Snappy or crappy? (The Cellar - Richard Laymon)

Member Name: ameo747

Product:	The Cellar - Richard Laymon
Date:	19/12/07 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Exciting and fast paced

Disadvantages: Graphic

I've read several of Richard Laymon's books and some I had to put down. The either detailed violence or graphic and disturbing sex is off putting to say the least. The Cellar is no different (dear god no), but the first few pages were gentle and engaging enough to have me read on.

Laymon's plots have great sense of urgency and his characters are well defined. While some may say he's crude (he is) he does know how to tell a tale, though never content on scaring us he often makes it his mission to disgusts us too. The Cellar is no antithesis to all this and is one of his most enjoyable, albeit sinister stories.

He takes no prisoners; once you are sucked in you have to finish. The suspense is marvellous. There is a lot of interlinking going on in this one and the whole time you're wondering how it's all going to pan out, not to mention what the beast actually is. Read if you dare.

The Cellar (1980) by Richard Laymon is the first of a series entitled Beast House Chronicles and was also his first novel to be published.

First posted on: vegansteven.blogspot.com (2007)

Summary: Enjoyable, yet sinister