8 Horror Books Based on Urban Legends by Asian Authors

This is a set of 10 horror brief tales based mostly on city legends in Indian universities. “These stories were not all fun and games. They had a psychological purpose. Batch after batch of students had passed down the same myths that touched upon their peers’ deepest fears,” writes the writer within the introduction. In right here, there’s a narrative about somebody who died however their physique is unable to be discovered by their buddies. Another is a narrative about college students who wish to attain out to a ghost that’s been haunting a college. A distinct story includes a haunted faculty wherein the scholars wish to name bluff.

This terrifying mixture of city legend tales is bound to please horror seekers.

Trese is a suburban horror fantasy graphic novel sequence a couple of heroine named Alexandra Trese as she investigates mysterious crimes dedicated by supernatural beings. The monsters listed below are impressed by Philippine mythology, which is basically unexplored in Western media.

This compilation is replete with city legend creatures such nuno sa punso (dwarf), tikbalang (half-human, half-horse), and the white woman that haunts the Balete Drive. The story goes that this woman was murdered and her physique was thrown close to the premises, and so she haunts the place now.

You may be aware of this one already, too, as a Netflix TV sequence adaptation of Trese got here out final yr.

Though it’s not likely a horror e book, it options horror tales and one based mostly on an city legend.

“Have You Heard the One About Anamaria Marquez?” follows a lady with the identical identify who was a pupil at St. Brebeuf’s, someplace within the Philippines. Anamaria was left alone at college when a gardener killed her and even hid her physique. No one is aware of what occurred to Anamaria till the gardener died and a storm felled a tree the place her stays had been hidden.

“If you look at the roots of the tree at night you might see Anamaria’s face…If you stand in the Black Garden and stay absolutely silent you will hear her crying and calling for help,” the writer writes. And if somebody goes close to her, she kills them.

This younger grownup novel is impressed by The Ring, a basic Japanese horror movie based mostly on the city legend of Okiku, who died of punishment by a samurai. Okiku was then thrown right into a properly.

The Girl From the Well provides a little bit little bit of twist. The e book follows Okiku, additionally thrown down the properly, as she kills criminals reminiscent of murderers and rapists. Everything adjustments when Okiku meets a boy who has attracted a strong spirit.

Junji Ito is likely one of the hottest Japanese manga artists. This e book is a set of brief tales based mostly on present city legends and is centered round a lady named Mimi. According to the e book’s promotional copy, the writer didn’t write the tales of their entirety. Rather, they had been initially fashionable city legends that he collected and edited.

The e book is split into six brief tales, and every includes a distinctive horror component. Just this yr, an entire version of the e book was launched.

This is a set of brief tales from a Singaporean author. And although many of the tales aren’t actually based mostly on city legends, there are two in right here that match the standards: “Stillborn — The Legend of Pontianak” and “Night of the Living Pocong.”

Pontianak is a recognized city legend ghost in three Southeast Asian nations: Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It’s considerably just like a white woman, but it surely’s one who died whereas pregnant or giving beginning. Meanwhile, pocong is one other city legend ghost that’s frequent in Indonesia. It’s a creature lined in white fabric, its face puffed with powder.

First printed in 2009, this assortment incorporates 11 horror brief tales that function Philippine city legend creatures reminiscent of tikbalang, kapre (a tall man that holds tobacco), and diwata (a fairy-like girl). As a toddler, these city legend creatures by no means did not maintain me up at night time; there are simply just too many tales about them that get handed round my neighborhood.

Part horror and half thriller, this e book relies on a Japanese city legend. The story goes like this: A lady was too younger to boost her child, so she hid it in a coin locker in a practice station. For years, she prevented going close to the locker. One day, she wanted to move by it as she had some enterprise close to the world. When she noticed a small boy crying in entrance of the locker, she realized that he was her baby.

The e book borrows from this fashionable city legend: Two boys are left at a bus station coin locker. However, they develop as much as be orphans, harboring resentment towards the ladies who deserted them. The e book is stuffed with gore — a unique stage of horror.