Laymon Month: One Rainy Night reviewed by Paperback Horror

Colum over at Paperback Horror is the definitive voice when it comes to horror fiction. His reviews are edgey, intelligent and just as entertaining as the works he is reviewing. The man is one of the true treasures of our beloved genre so it is with great pleasure I give you the Paperback Horror review of Richard Laymon's One Rainy Night!

One Rainy Night
Richard Laymon
Headline Press (1991)



One Rainy Night is one-hundred percent balls-out brutal. From start to finish, this novel reads like a mass murdering psychopath’s wettest dream. The gore is non-stop, visceral, and completely unapologetic, and leaves the reader with absolutely no room to breathe. This is Laymon at his most violent and chaotic, of that you can be sure.



The water drops like a shroud on the town of Bixby. Warm, viscous and unnatural, it coats the inhabitants in an unending torrent - and turns them into crazy, hate-filled maniacs. A helpful stranger at a gas station shoves a petrol pump down a customer’s throat and squeezes the trigger. A soaking-wet queue of cinema-goers smashes it’s way inside the movie house to slice up the dry people within. A loving wife attacks her husband, bouncing the back of his head on the marble floor until it sounds like sloppy, wet meat...


In what is (in this reader’s opinion) quite possibly the most violent novel this man ever released, One Rainy Night treats the reader to something that they’ve rarely seen from this author: Absolute chaos. Every single bit of this story just screams of Laymon’s creative release. A literary blitzkrieg, if there was ever a term like that. There is barely any room to actually sit down and rip this piece apart for a review, and that’s primarily because Laymon seems to have designed this story around his willful abandoning of the trappings that this genre relies on. This is the most un-formulaic story in his repertoire. If you’re familiar with the comic book gross-out of Garth Ennis’ Crossed (Avatar Press ’08 - ’10), you’re going to be quite at home with the sheer amount of depravity and violence present in this book. Further more, if you enjoyed the aforementioned comic series, you’re going to love this.



The story starts off with the murder of a young black man, and quickly spirals into some of the most violent scenarios I have read yet. Nothing is sacred in this piece of writing, and nothing is left unmarred. One Rainy Night really does satisfy the bloodlust in Laymon’s readers, bathing almost every character first in a messy film of black rain, and then in a generous helping of blood. Think the apocalyptic imprisonment of a town in Brian Keene’s Darkness On The Edge Of Town mixed with the insanity of Ennis’ Crossed, and a generous helping of...well...tried and true Richard Laymon bluntness.

Speaking of which, Laymon is at his utmost peak with detail and description in One Rainy Night. I’ve spoken before about the brevity that this author uses when crafting sentences that set up a scene, and then again with his action sequences; well, this is the best example that will prove that observation. In this novel, Laymon tells you only what he wants you to see. He lays everything on the table, and believe me...it gets really messy.


One of the main characters - Trev - embodies the most classic male character found in Laymon’s stories. He’s headstrong but unsure, tough but vulnerable, and most importantly, figures things out right before it’s too late, but right after the shit hit’s the fan. It is an absolute treat to read this character get his ass handed to him, and the resulting twists and turns add a bloody cherry to the top of the sundae. In contrast, the lead female character - Maureen - is one of Laymon’s least believable woman-in-peril types. The trials and tribulations that she is put through are enough to put any normal person into a catatonic state. Maybe that’s the most enticing part of Laymon’s female leads though: their sheer refusal to lie down and take it. Regardless, the interlacing stories (and by that, I mean that they really do interlace intimately at some points) prove to be a blessing to the story line. Laymon’s insistence on brutalizing everyone that steps under his pen couldn’t have gone very far without the subtle nuances that he lets out with these two folks.


There is one more character in this novel that I want to point out, but I really don’t want to ruin him for you. We’ll leave it at this: His name is John, and he is the most likable and strong character I have read in a Laymon book. Period. End of story.



I’m not going to pretend that this is the best Laymon novel you will ever read. While Savage, Endless Night, The Cellar, and In The Dark exemplify this author’s best works (again, in my opinion), One Rainy Night will “get you there” on so many levels.



Packed with more violence and utter brutality than you could possibly expect from a book, One Rainy Night is a whirlwind ride through the mind of an insane genius, and the best example of what it means to be blown away by a master of his craft.



PBH.

Laymon Month: Guest Post by Jeff Strand

I first discovered Richard Laymon in FANGORIA, where he said "I think horror should be fun!" The article really made me want to read his work, so I turned on my Kindle...I mean, I went to eBay...no, wait, actually I searched bookstores, new and used, and couldn't find a damn thing by him. This was the 80's. I was pretty much screwed.


A couple of years later, I was browsing the horror section, and, hey, a book by that Richard Laymon guy! FUNLAND! I bought it, read it immediately, and though it's far from my favorite book of his, I was an instant fan.


From 1989 to 1995, I continually sought out his books. There were a few lucky used bookstore finds: TREAD SOFTLY, NIGHT SHOW, and RESURRECTION DREAMS. A couple of library finds: QUAKE, MIDNIGHT'S LAIR, and THE STAKE. A friend in college had BEWARE, THE CELLAR, and THE WOODS ARE DARK.


In the age of Amazon and Wikipedia, it's hard to even remember a time when you could be a huge fan of somebody's work and not really know what was available. (Much like when I first became obsessed with Alice Cooper--each CD or cassette I found was a surprising, wonderful new discovery!) But I really had no idea what was out there, Laymon-wise.


Then: the Internet. One of the very first sites I visited was Steve Gerlach's Richard Laymon Kills site, and--holy crap!!!--Laymon had published tons of books that I'd never even heard of! DARKNESS, TELL US! BODY RIDES! ISLAND! BLOOD GAMES! BITE! IN THE DARK! ONE RAINY NIGHT! And more!


I found a UK bookseller online, and with about two minutes of effort I suddenly went from having about a third of Laymon's books to having almost all of them. And I read them all, back to back. (Is that good for your brain? Probably not.) I was like a kid gobbling up his entire bag of Halloween candy, and I hadn't experienced this much joyous reading since my discoveries of King, Koontz, and McCammon.


(Okay, I didn't like ALLHALLOW'S EVE that much. But aside from that...)


And now, since nobody said "Your Laymon essay must have structure!" here are a few unconnected Laymon thoughts:


Laymon saved me at several conventions, because despite not having any particular fondness for vampires, I always seemed to get stuck on a vampire panel. Instead of admitting to the audience and other panelists that I really didn't know what the hell I was talking about, I'd talk about how Laymon did three vampire novels (THE STAKE, BITE, and THE TRAVELING VAMPIRE SHOW) that weren't really about vampires! THE STAKE in particular just flat-out shouldn't work. How do you do an entire novel (and a fairly long one) that's all about "Should we pull this stake out of the mummified vampire corpse?" Most people could barely get a short story out of the premise, yet this book is never less than gripping.


SAVAGE is one of my favorites. Skip to the next paragraph if you haven't read it, but if you have: am I the only one who was completely stunned by the cruelty of the ending? Our hero, Trevor, and his new girlfriend, on their way to confront Jack the Ripper, do a complete wuss-out and decide NOT to face him. Shortly afterward, we find out that his old girlfriend (who we assumed had moved on with a new guy) went after the Ripper the way they'd planned, and dies horribly. Trevor imagines that while she was being tortured to death, she held out hope that he was on his way. Ouch.


IN THE DARK is another one of my favorites. And, yes, I've seen the never-released movie version. Muahahahahaha!!!


I remember telling a friend about ALARUMS and (spoiler warning again!) being unable to convey why the book was so good. "There was never anybody stalking her. Nobody had actually stolen her panties--she didn't realize she was wearing them." "That sounds lame." "No, no, the book completely messes with your expectations, because you think it's about a stalker, but it's actually about the sister going crazy." "Lame." "Argh!"


Rump.


If I may end on a rant, the very first limited edition book I ever bought was Laymon's A WRITER'S TALE. I ordered it the second I heard about it, and got copy #8. Read it. Loved it. Read it again and again. Then there was an online discussion with a bunch of writer's bemoaning the fact that this classic non-fiction book was completely unavailable.


This book was too good not to share. I set up a "lending circle" where I'd send it to the first person, who would send it to the next person, and so on until everybody got to read it. Yeah, obviously my copy would get banged up, and I could be without it for years (there were a lot of people on the list) but everybody should get the chance to read A WRITER'S TALE!


And...it didn't even make it to the third person before it went missing in action. Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! (So if you ever see copy #8, it's MINE!)


That's enough from me. Enjoy Laymon month!

Jeff Strand is the author of DWELLER, which just so happens to be the best book I have read in the last five years. It also happens to be nominated for a Stoker award this year.

Jeff recently released two fantastic novels in ebook form- THE SINISTER MR. CORPSE and WOLF HUNT are on sale right now for $2.99!!!!! I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Head over to jeffstrand.wordpress.com for all things Strand.

Laymon Month: Welcome

Well the day is finally upon us, my friends. Today marks the start of Laymon Month here at Grade Z Horror! In case you haven't been reading the site lately, for the month of April Grade Z Horror will be devoted to all things Laymon. We will be featuring reviews from some of the most talented people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. There will be some fantastic columns by some of the biggest names in the genre. In short, this is going to be one hell of a good time.

I started thinking about this project back in November when I read The Traveling Vampire show. That book changed me. The direct storytelling was unlike anything I had ever read. Laymon didn't meandor about with prolonged descriptions or explanations- instead, he punched me in the gut without warning. I was hooked. It was at that moment that I became a fan of Richard Laymon.

Three months later I read In The Dark and became a fanatic. I could not believe how Laymon was able to take a simple event and turn it into one of the most brutal literary journeys I've ever embarked on. That book still haunts me on a daily basis.

That was it. I was completely sold. Richard Laymon is now my favorite author and I am helplessy obsessed. It is in this spirit that I wanted to share my love of Laymon with the rest of the world. My goal with Laymon Month is to bring together some amazing people to celebrate the life and works of a literary master. I also hope that new fans and casual fans can use this as a starting point during their journey through the strange and twisted world of Richard Laymon.

Starting Monday, prepare to hold on to your rumps because we begin Grade Z Horror's Laymon Month!

Mondays With Richard: Big Update

I know that I do my Monday’s With Richard every third Monday but I have big news this Monday. Next month Grade Z Horror will be celebrating the life and works of Richard Laymon with what we are calling APRIL’S WITH RICHARD!

I’m really excited about this and I’ve enlisted the help of some EXTREMELY talented friends to make it a great time. In April we will postpone our normal reviews to bring you posts that relate to all things Laymon. It will be a blast!

Oh and of course there will be a new contest and it certainly will be Laymon related.

Down The Drain by Daniel Pyle

I would first like to state that Down the Drainis a short story about a killer tub. That’s right, a killer bathtub. I went into this expecting an overload of cheese and maybe some cheap laughs, but what I got was a well crafted tale that played the horror completely straight.

Bruce is a contractor who is way behind schedule. He is putting in grueling 12 hour days to catch up. After work he enjoys a few beers and a nice shower. Unfortunately for Bruce, there really isn’t anything all that nice about his particular shower.

Down the Drainis exactly what you would want out of a short story. The novella is overflowing with scares as Pyle showers us with some cringe inducing images. In fact, the story was so stark and brutal that I was taken completely off guard (in the best way possible). Any thoughts that a story about a crazed bathtub would be funny and good-natured are wiped away after the first chapter. Pyle plays it straight and, ultimately, that is what elevates Down the Drainabove other silly monster fare. This isn’t to say that Pyle doesn’t have fun with his audience. He does maintain playful prose throughout which helps to tie the whole story together. It is that wonderful juxtaposition of a silly-idea-taken seriously and serious-horror-written playfully that makes Down The Drain a novella that every horror fan should check out.

Pick it up from Amazon for .99!

Succulent Prey by Wrath James White

I once referred to Wrath James White as “the new king of hardcore horror” and Succulent Prey only serves as another piece of grisly evidence to support that claim.

As a young boy, Joseph Miles was abducted and tortured by another child. He managed to escape relatively unscathed…….. until now. It is 15 years later and Joseph is slowly turning into his childhood captor. He has urges to destroy and devour those around him. The only hope he has to save his life- and the life of his only love- is to confront the monster that abused him so many years ago.

In a genre that revels in the disturbing and grotesque it is rare to find a writer who can elevate the level of brutality and gore to the point where the reader is actually shocked. Well, Wrath James White has done exactly that. He has crafted a gag-inducing story that will shock even the most calloused genre veteran. White’s graphic descriptions of Joseph’s exploits are disgustingly engaging. We endure as Joseph meticulously consumes his victims and savors their taste but the ecstasy that jolts through Joseph makes the experience almost beautiful.

Wrath is not content with producing a full out gagfest. Instead he uses the graphic cannibalism to stun the reader while he slowly works a very thought-provoking idea into the mind of the reader. White uses Joseph to introduce the concept that serial killers may be “infected” and, therefore, curable. Joseph cites examples to support his theory and ultimately seeks out the man who infected him. The end result is a novel that will not only challenge the reader’s stomach, but their mind as well.

Head over and pick Succulent Prey
up here!

New Forum Added!!!!!!!!

I am planning a few changes for the site in the upcoming months and the first thing I wanted to do was add a forum where we could revel in our mutual love of dark fiction. With that said I present to you......

GRADEZHORROR.PROBOARDS.COM

Feel free to stop on by, ya hear!

Abominable by William Meikle

Nobody knows exactly what happened on the last ascent of Mallory and Irvine in 1924. No details have been passed down to us. The heights of the tallest mountain have kept their secret. -- Until now.

Meikle delivers the goods with this fast paced short story. He uses the limited space to create a sprawling tale of survival, terror and friendship through the use of three separate narrative voices. He masterfully tells the story through a series of diary entries so the reader gets a first-hand glimpse of the terror that lives at the top of the world. He weaves these journal entries together in a very imaginative fashion (which I won’t give away). The result is a fun and exciting read that you never want to end.

Sure it was a short story but it was entirely satisfying. Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to spend an hour on a cold winter night.

Pick it up for .99 here.

Free Fiction: Crooked Stick Figures by Lee Thompson

As an agent for the Child Protective Services, John McDonnell has seen his share of evil people and evil acts. But nothing has prepared him to face what's behind the door of his most recent assignment.

Crooked Stick Figures gets into the mind of the protagonist and delves into the dark depths of his sanity. It is a haunting little affair with the perfect amount of ambiguity, leaving the reader to draw many of their own conclusions. The result is a very quick read that will stick with you long after you’ve finished.

Head over to Darkside Digital and get your free copy today.

The Separation by Ronald Malfi

The Separation is the first Delirium’s new line of novellas.

In an effort to help an old friend through the breakup of his marriage, psychotherapist Marcus Llewellyn arrives in Germany to find up-and-coming prizefighter Charlie Pronovella in a state of such deep depression, he takes his old friend on as a client. But soon Marcus's faith in his own abilities to help Charlie comes into question when Charlie's behavior grows increasingly bizarre. Is Charlie suffering from a nervous breakdown, or are otherworldly forces at work?

In my review of Malfi’s Snow I said, “Malfi is relentless with the horror and action”. The Separation takes the opposite approach to its horror. Malfi weaves subtly disturbing images together with grace and elegance. It really is amazing to see an author create horror in these two extremes. Malfi plants the seed of terror and slowly brings it to full bloom- resulting in a fantastic final page.

The Separation is another testament to Malfi’s talent as a storyteller and writer. He is a genre author that deserves to be appreciated on a mainstream level. Do yourself a favor and pick up The Separation and become formally introduced to your new favorite author.

Unfortunately the beautiful Limited Edition HC is sold out but, fear not, you can stop by Amazon and pick up the digital copy here.