So who is the second best author after SK? Who else should every SK fan know about?

[Todash]

I'm never going to catch up if good authors keep writing books.

[dsurrett]

Not knocking Robert Mccammon in anyway, but I truly am sure Joe Hill and Chuck Hogan are the best novellists working today, one being a master of the contemporary horror novel set in authentic scenarios and the other the best writer of thriller novels in my opinion, with a perchance for building narrative around dialogue and implied reference.

Both are worth reading and both I would wholeheartedly recommend.

I'll have to check Chuck Hogan. I've read all of Joe Hill's books and would agree he's excellent, he just doesn't have enough books out there yet! Hopefully he'll become as prolific as his dad.

[Shasta]

I vote Chuck Palahniuk, even though he's not technically horror. I find his books to be terrifying.

[Shasta]

I'll have to check out Robert McCammon. Definitely.

For me, though, it's Neil Gaiman. Good Omens, Anansi Boys, American Gods, Coraline, Neverwhere, The Graveyard Book ... Loved them all. Yes, two are "children's" books, but a good children's book is still a good book.

Love love love love love love love.

[Daniel Lee Severn]

Not knocking Robert Mccammon in anyway, but I truly am sure Joe Hill and Chuck Hogan are the best novellists working today, one being a master of the contemporary horror novel set in authentic scenarios and the other the best writer of thriller novels in my opinion, with a perchance for building narrative around dialogue and implied reference.

Both are worth reading and both I would wholeheartedly recommend.

Joe Hill's Heart-shaped Box was really just okay, I haven't read 20th Century Ghosts or Horns yet. Judging by just Heart-shaped Box alone, I wouldn't call him one of the best in the field.

[Spooky Chick]

I'm really struggling to find other authors to read cos I cant help compare them to SK! As I'm reading the Discworld novels I'd have to go with Terry Pratchett. Other than him there's Douglas Adams, Asimov, and Tolkien of course.

I'll have to try McCammon if I can find any 2nd hand or at the library.

[J.T. Adams]

I'm really struggling to find other authors to read cos I cant help compare them to SK!

For me, Richard Matheson has often times satisfied me in much the same way as SK would. Try The Shrinking Man, highly reccomended by SK and, less importantly mayhap, me also.

[Patricia A]

I'm really struggling to find other authors to read cos I cant help compare them to SK! As I'm reading the Discworld novels I'd have to go with Terry Pratchett. Other than him there's Douglas Adams, Asimov, and Tolkien of course.

I'll have to try McCammon if I can find any 2nd hand or at the library.

Robert McCammon's books are hard to find in used book stores or charity shops. Most of the ones I see are pretty ratty if not falling apart. You can buy some of his stuff used on Amazon for pocket change though. Here's a link to his site where you can order stuff new. Fair prices too.

http://www.robertmccammon.com/

And OMGod don't even get me started on Neil Gaiman. HE IS AMAZING! I am not even going to begin to tell you how wonderful Terry Pratchett is either.
Joe Hill has mad skills too. So many of the authors mentioned in this thread are to die for, but I have to stick to my guns on McCammon being my next best.

[Doc Wilson]

Joe Hill's Heart-shaped Box was really just okay, I haven't read 20th Century Ghosts or Horns yet. Judging by just Heart-shaped Box alone, I wouldn't call him one of the best in the field.

I enjoyed HSB, but Horns is better.

[randallFlaggfan1]

I'd definitely agree about McCammon, but I'd also suggest Dan Simmons.