The Works of Richard Laymon

[Camp_Crystal_Lake]

Is there anyone else here who enjoys the work of Richard Laymon?

I discovered his novels back in April of 2009, while browsing at a used book store. I was in the mood for a throwaway horror novel, where I'd read it once and never pick it up again. Well, while going from room to room, looking through the labyrinth stack of used books, I found a couple of used horror novels that had interesting synopses, so I decided to pick them up.

My first two purchases were Darkness, Tell Us and Night in the Lonesome October. I left the bookstore that day not realizing that I had found an author that I would enjoy much more than Stephen King. I read Darkness, Tell Us first and thought it was pretty good, but it wasn't until I read Night in the Lonesome October that I was hooked.

I found Night to be a very fun read that I couldn't put down. I had been through a break-up with my girlfriend, of four years, prior to reading Night and it helped me connect with the novel. I identified with the heartache of Ed Logan, and knew what it was like to want to just walk and reminisce about my failed relationship. I never had anything happen on my walks that would befall Ed Logan in the book, but through fond and sorrowful memories, I found a quiet beauty on my walks and a sort of peace about my past and future. I knew that my old gf would eventually recede in my memory, and would be replaced with a new love that would renew my interest.

Maybe, if it wasn't for discovering this novel at this specific point in my life, that I would never have connected with Laymon's works. He was not for all tastes, but I do enjoy his less splatter-punk novels the most.

[Jamescush]

Yes love Laymon. Have most of his books, not including some of the non-US ones.

Well I got into him after going thought all of the Stephen King book at my local library. Was looking into more horror when I saw a 'new' book -- Midnight's Lair by Richard Laymon. So I picked it up and loved it. Very disturbing.

So I waited to see if any other Laymon books would show up and one day Savage was in the new books section.

Loved it. And it had my first Laymon Twist.

So I waited to see if another book would show up, none did.

I'd look at the local book stores for his books but could never find any.
I didn't know at the time that his books didn't really show up in the States much.

So one day in 2001 I saw a new Laymon paperback book. It was called The Stake. I grabbed it and read and all of a sudden more of his works were being brought over!

So I got on the internet to see what over books I could buy on Amazon, and found out he had died the day before.

Anyways I did get most of his books, I am missing a few of the overseas ones. But they will be mine.

Oh seen this?
http://www.darkregions.com/books/new...ition-preorder
Have yet to read that one.

[Camp_Crystal_Lake]

Originally Posted by Jamescush

Yes love Laymon. Have most of his books, not including some of the non-US ones.

Well I got into him after going thought all of the Stephen King book at my local library. Was looking into more horror when I saw a 'new' book -- Midnight's Lair by Richard Laymon. So I picked it up and loved it. Very disturbing.

So I waited to see if any other Laymon books would show up and one day Savage was in the new books section.

Loved it. And it had my first Laymon Twist.

So I waited to see if another book would show up, none did.

I'd look at the local book stores for his books but could never find any.
I didn't know at the time that his books didn't really show up in the States much.

So one day in 2001 I saw a new Laymon paperback book. It was called The Stake. I grabbed it and read and all of a sudden more of his works were being brought over!

So I got on the internet to see what over books I could buy on Amazon, and found out he had died the day before.

Anyways I did get most of his books, I am missing a few of the overseas ones. But they will be mine.

Oh seen this?
http://www.darkregions.com/books/new...ition-preorder
Have yet to read that one.

That link is cool. I have all of Laymon's Bibliography except for A Writer's Tale. I can't track down a copy for a reasonable price. The cheapest I've ever seen it was $300.00.

I spent from April 2009-mid to late 2012 tracking down all of Laymon's novels and short stories. I bought 75% of his works off Amazon from used book sellers, usually for a penny plus shipping. The other 25% I bought from a used book store in my old hometown. The hardest book of his to track down, that I own, was Once Upon a Halloween. It is a novella that was only sold through Cemetery Dance publishing, so it cost more than I wanted to pay, but it was worth it.

Aside from my all-time favorite Laymon novel A Night in the Lonesome October, I love the short story The Mask, Dark Mountain, and In the Dark. Even though I'm not too fond of the Beast House series, I do like them, but not in the same manner as my favorites.

I really wish he was still with us today. I still remember the day I read the last of his novels and short stories, I felt sad because I knew there were no more Laymon stories for me to track down and read.

[Jamescush]

I spent all of 2001-2002 getting all of his Cemetery Dance books.

Missed A Writer's Tale. I do have two of his Chap books 'Tell Me A Tale' and 'The Keeper'.
I also bought his anthology 'Bad News' for 100 bucks. LOVE that cover.


I did miss out on 'In Laymon's Terms'. The store I pre-ordered closed between the many years between that order and the final release.

[Seizure]

I own 39 Laymon books, have yet to read all of them though. He's a fun author to follow as most of his books seem to fly by while reading them. I'd say that my favourites so far would be, Midnight's Lair, Island, In the Dark, The Travelling Vampire Show, The Glory Bus & The Woods Are Dark (restored version.)

[Camp_Crystal_Lake]

Originally Posted by Seizure

I own 39 Laymon books, have yet to read all of them though. He's a fun author to follow as most of his books seem to fly by while reading them. I'd say that my favourites so far would be, Midnight's Lair, Island, In the Dark, The Travelling Vampire Show, The Glory Bus & The Woods Are Dark (restored version.)

Richard Laymon was a complete surprise when I discovered him back in 2009. I picked up Night in the Lonesome October and Darkness, Tell Us, in a used bookstore in North Alabama, I was instantly hooked. Over the next three years, I bought every single title I could track down. The only titles to have eluded me are his fastbacks and A Writer's Tale. It's just sad that we will never get a new Richard Laymon story. He died too young.

[dissention]

Laymon is a hoot. My absolute favorite is After Midnight, it's hilarious. It has the best line he's ever written:

"Crouching down, I pulled the knife out of Steve's butt."

Kills me every time.