperion has a lot

of scary moments the priest tale is

freaking creepy and I've done a whole

video on the priest tale um on this

channel you can check it out Hyperion is

a science fiction epic set hundreds of

years in our future where we have

advanced to a global hegemony there is a

particular World known as Hyperion where

these objects known as the time tombs

have appeared and there is also a being

named the shrike that has come out of

these time tombs and no one understands

to strike it is extremely powerful and

extremely malevolent Hyperion is one of

those books that is science fiction

ostensively but has plenty of horrifying

elements woven through them and you can

check out my videos that I've done on

the Hyperion series if you want to learn

more about

it all right guys so that has been my

spooky Halloween special thanks so much

for

watching now I'm suddenly feeling the

urge to utter out loud some of these

incantations in a dark room so if you

don't mind me I'll be heading out of

here thanks

guys

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