Laymon, Richard

Average customer rating:

And God Said, "Let There Be Laymon"
Early Laymon, extra grim
It's about time this book got a second US printing
The Cellar
Save your money

The Cellar
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0843957484

Customer Reviews:

And God Said, "Let There Be Laymon".......2007-06-13

An old house converted to a tourist attraction. Wax figures of mutilated bodies. A beast that both ravages and ravishes to fulfill its sexual need. A madman bent on destroying his ex-wife and her daughter. And sex, lots of sex. In his first novel, Richard Laymon lays the track for the rest of his career, introducing themes that will resonate throughout his other works (like the theme of sex, sex, sex) and establishing his brutally simple and layman writing style, his own secret sauce. Some scenes regarding child molestation are a bit uncomfortable, but Laymon is wise to make them more suggestive than explicit. All in all, The Cellar is an excellent progenitor, a fascinating look at the genesis of Richard Laymon.

Early Laymon, extra grim.......2007-02-25

For around two decades, from the early 1980s to his death in the early 21st Century, Richard Laymon produced his own brand of horror. Among his thirty-or-so novels, I have now read five: Resurrection Dreams, After Midnight, Into the Fire, Blood Games and now, The Cellar. This last book may very well be his first novel (based on the copyrights), but it is clearly a product of Laymon's imagination. And, generally speaking, that is a good thing.

The Cellar opens up (after a brief prologue) with Donna Hayes finding out that her ex-husband Roy has just been released from prison. Roy is a true villain with no redeeming value to speak of, and he is out for revenge against his former spouse. He also intends to take up again his "romance" with their pre-teen daughter, Sandy. With a few hours head start, Donna and Sandy flee to Northern California, where after a car accident, they find themselves stuck in the small town of Malcasa Point.

This town has one tourist feature, the Beast House, where some disturbing killings have taken place over the years. Fortunately, the creature that supposedly lurks within only goes come out at night and never leaves the house. Hence, during the day, it has tours. Larry Usher, one of the rare survivors of a Beast attack when he was a kid, finds he is still haunted by the creature; he recruits Jud, a mysterious mercenary, to take out the creature.

Eventually, the paths of all these characters will cross. It's obvious that Donna will eventually be trapped between Roy and the Beast and that romance will bloom between her and Jud, one of those virtuous assassins that seem to only exist in fiction. It is to Laymon's credit, however, that he does not always go in obvious directions, and there are twists that lead to a logical if unexpected conclusion.

This is not a perfect book. Laymon's efforts to make Roy repulsive are effective yet sometimes overly gratuitous. Also, although this would actually be the first time he used this theme, he tends to produce more woman-in-jeopardy stories than the Lifetime Channel movie division. All the novels I've read of his follow this idea, albeit in different fashions. Even with his flaws, however, Laymon writes well enough and The Cellar is a quick, suspenseful read.

It's about time this book got a second US printing.......2007-02-04

This was Richard Laymon's first published horror novel. He publish two romance books under another name before this one (yeah I think that's crazy too). The Cellar is like going to a Funhouse, or eating pizza while watching Saw 3. It's great. Character developement is a little slow but if you realize that this is part of a trilogy then you can really sink your teeth into it. Welcome to Beast House. You won't make it out alive.

The Cellar.......2007-01-11

Richard Laymon lived up to his reputation - combo of horror and violence.

Save your money.......2006-12-31

Poorly done character work provides no insight into this weakly timed and tasteless rendition of a low caliber shot in the dark at a horror "novel". No scene work, outside of the "Beast house", implies that this author is grinding out a novel with the intent to write a second or third in a series of books about cheap sex, gore, beasitality and pediphilia intent on making the reader retch. This book would banned from some web sites, and the nanny guards would block it from most computers.

Three hundred and nine pages could have been shrunk to about one hundred considering the large print, oversized margins and full blank pages between chapters. Publishers at Leisure Fiction should have reconsidered printing this one.

Save your money and buy a book that is properly labeled as adult porn. At least you will know what you are getting.

Average customer rating:

Horrible
Welcome back to The Beast House
A complete mess of a book
A top-rate horror novel, but far from Laymon's best
Everything a sequel should be!

The Beast House
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Leisure
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0843957492

Customer Reviews:

Horrible.......2007-06-05

This thing started out good, but quickly took a nose dive. I'm sure Laymon has good books out there, but this was not one of them. I give this a 5 out of 10.

Welcome back to The Beast House.......2007-05-29

People call it The Beast House. A old rundown house that has been turned into a tourist attraction. People who have dared enter inside its walls at night have usually been found horribly mutilated the next day. The owners of the house say that its the Beast. A hideous creature that roams the house at night searching for its next victim. Some of the locals say that the owners made the Beast up so they could make money on tourism. They believe that the murders were committed by either a serial killer or the owners themselves. Others believe that there really is a Beast and it still lives inside the house walls. One thing they all agree on is that it isn't wise to be anywhere near that house when the sun sets. They know that is a great way to never be heard from again.

The Beast House is Laymon's second installment in the Beast House trilogy. I loved The Cellar so I was expecting great things when I started this book. I was not disappointed one bit. It drew me in on the first page and kept me hooked the whole ride. Richard Laymon has become one of my favorite Horror writers because of books like Beast House. I devoured this book in one night and when I finally finished I was left feeling very tired but satisfied The story starts with a bang and never lets up. There wasn't one part of this story that I found boring or stale. It is very rare to find a sequel that's as good as its predecessor but The Beast House is one of those exceptions. I enjoyed it as much as The Cellar, and I cant wait to finish this trilogy up with The Midnight Tour. Most people say that it is the best of the bunch and I cant wait to find out for myself.

I highly recommend Beast House to all Horror Fictions Fans. It is a fast, fun, blood filled ride that never disappoints. Laymon is one hell of a storyteller. Go grab a copy for yourself and see what I mean.

A complete mess of a book.......2007-05-14

Never again will I buy a book based solely on the one-sentence reviews on the back jacket cover. I'm convinced that the quotes on the back of Beast House must have been taken completely out of context. The storyline is sophomoric and reads like the script to a B-rate slasher film from the 70's (which isn't surprising considering it was originally published around 1980).

The characters are one dimensional and clichéd (like the salty old seafarer whose cringe-inducing dialogue is sprinkled liberally with the word "matey") and not a single one of them behaves in a manner that remotely approaches believability. Major plot points happen for no reason and are never explained (like an old diary that mysteriously appears in a motel room) or are so unbelievable as to be laughable, as when a house in which a murder has taken place is "thoroughly searched, top to bottom" but the investigators fail to notice a yard-wide tunnel dug into the floor of the cellar. Sprinkle in just enough pointless and poorly written sex of all kinds and species, and the end-result is an enormous waste of your time and money.

A top-rate horror novel, but far from Laymon's best.......2007-03-09

Beast House is a unique tourist attraction. It's a rustic old building where you can find wax figures copied after the victims of the Beast, a hideous monster said to live in the cellar. While most of Malcasa Point doesn't believe in the Beast, they can't ignore the fifty or sixty missing persons over the last few decades--and that's not counting the bodies they've found.

But now Nora, Tyler, and a couple friends are coming to town. They'll meet up with shady author Gorman Hardy, who has come Malcasa Point to write a book about the beast. Together, they will set out to gather evidence of the Beast, never really believing it exists. But when the Beast finds them, they will believe...

"The Beast House" is one of those few sequals that surpasses its predecessor. "The Cellar" was gory good fun, but lacked something; "House" lacks something to, but it is much better than "Cellar," and offers up a bit more character development. However, it's not on par with some of Laymon's best novels, such as "The Traveling Vampire Show," "Island," "Bite," and a couple others. Those latter novels offered not only chills and thrills, but genuine characterization--"The Traveling Vampire Show" is one of the finest literary horror novels ever written. Compared to these latter works, "Beast House" fails. However, if held on its own--or as a sequal to "Cellar"--then it is indeed a fine horror novel, and well worth your reading.

Everything a sequel should be!.......2006-09-05

Richard Laymon's The Cellar was the first in the Beast House Chronicles, and while an excellent book it had a few flaws. The Beast House takes place about a year or two after the incidents described in The Cellar and Laymon begins the new story was one of the most attention getting first lines in literature (read the book and you'll understand). Once he has your attention Laymon will keep it for the duration of the novel.

The Beast House has all the positive elements from The Cellar; an interesting assortment of characters, true to life dialogue that flows off the page, and the assortment of startling scenes and images expected from a Laymon novel. Where the novel improves is character development. Relationships develop in The Beast House and follow the course of action one would expect and has no trouble believing. Due to this fact, I felt more connected to these characters. I worried more about their fate (which is also understandable when it comes to Laymon's books because no one is safe). Laymon also expands upon the origins of the beast instead of just re-hashing old plot points. There are some reappearances of characters from the first novel and there is a definite set up for the next book in the chronicles (The Midnight Tour). I loved the fact Laymon takes a bit player from the Cellar to act as a catalyst for the action in The Beast House (and I'm not talking about Janice- again read both books to see what I'm talking about).

I stress again that Laymon's books aren't scary horror. You are not gripping the book with "white knuckles". Instead, Laymon gives you a good time. You will care about the characters and what fate may be in store for them. You will keep reading just to see what happens next and where Laymon's imagination will take you. Whoever coined the phrase "recreational reading" must of had Richard Laymon's novels in mind. Enjoy!

The Midnight Tour (The Beast House Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

Welcome to The Beast House!
Laymon's infamous Beast House series comes to an end
Oh boy...I couldn't put this one down!!!!!!
A Book with Teeth
Fantastic. The best book in the Beast House series.

The Midnight Tour (The Beast House Chronicles)
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Feature
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0747258279

Customer Reviews:

Welcome to The Beast House!.......2006-04-01

Other reviews have already told the plot of this book and the fact that it belongs in a series of books, so I won't rehash that. I will say that I did enjoy the book, but then I usually do enjoy Laymon's brand of horror. I have only read The Cellar, from the series and I did enjoy that one as well. Both are left a little open but you still get enough of an idea of the conclusion to be satisfied. As usual Laymon's books are violent, gory and fast paced, but these are the good qualities. I have read about 30 of his books and I try to get my hands on anything else I can of his. The only fault I have with his books is that I find his female characters (although strong and capable which is nice because they aren't the typical damsels in distress) to be a tad unrealistic. I don't know exactly what it is but usually the actions and reactions of the women always confuse me and I feel they aren't plausible. Other than that I love his writing, it's very thrilling and it never takes long for the story to get going and never stop. I liked Midnight Tour very much and anyone can read this book even if you're unfamiliar with the Beast House series. The book gives you all the required information so you can read it alone or out of order with the other books.

Laymon's infamous Beast House series comes to an end.......2006-01-29

Richard Laymon is easily one of the most prolific authors in horror fiction with over 50 titles published under his name. It's a bit surprising then that he has only written one series, the 3-volume Beast House chronicles, and given how good these beast house books are I certainly wish he had written other series. But hey, at least we have Beast House. This is the series that kicked off with 1980's cult classic "The Cellar", which also happens to be Richard's first-ever novel. He followed up that classic with 1985's "The Beast House" an atmospheric but ultimately rather disappointing sequel. The third novel, "The Midnight Tour" undoes the wrongs of the second novel to give us a vastly superior sequel. It's also the biggest beast house book, clocking in at over 530 pages in length which is roughly the size of the two previous installments combined. Despite the length, I can guarantee you that the pages will fly by to no end should you give this one a try.

"The Midnight Tour" takes place in 1997, roughly twenty years after the events in "The Cellar". By now, the beast house is a national attraction, drawing in tourists from all over the united states. Novels have been written about beast house, a string of cheesy horror films have been made based loosely on Beast House. And the Beast House has changed a lot from its humble beginnings as a tacky tourist trap. It's still tacky of course but now on a much bigger scale. You can visit the Beast House museum, buy Beast House t-shirts or savour some Bacon Beastburgers or Red-Hot Beastie Weenies at the Beast House snack stand. The day tours have also become more sophisticated, as you can now get an audio guided tour on earphones. But there is one Beast House tour to end all Beast House tours: The Midnight Tour. Once a week on Saturdays. Totally uncensored, no-holds-barred, no stops pulled meant for only the most hardcore of Beast House fans. You'll be lucky to get out alive...

Similar to novel #2 "The Beast House", The Midnight Tour is a little bit tame in the horror department. A great deal of time is spent developing characters and speculating about horrific happenings but not a lot of shocking things happen, unlike in Laymon's sickening debut "The Cellar". But that doesn't mean this entry isn't good, in fact it's outstanding and rights the wrongs of the second book if you ask me. Whereas the second book spent an inordinate amount of time focusing on the love lives of four tourists, this third book places the spotlight squarely back on the beast house instead. We get a full host of new characters, and interesting ones at that. I particularly liked Owen, the super Beast House fan, on a trip to Malcasa Point with his wench of a girlfriend Monica. Anyone who has ever spent anytime traveling with a nagging, domineering girlfriend will probably feel very sympathetic to his cause.

Also of particular interest are flashback chapters that recount the last 17 years of Sandy's life. Her life story peppered with incest, rape and bestiality is very shocking to read especially when told through the lens of Laymon, a master at describing perversity. It's a brilliant touch to have Sandy turn out to be the true star of the series, something unexpected when only having read The Cellar, where Sandy is but a hapless and victimized toddler. In Sandy Hayes, Laymon has created one of his most memorable characters ever. Although "The Cellar" is the only entry that on a stand-alone basis can be considered a top-ten Laymon classic, the other two entries complement the original admirably to form a truly memorable series. If you're a Laymon fan you MUST read the Beast House chronicles.

Oh boy...I couldn't put this one down!!!!!!.......2005-10-21

Well Layman has done it again only better!! This is the best book in the "Beast House" series. I paid alot to get my hands on this book and boy was it worth it! The characters are so interesting, real and the story is creepy. Highly recommend if you liked the first two books in the Trilogy "The Cellar", and "The Beast House." This whole series is fantastic. I wish there was another book in this series!!

A Book with Teeth.......2005-06-29

I loved this book, gloriously descriptive, gorey, sexual, frightening, fascinating. The classic haunted house meets creature from the deep story. As usual laymon is pornographically generous but I happen to love that about him.

Fantastic. The best book in the Beast House series........2004-06-12

I think this is the best book in the Beast House series and one of Laymon's best overall.

This is the third book in the series. It's the last in the trilogy. ("Friday Night in Beast House" is a spin-off book.)

"The Cellar" and "The Beast House" are the two prequels.

You can read the books out of order.

Customer Reviews:

A fresh surprise.......2007-05-13

I liked it. Maybe it's not the best I've read this season but it's a fast reading book quite entertaining and both innocent and wicked. A fresh surprise.

Wonderful Coming of Age Story.......2007-05-07

The Traveling Vampire Show is a super read! Get it now!

Other great coming-of-age stories and must-reads are "Summer of Night" and "Boy's Life." Click here to check them out: Summer of Night (Aspect Fantasy)
Boy's Life

Your comments--good or bad--are appreciated. Thanks.

Laymon never fails!.......2007-05-02

The Traveling Vampire Show was very good. Laymon has a way of bringing the characters to life. It isn't heavy on vampire action. When I started this book, I expected the violence, gore, and blood from the many other Laymon books I have read. Not in this book. But you don't miss it. You are so drawn in by the characters... you just can't wait to see what happens next to them, and Laymon never fails to keep the action going! I was sorry to finish the book, as I wanted to read more about the main characters. They are like friends you will miss!

Talented author with poor priorities.......2007-02-20

I really wanted to like this book. It had a lot of potential and Laymon succeeded on many levels, but overall, he failed in my opinion. Here's some good things about this book: Laymon has the ability to create incredible suspense out of mundane places and situations. The creepy description of Janks field is one example. Its a normal fairgrounds with a creepy past. He creates the atmosphere in a way that causes dread and fear to come upon the reader. The cadillac twins are another example. But...the strong sexual content and voice reverberate throughout the book to create an uneven and inconsistent voice. It was as if I could feel the author's own sexual fantasies come to life on the pages. When he does that it lowers my overall appreciation for the book. But as a writer of suspense and horror, not many authors can match Laymon. He's up there with Stephen King and Dan Simmons and he's way better than Dean Koontz.

Pure Laymon - Scary Theme, First Loves, and great characters.......2006-12-13

Three 16 year old friends (Dwight, Rusty and their female friend Slim) hear about the Traveling Vampire Show coming to their small town, and make up their minds that they will attend despite being too young, being too scared, overlooking town curfues, and parental objections.

The Traveling Vampire Show is a one night event at midnight, and highlights the gorgeous Valeria - the only living vampire in captivity. When strange events happen during the day prior to the show, the three friends begin to be concerned over their safety if they attend - as if that is enough reason to stop them from going!

The show offers money to anyone able to survive 5 minutes in a cage with the gorgeous Vampire Valeria, and Rusty finds out that $500 may not be worth it! Dwights beautiful sister in law offers to fight Valeria to save Rusty, and the caged fight between the two women begins....

Classic Laymon - great ending!

Average customer rating:

The Best Laymon I've Read.
A definite read for any Laymon fan
Not all Fun and games....
I'll Kill Anybody If I Get To Have Sex With This Girl!!!!
Laymon Favorite!

Funland
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Feature
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0747235473

Customer Reviews:

The Best Laymon I've Read........2006-06-18

Seriously, if you can get a hold of this one, do. Get the UK version.

It does not drag, it does not hold back, it does not disapoint.

There is nothing more I can say. Just read it.

A definite read for any Laymon fan.......2006-03-22

Make no mistake - Laymon's books do tend to recycle themes and characters, but his imagination and writing abilities always make these stories work. Laymon's ideas are original, and though his storylines are somewhat unbelievable at times, he has an uncanny knack at revving up the suspense. Funland is a definite must for any Laymon fan, and it is a good introduction for those who are interested in reading Laymon's works.

Not all Fun and games...........2005-07-10

This was my first entry into the Richard Laymon catalog, and I must say that I was blown away with the story. Richard is definitely a powerful writer because I am still twisted up after reading that book a few days ago. Yes, it is a long novel, and although there was some drags in the tempo of the story, I definitely could not put the book down. Very good characters, very good plot, nice twists and one hell of a turn of events near the end of the book. Once the last few chapters arrived the story seemed to kick into overdrive, going from telltale suspense to shocking horror, with a lot of genuine scares and a decent amount of gore. The one thing that I noticed about this novel was the way that Laymon didnt over do it in contrast to some other horror stories that I have read.

I am still in awe at how attached I became to the characters, possibly because I could relate with what the main character was going through. Tales of belonging, tales of male machismo, young love, and acceptance. Laymon did a wonderful job bringing them all to life with fire-breathing results.

Bottom Line: I am impressed enough that I am going on in his collection to see what other treasures await me. So for any of you out there that love carnival horror/suspense, or are interested in trying a Laymon novel, this was an interesting place to start and a great, great book.

-CW

I'll Kill Anybody If I Get To Have Sex With This Girl!!!!.......2005-04-18

Something is very amiss in the Californian seaside town of Boleta Bay. Poor Homeless People are being murdered by a gang of rich spoilt teenagers who engage in "Thrill Killings" . The new kid in town is a High School geek named Duke who is ruled by his own pathetic Rampant Hormonal Desires and he joins the gang in the hope of having sex with the female Leader Of The Pack.It seems that Teenage Lust Out Of Control is the sole motivation of every teenager's behaviour in every one of Laymon's books which I consider to be very sad if he perceived all teenagers in this disparaging light. Read this book if the Graphic Murder of Homeless People appeals to you and then I would advise you to seek some much needed Heavy Duty Medication and Therapy. I know I have repeated this in my reviews of Laymon's books but one has to remember that Laymon forged a successful writing career by repeating the same tired old Themes of Teenage Lust and Violence in all of his books too.I give this book 5 stars because once again Laymon has promised the reader something new and original but in reality sticks to the same stock, cardboard characters (with their names changed) who appear in all of his books.

Laymon Favorite!.......2005-02-03

I would rank this Laymon book in my top five! A spooky book about an amusement park. A book that centers around a group of kids trying to get rid of weird, homeless bums...I did say weird didn't I? As usual, Laymon takes you on a wild ride of brutal killing, abuse, sexual encounters and just plain spookiness! There's always a little romance thrown in for kicks. Oh, did I mention there's always a little something far fetched in his books. This one especially throws you for a loop. I didn't expect the ending. This is one of those you have to read if your a fan!

Average customer rating:

Even with disappointment there is still greatness!!! Because it's Laymon!!!
Creepy-gives you the shivers!
Makes your flesh crawl
FLESH INDEED
If you have never read Laymon, Flesh should be the first

Flesh
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Feature
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Even with disappointment there is still greatness!!! Because it's Laymon!!!.......2005-12-11

I guess I should point out that Richard Laymon is and always will be my favorite author. I met him back in 1999 and he was one of the nicest friendliest warm-hearted people you could ever hope to meet. I will miss him greatly due to his death on Valentine's Day of 2001 as I'm sure most of his fans will as well. Your the best "Dick". Now, I was a bit disappointed with Flesh but I can't really pinpoint why. I guess because it just doesn't have the oomph that the other novels of his that I've read have. I think I've read about 10 or so of his novels. But yet there is still greatness with this novel. Good original storyline and great characters. It just didn't have the suspense that his other novels have like The Stake and The Traveling Vamp Show. Of course its hard to imagine a novel better than the Traveling Vamp. It seems like there just wasn't enough going on in the book. Not quite enough action. Before I read this I was expecting another fantastic One Rainy Night type novel. That's another of his novels by the way for those of you unfamiliar with Richard. In One Rainy Night it's complete madness and mayhem and in Flesh it just doesn't have that feel. It has it moments to be sure. I expected the outer space worm thingy in Flesh to inflict more people in the town thus causing bedlam and craziness and madness and mayhem. Well you get the idea. Instead this worm thing(by the way I'm guessing this worm thing came from outer space and I wish Richard would have told about it's origin or had some scene where the protagonists discover it's origin.) infects and inflicts maybe 4 or 5 people making them murdering homicidal maniacs the whole 330 pages. Sounds like enough but it's not. The action doesn't really get going until the last third of the book. A bit disappointing but like I said it's still a great book. Plenty sexuality and sensuality as with any Laymon novel. Alway's great plotting in Laymon novels no matter what they're lacking. Always great characters in Laymon novels. He was very adept at putting characters in situations that make you squirm and think oh crap how is this greatly developed character that I've come to like so well going to get out of this mess. Even Laymon's bad guys that you despise so much you can't help but like because they're so wicked. My gripe about lack of goings on in the book should not deter you in any way from picking this book up and reading it. It's still great and while not my favorite Laymon novel, I will reread it again in the near future. My fave five Laymons are The Traveling Vampire Show, The Stake, and The Beast House Series. Well, actually there are four in that series and that would make 6. Those are The Cellar, The Beast House, The Midnight Tour, and the novella Friday Night in Beast House. You really can't go wrong with any Laymon novel you pick up. It's a shame such a great talent and nice person was taken from us, but at least he left behind a great legacy of novels for us to read weighing in about 30 books and 70 short stories. On a side note this novel was runner up for the Bram Stoker award in 1988 and selected by Science Fiction Chronicle as the best novel of 1988. Flesh gets a solid 4 stars from me. Enjoy! P.S. I miss you Richard and I hope that whereever you are you're still pumping those wonderful novels out and when and if I get there we can sit around and have a beer and discuss novels and everything else under the sun. God bless you Dick whereever you are. You're the BEST!!!

Creepy-gives you the shivers!.......2004-10-21

If you read Laymon's books then this is right up your alley. Just like all the rest this is full of gore and yuck! Something enters people and lives on their spine. It needs a host, it makes you want to eat other people. It's sick and you want to keep reading. You meet numerous people in this book that in the end are all connected to each other, like most horror novels there will be some show down in the end. Who or what will win?

Makes your flesh crawl.......2003-04-08

This was the first Laymon novel I ever read and it maintains a spot in my heart. This is another attempt by Laymon to show how dark some people can become.

The story opens with a maniac looking for a new victim. But the maniac is quickly toasted, but not before a disgusting worm leaves his body to infest another. People infested with the work turn violent and shed all pretense of being civilized.

Typical Laymon suspense and horror spiced with the reality of just how does one go about stopping this worm.

Laymon again shows us that he can craft characters who act as people should. In this book, it takes time for people to see the signs of the worm and deduce that something else might be behind the violence.

A terrifying read that will really make your flesh crawl.

FLESH INDEED.......2002-08-01

A great horror story sadly overshadowed by a long and boring subplot involving a young woman and her too sexually famished boyfriend. Will she dump him, will she not, will she succumb to his (and her own) sexual needs, will she not. Thank God the horror suspense was nasty--as always, for I would not have enjoyed this just OK Laymon treat.-----Martin Boucher

If you have never read Laymon, Flesh should be the first.......2002-06-30

This book has a different style than any other Laymon, most of his books could not be converted to film due to censorship, but this book in my opinion can be made into a great movie, yet it still contains Dicks usual magic and blood splattering fun.
Its a simple concept really, a worm that crawls into people and turns them into homicidal maniacs, thrown in is the usual love story spiced with a little sex, but the finished product is more than the normal, its written with perfection, its unputdownable and you will be going back for more, I treasure my copy and will do so for as long as I live, if you love horror or even just love reading you must at least read this book, you will never forget it.

Average customer rating:

Graphic page-turner
Laymon always delivers
Not Laymon's Best
Intense... but...
the cat's meow bravo

No Sanctuary
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Among the Missing
Darkness, Tell Us

ASIN: 0843951036

Customer Reviews:

Graphic page-turner.......2007-03-09

It can be jokingly said that the Lifetime Channel is really the Women-in-Jeopardy Channel given the number of TV-movies it shows that have women threatened by stalkers, abusive husbands and other myriad (and typically male) evils. If there is an equivalent in the field of horror writing, it would probably be Richard Laymon, whose novels (at least the sampling I've read) all deal with women-in-peril. No Sanctuary is a partial exception to the rule, but it basically fits in with Laymon's regular themes.

The lady-in-danger in this book is Gillian, who has an unusual addiction. She is compelled to break into and live in houses belonging to people who are on vacation. She isn't really a thief (although she does help herself to food and such), but she just needs to explore the lives of others. Unfortunately, the house she chooses this time belongs to a nasty serial killer who particularly enjoys raping, torturing and murdering beautiful women, a category that Gillian fits into. When the killer comes home early, Gillian has real problems.

What makes No Sanctuary a little different, however, is there is also a man in danger, albeit at the same time as his girlfriend. Rick and Bert (short for Bertha) are taking a camping trip in the California mountains. Rick hasn't done camped since he was a kid, with good reason. During that last trip, while he was disabled with a broken leg, his step-mother was raped and killed. But Rick loves the outdoorsy Bert, so he goes along and runs into trouble this time around, too. There is a trio of teenagers who seem threatening, a strange vagrant preacher, and, of course, eventually, the serial killer that Gillian has intruded on.

Like Laymon's other books, this is a good, suspenseful read, but it almost seems like he has his own demons to wrestle with. He loads his books with sex, but also crimes against women. In this book alone, there are at least four different rapists/killers or potential ones, and I can see Laymon turning off quite a few readers with his explicitness. In addition, this book suffers from the fact that the two storylines (Rick & Bert and Gillian) are completely separate until the very end, and, outside of flashbacks, there is no real threat to any of the characters until beyond the halfway point of the book.

Amazingly, although this may be one of Laymon's most flawed books, it is still a good book. Laymon will make you turn the pages, so if you're a horror fan, this will be worth reading.

Laymon always delivers.......2007-02-03

I love Richard Laymon's books. They are definitely full of sex and violence, but if you have ever read one of Laymon's books (or any of his reviews here), you should expect it. I have read about 10 of his books now, and I still think "The Traveling Vampire Show" and "The Island" are his best works. However, I really liked "No Sanctuary" and it kept me on edge and having to know... what happens next.... I think this book was rather "swell"!

Not Laymon's Best.......2006-01-21

To me, Richard Laymon's books read like early 80's slasher films. Not exactly high-art, pretty misogonystic, and ultra-violent. Some people, like me, like this type of film and book, but this one just doesn't really do it for me.

First of all, it's really two novels in one. I kinda don't understand why that author just didn't make this into two books. I think it would have worked better. We don't need any Tarantino-esque plot melding in the literary equivalent of a Friday the 13th film.

Also, as with all of Laymon's novels, but especially in this one, the female characters are ridiculous. They are always wearing next to nothing, they always want to have sex with strangers, they're always beautiful. It seems like a lot of horror authors, especially Laymon, create female characters to be like what they wish most women were like. I know it's "fiction" but come on.

Additionally, every time a character in the novel comes across another person, their first thought is that the other person is a serial killer rapist. When I'm out hiking, or walking down the street, and I run across another group of hikers or pedestrians, I don't automatically think "thank god I brought my gun because these people are going to sodomize and mutilate my girlfriend." Laymon must have been one paranoid guy. I don't know, maybe it's just me.

It's also pretty slow and devoid of suspense until the end of the novel(s). Nothing, and I mean nothing, (not even any successful character development) happens within the first 200 pages.

Also, the word "breast" or "nipple" appears at least once every three pages. Seriously.

It's redeeming quality is that is does deliver the splatterpunk goods before all is said and done. Still, not recommended. Pick up "Night in the Lonesome October" as a much better example of what Laymon is capable of.

Intense... but..........2005-10-02

This is the third Laymon book i've read and the best of the three. (The first was COME OUT TONIGHT and the second was RESURRECTION DREAMS). It was suspenseful and intense (especially the ending). The guy sure knew how to write psychos. I do have one small criticism of Laymon's writing though: His dialogue. Its more evident in the other two i've read but he cannot write the dialogue of young people convincingly. His characters use expressions that almost come out of the 1950s. Such as the word "swell". How many teenagers use that word? (They use it in COME OUT TONIGHT). There are other examples that I can't think of off the top of my head.. but keep that in mind when you read it. He seemed to be an older man trying his hardest to come up with what younger people would say. That is NOT one of his strengths. On the other hand, if you can over look that and think of it just as Laymon's charm and a characteristic of his writing, then you are in for a wild and entertaining ride. No one is safe in a Laymon novel (from what I can tell). He is NOT predictable. Overall, I recommend this book.

the cat's meow bravo.......2005-09-21

I don't understand the negative reviews, are we all reading the same book here?

Yes Laymon has gore, sex and shocking twist and turns and if his books bore people then my, I don't know what to say. They might not be your cup of tea, yes that's one thing, but I see these reviews coming from people who are all ready familiar with his work and continue to punish themselves somehow.

So anyhow, ramblings aside...

This was my first Laymon book I purchased and first book of his I read, and I was not disappointed. I managed to collect about 20 or so of his books, but I read them sparingly, stuff this good and crazy doesn't come often, and the man is no longer with us, so you can see if I'm saving him for special reads, then it musn't be so bad!

I like stories that take the main characters ( and its nice to have more than one good character, versus a solitary main person) and secludes them somehow from civilization and help and throws them in the middle of a quiet remote place. This book has two stories of a couple, Bert and Rick who go camping, never a good thing for any character in a Laymon book, he loves to kill em off and of Gillian who breaks to peoples homes when they are on vacation.

Yes somehow these two remote stories come together as the couple and Gill get involved with some unstable and dangerous people who take pleasure in their pain.

Without any spoilers there wasn't one boring moment, and I read this into the wee hours of the night, maybe this stuff has glue on pages, because I couldn't put it down.

Haha, go get a cheap used copy, and have a blast!

Average customer rating:

Classic Laymon
She's Trapped In The Tub!!! Maybe I Can Have Sex With Her?
Sick but fun!
Quake with fear
Simply a must read!

Quake
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0747248060

Customer Reviews:

Classic Laymon.......2007-05-25

All the ingredients of a classic Richard Laymon novel, sex, gore,sex,gore,and then more sex and gore. What takes place after the big quake hits is more terrifying the the quake itself. A quick fun read for any Laymon fan.

She's Trapped In The Tub!!! Maybe I Can Have Sex With Her?.......2005-04-22

In this book the reader is introduced to Major League Geek and Momma's Boy Stanley who has rampant Hormonal Lustful Desires for his neighbour Sheila Banner. Then an Earthquake hits the Los Angeles area and Stanley's pathetic sexual fantasies may just be realized as Sheila is trapped in the bath in her house.Actually Stanley is so desperate that he is willing to have sex with any female which soon becomes apparent to the reader. In this book Laymon once again explores his tired old Themes of Teenage Lust Out Of Contol, Graphic Violence and Rape which a lot of sad,lonely individuals seem to like reading about.I give this book 5 stars because once again Laymon has enticed me to buy this book with the promise of something original so he did succeed in making me part with $15 for the usual Laymon trash masquerading as Horror.

Sick but fun!.......2005-03-03

This is not a book you want to read if you are easilly disturbed by anything. Laymon writes like a man with no conscience. I found myself shocked several times by the taboos he was willing to violate. A ton of shock value. Definately fun.

Quake with fear.......2003-04-08

Another fine offering from Richard Laymon. This time we see a family struggle after a devastating earthquake disrupts the entire city.

As with any disaster, looters and worse rear their ugly heads. But central to the fear is lonely Stanley, a former peeper who now has an opening to actually pursue his desires. After all, in the madness following the quake, who will notice some premeditated violence. His goal is the family's daughter and his drive is relentless. He knows that once the city has recovered, he will have lost his chance to pursue his perverse fantasies.

Laymon once again shows us the dark heart of people when civilizations restraints have been removed. A fine read.

Simply a must read!.......2000-01-18

Having read Laymon previously, I knew what to expect. Horror, gore, and phycotisism! Quake contained all of this, but the characters were so strong, you almost felt part of the terror. The story focusses around the Tanners, and invites you to see the devastation of the quake through their eyes, as they desperately try to to save themselves from the danger which has been unleashed by this natural disaster. Heroisism, innocence and sheer passion is dealt with superbly,(as in all Laymon books), and the plight of Stanley will keep you hooked right through, as you wait with baited breath to see if his dreams and fantasies finally do come true!Read this above all others. You won't be able to put it down.

Average customer rating:

One of Laymon's best books
A Great Suspense-Mystery Novel!
Well ..... ?
Not Bad
In the Dark - Richard Laymon

In the Dark
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Island
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No Sanctuary

ASIN: 0843949163

Customer Reviews:

One of Laymon's best books.......2007-06-10

Can you have a horror story without some sort of evil, or at least dangerous, element? For a while, it seems so in Richard Laymon's In The Dark, where the bad guy takes a long time to show his true nature.

In The Dark begins with protagonist Jane Kerry working at a library and finding an envelope addressed to her. Within is a fifty dollar bill and a riddle presented to her by Mog - or more properly, MOG, the Master of Games. She solves the puzzle easily enough, leading her to another note, this time with one hundred dollars. This time, Mog leads her elsewhere.

Accompanied by Brace Paxton, a young professor who she meets by accident (and soon will be romantically involved with), she gets to another note and $200. The game is afoot, and as long as Jane plays, the money keeps doubling. Mog, however, discourages Brace's participation and soon Jane is forced between getting more money by doing more and more bizarre things or dropping the game that the protective Brace feels is getting out of hand. For Jane, who is now getting significant sums of money, it is not easy to quit.

Although this book is definitely a thriller, it is uncertain for a while if Mog is some villainous character out to corrupt Jane, or merely an eccentric rich guy. Eventually, his true colors show and he is shown to be a nasty person, one who is so clever he has an almost supernatural quality.

For Laymon, this is one of his better books, principally because of its plot. Also, Laymon's semi-misogynistic qualities - women are particularly abused in his books - and his rather adolescently voyeuristic view of sex are toned down in this novel, though definitely not absent. And the ending leaves a bit to be desired as Mog undergoes a change of character (which is not to say he suddenly finds God, but rather acts in a manner that he hadn't previously). Even with these flaws, however, Laymon does write a good page-turner. If you have never read Laymon, this is probably a good book to start with.

A Great Suspense-Mystery Novel!.......2007-05-07

I've read a lot of Richard Laymon's books, and this is one of his best--a real grabber. How can you not want to find out what's going to happen when a librarian finds a note leading her to a book with $50 in it. The next night she finds another book with a $100 in it, and so on. A super novel.

Well ..... ?.......2006-10-15

The idea is good - admitted. But there is the problem of getting it into a novel. All the characters lack credibility, their motivations are not logical. The main character's tasks are ludicrous and the atmosphere is created in a cheap way - a way that the author thinks is traditional for the genre. The plot is improbable - which would be understandable for a horror novel -, but unmotivated and does not have anything to do with the main action. In addition it is a mixture of gore and porn, no I am not prude, but too much is too much. After finishing the novel I asked myself why I read it to the end. It could have been such a nice story. How far does a person go to get rich? There is a lot of power in this question. But in this book it is dealt with in such an absurd way that you do not answer it any more.

Not Bad.......2006-07-29

This novel, 500 pages, was still a good fast read. i thought that the beginning was a little slow going and boring. but once you got past the first half of the book the action became more intense and dark. Laymon does have a great imagination thatll keep you reading, even if your not that big a fan of his, just so you can see where he takes you. Not bad.

In the Dark - Richard Laymon.......2006-06-25

I really liked this book. Laymon keeps you in suspense throughout the book. This was the first book I read by Richard Laymon and I will be looking for more of him.

Average customer rating:

Story Stuck With Me For Years
A hidden gem
Creepy and surprising
Lost in the dark
A good read...

Midnight's Lair
Richard Laymon
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312088450

Customer Reviews:

Story Stuck With Me For Years.......2006-10-20

I read this book a number of years ago, and could not get the plot out of my mind. In fact, I didn't remember the book name or author, and recently discovered the Author passed away at an early age (Laymon).

Story is well written - and forces you to want to turn the pages until you have read it all.

The story is about a crazy hotel owner that victimizes certain customers, and dumps them into a cave. Over the course of many years - the cave is full of people, that somehow manage to survive! The concept is horrifying!

If you are new to Laymon - I gurantee you will reach out to read more.

A hidden gem.......2006-03-24

Originally written under the pseudonym Richard Kelly, Midnight's Lair is a classic Richard Laymon tale of terror. Midnight's Lair takes place in Mordock Cave. Darcy, a tour guide, is forced to take a real leadership role when the power in the cave goes out, and the elevators come crashing down, leaving the tour participants with no way out of the cave. Darcy teams up with Greg, a man on the tour to go to Ely's Wall, a barrier in the cave that supposedly blockades the part of the cave that is haunted by the ghost of Elizabeth Mordock. However, it turns out that what really lurks behind Ely's Wall is much more terrifying and disgusting than a ghost could ever be. While we follow along with the people trapped in the cave, Laymon also narrates from the surface, with the parents of two trapped people going in from the long-abandoned second entrance to the cave.

Out of all the Laymon books I've read, this one has the least amount of character development and setup of all of them. Pretty much right away, we are introduced to all the main characters, and they are immediately placed in peril. We do get some backstory on how the monstrous situation in the cave started, and that is the most terrifying part of the book. In fact, the villains/"monsters" in Midnight's Lair are some of Laymon's best creations. They are probably that much more terrifying because they are believable creations. As far as violence and sex goes, you get what you pay for with Laymon. The violence isn't really all that bad comparably, but there are rampant sexual undertones throughout the novel, which, as with all Laymon novels, really serve to crank up the tension when all the bad things start to happen. This one might be a little tough to find if you don't want to buy it, but it is a must-read for all of Laymon's fans.

Creepy and surprising.......2004-04-24

This is the first Laymon novel I have read. It had all the characteristics I was told to expect: A quick start, a fast paced plot, bits of nasty violence, and some sex. Needless to say, I liked it! This is an entertaining and creepy novel. In overall effect, it is reminiscent of Jack Ketchum's "Hide and Seek" (which is fine by me too!)

Lost in the dark.......2003-04-08

I am a big Richard Laymon fan, but I feel this is probably the weakest novel he has written. It is a fine story, but just not up to the disturbing level Laymon has made us come to expect.

The story centers around a tourist cave. People flock to see the interesting rock formations, etc. But a power outage strands a tour group at the bottom of the cave. While the elevators do not work, and it looks like no help will be coming from that direction, the group decides to find another way out. Bad idea.

Laymon likes to show how seemingly ordinary people can sink to the lowest depths when driven by circumstance or the failure of society. Unfortunately there is very little of that in this tale. The familiar Laymon twists and turns are also absent. While this is one of his shortest novels, it reads more like a long short story.

Dark unexplored caves seem ripe for Laymon style horror to surface, but it just doesn't come through in this one. But it is still a dark and chilling tale and one wonders what one would do in similar circumstances.

A good read..........2002-11-03

A tourist group visiting the popular "Mordock's Cave" attraction is trapped underground when a power failure incapacities the elevators. 21 year old Darcy is the group's tour guide, and takes charge of the group's 30+ people. After the tour group realizes that they can't get back above-ground via the elevators, Darcy and a few others decide to find another way out... and that's when things get REALLY bad.

It's not deep reading, just fun reading! This is my second Richard Laymon book -- the first one I read was NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER, which I enjoyed more. There are some good starts to the characters in this book, but Mr. Laymon doesn't really flesh them out, and the plot really isn't resolved to my satisfaction. All in all, though, a pretty good read, if you don't take it too seriously.

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