14 timeless literary classics mashed up into creepy horror tales
Literary classics are called classics for a reason. They tell timeless stories and are a great reflection of human ideals and the struggles of daily life. But sometimes they can be a little ... boring. Luckily, some modern-day authors are here to add some zombies, sea monsters and vampires to the mix to keep it interesting.
In a world where Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter becomes a feature film, the world is yearning to have its history with some modern fantasy flair. And over the last decade or so, there have been a lot of options out there.
So the sixth in our series of 31 Days of Halloween features, we've pulled together 14 literary classics that have been gutted and reassembled with all kinds of horror tidbits tossed into the mix (for better and for worse).
And here's a complete list of all 31 Days of Halloween features:
9 zombie-killing ladies we want on our side during the apocalypse
11 custom coffins perfect for any sci-fi fan's final collectible
12 movie and TV haunted houses we wouldn't mind moving into
10 unsettlingly scary movies in which everyone dies at the end
8 undead animals prove reanimation ain't always such a good idea
14 timeless literary classics mashed up into creepy horror tales
Nosferatu + 13 more classic silent horror films you can watch NOW
Gruesome Halloween costume ideas from 25 terrifying cosplayers
12 deadly TV psychos we should hate (but secretly love)
11 weird zombie-killing weapons that'll destroy the undead with style
15 Lovecraftian stories to read once you've read all of Lovecraft
Watch 9 over-the-top horror movie performances by Star Trek stars
11 zombies it hurt to kill because we loved them so much
Mickey, Popeye and more get spooked in 15 classic creepy cartoons
20 horrifying, hilarious Halloween T-shirts better than costumes
11 great, gory vampire kills from horror movies and TV
Dracula's Dog + 8 more WTF movies about the Prince of Darkness
15 awesomely horrific Game of Thrones deaths (+ a bonus LOL one)
Batman, Iron Man + 22 more superhero-carved Halloween pumpkins
8 horror movies inspired by Native American myths and legends
Beetlejuice, Slimer + 9 more goofy ghosts from horror films and TV
12 most annoyingly useless horror movie authority figures
13 horrific Kickstarter projects you can help fund before Halloween
12 gruesome horror scenes where someone loses a head
Chomp down on 23 awesomely revolting zombie comic book covers
9 spooky body mods that'll put your Halloween costume to shame
14 annoying horror movie victims we were actually glad to see die
9 over-the-top horror films so disgusting they got banned
Check out 13 scary move trailers that still freak us out
25 creepy cosplayers who should be horrific but are sexy instead
See Harrison Ford + 18 more sci-fi celebs in Halloween costumes
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Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
Take Jane Austenâs classic tale of social commentary, then add in some killer octopi hunting the Dashwood sisters. You get all the smarts of Austen, with the insanity of sea monsters. What could go wrong?
Alice in Zombieland, Lewis Carroll and Nickolas Cook
Carrollâs classic tale of a strange world through the looking glass is an easy target to freak-up with some sci-fi elements. In this case? Zombies. Lots and lots of zombies, plus a storyline that makes you ask: Is Alice a zombie herself?
The War of the Worlds, Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies, H.G. Wells and Eric S. BrownWellâs classic alien invasion story was already pretty heavy on the sci-fi craziness. But, throw in a zombie apocalypse and you have an even crazier story.
Jane Slayre, Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin
Bronteâs classic story is chock full of social criticism, and though itâs a window into the era, it can also get a little dull. So, to keep it interesting, Erwin turned her into a vampire-slaying ass-kicker on the side.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim, Mark Twain and W. Bill Czolgosz
This classic tale of a young boyâs journey that tackles the issue of slavery is reimagined here with zombies as the new social group at the center of the tale. Which, admittedly, makes it a lot creepier.
The Undead World of Oz: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Complete with Zombies and Monsters, L. Frank Baum and Ryan C. Thomas
That sassy wicked witch is causing all kinds of trouble in Oz, and things go from bad to worse when she casts a spell that raises the dead. Oz is the perfect fictional world for a zombie apocalypse, and the concept of rotting flesh is a creepy mesh with the shiny quirkiness of Oz.
Little Women and Werewolves, Louisa May Alcott and Porter Grand
Claiming to be the original version of this classic novel of love and loss, this mashup tosses in a healthy dose of werewolf fighting to break up all that dense stuff.
Wuthering Bites, Sarah Gray and Emily Bronte
Take Bronteâs classic tale of love and throw in a healthy dose of Twilight-esque vamp drama.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Undead, Mark Twain and Don Borchert
This takes Twainâs classic take of the trouble-causing young Tom Sawyer and resets it in a world consumed by a zombie virus. Itâs hard to get into some carefree fun when zombies are shambling through your white picket fence.
Romeo and Juliet and Vampires, William Shakespeare and Claudia Gabel
This is the perfect marriage of horror and classic literature. Romeo and Juliet was already a classic Shakespearean blood feud. Now itâs a real blood feud, vampire-style.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (series), Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Arguably one of the most popular horror mashups, this tale of civility and social criticism gets a much-needed dose of awesome with some zombie battles and swashbuckling. Itâs proven so popular, author Grahame-Smith has cranked out two sequels to his adaptation of Austenâs tale.
The Meowmorphosis, Frank Kafka and Cook Coleridge
One of the weirder mashups of the bunch, this one takes a tale that is originally pretty horrible and makes it... about a kitten. A man with an adorable, man-sized kitten face. If youâve ever wondered how a man-kitten could survive, this should answer the questions.
I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas, Adam Roberts and Charles Dickens
A twist on Charles Dickensâ A Christmas Carol, this adaptation finds Scrooge visiting the past and future to see the results and genesis of the zombie apocalypse—as opposed to his own hard heartedness.
Grave Expectations, Charles Dickens and Sherri Browning Erwin
Dickensâ classic tale of the life and lessons of a young orphan named Pip is reimagined with Pip as a werewolf, in a zombie-filled supernatural world of intrigue.