Anyone read Straub without King?

[BigPete]

Has anyone read any of Peter Straub's solo books (as opposed as to those he co-wrote with Stephen King - ie: the Talisman and Black House)?

How are they? Which is the most like his co-authored works? I'm a big fan of Stephen King, but have exhausted his library. I thought this might be the next logical extension ...

[RaraFemina]

I liked Straub's Ghost Story, but that's the only one I have read, so far. I have a couple of other titles, but haven't read them yet.

[maxfisher]

Ghost Story is a great one to start with. It was the first Straub sans King I read and I loved it. It's probably my favorite of his books.

I've also read Julia, If You Could See Me Now, Shadowland, Floating Dragon, Mystery, The Hellfire Club and Lost Boy, Lost Girl. It's been ages since I read Shadowland, but I remember really enjoying it. Mystery and The Hellfire Club were also good reads.

[brainee]

Ghost Story is fantastic -- far better than the movie. Other things Straub wrote around that time that is most King-like: Floating Dragon and Shadowland. After that, Straub got heavily into mystery/suspense stories ("Mystery", "Koko", "The Throat", "Hellfire Club"). Straub's writing style is "denser" than King's, heavier on atmosphere and characterization, and not as "beach reading" or "movie adaptation" friendly. But certainly start with "Ghost Story".

[12thmonkey]

Shadowland :thumbsup:

[Geofferson]

I've only read the two collaborations with King, but after reading this thread, will be willing to give Straub-solo a try.

[bishop2knight]

I really liked The Hellfire Club and Mr. X, but if I remember right, they're kinda similar. And not as horror as king. More like dark fiction.

[Ginwen]

I liked Shadowland a lot, and I think Floating Dragon too. It's been a while since I read it, but I think Shadowland was more fantasyish like Talisman (or Clive Barker fantasy stuff ala Weaveworld or Great and Secret Show) than Black House (Black House is more like a cross between some of the Dark Tower stuff and Peter Straub's later stuff).

I like most Peter Straub, but a lot of it is more crime/mysterious evil type stuff.

[mike7162]

I recall being as big a fan of Straub as I was King and Barker, but kind of fell off reading him in the late 90's. Don't know why, really. He's an extremely talented writer who hits you in the intellect rather than the gut.

[mgbfan]

I read Ghost Story and Lost Boy, Lost Girl. Decent, good reading - on par with King. He's no Simmons, though. I really wish Simmons would do more horror.