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The Stake
In an abandoned hotel in a California ghost town, horror writer Larry and his friends make a chilling discovery. By chance they stumble across a naked woman in a coffin with a stake driven through her heart. Was she a vampire or the victim of a gruesome murder?
441 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
36 people are currently reading
3078 people want to read
About the author
Richard Laymon
217 books2,288 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 181 reviews
November 15, 2021
"Delightful" wouldn't have been the first word I'd use to describe a novel that has as its most horrific scene a very graphic torture/rape/murder of a high schooler, but another reviewer used it and it's stuck with me. As always, Laymon is fond of delivering his thrills and his atrocities via a wide-eyed, Gee Whiz That's Neat! type tone. This is a delightful book full of twists & turns, shock moments both goofy and upsetting, an unusually deliberate pace, granular details typical for the author, a realistic setting in its suburban neighborhood and high school, an unusual cold case-style murder mystery, and an appealing, relatable, amusing cast.
There are two interesting protagonists, a father and daughter. The father is a hack writer of paperback horrors and appears to be modeled on the author himself. If that's the case, Laymon certainly wasn't abashed in depicting a person who goes off the deep end in his obsessions (while still retaining his basic decency and kindness) and who is sexually aroused 100% of the time, constantly ogling his wife and his friend's wife and, oh, the corpse with a stake in her heart that he has secreted away in the hopes of writing a true crime story about how he came across that body, and what happens when he finally pulls that stake out. The novel is very meta in its interrogation of both the writing process and how writers are inspired - and "meta" is a thing I never expected to find in a Laymon novel.
The second protagonist, his daughter, is a great character. A sympathetic, upbeat, and very believable teen who is wrestling with a crush on her thoughtful and dreamy English teacher (who also happens to be a viciously sadistic rapist and killer). I appreciated that one of the first things she does after he finally attacks her is to plot how exactly she will be murdering him, and how she'll get away with it. That's some pluck! This is a dark but, yep, delightful novel. And per usual with Laymon, it is also a novel that is extremely explicit and extremely horny. And full of surprises! Especially its whackadoodle ending.
There are two interesting protagonists, a father and daughter. The father is a hack writer of paperback horrors and appears to be modeled on the author himself. If that's the case, Laymon certainly wasn't abashed in depicting a person who goes off the deep end in his obsessions (while still retaining his basic decency and kindness) and who is sexually aroused 100% of the time, constantly ogling his wife and his friend's wife and, oh, the corpse with a stake in her heart that he has secreted away in the hopes of writing a true crime story about how he came across that body, and what happens when he finally pulls that stake out. The novel is very meta in its interrogation of both the writing process and how writers are inspired - and "meta" is a thing I never expected to find in a Laymon novel.
The second protagonist, his daughter, is a great character. A sympathetic, upbeat, and very believable teen who is wrestling with a crush on her thoughtful and dreamy English teacher (who also happens to be a viciously sadistic rapist and killer). I appreciated that one of the first things she does after he finally attacks her is to plot how exactly she will be murdering him, and how she'll get away with it. That's some pluck! This is a dark but, yep, delightful novel. And per usual with Laymon, it is also a novel that is extremely explicit and extremely horny. And full of surprises! Especially its whackadoodle ending.
November 21, 2014
When a horror author and his wife, along with their friends, visit Sagebrush Flats, a ghost town near their home, they stumble upon a truly bizarre discovery - the withered corpse of a woman with a stake driven through her heart. Was she a vampire? The only way to find out is to pull the stake, see if she reanimates.
The blurb on the back of this delightful novel ( in my opinion, one of Laymon's best) has to be one of the worst I have read
This book has several storylines woven together, and it takes a while to pick up steam, but when it does, look out.
Though slow at times, this book really delivers some excellent writing, a great cast of characters, a heaping dollop of wry humor, and some chilling horror.
As I read through Laymon's immense output, I often find him to be hot or miss, never totally bad, sometimes brilliant.
The Stake is high on the awesome list for me. I would say it holds its own with some of Laymon's other gems, like ISLAND, AFTER MIDNIGHT and BODY RIDES.
Fun, crazy and disturbing, never takes itself too seriously.
My only gripe is that there are multitudinous rehash scenes. There always seems to be a character who needs to be brought up to snuff on what happened in the previous chapter. I found myself skimming through in several places, but if you read Laymon, this is nothing new.
The blurb on the back of this delightful novel ( in my opinion, one of Laymon's best) has to be one of the worst I have read
This book has several storylines woven together, and it takes a while to pick up steam, but when it does, look out.
Though slow at times, this book really delivers some excellent writing, a great cast of characters, a heaping dollop of wry humor, and some chilling horror.
As I read through Laymon's immense output, I often find him to be hot or miss, never totally bad, sometimes brilliant.
The Stake is high on the awesome list for me. I would say it holds its own with some of Laymon's other gems, like ISLAND, AFTER MIDNIGHT and BODY RIDES.
Fun, crazy and disturbing, never takes itself too seriously.
My only gripe is that there are multitudinous rehash scenes. There always seems to be a character who needs to be brought up to snuff on what happened in the previous chapter. I found myself skimming through in several places, but if you read Laymon, this is nothing new.
January 10, 2018
Here's the thing about Richard Laymon. He writes AMAZING horror stories. Where he loses me though is in the weird, creepy, and borderline pornographic sex scenes that he injects throughout these amazing horror stories. I would enjoy his books ten times more if the perversion wasn't so pervasive. This had all of the makings of an incredibly entertaining read...a group of adults stumble upon an abandoned hotel while exploring a local ghost town. Inside the hotel they discover a human body with a stake driven into its heart. Is it a vampire? A murder victim? What the hell happened there? Do they remove the stake from the body and if so, what will happen? I was totally into this book and then Richard's weird fascination with sex showed up. And showed up again. And again. And my enjoyment quickly changed to annoyance. Ultimately the story was satisfying and at times was brilliant in the horror aspects. I just couldn't get past the other nonsense though and for that reason, this only gets an average rating for me.
June 20, 2022
"Riesumo" da una montagna di polvere questo libro, preso tempo fa in una libreria dell'usato ed incuriosito dall'autore, un cult del genere horror d'oltreoceano. Prima di questo lessi "La casa della bestia" che avevo trovato discreto, una letturina per passare il tempo, così l'altro giorno inizio a leggere "La bara".
L'immagine in copertina è simpatica, mi ricorda molto i filmacci horror anni 80, i miei preferiti e per certi versi questo romanzo mi ha trasportato a quel periodo.
Larry, uno scrittore di libri horror, è in fase di creazione letteraria, ma vorrebbe qualcosa per farlo spiccare nel mondo della letturatura. Un bel giorno, insieme a dei suoi amici, scopre una bara in un posto inimmaginabile, ma quello che troverà e cosa gli succederà successivamente, nemmeno la sua fervida immaginazione, nè la sua infinita fantasia potrà eguagliare, o forse no?
La scrittura è molto coinvolgente, i personaggi escono, letteralmente, dalle pagine, i fatti, alle volte, si susseguono come i colpi di una mitragliatrice, altre sono molto lente, quasi si ha la sensazione di stare fermi, anche se si corre, un po' come stare su un tapis roulant, vuoi correre per scappare dall'inevitabile, oppure vuoi correre verso ciò che sta succedendo per scoprire l'arcano, in un crescendo di adrenalina ed eccitazione!
Come dice King in copertina:
Se ti sei perso Laymon, hai perso qualcosa di unico.
Come non essere d'accordo!
L'immagine in copertina è simpatica, mi ricorda molto i filmacci horror anni 80, i miei preferiti e per certi versi questo romanzo mi ha trasportato a quel periodo.
Larry, uno scrittore di libri horror, è in fase di creazione letteraria, ma vorrebbe qualcosa per farlo spiccare nel mondo della letturatura. Un bel giorno, insieme a dei suoi amici, scopre una bara in un posto inimmaginabile, ma quello che troverà e cosa gli succederà successivamente, nemmeno la sua fervida immaginazione, nè la sua infinita fantasia potrà eguagliare, o forse no?
La scrittura è molto coinvolgente, i personaggi escono, letteralmente, dalle pagine, i fatti, alle volte, si susseguono come i colpi di una mitragliatrice, altre sono molto lente, quasi si ha la sensazione di stare fermi, anche se si corre, un po' come stare su un tapis roulant, vuoi correre per scappare dall'inevitabile, oppure vuoi correre verso ciò che sta succedendo per scoprire l'arcano, in un crescendo di adrenalina ed eccitazione!
Come dice King in copertina:
Se ti sei perso Laymon, hai perso qualcosa di unico.
Come non essere d'accordo!
June 21, 2022
Laymon was one of a kind for sure. The Stake reminded me quite a bit of Bite as both books are ostensibly vampire novels, but not really. What does that mean? Both novels are vampire novels, but vampires play a very small role in each. This starts of with a prologue in 1972 featuring a vampire hunter, who seems to meet his demise and then changes gear to a group of friends circa 1990 when this was first published. Our main protagonist is Larry, a horror author, who represents something of Laymon's alter ego; Larry, like Laymon, is a solid mid-tier author cranking out books for a living and like many of Laymon's protagonists, cannot keep his eyes or his imagination away from female breasts and bums.
Larry, his wife and their neighbors are out one day to check out a ghost town in the California desert; they live in a small town on the Colorado river, escaping from L.A. with their teenage daughter Lane, who is another protagonist and narrator of the story. Anyway, they discover hiden in an old abandoned hotel a coffin with a long dead body in it, with a stake still protruding from her heart. So, is she a vampire? Should they pull the stake and find out? They decide to split, but the staked 'vampire' quickly becomes the center of the story, hence the title.
Much of the first part of the novel is the day to day life of Larry and his daughter Lane; her trials and travails at high school and his working on various manuscripts and such. I mentioned Larry seems to be Laymon's alter ego and in part this is due to his ruminations as an author, bemoaning the heavy handed editors in the US (Laymon had some of his novels basically butchered that way) while he was published in the UK. Lots of horror genre shout outs here (Larry seems to always be reading a Shaun Hutson paperback for example). Also, like most Laymon novels, it features the protagonists making dubious decisions wrapped around a twisty plot.
If you can get by the ogling Larry (if only the english language had more works for breasts and nipples!) this is a rather fun, slow paced romp. While not the best of his novels, it is definitely not his worst. 3.5 stars.
Larry, his wife and their neighbors are out one day to check out a ghost town in the California desert; they live in a small town on the Colorado river, escaping from L.A. with their teenage daughter Lane, who is another protagonist and narrator of the story. Anyway, they discover hiden in an old abandoned hotel a coffin with a long dead body in it, with a stake still protruding from her heart. So, is she a vampire? Should they pull the stake and find out? They decide to split, but the staked 'vampire' quickly becomes the center of the story, hence the title.
Much of the first part of the novel is the day to day life of Larry and his daughter Lane; her trials and travails at high school and his working on various manuscripts and such. I mentioned Larry seems to be Laymon's alter ego and in part this is due to his ruminations as an author, bemoaning the heavy handed editors in the US (Laymon had some of his novels basically butchered that way) while he was published in the UK. Lots of horror genre shout outs here (Larry seems to always be reading a Shaun Hutson paperback for example). Also, like most Laymon novels, it features the protagonists making dubious decisions wrapped around a twisty plot.
If you can get by the ogling Larry (if only the english language had more works for breasts and nipples!) this is a rather fun, slow paced romp. While not the best of his novels, it is definitely not his worst. 3.5 stars.
December 15, 2014
Most people select Richard Laymon's books because they want something fast-paced, incredibly violent, and action-packed.
Such people are likely to be disappointed by THE STAKE.
I, however, fall within the cadre of Laymon fans who consider this his best work. It's nice to see Laymon take his time with a story for a change, to fully flesh out his characters and really make readers invested in what happens to them. And the best part of the novel is that it's surprisingly meta, especially coming from an author whose work is widely regarded as non-intellectual. Laymon uses his real-life experience of finding a dead body in a ghost town to tell the story of a fictional horror writer who also finds a dead body in a ghost town. The main character then decides to write a book about his experience, just as Laymon himself did, making this a book-within-a-book-within-a-book. (Cue the soundtrack to INCEPTION.) The real treat for regular readers of Laymon is that the main character of THE STAKE is so obviously based on Laymon himself. His family and neighbors in the novel also seem closely based on real people, making it difficult sometimes to discern the line between fiction and reality. THE STAKE isn't just a darn good story, it's also an endearingly unflattering portrait of Laymon's actual personality, as well as an inside glimpse into his writing habits and life as an author. Since much of the novel is closely grounded in reality, the story feels far more believable than most of his other work.
Which isn't to say that THE STAKE is literary perfection. It's still Laymon, after all, and we all know that Laymon writes at about a fourth grade reading level. And, as usual, the book contains way too much unnecessary dialog (clever though it may be) and gratuitous descriptions of women's bodies. Even the women characters are constantly noticing their own breasts and contemplating whether or not to wear a bra. And since this is a Richard Laymon novel, readers are treated to the word "rump" on just about every other page. I will never understand the man's fascination with that word, but he seems compelled to use it at every possible opportunity.
In addition to the pervy writing, certain other elements are a bit over-the-top. Especially, the last chapter, which I found to be totally contrived and ridiculous.
Still, despite its problems, THE STAKE is a must-read for Laymon readers looking to see him tackle something a little different. It's too bad that this book wasn't more of a turning point in Laymon's career, and that he didn't again try to write anything this ambitious until over a decade later with THE TRAVELING VAMPIRE SHOW, which was ultimately nowhere near as good.
Such people are likely to be disappointed by THE STAKE.
I, however, fall within the cadre of Laymon fans who consider this his best work. It's nice to see Laymon take his time with a story for a change, to fully flesh out his characters and really make readers invested in what happens to them. And the best part of the novel is that it's surprisingly meta, especially coming from an author whose work is widely regarded as non-intellectual. Laymon uses his real-life experience of finding a dead body in a ghost town to tell the story of a fictional horror writer who also finds a dead body in a ghost town. The main character then decides to write a book about his experience, just as Laymon himself did, making this a book-within-a-book-within-a-book. (Cue the soundtrack to INCEPTION.) The real treat for regular readers of Laymon is that the main character of THE STAKE is so obviously based on Laymon himself. His family and neighbors in the novel also seem closely based on real people, making it difficult sometimes to discern the line between fiction and reality. THE STAKE isn't just a darn good story, it's also an endearingly unflattering portrait of Laymon's actual personality, as well as an inside glimpse into his writing habits and life as an author. Since much of the novel is closely grounded in reality, the story feels far more believable than most of his other work.
Which isn't to say that THE STAKE is literary perfection. It's still Laymon, after all, and we all know that Laymon writes at about a fourth grade reading level. And, as usual, the book contains way too much unnecessary dialog (clever though it may be) and gratuitous descriptions of women's bodies. Even the women characters are constantly noticing their own breasts and contemplating whether or not to wear a bra. And since this is a Richard Laymon novel, readers are treated to the word "rump" on just about every other page. I will never understand the man's fascination with that word, but he seems compelled to use it at every possible opportunity.
In addition to the pervy writing, certain other elements are a bit over-the-top. Especially, the last chapter, which I found to be totally contrived and ridiculous.
Still, despite its problems, THE STAKE is a must-read for Laymon readers looking to see him tackle something a little different. It's too bad that this book wasn't more of a turning point in Laymon's career, and that he didn't again try to write anything this ambitious until over a decade later with THE TRAVELING VAMPIRE SHOW, which was ultimately nowhere near as good.
March 25, 2022
Ένας συγγραφέας τρόμου, η σύζυγός του και ένα άλλο ζευγάρι, επισκέπτονται μια πόλη-φάντασμα για χαβαλέ. Εκεί πέφτουν πάνω σε μια παράξενη ανακάλυψη-το μαραμένο πτώμα μιας γυναίκας με έναν πάσσαλο στην καρδιά της. Ήταν βρικόλακας; Παράλληλα η κόρη του συγγραφέα στο σχολείο της βρίσκεται αντιμέτωπη με ένα πολύ σοβαρό πρόβλημα. Κάποια στιγμή, αυτές οι δυο άσχετα μεταξύ τους ιστορίες θα συναντηθούν.
March 9, 2025
This book took me through so many emotions! No one writes like Richard Laymon. I’ve read many of Laymon books and this was my first time reading this book and it was so goood. I definitely enjoyed the dialogue and the banter between the characters it really bought this book to life. I don’t remember a book written by Laymon being funny.
This book is about 2 couples named, Larry and Jane ; Pete and Barbara that decided to go on an excursion to a ghost town and they find more than they bargain for in the name of a coffin in an abandoned motel. Larry is a writer which is not a surprise when it’s suggested a book should be written to tell the tale. At this point take things take a turn for the worst. The anticipation and build up of the novel kept me hooked and also made me hard to put it down. One thing about this book is the multiple characters point of views. Although the book switched between them it was very easy to keep up with the story.
Larry and Jane have a daughter name Lane and she also has her own crucifix to bear, literally. She has the hots for her teacher but little did she know how deadly and costly her attraction will be.
Once the action started going it was hot to the core. The best way to describe this book is a slow burn. I love a good slow burn book giving you just enough to keep you but once it gets hot it’s hard to stop reading.
This book is not about your typical vampire story I did love Laymon twist and his stab at the vampire genre. Although the book I read was lengthy it was still a great read. Typically Laymon does include graphic scenes and crazed people obsessed with sexual desires. Definitely give this one a read.
This book is about 2 couples named, Larry and Jane ; Pete and Barbara that decided to go on an excursion to a ghost town and they find more than they bargain for in the name of a coffin in an abandoned motel. Larry is a writer which is not a surprise when it’s suggested a book should be written to tell the tale. At this point take things take a turn for the worst. The anticipation and build up of the novel kept me hooked and also made me hard to put it down. One thing about this book is the multiple characters point of views. Although the book switched between them it was very easy to keep up with the story.
Larry and Jane have a daughter name Lane and she also has her own crucifix to bear, literally. She has the hots for her teacher but little did she know how deadly and costly her attraction will be.
Once the action started going it was hot to the core. The best way to describe this book is a slow burn. I love a good slow burn book giving you just enough to keep you but once it gets hot it’s hard to stop reading.
This book is not about your typical vampire story I did love Laymon twist and his stab at the vampire genre. Although the book I read was lengthy it was still a great read. Typically Laymon does include graphic scenes and crazed people obsessed with sexual desires. Definitely give this one a read.
August 6, 2022
I think once you’ve read one Laymon, you’ve read them all. Shit, you’ve read one chapter, you’ve read them all.
May 18, 2022
GDL Dunwich Horror
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Un libro sui vampiri alquanto atipico, ma non per questo meno bello di un romanzo - per così dire - classico.
Anzi, fino quasi alla fine mi sono chiesta se lo fosse veramente.
L'ho praticamente divorato, complice anche il fatto che i capitoli sono abbastanza corti e più o meno tutti con finale cliffhanger, invogliandoti a leggerne un altro ancora (e poi ti ritrovi che ne hai letti almeno una decina..)
Romanzo atipico perché sembra poco horror (nel senso che non ci sono parti spaventose) ma pregno di mystery e thrilling, con tanto di un piccolo "caso" da risolvere.
Come dicevo, poco spaventoso, ma sono presenti alcune parti di violenza fisica con un po' di sangue che, in un libro di questo tipo, non guasta mai.
I personaggi sono tutti ben caratterizzati: a scuola troviamo il bullo, il secchione, la coppia che scoppia, l'insegnante strafigo..
Anche se alcuni non li ho proprio digeriti - il vicino di casa invadente, il fidanzatino in piena tempesta ormonale che allunga le mani appena ne ha la possibilità - ho finito per affezionarmi praticamente a tutti.
Un finale veramente soddisfacente!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Un libro sui vampiri alquanto atipico, ma non per questo meno bello di un romanzo - per così dire - classico.
Anzi, fino quasi alla fine mi sono chiesta se lo fosse veramente.
L'ho praticamente divorato, complice anche il fatto che i capitoli sono abbastanza corti e più o meno tutti con finale cliffhanger, invogliandoti a leggerne un altro ancora (e poi ti ritrovi che ne hai letti almeno una decina..)
Romanzo atipico perché sembra poco horror (nel senso che non ci sono parti spaventose) ma pregno di mystery e thrilling, con tanto di un piccolo "caso" da risolvere.
Come dicevo, poco spaventoso, ma sono presenti alcune parti di violenza fisica con un po' di sangue che, in un libro di questo tipo, non guasta mai.
I personaggi sono tutti ben caratterizzati: a scuola troviamo il bullo, il secchione, la coppia che scoppia, l'insegnante strafigo..
Anche se alcuni non li ho proprio digeriti - il vicino di casa invadente, il fidanzatino in piena tempesta ormonale che allunga le mani appena ne ha la possibilità - ho finito per affezionarmi praticamente a tutti.
Un finale veramente soddisfacente!
October 21, 2008
Not only is this a compelling horror novel, but it gives a great deal of insight into the writing process of a masterful horror writer.
February 23, 2025
Larry is a horror writer and lives next door to his best friend Pete. One day, out exploring an abandoned town, they find a corpse with a stake through its heart. Is it a vampire? Where did she come from? That's the basic premise for the story. Larry and Pete would have to be the dumbest people Laymon has ever written, and that's saying something. The stupid decisions they make are hilarious and, at times, cringe worthy.
This book is over 500 pages, and basically not much happens in the first 200 pages or so. We get some subplots of a serial killer teacher raping his students, which is typical laymon, I suppose, and Larry swatting his daughter on the rump a lot, which is also weird but expected for a Laymon Book.
The main issue with this book is it didn't need to be 500 pages long. Decent chunks of this could be cut out. The ending was pretty cool tho and I definitely didn't hate it. It sits in the middle range of the work I have read of this author.
This book is over 500 pages, and basically not much happens in the first 200 pages or so. We get some subplots of a serial killer teacher raping his students, which is typical laymon, I suppose, and Larry swatting his daughter on the rump a lot, which is also weird but expected for a Laymon Book.
The main issue with this book is it didn't need to be 500 pages long. Decent chunks of this could be cut out. The ending was pretty cool tho and I definitely didn't hate it. It sits in the middle range of the work I have read of this author.
October 26, 2015
As a huge horror fan I am ashamed to admit that this is my first Richard Laymon read. For years I have seen his books in stores and I have heard that he is a great horror novelist. However, for some reason I never read one of his books before now. This won't be my last read by Richard Laymon either.
The Stake begins with Larry, his wife Jean, and another couple (Barbara and Pete) exploring a ghost town in Sagebrush Flats. In an abandoned hotel they find a woman naked in a coffin with a stake in her heart. While writing a novel about it Larry begins a search to find out what happened to her. Was she the victim of a lunatic who believed she is a vampire? Is she really a vampire and will she reanimate when the stake is pulled out?
Full disclaimer here--- if you are looking for a fast-paced novel then this probably isn't for you. It was quite slow in some parts and I wouldn't say this is a SCARY novel, but The Stake has a lot of great tension. There was even a part that I was so tense that I almost threw the book across the room. To be fair though I was home alone and the doorbell rang just as I got to a really intense part. That scared the bejesus out of me! Thanks UPS guy.
The plot was pretty good, but the characters definitely made this story. In particular the main character Larry, who is a horror writer. Throughout the book he is writing a novel about everything that is going on and I found his writing process fascinating. I just love when writers have stories where the main character is a writer! I also really enjoyed Lane's (Larry and Jean's daughter) story line and it was pretty cool how it intertwined with the main story line.
Overall the writing was great, however I didn't like that multiple times things that already happened had to be told in too much detail to other characters. I already know that, move on! I really don't like when authors make it so repetitive. If that was taken out the book probably could have been 50-80 pages shorter. Also, I probably would have given this 5 stars if this wasn't an issue in the book. I loved everything else about it!
I would recommend The Stake for fans of Stephen King, tension horror (Is tension horror an actual thing? I have no idea. If not then I'm making it up!), and vampires. Just hang in there through a few slow parts and a bit of repetitiveness.
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2015/10...
The Stake begins with Larry, his wife Jean, and another couple (Barbara and Pete) exploring a ghost town in Sagebrush Flats. In an abandoned hotel they find a woman naked in a coffin with a stake in her heart. While writing a novel about it Larry begins a search to find out what happened to her. Was she the victim of a lunatic who believed she is a vampire? Is she really a vampire and will she reanimate when the stake is pulled out?
Full disclaimer here--- if you are looking for a fast-paced novel then this probably isn't for you. It was quite slow in some parts and I wouldn't say this is a SCARY novel, but The Stake has a lot of great tension. There was even a part that I was so tense that I almost threw the book across the room. To be fair though I was home alone and the doorbell rang just as I got to a really intense part. That scared the bejesus out of me! Thanks UPS guy.
The plot was pretty good, but the characters definitely made this story. In particular the main character Larry, who is a horror writer. Throughout the book he is writing a novel about everything that is going on and I found his writing process fascinating. I just love when writers have stories where the main character is a writer! I also really enjoyed Lane's (Larry and Jean's daughter) story line and it was pretty cool how it intertwined with the main story line.
Overall the writing was great, however I didn't like that multiple times things that already happened had to be told in too much detail to other characters. I already know that, move on! I really don't like when authors make it so repetitive. If that was taken out the book probably could have been 50-80 pages shorter. Also, I probably would have given this 5 stars if this wasn't an issue in the book. I loved everything else about it!
I would recommend The Stake for fans of Stephen King, tension horror (Is tension horror an actual thing? I have no idea. If not then I'm making it up!), and vampires. Just hang in there through a few slow parts and a bit of repetitiveness.
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2015/10...
October 6, 2024
I enjoyed this book so much. It didn’t take long for me to read it. This was my first book by Laymon, and it was a thrill ride. I read this years ago, but wanted to update my review on it.
This book was 500+ pages long and it flew by. I would love to find more authors that write like this. Easy to read horror. But still very good imagery that flows in the minds eye.
Laymon is either loved or hated. This book made me a fan. This, and Midnights Lair are by far my top two so far.
This book was 500+ pages long and it flew by. I would love to find more authors that write like this. Easy to read horror. But still very good imagery that flows in the minds eye.
Laymon is either loved or hated. This book made me a fan. This, and Midnights Lair are by far my top two so far.
June 29, 2020
If you're a Laymon fan, Stake is more deliberately paced than most of his novels. Laymon takes his time, to mixed results.
Some twists you'll get. Some you won't. Stake feels like a more muted Laymon if you're more used to his fast and furious style. Not his best, but still more than worth a read.
Some twists you'll get. Some you won't. Stake feels like a more muted Laymon if you're more used to his fast and furious style. Not his best, but still more than worth a read.
September 29, 2009
I've read a little less than half of Richard Laymon's 30-plus novels, so I can't say this with complete confidence, but this book is Laymon's crowning achievement. Unless I read something else by him that completely amazes me the way this book did, I'm giving this one the title. And that's saying something. Books like Endless Night , In The Dark and One Raint Night really blew me away. Laymon, when he is at his best, is one of the most interesting, demented and fun horrors writers I've come across. With this book, he really takes it to the next level. I'm currently really tired from a long day of work and spending the last hour and a half tearing through the last 150 or so pages of the book, so I'll write more on this book later. As for now, my opinion is this: this book is incredible, and the best book I've read yet by Laymon.
March 22, 2023
3/5 🌟
Was für ein blödes Ende :(
Was für ein blödes Ende :(
Read
August 4, 2021DNF 55%
October 3, 2012
This is my first Richard Laymon book and it probably won't be my last. Although I don't think I've ever read anything so cheesy and I'm almost ashamed to admit that I enjoyed this.
The main story line is that of horror-writer Larry, his wife Jean, best pal Pete and the latters wife Barbara. In a ghost town they find a casket, in which is a body with a stake through the heart. Later Larry and Pete return to retrieve the body. The idea is that Larry will write a non-fiction horror (vampire) story about the body and make big bucks. The story moves toward the moment where they will pull the stake out of murdered woman's heart. It takes a long time to get there.
A subplot is that of Larry and Jean's daughter Lane. She has got the hots for her English teacher Kramer and that gets her into deep trouble as he is a most refined sadist. And an English teacher. Yeah, I recognize the concept. I've actually never met a normal literature teacher, but then I didn't have that many so I was probably just unlucky. By no means as unlucky as Lane and the girls that came before her though.
This book is filled with sexual fantasy, with descriptions of breasts, butts and vulvas which don't add much of anything to the story. Clingy clothing is also described in detail, or rather, the body parts underneath. I do see that it might be extra spice if you're a zit-infested male highschool student, too me, it didn't add anything. Maybe I'm to prudish.
All in all, this book met my expectations of it perfectly. The story is easy to follow and sufficiently entertaining and that was all I required from it.
The main story line is that of horror-writer Larry, his wife Jean, best pal Pete and the latters wife Barbara. In a ghost town they find a casket, in which is a body with a stake through the heart. Later Larry and Pete return to retrieve the body. The idea is that Larry will write a non-fiction horror (vampire) story about the body and make big bucks. The story moves toward the moment where they will pull the stake out of murdered woman's heart. It takes a long time to get there.
A subplot is that of Larry and Jean's daughter Lane. She has got the hots for her English teacher Kramer and that gets her into deep trouble as he is a most refined sadist. And an English teacher. Yeah, I recognize the concept. I've actually never met a normal literature teacher, but then I didn't have that many so I was probably just unlucky. By no means as unlucky as Lane and the girls that came before her though.
This book is filled with sexual fantasy, with descriptions of breasts, butts and vulvas which don't add much of anything to the story. Clingy clothing is also described in detail, or rather, the body parts underneath. I do see that it might be extra spice if you're a zit-infested male highschool student, too me, it didn't add anything. Maybe I'm to prudish.
All in all, this book met my expectations of it perfectly. The story is easy to follow and sufficiently entertaining and that was all I required from it.
May 22, 2022
Ho lascia passare un po’ di tempo prima di scrivere questa recensione perché appena finito il libro ero davvero indecisa sulla mia opinione, ed è servito perché ho capito che probabilmente basta cambiare prospettiva.
Questo libro di Laymon ci si presenta come libro horror e a tema vampiri.
In realtà, a parte dopo la prima parte in cui facciamo la conoscenza con questa famiglia e la coppia di vicini/amici strampalati, in cui non si capisce bene dove voglia andare a parare la storia, con le descrizioni infinite di questa gita fuori porta che porta a rivelazioni insolite, con descrizioni infinite anche di momenti per me del tutto trascurabili, in cui sembra sempre che stia per accadere chissà cosa e il pathos cresce e poi sfuma, andando avanti nella narrazione si capisce immediatamente che i mostri con cui ci troveremo a fare i conti sono ben altri.
E questo era quel che mi aveva più stranita in effetti, perché ti trovi davanti a qualcosa che non ti aspetti e che sembra arrancare e non ingranare mai.
In realtà però, se lo si guarda da una prospettiva diversa, risulta essere anche un bel thriller molto piacevole e che scorre via che è una bellezza, al punto che macinavo capitoli e capitoli senza rendermene conto, complice anche il fatto che siano brevi e finiscano lasciando in sospeso tanto e quindi ci si dice “ancora uno” e “solo uno ancora” e si scopre di essere arrivati alla fine senza rendersene conto.
Inoltre riesce a mantenere la suspence viva fino all’ultima pagina, nonostante si conosca il colpevole quasi fin dall’inizio, almeno per uno dei casi. E questo è davvero molto raro e merito della capacità dell’autore.
I casi sono in realtà due, di cui il secondo risale a diversi anni prima, ma coinvolge ugualmente per il mistero che viene pian piano svelato e per cui le vite delle due famiglie vengono a intrecciarsi con quelle di altri individui misteriosi.
Purtroppo ciò che non sono riuscita proprio ad apprezzare sono i protagonisti e il finale.
I protagonisti perché sono la fiera del cliché.
In particolare quelli maschili che ricalcano quelli degli horror più beceri: l’incosciente attratto dal guadagno personale che rischia sempre di lasciarci le penne, quello che si fa prendere dalla lussuria per qualsiasi essere di sesso femminile che respiri (e nemmeno sempre😆), il cattivissimo che più cattivo non si può e che riesce sempre e comunque a farla franca contro tutto e tutti.
Ma anche le donne, devo dire, non ci fanno una gran bella figura in questo libro: una è la pollastrella un po’ svampita che combina danni appena si muove ma è una gran gnocca e basta quello, l’altra che sembra fare la comparsa perché oscurata dall’altra e sembra non capire mai niente del marito, la ragazzina un po’ immatura e leggermente superficiale, che pensa solo ad essere bella, a farla odorare a tutti vestendosi in modi succinti ma poi si lamenta se il fidanzato ci prova (e sottolineo il fidanzato, non uno qualsiasi!), e poi invece diventa una vamp che sbava dietro al prof.
Direi che i personaggi che ho preferito perché meno stereotipati sono stati quelli del caso nel passato.
Il finale di cui parlo invece, non è quello di tutto il libro, ma solo le ultimissime pagine, e so che sono criptica ma non vado oltre per non fare spoiler.
Il problema non è tanto ciò che succede di per sè, che non sarebbe nemmeno così negativo, ma il fatto che sembra si ostini a far rientrare a tutti i costi dalla finestra quell’elemento soprannaturale che poco prima si era mandato fuori dalla porta.
Comunque devo dire che complessivamente l’esperienza sia stata molto piacevole, purché non ci si aspetti un horror.
Questo libro di Laymon ci si presenta come libro horror e a tema vampiri.
In realtà, a parte dopo la prima parte in cui facciamo la conoscenza con questa famiglia e la coppia di vicini/amici strampalati, in cui non si capisce bene dove voglia andare a parare la storia, con le descrizioni infinite di questa gita fuori porta che porta a rivelazioni insolite, con descrizioni infinite anche di momenti per me del tutto trascurabili, in cui sembra sempre che stia per accadere chissà cosa e il pathos cresce e poi sfuma, andando avanti nella narrazione si capisce immediatamente che i mostri con cui ci troveremo a fare i conti sono ben altri.
E questo era quel che mi aveva più stranita in effetti, perché ti trovi davanti a qualcosa che non ti aspetti e che sembra arrancare e non ingranare mai.
In realtà però, se lo si guarda da una prospettiva diversa, risulta essere anche un bel thriller molto piacevole e che scorre via che è una bellezza, al punto che macinavo capitoli e capitoli senza rendermene conto, complice anche il fatto che siano brevi e finiscano lasciando in sospeso tanto e quindi ci si dice “ancora uno” e “solo uno ancora” e si scopre di essere arrivati alla fine senza rendersene conto.
Inoltre riesce a mantenere la suspence viva fino all’ultima pagina, nonostante si conosca il colpevole quasi fin dall’inizio, almeno per uno dei casi. E questo è davvero molto raro e merito della capacità dell’autore.
I casi sono in realtà due, di cui il secondo risale a diversi anni prima, ma coinvolge ugualmente per il mistero che viene pian piano svelato e per cui le vite delle due famiglie vengono a intrecciarsi con quelle di altri individui misteriosi.
Purtroppo ciò che non sono riuscita proprio ad apprezzare sono i protagonisti e il finale.
I protagonisti perché sono la fiera del cliché.
In particolare quelli maschili che ricalcano quelli degli horror più beceri: l’incosciente attratto dal guadagno personale che rischia sempre di lasciarci le penne, quello che si fa prendere dalla lussuria per qualsiasi essere di sesso femminile che respiri (e nemmeno sempre😆), il cattivissimo che più cattivo non si può e che riesce sempre e comunque a farla franca contro tutto e tutti.
Ma anche le donne, devo dire, non ci fanno una gran bella figura in questo libro: una è la pollastrella un po’ svampita che combina danni appena si muove ma è una gran gnocca e basta quello, l’altra che sembra fare la comparsa perché oscurata dall’altra e sembra non capire mai niente del marito, la ragazzina un po’ immatura e leggermente superficiale, che pensa solo ad essere bella, a farla odorare a tutti vestendosi in modi succinti ma poi si lamenta se il fidanzato ci prova (e sottolineo il fidanzato, non uno qualsiasi!), e poi invece diventa una vamp che sbava dietro al prof.
Direi che i personaggi che ho preferito perché meno stereotipati sono stati quelli del caso nel passato.
Il finale di cui parlo invece, non è quello di tutto il libro, ma solo le ultimissime pagine, e so che sono criptica ma non vado oltre per non fare spoiler.
Il problema non è tanto ciò che succede di per sè, che non sarebbe nemmeno così negativo, ma il fatto che sembra si ostini a far rientrare a tutti i costi dalla finestra quell’elemento soprannaturale che poco prima si era mandato fuori dalla porta.
Comunque devo dire che complessivamente l’esperienza sia stata molto piacevole, purché non ci si aspetti un horror.
August 4, 2013
Another preposterous load of nonsense from the master of that particular genre. Laymon had an uncomplicated style that is easily digested and fun to read. The Stake doesn't have a lot of horror in it, but the other Laymon hallmarks are here - female body parts in starring roles, unbelievably stupid characters and one extremely annoying one. Of course, all are essential to the plot. Laymon definitely falls into the guilty pleasure category and I really shouldn't be enjoying his books so much, but I do.
May 30, 2015
Otra deliciosa historia de horror serie B, o Z, de las que nos tiene acostumbrados Laymon, donde no faltan las adolescentes libidinosas en apuro ni las situaciones más grotescas o asquerosas, o los asesinos en serie. Novela de vampiros sin vampiros. Es todo real, o todo existe solamente en la mente calenturienta del protagonista? Me gustaron los giros que fue dando la historia, a pesar de ponerse pesada por momentos remontó bastante hacia el final y eso hizo que le diera una estrella más. Final con una buena vuelta de tuerca que me dejó más que conforme.
April 20, 2015
** dropped at 45%**
Too slow and cliche, not for me.
Too slow and cliche, not for me.
May 7, 2022
La Estaca.- Richard Laymon
"Ya había visto demasiado. Ahora, aquel cuerpo sin vida aparecía estirado ante sus ojos.
Estaba desnudo. Era femenino. Tenía una estaca clavada en el pecho."
Larry, escritor de novelas de terror, su esposa Jean y un matrimonio muy amigo de ellos, están de excursión en un pueblo abandonado. Deciden ingresar en un edificio abandonado y allí, debajo de una escalera, encuentran un ataúd con el cadáver de una mujer. Una mujer con una estaca clavada en el pecho. Larry y su amigo Pete ven en esto una oportunidad de escribir un libro de hechos reales y deciden llevarse el ataúd con la chica muerta dentro durante otra excursión. Tremendo error. No hay que molestar a los muertos, sobre todo si tienen una estaca clavada.
Si bien es un libro largo, unas 550 páginas, La Estaca es bastante llevadero y de fácil lectura. Cómo es de esperarse en Laymon, las páginas del libro están llenas de sangre, sexo, malas decisiones de sus personajes y situaciones incómodas que generalmente involucran gente joven, no es un libro para cualquiera (como todos los de Laymon que leí hasta el momento).
Volviendo un poco a la longitud de la novela, quizá esto se dé porque el autor va contando dos historias a la vez, la del escritor (que va escribiendo un libro del cual nos muestran pasajes) y la joven muerta, y a su vez la de la hija del escritor y un profesor abusador. Entre las dos líneas argumentales parecen sumar la misma cantidad de páginas en el total del libro.
La Estaca es una buena opción para quién quiera leer algo del género vampirico, con una mirada a lo Laymon obviamente.
🤘🤘🤘
"Ya había visto demasiado. Ahora, aquel cuerpo sin vida aparecía estirado ante sus ojos.
Estaba desnudo. Era femenino. Tenía una estaca clavada en el pecho."
Larry, escritor de novelas de terror, su esposa Jean y un matrimonio muy amigo de ellos, están de excursión en un pueblo abandonado. Deciden ingresar en un edificio abandonado y allí, debajo de una escalera, encuentran un ataúd con el cadáver de una mujer. Una mujer con una estaca clavada en el pecho. Larry y su amigo Pete ven en esto una oportunidad de escribir un libro de hechos reales y deciden llevarse el ataúd con la chica muerta dentro durante otra excursión. Tremendo error. No hay que molestar a los muertos, sobre todo si tienen una estaca clavada.
Si bien es un libro largo, unas 550 páginas, La Estaca es bastante llevadero y de fácil lectura. Cómo es de esperarse en Laymon, las páginas del libro están llenas de sangre, sexo, malas decisiones de sus personajes y situaciones incómodas que generalmente involucran gente joven, no es un libro para cualquiera (como todos los de Laymon que leí hasta el momento).
Volviendo un poco a la longitud de la novela, quizá esto se dé porque el autor va contando dos historias a la vez, la del escritor (que va escribiendo un libro del cual nos muestran pasajes) y la joven muerta, y a su vez la de la hija del escritor y un profesor abusador. Entre las dos líneas argumentales parecen sumar la misma cantidad de páginas en el total del libro.
La Estaca es una buena opción para quién quiera leer algo del género vampirico, con una mirada a lo Laymon obviamente.
🤘🤘🤘
February 16, 2016
There's a sexual peccadillo or technique called "edging" which basically involves bringing yourself or your partner right to the edge of climax and then backing off multiple times so that when release finally comes, it's incredible. THE STAKE is essentially the literary equivalent of edging. The climax of the book is a foregone conclusion within the first hundred pages or so, as Larry Dunbar, a horror author and (one supposes) a thinly veiled version of Laymon himself, discovers a desiccated corpse in the desert with a stake through its heart.
For hundreds of pages Larry obsesses over pulling the stake, what will happen, whether the corpse is a vampire, and regardless of whether anything supernatural is going on or not who, exactly, staked her and why. And this is why I brought up edging at the beginning of this review. There must have been a dozen scenes when Larry or one of his close friends or relatives for one reason or another just about wraps their hands around the stake and then doesn't pull it out. For a while I thought that stake was going to come out handily, but (SPOILER ALERT, I guess, for a 25-year-old novel) it doesn't come out until the very end.
For a while I was pretty sure Larry was going to pull the stake early on and then the rest of the novel would be about the fallout from that. Instead, the whole matter was drawn out so excruciatingly that the tension never really seemed to tamp down. Meanwhile, a number of human monsters began to creep into the lives of Larry and his family, perhaps remoras riding along on the evil of the stake or perhaps just representing the general cussedness of the universe. And then, like the master I've repeatedly been told he is, Laymon weaves all of the plot threads together into the conclusion. It was a rather incredible balancing act, to be sure.
This is definitely an unconventional vampire novel - if it can be called a vampire novel at all. I suppose I won't spoil that for you. If you want to find out what happens when the stake gets pulled, well, you'll just have to read it for yourself.
For hundreds of pages Larry obsesses over pulling the stake, what will happen, whether the corpse is a vampire, and regardless of whether anything supernatural is going on or not who, exactly, staked her and why. And this is why I brought up edging at the beginning of this review. There must have been a dozen scenes when Larry or one of his close friends or relatives for one reason or another just about wraps their hands around the stake and then doesn't pull it out. For a while I thought that stake was going to come out handily, but (SPOILER ALERT, I guess, for a 25-year-old novel) it doesn't come out until the very end.
For a while I was pretty sure Larry was going to pull the stake early on and then the rest of the novel would be about the fallout from that. Instead, the whole matter was drawn out so excruciatingly that the tension never really seemed to tamp down. Meanwhile, a number of human monsters began to creep into the lives of Larry and his family, perhaps remoras riding along on the evil of the stake or perhaps just representing the general cussedness of the universe. And then, like the master I've repeatedly been told he is, Laymon weaves all of the plot threads together into the conclusion. It was a rather incredible balancing act, to be sure.
This is definitely an unconventional vampire novel - if it can be called a vampire novel at all. I suppose I won't spoil that for you. If you want to find out what happens when the stake gets pulled, well, you'll just have to read it for yourself.
January 18, 2014
This is another book I would have to include on the shelf I keep considering adding...."horror sort of".
Let me first say that if you aren't familiar with the writer the synopsis of this book may mislead you. So I will try to correct any misconception/misperception.
I found very little about this book "horrifying" in the classical sense. The book's short synopsis leads one to believe that it's about a woman's body found with a stake through the heart and whether or not she's a vampire.
That is a part of the book but in many ways it's just the spark that sets the story in motion. I was reminded of Alfred Hitchcock's reference to a "MacGuffin". The "MacGuffin" was whatever the characters were search for, fighting over, protecting or trying to get away from each other. It could be an envelope, a briefcase or whatever. While the young woman with the stake through her chest is a little more than this...it/she's not much more. .
The book, the characters, the plot itself is more concerned with psychopathy, neurosis and obsession (sexual and otherwise). I had a more "ho-hum" reaction to the story than any terror or horror. there are people in the book I find repulsive. There are people who struggle with the dark side of the human mind and it's tendency to "go where we wish it wouldn't". It also deals with what's real, what's unreal and the power of obsession.
Not a great book. I really didn't care for it all that much but since I bought it I got through it. This is another situation where I made the mistake of buying a book based on the synopsis. You'd think I'd learn. There were some good reviews, but it didn't seem to be available anywhere, not even the library. So I ordered it from ABE for $1 (plus $3.98 shipping of course). It turned out to be a hard cover.
So, not really good. Readable. Will be sold, traded or given away soonest.
Let me first say that if you aren't familiar with the writer the synopsis of this book may mislead you. So I will try to correct any misconception/misperception.
I found very little about this book "horrifying" in the classical sense. The book's short synopsis leads one to believe that it's about a woman's body found with a stake through the heart and whether or not she's a vampire.
That is a part of the book but in many ways it's just the spark that sets the story in motion. I was reminded of Alfred Hitchcock's reference to a "MacGuffin". The "MacGuffin" was whatever the characters were search for, fighting over, protecting or trying to get away from each other. It could be an envelope, a briefcase or whatever. While the young woman with the stake through her chest is a little more than this...it/she's not much more. .
The book, the characters, the plot itself is more concerned with psychopathy, neurosis and obsession (sexual and otherwise). I had a more "ho-hum" reaction to the story than any terror or horror. there are people in the book I find repulsive. There are people who struggle with the dark side of the human mind and it's tendency to "go where we wish it wouldn't". It also deals with what's real, what's unreal and the power of obsession.
Not a great book. I really didn't care for it all that much but since I bought it I got through it. This is another situation where I made the mistake of buying a book based on the synopsis. You'd think I'd learn. There were some good reviews, but it didn't seem to be available anywhere, not even the library. So I ordered it from ABE for $1 (plus $3.98 shipping of course). It turned out to be a hard cover.
So, not really good. Readable. Will be sold, traded or given away soonest.
May 8, 2022
Quando uno scrittore horror incontra un cadavere con un paletto nel cuore qualcosa inevitabilmente succede. Un bel viaggio, con il confine tra la finzione e la realtà sempre labile e i mostri sempre più vicini e terribili di quel che pensiamo, forse il finale un pò debole, ma sul resto gran divertimento.
May 5, 2020
Τι να πώ γι αυτό το βιβλίο. Είναι από τα πιο ζοφερά βιβλία που έχω διαβάσει. Αρκετές φορές σκέφτηκα να το αφήσω και να πιάσω ένα άρλεκιν για να αγαλιάσει η ψυχή μου. Αλλά και πάλι δεν ήθελα γιατί το άτιμο το βιβλίο είναι πολύ δυνατό. Σε πιάνει στην παγίδα του από το λαιμό, πνίγεσαι και δεν θες να το αφήσεις. Ο συγγραφέας δίνει ρεσιτάλ γραφής και περιγραφής τρομακτικών σκηνών. Όσοι θέλετε να ασχοληθείτε με αυτό το είδος βιβλίου τότε πάτρε το και διαβάστε το για να πάρετε μαθήματα. Δεν έχει βρυκόλακες όπως νομίζεται, δεν έχει τέρατα, φαντάσματα. Το χειρότερο κτήνος σε αυτό το βιβλίο είναι ο άνθρωπος. Και μέσα σε όλα αυτά συγκινήθηκα κιόλας. Για τους λάτρεις του ψυχολογικού τρόμου είναι αριστούργημα.
Υ.Γ.Ο συγγραφέας δίνει ρεσιτάλ γραφής και περιγραφής τρομακτικών σκηνών. Όσοι θέλετε να ασχοληθείτε με αυτό το είδος βιβλίου τότε πάτρε το και διαβάστε το για να πάρετε μαθήματα.
Υ.Γ.Ο συγγραφέας δίνει ρεσιτάλ γραφής και περιγραφής τρομακτικών σκηνών. Όσοι θέλετε να ασχοληθείτε με αυτό το είδος βιβλίου τότε πάτρε το και διαβάστε το για να πάρετε μαθήματα.
February 27, 2025
Probably more of a 2.5/5, but rounded up.
Definitely not one of my favourite Laymon's, though there is some fun to be had in these pages. Laymon really inserts himself into this story, which if you want to take as a double entendre, you certainly may. There are some fairly humorous moments, but the action is lean to say the least. The ending was kind of hilarious in a way, but man do you have to wade through a lot of filler to get there. This book reminded me of The Midnight Tour in that regard, the third book in Laymon's Beast House series; not devoid of entertainment, but heavily padded. If this had been 300 pages instead of 500, he might have had something.
Definitely not one of my favourite Laymon's, though there is some fun to be had in these pages. Laymon really inserts himself into this story, which if you want to take as a double entendre, you certainly may. There are some fairly humorous moments, but the action is lean to say the least. The ending was kind of hilarious in a way, but man do you have to wade through a lot of filler to get there. This book reminded me of The Midnight Tour in that regard, the third book in Laymon's Beast House series; not devoid of entertainment, but heavily padded. If this had been 300 pages instead of 500, he might have had something.
May 30, 2020
While visiting the ghost town of Sagebrush Flats with his family and two friends in search of something to grease his writing wheels, professional horror writer Larry Dunbar stumbles across something in an abandoned sub-basement that makes even his friend Pete's cast-iron stomach do flip-flops: the mummified corpse of a nude, long-dead young woman pinned to her coffin by a wooden stake driven through her heart.
The trip is cut short for obvious reasons, but Larry finds something compelling about the dead girl. Whoever she was, the person who ended her life clearly thought she was a vampire. It's an utterly ridiculous notion, of course -- this is modern-day 20th century America, after all, not 17th century Romania -- but Larry can't get the girl out of his head. It's almost like she's steering him, guiding his thoughts, and pushing him towards something he can't quite understand. Now putting his talents as a researcher to work, Larry begins burning the midnight oil in pursuit of the truth. It's a quest that will drive him to the brink of sanity, his wife to the brink of divorce, and his friends to the brink of ostracizing him. He's even ignoring Lane, his teenage daughter, who's just coming into her own as a woman and needs the guidance of a father now more than ever as she navigates the treacherous waters of high school.
Despite this, nothing can dissuade Larry from his mission and the question lying at the heart of it all: if the dead girl was a vampire, what would happen if he pulled out the stake...?
Even in 1990, vampires were getting a little long in the fang for the horror genre. Everybody working in horror churned out at least one novel about the bloodsucking fiends thanks to the success of Anne Rice's book about the immortal bayou-dwelling angst bags, and Stephen King's novel of ancient evil arriving on the shores of 20th century America. It's no shocker Laymon followed suit as the guy knew the trends of the day, but Laymon was never one content to just follow a trend for the sake of doing so. Like many of the genre tropes, Laymon wanted to tack his own page on to the vampire mythos. The only possible way to pull that off in 1990 was to write a vampire story so utterly unique that no critic could trash it for copying somebody else. That's just what he set out to do, and in my opinion, he succeeded beyond anything I could have expected.
Vampire stories are intrinsically fascinating for a multitude of reasons, not least of which is the metaphysical lore which has sprung up in the aftermath of accounts both fictional and allegedly-true. The Vampire was the urban legend of its day: its powers and weaknesses and abilities changed and mutated depending on what region of the world you heard the story told, but cultures on every continent developed folklore about immortal beings feasting on the living to avoid the finality of death. Dracula is perhaps the most well-known, but literature surrounding the creatures can be traced back 80 years prior to the publication of Stoker's novel.
So how does Laymon's book differentiate itself from nearly two centuries of stories, poems, films, radio drams, and novels dealing with this supernatural terror of the night? Ingeniously. Of all the vampire stories I've read, Laymon's was the first, and so far only, one to make the reader question not only who the vampire might be, but also whether there's even a vampire after all, and if so, whether we should even care when plenty of human monsters already walk freely among us in daylight.
I mentioned the grief many readers gave Laymon over his writing in my review of The Cellar, with the most commonly-leveled charge being he was an amateur hack who didn't know what he was doing. While The Cellar went out of its way to disguise Laymon's talent and the game he was playing with his audience, The Stake does nothing of the sort. Yes, it contains plenty of his trademark obsession with breasts and penchant for describing intimate encounters and violent confrontations with equal glee, but I sincerely do not see how anyone can read The Stake and conclude anything other than that he handled vampires, the hoariest trope in all of horror-dom, with the kind of aplomb and jaw-dropping elegance one could only expect from a master.
What's more, there's so much of Laymon himself in protagonist Larry Dunbar, it's like getting a peek inside Laymon's psyche. Like Laymon, Dunbar is a horror writer. Larry's married with a teenage daughter, same as Laymon was married to his wife Anne and had his own teenage daughter, Kelly. Dunbar deals with lunkheaded line editors, ludicrous deadlines on rewrites, sacrifices family time for his work, and even complains about how his second book nearly destroyed his writing career. These were all things Laymon himself struggled with and through, so when we see Larry writing out notes in a short, punchy, diary style on his word processor, all dated for later reference, it's safe to assume an analog to the way Laymon himself would brainstorm. Even Dunbar's admonition to his daughter that she mustn't read anything he's written until she's 35, coupled with her confession to her English teacher that she's already read everything daddy's had published has a ring of truth to it.
The Stake, besides being a horror novel, is at its heart a Shaggy Dog style balancing act. One chapter, the reader will be convinced vampires are real, but by the next you'll wonder if Laymon somehow managed to write the first piece of vampire fiction featuring exactly zero goddamn vampires (or if the one he's focusing on is just a distraction).
Did he? I'm not going to spoil it either way: pick the book up and find out for yourself.
This climax-delaying foreplay, this long-running game of "is she or isn't she", is the crux of what makes The Stake so memorable years after I first read it twenty years ago. It's a question the protagonist struggles with over and over during the course of the story, as the evidence both for and against is all entirely circumstantial. The point Laymon's trying to make with the book ultimately, I feel, has nothing at all to do with the existence of vampires. The Stake is a novel of obsession, questions, and warnings. Because his focus is so narrowly deployed on the question of whether or not he's got a real vampire in his attic, Larry Dunbar fails to see the warning signs that something awful, and 100% real, threatens his daughter. Worrying about the fictional causes dire consequences for the rest of his family and friends, and that seems to be Laymon's ultimate point: don't waste time on nonsense at the expense of reality.
As the father of a young woman himself at the time of this story's publication, I can't help but wonder if writing The Stake helped Laymon ground himself in some sense, reminding him to be wary of the dangers real life holds and not get caught up in the allure of fantasy, whether that's his own fiction, vampires, or something else entirely. He's not around for me to ask, so I guess I'll never know for sure, but knowing what I do of him, I can't help but think this story allowed him to exorcise some of his own fears and worries. 'Hack amateur' my ass. Five blood-drenched coffins out of five for this work of supernatural (or is it?) suspense.
The trip is cut short for obvious reasons, but Larry finds something compelling about the dead girl. Whoever she was, the person who ended her life clearly thought she was a vampire. It's an utterly ridiculous notion, of course -- this is modern-day 20th century America, after all, not 17th century Romania -- but Larry can't get the girl out of his head. It's almost like she's steering him, guiding his thoughts, and pushing him towards something he can't quite understand. Now putting his talents as a researcher to work, Larry begins burning the midnight oil in pursuit of the truth. It's a quest that will drive him to the brink of sanity, his wife to the brink of divorce, and his friends to the brink of ostracizing him. He's even ignoring Lane, his teenage daughter, who's just coming into her own as a woman and needs the guidance of a father now more than ever as she navigates the treacherous waters of high school.
Despite this, nothing can dissuade Larry from his mission and the question lying at the heart of it all: if the dead girl was a vampire, what would happen if he pulled out the stake...?
Even in 1990, vampires were getting a little long in the fang for the horror genre. Everybody working in horror churned out at least one novel about the bloodsucking fiends thanks to the success of Anne Rice's book about the immortal bayou-dwelling angst bags, and Stephen King's novel of ancient evil arriving on the shores of 20th century America. It's no shocker Laymon followed suit as the guy knew the trends of the day, but Laymon was never one content to just follow a trend for the sake of doing so. Like many of the genre tropes, Laymon wanted to tack his own page on to the vampire mythos. The only possible way to pull that off in 1990 was to write a vampire story so utterly unique that no critic could trash it for copying somebody else. That's just what he set out to do, and in my opinion, he succeeded beyond anything I could have expected.
Vampire stories are intrinsically fascinating for a multitude of reasons, not least of which is the metaphysical lore which has sprung up in the aftermath of accounts both fictional and allegedly-true. The Vampire was the urban legend of its day: its powers and weaknesses and abilities changed and mutated depending on what region of the world you heard the story told, but cultures on every continent developed folklore about immortal beings feasting on the living to avoid the finality of death. Dracula is perhaps the most well-known, but literature surrounding the creatures can be traced back 80 years prior to the publication of Stoker's novel.
So how does Laymon's book differentiate itself from nearly two centuries of stories, poems, films, radio drams, and novels dealing with this supernatural terror of the night? Ingeniously. Of all the vampire stories I've read, Laymon's was the first, and so far only, one to make the reader question not only who the vampire might be, but also whether there's even a vampire after all, and if so, whether we should even care when plenty of human monsters already walk freely among us in daylight.
I mentioned the grief many readers gave Laymon over his writing in my review of The Cellar, with the most commonly-leveled charge being he was an amateur hack who didn't know what he was doing. While The Cellar went out of its way to disguise Laymon's talent and the game he was playing with his audience, The Stake does nothing of the sort. Yes, it contains plenty of his trademark obsession with breasts and penchant for describing intimate encounters and violent confrontations with equal glee, but I sincerely do not see how anyone can read The Stake and conclude anything other than that he handled vampires, the hoariest trope in all of horror-dom, with the kind of aplomb and jaw-dropping elegance one could only expect from a master.
What's more, there's so much of Laymon himself in protagonist Larry Dunbar, it's like getting a peek inside Laymon's psyche. Like Laymon, Dunbar is a horror writer. Larry's married with a teenage daughter, same as Laymon was married to his wife Anne and had his own teenage daughter, Kelly. Dunbar deals with lunkheaded line editors, ludicrous deadlines on rewrites, sacrifices family time for his work, and even complains about how his second book nearly destroyed his writing career. These were all things Laymon himself struggled with and through, so when we see Larry writing out notes in a short, punchy, diary style on his word processor, all dated for later reference, it's safe to assume an analog to the way Laymon himself would brainstorm. Even Dunbar's admonition to his daughter that she mustn't read anything he's written until she's 35, coupled with her confession to her English teacher that she's already read everything daddy's had published has a ring of truth to it.
The Stake, besides being a horror novel, is at its heart a Shaggy Dog style balancing act. One chapter, the reader will be convinced vampires are real, but by the next you'll wonder if Laymon somehow managed to write the first piece of vampire fiction featuring exactly zero goddamn vampires (or if the one he's focusing on is just a distraction).
Did he? I'm not going to spoil it either way: pick the book up and find out for yourself.
This climax-delaying foreplay, this long-running game of "is she or isn't she", is the crux of what makes The Stake so memorable years after I first read it twenty years ago. It's a question the protagonist struggles with over and over during the course of the story, as the evidence both for and against is all entirely circumstantial. The point Laymon's trying to make with the book ultimately, I feel, has nothing at all to do with the existence of vampires. The Stake is a novel of obsession, questions, and warnings. Because his focus is so narrowly deployed on the question of whether or not he's got a real vampire in his attic, Larry Dunbar fails to see the warning signs that something awful, and 100% real, threatens his daughter. Worrying about the fictional causes dire consequences for the rest of his family and friends, and that seems to be Laymon's ultimate point: don't waste time on nonsense at the expense of reality.
As the father of a young woman himself at the time of this story's publication, I can't help but wonder if writing The Stake helped Laymon ground himself in some sense, reminding him to be wary of the dangers real life holds and not get caught up in the allure of fantasy, whether that's his own fiction, vampires, or something else entirely. He's not around for me to ask, so I guess I'll never know for sure, but knowing what I do of him, I can't help but think this story allowed him to exorcise some of his own fears and worries. 'Hack amateur' my ass. Five blood-drenched coffins out of five for this work of supernatural (or is it?) suspense.
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