Advance Praise for Scared by the Bible

  • “You don't need to be a theological scholar to find this book fascinating—not if you're curious about the horrors of our existence, and how storytellers have grappled with those horrors for millennia. No one would take Dracula or Frankenstein as historic fact, and Scared by the Bible makes a concise and energetic case for not taking the Bible literally—in part by examining horror's archetypal elements, which beg us to dig beneath the surface to discover a deeper intention. An absolutely engaging and thought-provoking read.”

    —Zoje Stage, USA Today bestselling author of Baby Teeth and Wonderland

  • “Through sophisticated, mirthful writing, Prof. Grafius brings his vast knowledge of horror to his deep critical engagement with the Bible. The result is a brilliant examination of the ways in which horror narratives help us to imagine new possibilities."

    —Robin R. Means Coleman, Professor of Media Studies and of African American and African Studies at the University of Virginia and author of Horror Noire: A History of Black American Horror from 1890 to Present

  • "Scared by the Bible deftly connects Jason Vorhees to the Book of Numbers, posits Godzilla as a modern day Leviathan, and welcomes readers into the Last House of the Lord on the Left, just to name a few miracles found within its pages. Brandon Grafius shows us that the blood red line that divides a house of worship from the grindhouse is razor thin and I'm here for every slash of it."

    — Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes

  • “Once again, Brandon Grafius has shown us that we are not done with religion and horror, that the inextricable relationship between them has much to teach us about ourselves as believers… and as those who look askance at faith-based optimism. Scared by the Bible should be essential reading for anyone interested in why we believe what we believe, why we continue to fear the things we do, and the inescapable links between them.”

    Douglas E. Cowan, author of America’s Dark Theologian: The Religious Imagination of Stephen King

  • A thoughtful exploration of fear, faith, and storytelling. If, like me, you're a horror fan who grew up asking difficult questions in Sunday school, this book has your name on it.

    —Matt Ruff, best-selling author of Lovecraft Country

  • With imagination, clarity, and verve, Brandon Grafius’s Scared by the Bible dares us to experience the horror present in the Bible’s pages. Tracing the extra, the impossible, and the uncanny in stories familiar and foreign, Grafius shows that biblical horror is not a problem for theology but an opportunity. This engaging and accessible book will delight fans of modern horror while furnishing fresh tools and insights for interpreting the Bible.

    —Anathea Portier-Young, Associate Professor of Old Testament at Duke Divinity School and Author of Apocalypse Against Empire

  • Grafius has produced a body of work that makes him the biblical scholar in residence at the Last House on the Left. His new work sums up so much of his scholarship for a popular reading audience, sure to be beloved by students and anyone interested in learning about this little known or understood side of scripture. You’’ll learn about the horror genre but you’ll also get a surprisingly witty and thoughtful introduction to how the pros do biblical scholarship. It's an amazing book and, once again, Grafius has shown he’s on pare with scholars like Bart Ehrmann and Elaine Pagels…if you could listen to the Cramps and Rob Zombie while reading them!

    —W. Scott Poole, Professor of History at Charleston College and author of Monsters in America and Dark Carnivals

Praise for Lurking Under the Surface

  • "Lurking under the Surface rightly argues the hope of horror and the horror of hope within the overlapping and at times problematic circles of Western religion and the horror film. A thoroughly engaging read."

    —Paul Tremblay, bestselling author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World

  • “Grafius's surprising, and often insightful, eclectic intellectual enterprise in Lurking Under the Surface brings into stark focus Ligotti's understanding of unreal horror as being sublimated ruminations about real horror."

    —Los Angeles Review of Books

  • "Brandon Grafius combines biblical scholarship with a fanboy's love of horror to create a fun, fascinating book you won't be able to put down. I've never read a book quite like this."

    —Reza Aslan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

  • "No matter how many times you've seen Night of the Living Dead, The Thing, or Sinister, this book will come to you as a revelation. Brandon Grafius not only knows horror—he understands the deeper questions dark fictions ask."

    —W. Scott Poole, author of Dark Carnivals: Modern Horror and the Origins of American Empire and Monsters in America

  • "What a tasty book! It dives deep into what terrifies us, entertains us, and awakens the awe inside us. With a scholar's knowledge of both theology and every kind of horror movie, Grafius takes us on a tour of our soul with thought-provoking analysis, personal reflection from his own journey, and a healthy helping of humor."

    —Owen Egerton, writer/director of Mercy Black and author of Hollow

  • "Lurking under the Surface is one of the most impactful, poignant, and thought-provoking books on film I've ever read. Grafius's book swept me along like high tide, as it reveals how the horror genre remains a source of faith, hope, and refuge, and why the horror film is the best medium for carrying creative and compelling stories about the deep fears and anxieties that dominate our daily lives."

    --Victoria McCollum, senior lecturer in cinematic arts at Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland