What's scarier to you: the supernatural themes in King's books or the realistic ones such as physical or sexual abuse or murder?

With most of the authors today this would be a no brainer; obviously the realistic stuff. With King though...he has this nasty lil habit of being a brilliant writer and therefore everything he writes seems possible. So I can't even answer this question adequately. I will, however, tell you what is scariest about both of them and then what theme I find scariest in any book or movie. :)

The scariest part, for me, about the supernatural stuff in his books is that the characters are forced into something. It's not something they chose or a situation that could have been avoided. They seemingly have no free will. They have a choice on how they deal with the situations but not whether or not they are thrown into them. Hey look, zombies! Hey look, werewolves! Hey look, aliens! Hey look, the pawns of God and the Devil are fighting their epic battle and guess who they want on their sides?? That shit is scary to me. The idea that you could be wandering through life blissfully unaware of what's going on behind the scenes and then BAM! You're smack in the middle of it. Everything that happens next depends on you. Scary.

The scariest part about the realistic stuff, other than the fact that it really does happen all of the time, that is, is that King makes you care about the victims. When you see it on the news, yes, you do care, but it's such an oh-that's-awful-what's-for-dinner? kind of reaction. They don't bring you into that particular person's world and so you do your best to not relate to them. Why would you want to be sad all of the time? But with King's books...his characters are REAL to me in a way most actual people will never be. My response to their pain is guttural. It's happening to them but it's happening to me through them. It might not be "scary" but it is unnerving and that can be worse. Fear is all BOO- AHHH; it is bold and blunt but it happens quickly and leaves the way your nightmares do upon waking, where as the unnerving things creep up on you and settle into your bones like the slowly oncoming winter weather and just like that cold it can take a long time to fully leave your system.

The scariest theme by far, in my opinion, is not being able to trust anyone. The character might have a small group of friends or people going through it with him/her but they are just as scared and fucked up as he/she is...and outside of them..there is no one to turn to for help. That theme never gets old. It always fucks with me. Imagine you are being stalked by a menacing presence whether human or supernatural, and you are helpless to stop them on your own. Everywhere you turn, every person you find, is either in on it with them (because they are evil too or because they are under its spell), doesn't believe you or care or is murdered before they can help you. Fuck me. That shit is scary. Love it so much. :)


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