Out Are The Lights - Richard Laymon > Reviews

Advantages: Scary, and quite original
Disadvantages: Wanders off topic sometimes

Out Are The Lights is interesting because it contains one novella and five other short stories. The big story though, is obviously the most important thing about this book. Although I found it quite an enjoyable read, I thought the storyline was a little cheesy. The plot is that there is a couple of mad people out there who put people into various horrific situations, film them and sell it to a film. company. It all sounds a little "Goosebumps" ... Read review

Advantages: short,sharp thrills that end with a bite
Disadvantages: stories are too short to have a major impact

Out Are The Lights is a collection of one novella and five other short stories-all with a short,sharp shock at the end-reminiscent of the old Tales From The Crypt comics and their ilk from the sixties and seventies. Starting with the title story,this short mini-novel tells the story of a delapitated theatre which re-opens for the showing of classic horror movies-showing two or three films a night interspersed with little shorts directed by an unknown ... Read review

Advantages: Interesting ideas
Disadvantages: Only occasional flashes of brilliance

Out Are the Lights is one of Laymon's early books, and depending on which edition you buy, it also comes with five short stories. The main novel is the story of a series of films which are shown at a cinema, and appear to show people actually being murdered, though of course no one can really believe that. For the most part the novel is competent, but nothing special, but there is one moment of brilliance which raises the novel above the average. ... Read review