Horror/Sci-fi/fantasy Literature

How does one describe the genre of "weird"? What is the "weird" genre within horror literature and film? I believe the weird derives from a variety of aspects of horror such as a particular inexplicable occurrence, unsettling images or sounds that aren't directly horrific, or behaviors that cannot be described or discerned with certainty. For instance, the read for this week, the novel Annihilation. The books main theme is the inexplicable and uncertainty dealing ongoings in the world around the explorers. There is a great deal of described anxiety as well, within the diction of the author that causes the reader to take on such emotions. There is a particular part of Annihilation that I particularly enjoyed; while the biologist and surveyor are descending into the tower, after being "persuaded" by the psychiatrist to go by themselves, the biologist sees the "stone" walls to be alive and moving. How the author describes this makes your hair st...

  The nature of J horror and its origins is widely different than those of western horrors. To break it down, in most asian horror stories or films there is not the same blatant good vs evil theme as in westerns. We are used to a formal distinction, possibly in the form of a monster (or evil person) and the "hero" or protagonist as the good element. We are used to an evil that you can directly "see" or identify physically, such as a killer monster, killer human, or evil entity. These ideas are easy to take in and understand, without usually having to reach far below the surface (even though in some cases there is an underlying message).   However, within the sub genre of asian horror, there is a distinct difference in the "evils" opposed to western's. J horror stories seem to have a higher meaning than just a blood thirsty creature, or psychotic human. They deal with the order of the universe, or the nature of the spirit world, rather than the demoniz...

In Anne Rice's novel, Interview With The Vampire, there are many complicated and different types of relationships throughout the book. I think the main relationship we dwell on throughout the course of the book is Louis's back and forth connection within himself. Starting from the beginning of the story, as the Vampire tells the situation of him and his brother (before he became a Vampire of course). Louis is entrapped with horrible guilt and depression after the death of his brother, which he blames himself for the tragic death. He wishes himself to be dead, drowning in alcohol night after night. This goes on until Lestat chooses him, and embeds the Vampire into Louis, which then ignites a whole new sense of a complicated relationship between the two night walkers. Louis was enchanted by Lestat upon first and second eyeing, due to his Vampire charm and beauty. However, once Louis becomes the vampire, he sees Lestat in a whole new light. The magic of deception is gone and he s...