Savage is perhaps Laymon's finest achievement, but ironically that doesn't make it his best novel. It is a fictional account of what happened to Jack the Ripper after he committed his final murder: Laymon's idea is that he went to America and continued his crimes there. The novel is told in ... Read review
Advantages: Brilliantly written Disadvantages: Less readable than his other novels
Savage is perhaps Laymon's finest achievement, but ironically that doesn't make it his best novel. It is a fictional account of what happened to Jack the Ripper after he committed his final murder: Laymon's idea is that he went to America and continued his crimes there. The novel is told in the first person by a teenage boy who becomes embroiled in the Ripper's activities. This can't really be called a horror novel - it's true that it contains violent ... ...put off him by finding Savage a little hard going. That said, it is worth the effort, and the book has an involving storyline which gradually draws you in. It is totally unique among Laymon's novels, and proves that he is capable of a variety of writing styles.
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Savage is perhaps Laymon's finest achievement, but ironically that doesn't make it his best novel. It is a fictional account of what happened to Jack the Ripper after he committed his final murder: Laymon's idea is that he went to America and continued his crimes there. The novel is told in the first person by a teenage boy who becomes embroiled in the Ripper's activities. This can't really be called a horror novel - it's true that it contains violent acts, but its intention is not really to scare the reader. What makes it such an achievement is that Laymon has written it entirely in the vernacular of a 19th Century boy, and has managed to pull this off convincingly. It demonstrates Laymon's ability as a writer perfectly. However this is also the novel's one drawback: the language makes it less readable than a contemporary novel. Readers who are new to Laymon may be put off him by finding Savage a little hard going. That said, it is worth the effort, and the book has an involving storyline which gradually draws you in. It is totally unique among Laymon's novels, and proves that he is capable of a variety of writing styles.
Advantages: Scary, blood-soaked, a great read Disadvantages:
...the Ripper ‘disappear’ following the savage killing of Mary Kelly in 1888? Well, in this novel he hops on a ship and sails for America. The protagonist in Layman’s bloodthirsty novel is one Trevor Bentley. Starting in the unenviable position of lying beneath Kelly’s bed as the Ripper plies his trade, Trevor (perhaps not the coolest name in fiction) vows to avenge her death and starts on a quest to hunt the ripper down. He sets off at the age of 15 ... ...calls, all described with wonderful pacing and a great eye for period detail. At times I found myself actually believing the narrative, which may say more for my gullibility than it does the author’s craft. Either way, if you like horror or historical novels with a twist, lock the doors and read this book. ...
EthanWolfe 06.07.2000
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Advantages: Answers questions about the Ripper Disadvantages: It's just fiction
Follows the story of Trevor Bentley a fifteen year old boy that lives in London East End.
The date is 8 November 1888 and Trevors mother has been beaten by a drunken friend of
his fathers (who is deceased).After rendering the man unconscious with the fireplace poker
Trevor heads out to retrieve his uncle.Finding his uncle not at home Trevor sets out on
foot determined not to return home without him.
After several mishaps and some nasty close ... ...warm himself.After a bit of investigating he finds the room is the dwelling of an
unfortunate named Mary Kelly.Hearing voices returning to the room Trevor dives under
the bed to hide.
Eventually they leave and Trevor drifts off to sleep.Later he is awoken by a squeal,not a
squeal of pleasure like she had been making earlier,but one filled with pain and fear.Frozen
in fear he hears the wet smacking sounds of flesh being carved and blood drips ...
erinmitch 15.06.2004
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Quick review of Savage - Richard Laymon
Savage opens effectively in 1888 London terrorized by Jack the Ripper, but when the plot , Ripper and teen hero move to America and Wild West, the plot starts to lack it´s steam. Apparently Richard Laymon usually wrote sleazy, gory splatterpunk trash admired by Dean R Koontz and Stephen King; because yours truly is psychotic, not gore and filth fetisist, she was delighted by this "mild" novel which has some good atmosphere and not just gore and filth belonging to the sewers of Whitechapel. 3. 5 stars. ...
scarletpurity 26.01.2009
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Product Information for "Savage - Richard Laymon" »
Product details
Type
Fiction
Genre
Horror
Title
Savage
Author
Richard Laymon
ISBN
0747206457; 0747241201; 0747279187
Manufacturer's product description
Whitechapel, 1888; Jack the Ripper is committing his last known act of butchery in the hovel occupied by the luckless harlot Mary Kelly. And beneath the bed on which the fiend is cheerfully eviscerating his victim cowers a 15-year-old boy. This is just the start of an extraordinary adventure.
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