Horror Books > B Horror Books > L

Advantages: There's a vampire in it
Disadvantages: Overlong, tedious and repetitive

Introduction Laymon's horror fiction could be described as puerile, blatantly and overtly sexual, a little predictable and trite nonsense, I have read many of his novels and found them both troubling and mildly offensive, but again I go back to him and read him again because he does at times deliver some good old fashioned chills and thrills too. His novels are usually fronted by young sexually frustrated men, men who are perhaps on the skinny ...
...which makes them more often 'good friend' rather than 'boyfriend' material, they are often in their twenties but are seemingly more adolescent in their attitude and outlook. The women, or girls in the novels are written almost exclusively one-dimensionally, they are described and represented simply as sexual beings in Laymon's fiction. His fiction is usually written in a fast-paced, straight-forward, gung-ho, go-get-em style, and we are frequently ... Read review

Advantages: A fantastic read.
Disadvantages: It comes to an end.

This is the 1st Richard Laymon book i have read and boy am i hooked. This story is about a guy called Neil who saves a woman who is being raped and murdered. Neil steps in and saves her life, but only tempararily till the assailant catches up with her and finishes the job he has been paid to do by her husband. She is so grateful to Neil for saving her life that she gives him a Emerald bangle. Not any normal bangle. This bangle lets you enter other ... Read review

Advantages: I got it cheap
Disadvantages: Weak characters, not scary

Whilst queuing at the checkout in Asda recently, I spotted Beware by Richard Laymon on one of the shelves for £1. I'd recently read The Lake by Laymon and enjoyed it, so I decided to chuck Beware on the conveyor belt and give it a go. Strange things are afoot in the town of Oasis; the local supermarket is apparently haunted. Soon, a guard dog is killed and the supermarket owner is found wrapped and jointed on the butcher's block. Local reporter ...
...a little closer to home than she first thought. I found the book to be readable, although I didn't really enjoy the story. The problem was the characters. I found them flat, unbelievable and rather clichéd. The protagonist is Lacey, the reporter. Very early in the story she is savagely beaten, raped, beaten again, raped again, held hostage in her own home and raped a third time. This happens in the space of a couple of days. These horrific ordeals ... Read review

Advantages: A good thrilling read
Disadvantages: The housework doesn't do itself while youre reading

Meet Helen (plain tubby chick with a taste for the macabre),Cora (athletic confident phys ed teacher),Vivian (gorgeous model city type),Finley (oversexed tomboy film producer)and Abilene (pretty,intelligent english grad) five old college buddies with a pact to meet once a year to maintain contact and go off in search of adventures.Every year a different girl gets to chose their location and this year it's Helens turn. For her choice Helen has ...
...Pole Lodge,what Helen hasn't told the others is that this was the scene of a gruesome massacre several years earlier when the locals had attacked and slaughtered all the guests in retaliation to the "accidental" shooting of a local girl. The first day goes reasonably well.The girls explore the lodge and surrounding area and lounge in the thermal heated pool (where Helen fills them in on the history of the lodge) and a few minor scares when someone ... Read review

Advantages: An excellent & imaginative story
Disadvantages: Waiting for the next book

As a children's story this is some seriously dark writing and may not be suitable of younger readers, but for adults it's an exceptionally good read. The heroine of the story, Candy, finds herself pulled into a parallel world by a strange sea, a world that consists of 25 islands. 24 islands represent a particular hour of the day with the 25th a dark place of murder and madness. This initial volume sees Candy's travels around a selection of these ...
...trying to stay out of arms reach of the dark servants of the Lord of the 25th hour. This is a place where friend and foe are never what they seem and many are out for the capture of Candy. The illustrations included in this book give it an extra and enjoyably warped depth. Clive Barkers visual take on his fantasy world is one where even the good-guys can be seen as ugly monstrosities. You'll definitely want to read the next instalment. ... Read review