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Frighteners, The
The Frighteners follows the quest of Peter Laws, a Baptist minister with a penchant for the macabre, to understand why so many people love things that are spooky, morbid and downright repellent. He meets vampires, hunts werewolves in Hull, talks to a man who has slept on a mortuary slab to help him deal with a diagnosis, and is chased by a chainsaw-wielding maniac through a farmhouse full of hanging bodies.
Staring into the darkness of a Transylvanian night, he asks: what is it that makes millions of people seek to be disgusted and freaked out? And in a world that worships rationality and points an accusing finger at violent video games and gruesome films, can an interest in horror culture actually give us safe ways to confront our mortality? Might it even have power to re-enchant our jaded world?
Grab your crucifixes, pack the silver bullets and join the Sinister Minister on his romp into our morbid curiosities.
Staring into the darkness of a Transylvanian night, he asks: what is it that makes millions of people seek to be disgusted and freaked out? And in a world that worships rationality and points an accusing finger at violent video games and gruesome films, can an interest in horror culture actually give us safe ways to confront our mortality? Might it even have power to re-enchant our jaded world?
Grab your crucifixes, pack the silver bullets and join the Sinister Minister on his romp into our morbid curiosities.
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First published March 22, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
August 15, 2018
4.5 estrellas.
¡Amantes de horror! ¿Alguna vez los han visto feo cuando confiensan que aman las historias de fantasmas? ¿Les ha dado pena admitir que mientras más sangrienta sea una película, más la disfrutan? ¿Sueñan con visitar Transilvania? ¿Se saben de memoria la vida y trayectoria de algún asesino en serie? ¿Coleccionan objetos macabros? Este libro es para ustedes.
Peter Laws ha sentido una fascinación hacia todo lo siniestro y terrorífico desde que tiene memoria y se ha enfrentado incontables veces a la pregunta ¿por qué te gusta todo eso? Este libro es un intento por contestar a esa pregunta, pero también un recorrido por los miedos más comunes de la humanidad.
Escrito con un tono humorísitco genial "The Frighteners" es una lectura que se goza de principio a fin. Si son fans del horror se sentirán identificados con muchísimas de las experiencias que Peter va narrando y se maravillarán con otras. El libro nos lleva a explorar desde un punto de vista neurológico y psiquiátrico la fascinación con todo aquello que provoca miedo, pasando por las calles de un pueblo inglés en donde supuestamente se aparece un hombre lobo, tiendas de coleccionistas de objetos macabros y hasta la lejana Transilvania.
Abordando prejuicios que muchas veces se tienen contra los fanáticos del género (¡Esas cosas son del diablo! ¡Es un asesino en potencia! ¡Eres raro!) Laws nos va demostrando que el amor al horror es mucho más normal de lo que pensamos e, incluso, bastante sano. El mismo Laws es una contradicción andante ante muchos de los prejuicios que se tienen sobre los amantes del horror: es un ministro cristiano y, juguetonamente, se autodenomina "the sinister minister" (el ministro siniesto).
Una lectura maravillosa y súper divertida, la razón por la que le bajo media estrella fue justo porque el último capítulo tuvo un tono con tintes algo religiosos que no me volvió loca, pero sabiendo a lo que se dedica el autor, supongo que era de imaginarse. Muy recomendado.
¡Amantes de horror! ¿Alguna vez los han visto feo cuando confiensan que aman las historias de fantasmas? ¿Les ha dado pena admitir que mientras más sangrienta sea una película, más la disfrutan? ¿Sueñan con visitar Transilvania? ¿Se saben de memoria la vida y trayectoria de algún asesino en serie? ¿Coleccionan objetos macabros? Este libro es para ustedes.
Peter Laws ha sentido una fascinación hacia todo lo siniestro y terrorífico desde que tiene memoria y se ha enfrentado incontables veces a la pregunta ¿por qué te gusta todo eso? Este libro es un intento por contestar a esa pregunta, pero también un recorrido por los miedos más comunes de la humanidad.
Escrito con un tono humorísitco genial "The Frighteners" es una lectura que se goza de principio a fin. Si son fans del horror se sentirán identificados con muchísimas de las experiencias que Peter va narrando y se maravillarán con otras. El libro nos lleva a explorar desde un punto de vista neurológico y psiquiátrico la fascinación con todo aquello que provoca miedo, pasando por las calles de un pueblo inglés en donde supuestamente se aparece un hombre lobo, tiendas de coleccionistas de objetos macabros y hasta la lejana Transilvania.
Abordando prejuicios que muchas veces se tienen contra los fanáticos del género (¡Esas cosas son del diablo! ¡Es un asesino en potencia! ¡Eres raro!) Laws nos va demostrando que el amor al horror es mucho más normal de lo que pensamos e, incluso, bastante sano. El mismo Laws es una contradicción andante ante muchos de los prejuicios que se tienen sobre los amantes del horror: es un ministro cristiano y, juguetonamente, se autodenomina "the sinister minister" (el ministro siniesto).
Una lectura maravillosa y súper divertida, la razón por la que le bajo media estrella fue justo porque el último capítulo tuvo un tono con tintes algo religiosos que no me volvió loca, pero sabiendo a lo que se dedica el autor, supongo que era de imaginarse. Muy recomendado.
March 25, 2021
Hilarious and relatable. This was such a fun audiobook! Full review to come.
June 24, 2019
Fantastic. One of the best nonfiction books I have ever read. I'd love to see a second volume, Rev. Laws!
February 17, 2019
From the first chapter of this book, I found myself nodding and smiling in agreement with many of the author's statements regarding his love of the macabre. He mentions how he had this interest from childhood, which made me look back on my lifelong love of horror. As a child, I always wanted to watch the movies or read the books that others considered to be too "scary". As an adult, I’m still seeking the thrill of being truly frightened.
Peter Laws does a great job explaining why so many of us take interest in the world of horror, covering topics such as ghosts, zombies, werewolves, vampires, and serial killers. He explains these fascinations with stories of his own personal experience, information from experts, and cited research.
I felt very at-home reading this book, and it helped me feel even more comfortable with my interest in all things frightening. I especially enjoyed the section regarding demons and ghosts, and Laws' thoughts on his faith in relation to these interests.
If you're a fan of horror, and have ever wondered if you're interests are "normal", give this a read. You'll find that you're one among many who love all things dark and spooky!
Peter Laws does a great job explaining why so many of us take interest in the world of horror, covering topics such as ghosts, zombies, werewolves, vampires, and serial killers. He explains these fascinations with stories of his own personal experience, information from experts, and cited research.
I felt very at-home reading this book, and it helped me feel even more comfortable with my interest in all things frightening. I especially enjoyed the section regarding demons and ghosts, and Laws' thoughts on his faith in relation to these interests.
If you're a fan of horror, and have ever wondered if you're interests are "normal", give this a read. You'll find that you're one among many who love all things dark and spooky!
July 11, 2022
Ok, so little known fact about me: I’m a secret horror fanatic. Since the age of four, I have loved the macabre, the scary and the dark side of humanity. I was six when I saw Halloween (the Michael Myers franchise) and the Exorcist, Carrie, The Shining, and Rosemary’s Baby, which probably explains a lot about me as a person.
I have played and watched horror games and films since I was a wee child, and I’ve read a lot about horror. However, I’ve always been curious: why am I like this? Why did four year old me cry when she couldn’t go on The Tower of Terror at Disney world and then made her family take her repeatedly on The Haunted Mansion to make up for it? Why did I insist all my birthdays be Halloween themed? Was I born this way, or did something happen to me before the age of four? Why do I turn to graphic True Crime podcasts and documentaries to “chill out”?
If you also have these questions to answer about yourself, this book isn’t going to help you.
I don’t entirely understand who this book is for. From the title and the premise, I would have imagined it was for well-versed horror lovers such as myself; people wanting to dive deep into why they’re the way they are. But it’s not that at all. If anything, it’s an incredibly self-indulgent autobiography that discussed horror from a very basic, surface level standing, as if he imagines his audience to be people who have never watched or engaged with anything gothic or horror in their lifetimes.
I knew everything this book discussed. I’ve known everything this book discussed since the age of 10. Nothing about this is deep or significant, and it certainly doesn’t explore the psychology of horror lovers other than the very basic “would you believe it? People who like horror aren’t murders!” position.
I didn’t care for the overly indulgent autobiographic stories that dominate the book, and when we finally started talking about something related to horror, I felt like I was reading a GCSE BBC bite size introduction to the topic.
I blame the publisher for false marketing. This should have been published as an autobiography about a pastor who likes horror.
I have played and watched horror games and films since I was a wee child, and I’ve read a lot about horror. However, I’ve always been curious: why am I like this? Why did four year old me cry when she couldn’t go on The Tower of Terror at Disney world and then made her family take her repeatedly on The Haunted Mansion to make up for it? Why did I insist all my birthdays be Halloween themed? Was I born this way, or did something happen to me before the age of four? Why do I turn to graphic True Crime podcasts and documentaries to “chill out”?
If you also have these questions to answer about yourself, this book isn’t going to help you.
I don’t entirely understand who this book is for. From the title and the premise, I would have imagined it was for well-versed horror lovers such as myself; people wanting to dive deep into why they’re the way they are. But it’s not that at all. If anything, it’s an incredibly self-indulgent autobiography that discussed horror from a very basic, surface level standing, as if he imagines his audience to be people who have never watched or engaged with anything gothic or horror in their lifetimes.
I knew everything this book discussed. I’ve known everything this book discussed since the age of 10. Nothing about this is deep or significant, and it certainly doesn’t explore the psychology of horror lovers other than the very basic “would you believe it? People who like horror aren’t murders!” position.
I didn’t care for the overly indulgent autobiographic stories that dominate the book, and when we finally started talking about something related to horror, I felt like I was reading a GCSE BBC bite size introduction to the topic.
I blame the publisher for false marketing. This should have been published as an autobiography about a pastor who likes horror.
October 23, 2021
"I'm reminded, that maybe I am weird, but hey that's not such a big deal when you're walking through a world that's filled with weirdos."
This book encourages us to embrace our weird, learn from fear, and honestly is just an all around fun read!
This book encourages us to embrace our weird, learn from fear, and honestly is just an all around fun read!
July 14, 2021
This was very interesting! I don't really know what more I wanted from this book, but I did feel like some of the tangents were a little odd, especially the furry convention. Would've loved more on the trip to Transylvania!
June 30, 2023
"Why we love monsters, ghosts, death & gore"
Oh. This was so good!
Peter Laws tells the tale of some possible reasons as to why we love some horror. Told in a manner that is informative yet fun, this engaging book gives possible reasons as to why some people actively search for the macabre & the view society at large has about that. All aspects herein were approached in an unbiased opinion, which I loved. I expected this book to be very different due to the author being a baptist minister, but he approaches everything in this book with a fair and factual viewpoint, a great book 😃
Oh. This was so good!
Peter Laws tells the tale of some possible reasons as to why we love some horror. Told in a manner that is informative yet fun, this engaging book gives possible reasons as to why some people actively search for the macabre & the view society at large has about that. All aspects herein were approached in an unbiased opinion, which I loved. I expected this book to be very different due to the author being a baptist minister, but he approaches everything in this book with a fair and factual viewpoint, a great book 😃
Read
August 25, 2021目錄
推薦序
第一章 黑暗牧師
第二章 血之劇場
第三章 恐懼本能
第四章 藏屍大師
第五章 無所不在的喪屍
第六章 殺手文化
第七章 體內的野獸
第八章 床邊的死亡故事
第九章 鬼屋
第十章 死神姊姊
鳴謝
～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～
連續殺人狂「查爾斯·曼森」… 呵呵呵
推薦序
第一章 黑暗牧師
第二章 血之劇場
第三章 恐懼本能
第四章 藏屍大師
第五章 無所不在的喪屍
第六章 殺手文化
第七章 體內的野獸
第八章 床邊的死亡故事
第九章 鬼屋
第十章 死神姊姊
鳴謝
～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～
連續殺人狂「查爾斯·曼森」… 呵呵呵
September 3, 2024
I had such high hopes for this and it ended up being so mediocre and meh, such a disappointment. There were some interesting bits but I was hoping for much more insight into the horror genre and what makes it so popular.
January 27, 2020
I feel heard/seen. This was such a great novel that heightened my interest in the macabre, while also giving my interests meaning.
October 2, 2018
Laws seems like a fun and likable guy, but his book disappoints. Both the title and the publishers summary badly mislead the reader as to what this book truly is. I was expecting something more academic, but this is an indulgent memoir populated by pop-psych theories on fear and violence and way too much "me, me, me" from the author.
*I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
May 1, 2023
Because I’ve listened to his podcasts for a while I could really hear his voice in this book. Great summation of his stance on all things macabre.
June 24, 2019
This was better than expected. Going in, I was unfamiliar with Peter Laws, apart from the blurb for the book mentioning that he is a reverend and perhaps a seemingly unlikely choice to author a book about why we are delighted by things that scare us (he devotes an entire chapter on this near the end, and also addresses it at the beginning). A writer when not conducting church services, Laws has authored novels about a professor aiding in the solving of religious crimes, and also reviews horror and similarly themed movies for The Fortean Times, the delightfully wacky magazine devoted to the weird and out there. This is relevant, because Laws demonstrates wit and verve throughout The Frighteners.
Laws has done his research on why we seek out to be frightened by various things, but this is not a carefully considered study and analysis, it is very much Laws providing expert testimony and studies, while adding in a lot of his own personal take on the various spooky subjects, neatly divided into their own chapters. There are fictional frights—scary movies and TV shows, but also could-be-real frights like ghosts, werewolves, cryptids and more. Then there are the sadly real, like serial killers, their “murderabilia” and crush videos (don’t look up the latter if you are at work or anywhere else on the planet. Trust me on this.)
Laws doesn’t defend the more dubious aspects that some people seem to crave, but he does attempt to understand motivations. And he highlights that most of us—even people into murderabilia (mementos from famous crimes or killers) have our limits. For example, a couple that run a curio shop in York sells things like strands of Charles Manson’s hair, among other ghoulish “delights”, but the American half of the couple admits she turned down the chance to sell bricks from Sandy Hook, because she lived nearby and had no emotional distance from the killings.
A lot of the fare Laws covers is lighter, and even silly. Zombie-themed escape rooms are a big thing now, and Laws partakes not as research for the book, but because he just loves them so much (he went to Transylvania for his 40th birthday), going out of his way to squeeze every last bit of drama from them, like the hero of a horror film.
In the end I was carried along by Laws’ enthusiasm for the macabre and frightening, and his gleeful delight in the same. He provides enough research, expert interviews and other material to elevate the book well above “I like scary stuff, let me talk about it”, so if you find the subject matter interesting, this is an easy recommendation.
Laws has done his research on why we seek out to be frightened by various things, but this is not a carefully considered study and analysis, it is very much Laws providing expert testimony and studies, while adding in a lot of his own personal take on the various spooky subjects, neatly divided into their own chapters. There are fictional frights—scary movies and TV shows, but also could-be-real frights like ghosts, werewolves, cryptids and more. Then there are the sadly real, like serial killers, their “murderabilia” and crush videos (don’t look up the latter if you are at work or anywhere else on the planet. Trust me on this.)
Laws doesn’t defend the more dubious aspects that some people seem to crave, but he does attempt to understand motivations. And he highlights that most of us—even people into murderabilia (mementos from famous crimes or killers) have our limits. For example, a couple that run a curio shop in York sells things like strands of Charles Manson’s hair, among other ghoulish “delights”, but the American half of the couple admits she turned down the chance to sell bricks from Sandy Hook, because she lived nearby and had no emotional distance from the killings.
A lot of the fare Laws covers is lighter, and even silly. Zombie-themed escape rooms are a big thing now, and Laws partakes not as research for the book, but because he just loves them so much (he went to Transylvania for his 40th birthday), going out of his way to squeeze every last bit of drama from them, like the hero of a horror film.
In the end I was carried along by Laws’ enthusiasm for the macabre and frightening, and his gleeful delight in the same. He provides enough research, expert interviews and other material to elevate the book well above “I like scary stuff, let me talk about it”, so if you find the subject matter interesting, this is an easy recommendation.
November 12, 2018
While I LOVE the supernatural & mildly-spooky, I’m actually not that into the horror genre (movies or literature). I don’t enjoy being scared & I wouldn’t say I have an interest in the “macabre,” just in the “otherworldly.” Regardless, so many aspects of this book SPOKE TO MY SOUL.
The way that the author — an ordained Christian minister, strangely (or maybe not so strangely) enough — navigates the terrain between religion & lore totally captivated me. I’m equally interested (in a theoretical way) in the idea of god & in the idea of werewolves, so, like, “Hi, perfect book!” 👋🏻
Not only does Rev. Peter Laws explore the (he says natural) interest in “monsters, ghosts, death & gore,” but he delves into controversial topics like video game violence & “morbid play” (particularly in children who are trauma-survivors) &, given his profession, he comes down on the issues in ways that may surprise you! He’s funny, & smart, & WEIRD AF, &, full disclosure: I definitely developed a teeny-tiny author crush.
If I have any complaint about the book, it’s that he could’ve gone deeper into “scary” issues like race & gender. For instance, despite a chapter entitled “Sister,” there’s no discussion of society’s fascination with witches (& witchcraft’s recent resurgence & link with feminism & politics). The chapter on ghosts is a bit threadbare, too (#reallybadpunintended... y’know, ‘cause sometimes ghosts are sheets 🤷♀️👻). Also there are a few typos.
But GODDAMMIT (heh), I loved this book & will definitely be purchasing a copy for my shelves (an honor I bestow only upon titles I truly love). The attention paid to both darkness & light - & the genuine reverence shown for both - is worth *your* attention.
The way that the author — an ordained Christian minister, strangely (or maybe not so strangely) enough — navigates the terrain between religion & lore totally captivated me. I’m equally interested (in a theoretical way) in the idea of god & in the idea of werewolves, so, like, “Hi, perfect book!” 👋🏻
Not only does Rev. Peter Laws explore the (he says natural) interest in “monsters, ghosts, death & gore,” but he delves into controversial topics like video game violence & “morbid play” (particularly in children who are trauma-survivors) &, given his profession, he comes down on the issues in ways that may surprise you! He’s funny, & smart, & WEIRD AF, &, full disclosure: I definitely developed a teeny-tiny author crush.
If I have any complaint about the book, it’s that he could’ve gone deeper into “scary” issues like race & gender. For instance, despite a chapter entitled “Sister,” there’s no discussion of society’s fascination with witches (& witchcraft’s recent resurgence & link with feminism & politics). The chapter on ghosts is a bit threadbare, too (#reallybadpunintended... y’know, ‘cause sometimes ghosts are sheets 🤷♀️👻). Also there are a few typos.
But GODDAMMIT (heh), I loved this book & will definitely be purchasing a copy for my shelves (an honor I bestow only upon titles I truly love). The attention paid to both darkness & light - & the genuine reverence shown for both - is worth *your* attention.
April 6, 2020
The frighteners is an exquisite and excellent exploration of why we are drawn, not to just things that go bump in the night, but things that will drag us off into it to devour our flesh or even our souls. Everything from the paranormal, to movie favourites, and beyond, comes under the microscope as Peter Laws takes a deep look into our evolution and psychology to better understand why we love a good scare.
As a reverend, Peter brings an interesting and informed voice that draws on spirituality, theology, and the practical nature of things in good balance as he explores the role of horror and the horrific in art, literature, and everyday life.
I was fascinated from beginning to end, and found the POV very balanced and well investigated. British favourites from the flixton werewolf to numerous hauntings are also visited and commented on. A must for all horror fans, and for those seeking understanding as to why we are fascinated by fear.
As a reverend, Peter brings an interesting and informed voice that draws on spirituality, theology, and the practical nature of things in good balance as he explores the role of horror and the horrific in art, literature, and everyday life.
I was fascinated from beginning to end, and found the POV very balanced and well investigated. British favourites from the flixton werewolf to numerous hauntings are also visited and commented on. A must for all horror fans, and for those seeking understanding as to why we are fascinated by fear.
May 28, 2021
That was a fun and interesting listen.
November 15, 2019
Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days
Pages - 320
Publisher - Icon Books
Source - Bought at horrorcon
Blurb from Goodreads
The Frighteners follows the quest of Peter Laws, a Baptist minister with a penchant for the macabre, to understand why so many people love things that are spooky, morbid and downright repellent. He meets vampires, hunts werewolves in Hull, talks to a man who has slept on a mortuary slab to help him deal with a diagnosis, and is chased by a chainsaw-wielding maniac through a farmhouse full of hanging bodies.
Staring into the darkness of a Transylvanian night, he asks: What is it that makes millions of people seek to be disgusted and freaked out? And, in a world that worships rationality and points an accusing finger at violent video games and gruesome films, can an interest in horror culture actually give us safe ways to confront our mortality? Might it even have power to re-enchant our jaded world?
Grab your crucifixes, pack the silver bullets, and join the Sinister Minister on his romp into our morbid curiosities.
My Review
Peter Laws is a minister who just happens to love horror, that in itself perks your attention, it isn't something you hear every day to be fair. Laws delves into horror, the movies, themes, actual true events, his experiences and how he came to embrace the genre he loves despite his "day job".
I really want to go visit Transylvania after reading this, he went for a big birthday and describes what the place is actually like, the people and things to check out. Just from reading about it, the crosses everywhere, you could totally envision it, I really want to go and check it out, the place of so many movies/legends/stories.
He takes us on a journey of some of his favourite movies, what it was that allowed his to embrace his love of horror rather than give it up as he did with so much with his faith. He also chats about how folk react to him when they realise he is a man of the cloth. From hunting down legends of a werewolf, speaking to folk who genuinely believe they transform, examining true horror acts from humans, how kids and adults process some of the most atrocious acts, it is a really interesting read.
The book has a few places he has visited and at the back of the book he references things mentioned that you can check out for further reading. I think it is a book I will go back to as there are quite a few movies and things mentioned new to me that I won't remember off the top of my head. For fans of horror who want something a wee bit different I recommend picking up a copy of this, 4/5 for me this time!
Pages - 320
Publisher - Icon Books
Source - Bought at horrorcon
Blurb from Goodreads
The Frighteners follows the quest of Peter Laws, a Baptist minister with a penchant for the macabre, to understand why so many people love things that are spooky, morbid and downright repellent. He meets vampires, hunts werewolves in Hull, talks to a man who has slept on a mortuary slab to help him deal with a diagnosis, and is chased by a chainsaw-wielding maniac through a farmhouse full of hanging bodies.
Staring into the darkness of a Transylvanian night, he asks: What is it that makes millions of people seek to be disgusted and freaked out? And, in a world that worships rationality and points an accusing finger at violent video games and gruesome films, can an interest in horror culture actually give us safe ways to confront our mortality? Might it even have power to re-enchant our jaded world?
Grab your crucifixes, pack the silver bullets, and join the Sinister Minister on his romp into our morbid curiosities.
My Review
Peter Laws is a minister who just happens to love horror, that in itself perks your attention, it isn't something you hear every day to be fair. Laws delves into horror, the movies, themes, actual true events, his experiences and how he came to embrace the genre he loves despite his "day job".
I really want to go visit Transylvania after reading this, he went for a big birthday and describes what the place is actually like, the people and things to check out. Just from reading about it, the crosses everywhere, you could totally envision it, I really want to go and check it out, the place of so many movies/legends/stories.
He takes us on a journey of some of his favourite movies, what it was that allowed his to embrace his love of horror rather than give it up as he did with so much with his faith. He also chats about how folk react to him when they realise he is a man of the cloth. From hunting down legends of a werewolf, speaking to folk who genuinely believe they transform, examining true horror acts from humans, how kids and adults process some of the most atrocious acts, it is a really interesting read.
The book has a few places he has visited and at the back of the book he references things mentioned that you can check out for further reading. I think it is a book I will go back to as there are quite a few movies and things mentioned new to me that I won't remember off the top of my head. For fans of horror who want something a wee bit different I recommend picking up a copy of this, 4/5 for me this time!
July 4, 2021
Mostly very entertaining and interesting account of the macabre, ghosts, monsters, horror etc and why we are drawn to it (well, some of us) and is it really such a bad thing? There's quite a bit of biographical detail in here about Peter Laws and his own love affair with horror. He loves a good horror film, has been on some horror experiences, travelled to Transylvania, gone ghost hunting etc etc all in the name of research for this book. Interestingly, he is also a reverand, so he brings another perspective onto this issue, as it can be easy to assume the religious just aren't going to be into horror as it offends what they stand for. Mind you, you can't assume anything. This isn't in Laws book, but I do remember one of the popes was into his films apparently, and had a list of very holy films, including one that got itself banned on VHS I believe over here at one point: The Exorcist. Kind of obvious why when you think about it (why the pope would love it).
But I am digressing. Laws looks at various aspects of the macabre, there's films, these horror experiences, a bit about death, zombies, werewolves, ghosts, killer culture, ghosts, how we're brought up with this and children and their sometimes beastly games. It isn't an exhaustive investigation. He doesn't for example go into human flesh in the direction of people doing professions that most of us would shudder at for the gore (ie. what is gorey and macabre is all based on perspective), cannibalism (am I being dramatic now? What about people who eat placentas for example?) or how different cultures deal with the dead (I see to remember there's an area in Indonesia I think it is where the corpse stays dressed and in the house years after what we would consider clinical death). He also doesn't really go into the history of frightening things, such as with folktales, folk beliefs and superstitions. This is always a nitpicking moment for me because I guess I've read too much on the history of vampirism, but he seems to think a vampire is and always has been a pointed toothed aristocrat who drinks blood. That's all the invention of the gothic writers of the 1800s. And why does the before matter? Because it's part of human history and development and understanding why these legends came about may help us understand why things can be scary? Maybe... or am I just shooting in the dark? So for me, that could be a bit disappointing. And he really didn't get vampires of the middle ages:
From his chapter on ghosts:
"...In the Middle Ages, for example, the English decreed that suicides and the violently dead should be buried at a crossroads. If the spirit rose up they would be so baffled by the road options they'd have no idea where to go. Presumably they'd just crawl back down again and twiddle their stiff thumbs. Like vampires, they even had a stake rammed through their heart to anchor them into the grave." (p.242).
I take a little issue with this. They're not like vampires, they ARE the vampires of this middle ages. This is where all the superstition and legends came from. The word "vampire" didn't exist back then, but it's all part of the ongoing legend. I'm not even going to bother to write about what all this means just here. Just going to say read Paul Barber's Vampires, Burial and Death. So... am I being a silly nitpicker? Maybe. But when you see massive gaps in reading and research that this, it's a little disappointing.
There is some wierd stuff in here. He investigates the subcultures of people who like to dress up like animals. Hey, each to their own. The murder memorabilia collectors chapter I still am not completely reconciled to even though his conclusion felt like these folks are all right with me. People who buy and sell things like paintings by serial killers when they're in prison, strands of Charles Manson's hair, trinkets and souvenirs from murder sites. He talks to a lot of traders in the industry, and towards the end spoke to one lawyer who was against this practice, and had represented the families of the victims. I was glad that guy popped up to at least get another view of this trend. And as the lawyer points out, and also the purpose of other books, such as Halle Rubenhold's The Five, why is it that we know the killer's name and all about them, but no one remembers the names of the victims? Yes, these things need studying, to see if there are any missed victims, to figure out how these killers came to be, are there better ways to track them down and stop them, and ultimately can we stop them coming into being? Ultimately I think a lot of that boils down to pay taxes and use that money to vastly improve children's services. BUT. Should we remember their name? Should we honour their memory by collecting this crap? Because part of what they thrive on is the notoiriety. So really, should their name be erased from history? Can't say I have the answer, only that I was left very uncomfortable at the end of this chapter. And after all the thoughts and discussions, and the gory details of the killings he adds in the book, did Laws manage to get us at least a list of the victims' names?.... er, no.
Yeah, I'm doing a lot of grumbling, but these are controversial subjects, and quite frankly, I think it's doing a good job in getting you to think about things, discuss (if only in your own mind!) and to stop and reconsider certain preconceptions. For example, where are the highest homicide rates in the world? This surprised me, that there are tribes where violence and aggression, be it in the fictional stories you tell or the conversations you have, are not tolerated at all. Peace and harmony loving. And they have the highest homicide rate in the world. It's like a bubbling passive aggressive pot. This is it, we're not angels, we're humans with light and dark sides and we have to have an outlet to express our anger and frustration, to get the high of terror and survival of it, but in a safe and non harmful environment. Be films, books, horror events or whatever be your bag.
But I am digressing. Laws looks at various aspects of the macabre, there's films, these horror experiences, a bit about death, zombies, werewolves, ghosts, killer culture, ghosts, how we're brought up with this and children and their sometimes beastly games. It isn't an exhaustive investigation. He doesn't for example go into human flesh in the direction of people doing professions that most of us would shudder at for the gore (ie. what is gorey and macabre is all based on perspective), cannibalism (am I being dramatic now? What about people who eat placentas for example?) or how different cultures deal with the dead (I see to remember there's an area in Indonesia I think it is where the corpse stays dressed and in the house years after what we would consider clinical death). He also doesn't really go into the history of frightening things, such as with folktales, folk beliefs and superstitions. This is always a nitpicking moment for me because I guess I've read too much on the history of vampirism, but he seems to think a vampire is and always has been a pointed toothed aristocrat who drinks blood. That's all the invention of the gothic writers of the 1800s. And why does the before matter? Because it's part of human history and development and understanding why these legends came about may help us understand why things can be scary? Maybe... or am I just shooting in the dark? So for me, that could be a bit disappointing. And he really didn't get vampires of the middle ages:
From his chapter on ghosts:
"...In the Middle Ages, for example, the English decreed that suicides and the violently dead should be buried at a crossroads. If the spirit rose up they would be so baffled by the road options they'd have no idea where to go. Presumably they'd just crawl back down again and twiddle their stiff thumbs. Like vampires, they even had a stake rammed through their heart to anchor them into the grave." (p.242).
I take a little issue with this. They're not like vampires, they ARE the vampires of this middle ages. This is where all the superstition and legends came from. The word "vampire" didn't exist back then, but it's all part of the ongoing legend. I'm not even going to bother to write about what all this means just here. Just going to say read Paul Barber's Vampires, Burial and Death. So... am I being a silly nitpicker? Maybe. But when you see massive gaps in reading and research that this, it's a little disappointing.
There is some wierd stuff in here. He investigates the subcultures of people who like to dress up like animals. Hey, each to their own. The murder memorabilia collectors chapter I still am not completely reconciled to even though his conclusion felt like these folks are all right with me. People who buy and sell things like paintings by serial killers when they're in prison, strands of Charles Manson's hair, trinkets and souvenirs from murder sites. He talks to a lot of traders in the industry, and towards the end spoke to one lawyer who was against this practice, and had represented the families of the victims. I was glad that guy popped up to at least get another view of this trend. And as the lawyer points out, and also the purpose of other books, such as Halle Rubenhold's The Five, why is it that we know the killer's name and all about them, but no one remembers the names of the victims? Yes, these things need studying, to see if there are any missed victims, to figure out how these killers came to be, are there better ways to track them down and stop them, and ultimately can we stop them coming into being? Ultimately I think a lot of that boils down to pay taxes and use that money to vastly improve children's services. BUT. Should we remember their name? Should we honour their memory by collecting this crap? Because part of what they thrive on is the notoiriety. So really, should their name be erased from history? Can't say I have the answer, only that I was left very uncomfortable at the end of this chapter. And after all the thoughts and discussions, and the gory details of the killings he adds in the book, did Laws manage to get us at least a list of the victims' names?.... er, no.
Yeah, I'm doing a lot of grumbling, but these are controversial subjects, and quite frankly, I think it's doing a good job in getting you to think about things, discuss (if only in your own mind!) and to stop and reconsider certain preconceptions. For example, where are the highest homicide rates in the world? This surprised me, that there are tribes where violence and aggression, be it in the fictional stories you tell or the conversations you have, are not tolerated at all. Peace and harmony loving. And they have the highest homicide rate in the world. It's like a bubbling passive aggressive pot. This is it, we're not angels, we're humans with light and dark sides and we have to have an outlet to express our anger and frustration, to get the high of terror and survival of it, but in a safe and non harmful environment. Be films, books, horror events or whatever be your bag.
September 23, 2020
Zombies, Ghosts, Creatures that lurk in the night are just some of the characters we encounter in horror books.
I am not a big non-fiction reader (says the person who read two non-fiction books in one month 🙈😂). This book was a total cover buy but I am so glad I bought it.
The Frighteners is written by Reverend Peter Laws (yes a Reverend). This might be the coolest priest that has ever existed. A Reverend that loves horror and has struggled to find a balance between horror and his profession. He explained that the only thing he loves more than horror is God. The Frighteners eloquently combined his personal experiences by visiting different spooky places and the history behind the horror tropes we love so much.
My favorite chapter was the Zombie one. The author actually met George Romero. The chapter not only goes into how zombies came to be but Romero’s huge role in making these creatures mainstream.
The book spews so many facts that I found myself googling facts and locations from the book. He has been to so many different places from Transylvania to Werewolf sightings. I found myself grabbing my husband’s hand saying, “did you know?” The book is both serious and extremely funny. Can you imagine two grown men wandering the streets with steaks looking to attract werewolves 👀?
I definitely recommend this book to horror fans. Just a note: this book covers only major horror topics like werewolves, vampires, zombies. It does not go into detailed horror topics.
I am not a big non-fiction reader (says the person who read two non-fiction books in one month 🙈😂). This book was a total cover buy but I am so glad I bought it.
The Frighteners is written by Reverend Peter Laws (yes a Reverend). This might be the coolest priest that has ever existed. A Reverend that loves horror and has struggled to find a balance between horror and his profession. He explained that the only thing he loves more than horror is God. The Frighteners eloquently combined his personal experiences by visiting different spooky places and the history behind the horror tropes we love so much.
My favorite chapter was the Zombie one. The author actually met George Romero. The chapter not only goes into how zombies came to be but Romero’s huge role in making these creatures mainstream.
The book spews so many facts that I found myself googling facts and locations from the book. He has been to so many different places from Transylvania to Werewolf sightings. I found myself grabbing my husband’s hand saying, “did you know?” The book is both serious and extremely funny. Can you imagine two grown men wandering the streets with steaks looking to attract werewolves 👀?
I definitely recommend this book to horror fans. Just a note: this book covers only major horror topics like werewolves, vampires, zombies. It does not go into detailed horror topics.
November 3, 2018
This was a very interesting read. Peter Laws is a minister who loves horror movies and the macabre. While that seems like a contradiction, in this book he explains why it is human nature to feel fear and why that is a good thing.
The book is well researched (although mostly from his viewpoint) and delves into such diverse topics as horror movies, murder-abilia, the history of paranormal investigation and furry-fandom. It was thought provoking.
The book is well researched (although mostly from his viewpoint) and delves into such diverse topics as horror movies, murder-abilia, the history of paranormal investigation and furry-fandom. It was thought provoking.
April 28, 2019
This book written by the ordained Baptist Minister Peter Laws delves into why people love the horror genre. It is informative and humorous at the same time. He talks of all things that horrify us, serial killers, zombies, werewolves, vampires, ghosts and more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the horror genre, be it in movies, books etc.
April 26, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! The epigraph is what sold me on getting it in the first place, and I lived the enthusiasm the author brings to the topic and to everybody else who's also intrigued. It's a celebration of the coming together of light and dark, but also of weirdness and people. Only wish there would have been some more attention for non Christian beliefs.
July 15, 2018
Book received from Edelweiss
Review to Come.
Review to Come.
Read
February 16, 2020I liked this book. It was fun, interesting, at times insightful, and in the end, a Christian’s defense of the value of horror.
May 8, 2024
"We are the frighteners"
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What a thrill journey! I don't think I ever felt more understood in life. This book was fun, spooky, and sometimes a bit gross and I absolutely loved it! But above all, necessary.
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What a thrill journey! I don't think I ever felt more understood in life. This book was fun, spooky, and sometimes a bit gross and I absolutely loved it! But above all, necessary.
March 19, 2019
I wrote the review for this before I'd finished, and of course it was a bad idea. But i can blame my faulty brain. I started off enjoying it but not loving it. I was annoyed by spelling mistakes, instead of focusing on the story. I ended up loving this book. I'm not sure about 4 or 4.5 stars i cant decide, so i guess 4 for now with the option to upsize. It gave me tonnes of stuff to look up, and reminders about things I already knew but had forgotten. And it showed different theories and ideas about things I'm interested in and have wondered about. I loved this guys way of thinking, he's how I think all christians/religious people should be: open minded and ok with everyone having different opinions. I loved the 'BookGhoul' at the end, it scared the shit out of me until I realised I didnt have an attic. Phew!
July 24, 2018
meh?
had more religion than i was hoping for, esp at the end (yea, i know the author is a pastor, that wasnt gonna stop me from reading tho)
i guess i just couldnt get over the weird mesh of his friendly writing style with his presentation of facts and evidence.
Check out my full review here.
had more religion than i was hoping for, esp at the end (yea, i know the author is a pastor, that wasnt gonna stop me from reading tho)
i guess i just couldnt get over the weird mesh of his friendly writing style with his presentation of facts and evidence.
Check out my full review here.
October 31, 2018
How I wish I could hold my head high and proclaim that I’m one of those people who emerged from the womb with a taste for all things horror. Instead I was first known as the neighborhood’s Scaredy Cat par excellence, screaming hysterically when a kid from across the street shoved a magazine photo of Michael Jackson in full Thriller make-up in my face. I was a bona fide crybaby, turning on the waterworks if a stranger so much as looked in my general direction. Luckily, there was always my bestie, Jack (a pseudonym—I don’t wish to embarrass him), whose parents allowed only Disney videos to be shown at their place. But then Jack neared the big 1-0 and demanded to be taken seriously as a Big Boy. “Come one, come all,” his 10th birthday bash invitation began, “we’re gonna watch a horror film!” I tried to stay calm by reminding myself that it was statistically quite possible to die in traffic on my way over. No dice. I arrived at his house in one piece and settled in front of the television with clenched buttocks to watch Jack’s pick: Ben, that 1972 flick about a kid’s friendship with the titular killer rat. I wasn’t spooked, I wasn’t afraid, I was … let down. This mellow movie constituted horror? For cear? Seemed an until then silent part of me craved the jolts and excitement horror promised. Soon after that fateful day began my quest for real horror, and The Evil Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Halloween and Aliens delivered in spades. My finds: this stuff rocks! The final step in my “becoming” was chucking out my Hardy Boys books and picking up some Stephen King novels.
Anyway, that’s my “origin story” in a nutshell.
No-one will bat an eye if you make public your love for musicals, animation, science fiction, or comedy … but declaring your love for the macabre just might raise an eyebrows or two.
In all fairness, horror isn’t the only genre with a bad rep: in 1981, Dutch-Indonesian college student Ien Ang wrote a thesis called Watching Dallas, a defense of (liking) soap operas. The thesis became a cultural studies milestone; Ang was offered tenure at the University of Western Sydney. In the same year, Stephen King published Danse Macabre, his defense of the horror genre. “Forever after, I thought, I could choke off the subject by saying: if you want to know what I think about horror, there’s this book I wrote on the subject,” he writes in the introduction.
Now we have Peter Laws’ The Frighteners: Why we love monsters, blood, and gore. Its amusing hook: Laws is an ordained minister. If I didn’t know any better, I’d entertain the possibility that he became a clergyman just so he could go by “The Sinister Minister”—he sure seems to get a lot of mileage out of his moniker. In the end it doesn’t matter whether Laws is “The Devious Ditch-Digger” or “The Frightening Fry-cook,” or whatever amusing nickname comes to mind, because The Frighteners works: horror never loses it relevancy; not only is fear of the usual—illness, death—timeless, the specifics of these fears are always in motion: our current world differs from its 1981 counterpart, and Laws adroitly addresses such timely topics as the all-present internet, photo-realistic video games, sociopolitical turmoil.
Every chapter basically adheres to the following pattern: Laws introduces a behavior or an act—kids playing with toy guns; moviegoers cheering in unison when screen characters literally lose their heads; people displaying affection for real-life serial killers— that, on a surface level, is (or has become) a cause for concern and argues, backed up by science, that it’s often actually the expression and/or coping mechanism of a sound mind. When Laws can’t refute prejudices (horror, after all, makes the perfect scapegoat for many of society’s ills) or theories (“Violent videogames negatively affect children”), he at least offers some nuance (e.g. at this time it’s impossible to give a definite answer on whether violent videogames have a bad influence or not).
Interesting, too, is Laws’ discussion of public information films that traumatized us as kids. These nuggets of horror set out to confront rather than entertain or soothe. (Many parents, prone to knee-jerk reactions, wanted them off the air asap). Here in the Netherlands we missed out on the one where the grim reaper hangs around treacherous waters in wait of reckless kids to fall in, but we did have to cope with an equally terrifying PIF: Watching some older kids play, a little girl is knocked off her feet by a large dog. We take an immediate liking to the kindly boy who consoles her by letting her fly his kite. When it’s his turn with the toy, the young do-gooder walks backwards into the road … and a car hits him full-on. The collision occurs offscreen, but the dog howls in sorrow, the little girl looks on in stunned disbelief, and the limp kite falls into the grasses. You can bet your ass that from then on I looked both ways at least twice before crossing a street.
Laws wraps things up with a chapter detailing why he became an ordained church minister. It’s so disarming and candid that it will make you smile. (As for me, I come from a family whose approach to Christianity was one of habit, not devotion. After taking several religions and “spiritual movements” for a test drive in the late 1990s, I settled on agnosticism.)
Reading The Frighteners, I frequently nodded my head in recognition and agreement, whispered “Aha” a couple of times, yet never uttered a surprised “Really?” I suppose this is in part because I’ve done some research myself in the past (for college assignments and other writing projects), but mainly because horror fans know, even if only on a gut level, what makes them tick. And here’s the rub: like Watching Dallas and Danse Macabre, The Frighteners first and foremost caters to the people who love what’s on the dissecting table. Will it convert naysayers? I have my doubts. Connoisseurs of the macabre will always be viewed and dismissed as “weird” by some, and that’s fine. The Frighteners succeeds in telling us what us horror lovers need to hear every now and again: that it’s okay to be who we are.
Anyway, that’s my “origin story” in a nutshell.
No-one will bat an eye if you make public your love for musicals, animation, science fiction, or comedy … but declaring your love for the macabre just might raise an eyebrows or two.
In all fairness, horror isn’t the only genre with a bad rep: in 1981, Dutch-Indonesian college student Ien Ang wrote a thesis called Watching Dallas, a defense of (liking) soap operas. The thesis became a cultural studies milestone; Ang was offered tenure at the University of Western Sydney. In the same year, Stephen King published Danse Macabre, his defense of the horror genre. “Forever after, I thought, I could choke off the subject by saying: if you want to know what I think about horror, there’s this book I wrote on the subject,” he writes in the introduction.
Now we have Peter Laws’ The Frighteners: Why we love monsters, blood, and gore. Its amusing hook: Laws is an ordained minister. If I didn’t know any better, I’d entertain the possibility that he became a clergyman just so he could go by “The Sinister Minister”—he sure seems to get a lot of mileage out of his moniker. In the end it doesn’t matter whether Laws is “The Devious Ditch-Digger” or “The Frightening Fry-cook,” or whatever amusing nickname comes to mind, because The Frighteners works: horror never loses it relevancy; not only is fear of the usual—illness, death—timeless, the specifics of these fears are always in motion: our current world differs from its 1981 counterpart, and Laws adroitly addresses such timely topics as the all-present internet, photo-realistic video games, sociopolitical turmoil.
Every chapter basically adheres to the following pattern: Laws introduces a behavior or an act—kids playing with toy guns; moviegoers cheering in unison when screen characters literally lose their heads; people displaying affection for real-life serial killers— that, on a surface level, is (or has become) a cause for concern and argues, backed up by science, that it’s often actually the expression and/or coping mechanism of a sound mind. When Laws can’t refute prejudices (horror, after all, makes the perfect scapegoat for many of society’s ills) or theories (“Violent videogames negatively affect children”), he at least offers some nuance (e.g. at this time it’s impossible to give a definite answer on whether violent videogames have a bad influence or not).
Interesting, too, is Laws’ discussion of public information films that traumatized us as kids. These nuggets of horror set out to confront rather than entertain or soothe. (Many parents, prone to knee-jerk reactions, wanted them off the air asap). Here in the Netherlands we missed out on the one where the grim reaper hangs around treacherous waters in wait of reckless kids to fall in, but we did have to cope with an equally terrifying PIF: Watching some older kids play, a little girl is knocked off her feet by a large dog. We take an immediate liking to the kindly boy who consoles her by letting her fly his kite. When it’s his turn with the toy, the young do-gooder walks backwards into the road … and a car hits him full-on. The collision occurs offscreen, but the dog howls in sorrow, the little girl looks on in stunned disbelief, and the limp kite falls into the grasses. You can bet your ass that from then on I looked both ways at least twice before crossing a street.
Laws wraps things up with a chapter detailing why he became an ordained church minister. It’s so disarming and candid that it will make you smile. (As for me, I come from a family whose approach to Christianity was one of habit, not devotion. After taking several religions and “spiritual movements” for a test drive in the late 1990s, I settled on agnosticism.)
Reading The Frighteners, I frequently nodded my head in recognition and agreement, whispered “Aha” a couple of times, yet never uttered a surprised “Really?” I suppose this is in part because I’ve done some research myself in the past (for college assignments and other writing projects), but mainly because horror fans know, even if only on a gut level, what makes them tick. And here’s the rub: like Watching Dallas and Danse Macabre, The Frighteners first and foremost caters to the people who love what’s on the dissecting table. Will it convert naysayers? I have my doubts. Connoisseurs of the macabre will always be viewed and dismissed as “weird” by some, and that’s fine. The Frighteners succeeds in telling us what us horror lovers need to hear every now and again: that it’s okay to be who we are.
May 2, 2020
What a blast i had reading this. Well written and funny, but also factual and creepy. I found myself nodding along to parts that struck a cord with me, whilst also wanting to explore some of the places Peter has been (trip to Transylvania anyone? Or a werewolf hunt in Hull?)
It's a very interesting read, delving into the pyschological aspect of why we like the macabre. Really opened my eyes about some things, not least about parenthood believe it or not!
Interested in horror and scary things? Then this is a must read for you.
It's a very interesting read, delving into the pyschological aspect of why we like the macabre. Really opened my eyes about some things, not least about parenthood believe it or not!
Interested in horror and scary things? Then this is a must read for you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews