Richard Laymon

**Jack Burton** · January 1st, 2003, 10:38 AM

Hello all. Anyone ever read RL? Ever hear of him. I happend to stumble onto his work while scouring the bookshelves at Barnes&Noble looking for a decent horror title. I bought Night in Lonsome October and WHOA, what a crazy ride that was. He has been described as a Stephen King without a conscience, and it is a fairly apt descripition. I read 6 more novels of his, all with a varying degree of , for lack of a better word, readability! His writing is definately not for the squeamish, both in the gore and sex category! Am I morally bankrupt if I like his stuff?

**AuntiePam** · January 1st, 2003, 01:45 PM

That's why some books (and movies and food and music etc.) are called guilty pleasures, I think.

The only Laymon I've read is One Rainy Night -- it was fun, like a B movie from the 50's or 60's.

**dragondrool** · January 2nd, 2003, 05:49 PM

I'm about half-way through In The Dark . It'll likely be a while before I drift back to it and finish it, though. What I've read of it seems a bit lightweight. Maybe the last half will be different.

**Frankenjohn** · January 3rd, 2003, 01:28 PM

I've read several Laymon novels, and I've got a few more I've started.

The pleasure I get out of Laymon is that his books are quick reads, he is good at pacing, and he can pull off some really creepy moments. The stories usually take place in a short period of time, and he does a good job coming up with surprises and dealing with realistic responses by his characters.

I would definately recommend The Travelling Vampire Show and The Stake. Vampire Show is really excellent up until the last 50 or so pages, and then it takes a really crazy turn, but it's unexpected and funny (in a sick way I guess) if you can go along with it.

AuntiePam was right about One Rainy Night. It is like a B movie, and it was fun.

**Jack Burton** · January 4th, 2003, 12:31 PM

I agree with you and Auntie Pam, One Rainy Night was a nice bit of horror fun! I've read The Traveling Vampire Show and I really enjoyed it. Nice leisurely paced begining, then BAM!!! He makes the unatural feel natural, while shocking you at the same time. Dragdrool, give Into the Dark a second look, it slowly builds, then gets very..uh..'interesting' later on! BTW, I think I've read all his boks that are available here in The US, so I guess I'm gonna have to go to Amazon.com UK to order his others!

**Frankenjohn** · January 4th, 2003, 01:10 PM

I'm surprised there haven't been any films of his books. The ones I've read have all seemed like perfect candidates for films.

Jack Burton, which is your favorite?

**Jack Burton** · January 4th, 2003, 01:40 PM

Me too..have to say One night in Lonsome October my first RL book that I read..pretty damn good!!! BTW, in the paperback edition of Into The Dark I though on the back of the front cover it said cover image from film Richard Laymon's Into the Dark? But I scoured the Net and couldn't find anything. Perhaps I was mistaken.

**Rob B** · January 4th, 2003, 02:16 PM

I read The Traveling Vampire Show and thought it was one of the lousier books I read. To me, it seemed like, cheap, predictable, generic, teen slasher flick--except I was reading it rather than watching it. Nothing original, nothing too scary, nothing entertaining. The only good thing was that it WAS a quick read.

I found it hard to believe it won the Best Horror Novel of the Year.

Completely turned me off to anything else by him.

**Jack Burton** · January 4th, 2003, 02:44 PM

Hmm.didn't find it to be cheap, or too predictable, but then again, what is truly original? His novels, I guess, are a accuired taste, so to speak, but he does do shock, and makes beleivable characters, IMHO..I'd rather read him than Ann Rice or King or Koontz, but I'm bit on a visceral thrill kick right now!!!!

**AuntiePam** · January 4th, 2003, 06:03 PM

By "horror award", do you mean the Stoker? I haven't agreed with most of those choices, actually. But awards are so subjective, they're probably not a good way to choose reading material.

Laymon died at about the time TVVS was published -- might be the award was a sympathetic response to that. By all accounts, Laymon was a nice guy and more importantly, extremely helpful to new writers. I don't think he ever pretended (or wanted) to be anything more than a B-list writer.

**Jack Burton** · January 4th, 2003, 06:11 PM

Yes, that's correct..I read that he was unfailingly good natured a trait that is indeed envious. I hope to become a published novelist and my sights are not set so high..if I could achieve a modicum of sucess like Laymon, then I would be most grateful. BTW, soo right about awards .. !

**dragondrool** · January 4th, 2003, 07:17 PM

Okay. I'm giving the book another shot.

I picked up In the Dark again the other night. I wasn't halfway (only a third, really). It is picking up some, and I will probably read another good hunk of it tonight unless we get company. She's got about twelve grand from Mog so far.

I was reading while I stood outside flipping burgers on the grill (January 4th and it was over 50 degrees in Montana today ~ unheard of!), but it got too dark too fast.

We shall see.

**Frankenjohn** · January 4th, 2003, 10:33 PM

FitzFlagg, I'm surprised by your response to Vampire Show.

Beware possible spoilers!

I would never characterize it as a cheap slasher flick. First, the characters did not behave like any characters I have seen in a cheap slasher flick. The three main characters were decent kids going through an awkward time and some terrible situations. They did not do stupid things that seemed like the author cheating his way to scary scenes. I think Laymon is really good at having his characters think through their situations, but they still end up in terrible situations. I never feel like he is cheating.

I think the book also had a lot more characterization in it than most slasher films. I thought the main character was a well drawn portrait of a young man dealing awkwardly with some real situations. He did not act at all like most of the drunken morons or blank slates in most slasher films. I also liked the fact that Laymon introduced the horror of the guys in the car. That was completely unnerving to me, and it was a nice balance to the supernatural elements, which were kept brewing in the background rather nicely for most of the book. After the introduction of the real horrors of the guys in the car, I didn't know what to expect when the characters finally got to the show.

The part that I thought was particularly creepy was the description of the lone, mysterious figure walking down the street. That scene would never have been in a slasher film, or it would have been changed and made more blunt. It was a creepy, mysterious moment that Laymon never explained. Totally ambiguous. And isn't ambiguity often more frightening than in-your-face gore? I really did not like the end, I have to admit. In tone, it seemed like it belonged to another book.

I guess I saw the book as rather subtle, up until the last 50 pages, being both a horror story and a coming-of-age tale (I actually picked up the book because I had heard it was a combination of these two genres). I can see how it would be disappointing to someone looking for a straight-out horror novel.

I have no problem with it winning the award.

FitzFlagg, what would you recommend I read? I'm always on the lookout for a good read.