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Endless Night
Jody is pretty tough for a sixteen-year-old girl. That's the only reason she's still alive - for now. She was sleeping over at her friend Evelyn's house when a group of killers broke in and tried to slaughter everyone. She saw Evelyn spitted on a spear, but Jody managed to escape, along with Evelyn's little brother, Andy. — Simon was one of the killers that gruesome night. His friends have left it up to him to find the only living witnesses to their massacre. Or else they'll butcher his family next. But Simon has his own reasons for wanting to get his hands on Jody...
471 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 1993
273 people are currently reading
7561 people want to read
About the author
Richard Laymon
216 books2,270 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 417 reviews
August 10, 2017
Well, this was one hell of a twisted story of survival horror, that is filled to the brim with blood, guts and gore. This is my second Laymon novel, so I knew what to expect...sort of.
Sixteen year old, Jody Fargo, is having a 'sleep-over' at her best friends' house - when her friend Evelyn wakes her up; as she believes she's heard a noise downstairs, which sounds like breaking glass. Initially, Jody dismisses that her friend has heard anything - and tries to go back to sleep; and would have if it wasn't for Evelyns persistence. When Evelyn opens her bedroom door though; she ends up getting a spear through her body - and the end of the spear pokes Jody in the naval. Luckily, the perp didn't see her. Once the intruder has gone (with Evelyn still stuck on the end of the spear); Jody makes her way to Andy's room (Evelyns twelve year old brother). He's alive. After giving Andy a heads up; another hostile comes along and enters his room looking for more prey to play with; but Jody's ready, and puts him out of commission by slugging him in the face with a baseball bat. When they get a better look at the dead man; they realise he's wearing another person's butt and legs' over his own naked body. Time to go.
As they flee the property; one of the intruders notices them trying to sneak out, and the chase is on. Jody nearly gets apprehended, but just about manages to get away: twice.
One of the intruders is abandoned by the gang: which are known as 'The Krulls,' and his name is Simon. He's been designated the job of making sure the two witnesses don't have the opportunity to tattle on them. And if he doesn't take them out, that could have ramifications and not just for him, as the gang have a code to live by: leave no witnesses; never get caught; if it looks like you're going to get captured then you have to go kamikaze, or you and your family will pay. They also torch the properties of victims and remove the bodies, after they've had their fun.
The story is told in the first and third person: the first person narrative is basically Simon's confession (insurance policy) on tape, courtesy of Mr & Mrs Weston's cassette recorder. Initially, I was a bit worried with the narrative oscillating every few chapters (as I'm not a fan of first person perspectives) - it worked in this case, though. Actually, I could barely wait for it to switch back to Simon's narrative: which gives an insight into how 'The Krulls' came to be; why they do what they do; what their first kill was like; and of course, we get to know how he plans to track down Jody and Andy - although, he has special plans for Jody. He has the odd practice run with some of his victims; in anticipation of what he is going to do to Jody.
The third person narrative is Jody's perspective. Some of the early dialogue is likely to decimate your brain cells, so you need to be careful of that. It seems to get a bit better the further you get into the story - that, or I got used to it. I'm not sure which. Anyway, Jody lives with her father, Jack Fargo (aka - Kong Fargo), and he is a police officer. He has a smirk on his face; courtesy of a .22 bullet passing through his brain. He also walks with a swagger, which looks as if he's walking with an attitude problem: but that's due to a high-speed chase resulting in a collision. He's a lucky guy. He also has a rule of 'having your back to the wall' - which is a trait she has inherited from her father. I think the author had fun making a caricature out of Jack. Some of it was funny, though.
Anyway, Jody is a pretty tough character, and its not going to be easy for Simon to get what he wants.
As an experiment, I'm tempted to see what happens if I read two Laymon novels' consecutively. Will I go through some kind of metamorphosis, and turn into a cabbage, or a chimp? Don't know.
In summation: a really enjoyable survival horror/chase story, that is quite funny at times, despite how descriptive it can be with the rape, blood and gore.
Sixteen year old, Jody Fargo, is having a 'sleep-over' at her best friends' house - when her friend Evelyn wakes her up; as she believes she's heard a noise downstairs, which sounds like breaking glass. Initially, Jody dismisses that her friend has heard anything - and tries to go back to sleep; and would have if it wasn't for Evelyns persistence. When Evelyn opens her bedroom door though; she ends up getting a spear through her body - and the end of the spear pokes Jody in the naval. Luckily, the perp didn't see her. Once the intruder has gone (with Evelyn still stuck on the end of the spear); Jody makes her way to Andy's room (Evelyns twelve year old brother). He's alive. After giving Andy a heads up; another hostile comes along and enters his room looking for more prey to play with; but Jody's ready, and puts him out of commission by slugging him in the face with a baseball bat. When they get a better look at the dead man; they realise he's wearing another person's butt and legs' over his own naked body. Time to go.
As they flee the property; one of the intruders notices them trying to sneak out, and the chase is on. Jody nearly gets apprehended, but just about manages to get away: twice.
One of the intruders is abandoned by the gang: which are known as 'The Krulls,' and his name is Simon. He's been designated the job of making sure the two witnesses don't have the opportunity to tattle on them. And if he doesn't take them out, that could have ramifications and not just for him, as the gang have a code to live by: leave no witnesses; never get caught; if it looks like you're going to get captured then you have to go kamikaze, or you and your family will pay. They also torch the properties of victims and remove the bodies, after they've had their fun.
The story is told in the first and third person: the first person narrative is basically Simon's confession (insurance policy) on tape, courtesy of Mr & Mrs Weston's cassette recorder. Initially, I was a bit worried with the narrative oscillating every few chapters (as I'm not a fan of first person perspectives) - it worked in this case, though. Actually, I could barely wait for it to switch back to Simon's narrative: which gives an insight into how 'The Krulls' came to be; why they do what they do; what their first kill was like; and of course, we get to know how he plans to track down Jody and Andy - although, he has special plans for Jody. He has the odd practice run with some of his victims; in anticipation of what he is going to do to Jody.
The third person narrative is Jody's perspective. Some of the early dialogue is likely to decimate your brain cells, so you need to be careful of that. It seems to get a bit better the further you get into the story - that, or I got used to it. I'm not sure which. Anyway, Jody lives with her father, Jack Fargo (aka - Kong Fargo), and he is a police officer. He has a smirk on his face; courtesy of a .22 bullet passing through his brain. He also walks with a swagger, which looks as if he's walking with an attitude problem: but that's due to a high-speed chase resulting in a collision. He's a lucky guy. He also has a rule of 'having your back to the wall' - which is a trait she has inherited from her father. I think the author had fun making a caricature out of Jack. Some of it was funny, though.
Anyway, Jody is a pretty tough character, and its not going to be easy for Simon to get what he wants.
As an experiment, I'm tempted to see what happens if I read two Laymon novels' consecutively. Will I go through some kind of metamorphosis, and turn into a cabbage, or a chimp? Don't know.
In summation: a really enjoyable survival horror/chase story, that is quite funny at times, despite how descriptive it can be with the rape, blood and gore.
April 30, 2018
Endless Night started off with a bang and I was instantly hooked. Though I do think I need the Lord’s guidance after finishing it.
Jody was sleeping over at her friend Evelyn’s house when Evelyn heard a crashing sound. Not being able to get it off her mind, they both decided to check the noise out. As soon as she opened the door, Evelyn was speared. Her body leapt straight up and dangled from her doorway. Jody stood frozen behind Evelyn’s limp body, hidden from the killer. She knew she needed to run, to get away. She managed to find Evelyn’s younger brother Andy alive and they both barely escaped with their lives. There were several killers in the house who had butchered Evelyn’s parents and some of the them started chasing Jody and Andy with axes and sabers.
This book really knew how to make me anxious. My heart was in my throat and I was scared about what was to come. Some of the chapters switched to Simon’s POV - one of the killers. I found his chapters incredibly gripping even though they were quite hard to read at times. He narrated all that he and his gang had done in their horrific lives and to their victims. For instance, skinning them and wearing it as clothing. Wtf?? I even gagged at one point lol.
I wasn’t very fond of Andy either. I found him to be really annoying and quite perverted for a 12 year old. He didn’t know where to draw the line with Jody, especially when she said no. It was weird, especially considering how his whole family was brutally murdered not long before. Idk.. maybe he wasn’t meant to be a likeable character?
Anyways I did enjoy this book and would like to give a shoutout to RedemptionDenied because of who’s review I picked this up. Thanks RD! 😎
Jody was sleeping over at her friend Evelyn’s house when Evelyn heard a crashing sound. Not being able to get it off her mind, they both decided to check the noise out. As soon as she opened the door, Evelyn was speared. Her body leapt straight up and dangled from her doorway. Jody stood frozen behind Evelyn’s limp body, hidden from the killer. She knew she needed to run, to get away. She managed to find Evelyn’s younger brother Andy alive and they both barely escaped with their lives. There were several killers in the house who had butchered Evelyn’s parents and some of the them started chasing Jody and Andy with axes and sabers.
This book really knew how to make me anxious. My heart was in my throat and I was scared about what was to come. Some of the chapters switched to Simon’s POV - one of the killers. I found his chapters incredibly gripping even though they were quite hard to read at times. He narrated all that he and his gang had done in their horrific lives and to their victims. For instance, skinning them and wearing it as clothing. Wtf?? I even gagged at one point lol.
I wasn’t very fond of Andy either. I found him to be really annoying and quite perverted for a 12 year old. He didn’t know where to draw the line with Jody, especially when she said no. It was weird, especially considering how his whole family was brutally murdered not long before. Idk.. maybe he wasn’t meant to be a likeable character?
Anyways I did enjoy this book and would like to give a shoutout to RedemptionDenied because of who’s review I picked this up. Thanks RD! 😎
January 19, 2025
This book was way darker and more gruesome than I was expecting it to be! I thought it was super easy to read and I really enjoyed the ending. I thought it was done very well, up to the very last page!
March 29, 2010
Laymon novels are a guilty pleasure for me. They are disgusting and you pretty much have to throw your brains out the window in order to get through them but I have to honestly say they are very much page-turners. If you enjoy senseless murder and mayhem, that is.
This one starts out with a sixteen year old girl named Jody sleeping over a friend's house. Innocent enough stuff, until a murderous group of madmen target the home for their next killing spree. Jody survives and manages to escape the home with her friend's younger brother. As they make their escape they are spotted by the murderous louts who slaughtered the family and a chase begins. A chase which encompasses the rest of the book. As expected of a Laymon novel, there is plenty of murder, mayhem, rape and other assorted grossities as well as many plot implausibilities and silly dialogue.
This one starts out with a sixteen year old girl named Jody sleeping over a friend's house. Innocent enough stuff, until a murderous group of madmen target the home for their next killing spree. Jody survives and manages to escape the home with her friend's younger brother. As they make their escape they are spotted by the murderous louts who slaughtered the family and a chase begins. A chase which encompasses the rest of the book. As expected of a Laymon novel, there is plenty of murder, mayhem, rape and other assorted grossities as well as many plot implausibilities and silly dialogue.
December 14, 2018
4.0 Stars
This was one of the most disturbing, terrifying horror novels I have ever read. This one is not for the faint of heart The initial chapters were particularly memorable, launching the reader immediately into the horrifying action. Given the premise, readers must go into this story expecting all the terrible things that could transpire in a home invasion situation. Trigger warnings for extreme, gruesome violence and sexual assault. This novel will not be for everyone. The writing was not particularly strong, yet I found the plot immersive enough to overlook the weaker aspects of the book.I would recommend this one to experienced (hardened) horror readers who are looking for an intense narrative that might be able to actually scare them.
This was one of the most disturbing, terrifying horror novels I have ever read. This one is not for the faint of heart The initial chapters were particularly memorable, launching the reader immediately into the horrifying action. Given the premise, readers must go into this story expecting all the terrible things that could transpire in a home invasion situation. Trigger warnings for extreme, gruesome violence and sexual assault. This novel will not be for everyone. The writing was not particularly strong, yet I found the plot immersive enough to overlook the weaker aspects of the book.I would recommend this one to experienced (hardened) horror readers who are looking for an intense narrative that might be able to actually scare them.
May 21, 2021
"Risk is the mustard on the hot dog of life."
3.75 out of 5. This was flat out fun and brutal...for the most part. It's told from two perspectives. The first is a third person narrative, following the protagonist (sixteen year old girl called Jody Fargo) and the second a first person perspective from the serial killer (Simon Quirt).
The start to this one is bat-shit crazy. Absolutely nuts! Things begin in the middle of a home invasion at break neck pace. Jody escapes a gang of crazed killers by the skin of her teeth. These guys are as bad as they come. Looking to torture, maim and kill. The rest of the narrative revolves around a game of cat and mouse, as Simon goes on the hunt for young Jody and full on madness ensues. It's brutal, nasty and will trigger any snowflakes with an absolute guarantee.
"If you ask me, gunsmoke smells a lot better than cigar smoke. Love it. But I was afraid people driving by might worry if they saw all that smoke, so I put my window down to let it out."
The parts focusing on the killer are extremely fun, gross and horrific. Exactly what I wanted from this book. The other part does drag a bit for me, it's not the best writing and one of the characters is extremely annoying. Laymon's style is extremely graphic and full on, which really complements the intense and violent scenes but struggles to add depth and emotional content when the tempo drops. This knocked off points for me.
There's also a lot of dark humour in this one. Some of it is sick and twisted but that comes with the territory when you're in the mind of a sadistic killer. It gets really out there sometimes and I got to admit that I had a lot of fun.
All in all this was a highly enjoyable read and I got through it in no time. If you have a strong stomach I'd recommend this one for a fun, fast paced read.
Richard Laymon
December 31, 2018
For every Laymon book I find to be perversely delightful, I find another that misses the mark.
Endless Night kicks off with a way-over-the-top opening full of bloody action, but soon after wades into a flabby midsection morass featuring the endless inane family melodrama of individuals who by all rights should be too traumatized to speak.
Jody's friend and her friend's family has been brutally murdered and raped (in that order) in front of her by a pack of crazed maniacs, after which a man dressed in corpse flesh chases her through the woods with a machete; yet her biggest concern the following day is whether or not a boy thinks she's cute and hooking her widowed dad up with a single female police officer?
Not exactly compelling revenge.
Half of the book is written via first person POV of the deranged killer tasked with finishing Jody off, to give the reader more backstory on terrible things that have happened in the past and to make up for the lack of anything remotely exciting happening in the narrative.
Laymon does his best to shock the reader, but ultimately it all comes off as more silly than menacing, a MadLibs of disturbing possibilities: Need a wig so your male villain can dress as a woman? Sure! Knock on the nearest random house and scalp the old lady who answers the door. Presto! You're now a glamorous female, able to seduce men with ease. No one will ever tell the difference.
And so on.
Silly is fine when the story is fun (I highly recommend Laymon's Into the Fire or After Midnight as examples of over-the-top perversity done right), but Endless Night ultimately delivers only the "Endless" promised by the title.
2.5 stars.
Endless Night kicks off with a way-over-the-top opening full of bloody action, but soon after wades into a flabby midsection morass featuring the endless inane family melodrama of individuals who by all rights should be too traumatized to speak.
Jody's friend and her friend's family has been brutally murdered and raped (in that order) in front of her by a pack of crazed maniacs, after which a man dressed in corpse flesh chases her through the woods with a machete; yet her biggest concern the following day is whether or not a boy thinks she's cute and hooking her widowed dad up with a single female police officer?
Not exactly compelling revenge.
Half of the book is written via first person POV of the deranged killer tasked with finishing Jody off, to give the reader more backstory on terrible things that have happened in the past and to make up for the lack of anything remotely exciting happening in the narrative.
Laymon does his best to shock the reader, but ultimately it all comes off as more silly than menacing, a MadLibs of disturbing possibilities: Need a wig so your male villain can dress as a woman? Sure! Knock on the nearest random house and scalp the old lady who answers the door. Presto! You're now a glamorous female, able to seduce men with ease. No one will ever tell the difference.
And so on.
Silly is fine when the story is fun (I highly recommend Laymon's Into the Fire or After Midnight as examples of over-the-top perversity done right), but Endless Night ultimately delivers only the "Endless" promised by the title.
2.5 stars.
May 30, 2024
Extreme Romp!
Small backstory:
Jody is staying all night with her friend Evelyn and having a good time until men break into Evelyn's house going on a slaughter fest! When Evelyn goes to check on her parents, her life is cut short and Jody does everything she can to escape! Jody is able to rescue Andy (Evelyn's brother) and they make it out of the house. Jody and Andy are running through the night trying to get away from the men and the race is on as the killers do not want them to escape alive so the pursuit is on!
That is about all I can hand out on a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
When I first started reading this book I wasn't expecting insane killers to be rampaging through the book on an extreme brutal romp! This was nothing like I was expecting at all. I did read the blurb of the book but I didn't realize that this was going to be an extreme story.
Normally Laymon or what I have read of his books in the past have been mild so I just wasn't ready for a brutal extreme story which is fine as I do read extreme books once in awhile. This book should have been four to five stars but the whole book is about the characters Jody and Andy running for their lives and this book goes on like that for 484 pages. The book rotates in sections as there will be sections of the book that is about just Jody and Andy and then there will be a section of the killers then it will rotate back to Jody and Andy. Goes back and forth like that through the whole book.
I just felt that it took too long to get through it all - there is lots of detail as well with Laymon describing every single thing that is happening as I was making my way through the story. It just felt way too drawn out for me and probably could have been around a three hundred page book instead of around a 500 page book. Extreme horror fans will love this book though as it describes in detail every single extreme bloody thing that happens in the story. Lots of blood and gore in this book! Giving this book three "Bloody Brutal" stars!
Small backstory:
Jody is staying all night with her friend Evelyn and having a good time until men break into Evelyn's house going on a slaughter fest! When Evelyn goes to check on her parents, her life is cut short and Jody does everything she can to escape! Jody is able to rescue Andy (Evelyn's brother) and they make it out of the house. Jody and Andy are running through the night trying to get away from the men and the race is on as the killers do not want them to escape alive so the pursuit is on!
That is about all I can hand out on a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
When I first started reading this book I wasn't expecting insane killers to be rampaging through the book on an extreme brutal romp! This was nothing like I was expecting at all. I did read the blurb of the book but I didn't realize that this was going to be an extreme story.
Normally Laymon or what I have read of his books in the past have been mild so I just wasn't ready for a brutal extreme story which is fine as I do read extreme books once in awhile. This book should have been four to five stars but the whole book is about the characters Jody and Andy running for their lives and this book goes on like that for 484 pages. The book rotates in sections as there will be sections of the book that is about just Jody and Andy and then there will be a section of the killers then it will rotate back to Jody and Andy. Goes back and forth like that through the whole book.
I just felt that it took too long to get through it all - there is lots of detail as well with Laymon describing every single thing that is happening as I was making my way through the story. It just felt way too drawn out for me and probably could have been around a three hundred page book instead of around a 500 page book. Extreme horror fans will love this book though as it describes in detail every single extreme bloody thing that happens in the story. Lots of blood and gore in this book! Giving this book three "Bloody Brutal" stars!
May 2, 2024
Imagine this; You are having a sleepover at your friend's house, something woke you up, you went out of the room to investigate and the next thing you know, everybody is dead and you are running for your life.
Loved this one so much! I was holding my breath throughout this book. There were no empty scenes, the heroine in this story was so relatable and I admired her guts! A survival horror story with perverted antagonists and a game of cat and mouse that will surely fill your insatiable hunger for horror!
Loved this one so much! I was holding my breath throughout this book. There were no empty scenes, the heroine in this story was so relatable and I admired her guts! A survival horror story with perverted antagonists and a game of cat and mouse that will surely fill your insatiable hunger for horror!
October 4, 2023
Review to be added after its discussed in the Richard Laymon Bookclub.
For now all I will say is this is his best book I have read. Total vintage splatterpunk and beyond brutal.
UPDATE 04 OCTOBER 2023
Endless Night was Septembers pick for the Richard Laymon Bookclub on Instagram. This is my favourite Laymon book. This is his most extreme, brutal and depraved by a long mile at least of those that I have read so far.
It follows a crew of serial killers who pick random houses to do home invasions with the intent of rape, murder and sadistic torture. During one of these crime sprees 12 year old Andy and 16 year old Jody escape and are now witnesses who can identify the crew. The crew flee the scene leaving behind one of the killers to locate and eliminate them.
The story flows with one chapter following Jodie and Andy with the next coming from the point of view of Simon the killer left behind to locate and kill them. A cat and mouse style chase occurs with Simon attempting to locate them whilst reliving the crews previous crimes which he dictates onto a voice recorder.
This is classic splatterpunk. As Simon describes the killing the gang of serial killers have inflicted in the past nothing is left to the imagination. Its barbaric, sexual violence at its worst. The torture inflicted is extreme. Our killers have zero conscience.
Whilst it's nearly 500 pages it flys by due to it pace. It's back and forth between our victims chapters and Simon the killer. It still has the Laymon hallmarks with a fair few use of the word "rump" and even some moments which made me laugh in the way Simon describes how he is dressed ( if you have read it you will understand )
Apparently this story is based on the real life serial killer crew "The Chicago Rippers" a bunch of cannibals, satanists and murderers.
If you want Laymon at his most extreme this is one to check out.
For now all I will say is this is his best book I have read. Total vintage splatterpunk and beyond brutal.
UPDATE 04 OCTOBER 2023
Endless Night was Septembers pick for the Richard Laymon Bookclub on Instagram. This is my favourite Laymon book. This is his most extreme, brutal and depraved by a long mile at least of those that I have read so far.
It follows a crew of serial killers who pick random houses to do home invasions with the intent of rape, murder and sadistic torture. During one of these crime sprees 12 year old Andy and 16 year old Jody escape and are now witnesses who can identify the crew. The crew flee the scene leaving behind one of the killers to locate and eliminate them.
The story flows with one chapter following Jodie and Andy with the next coming from the point of view of Simon the killer left behind to locate and kill them. A cat and mouse style chase occurs with Simon attempting to locate them whilst reliving the crews previous crimes which he dictates onto a voice recorder.
This is classic splatterpunk. As Simon describes the killing the gang of serial killers have inflicted in the past nothing is left to the imagination. Its barbaric, sexual violence at its worst. The torture inflicted is extreme. Our killers have zero conscience.
Whilst it's nearly 500 pages it flys by due to it pace. It's back and forth between our victims chapters and Simon the killer. It still has the Laymon hallmarks with a fair few use of the word "rump" and even some moments which made me laugh in the way Simon describes how he is dressed ( if you have read it you will understand )
Apparently this story is based on the real life serial killer crew "The Chicago Rippers" a bunch of cannibals, satanists and murderers.
If you want Laymon at his most extreme this is one to check out.
June 12, 2008
This is absolutely the most gruesome, sick, twisted book that I have ever read! It is about a sixteen-year-old girl named Jody who nearly gets slaughtered by a group of killers, the Krulls, while sleeping over at her friend Evelyn's house. Jody manages to escape along with Evelyn's little brother, Andy, while Simon, one of the Krull members, is left behind. Simon's job is to finish off the witnesses or else his girlfriend and his family will be next. Simon becomes obsessed with Jody and can't wait to get to her. I am a big fan of horror novels and this one gave me the chills! It kept my pulse racing, yet I couldn't stop turning the pages, had to find out how it ended. Laymon does not hold back, no lack in details with this one, extremely graphic. If this book were to be made into a movie, I'm not not sure I could stomach watching it, it's that disgusting. If you have a heart condition, do not read this book! It was my first Richard Laymon read, but it definitely won't be the last!
September 19, 2024
I'm struggling to put into words how I feel about this book, it is shocking, disgusting and brutal but I don't know whether it's brutality was just done for the sake of it. I know something for sure Richard Laymon's mind is a pretty scary place, the first person narration of the 'villain' had me questioning his sanity.
The readers is thrown straight into the action within the first few pages and the suspense is built so well, but then it just get's weirder and weirder as soon as we are in Simon's mind it get's icky! There is a lot of torture, rape and murder in this book it just gets worse and worse and extremely graphic, which isn't normally much of a problem for me. However it also feels like Laymon is idolising these killers in a weird way, I understand that this was done for shock factor and it did the job, I was unbearable uncomfortable by the end.
There is no denying that Richard Laymon can do horror and he makes me squirm like no other, but I am starting to find I aren't enjoying his type of horror. I don't think it helps that his female characters seem to always be at the forefront of the gore and misfortune, he does write a great final girl but after all he puts his characters' through no matter if there is a 'happy ending' or not I always come away from his books feeling down and upset.
Perhaps the reason his books hit so hard for me is because they seem to realistic, he's able to convey a murdering psychopath a little too well! If I was to give this book a rating for scariness/making me uncomfortable it would be a 5 but just for the pure fact of enjoyment I just can't give it more than the 3!
The readers is thrown straight into the action within the first few pages and the suspense is built so well, but then it just get's weirder and weirder as soon as we are in Simon's mind it get's icky! There is a lot of torture, rape and murder in this book it just gets worse and worse and extremely graphic, which isn't normally much of a problem for me. However it also feels like Laymon is idolising these killers in a weird way, I understand that this was done for shock factor and it did the job, I was unbearable uncomfortable by the end.
There is no denying that Richard Laymon can do horror and he makes me squirm like no other, but I am starting to find I aren't enjoying his type of horror. I don't think it helps that his female characters seem to always be at the forefront of the gore and misfortune, he does write a great final girl but after all he puts his characters' through no matter if there is a 'happy ending' or not I always come away from his books feeling down and upset.
Perhaps the reason his books hit so hard for me is because they seem to realistic, he's able to convey a murdering psychopath a little too well! If I was to give this book a rating for scariness/making me uncomfortable it would be a 5 but just for the pure fact of enjoyment I just can't give it more than the 3!
April 10, 2011
I have read over a dozen of Laymon novels and yes by the way I am a fan, when you crave the kind of story that only he writes so well nothing else can satisfy. At least that's how I see it, take a bunch of sympathetic level headed kids, a crazed killer on their tail ( with a very flamboyant but totally cold soul) and you have some page gripping moments, you'd want to read this over the weekend if you have some time to put into this, it's an entertaining ride and it's well embellished for those who like some icky moments. Once again Laymon proves that his well used formula of bad men after pretty girls works to grip the reader, Jody is on a sleepover at a friend's house when noise wakes her up, what happens next is the appetizer of the story which sets up the tone and the urgency for the reminder of the novel, there is no time to breathe nor relax when this wild ride starts, and get used to creepy, crazy and nasty it can appear at any time in Laymon's world. I miss you man, wish you were still around to churn out some more...
This story line echoed a bit of Dean Koontz's "Intensity" which was an amazing book, a must read for horror fans, it has that nasty surprise of being in the wrong place at the wrong time but take to another level, you're at your friends house at a sleepover and her whole family except for one boy gets hacked to pieces, talk about picking the wrong night and what it will take to keep your precious life!
Jody manages to escape through some well written pages - I was pulling the paper to the point of breakage, but what waits for her next isn't any easier. One person in particular from the bunch of mysterious killers is on her trail, not only is he meant to kill and silence her but he's smitten with her as well, talk about double lousy luck! There are many unlucky houses that he uses to hide in or use something from, and those descriptions were the most interesting in the book because he gets quite creative with all that he finds in each house, the residents included - nothing is wasted, scalps included... but overall the whole story had a quick and crazy pace, there is no rest until the last page. I'm happy that the ending was pretty shocking, it was explosive until the last letter and period sign and sometimes I read an amazing and suspenseful book where the bad buy gets a buh-bye in a page or two after hours of torment, that to me is almost a cop out, this guarantees a satisfying finish, good or bad you judge but it was a great weekend read for those who like a crazy horror book or those who are Laymon fans, enjoy!
- Kasia S.
This story line echoed a bit of Dean Koontz's "Intensity" which was an amazing book, a must read for horror fans, it has that nasty surprise of being in the wrong place at the wrong time but take to another level, you're at your friends house at a sleepover and her whole family except for one boy gets hacked to pieces, talk about picking the wrong night and what it will take to keep your precious life!
Jody manages to escape through some well written pages - I was pulling the paper to the point of breakage, but what waits for her next isn't any easier. One person in particular from the bunch of mysterious killers is on her trail, not only is he meant to kill and silence her but he's smitten with her as well, talk about double lousy luck! There are many unlucky houses that he uses to hide in or use something from, and those descriptions were the most interesting in the book because he gets quite creative with all that he finds in each house, the residents included - nothing is wasted, scalps included... but overall the whole story had a quick and crazy pace, there is no rest until the last page. I'm happy that the ending was pretty shocking, it was explosive until the last letter and period sign and sometimes I read an amazing and suspenseful book where the bad buy gets a buh-bye in a page or two after hours of torment, that to me is almost a cop out, this guarantees a satisfying finish, good or bad you judge but it was a great weekend read for those who like a crazy horror book or those who are Laymon fans, enjoy!
- Kasia S.
July 26, 2018
My mind is a-whir with all the points I want to make here, and all the disclaimers I have as well. Ultimately, this book is dated, which means some of the issues I have are a result of societal evolution. Still, my making allowances for this, as I routinely do, did not help me to enjoy this book more.
Before I get into the main focus of my issues -- but the image above is a preview -- I'd like to say almost nothing worked for me in the story. I found all the characters either creepy or strange in their reactions, down to choices and to dialogue. There is a character that is supposed to be a creepy relative, and he was only slightly more off than anyone else. The good guys and the bad guy seemed to be a bit similar.
The Kindle edition I read is also very poorly done, filled with formatting issues.
Anyhow, there are 2 POV characters, one a 16-year-old girl with a sexually predatory murderer on her trail, and the other is the sexually predatory murderer. Fair enough when stated that way.
Jody, the girl, spends the majority of the book in night shirts or missing her pants. She has a short night shirt, she has a short and tight night shirt, and she has a loose night shirt that -- oopsies -- falls off her shoulders and allows people to see down it.
Her narration is obsessed with what her night shirts are doing at any given moment, what the hem line is doing, what parts of her body are being revealed. The thinness of the material. Even when she is being chased, she is conscious of these details. At one point, she is wearing shorts, but sustains an injury high on the thigh, and so off with the shorts.
She also takes a really long shower at one point in which she thinks of the boy she likes. It doesn't completely go masturbatory on her part, but the whole thing seems designed with the intent of the rest of her narration -- to remind us she is an attractive (but in many ways innocent and untouched) 16 year old.
I don't think Laymon is trying to say this girl is obsessed with her own body, but I think he is obsessed with her body, and doing the thing some male authors do of thinking women are constantly in thought and deed catering to the male libido. He isn't in her head so much as watching her and making his fixations her thoughts.
Which the other POV character -- the sexually predatory murderer -- is going to cover just fine. He has a purpose in being obsessed with her body and her, er, sexy innocence. Her POV should be a reprieve from that, even a rebuke of that as we know her as a full human being. In that way, authors get their cake and etcetera, etcetera. They can be creepy and empathetic, and you can't extrapolate what messed up thoughts they share with the bad guy.
But everyone is obsessed all the time with the female body.
There's a 12 year old boy who has his whole family slaughtered -- first couple chapters -- but never loses his fascination with copping a feel or catching a glimpse of Jody or a female cop character. I'll return to the female cop character.
This kid is just creepy, and combined with everything and everyone else, seems to imply all men are capable of assaults on women they deem attractive. Or people? There are a couple sexually predatory murderers mentioned who like boys.
The kid's erection becomes a plot point. There are moments when Jody also seems to give in a little to his advances. She says he's like a creepy little brother, but she also lets him stick his nose in her crotch for comfort -- not making that up -- or kisses him on the mouth since he's upset. She's worried her father might come in and get the wrong idea.
Jody packs at one point to leave to evade the bad guy, and she thinks her father will be upset that she didn't pack a skirt or dress, not that there are any plans to go anywhere that would specifically need those items, just that it's somehow wrong for her not to have access to these items. The bad guy on more than one occasion wonders why women don't wear skirts and dresses anymore since pants and culottes impede access to ... stuff.
With the exception of an old woman, I do believe every other female given a name is sexualized to some extent. The only other female character of any note, other than victims of the central gang, is a female police officer. Upon meeting Jody, she helps bandage her upper thigh injury -- the one that forces Jody to remove her shorts -- and Jody makes note of seeing down the woman's blouse, and reveals the cop has a thing for black sexy lingerie.
God, what's her name? Bonnie, I think. We'll roll with it.
Like Jody, Bonnie's character is mostly a hot body in revealing clothes, with just a subtle whiff of actual characterization that is not about her hot body. Jody and Bonnie are both good with guns and fighters, which I still think is presented as being hot.
Jody's father makes clear he is attracted to Bonnie, and Jody understands it since Bonnie has big breasts that bounce when she shoots a gun.
Dad wasn’t watching the target. His eyes were on Sharon. Jody checked; that’s where Andy was staring, too. Watching her there, NRA cap turned backward so its bill stuck out behind her, the rifle jumping with each shot and throwing out flashes of brass as its muzzle spat fire and white smoke, her whole body absorbing the recoils that hit her with quick hard jolts and shook her shirt and made her thighs vibrate even though Jody knew her legs must be almost as solid as wood. She does look great, Jody thought. No wonder the guys are staring like a couple of nuts. They’re probably wishing they were on the other side so they could watch what the recoils are doing to her boobs.
Oh, Sharon. Bonnie is Sharon.
Sharbonnie has packed -- for the trip that is off-duty, but not unrelated to her job -- a flimsy robe. In case anyone is wondering, she shares with the 12-year-old erection and Jody's dad (and Jody) she is naked under the robe, and let's head to the vending machine. She also shares over lunch that she has a tattoo in a mystery location.
Because ever and always, the author wants to make sure the reader has something about the bodies of his female caricatures, er, characters, to imagine.
Jody's father, btw, has "had kept his chivalry in spite of feminism," and specifically worries that the condom will fall off inside Jody if she sleeps with a boy. Not just general failure rate of condoms so much as wanting to mention specifically what might happen if someone is INSIDE his daughter. His daughter who should wear dresses and skirts more. He slapped her on the rear once, which is not in isolation a problem for me. It just happens to be partnered with everything else. A whole lot of night shirts and testosterone.
Which reminds me that Jody has no connection to any other female character, other than the big-boobed cop. She starts the book with a friend who doesn't make it to page 10, I don't think. No other friends that I recall are mentioned, or call her to see how she's doing. No friend she wishes to call and talk about the friend they just lost. Her mother is dead. Her world is entirely males who objectify females or one female written to be objectified. There is a love interest who has no substance, maybe because Laymon realized the limits to how many people Jody actually seemed to know.
I like good, twisted villains. I do. But I'm wired to care about Jody, maybe even more in this case than the author cares about Jody. And I'm of an age where it irritates me that she is spends the book as T and A. That even that strong, capable part of her -- or Sharbonnie's -- nature seems to be given as just another reason she is sexy and pursued by the bad guy.
I read this, and I feel both like Jody and Jody's mom, which makes me feel so sad to see her portrayal. And I realize how spoiled I've become as women authors get a voice, and many male authors are writing women with more empathy and complexity.
Endless Night is the book version of slasher films. Jody is a final girl. 1980s me, coming of age, wouldn't know to be sad or offended. The author clearly wasn't aiming to be a sexist. Jody is scrappy, after all, which is why the bad guy -- Simon -- can't leave her alone.
It’s more than just how she looks. She has ... a quality. A freshness. Maybe it also has to do partly with how spunky she was when we were after her.
Anyhow, Simon's POV is super gross, but I think it should be. The author really pushes the envelope with describing Simon and his cohorts raping and torturing people. And I get it -- horror novel, not Sunday brunch -- but my issues with the Jody POV make me unable to go along. Because there are similarities, right? Everybody objectifies women, even the good guys.
Simon, hand to God, even objectifies himself as he spends a lot of the novel disguised as a woman. I can't even untangle this plot point. Is the author saying Simon's enjoyment of dressing this way cements him as a sick puppy? Is (was, sorry) the author incapable of writing someone dressed this way, and describing one's self, without making it about level of attractiveness?
Oh, look, the male villain put on a dress and now he's breasting boobily too. I mean, how could one not? ;)
Anyhow, there were moments of horror and suspense. Those happened. This is why I upgraded to 2 stars. But I never want to read a Laymon book again. I have better choices in horror, in authors, in life, than to read books that gross me out in a bad way. And I know you know there are good gross outs and bad ones.
It's not Laymon's fault that time has moved on. That's what time does. It's not his fault that we live in a time with increasing book options. It's not his fault that many female readers expect a different portrayal of female characters that aren't about how many boners they cause, and even when they are cognizant of that, they're also quite possibly addressing and critiquing that.
Anyhow, a recent horror novel I really enjoyed was:
But if you think you'll enjoy Endless Night, have at it. I just couldn't stop thinking, "Oh, THIS is what people mean when they say torture porn."
Before I get into the main focus of my issues -- but the image above is a preview -- I'd like to say almost nothing worked for me in the story. I found all the characters either creepy or strange in their reactions, down to choices and to dialogue. There is a character that is supposed to be a creepy relative, and he was only slightly more off than anyone else. The good guys and the bad guy seemed to be a bit similar.
The Kindle edition I read is also very poorly done, filled with formatting issues.
Anyhow, there are 2 POV characters, one a 16-year-old girl with a sexually predatory murderer on her trail, and the other is the sexually predatory murderer. Fair enough when stated that way.
Jody, the girl, spends the majority of the book in night shirts or missing her pants. She has a short night shirt, she has a short and tight night shirt, and she has a loose night shirt that -- oopsies -- falls off her shoulders and allows people to see down it.
Her narration is obsessed with what her night shirts are doing at any given moment, what the hem line is doing, what parts of her body are being revealed. The thinness of the material. Even when she is being chased, she is conscious of these details. At one point, she is wearing shorts, but sustains an injury high on the thigh, and so off with the shorts.
She also takes a really long shower at one point in which she thinks of the boy she likes. It doesn't completely go masturbatory on her part, but the whole thing seems designed with the intent of the rest of her narration -- to remind us she is an attractive (but in many ways innocent and untouched) 16 year old.
I don't think Laymon is trying to say this girl is obsessed with her own body, but I think he is obsessed with her body, and doing the thing some male authors do of thinking women are constantly in thought and deed catering to the male libido. He isn't in her head so much as watching her and making his fixations her thoughts.
Which the other POV character -- the sexually predatory murderer -- is going to cover just fine. He has a purpose in being obsessed with her body and her, er, sexy innocence. Her POV should be a reprieve from that, even a rebuke of that as we know her as a full human being. In that way, authors get their cake and etcetera, etcetera. They can be creepy and empathetic, and you can't extrapolate what messed up thoughts they share with the bad guy.
But everyone is obsessed all the time with the female body.
There's a 12 year old boy who has his whole family slaughtered -- first couple chapters -- but never loses his fascination with copping a feel or catching a glimpse of Jody or a female cop character. I'll return to the female cop character.
This kid is just creepy, and combined with everything and everyone else, seems to imply all men are capable of assaults on women they deem attractive. Or people? There are a couple sexually predatory murderers mentioned who like boys.
The kid's erection becomes a plot point. There are moments when Jody also seems to give in a little to his advances. She says he's like a creepy little brother, but she also lets him stick his nose in her crotch for comfort -- not making that up -- or kisses him on the mouth since he's upset. She's worried her father might come in and get the wrong idea.
Jody packs at one point to leave to evade the bad guy, and she thinks her father will be upset that she didn't pack a skirt or dress, not that there are any plans to go anywhere that would specifically need those items, just that it's somehow wrong for her not to have access to these items. The bad guy on more than one occasion wonders why women don't wear skirts and dresses anymore since pants and culottes impede access to ... stuff.
With the exception of an old woman, I do believe every other female given a name is sexualized to some extent. The only other female character of any note, other than victims of the central gang, is a female police officer. Upon meeting Jody, she helps bandage her upper thigh injury -- the one that forces Jody to remove her shorts -- and Jody makes note of seeing down the woman's blouse, and reveals the cop has a thing for black sexy lingerie.
God, what's her name? Bonnie, I think. We'll roll with it.
Like Jody, Bonnie's character is mostly a hot body in revealing clothes, with just a subtle whiff of actual characterization that is not about her hot body. Jody and Bonnie are both good with guns and fighters, which I still think is presented as being hot.
Jody's father makes clear he is attracted to Bonnie, and Jody understands it since Bonnie has big breasts that bounce when she shoots a gun.
Dad wasn’t watching the target. His eyes were on Sharon. Jody checked; that’s where Andy was staring, too. Watching her there, NRA cap turned backward so its bill stuck out behind her, the rifle jumping with each shot and throwing out flashes of brass as its muzzle spat fire and white smoke, her whole body absorbing the recoils that hit her with quick hard jolts and shook her shirt and made her thighs vibrate even though Jody knew her legs must be almost as solid as wood. She does look great, Jody thought. No wonder the guys are staring like a couple of nuts. They’re probably wishing they were on the other side so they could watch what the recoils are doing to her boobs.
Oh, Sharon. Bonnie is Sharon.
Sharbonnie has packed -- for the trip that is off-duty, but not unrelated to her job -- a flimsy robe. In case anyone is wondering, she shares with the 12-year-old erection and Jody's dad (and Jody) she is naked under the robe, and let's head to the vending machine. She also shares over lunch that she has a tattoo in a mystery location.
Because ever and always, the author wants to make sure the reader has something about the bodies of his female caricatures, er, characters, to imagine.
Jody's father, btw, has "had kept his chivalry in spite of feminism," and specifically worries that the condom will fall off inside Jody if she sleeps with a boy. Not just general failure rate of condoms so much as wanting to mention specifically what might happen if someone is INSIDE his daughter. His daughter who should wear dresses and skirts more. He slapped her on the rear once, which is not in isolation a problem for me. It just happens to be partnered with everything else. A whole lot of night shirts and testosterone.
Which reminds me that Jody has no connection to any other female character, other than the big-boobed cop. She starts the book with a friend who doesn't make it to page 10, I don't think. No other friends that I recall are mentioned, or call her to see how she's doing. No friend she wishes to call and talk about the friend they just lost. Her mother is dead. Her world is entirely males who objectify females or one female written to be objectified. There is a love interest who has no substance, maybe because Laymon realized the limits to how many people Jody actually seemed to know.
I like good, twisted villains. I do. But I'm wired to care about Jody, maybe even more in this case than the author cares about Jody. And I'm of an age where it irritates me that she is spends the book as T and A. That even that strong, capable part of her -- or Sharbonnie's -- nature seems to be given as just another reason she is sexy and pursued by the bad guy.
I read this, and I feel both like Jody and Jody's mom, which makes me feel so sad to see her portrayal. And I realize how spoiled I've become as women authors get a voice, and many male authors are writing women with more empathy and complexity.
Endless Night is the book version of slasher films. Jody is a final girl. 1980s me, coming of age, wouldn't know to be sad or offended. The author clearly wasn't aiming to be a sexist. Jody is scrappy, after all, which is why the bad guy -- Simon -- can't leave her alone.
It’s more than just how she looks. She has ... a quality. A freshness. Maybe it also has to do partly with how spunky she was when we were after her.
Anyhow, Simon's POV is super gross, but I think it should be. The author really pushes the envelope with describing Simon and his cohorts raping and torturing people. And I get it -- horror novel, not Sunday brunch -- but my issues with the Jody POV make me unable to go along. Because there are similarities, right? Everybody objectifies women, even the good guys.
Simon, hand to God, even objectifies himself as he spends a lot of the novel disguised as a woman. I can't even untangle this plot point. Is the author saying Simon's enjoyment of dressing this way cements him as a sick puppy? Is (was, sorry) the author incapable of writing someone dressed this way, and describing one's self, without making it about level of attractiveness?
Oh, look, the male villain put on a dress and now he's breasting boobily too. I mean, how could one not? ;)
Anyhow, there were moments of horror and suspense. Those happened. This is why I upgraded to 2 stars. But I never want to read a Laymon book again. I have better choices in horror, in authors, in life, than to read books that gross me out in a bad way. And I know you know there are good gross outs and bad ones.
It's not Laymon's fault that time has moved on. That's what time does. It's not his fault that we live in a time with increasing book options. It's not his fault that many female readers expect a different portrayal of female characters that aren't about how many boners they cause, and even when they are cognizant of that, they're also quite possibly addressing and critiquing that.
Anyhow, a recent horror novel I really enjoyed was:
But if you think you'll enjoy Endless Night, have at it. I just couldn't stop thinking, "Oh, THIS is what people mean when they say torture porn."
November 4, 2021
4.5 rounded up. I read this nearly 500 page book in only two sittings, which is very rare for me. And my heart was beating really fast for most of the read! The story is truly disturbing but also very compelling and thrilling; you really sympathize with and relate to the main character Jody. Of course, Laymon doesn't have the greatest writing style, but this was a pretty amazing read in my opinion. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and I couldn't get through it fast enough -- it was a real page turner, and the story lingered in my head for hours after finishing.
If you can suspend your disbelief and not think too much, then you may also enjoy this wild ride of a book. However, this is not for the faint of heart. I would advise looking up a list of trigger warnings to those who may be on the fence about reading this. Laymon's work is notorious for extreme and upsetting content (and, frankly, some weird sexual content as well).
My friend Juan described Laymon's books as a "different type of cozy." Essentially, his work is the kind of reading that you know will be fast paced and exciting even if it's absurd and over the top. And even when the writing isn't the greatest and the plot may be unbelievable at points, it's still always a fun read. Juan nailed it on the head. This was indeed a different kind of "cozy" for me and a definite good time. And I honestly can't wait to dive into more of Laymon's work!
If you can suspend your disbelief and not think too much, then you may also enjoy this wild ride of a book. However, this is not for the faint of heart. I would advise looking up a list of trigger warnings to those who may be on the fence about reading this. Laymon's work is notorious for extreme and upsetting content (and, frankly, some weird sexual content as well).
My friend Juan described Laymon's books as a "different type of cozy." Essentially, his work is the kind of reading that you know will be fast paced and exciting even if it's absurd and over the top. And even when the writing isn't the greatest and the plot may be unbelievable at points, it's still always a fun read. Juan nailed it on the head. This was indeed a different kind of "cozy" for me and a definite good time. And I honestly can't wait to dive into more of Laymon's work!
January 27, 2016
I have to say I was disappointed reading "Body Rides" with Laymon. I mean, I had heard he was the greatest thing this side of horror, but just wasn’t feeling it. After reading "Endless Nights," however, I just might jump on the Laymon happy go lucky bandwagon after all!
The book starts off with horror and ends with even worse horror. From the very first few pages, tension is high enough to induce a nervous breakdown in the reader.
Laymon whips up a dessert full of dark atmosphere, rich characters, smooth pacing, and mouth- watering suspense. This book is a little long when you look at it from a side view, but when you're reading it, you'd never notice the length because you're so preoccupied with what you're reading. Most of the pages are blood-soaked; Laymon doesn't hesitate to describe the violence and horrible happenings in gruesome, unflinching detail.
If you want to jump into Laymon, make Endless Night your intended spot. Read it once, read it again, and then lock it away for safe keeping!
The book starts off with horror and ends with even worse horror. From the very first few pages, tension is high enough to induce a nervous breakdown in the reader.
Laymon whips up a dessert full of dark atmosphere, rich characters, smooth pacing, and mouth- watering suspense. This book is a little long when you look at it from a side view, but when you're reading it, you'd never notice the length because you're so preoccupied with what you're reading. Most of the pages are blood-soaked; Laymon doesn't hesitate to describe the violence and horrible happenings in gruesome, unflinching detail.
If you want to jump into Laymon, make Endless Night your intended spot. Read it once, read it again, and then lock it away for safe keeping!
March 24, 2017
Ich muss dieses Buch tatsächlich 5 Sterne geben! Was war das bitte für eine krasse Achterbahnfahrt.. eine kranke Szene nach der anderen, trotzdem gespickt mit Humor. Sowas kann aus meiner Sicht nur Laymon so gnadenlos und glaubwürdig rüberbringen. (P.s bitte niemals beim- oder direkt nach dem Essen dieses Buch lesen... hätte ich vorher auch gerne gewusst... Puhh mein Magen...)
September 17, 2022
“Endless Night” was published in 1993 and is Richard Laymon’s twenty-fourth novel. After all the rave reviews I have come across online, I felt I needed to read this book to see if it lived up to the hype. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t quite meet my expectations. Perhaps I made a mistake researching the list of Laymon’s 10 best novels of all time and put too much trust in other readers….
If twelve-year-olds fantasizing about porking sixteen-year-old girls and grown ass men thirsting to rape underage teens to death is your thing, then congratulations! You’ve earned the “I’m Potentially A Future Serial Killer” Award.
“Endless Night” is basically about a group of lunatics who run around like a bunch of Leather Face wannabe’s, getting their rocks off by showering in peoples blood. The gang refer to themselves a, “The Krulls”…. Although the gang’s leader is named Tom (something), the main antagonist the book revolves around is named Simon Quirt.
Simon, after failing to stab to death a couple kids during a midnight killing spree, is forced to track them down and finish the job or he will suffer the consequences. The kids he is after are Jody Fargo, a sixteen-year-old daughter of a police officer, and a twelve-year-old named Andy (something), who is the brother of Jody’s friend who was slaughtered by a member of Simon’s crew. One would think it shouldn’t be that difficult to take these two out, but they prove to be very resilient.
Overall, this was a very simple and easy to follow story…. It was filled with tons of horror in gruesome detail. My favorite part about the book is how it was written…. It was divided into Parts and would alternate between a third person narrative of the current events and a first person narrative from the antagonists point of view. It puts you inside the mind of a serial killer, which is an interesting perspective.
In terms of my issues with the novel, there so many unrealistic events that took place in this book that it’s hard to keep track. I suppose that is what I could complain most about. Right out of the gate the story opens up with many far fetched and impossible events. You really have to just suspend reality and just take it in rather than try to rationalize. I don’t want to get into the specifics because it could possibly ruin the story for you, but just have fun with it.
The story’s ending leaves a lot to be answered, which I rather enjoyed compared to how I anticipated it was going to conclude. Although it seems to end awfully abrupt for the build-up, I couldn’t think of a better way for Richard Laymon to end it.
I will note that Simon and his group of savages get their name “the Krulls” from the psychotic rapist nutcases in “The Woods Are Dark” (Laymon’s third novel, published in 1981, and the second most twisted book I ever read).
FINAL VERDICT: I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. “Endless Night” is on many readers top 10 Laymon books, but I wasn’t as into it as other Lamonites. There was the typical over-the-top horror and gore going on mixed with an abundance of child porn and rape recollections / fantasies, but it was just extremely unrealistic with too many “this would never happen” moments for me to rate it as high as other Laymon novels. It’s a fun read overall, though. I would recommend it to anyone who is into B-rated horror flicks.
If twelve-year-olds fantasizing about porking sixteen-year-old girls and grown ass men thirsting to rape underage teens to death is your thing, then congratulations! You’ve earned the “I’m Potentially A Future Serial Killer” Award.
“Endless Night” is basically about a group of lunatics who run around like a bunch of Leather Face wannabe’s, getting their rocks off by showering in peoples blood. The gang refer to themselves a, “The Krulls”…. Although the gang’s leader is named Tom (something), the main antagonist the book revolves around is named Simon Quirt.
Simon, after failing to stab to death a couple kids during a midnight killing spree, is forced to track them down and finish the job or he will suffer the consequences. The kids he is after are Jody Fargo, a sixteen-year-old daughter of a police officer, and a twelve-year-old named Andy (something), who is the brother of Jody’s friend who was slaughtered by a member of Simon’s crew. One would think it shouldn’t be that difficult to take these two out, but they prove to be very resilient.
Overall, this was a very simple and easy to follow story…. It was filled with tons of horror in gruesome detail. My favorite part about the book is how it was written…. It was divided into Parts and would alternate between a third person narrative of the current events and a first person narrative from the antagonists point of view. It puts you inside the mind of a serial killer, which is an interesting perspective.
In terms of my issues with the novel, there so many unrealistic events that took place in this book that it’s hard to keep track. I suppose that is what I could complain most about. Right out of the gate the story opens up with many far fetched and impossible events. You really have to just suspend reality and just take it in rather than try to rationalize. I don’t want to get into the specifics because it could possibly ruin the story for you, but just have fun with it.
The story’s ending leaves a lot to be answered, which I rather enjoyed compared to how I anticipated it was going to conclude. Although it seems to end awfully abrupt for the build-up, I couldn’t think of a better way for Richard Laymon to end it.
I will note that Simon and his group of savages get their name “the Krulls” from the psychotic rapist nutcases in “The Woods Are Dark” (Laymon’s third novel, published in 1981, and the second most twisted book I ever read).
FINAL VERDICT: I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. “Endless Night” is on many readers top 10 Laymon books, but I wasn’t as into it as other Lamonites. There was the typical over-the-top horror and gore going on mixed with an abundance of child porn and rape recollections / fantasies, but it was just extremely unrealistic with too many “this would never happen” moments for me to rate it as high as other Laymon novels. It’s a fun read overall, though. I would recommend it to anyone who is into B-rated horror flicks.
December 9, 2017
3.5 - 3.75 stars.
I wasn't expecting THAT much from this, so I can't really say that I was disappointed.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this book is gross. Laymon's writing brought everything that happened in this book to life, and sometimes I had to put the book down because I needed a break from time to time.
This book is told in two points of views, Jody and Simon. This is an interesting contrast because Jody is a seemingly squeaky clean 16 year old girl, and Simon is the complete opposite - he's a serial killer - oh, yeah, he's also a rapist.
I haven't really ever read a book that it was told in the point of view of both the killer who's hunting someone down, as well as the hunted, and I thought that it worked great because it allowed the reader to see both sides of the spectrum.
One of my biggest qualms with this book was the writing . IT WAS SO FREAKING BAD OMG! I was constantly rolling my eyes as I was reading because it literally read like a lifetime or Hallmark script.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, but the kind of terrible writing took off a few stars from me, but it was a pretty fun read, which was exactly what I was looking for.
I wasn't expecting THAT much from this, so I can't really say that I was disappointed.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this book is gross. Laymon's writing brought everything that happened in this book to life, and sometimes I had to put the book down because I needed a break from time to time.
This book is told in two points of views, Jody and Simon. This is an interesting contrast because Jody is a seemingly squeaky clean 16 year old girl, and Simon is the complete opposite - he's a serial killer - oh, yeah, he's also a rapist.
I haven't really ever read a book that it was told in the point of view of both the killer who's hunting someone down, as well as the hunted, and I thought that it worked great because it allowed the reader to see both sides of the spectrum.
One of my biggest qualms with this book was the writing . IT WAS SO FREAKING BAD OMG! I was constantly rolling my eyes as I was reading because it literally read like a lifetime or Hallmark script.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, but the kind of terrible writing took off a few stars from me, but it was a pretty fun read, which was exactly what I was looking for.
July 16, 2015
I'll admit that part 1 had my full attention. The disgust became too much to ignore after the escape. All was downhill once Simon's POV came into play.
This is a sick read. Foul. I never hated any book so much since I read James Patterson's vomit-inducing Swimsuit. I have yet to read another Patterson novel since, and I won't even look once at another Laymon book.
I was quite turned off by all the graphic rape talk and the way he wrote sexually about Andy. Andy was 12 years old for gripe's sake. That kind of stuff should be saved for at least 17 if it needs to be written at all. I don't want to read about a 12 year old boy and his erection while watching a serial killer-rapist lick the "crack" of a girl Andy is supposed to feel brotherly towards.
No thank you.
This is a sick read. Foul. I never hated any book so much since I read James Patterson's vomit-inducing Swimsuit. I have yet to read another Patterson novel since, and I won't even look once at another Laymon book.
I was quite turned off by all the graphic rape talk and the way he wrote sexually about Andy. Andy was 12 years old for gripe's sake. That kind of stuff should be saved for at least 17 if it needs to be written at all. I don't want to read about a 12 year old boy and his erection while watching a serial killer-rapist lick the "crack" of a girl Andy is supposed to feel brotherly towards.
No thank you.
November 27, 2012
I was warned before reading this book that Richard Laymon wrote graphic horror. My curiosity got the best of me. Granted I don't read much horror. This was gruesome. The villain was actually as sick as they come. If you want to be afraid to go to sleep at night, I highly recommend this book. This one will keep you awake at night and have you checking and rechecking the locks on the windows and doors. Yikes!
October 24, 2017
I just couldn't finish this. I'm usually not a huge stickler for typos in kindle versions but this is unreal.
The violence in this book just became more than I could handle. I'm usually pretty tough, but the girl wearing the bra made from murdered baby's faces became too much.
The violence in this book just became more than I could handle. I'm usually pretty tough, but the girl wearing the bra made from murdered baby's faces became too much.
October 22, 2022
I don’t know how Richard Laymon did it, but he managed to put me in a state of pure anxiety for 500 straight pages. I still have yet to recover.
July 12, 2025
ENDLESS NIGHT [1989] By Richard Laymon
My Review 5.0 Stars
This novel by Richard Laymon was the Group Read Selection for the month of July 2025 [HGW Horror Book Club]. Several members, certainly including myself, were delighted that this well-known and popular selection from Laymon’s body of works had won the vote.
Those members of the club who are in the UK were undoubtedly very familiar with Laymon’s works when they were reading horror novels in their early teens. He did not enjoy popularity in the US until his affiliation with Leisure Books in 1999. I was reading King and Koontz as a kid and despite the generous praise from such juggernauts within the horror genre Laymon was not a name that was ever familiar to me.
You might say that there was a lot of “catching up” to do when Laymon’s novels hit the press at the advent of the new millennium. Think about the fact that the book we just read was originally penned and published by the prolific Laymon in 1989 three and a half decades ago. We are fortunate to read the Reprint Edition by 47 North published in the Summer of 2013.
It is lamentable knowing that Laymon was a powerhouse who churned out over 30 novels in his career. He was quite adept at penning literary short stories with a record of 65 tales published in the likes of Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier. Laymon was both skilled and prolific, but also adaptable and incredibly versatile. He wrote in various genres including horror, science fiction, suspense, thrillers, and crime fiction to name but a few. But his works were not available to the readers in the US for a decade after he published them. It is more tragic still that this giant talent died within two years of his works becoming available to the hordes of horror fans who would come to admire and be thrilled by his indelible talent and imagination here in America. The literary world of horror lost a fearless crusader with Laymon’s death (2001).
It is my understanding that “Endless Night” (1989) was written at a time when horror fiction was experiencing a renaissance. There is little question that the 1980’s was a marvelous period for the surging popularity of horror films. “Halloween” (1978) ushered in the mind-blowing “Alien” (1979), and the (then) shocking “Friday the 13th” (1980). “Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) following with all of the great slasher films producing sequels. Meanwhile in the 1980s Stephen King was on his way to earning the title of “King of Horror”, Clive Barker was being dubbed “the face of the future of horror”, and Laymon in the UK was pushing the boundaries of horror.
The 1980’s (when “Endless Night” was written) is considered by many to be the “First Wave” of Extreme Horror. It was pioneered by the vision of Richard Laymon and Jack Ketchum in particular. They both rejected the status quo horror novels being published by the most famous authors in the industry. Their works were outrageously dark, and both men pushed the boundaries of the horror novels of their time till they screamed. Their works were laced with depravity, explicit sex and violence, delivering graphic content in an unflinching portrayal of the faces of genuine horror and terror.
I loved reading “Endless Night”, and I stayed away from actual complete study guides on the novel and naturally avoided any synopsis or in-depth reviews. The book recounts a terrifying home invasion by a group of frightening looking bald freaks in human skin carrying barbaric weapons. Details of the attack are brutally explicit, and the terror of the two surviving young people is palpable. 16-year-old Jody is staying overnight with her best friend Evelyn. She manages to escape the murderous marauders by ingenuity, bravery, and by using brute force with a handy ball bat. I was hooked by the storyline’s treble hook of horror, terror, and fear-fueled adrenaline which saturated its opening salvo consisting of the invasion. The narrative throughout remained riveting with perfect pacing and terrific characters.
The main storyline is written in third person, and this action-packed narrative is juxtaposed with first person accounts by one of the killers. The Chapters featuring “Simon” were fascinating, laced with black humor, and totally captivating. The story featured a strong and sympathetic protagonist in the character of Jody, the 16-year-old girl who managed to escape the killers and the carnage while killing one of the intruders and saving the 12-year-old brother of her best friend.
The novel succeeded with me on every level. The frenetic pace was relentless and nerve-wracking. The musings and confessions of the sadistic predator “Simon” ratcheted up the reader’s fear for the fate of Jody, but the infused dark humor by Simon functioned as a release-valve to relieve the feelings of dread. I felt anxiety much of the time but the rapid shifts in focus between what Jody was doing to evade capture does not allow a complete release of tension for the entire duration of the narrative.
The book is at its heart a survivalist yarn and that is one of my favorite subgenres. I will admit that I had time to think about some plot twists that were unlikely but possible. That said, Laymon surprised me completely with his shocking twist at the end. I loved it.
This novel is an example of Laymon’s breaking the mold of a typical horror genre tale, and writing it laser focused on the murderous violence, cruelty, sexually explicit details and the sheer depravity of Simon the sexual predator Jody must somehow outmaneuver and stay alive.
OUTSTANDING SURVIVALIST THRILLER BY EXTREME HORROR AUTHOR LAYMON
My Review 5.0 Stars
This novel by Richard Laymon was the Group Read Selection for the month of July 2025 [HGW Horror Book Club]. Several members, certainly including myself, were delighted that this well-known and popular selection from Laymon’s body of works had won the vote.
Those members of the club who are in the UK were undoubtedly very familiar with Laymon’s works when they were reading horror novels in their early teens. He did not enjoy popularity in the US until his affiliation with Leisure Books in 1999. I was reading King and Koontz as a kid and despite the generous praise from such juggernauts within the horror genre Laymon was not a name that was ever familiar to me.
You might say that there was a lot of “catching up” to do when Laymon’s novels hit the press at the advent of the new millennium. Think about the fact that the book we just read was originally penned and published by the prolific Laymon in 1989 three and a half decades ago. We are fortunate to read the Reprint Edition by 47 North published in the Summer of 2013.
It is lamentable knowing that Laymon was a powerhouse who churned out over 30 novels in his career. He was quite adept at penning literary short stories with a record of 65 tales published in the likes of Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier. Laymon was both skilled and prolific, but also adaptable and incredibly versatile. He wrote in various genres including horror, science fiction, suspense, thrillers, and crime fiction to name but a few. But his works were not available to the readers in the US for a decade after he published them. It is more tragic still that this giant talent died within two years of his works becoming available to the hordes of horror fans who would come to admire and be thrilled by his indelible talent and imagination here in America. The literary world of horror lost a fearless crusader with Laymon’s death (2001).
It is my understanding that “Endless Night” (1989) was written at a time when horror fiction was experiencing a renaissance. There is little question that the 1980’s was a marvelous period for the surging popularity of horror films. “Halloween” (1978) ushered in the mind-blowing “Alien” (1979), and the (then) shocking “Friday the 13th” (1980). “Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) following with all of the great slasher films producing sequels. Meanwhile in the 1980s Stephen King was on his way to earning the title of “King of Horror”, Clive Barker was being dubbed “the face of the future of horror”, and Laymon in the UK was pushing the boundaries of horror.
The 1980’s (when “Endless Night” was written) is considered by many to be the “First Wave” of Extreme Horror. It was pioneered by the vision of Richard Laymon and Jack Ketchum in particular. They both rejected the status quo horror novels being published by the most famous authors in the industry. Their works were outrageously dark, and both men pushed the boundaries of the horror novels of their time till they screamed. Their works were laced with depravity, explicit sex and violence, delivering graphic content in an unflinching portrayal of the faces of genuine horror and terror.
I loved reading “Endless Night”, and I stayed away from actual complete study guides on the novel and naturally avoided any synopsis or in-depth reviews. The book recounts a terrifying home invasion by a group of frightening looking bald freaks in human skin carrying barbaric weapons. Details of the attack are brutally explicit, and the terror of the two surviving young people is palpable. 16-year-old Jody is staying overnight with her best friend Evelyn. She manages to escape the murderous marauders by ingenuity, bravery, and by using brute force with a handy ball bat. I was hooked by the storyline’s treble hook of horror, terror, and fear-fueled adrenaline which saturated its opening salvo consisting of the invasion. The narrative throughout remained riveting with perfect pacing and terrific characters.
The main storyline is written in third person, and this action-packed narrative is juxtaposed with first person accounts by one of the killers. The Chapters featuring “Simon” were fascinating, laced with black humor, and totally captivating. The story featured a strong and sympathetic protagonist in the character of Jody, the 16-year-old girl who managed to escape the killers and the carnage while killing one of the intruders and saving the 12-year-old brother of her best friend.
The novel succeeded with me on every level. The frenetic pace was relentless and nerve-wracking. The musings and confessions of the sadistic predator “Simon” ratcheted up the reader’s fear for the fate of Jody, but the infused dark humor by Simon functioned as a release-valve to relieve the feelings of dread. I felt anxiety much of the time but the rapid shifts in focus between what Jody was doing to evade capture does not allow a complete release of tension for the entire duration of the narrative.
The book is at its heart a survivalist yarn and that is one of my favorite subgenres. I will admit that I had time to think about some plot twists that were unlikely but possible. That said, Laymon surprised me completely with his shocking twist at the end. I loved it.
This novel is an example of Laymon’s breaking the mold of a typical horror genre tale, and writing it laser focused on the murderous violence, cruelty, sexually explicit details and the sheer depravity of Simon the sexual predator Jody must somehow outmaneuver and stay alive.
OUTSTANDING SURVIVALIST THRILLER BY EXTREME HORROR AUTHOR LAYMON
April 24, 2014
I discovered Richard Laymon at a very young age. Once hooked, I grabbed any novel I could get my horror-seeking little hands on. I've read all but two of Laymon's works but this is the one that will always resonate with me. To this day, this still stands at #2 on my Favourite Laymon list.
Laymon really pulls out the stops in this book. At times, it feels like a Hollywood blockbuster and a gritty independent project combined. Every scene is easily imaginable due to Laymon's tempered pace, vivid imagery and realistic characters. The less experienced horror fan will put this down after a few chapters but for those who love their horror lurid, gory and extremely violent will jump in head-first. You'll also be treated to possibly the worst enemy in the Laymon back catalogue...you won't be disappointed.
A tale told from first-person and third-person, he flits effortlessly between the two perspectives and creates a genuine, pulse-pounding tension that even the hardest horror fan (me included) will find hard to forget. As the book sprints to it's unpredictable conclusion, you'd be forgiven for getting caught up in the story, the mystery and the graphic crimes that take place within. I still flinch when that axe smashes the patio doors...
Five stars then. Simply, and deservedly, because this book really tuned me into adult horror. Flesh by Laymon may have been my debut to adult horror but Endless Night was my encore. A great, gory, horrific read.
Laymon really pulls out the stops in this book. At times, it feels like a Hollywood blockbuster and a gritty independent project combined. Every scene is easily imaginable due to Laymon's tempered pace, vivid imagery and realistic characters. The less experienced horror fan will put this down after a few chapters but for those who love their horror lurid, gory and extremely violent will jump in head-first. You'll also be treated to possibly the worst enemy in the Laymon back catalogue...you won't be disappointed.
A tale told from first-person and third-person, he flits effortlessly between the two perspectives and creates a genuine, pulse-pounding tension that even the hardest horror fan (me included) will find hard to forget. As the book sprints to it's unpredictable conclusion, you'd be forgiven for getting caught up in the story, the mystery and the graphic crimes that take place within. I still flinch when that axe smashes the patio doors...
Five stars then. Simply, and deservedly, because this book really tuned me into adult horror. Flesh by Laymon may have been my debut to adult horror but Endless Night was my encore. A great, gory, horrific read.
January 4, 2021
Okay. So. Okay. Deep breaths.
I read some reviews for Laymon before I got to this, so I thought I was ready.
Narrator: “But she was not, in fact, ready.”
I think one review said you have to “throw your brain out the window” to enjoy his works. That is true. The dialogue was so cringeworthy. And really didn’t serve the overall story much. I began skimming entire portions — if I find myself doing that I usually just quit the book.
But that’s the thing, I kept reading it.
Laymon is horror junk food. I get why. He excels at moving the plot forward and using all the brutal tools at his disposal to do so.
I don’t know. I’m still disappointed somehow, despite all the warnings. Maybe I’m desensitized to the genre. Maybe my expectations were too high anyway.
Was I scared while reading this? No. Did I care about *any* of the characters? Definitely not. Was the constant sexualization of the 16-year-old female protagonist distracting and off-putting? You bet.
Will I read more Richard Laymon? SiiiiiighhhhhprobablyIguess.
I read some reviews for Laymon before I got to this, so I thought I was ready.
Narrator: “But she was not, in fact, ready.”
I think one review said you have to “throw your brain out the window” to enjoy his works. That is true. The dialogue was so cringeworthy. And really didn’t serve the overall story much. I began skimming entire portions — if I find myself doing that I usually just quit the book.
But that’s the thing, I kept reading it.
Laymon is horror junk food. I get why. He excels at moving the plot forward and using all the brutal tools at his disposal to do so.
I don’t know. I’m still disappointed somehow, despite all the warnings. Maybe I’m desensitized to the genre. Maybe my expectations were too high anyway.
Was I scared while reading this? No. Did I care about *any* of the characters? Definitely not. Was the constant sexualization of the 16-year-old female protagonist distracting and off-putting? You bet.
Will I read more Richard Laymon? SiiiiiighhhhhprobablyIguess.
September 29, 2023
When sixteen year old Jody sleeps over at her friend Evelyn’s house she gets a lot more than she bargained for. Awoken in the night by a noise, she and Evelyn go to investigate, only to discover that a home invasion is happening, with a group of men rampaging round the house. Jody grabs Evelyn’s little brother Andy and runs for her life.
Then meet Simon. He’s just your average guy. Nah not really, he’s part of the Krull gang who randomly enter houses and slaughter the entire family, just for kicks. And some of the Krull members are holding him responsible for allowing eye witnesses to escape. So Simon has a very important job to do - track Jody and Andy down and finish what they started.
The usual Laymon gore fest, but this had a decent enough plot, with plenty of tension inducing moments. A fair bit of cheesy dialogue of course, but this book is thirty years old. It kept me entertained the whole way through and despite Simon being a cold hearted killer, I actually found him quite amusing.
Then meet Simon. He’s just your average guy. Nah not really, he’s part of the Krull gang who randomly enter houses and slaughter the entire family, just for kicks. And some of the Krull members are holding him responsible for allowing eye witnesses to escape. So Simon has a very important job to do - track Jody and Andy down and finish what they started.
The usual Laymon gore fest, but this had a decent enough plot, with plenty of tension inducing moments. A fair bit of cheesy dialogue of course, but this book is thirty years old. It kept me entertained the whole way through and despite Simon being a cold hearted killer, I actually found him quite amusing.
September 21, 2023
Rather than the few chapters on gunplay that were largely unnecessary, this was a visceral, non-stop read. In my top 5 Laymon's for sure.
August 24, 2025
Jody is at a sleepover when something wakes her up. Going to investigate starts the ENDLESS NIGHT. The great thing about this Richard Laymon novel is it was smart. The violence was necessary to the killer's motivation and the victim's demise. Sometimes in horror where the violence is senseless it just irritates me.
Simon Quist is the murderer and you are told this early and let known his background and understand why he is the way he is. Wouldn't it be nice to know, that while still twisted and sick, why a killer enjoys torturing and killing? I think for what is was worth it gave me a better understanding for the violence and why Simon felt he had to do what he was doing.
What I had heard about Richard Laymon being a great horror novelist proved true in this first novel I had ever read by him. Not to heavy but just intense enough for you need a cleansing breath at the end.
2025 reread
Well *chuckles* the only thing that bothered me was Simon's sexual fixation on Jody. The killing. The gore, ok sure. When I read this years ago I think I was fairly new to gory horror. I was more into Dean Koontz at the time. I saw Dean Koontz praising this author and thought, sure, let's do this. I wasn't ready *lol*. Even now I am barely getting into Extreme horror. I am definitely a fan of Laymon and look forward to more.
Simon Quist is the murderer and you are told this early and let known his background and understand why he is the way he is. Wouldn't it be nice to know, that while still twisted and sick, why a killer enjoys torturing and killing? I think for what is was worth it gave me a better understanding for the violence and why Simon felt he had to do what he was doing.
What I had heard about Richard Laymon being a great horror novelist proved true in this first novel I had ever read by him. Not to heavy but just intense enough for you need a cleansing breath at the end.
2025 reread
Well *chuckles* the only thing that bothered me was Simon's sexual fixation on Jody. The killing. The gore, ok sure. When I read this years ago I think I was fairly new to gory horror. I was more into Dean Koontz at the time. I saw Dean Koontz praising this author and thought, sure, let's do this. I wasn't ready *lol*. Even now I am barely getting into Extreme horror. I am definitely a fan of Laymon and look forward to more.
December 7, 2013
This was one of the better Laymon books I have read lately. I was happy to find that Laymon went all out as he usually does, but there was a story to go along with it. The last couple of his I read were disappointing. Endless Night features one of the most vile, perverted and absolutely evil antagonists I can remember reading in quite some time.
The good guys were pretty likeable with the exception of Andy. I just wasn't too keen on his character, and some of the situations involving him seemed ridiculous and unnecessary to the story.
Laymon has a way of taking little side-trips in some of his novels, okay quite a few of them actually, but the one in this book was nowhere near as long and boring as some of the others. The only reason I didn't give this one five stars was because I thought the sections about Jody and Andy were pretty dry and sometimes rather pointless, while the strong segments were all the ones narrated by Simon Quirt. I don't know what kind of person I am for enjoying a serial butcher telling his story better, but there you have it. Laymon just wrote those passages with much more enthusiasm.
There were also a lot o puns and word play in this book. e.g. the villain's name. (S. Quirt)... you'll get that one if you read it.
The good guys were pretty likeable with the exception of Andy. I just wasn't too keen on his character, and some of the situations involving him seemed ridiculous and unnecessary to the story.
Laymon has a way of taking little side-trips in some of his novels, okay quite a few of them actually, but the one in this book was nowhere near as long and boring as some of the others. The only reason I didn't give this one five stars was because I thought the sections about Jody and Andy were pretty dry and sometimes rather pointless, while the strong segments were all the ones narrated by Simon Quirt. I don't know what kind of person I am for enjoying a serial butcher telling his story better, but there you have it. Laymon just wrote those passages with much more enthusiasm.
There were also a lot o puns and word play in this book. e.g. the villain's name. (S. Quirt)... you'll get that one if you read it.
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