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Quake
For Stanley, the earthquake is a heaven-sent opportunity. Just before it struck, he was ogling Sheila, a female jogger, and that's not all he'd like to do to her. Now the city lies in ruins, and Sheila lies trapped and naked in her bathtub. Can her husband make it to her before Stanley does?
567 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
32 people are currently reading
1295 people want to read
About the author
Richard Laymon
216 books2,268 followersRichard Laymon was born in Chicago and grew up in California. He earned a BA in English Literature from Willamette University, Oregon and an MA from Loyola University, Los Angeles. He worked as a schoolteacher, a librarian, and a report writer for a law firm, and was the author of more than thirty acclaimed novels.
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
April 27, 2015
I blazed through this lengthy Laymon offering pretty quickly. It was a lot of fun to read, if you can get fast all the rapey stuff going on (and there was quite a bit of it, even for Laymon).
If you read Laymon, though, you have to expect that kind of thing. Quake featured one of the author's most deplorable villians, and that is saying a lot. Stanley is just plain vile.
While he is tormenting Sheila, whose house fell over on her, trapping her in her bathtub, the two other story lines detail the efforts of her husband, Clint, and their daughter, Barbara; both of whom are trying like hell to make it home through the quake-ravaged city.
There's plenty of craziness, as only Laymon could do it. You never know who he's going to kill, or in what grotesque manner they will be offed. That's part of the fun of this book.
The shifts in pov were kind of jarring sometimes, and ultimately, only one of the plot threads was really important, but I enjoyed it. This one may not end up in my top-ten all time Laymon list (to be compiled after I finish reading all of his books), but it was not one of his weaker efforts, either.
All in all, it was, by Laymon standards, just a little above average. Still, average Laymon is better than lots of other books claiming to be horror fiction these days.
If you read Laymon, though, you have to expect that kind of thing. Quake featured one of the author's most deplorable villians, and that is saying a lot. Stanley is just plain vile.
While he is tormenting Sheila, whose house fell over on her, trapping her in her bathtub, the two other story lines detail the efforts of her husband, Clint, and their daughter, Barbara; both of whom are trying like hell to make it home through the quake-ravaged city.
There's plenty of craziness, as only Laymon could do it. You never know who he's going to kill, or in what grotesque manner they will be offed. That's part of the fun of this book.
The shifts in pov were kind of jarring sometimes, and ultimately, only one of the plot threads was really important, but I enjoyed it. This one may not end up in my top-ten all time Laymon list (to be compiled after I finish reading all of his books), but it was not one of his weaker efforts, either.
All in all, it was, by Laymon standards, just a little above average. Still, average Laymon is better than lots of other books claiming to be horror fiction these days.
February 21, 2014
This offering by Laymon often felt like three separate books that had been cut apart and shuffled into one volume. True, they all dealt with people in the aftermath of an earthquake, but to me the primary storyline that kicked off the book was the meat of the story and the other two story threads were just not compelling enough to compete for attention with the main plot.
So what you have with this book is a pretty tight and twisted Laymon novella cluttered with a lot of filler. Yes, everything gets shoved together at the end - kind of - but you may want to do yourself a favor and only read the parts of the plot that deal with Stanley and his obsession with the neighbor lady. You won't be missing anything by skipping the other plot lines, I promise.
So what you have with this book is a pretty tight and twisted Laymon novella cluttered with a lot of filler. Yes, everything gets shoved together at the end - kind of - but you may want to do yourself a favor and only read the parts of the plot that deal with Stanley and his obsession with the neighbor lady. You won't be missing anything by skipping the other plot lines, I promise.
April 28, 2018
This book is definitely a Laymon book lots of sex, horror and gore.
September 5, 2016
Ich habe in den letzten Monaten bereits einige Bücher von Richard Laymon gelesen und war von denen meist auch sehr begeistert, von daher war ich schon sehr auf "Das Inferno" gespannt und hatte doch recht hohe Erwartungen an die Geschichte. Leider war dies ein Fehler, denn ich musste bereits früh feststellen, dass die Geschichte leider nicht mit anderen Werken des Autors mithalten kann.
Der Autor besticht zwar auch hier wieder einmal mit einem flüssigen, oftmals recht schonungslosen Schreibstil, allerdings konnte bei mir der Funke in diesem Fall nicht überspringen. Die Figuren sind zwar an sich gut ausgearbeitet und man lernt sie ausreichend kennen, allerdings waren sie mir allesamt unsympathisch, sodass mir dadurch auch stellenweise ihr Schicksal egal war. Dies ist auch der Grund, weshalb mich die Geschichte letztendlich nicht so packen konnte, wie ich es mir zuvor erhofft habe.
Hierbei geht es um ein Erdbeben, das die Stadt Los Angeles vollkommen im Griff hat. Dabei werden nicht nur viele Menschen durch die Ausmaße des Erdbebens getötet, sondern auch viele Häuser vollkommen zerstört, sodass in der Stadt der Ausnahmezustand herrscht. Dabei ist es besonders interessant zu beobachten, wie die einzelnen Figuren, wie z.B. Stanley oder auch Clint nach der Katastrophe agieren und dabei kommen auch zum Großteil ihre schlimmsten Charakterzüge hervor. Dies zu beobachten war zwar an sich stellenweise sehr spannend und interessant, allerdings hat mir immer das gewisse Etwas gefehlt, um tatsächlich mitzufiebern oder gar mit einigen Figuren Mitleid zu haben.
Das Cover trifft meinen Geschmack zwar nicht ganz, allerdings muss ich schon sagen, dass dies gut zur Geschichte passt und somit gelungen ist. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich dagegen richtig spannend und fasst nur das Nötigste zusammen, sodass man als Leser noch die ein oder andere Überraschung erleben darf.
Kurz gesagt: "Das Inferno" ist zwar an sich wieder einmal ein spannendes und stellenweise schockierendes Buch, allerdings hat der Autor schon deutlich bessere Geschichten abgeliefert, sodass dieses hier doch recht schnell wieder vergessen ist. Die Figuren sind zwar an sich gut ausgearbeitet und auch das Setting weiß zu überzeugen, allerdings hat bei mir der nötige Funke gefehlt, um vollends begeistert zu sein. Schade!
Der Autor besticht zwar auch hier wieder einmal mit einem flüssigen, oftmals recht schonungslosen Schreibstil, allerdings konnte bei mir der Funke in diesem Fall nicht überspringen. Die Figuren sind zwar an sich gut ausgearbeitet und man lernt sie ausreichend kennen, allerdings waren sie mir allesamt unsympathisch, sodass mir dadurch auch stellenweise ihr Schicksal egal war. Dies ist auch der Grund, weshalb mich die Geschichte letztendlich nicht so packen konnte, wie ich es mir zuvor erhofft habe.
Hierbei geht es um ein Erdbeben, das die Stadt Los Angeles vollkommen im Griff hat. Dabei werden nicht nur viele Menschen durch die Ausmaße des Erdbebens getötet, sondern auch viele Häuser vollkommen zerstört, sodass in der Stadt der Ausnahmezustand herrscht. Dabei ist es besonders interessant zu beobachten, wie die einzelnen Figuren, wie z.B. Stanley oder auch Clint nach der Katastrophe agieren und dabei kommen auch zum Großteil ihre schlimmsten Charakterzüge hervor. Dies zu beobachten war zwar an sich stellenweise sehr spannend und interessant, allerdings hat mir immer das gewisse Etwas gefehlt, um tatsächlich mitzufiebern oder gar mit einigen Figuren Mitleid zu haben.
Das Cover trifft meinen Geschmack zwar nicht ganz, allerdings muss ich schon sagen, dass dies gut zur Geschichte passt und somit gelungen ist. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich dagegen richtig spannend und fasst nur das Nötigste zusammen, sodass man als Leser noch die ein oder andere Überraschung erleben darf.
Kurz gesagt: "Das Inferno" ist zwar an sich wieder einmal ein spannendes und stellenweise schockierendes Buch, allerdings hat der Autor schon deutlich bessere Geschichten abgeliefert, sodass dieses hier doch recht schnell wieder vergessen ist. Die Figuren sind zwar an sich gut ausgearbeitet und auch das Setting weiß zu überzeugen, allerdings hat bei mir der nötige Funke gefehlt, um vollends begeistert zu sein. Schade!
May 11, 2023
Classic Laymon. This one has multiple points of view that come together in very bloody and disturbing ways.
January 15, 2016
I think I'll stick with psychological and supernatural horror from now on.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Human crazies are the worst.
Besides, gore is NOT for me. Too many things wrong with the book and I don't know where to start. This is probably the first bad review I've ever written.
Highly implausible plot.
A massive quake hits, and people are only interested in murdering and skinning one another instead of worrying about their families, homes or themselves.
The quake victims as well as survivors are almost always naked. (How convenient).
15-16 year olds act like nine year olds.
Everyone's hormones are always raging, at a time like this.
However, some parts were genuinely scary although I felt nothing for any of the protagonists. I probably finished this book because I was curious what would happen to them. Curious, but unfeeling.
Unless you love reading gory descriptions of rape and brutality in an implausible storyline with a juvenile writing style to add, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
(P.S: I love dark fiction and horror but I don't call good books in this genre implausible because the writer often makes you "believe" or "want to believe" while you're actually reading the book. A good story and writing style does that.)
[SPOILER ALERT]
Human crazies are the worst.
Besides, gore is NOT for me. Too many things wrong with the book and I don't know where to start. This is probably the first bad review I've ever written.
Highly implausible plot.
A massive quake hits, and people are only interested in murdering and skinning one another instead of worrying about their families, homes or themselves.
The quake victims as well as survivors are almost always naked. (How convenient).
15-16 year olds act like nine year olds.
Everyone's hormones are always raging, at a time like this.
However, some parts were genuinely scary although I felt nothing for any of the protagonists. I probably finished this book because I was curious what would happen to them. Curious, but unfeeling.
Unless you love reading gory descriptions of rape and brutality in an implausible storyline with a juvenile writing style to add, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
(P.S: I love dark fiction and horror but I don't call good books in this genre implausible because the writer often makes you "believe" or "want to believe" while you're actually reading the book. A good story and writing style does that.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2012
In this product of Richard Laymon's gloriously demented imagination the denizens of LA revert back to psychotic savages promtly following a devastating earthquake. Not all of them, of course, but just enough to ensure almost 600 pages of mayhem and madness with generous sprinkling of unmistakingly Laymonesque rape, T&A & horny teens. Entertaining and quick read. Great cover art. Recommended for Laymon fans.
February 24, 2011
Richard Laymon was an author whose prolific sensibilities and writing work ethic guaranteed himself a legacy that keeps on giving: even if you’ve managed to slough through the majority of his tomes, chances are there is still a couple more lurking in the wings somewhere, just waiting to be tapped. It was many novels ago during my reading life that I picked up a battered paperback copy of The Stake, and over the years I’ve kept coming back, sampling each novel in turn like a much beloved dish, never rushing the process and spacing them out so I can go on living with the sure knowledge there will always be another on horizon. In 2001, the world of horror literature lost a unique and glowing talent that comes along all too seldom.
With a title like Quake and the accompanying illustration, Laymon enthusiasts will no trouble envisioning what’s on offer here: a gargantuan earthquake has devastated most of down-town Los Angeles. If this isn’t the big one, it’s certainly close to it – and the subsequent havoc wrought might just give Stanley Banks the opportunity he’s been waiting for with neighbor Shelia Banner. Every morning she jogs past his living room window, and every morning he ogles her. With his domineering mother now out of the equation and the streets in ruins, normal suburbia is suddenly transformed into a macabre playground for the depraved.
Racing to get home is Shelia’s daughter Barbara and her friends from school. Her husband Clint is also stranded and pairs with unlikely allies as the streets abruptly become rife with roving gangs and looters. As the body toll rises, Clint and Barbara try to make it home before Stanley catches Shelia, now trapped within her bathtub among the debris.
One of Laymon’s more ambitious efforts standing at nearly 600 pages, the author never loses his stride. Though sometimes small on action, he writes with the uncanny knack of making hundreds of pages fly by as though dozens of advents are transpiring. A lot of this can be attributed to his study of character: rarely have I come across a novelist who can articulate common people’s reactions and speech so accurately. Those familiar with his formula will know his work is sometimes like a play - pure narrative simplicity but handled so craftily the tale becomes intricate. And it’s never more evidenced than in Quake. Probably the only pitfall in a novel like this is it’s often outdated nature – at the time of publication in 1995, hand-held electronic devices were still some way from the mainstream. Hopefully this doesn’t deter a new generation from embracing Laymon’s creations.
As a horror writer, Richard Laymon was utterly authentic - someone that wore the genre like a badge of honour and never apologized for it. He paved the way for many others like Brian Keene and Bentley Little to fill a void after his departure. My only hope is that one day the world of celluloid will pay homage by adapting one of his many visions.
With a title like Quake and the accompanying illustration, Laymon enthusiasts will no trouble envisioning what’s on offer here: a gargantuan earthquake has devastated most of down-town Los Angeles. If this isn’t the big one, it’s certainly close to it – and the subsequent havoc wrought might just give Stanley Banks the opportunity he’s been waiting for with neighbor Shelia Banner. Every morning she jogs past his living room window, and every morning he ogles her. With his domineering mother now out of the equation and the streets in ruins, normal suburbia is suddenly transformed into a macabre playground for the depraved.
Racing to get home is Shelia’s daughter Barbara and her friends from school. Her husband Clint is also stranded and pairs with unlikely allies as the streets abruptly become rife with roving gangs and looters. As the body toll rises, Clint and Barbara try to make it home before Stanley catches Shelia, now trapped within her bathtub among the debris.
One of Laymon’s more ambitious efforts standing at nearly 600 pages, the author never loses his stride. Though sometimes small on action, he writes with the uncanny knack of making hundreds of pages fly by as though dozens of advents are transpiring. A lot of this can be attributed to his study of character: rarely have I come across a novelist who can articulate common people’s reactions and speech so accurately. Those familiar with his formula will know his work is sometimes like a play - pure narrative simplicity but handled so craftily the tale becomes intricate. And it’s never more evidenced than in Quake. Probably the only pitfall in a novel like this is it’s often outdated nature – at the time of publication in 1995, hand-held electronic devices were still some way from the mainstream. Hopefully this doesn’t deter a new generation from embracing Laymon’s creations.
As a horror writer, Richard Laymon was utterly authentic - someone that wore the genre like a badge of honour and never apologized for it. He paved the way for many others like Brian Keene and Bentley Little to fill a void after his departure. My only hope is that one day the world of celluloid will pay homage by adapting one of his many visions.
May 18, 2018
In an interview Richard Laymon said his books are about bad people doing bad things and in Quake you see that in a large scale as an earthquake hits Los Angeles. The core of the novel is survival and simply trying to make their way home. Of course in a Laymon novel it's not that simple. he allows us to glimpse at a world in which laws no longer apply, the carnal side of human nature runs rampant. He also knows how to pile on layers of tension while allowing us to peer at the ugly side of humanity. We never imagine people at their worst in a time of crisis, but that's what's so good about his work. He knows deep down that not everyone is good, deep down they're vile.
At the core of Quake is Stanley who is by far the greatest villain Laymon has ever created. He sees the Quake as an opportunity to take advantage of his trapped neighbor, and as the novel wears on, we see his sanity slowly begin to slide away. He has filled his novel with characters you want to see survive, and when certain characters die, you cheer because they were terrible people to begin with. The heroes here don't have an easy time of it. This is a violent novel that holds no punches. As a writer, he's written a novel that will offend half of the people who read it, but underneath all of the blood, is a decent story. Some of the dialogue comes off as cheesy and there's always the fascination with sex. Women here are portrayed as objects, and the men are often overcome with their desire to have their way with them.
While Quake may not be for everyone, it's still a great horror novel that presents us with something new. It would have been easy to fill out the novel with the same tropes we always see, but here in Laymon's world there's beauty in chaos. It's not for those who are easily offended, or have a problem with violence. It's strengths lie in the characters, and how they react to the world around them. The violence is a byproduct of the quake itself. Quake gives Richard Laymon fans another reason to like him, and for those who've never heard of him, it's a good place to start.
At the core of Quake is Stanley who is by far the greatest villain Laymon has ever created. He sees the Quake as an opportunity to take advantage of his trapped neighbor, and as the novel wears on, we see his sanity slowly begin to slide away. He has filled his novel with characters you want to see survive, and when certain characters die, you cheer because they were terrible people to begin with. The heroes here don't have an easy time of it. This is a violent novel that holds no punches. As a writer, he's written a novel that will offend half of the people who read it, but underneath all of the blood, is a decent story. Some of the dialogue comes off as cheesy and there's always the fascination with sex. Women here are portrayed as objects, and the men are often overcome with their desire to have their way with them.
While Quake may not be for everyone, it's still a great horror novel that presents us with something new. It would have been easy to fill out the novel with the same tropes we always see, but here in Laymon's world there's beauty in chaos. It's not for those who are easily offended, or have a problem with violence. It's strengths lie in the characters, and how they react to the world around them. The violence is a byproduct of the quake itself. Quake gives Richard Laymon fans another reason to like him, and for those who've never heard of him, it's a good place to start.
October 25, 2021
The final Laymon, to me. I held out so long on reading this as it was the last book I got and knew there'd be no more coming after his death in 2001. Qauke is typical, savage Laymon. A normal Los Angeles day begins with Sheila Banner on her morning jog, creepy neighbour Stanly Banks sneaking peeks at her through his picture window with sordid thoughts of what he'd like to do to her if he didn't move back home with his mother after his wife's death. Sheila's daughter is off at driver education with four other people when a massive earthquake hits, trapping Sheila's husband at work. There ensues the full day this novel takes place with three groups of people- Creepy Stanley getting his rocks off freeing Sheila from the rubble of her house collapse and toying with Judy, his next door neighbour. Barbara trying desperately to find her way home with a few other people from her drivers-ed road class and Clint, Sheila's husband, leaving his office trying to cross Mulholland, and Sunset which are littered with cars, dead people, rubble and savages gone wild in the chaos to get back home to his family.
It's hard to put down a Laymon novel when you start and this was no different but certainly longer than his usual novels. I enjoyed it, tho the usual not-for-the-squeemish still applies here. The violence is savage.
I discovered Richard Laymon in 1996 when I began having severe panic attacks and couldn't leave the house. His books kept me company and took my mind off the doom of the panic attacks. Thank you for easing three of the absolute worst years of my life with your books. R.I.P Richard Laymon. You are missed.
It's hard to put down a Laymon novel when you start and this was no different but certainly longer than his usual novels. I enjoyed it, tho the usual not-for-the-squeemish still applies here. The violence is savage.
I discovered Richard Laymon in 1996 when I began having severe panic attacks and couldn't leave the house. His books kept me company and took my mind off the doom of the panic attacks. Thank you for easing three of the absolute worst years of my life with your books. R.I.P Richard Laymon. You are missed.
May 1, 2019
I hated the first 100 pages. It was too sleazy, and it had side characters that were boring me to death. As the novel went on I accepted it for what it was and kind of enjoyed it. I love how Laymon thinks that one earthquake would literally turn everyone into a murderer or rapist. It was pretty hilarious. The characters are all awful. The murders are pretty grisly though, but it's about 200 pages too long.
February 3, 2025
It's probably one of, if not the longest Laymon book I've read to date. And, although it was a tad too long, it was still a super fast and fun read for me. It had everything you expect from any Laymon book. So, if you've read his stuff before and liked any of it, this is a must, as its Lamon turned up to max.
It is pretty much 3 separate stories rolled into one, and flick between them all quite well, I thought.
Some of the characters are stupid, and pretty much all of them are horny!
The only reason this book doesn't get a 4.5 or 5 star for me is the parts about the gangs going around stripping, mutilating, r*ping, and scalping people! That was just too far. I mean, just because a quake hits a city, people would not go on a mass murder spree in a matter of hours! Especially the group they come across that are a family, mum, dad, and two kids, who are all out doing these things together!!
Other than that, another over the topo, crazy, thrill ride from Laymon, and one worth reading if you dig his style?
It is pretty much 3 separate stories rolled into one, and flick between them all quite well, I thought.
Some of the characters are stupid, and pretty much all of them are horny!
The only reason this book doesn't get a 4.5 or 5 star for me is the parts about the gangs going around stripping, mutilating, r*ping, and scalping people! That was just too far. I mean, just because a quake hits a city, people would not go on a mass murder spree in a matter of hours! Especially the group they come across that are a family, mum, dad, and two kids, who are all out doing these things together!!
Other than that, another over the topo, crazy, thrill ride from Laymon, and one worth reading if you dig his style?
February 26, 2009
Laymon's novel `Quake' which was first published back in 1995 is a fast-paced disaster tale that draws upon the events of a small number of survivors that are left to cope with the after effects of a giant earthquake. Leaning heavily towards the elements involved in a classic post-apocalyptic novel, Laymon creates a world of chaos and bloodshed where law and order have been totally forgotten.
With a brazen underlying social commentary that strikes the reader with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, Laymon has fun delivering a somewhat exaggerated message of the hidden corrupt nature within humankind that is only kept in check for the majority of us by the fear of law and reprimand. Once these social constraints are removed, society quickly reverts back to that of barbaric savages raping and murdering with no thought for your fellow man.
Written in a way whereby the reader follows the story of three groups of survivors as their paths and stories gradually draw together at the final conclusion, Laymon manages to maintain a non-stop action filled tale that keeps the reader perched on the edge of their seat from the very outset.
With regular bursts of sadomasochist violence and an almost non-stop undercurrent of perverted lust that forms the main thrust behind one of the most predominant characters, the novel can be a little excessive for some.
As the tale progresses, the reader follows the survivors as all hell breaks loose in Los Angeles, with all morality and social conscience spiralling downwards until there is nothing left but sheer brutality.
The tale ends on a slightly weak note after a long build up whereby the paths of all three groups of survivors finally entwine.
Characterization is full-bodied and well formed, offering up powerful and strong characters with exaggerated personalities. No one in the novel is left to simply thicken out the numbers. Each individual you meet from the start to the final conclusion of the book, seemingly leaps out from the pages with their over-the-top quirks and constantly clashing personality traits.
For sheer entertainment the novel desires nothing short of ten out of ten. At no point during reading it do you find your mind wondering as you leap from one extreme cliff hanging event to the next. Not a novel for everyone, but a definite recommendation for fans of Shuan Hutson or the early splatterpunk era of James Herbert's work.
With a brazen underlying social commentary that strikes the reader with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, Laymon has fun delivering a somewhat exaggerated message of the hidden corrupt nature within humankind that is only kept in check for the majority of us by the fear of law and reprimand. Once these social constraints are removed, society quickly reverts back to that of barbaric savages raping and murdering with no thought for your fellow man.
Written in a way whereby the reader follows the story of three groups of survivors as their paths and stories gradually draw together at the final conclusion, Laymon manages to maintain a non-stop action filled tale that keeps the reader perched on the edge of their seat from the very outset.
With regular bursts of sadomasochist violence and an almost non-stop undercurrent of perverted lust that forms the main thrust behind one of the most predominant characters, the novel can be a little excessive for some.
As the tale progresses, the reader follows the survivors as all hell breaks loose in Los Angeles, with all morality and social conscience spiralling downwards until there is nothing left but sheer brutality.
The tale ends on a slightly weak note after a long build up whereby the paths of all three groups of survivors finally entwine.
Characterization is full-bodied and well formed, offering up powerful and strong characters with exaggerated personalities. No one in the novel is left to simply thicken out the numbers. Each individual you meet from the start to the final conclusion of the book, seemingly leaps out from the pages with their over-the-top quirks and constantly clashing personality traits.
For sheer entertainment the novel desires nothing short of ten out of ten. At no point during reading it do you find your mind wondering as you leap from one extreme cliff hanging event to the next. Not a novel for everyone, but a definite recommendation for fans of Shuan Hutson or the early splatterpunk era of James Herbert's work.
January 26, 2013
Richard Laymon fans will find plenty of the successful Laymon formula present in "Quake", one of the longest books he penned. Lots of scenes involving gore, violence, sex, nudity, unbelievable situations, and well-drawn characters are present throughout the novel. Originally published under the title, "The Quake" back in the mid-'90s, the plot of this book deals with how Los Angeles would deal with a devastating major earthquake.
As usual, Laymon pulls no punches with the wide variety of character types that he creates. Sociopath Stanley Banks is the next door neighbor-from-hell who can't wait to take advantage of the misfortunes of his beautiful female neighbors. The Banner family (father, mother, and daughter) are all away from one another as the quake hits and spend the book trying to reunite. Beautiful Sheila Banner, the mother of the clan, is the most at-risk because Stanley is helping to free her from her badly-damaged house - but only for perverted reasons. The trials and tribulations of the Banner father (Cliff) and daughter (Barbara) are also chronicled as they work their way back to their home. Laymon weaves some interesting situations for each family member during their plight and then wraps the stories neatly together at the end.
As mentioned earlier, the book is filled with descriptive scenes containing violent action, sexual situations, and bizarre situations. Along the way, there are some terrific secondary characters that Laymon creates to interact with the 4 main characters listed in the previous paragraph. Laymon's writing has such great pacing that it's hard to put a book down for very long - especially the last 100 pages or so of this novel. Much of that is due to this continuing cast of "bizarros" that keep showing up page after page. While, there are a few slow parts in "Quake", in general, it is a quick read.
Laymon fans will be pleased!
As usual, Laymon pulls no punches with the wide variety of character types that he creates. Sociopath Stanley Banks is the next door neighbor-from-hell who can't wait to take advantage of the misfortunes of his beautiful female neighbors. The Banner family (father, mother, and daughter) are all away from one another as the quake hits and spend the book trying to reunite. Beautiful Sheila Banner, the mother of the clan, is the most at-risk because Stanley is helping to free her from her badly-damaged house - but only for perverted reasons. The trials and tribulations of the Banner father (Cliff) and daughter (Barbara) are also chronicled as they work their way back to their home. Laymon weaves some interesting situations for each family member during their plight and then wraps the stories neatly together at the end.
As mentioned earlier, the book is filled with descriptive scenes containing violent action, sexual situations, and bizarre situations. Along the way, there are some terrific secondary characters that Laymon creates to interact with the 4 main characters listed in the previous paragraph. Laymon's writing has such great pacing that it's hard to put a book down for very long - especially the last 100 pages or so of this novel. Much of that is due to this continuing cast of "bizarros" that keep showing up page after page. While, there are a few slow parts in "Quake", in general, it is a quick read.
Laymon fans will be pleased!
January 15, 2016
Pretty juvenile stuff once again from Laymon. Hollywood gets hit by an 8.0 earthquake and Laymon follows a family (mother, daughter, father) and their compatriot’s attempts to get ‘back home’ and reunite in safety. However, with a brief window where no there is no established law and order social order breaks down. Actually, let me rephrase that, it goes f**king mental.
I first read this when I was about 14/15 and even then thought it was pretty far fetched and I think it even more so now. No doubt there would be criminals that would take the opportunity to loot and possibly even pillage. There would also be people who would take the opportunity to indulge their baser instincts such as rape and murder. But Laymon has virtually the whole of society become blood thirsty monsters within an hour of the quake. Which is just childish and outlandish in the extreme.
And talk about bad luck, the whole family manages to get them selves saddled with sociopaths intent on killing them. How’s that for born under a bad sign?
Laymon’s book strikes me as ‘torture porn’. The plots, such as they are, are a way of setting up a number of set pieces (i.e events of horror) rather than trying to tell a good story. This means he spends a lot of time trying to shock rather than write.
Also his attitudes towards sex are virtually pubescent and starting down the road towards disturbing (more than a few hints of paedophilia and insect).
I first read this when I was about 14/15 and even then thought it was pretty far fetched and I think it even more so now. No doubt there would be criminals that would take the opportunity to loot and possibly even pillage. There would also be people who would take the opportunity to indulge their baser instincts such as rape and murder. But Laymon has virtually the whole of society become blood thirsty monsters within an hour of the quake. Which is just childish and outlandish in the extreme.
And talk about bad luck, the whole family manages to get them selves saddled with sociopaths intent on killing them. How’s that for born under a bad sign?
Laymon’s book strikes me as ‘torture porn’. The plots, such as they are, are a way of setting up a number of set pieces (i.e events of horror) rather than trying to tell a good story. This means he spends a lot of time trying to shock rather than write.
Also his attitudes towards sex are virtually pubescent and starting down the road towards disturbing (more than a few hints of paedophilia and insect).
October 19, 2011
Quake by Richard Laymon is one of those novels that makes you think that yeah, maybe this actually would happen if a massive earthquake struck LA, but only for about
half of the novel. The story follows three people trying to achieve something in the aftermath of the quake. This is made all the more difficult by bands of almost sub
-humans that loot and kill as if the world had ended several months before the start of the novel. I really enjoyed how seemlessly the stories fit together and one
wasn't less interesting than the otheries so when Laymon decided to transfer us to Stanley's atempts to rape Clint's wife, Clint's efforts to return home, or his
daughter's journey to the same destination, I did not feel annoyed by it. As is typical with nearly every work of Laymon's I have read, the book seems to be entirely
directed at sweaty, unattractive teenaged males due to the overwhelming amount of unrealistic portrayals of sex. For example, Barbar and Pete's little session of
passion in a truck bed while covered in blood and hunted by murderous looters is not realistic. I kept expecting to hear a cartoonish "BOINGGGG!!!" sound every other
page. The book is a blast though and fits nicely in with Laymon's other work. Nothing new here at all though so if you aren't a huge Laymon fan and have already read a
few novels by him, don't expect it to change your opinion of him for the better.
half of the novel. The story follows three people trying to achieve something in the aftermath of the quake. This is made all the more difficult by bands of almost sub
-humans that loot and kill as if the world had ended several months before the start of the novel. I really enjoyed how seemlessly the stories fit together and one
wasn't less interesting than the otheries so when Laymon decided to transfer us to Stanley's atempts to rape Clint's wife, Clint's efforts to return home, or his
daughter's journey to the same destination, I did not feel annoyed by it. As is typical with nearly every work of Laymon's I have read, the book seems to be entirely
directed at sweaty, unattractive teenaged males due to the overwhelming amount of unrealistic portrayals of sex. For example, Barbar and Pete's little session of
passion in a truck bed while covered in blood and hunted by murderous looters is not realistic. I kept expecting to hear a cartoonish "BOINGGGG!!!" sound every other
page. The book is a blast though and fits nicely in with Laymon's other work. Nothing new here at all though so if you aren't a huge Laymon fan and have already read a
few novels by him, don't expect it to change your opinion of him for the better.
April 18, 2012
When reading a Laymon novel, I realize that I am not about to embark on high brow literature that is sure to score a Pulitzer Prize. I read Laymon for the wild storyline, and unbelievable acts and mindsets of his characters (good and/or bad).
"Quake" is one of the biggest disappointments this author has handed over to me. I finished it hoping that the payoff would be in the finale. Nope. Even the characters were, well how to put this...I couldn't care less what happened to them. The protaganists showed levels of stupidity that I had to shake my head at. And, to make matters worse their adversaries - yep, you guessed it - were even stupider.
Even the premise for the book seemed far fetched, but, hey, this is Laymon. I will give a little leeway to him if he is gonna reward me with a fantastic story. But, if the story is second grade then I go back to the premise, and I'm not as forgiving. Suddenly, an earthquake is the catalyst for an entire city to become like "Lord of the Flies" ? Please!
Very disappointing that this was from the same mind that wrote "Night in Lonesome October", "Island", and even "Body Rides".
Why'd I give it 2 stars? I'm still not sure. Might change it later.
Recommended? No way!
"Quake" is one of the biggest disappointments this author has handed over to me. I finished it hoping that the payoff would be in the finale. Nope. Even the characters were, well how to put this...I couldn't care less what happened to them. The protaganists showed levels of stupidity that I had to shake my head at. And, to make matters worse their adversaries - yep, you guessed it - were even stupider.
Even the premise for the book seemed far fetched, but, hey, this is Laymon. I will give a little leeway to him if he is gonna reward me with a fantastic story. But, if the story is second grade then I go back to the premise, and I'm not as forgiving. Suddenly, an earthquake is the catalyst for an entire city to become like "Lord of the Flies" ? Please!
Very disappointing that this was from the same mind that wrote "Night in Lonesome October", "Island", and even "Body Rides".
Why'd I give it 2 stars? I'm still not sure. Might change it later.
Recommended? No way!
May 9, 2021
Klassisk Laymon. Denna gången är det galningen Stanley som står i centrum när en jordbävning drabbar L.A. och han får chansen att leva ut alla sina sjuka fantasier när grannen Sheila ligger fastklämd i badkaret. De 566 sidorna sprang iväg av bara farten. Otroligt underhållande där ingenting är heligt.
September 4, 2022
Absolute Zeitverschwendung auf 639 völlig unnötigen Seiten!
Zwar verspricht die Storyline, die sich um das Überleben nach einem katastrophalen Erdbeben in Los Angeles dreht, grundsätzlich Spannung, aber was Laymon daraus gemacht hat, kann man im besten Fall nur als absolute Grütze bezeichnen - gekrönt mit effektheischenden Ekelszenen durch ausführliche Beschreibungen von Leichenfledderei, völlig sinnfreien Dialogen und absolut idiotischem Vorgehen der Protagonisten. Identifikation oder Mitleiden mit einem von ihnen? No way!
Da wünscht man sich nur noch, dass die Erde gleich nochmal ordentlich beben möchte, um dieses literarische, an den Haaren herbeigezogene Grauen bitte endlich zu verschlingen.
Den einen Stern vergebe ich nur, weil mir beim Lesen des Romans hin und wieder ein Lacher bei den unfreiwillig komischen Situationsbeschreibungen entflohen ist.
Schrott as Schrott can! Shame on you, Richard Laymon!
Zwar verspricht die Storyline, die sich um das Überleben nach einem katastrophalen Erdbeben in Los Angeles dreht, grundsätzlich Spannung, aber was Laymon daraus gemacht hat, kann man im besten Fall nur als absolute Grütze bezeichnen - gekrönt mit effektheischenden Ekelszenen durch ausführliche Beschreibungen von Leichenfledderei, völlig sinnfreien Dialogen und absolut idiotischem Vorgehen der Protagonisten. Identifikation oder Mitleiden mit einem von ihnen? No way!
Da wünscht man sich nur noch, dass die Erde gleich nochmal ordentlich beben möchte, um dieses literarische, an den Haaren herbeigezogene Grauen bitte endlich zu verschlingen.
Den einen Stern vergebe ich nur, weil mir beim Lesen des Romans hin und wieder ein Lacher bei den unfreiwillig komischen Situationsbeschreibungen entflohen ist.
Schrott as Schrott can! Shame on you, Richard Laymon!
January 4, 2025
When I think of Richard Laymon, Quake will now be one of the first novels I think of. This had all of the classic Laymon elements that make his books shine.
Despite being a 500+ page book, the entire story of Quake takes place within one day. Laymon is able to keep things interesting by having 3 different story lines at once: We follow a psychopath with his eyes set on tormenting one of his female neighbors, The neighbors husband trying to return to his family from work, and their daughter who is trying to return home from school.
All 3 of these characters have different adventures that each hold strong plots on their own. So much crazy shit happens and it is extremely impressive the way Richard Laymon’s mind works.
What a way to kick off 2025!
Despite being a 500+ page book, the entire story of Quake takes place within one day. Laymon is able to keep things interesting by having 3 different story lines at once: We follow a psychopath with his eyes set on tormenting one of his female neighbors, The neighbors husband trying to return to his family from work, and their daughter who is trying to return home from school.
All 3 of these characters have different adventures that each hold strong plots on their own. So much crazy shit happens and it is extremely impressive the way Richard Laymon’s mind works.
What a way to kick off 2025!
May 20, 2024
Overall a good read. I started to wonder if I’d like this book when it began to get rapey. Lots of Laymon books seem to do that. I understand that itself is true horror, and sometimes it does have a place in a story, but I’m just really not a fan of it.
That being said. This book is essentially three stories running parallel. The rapey one, which does fit into the rest, the kids story and the father story.
It’s well written if course and I liked most of the characters. Certainly enough to be invested in them and see where their journey would lead.
By the end I felt like I’d read a tale similar to “The Stand” by Stephen King…… and that is certainly big as far as compliments come.
That being said. This book is essentially three stories running parallel. The rapey one, which does fit into the rest, the kids story and the father story.
It’s well written if course and I liked most of the characters. Certainly enough to be invested in them and see where their journey would lead.
By the end I felt like I’d read a tale similar to “The Stand” by Stephen King…… and that is certainly big as far as compliments come.
September 11, 2022
This was how I imagined people would behave when Covid lockdowns were introduced! I found myself feeling a little unfulfilled at the way some of the storylines played out. Nevertheless this is classic Laymon and I loved it.
October 25, 2024
Another of my all time faves. Have read at least 3 times.
February 13, 2022
En klar 3,5:a i poäng. Alldeles för utdragen och med för mycket innehåll i mitten. Men både början och slutet var väldigt bra och räddar upp boken.
March 5, 2024
Richard Laymon is an author I've decided to try and complete his entire fictional bibliography (not sure about his non-fiction works tho), which means having to read books with mixed reviews such as The Woods are Dark, Quake, Bite, etc. But for a while now I had been looking at Quake and decided to take a risk and pick it up.
Stanley is a demented man who's tired of being bossed around by women such as his ex-wife, his mother, etc. But he's got a sick fascination with a mother by the name of Shelia across the street. When an earthquake occurs demolishing the city, he soon realizes this is his chance to shred away his sense of humanity bonded by the laws made by others and to enact his dreams for real finally. Her daughter Barbara and her husband Clint are across the city, trying to get back home on their little journeys separated, but will they get back in time to stop him?
I'm surprised this is a very mixed book for Laymon readers, it feels like a kind of epic story with a fairly big scale to it, but a short period considering it's told throughout an entire day and only a day. It has a strange mix of characters who come together, trying to survive the barbarity inflicted by outlaws and from each other as it seems, the dire situation has made them incredibly unstable.
It's a very intense but slow-paced novel, as we get three different perspectives towards three different groups of characters throughout the novel. Clint, Emerald a 13-year-old girl, and Mary a victim of a terrible accident try to get back home. Barbara, Pete, Heather, and Earl try to get back to pleasant civilization, and of course, Stanley as he tries to rescue Shelia out of her bathtub, but not out of kindness but rather for his own sick fantasies.
It's a simple book in the sense of it being a survival novel, but it's a very violent and brutal book with some disgusting and horrifying scenes. Despite that however, it also has a lot of meaningful scenes since we have a romantic subplot and, a kind of fatherly and daughterly bond between Clint and Emerald as he worries for his wife and daughter.
Overall: It's a really underrated novel with violent and grotesque imagery, a lot of meaningful moments, and a pretty solid ending. I will say however, it was a tad too long for what it was in the end but I didn't mind it for the most part since it was certainly engaging and tense. I would definitely give this a go if you like simple survival novels with plenty of disturbing violence. 8.5/10
Stanley is a demented man who's tired of being bossed around by women such as his ex-wife, his mother, etc. But he's got a sick fascination with a mother by the name of Shelia across the street. When an earthquake occurs demolishing the city, he soon realizes this is his chance to shred away his sense of humanity bonded by the laws made by others and to enact his dreams for real finally. Her daughter Barbara and her husband Clint are across the city, trying to get back home on their little journeys separated, but will they get back in time to stop him?
I'm surprised this is a very mixed book for Laymon readers, it feels like a kind of epic story with a fairly big scale to it, but a short period considering it's told throughout an entire day and only a day. It has a strange mix of characters who come together, trying to survive the barbarity inflicted by outlaws and from each other as it seems, the dire situation has made them incredibly unstable.
It's a very intense but slow-paced novel, as we get three different perspectives towards three different groups of characters throughout the novel. Clint, Emerald a 13-year-old girl, and Mary a victim of a terrible accident try to get back home. Barbara, Pete, Heather, and Earl try to get back to pleasant civilization, and of course, Stanley as he tries to rescue Shelia out of her bathtub, but not out of kindness but rather for his own sick fantasies.
It's a simple book in the sense of it being a survival novel, but it's a very violent and brutal book with some disgusting and horrifying scenes. Despite that however, it also has a lot of meaningful scenes since we have a romantic subplot and, a kind of fatherly and daughterly bond between Clint and Emerald as he worries for his wife and daughter.
Overall: It's a really underrated novel with violent and grotesque imagery, a lot of meaningful moments, and a pretty solid ending. I will say however, it was a tad too long for what it was in the end but I didn't mind it for the most part since it was certainly engaging and tense. I would definitely give this a go if you like simple survival novels with plenty of disturbing violence. 8.5/10
April 10, 2014
I've read most of Richard Laymon's books, but this was the first one I actually purchased on my own dime.
Keeping his usual panache for horror, gore and sexuality, Laymon takes a normal family, splits them up and places them separately across town. Then an earthquake hits and the family members have to fight nature, human instability and the pervert next door to arrive home safely.
Told from three narratives (mother, father, daughter) the family must fight across town to rendezvous with one another. Only getting across town during a quake isn't all it cracked up to be. The mother is trapped naked in a bathtub, her only potential saviour is Stanley, the perverted neighbour who finally realises he has a 'shot' with her in the lawless land created by the devastating quake. With the police out of commission, the lawless roaming the ruins of the city and the power down, it really will be a race to see who can stop Stanley on his demented quest.
The tension in this book is phenomenal. Anyone who's ever taken a bath will know that losing the ability to climb out of it would render you petrified. Add to that a demented pervert who finally wants to satiate his urge and family members who are hindered by the collapse of a city and you have an outstanding thriller. Laymon really gives you value for money in this book and I would go as far to say this is my favourite Laymon novel of all time.
An outstanding read. A must for any true horror fan!
Keeping his usual panache for horror, gore and sexuality, Laymon takes a normal family, splits them up and places them separately across town. Then an earthquake hits and the family members have to fight nature, human instability and the pervert next door to arrive home safely.
Told from three narratives (mother, father, daughter) the family must fight across town to rendezvous with one another. Only getting across town during a quake isn't all it cracked up to be. The mother is trapped naked in a bathtub, her only potential saviour is Stanley, the perverted neighbour who finally realises he has a 'shot' with her in the lawless land created by the devastating quake. With the police out of commission, the lawless roaming the ruins of the city and the power down, it really will be a race to see who can stop Stanley on his demented quest.
The tension in this book is phenomenal. Anyone who's ever taken a bath will know that losing the ability to climb out of it would render you petrified. Add to that a demented pervert who finally wants to satiate his urge and family members who are hindered by the collapse of a city and you have an outstanding thriller. Laymon really gives you value for money in this book and I would go as far to say this is my favourite Laymon novel of all time.
An outstanding read. A must for any true horror fan!
March 18, 2014
Ah Laymon, so enjoyable yet so utterly ludicrous.
Quake is really the story of the Banner family. There are three plot lines dealing with each member of the family. After the quake, Clint is trying to get home from work, Barbara is trying to get home from school, and Sheila is trying to get out of the tub. Somehow it takes almost 600 pages for these situations to resolve themselves.
In typical laymon fashion, the whole situation gets as bad as possible very quickly. LA basically turns into a war zone of raping, killing, and mayhem in about 20 minutes. Of course, there is an oversexed villain after a perfect woman. Stanley is pure, digusting, laymon gold.
All of this leads to some interesting situations, but very little suspense or horror. A fun read, but nothing too heady.
Quake is really the story of the Banner family. There are three plot lines dealing with each member of the family. After the quake, Clint is trying to get home from work, Barbara is trying to get home from school, and Sheila is trying to get out of the tub. Somehow it takes almost 600 pages for these situations to resolve themselves.
In typical laymon fashion, the whole situation gets as bad as possible very quickly. LA basically turns into a war zone of raping, killing, and mayhem in about 20 minutes. Of course, there is an oversexed villain after a perfect woman. Stanley is pure, digusting, laymon gold.
All of this leads to some interesting situations, but very little suspense or horror. A fun read, but nothing too heady.
December 1, 2009
It reminded me a bit of "Come Out Tonight", and was probably only ever so slightly better. The ending was very weak, especially having read "Island".
Once again, not very many likeable characters.
Once again, not very many likeable characters.
September 14, 2014
(177/3/4)
November 29, 2020
Like any Richard Laymon novel…. “Quake” offers plenty of blood, rape, death and a simple plot line that is easy to follow. Although I am a big fan and have read enough of Laymon’s works to know what to expect, I had the bar raised too high with this novel. The opening chapters, especially the first one, had me super excited…. But, after a hundred pages (give or take), I realized my interest was spiraling down the drain faster and faster as each chapter closed.
Published in 1995 by Feature, “Quake” is Laymon’s fortieth novel and was partnered with “Island” in volume 11 of the Richard Laymon Collection. The novel is about a family who are trying to get home to each other after a massive earthquake hits Los Angeles. Aside from all the damage and destruction one would expect from a natural disaster of this magnitude, the effects also manage to turn L.A. into “Lord of the Flies”…. Now, that may be not too farfetched of a concept in the year 2020, but back in 1995 this would have been a ridiculous notion. An earthquake, regardless of the size, is not going to turn an American city into the Wild West…. For that reason, the events that unravel in “Quake” are way too over-the-top and unrealistic on so many levels. It’s like a B-rated horror film on steroids.
The story is about one American family and is structured to tell the tale of each family member and the challenges they are facing trying to reassemble. I typically enjoy novels written in this form and then come together at the end. However, having a sociopath directly involved in the story line of each family member cheapens it and ruins the pace. That structure should be written in a way where there are ups and downs in the story to provide a break from the action and suspense…. It can’t be balls to the wall every single chapter or you will not be able to connect with any of the characters or come up from air. Not that Laymon is known for creating likeable characters to begin with, mind you….
If I were the editor and had my choice, out of the three family members, Stanley Banks’ story would be the psychotic end of the spectrum and driven the action…. Clint’s story would have dealt with mild, more realistic challenges (like traffic and high voltage lines in the streets)…. And Barbara’s story would have focused more on character bonding and helping each other through difficult times rather than killing each other, having creepy love scenes, and making retarded decisions. There should only be ONE insane sociopath in the story, I guess is what I’m getting at…. They can’t ALL have a Ted Bundy character.
I wish I could say that I liked this book, overall, but the reality is I struggled through most of my reading experience. It was way too long for the material that was presented. It not only dragged in a lot of parts, but Stanley’s repetitive admiration for Sheila was rather tiresome. Every page in his story had mention of how turned on he was by her and / or sexual reference of what he plans on doing to her. Another complaint I have is none of the characters are likeable. They all bitched and moaned the entire time…. I understand that they aren’t supposed to be ecstatic about their current predicament, but all they did was complain and bicker. The endless arguments over stupid shit got old, real quick.
The only part of the novel I really had fun reading was the first chapter…. THAT was an awesome introduction and should have been a stand-alone short story. The rest of the chapters should’ve just been scrapped or used in other novels.
FINAL VERDICT: I give this book 2 out of 5 stars. “Quake” had its moments, but ultimately did not deliver. I would not recommend this novel to anyone, regardless if they are a fan of Richard Laymon or not. I would, however, HIGHLY suggest you read chapter one…. Then, just end it there. If you read chapter one and ignore the rest of the book, you will be very satisfied in my opinion. I can’t say enough good things about that opening chapter.
Published in 1995 by Feature, “Quake” is Laymon’s fortieth novel and was partnered with “Island” in volume 11 of the Richard Laymon Collection. The novel is about a family who are trying to get home to each other after a massive earthquake hits Los Angeles. Aside from all the damage and destruction one would expect from a natural disaster of this magnitude, the effects also manage to turn L.A. into “Lord of the Flies”…. Now, that may be not too farfetched of a concept in the year 2020, but back in 1995 this would have been a ridiculous notion. An earthquake, regardless of the size, is not going to turn an American city into the Wild West…. For that reason, the events that unravel in “Quake” are way too over-the-top and unrealistic on so many levels. It’s like a B-rated horror film on steroids.
The story is about one American family and is structured to tell the tale of each family member and the challenges they are facing trying to reassemble. I typically enjoy novels written in this form and then come together at the end. However, having a sociopath directly involved in the story line of each family member cheapens it and ruins the pace. That structure should be written in a way where there are ups and downs in the story to provide a break from the action and suspense…. It can’t be balls to the wall every single chapter or you will not be able to connect with any of the characters or come up from air. Not that Laymon is known for creating likeable characters to begin with, mind you….
If I were the editor and had my choice, out of the three family members, Stanley Banks’ story would be the psychotic end of the spectrum and driven the action…. Clint’s story would have dealt with mild, more realistic challenges (like traffic and high voltage lines in the streets)…. And Barbara’s story would have focused more on character bonding and helping each other through difficult times rather than killing each other, having creepy love scenes, and making retarded decisions. There should only be ONE insane sociopath in the story, I guess is what I’m getting at…. They can’t ALL have a Ted Bundy character.
I wish I could say that I liked this book, overall, but the reality is I struggled through most of my reading experience. It was way too long for the material that was presented. It not only dragged in a lot of parts, but Stanley’s repetitive admiration for Sheila was rather tiresome. Every page in his story had mention of how turned on he was by her and / or sexual reference of what he plans on doing to her. Another complaint I have is none of the characters are likeable. They all bitched and moaned the entire time…. I understand that they aren’t supposed to be ecstatic about their current predicament, but all they did was complain and bicker. The endless arguments over stupid shit got old, real quick.
The only part of the novel I really had fun reading was the first chapter…. THAT was an awesome introduction and should have been a stand-alone short story. The rest of the chapters should’ve just been scrapped or used in other novels.
FINAL VERDICT: I give this book 2 out of 5 stars. “Quake” had its moments, but ultimately did not deliver. I would not recommend this novel to anyone, regardless if they are a fan of Richard Laymon or not. I would, however, HIGHLY suggest you read chapter one…. Then, just end it there. If you read chapter one and ignore the rest of the book, you will be very satisfied in my opinion. I can’t say enough good things about that opening chapter.
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