31 Books Like The Taking

Due to the financial success of The Exorcist film, a sequel was ordered (The Exorcist II: The Heretic) which had no involvement from the original writer and director and was universally panned. William Peter Blatty then wrote a screenplay for what would have been a sequel to the original film that ignored the second entry. William Friedkin, the director of The Exorcist, was attached but backed out. Blatty turned his inactive script into what became the novel, Legion, which he eventually re-adapted and directed in 1990. The majority of the book is dialogue, so it’s easy to see its origins as a screenplay, but that does not make it any less effective.

This story takes a minor character from the original novel, Detective Kinderman, and chronicles his confrontation with a patient in a mental institution claiming to be possessed by the spirit of a dead… show more.

This is one of the books that made me wonder at the world. What begins as a conventional story of a boy haunted by an “imaginary friend” turns into something far more complex and frightening. For most of the novel I had no idea of a theological element in the book, so when that element hit it was a surprise, at least to me. The effect reminded me of Rudolf Otto’s description of meeting a supernatural being as “mysterious, tremendous, and fascinating”—I was pulled in even as I was drawn away.

This novel is the perfect blend of historical fiction and horror, and King perfectly captures small-town rural life among people who hold a little too strongly to both tradition and stereotypes. The novel invokes that particular dread that can only be raised by those philosophical questions that one can’t seem to answer; the horror of the unknown. Plus, given my own book, I have a soft spot for traveling preachers who aren’t what they seem. 

As I read this collection of ghost stories, a sense of awe, wonder, and even joy, came into my mind and heart. These stories are better than those of M. R. James—the twist at the end of each story made me literally chill. Kirk’s world is a Christian world, but he is never preachy, focusing on the storyline. Like Poe, the single effect in the stories is stunning, surprising the reader with marvels and an expanded view of the world. 

My last pick is action-packed, sexy, and pure fun.

Nava Katz’s twin brother, Ari, was chosen at birth to join the Brotherhood of David, a secret organization of demon hunters. The induction ceremony takes a turn when Nava is chosen instead. The first female ever to be chosen, and everyone—her parents, her rabbi, and the other hunters—all agree this must be a mistake. It might seem that this one doesn't qualify as slow burn since it's sexy right from the start, but it's the heart connection that takes time and therefore, qualifies it for inclusion.

Although I don’t usually read dark fantasy, Charlotte and the Demons has become one of my favorite books.

Young Charlotte’s father is an abusive alcoholic, causing his kids’ lives to fall apart. Suddenly, the floor of Charlotte’s closet opens into a gateway to hell. Charlotte’s soon meeting the underworld’s worst baddies. She crushes on Ezequiel, a clerk who does secretarial work for the Old Guy, the Prince of Darkness who seems to have lost control over his underworld.

A plot that turns in the most unexpected ways, the richness of the humor, and the engaging voices of an imaginative range of characters make this novel creative and unique. I wasn’t sure how it would end, but the last chapter absolutely made my heart fill with joy. You’ll love it.

I love an epic tale as much as the next nerd, but sometimes, I want my fantasy to be a little cozier. Such is the case with this lovely book (and series). It’s a classic Odd Couple story in which a foul-mouthed and vice-loving demon has been magically bonded to a goody-goody hero. Antics ensue.

The writing is perfect, and it’s filled with great lines like, "It was Chet, our next-door neighbor. The one that shared a bathroom with us and unknowingly let me clean my fingernails with his toothbrush." The whole series is great. I was nervous going into the last book because so many writers don’t stick to the landing. I needn’t have worried, though. The finale was everything I hoped it would be.

This pick is slightly out of left field, coming from the heroic fantasy genre, but it is possibly my favorite novel. The story is loosely based on a Celtic-esque society and follows the central character, Bane, who is the bastard son of the most powerful king of their era. Angry and hurt but with signs of goodness in him, Bane leaves on a hero’s journey, where he ends up becoming a gladiator in the allegorical version of Rome.

I’ve reread this book so many times and still love it dearly. The choices of right and wrong, becoming a strong man, fighting for what you believe in, and defending those who can’t defend themselves are foundations of other authors’ work on my list, and David Gemmell is a worthy addition. 

Though Paranormal Romance (PNR) is not my usual go-to genre, this is another of my favorite rereads. There’s just something about Knox that I can’t get enough of. Maybe it’s that he’s the most powerful demon in existence. Or that he will stop at nothing to make Harper his. Or that once she is his, he will do anything to protect her, and I mean ANYTHING.

In my opinion, there is nothing more romantic than that.  

When I was a kid, a favorite uncle gave me a later book in this series, and I was immediately entranced by the combination of humor and fantasy–I love both genres, and I’d never seen them done together before. This is the first book in that much-loved and reread series.

It starts when Garkin, an irascible old wizard, summons a demon to impress his mouthy apprentice. Garkin then gets killed, which releases the demon and launches the mouthy apprentice, Skeeve, into a series of outlandish adventures. It’s a dark start to a light book, full of trope reversals and puns. I loved it as a kid and as an adult.