The Richard Laymon Collection, Volume 6: Funland / Stake

Richard Laymon Collection #6

by Richard Laymon

Genres: Horror

896 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 2006

About the author

Richard 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

Reviews

[Tex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume 6 of the Richard Laymon Collection contains the originally published versions of the novels “Funland” and “The Stake”.

“Funland” surrounds a seaside town with a history of people disappearing. When a group of teenagers decide to take matters into their own hands they get more than they bargained for.

“The Stake” is about a horror author who finds a body with a wooden stake in its chest. There’s only one way to find out if it was a gruesome murder or a vampire slain! Do you pull out the stake...?

Overall “Funland” was kinda, how can I put it...dumb. The story was patchy at best, too many unanswered and unexplained events, and the characters were just a little bit too cliche. There was one clever little bit at the end but it was unfortunately too little too late. On its own “Funland” would be lucky to scrape up two stars.

“The Stake” saves the omnibus to a degree with a cleverly written vampire tale. One sticking point for me though was the absolutely pointless subplot concerning the main character’s daughter and her teacher and friends. It was almost as if Laymon didn’t trust himself to maintain the reader’s attention by focussing on the main story. The subplot could have easily been removed, saved the reader about 100 pages, and would not have impacted upon the story.

Apart from that “The Stake” was a well written story with mystery and suspense, well developed characters and their interrelationships, some well placed humour, and a satisfying ending.

While “The Stake” was certainly a decent read it didn’t do enough on its own to cover the horrible mess that was “Funland”..

Vol 6 of the Laymon Collection a collective 3 severed arteries spouting blood out of 5.

[Ryder Kinlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another classic from the grandfather of splatterpunk. You can't go wrong with a Laymon book.

[B Grice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect double act. Funland, albeit longer than Stake... still a fast paced edge of your seat ride. Followed nicely by the second book in this duo. Both are easy reads full of detail and darkness.