The Silent Hill 2 remake is just part of Konami’s effort to revive the franchise, with new games and even a new movie in the works. But what about the written word?
If you’re a long-time Silent Hill fan, you might thinking, “Weren’t there actual Silent Hill books?” You’d be right, there were; there were several IDW comics which were collected into Silent Hill Omnibus Vol 1 and 2.
Related: Does the Silent Hill 2 Remake Have Denuvo? Answered
However, they’re long out of print and going for silly prices on eBay, and their reception was a little mixed to say the least. If you want that Silent Hill feeling in print, here are 10 books like Silent Hill that channel aspects of the series, and are available right now.
Best Books Like Silent Hill
The Mist by Stephen King
There’s no better place to start than with The Mist. Protagonist David Drayton’s nightmare begins when a mysterious mist engulfs town, concealing disturbing monsters within it. Sound familiar? It should, since this is the novella that, in part, inspired Silent Hill.
But, with the action taking place in a supermarket, it’s a far more claustrophobic read. And, as with the best horror, the tensions that erupt between the characters risk becoming as deadly as the beasts outside.
The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan
How do you do deal with grief? In the case of Sarah Crowe, protagonist of Caitlin R. Kiernan’s The Red Tree, you head to an old Rhode Island mansion to take time away from the world. That might sound like a cue for a traditional haunted house story, but Crowe instead becomes fixated on the titular tree, and the accounts of its alleged history. She risks becoming part of its story and, like a few of Silent Hill‘s protagonists, starts to question her own reality.
Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
Welcome to Night Vale is based on the podcast of the same name, but doesn’t require any prior knowledge of the show. Instead, it steps away from the radio station and lets you into the lives of this otherworldly town’s populace. Night Vale is as strange as Silent Hill, but the twist is that to the town’s inhabitants, it’s always been that way, and they take its weirdness in their stride.
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
There’s no monster-filled mist in this Stephen King novel, but the story highlights the lengths to which grief can drive people. After discovering a ‘semetary’ which has the power to resurrect the dead, city doctor Louis Creed uses it to bring back his family’s cat, but it doesn’t stop there.
The Fisherman by John Langan
Like The Red Tree, John Langan’s The Fisherman begins with the loss of a partner, but there are also shades of Pet Semetary. Protagonist Abe, who’s recently lost his wife, forms a friendship with another widower. They learn of a fishing spot, Dutchman’s Creek, that supposedly has the power to restore the lost to life. And, while it has bad decision written all over it, they become embroiled in the hunt for a mysterious aquatic monster.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves is an acquired taste, since it features a multi-layered narrative, focused on a found footage movie that may be fiction within fiction. But if you’re a fan of Silent Hill‘s weird geometry, you’ll get a kick out of it, as a family finds corridors, caverns, and more inside their newly-purchased house.
The Shadow over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft
Long before Stephen King picked up a pen, H.P. Lovecraft created The Shadow over Innsmouth, a tale about a deeply creepy and decidedly unwelcoming coastal town. Like Silent Hill, Innsmouth is dominated by a cult, though in this case the impact of their rituals is all too obvious.
Alice Isn’t Dead by Joseph Fink
From the co-author of Welcome to Night Vale, Alice Isn’t Dead follows the story of a woman whose wife disappears. But then, one day, she spots her in the background of a TV broadcast, and she goes on a quest to find her. Unlike Silent Hill 2’s James Sunderland, this doesn’t take her to one town; instead, she embarks on a supernaturally-tinged road trip winding her through weird America.
Doll Face by Tim Curran
What’s worse than getting stranded in a strange town? Finding out the town you’re in isn’t supposed to be there and had burnt down several years prior. Unlike your average Silent Hill game, Doll Face has a handful of hapless ‘survivors’, who are stuck in the town after mowing down a mannequin. Though don’t count on them living for long.
Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Junji Ito is a master of the weird and warped and, with his manga Uzumaki, he’s created a town that makes Silent Hill look mundane by comparison. Kirie and boyfriend Shuichi discover their town ‘infected’ by spirals, in a three-volume collection that starts off as an anthology but which builds to a shocking, and perhaps inevitable, conclusion.
Those are the top 10 books like Silent Hill, and if you’re wondering what made the original Silent Hill 2 so great, here’s why Silent Hill 2 is a masterclass in multiple endings.
Published: Oct 12, 2024 01:00 pm