Blood Games by Richard Laymon Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Blood Games
Book Review: Literary Garbage
Summary: 1 Stars
I'll never understand the accolades that some readers give this writer. There is a simple formula at work here and through the rest of Laymon's novels: combine a ludicrous premise, sprinkled with gratutitous violence and sex. Forget about character development, solid story-telling, or convincing dialogue. Laymon is more concerned with pandering to a readership that finds literary exploitation-trash to be a work of literary merit.It's this type of so-called horror fiction that gives the genre a bad name.
Book Review: OH WOW
Summary: 5 Stars
This was my 2nd Laymon novel, and I can all ready tell that no matter what critique he received, I will enjoy all of his writing.
The book has a lot of flashbacks, which make the reader aware of Cora, Abilene, Finley, Helen and Vivian as seperate characters. Each one is different and unique, during hard times through out the book, the flashbacks show us their funny adventures at school, dating, trips, etc and make us root for them.
This is one of those "lost in the woods" type of story, which I am beginning to like in scarry books. The girls are all alone, or so they think in a lodge in the middle of nowhere, when things start to happen. I do not wish to spoil anything, but let me tell ya, things arent what they seem, and there were a few twists and surprises.
Even though the whole book was really "meaty" with good material, I totally loved the ending. Endings are hard to write, and I have been unimpressed or dissapointed way too many times with books. The end was scarry, they were expecting something, and waititng for it almost gave me a heart attack.
Great read, although lenghty, over 450 pgs, but nothereless doesnt drag.
Book Review: One of Laymon's better books, definitely.
Summary: 4 Stars
My favorite Richard Laymon novel is probably "The Traveling Vampire Show," but this one ranks right up there as well, right up there with "In The Dark" and a little better than "Island" or "One Rainy Night" in my humble opinion.
The way it's written does hearken back to the horror writing in the 1980s, and is somewhat reminiscent of situations and phrasings by authors like King, Straub, Ramsey Campbell, Robert McCammon, etc. from that time period. So when people say it does feel outdated, they have a point, but I prefer to think of it as feeling refreshing in a throwback type of way. Also, you just have to remember when it was written and accept it.
Laymon's typical loving description of body parts and people getting undressed in the oddest (and most contrived) of situations is present as well, as well as somewhat sexual scenes where you wouldn't expect them to be (would you try and sex up some guy you thought might be a serial killer when you're all alone in the wilderness? Probably not). It doesn't make for good realism (you shouldn't be reading Laymon if that's what you're after) but it does make for good pulpy escapism. You either have to accept this is what Laymon does or move on to another author.
The story does the now-famous Godfather 2 style unfolding of events, where the present story is interspersed with illuminating stories from the past. 4 women in their mid-20s, who met and had adventures while in college vow to keep close to one another, and not grow old peacefully, so they all go on "adventures" together one week every year. They rotate having each of the women chose an adventure a year. This year, the adventure is chosen by the frumpiest of the characters - a woman who loves horror movies and books. She takes the girls to an abandoned, isolated lodge in Vermont where the guests and staff were gruesomely slaughtered by backwards hillbillies a few years earlier.
You have to remember, while it's extremely doubtful that murderous, inbred hillfolk live off the land in Vermont these days (the only state I can imagine that happening is some sadly impoverished and rural regions of southern and western Kentucky, where the high school graduation rate is under 50% in some counties) this was in the 1980s, when it seemed more possible and life was less advanced and more rural in places.
If you guess that someone will happen that leaves the girls trapped in the lodge, miles from nowhere, and that some disturbing things will happen to spook them, then a lot of what happens won't be a surprise to you. The treat is the writing though. Laymon does a good job with the characters of the young woman, each of them are drawn interestingly and distinctively, if not 100% realistically. Their college adventures are well-written (my favorites are their terrifying Halloween encounter, their revenge on a typical college jock, and the filming of a student horror movie). Also, the lodge and its surrounding wooded environs are sketched out with a real eye toward successfully building a great mood that's spooky, with a lot of foreshadowing.
The novel does have a bittersweet ending as you might expect from Laymon (few of his books have "happy" endings) but it doesn't cheapen anything that came before it.
In conclusion, the pacing, atmosphere, and writing are good, and if you like gore and nudity, then you're in for a treat. Even if you don't like gore and nudity, this Laymon novel has a definite appeal that goes far beyond that. Recommended.
Book Review: Page Turner!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my first Richard Layman book and I loved it! I am planning on reading all his books from here on out.
Blood Games gave me the creeps especially when the girls were messing around in the hot springs. I kept waiting for something to grab them or swim up on them in the dark. The whole book is like that, suspensful!
Highly recommend this book, it is a page turner!! Couldn't put it down.
Book Review: Richard Laymon?
Summary: 5 Stars
Before reading this book I'd never even heard of Richard Laymon. I picked this up at a book closeout store for $1 and figured for a buck it'd be an ok read. My expectations were far exceeded. It's been a LONG time since I've read something that captured my attention and had me so engrossed for hours. I didn't put the book down at all once I started reading! I've never found anyone besides Dean Koontz who gave me such an exciting read! I am running out tomorrow to look for more Richard Laymon books!