Resurection Dreams

Rating:
Summary: Not Laymon's best, but still a very solid read
Review: "Resurrection Dreams" is typical Richard Laymon fare. Plenty of thrills, chills, gore, and hauntingly-vivid mental pictures abound for the ardent Laymon fan. Unlike many horror authors who haphazardly throw in shocking scenes just for the thrill value, Laymon weaves his mayhem in the plot line like a master tailor. Nothing is wasted and thorough characterization is always at the forefront of his novels.

"Resurrection Dreams" certainly defines "good and evil" early in the story. "Evil" Melvin is equally pathetic and psychotic. It's hard not to think back into one's past and not find a character Like Melvin that everybody in town hated but was also a little bit afraid of. The protagonists of the story, Vicki and Ace, are both likeable and believable and it's hard not to get caught up in their fear of Melvin.

As with most Laymon plots, the reader can "check his or her common sense and logic skills at the door". But, is that really a problem for most Laymon fans? Much of Laymon's appeal lies in his really bizarre plots (like this one). The avid Laymon reader knows what's in store for him or her BEFORE they pick up one of his books.

As with each of the Laymon books that I have read, he consistently delivers solid entertainment and escapism. If you're looking for "deep reading" you won't find it in "Resurrection Dreams. But, on the other hand, if you're after a somewhat frightening and un-nerving good "read" then pick up a copy of this book.

If you like this book (and not everybody will - definitely not for the squeamish), then by all means try "Funland", "The Travelling Vampire Show","Midnight's Lair" and "The Beast House" series. All of Laymon's books are hard to find (especially now that he has passed away) but they're well worth the effort!

Rating:
Summary: Not Laymon's best, but still a very solid read
Review: "Resurrection Dreams" is typical Richard Laymon fare. Plenty of thrills, chills, gore, and hauntingly-vivid mental pictures abound for the ardent Laymon fan. Unlike many horror authors who haphazardly throw in shocking scenes just for the thrill value, Laymon weaves his mayhem in the plot line like a master tailor. Nothing is wasted and thorough characterization is always at the forefront of his novels.

"Resurrection Dreams" certainly defines "good and evil" early in the story. "Evil" Melvin is equally pathetic and psychotic. It's hard not to think back into one's past and not find a character Like Melvin that everybody in town hated but was also a little bit afraid of. The protagonists of the story, Vicki and Ace, are both likeable and believable and it's hard not to get caught up in their fear of Melvin.

As with most Laymon plots, the reader can "check his or her common sense and logic skills at the door". But, is that really a problem for most Laymon fans? Much of Laymon's appeal lies in his really bizarre plots (like this one). The avid Laymon reader knows what's in store for him or her BEFORE they pick up one of his books.

As with each of the Laymon books that I have read, he consistently delivers solid entertainment and escapism. If you're looking for "deep reading" you won't find it in "Resurrection Dreams. But, on the other hand, if you're after a somewhat frightening and un-nerving good "read" then pick up a copy of this book.

If you like this book (and not everybody will - definitely not for the squeamish), then by all means try "Funland", "The Travelling Vampire Show","Midnight's Lair" and "The Beast House" series. All of Laymon's books are hard to find (especially now that he has passed away) but they're well worth the effort!

Rating:
Summary: A jump start is really needed sometimes
Review: Although this falls wide of Laymon's usual high calibre gore mongering there is plenty here to keep most readers entertained and still begging for more at the end.

The real let down is the leaden and copy-book characters. Melvin Dobbs, the deranged and bullied town psychopath, the amazonian best friend, Ace, and the whiter than white heroine, Vicki Chandler. You really don't find yourself rooting for any of the characters in this book, which is a shame as making you believe this people and these situations exist is usually Laymon's strong point.

Leaving that aside the plot itself with well-crafted with its expected peaks and troughs and Laymon's ability to jump from a scene of supreme high tension to one of crushing mundanity is as compelling as ever, those troughs giving you time to restore your heartbeat to normal working order before he hits you with the next ace up his sleeve.

The whole idea of being able to bring the newly dead back to life is well executed and there are no shades of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein lurking behind the drapes to spoil it for you either. The monsters in this book are the people, not the "zombies".

Not Laymon's best but if you have read his works before you will get a kick out of it. If you haven't try another one or three first, this one may put you off before you have sampled one of his better efforts.

Rating:
Summary: Christie, Australia-avid Laymon Fan
Review: This is your old B-grade movies, vamped up and with Laymons usual recipe of sex/violence.Everyone can relate to the freaky, quite school nerd. But I dare you to find one as crazy as this one.Great lead characters.Wait till you meet Ace. Loved it, great for a quick thrill. The ending will leave you wondering!