Favorite Edgar Allen Poe Short Story - The AV Maniacs

Al Edwards · 09-23-2002, 11:55 AM

What is your favorite Edgar Allan Poe story, and why? My favorite is Tell Tale Heart, which is a nail biting psycholoical horror story with a fantastic finalle. My next favorites are The Cast of Amontillado and Masque of the Red Death, plus Fall of the House of Usher.

Troy Howarth · 09-23-2002, 04:29 PM

BERENICE, no contest. Very creepy stuff, masterfully written.

PhillipBaxter · 09-23-2002, 07:41 PM

Had to go with Other. LIGEIA is my fave!

Juan Gonzalez · 09-24-2002, 12:51 AM

"The House of Usher," is one my all time favorites. In "The House of Usher," Poe's descriptions of the house, its surroundings, and of Frederick Usher, (His presentation of Frederick Usher IMHO was that of a strung out addict.) all detailed his personal torments, The loss of his wife, his addiction to opium. An amazing canvas.
A Descent into the Maelstrom, Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether are also favorites.

John Gargo · 09-24-2002, 11:07 AM

I had to go with Cast of Amontillado... Darkly humorous and very creepy stuff!

Chris Workman · 09-24-2002, 12:50 PM

I must say that I love LIGEIA and THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. Well, actually, I love most of them, but those two are my faves. I notice a tendency in Poe to be redundant at times, particularly in such titles as BERENICE, LIGEIA, and MORELLA. Likewise, THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, THE BLACK CAT, THE OBLONG BOX, THE PREMATURE BURIAL.

Al Edwards · 09-27-2002, 12:09 PM

An interesting story that mixes cloning and Edgar Allen Poe is the pseudo-Lovecraft tale called The Dark Brotherhood, which deals with an alien race(I think) that turn themselves into clones of Edgar Allen Poe, and have plans of ruling earth.

Al Edwards · 10-18-2002, 12:18 PM

I also like the story William Wilson, which is an interesting prelude to Dostoeovsky's The Double, to which it has a lot in common. The two writers were similar in their fascination by psychological imprisonment, and were both heavy gamblers, except Dostoeovsky incorporated this aspect into his work(ala, The Gambler, and The Adolscent).

Kenton Sem · 10-18-2002, 12:44 PM

I'm torn, though I voted for "The Masque of the Red Death" because of it's stunning imagery. I also really enjoy the morbid, horrible love story in "Berenice" and the exceptionally gruesome "The Black Cat". So many great, great stories from Poe!

Betsy Young · 10-18-2002, 01:18 PM

I had to choose 'The Tell Tale Heart'. Very creepy stuff and it was the first Poe story I read. Read it when I was 10 and it scared the crap out of me.

Read it again a couple of years later and it still had the same effect. YAH POE!!!

Grant Windsor · 10-18-2002, 01:50 PM

Actually, this came up between my wife the other day...she even pulled his complete works out from wherever she had it. We both agreed that "The Tell-Tale Heart" was our favorite...it was the first we both had read. However, I also quite like "The Facts of M. Valdemar's Case"...great ending..."detestable putrescence" and all. I'm personally more apt to read H.P. Lovecraft, though...currently trying to get my wife to start reading his stuff...probably a hard sell due to his rather peculiar manner of writing. My favorite Lovecraft stories are "Cool Air," "Pickman's Model," and "The Rats in the Walls."

Ted Hath · 10-18-2002, 01:51 PM

Of all his works, although there are just slivers of difference between my favourite short stories, I'd go with LIGEIA as my personal preference of Edgar ALLAN Poe.

Andrew Monroe · 10-18-2002, 02:09 PM

Like others,my choice was Tell tale Heart because it was my first exposure to him.It was in an English Lit. book in 5th or 6th grade.I wonder if that`s still the case.The story still manages to creep me out.

Tex1 · 10-18-2002, 02:15 PM

Cask (not Cast, right?) of Amontillado. It's location, location, location, people, with that foul catacomb. Masque is a close second--serves those decadent pukes right! I can imagine the deserted, corpse-riddled castle after the plague has swept through--the parking lot outside packed with the dead revelers' abandoned Lincoln Navigators and Caddy Escalades, just gathering dust...

Doug Ford · 10-18-2002, 03:29 PM

No one's mentioned the NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM which has scenes of cannibalism that would make any 80s Italian horror film-maker proud. It also has an ending that almost makes the ending to CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD seem coherent by contrast.

View Poll Results: Favorite Edgar Allen Poe Short Story
Tell Tale Heat	5	27.78%
The Black Cat	3	16.67%
Cast of Amontillado	1	5.56%
Masque of the Red Death	2	11.11%
Fall of the House of Usher	1	5.56%
Pit and the Pendulum	1	5.56%
Other(I.E., Bernice, and the rest of Poe's short stories)	5	27.78%
Voters: 18. You may not vote on this poll

09-23-2002, 11:55 AM	#1
Al Edwards God of Death Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 13,781	Favorite Edgar Allen Poe Short Story What is your favorite Edgar Allan Poe story, and why? My favorite is Tell Tale Heart, which is a nail biting psycholoical horror story with a fantastic finalle. My next favorites are The Cast of Amontillado and Masque of the Red Death, plus Fall of the House of Usher. __________________ "You've outlived your kind and outlived your time" Last edited by Al Edwards; 08-23-2008 at 03:50 PM.

09-27-2002, 12:09 PM	#7
Al Edwards God of Death Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 13,781	An interesting story that mixes cloning and Edgar Allen Poe is the pseudo-Lovecraft tale called The Dark Brotherhood, which deals with an alien race(I think) that turn themselves into clones of Edgar Allen Poe, and have plans of ruling earth. __________________ "You've outlived your kind and outlived your time"

10-18-2002, 12:18 PM	#8
Al Edwards God of Death Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 13,781	I also like the story William Wilson, which is an interesting prelude to Dostoeovsky's The Double, to which it has a lot in common. The two writers were similar in their fascination by psychological imprisonment, and were both heavy gamblers, except Dostoeovsky incorporated this aspect into his work(ala, The Gambler, and The Adolscent). __________________ "You've outlived your kind and outlived your time"

10-18-2002, 01:18 PM	#10
Betsy Young Horror Goddess Acolyte Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Philly PA Posts: 1,329	I had to choose 'The Tell Tale Heart'. Very creepy stuff and it was the first Poe story I read. Read it when I was 10 and it scared the crap out of me. Read it again a couple of years later and it still had the same effect. YAH POE!!! __________________ Chuck Norris isn't hung like a horse. Horses are hung like Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris doesn't tea-bag the ladies. He potato sacks 'em.

09-23-2002, 04:29 PM	#2
Troy Howarth Dull and Scholarly Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Coyote Hills Posts: 24,591	BERENICE, no contest. Very creepy stuff, masterfully written.

09-23-2002, 07:41 PM	#3
PhillipBaxter Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 44	Had to go with Other. LIGEIA is my fave!

09-24-2002, 12:51 AM	#4
Juan Gonzalez Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Vernon NJ Posts: 25	"The House of Usher," is one my all time favorites. In "The House of Usher," Poe's descriptions of the house, its surroundings, and of Frederick Usher, (His presentation of Frederick Usher IMHO was that of a strung out addict.) all detailed his personal torments, The loss of his wife, his addiction to opium. An amazing canvas. A Descent into the Maelstrom, Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether are also favorites.

09-24-2002, 11:07 AM	#5
John Gargo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New York Posts: 12,297	I had to go with Cast of Amontillado... Darkly humorous and very creepy stuff!

09-24-2002, 12:50 PM	#6
Chris Workman Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,566	I must say that I love LIGEIA and THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. Well, actually, I love most of them, but those two are my faves. I notice a tendency in Poe to be redundant at times, particularly in such titles as BERENICE, LIGEIA, and MORELLA. Likewise, THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, THE BLACK CAT, THE OBLONG BOX, THE PREMATURE BURIAL.

10-18-2002, 12:44 PM	#9
Kenton Sem Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Monster Island Posts: 380	I'm torn, though I voted for "The Masque of the Red Death" because of it's stunning imagery. I also really enjoy the morbid, horrible love story in "Berenice" and the exceptionally gruesome "The Black Cat". So many great, great stories from Poe!

10-18-2002, 01:50 PM	#11
Grant Windsor Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 53	Actually, this came up between my wife the other day...she even pulled his complete works out from wherever she had it. We both agreed that "The Tell-Tale Heart" was our favorite...it was the first we both had read. However, I also quite like "The Facts of M. Valdemar's Case"...great ending..."detestable putrescence" and all. I'm personally more apt to read H.P. Lovecraft, though...currently trying to get my wife to start reading his stuff...probably a hard sell due to his rather peculiar manner of writing. My favorite Lovecraft stories are "Cool Air," "Pickman's Model," and "The Rats in the Walls."

10-18-2002, 01:51 PM	#12
Ted Hath Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: myself Posts: 1,235	Of all his works, although there are just slivers of difference between my favourite short stories, I'd go with LIGEIA as my personal preference of Edgar ALLAN Poe.

10-18-2002, 02:09 PM	#13
Andrew Monroe Fresh Prince Of Darkness Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Radiation Beach Posts: 3,147	Like others,my choice was Tell tale Heart because it was my first exposure to him.It was in an English Lit. book in 5th or 6th grade.I wonder if that`s still the case.The story still manages to creep me out.

10-18-2002, 02:15 PM	#14
Tex1 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 211	Cask (not Cast, right?) of Amontillado. It's location, location, location, people, with that foul catacomb. Masque is a close second--serves those decadent pukes right! I can imagine the deserted, corpse-riddled castle after the plague has swept through--the parking lot outside packed with the dead revelers' abandoned Lincoln Navigators and Caddy Escalades, just gathering dust...

10-18-2002, 03:29 PM	#15
Doug Ford Lives! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 520	No one's mentioned the NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM which has scenes of cannibalism that would make any 80s Italian horror film-maker proud. It also has an ending that almost makes the ending to CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD seem coherent by contrast. __________________ "The presbytery has not lost its charm, nor the garden its colors."

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