Resurrection Dreams

by Richard Laymon

Melvin was definitely the biggest creep in Ellsworth High, and the other kids mercilessly taunted him for his odd looks and weird behaviours. Vicki was the only one to stand up for him but even she had to admit he'd gone too far when he dug up a body and attempted to bring it back to life with the aid of a car battery. — Years later Vicki still has nightmares about Melvin's "joke" and now that she's back in Ellsworth, she knows she'll have to see him again. Recently released from a mental institution, Melvin is acting stranger than ever. His experiments with the dead have progressed and as soon as he can get Vicki - or rather her body - where he wants her, he can realize his most chilling dream of all...

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Splatterpunk, Zombies, Thriller, Paranormal, Pulp

370 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1988

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

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, classic storytelling with a really weird tale by Richard Laymon. Melvin tries to re-animate a deceased class comrade with his American Miracle Machine. Public outrage follows and he's sent to an asylum. Years later, Vicky comes back to the small town as a Doctor and meets this creepy guy again. In the meantime his resurrection methods are more refined and he tries to gain Vicky as a girlfriend. You'll see how the dead deal with the living, how to kill a dead one and what's the power of hypnosis! This time Laymon isn't too focused on boobs but comes up with a fine satirical story. Okay, there are some lengths inside but it's a very remarkable book for this author. He's the master of dialogue and bizarre situation. Recommended!

[Michael Fierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Resurrection Dreams is the funniest most fun best book I ever read that helped add to the growing, gnawing, bone-crunching, lipsmacking interest in zombies that, by this point, has swept nearly everyone up into an uncontrollable off the heezy zombie frenzy that forever changed the world we know leaving in its wake a land of apocalyptic death, ruin, and destruction. A world that will NEVER be the same. EVER AGAIN.

And I've been thanking this book ever since!

And all the cool George Romero zombie flicks too. OF COURSE.

I can't think of a better trend than Zombiemania!

Even a bad zombie book can be mildly entertaining.

A great zombie book though, like this one, can be re-read over and over and be ravenously eaten up again and again.

Here's the back cover of the book in case you're one of those peoples that actually need to to know the particulars of what a zombie book is about.



~ DUDE! It's about zombies! - Isn't that enough!? ~

The opening chapter pulled me in faster than a speeding bullet to the brain! I hungered for more and more and MORE, eating up every piece and every scrap until my eyes were as red as the eyes of the dead inside.




No sense in telling you about the plot, characters, or anything else beyond what was said in the synopsis. It's a zombie book, ya feel me!? But with this particular one, you cannot possibly go wrong in reading it. And in my best Men's Warehouse George Zimmer voice, I'm gonna say:



After you've read this one, you will crave all things Richard Laymon.

The Good news!?!? You have nothing to fear. He wrote many great books. ALL of them HORROR btw.

Even his lesser works are way beyond most horror writer's best.

Mattering on your topic of interest, you can mosey your way through all the book descriptions & pick out something you really want to delve into. The Best news yet? Even the books of his you don't think sound like your cup of tea probably are anyway.

*No doubt, Laymon's maturity level never advanced beyond the age of 13. His vaseline covered infatuation with boobs, teenage girls and sex is right in line with that weird always staring long-haired rocker dude that went to 'your school' who showed up nearly every day sporting his worn out Mötley Crüe Girls Girls Girls t-shirt while perpetually wagging his tongue & devil horns hand sign atcha ala Gene Simmons- everytime you accidentally looked him in the face.



But, none of that should detract from the pleasure you will have reading this or any of his other books.

I know I will be craving the need to re-read it again & again devouring it fresh every time I do.

Hands down, it's a winner.



**Highly Recommended!!!!!

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Melvin strattonò verso l'alto le impugnature. La sedia s'inclinò in avanti, spingendo via Darlene dal sedile. Mr. Peters strillò mentre il cadavere cadeva verso di lui. Si chinò.
Darlene crollò su di lui. La testa si staccò, rotolò lungo la schiena di Mr. Peters, e cadde a faccia in giù sul filo spinato.
Melvin rivolse alla folla urlante un largo sorriso idiota.

Melvin non era mai stato esattamente lo studente più popolare della Ellsworth High, gli altri ragazzi lo prendevano in giro senza pietà per il suo aspetto bizzarro ed i suoi atteggiamenti anomali. Vicky era la sola ed unica a prendere le sue difese e a mostrargli un minimo di gentilezza, ma anche lei aveva dovuto ammettere che Melvin si era spinto davvero troppo oltre quando aveva dissotterrato il cadavere di una liceale, morta decapitata in un incidente d’auto, e aveva tentato di riportarlo in vita con l'aiuto di una batteria d'automobile nel corso dell’annuale Fiera Scientifica di Primavera. Sono passati alcuni anni e Vicky ha ancora degli orrendi incubi ricorrenti su quello che a detta di Melvin doveva essere solo un macabro scherzo. Nel frattempo Melvin è uscito da poco da un ospedale psichiatrico e a quanto pare ha continuato con i suoi esperimenti nella speranza di realizzare prima o poi il suo sogno più agghiacciante…

I Sogni della resurrezione di Richard Laymon é un romanzo assurdo e truculento, magari non tra i migliori dell’autore, ma si legge che é un piacere con il suo insano cocktail di sesso e violenza che era il marchio di fabbrica dell’autore, stavolta arricchito da un incipit fenomenale e da una atmosfera che omaggia neanche tanto velatamente il cinema horror degli anni ‘80, al punto che sembra quasi di leggere la trasposizione letteraria di un film mai uscito al cinema, perché ritenuto troppo estremo dai distributori, diretto da Brian Yuzna o Stuart Gordon impreziosito dagli, vera o propria ciliegina sulla torta, effetti speciali surreali e truculenti dello specialista Screaming Mad George, vera e propria icona del cinema gore dell’epoca.

Non contento, Laymon butta su carta un villain disturbato ed inquietante a metà tra l’Herbert West interpretato da Jeffrey Combs nella spassosa saga cinematografica di Re-Animator, il disturbato protagonista dell’intenso Martin (1976) di George Romero, ed un imbranato George McFly uscito dall’inferno, al punto che mentre leggevo mi immaginavo voce e fattezze di Melvin uguali a quelle di Crispin Glover, attore assurto alla gloria con la trilogia di Ritorno al Futuro, ma anche interprete o addirittura protagonista in più di un film dell’orrore.

Ed i sogni orribili di Vicky sembrano essere usciti pari pari dall’ immenso primo Nightmare - Dal profondo della notte (1984), di Wes Craven: per non lasciare dubbi al riguardo, nel corso del libro verrà fuori che la casa di Melvin sta guarda caso in una “Elm Street”, ed uno dei personaggi secondari si chiama proprio Wes. Coincidenze? Non credo proprio.

Tornando finalmente al libro, dopo questa lunga divagazione sul cinema horror americano, questo I Sogni della resurrezione è un racconto che si legge tutto d'un fiato o quasi, con un doppio incipit assurdo, disgustoso e fenomenale, ed un crescendo di colpi di scena che tiene incollati a leggere fino all’ultima pagina, in una originale ed appassionante storia a metà tra slasher e genere zombie 100% Laymon-style: per dire, dove altro troverete mai, a parte qualche parodia pornografica di cattivo gusto, dei morti viventi i cui appetiti e desideri verso la carne umana non si limitano decisamente al solo mangiarla…

Purtroppo il finale è stato più che deludente per me, fin troppo lontano da quell’ esplosiva conclusione che mi stavo ormai pregustando, quasi come se l’autore ormai a corto di idee avesse tirato i remi in barca ed amen.
Per non parlare della protagonista e dell’intero cast di comprimari, decisamente sottotono rispetto al succitato antagonista, un folle psicopatico rianimatore di cadaveri per il quale alla fine si arriva quasi, ma non troppo, a parteggiare.

Purtroppo, come altri libri di Richard Laymon che ho letto in italiano, anche questo pubblicato dalla Fanucci Editore nel lontano 1996, che stava fin da allora ad ammuffire e a prendere polvere sugli scaffali ormai prossimi a crollare della mia libreria, e che ho finalmente letto per una sfida invernale con un gruppo qui su Goodreads, non è esente da refusi e qualche piccolo ma perdonabile problema in fase di adattamento: le “maschere da sci” citate verso la fine, traduzione letterale di "ski masks" dall’inglese, sono in realtà dei ben diversi, ed appropriati alla scena in cui compaiono, passamontagna.

«Ancora morta?» le chiese.
Lei non si mosse. Si limitò a fissare lo schermo televisivo vuoto.
«Ultimo appello per il ritorno,» disse lui.
Niente.
«Parla adesso, o tacerai per sempre. Ti seppellirò. Vuoi che ti seppellisca?»
Niente.
«Okay. Hai avuto la tua occasione.»
Prese un'ultima manciata di popcorn. La masticò, si gettò il cadavere sulle spalle e si diresse verso il garage.

Tre stelle e mezzo, ma se lo avessi letto almeno una ventina di anni fa, magari in lingua originale e senza refusi, gliene avrei date probabilmente anche quattro.

[Jonathan Janz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was bat-excrement insane. But that's why we read Laymon. There's a creep of an antagonist. A hot/smart protagonist (with a hot/sorta smart friend). There's a bizarre premise that would only work in a Laymon novel.

And of course there's Richard Laymon's inimitable style.

If you're looking for a pleasant Sunday drive, stay far away from this book. If you feel like being strapped to the hood of a muscle car and driven off a cliff, read RESURRECTION DREAMS.

That is all.

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amusingly vile take on the back from the grave plot. Laymon takes twisted delight in creating Melvin, a junk food ingesting geek with an all consuming desire to bring back a woman from the dead. He uses old tomes with recipes/spells to bring the dead back to life but never truly believes it’ll work (we would’ve heard about on the news if were possible, wouldn’t we?!). Somehow his most recent *recipe* works and then the fun begins because he’s unprepared to deal with the consequences. It’s quite entertaining in a morbid, dark-humor kind of way.

Vicki was unfortunate enough to witness Melvin’s first attempt at resurrection when they were teens at the same high school and has had horrible nightmares ever since. Now she’s a doctor and headed back to her home town and decides (quite ridiculously, if you ask me) to visit Melvin who owns the local gas station. Melvin always liked Vicki because she was the only person who was nice to him as a teen. Now that Vicki is all grown up Melvin likes Vicki a whole lot more and develops an unhealthy obsession and starts some serious stalker-like behavior.

Vicki and her friend Ace decide the only way to end Melvin’s obsession with Vicki is to shatter the illusion. So these two brainiacs concoct a plan where Vicki will “date” Melvin thus shattering his dreams of the perfect “dream girl” once he realizes Vicki isn’t entirely inaccessible to him. Yeah, that will work . . . This, of course, only allows Melvin closer access to her life and causes more trouble (and more grossities)

I found this book extremely funny and was especially amused at all of the perverted men populating the story. The thing that cracked me up the most was the “resurrected” people who all came back as raving sex fiends. Eyeballs gouged out? Hands burned to a crisp? Half a noggin’ gone missing? Fear not, in this book one can still get excited and easily grab the nearest breast with nearly a fumble.

For those who care about such things be warned that this book would’ve benefited by another round of the red pen. See page 109 for example. Two characters are in the same room talking about trivial things like biting hands and such when in the next sentence (not chapter) they’re suddenly in separate rooms and it seems like we’ve missed a huge section of naughty goings-on. Hey, I want to know why all of the good stuff went missing! It was disconcerting and jarred me right out of the story.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread October 21 notes. Of any author I have read, Laymon consistently gets the most mixed reviews from my GR friends. RD is one of my favorite Laymon novels, but clearly not every ones. This book is bat shit crazy in a very good way. It has Laymon's trademark twisty plot for sure, and of course some pervy characters (Melvin being the prime example here). This is a fun and fast read! 4 splatterpunk stars!

A very vivid, gory and funny splatterpunk novel by Laymon. I would call this splatstick if it were a horror movie, and it would make a great B flick. Our two main protagonists-- Melvin and Vicki-- knew each other in high school. Melvin, the quintessential nerd and loser, has something of a friend with Vicki, or at least, she does not tease him and even defends him occasionally. Melvin, in a quest for revenge against the world, brings a recently dead student to the science fair (under wraps-- his big surprise) and attempts to resurrect her with a car battery; this gets him tossed in a loony bin for awhile. Meanwhile, Vicki fulfills her dream of becoming a M.D., and returns to her hometown to share a practice. Melvin has been released and now runs a gas station. It seems Melvin still has the hots for Vicki, and his dreams of resurrection finally come true after many, many attempts, which accounts for the several missing women around town. The 'zombies' he finally creates are intelligent, but have no prior memories, and are also in love with Melvin and will do whatever he wants. His first zombie, a former nurse, he uses as a lover even though she has a tendency to bite during orgasm. Melvin decides that he wants Vicki, live or dead.

This novel is lots of fun, in a really morbid, macabre way, and surely not for everyone. First published in 1989, it definitely is a paper back from hell. It reminded me of Edward Lee's work, with the sex aspect slightly toned down. I have read a few Laymon novels before and was not too impressed; Resurrection Dreams has rekindled my interest to say the least.

[Cody | CodysBookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was only my second Richard Laymon novel, and I loved it! I guess I’m now a certifiable Laymon fan.

What makes this novel such a success is the twists: Laymon misguided me more than once, only to pull the rug out from beneath my feet at the most crucial moment. It works as not only a horror story, but a thriller.

This tale of unrequited love, obsession, and playing God is a dark one — arguably the darkest story I’ve read this year — and it is not for the faint of heart. It’s filled to the brim with body mutilations and gore and rape. If that isn’t your speed, you might want to skip this book (and Laymon altogether). As for me, I had the time of my life; it was the adrenaline rush I needed.

There isn’t much else I can say. This is a sharp knife to the heart, and Laymon has no mercy. And the reader is all the better for it. My highest recommendation.

[Charlene (Char)🍁☕️📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago and I have it in paperback! Honestly Laymon is a really good writer and any books I see of his I buy. This moon is about a man named Melvin and he tends to walk a fine line between creepy and weird. Vicki have always stood up for Melvin years later she returns home and Melvin is still creepy but has it’s eyes on Vicki. This is a good read a bit slow in the beginning but it picks up !

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the mood for some mindless blood and guts reanimated corpse sex slave killing spree fun. This one fit the bill nicely. Laymon’s good like that.

Blue ribbon science fair experiments, headless weeny chewing girlfriends, reanimated hotties, plenty of inappropriate fondling and black magic body mods. Let the good times roll!

[Kurt Reichenbaugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm hit and miss with Laymon. I discovered his books back in the early 90's when you could still find one or two ratty paperbacks of his 2nd hand. I think I like the setup of his books more than the delivery. I get that they're grindhouse type slasher horror. I get that they're not to be taken seriously. But still, when characters and protagonists don't behave in realistic ways amid the mayhem and gore it takes you out of the story. With this novel, there is a good dose of supernatural shenanigans rather than just psycho-perv stuff. There are still plenty of psycho-perv elements to the book. Lots of rumps and nipples as usual. Everyone is driven by lust and hormones. That's all fun in small doses, but it does get draining after 400 pages. I can see where some of the plot is played for laughs, but it's kind of like laughing at a bunch of old "dead baby" jokes after awhile. Listen to me. I sound like a stuffy old stick-up-the-ass reader. Ah well...this one has zombies and rumps and boobs. And a pervert psycho. Happy Halloween y'all.

[Adam Light · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, but not one of the breast Laymon books I have ever read. Oh geez, I have to watch that, its just that sometimes I accidentally slip one in like that.
Melvin is the poster boy for goofy villains. He has two obsessions; Vicki, the only girl that was ever nice to him in high school (the lesson there is never be nice to the weird guy), and bringing people back from the dead.
Both of these fetishes are going to cause an undue amount of grief for a lot of people, but Melvin could honestly care less about the consequences of his actions. It is all simply a means to an end for this guy. All he wants is Vicki to like him.
To love him.
And, yes, to have sex with him.
I enjoyed the characters and the over-the-top humor Laymon injected into this story.
I laughed aloud a couple of times.
The sex and gore content was especially high in RESURRECTION DREAMS, so it gets three starts for the strong attempt by the author to raise the bar on his patented formula, but for me it disintegrated into a non-cohesive disaster overall.
I won't spoil anything, but it was going along quite nicely and then I just don't know what happened. I see other reviewers that stated this one was a posthumous release. I know that isn't true, but it FEELS like it could be... like this one was not quite cooked long enough, so it was still a little too pink in the middle...
I am a big fan, but the best thing about this one was Melvin, a fairly memorable villain, and Charlie - he was well done, too.

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5, rounded down.

When you tell someone that a Laymon book was wild, they're probably not going to be surprised, but this one goes the extra mile, and ends up being in his top 5 for me. The plot is even more ludicrous than most of his work, and he's populated the book with fun characters (a female lead who isn't an idiot is pretty novel for Dick) like the main character's best friend "Ace" and one of Laymon's kookiest villains as well, which is saying something. This one is full bedlam, and has everything you want from a Laymon novel.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Laymon knows a thing or two about writing creepy characters and twisted tales and Resurrection Dreams is no different.

Melvin, a troubled teen shocks his fellow classmates at a science fair when he unveils his latest experiment; the attempted reincarnation of a recently deceased classmate. Shortly thereafter he’s taken in by the authorities and we don’t see the character until he’s an adult, reformed and released back into the general population. That’s when the carnival of horrors really kicks in.

Graphic scenes of pure unadulterated gore smear the pages from the violent beginning which sets the tone for the remainder of the book. Richard Laymon spares no detail as his creepy antagonist spreads his tentacles of madness into the orifices of his unsuspecting victims (visual and kinda gross - I know). Even though the horror is clear and present, it’s the danger of the human mind that’s the scariest part of the book. Melvin’s infatuation with Vicki is a distinctly one-sided love story which spawns some truly memorable macabre moments.

My only bugbear with Resurrection Dreams is Richard Laymon’s obsessive compulsion to write at length about the breasts of his female characters. Towards the end of the book this become more prominent to the point of distraction. I get the 80’s and 90’s sex charged horror sub theme, making the mass market fiction read r-rated but there’s point where it damages the book; that didn’t happen here, but it was close. 4.5/5 stars.

[Addy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was another success for Richard Laymon. It was gruesome and actually quite funny. A unique take on zombies and one's sadistic way of resurrecting the dead. Action packed and likeable characters, this one will get your heart pumping. The ending was a little disappointing but overall it made do. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves horror.

[Kasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1988 this book starts off sounding unlike Laymon in many ways but by the time I got sucked into it I appreciated the book for what it was. Published after his untimely death in 2001 the story came out without his final editing but still a good read, especially for the die hard fans. This is certainly not his best book but I enjoyed it, the suspense kept on building up and made me twist in my seat, wondering what is going to happen next.

After finishing medical school Vicki Chandler comes back to her hometown of Ellsworth as a doctor to take up a job at her local medical clinic. She has mixed feelings after finishing high school and college to be back home but she is in debt to the clinic's owner who gave her money for her studies and decides to grin and bear it as she pays back her loans. Her memories flood back with her arrival, her best friend Ace still living and working in the city, Paul - her long lost love haunts her memories because she knows she will never see him again here and Melvin, the geek with bizarre hobbies is back to drooling over her the same way he did back in high school.

Many things have changed since the high school days. Back then Melvin was obsessed with resurrecting the dead and would dig up bodies form graves. These days he no longer robs graves, he finds himself fresh live victims and does unthinkable things to them. Unfortunately for Vicki, she is back just when his experiments are starting to bring results and he wants her, first dead then brought back to life and his forever.

There is so much more to this story that I can afford to tell, because I read it only knowing the basic story line and really enjoyed the twists and turns. Melvin tried his best to woo Vicky, even though she found him repulsive and was nice only to get him off her back as he meddled in her life, killing of friends and anyone she crosses paths with to bring her closer to him. The characters were well developed and even the minor ones stood out; watch out for Patricia, the mad woman steals half the show! The book follows Vicki around as she goes to work and tries to date again only to have Melvin follow her and disturb her plans, many times barely letting her get away with her life.

The ending was brought together but without an explosive finish I was expecting. Overall it tied up the loose ends but few things jumped up to the surface too abruptly and complicated the matters. I liked the book enough to give it 4 stars, mostly because when I thought everyone was safe, something else would happen and stir up the story, keeping me on my toes!

[Brendon Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even for Laymons standards, this one is bonkers crazy. Reanimated corpses, horny doctors, bad ass roommates, and sleazy cops. It had it all in typical Laymon style. One of his better books.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 3 out of 5]

People praise Laymon like he is the messiah of Horror; so far my experiences with him have been hit and miss.

The plot is cheesy, childishly simple, and mainly predictable. Predictable, cheesy, simple plots can be enjoyed, of course, but one usually expects a bit more from Laymon. The idea that Melvin can really do what he does is outlandish enough; a reader learns to suspend a certain amount of disbelief, but the way it came to play here seemed a bit overdone. Also, what was the purpose? You would figure he’d want to show the world now that he had proof.

The characters are real enough, likeable in their own way, even Melvin, who the author made sure you felt sorry for while still making sure you couldn’t help getting amused by his gawkiness. Laymon didn’t go overboard with the sexual lust and wanting here, but he did manage to anger me with the ending concerning a few of the characters. The beginning was fine, with some shocks and thrills, the middle held up well enough pacing wise and the ending, while strongly written, didn’t sit with me well.

Laymon’s writing style is direct, humorous, and dark when it’s meant to be. Regretfully he left any semblance of suspense and genuine horror out the door, instead opting for some cheaper gross out factors, not even dishing that out much.

This isn’t a Laymon book I’d recommend highly, but I wouldn’t tell Laymon fans to pass it up. It’s not bad, it’s more lukewarm – nothing to get excited and ga-ga over, but not something that would entirely spoil an evening either.

[Dead Inside · Rating 4 out of 5]

“She had not only torn her clothes and skin, she had put up such a struggle against the demons of her nightmare that she had pitched herself into the river. The body heals, why not the mind? Could the mind get worse instead of better?”

[Dez Nemec · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different take on the zombie book. Oh this was so much fun!

[Иван Величков · Rating 5 out of 5]

Сега, да си имате предвид, че тези пет звездички са пет за Леймън, щото романът по никакъв начин не е шедьовър, освен в типичният за автора боклучарски, екстремно брутален стил. Ама пък, моите вкусове кога ли са били критерий.

Баси, този път Леймън ме отнесе. Още от „Безкрайна нощ” и „След полунощ” знам, че когато не си играе за обем и ползва една единствена сюжетна линия, чичо Дик умее да градира напрежението, благодарение на афинитета си към изненадващи ситуации. Тук обаче направо е надминал себе си. След обичайните му щуротии в първата половина на книгата, действието се забързва и буквално те оставя без дъх до края. Щом даже започнах да си градя сценарии в главата, които до един се сринаха пред болната фантазия на Леймън.

Този път сюжетът ще е по-накратко, за да не развалям кефа на тези, които още не са го чели.
Вики е тридесетгодишна жена, която се завръща в родното си градче след години следване на медицина. Тя е обещала да работи за местния доктор, за да си изплати заема, който той и е отпуснал за следването.
Още с влизането си в града се среща с Мелвин – бивш съученик и пълно хахо, лежал десет години в кукавичарника, заради „научен” експеримент от гимназията с изровеното тяло на починала тяхна съученичка. Експеримент, който още кара Вики да сънува кошмари. Тя е единствената, която някога се е държала добре със смотаняка Мелвин, което го кара да лапне нездраво по нея.
На всичкото отгоре хахото не е спрял да се прави на Виктор Франкенщайн и покрай града редовно изчезват млади момичета. И всичко можеше да е в рамките на нормално гадното, ако един от опитите на Мелвин не беше дал резултат. Сега той е готов на всичко да направи Вики щастлива, а има и зомбита, които да му помогнат.

Тази е първата прочетена от мен книга на Леймън в която всички герои са прескочили тридесетака. Доста изненадан бях да видя типичния за тази възраст цинизъм да прокапва отровно между редовете. Иначе книгата си има всичките психопати, канибали, изнасилвания (включително групово от зомбита такова), брутални до сатира убийства, вулгарен език и прочие, както си му е редът.
Бодвам си го при зомби апокалипсисите, въпреки че няма такъв. Или може би е началото на един, но Леймън не обича продълженията особено много.

Изводи:
Не правете мили очи на нърдовете, освен аок не смятате да си ги вземете за отглеждане.
Не се бутайте да помагате на куките, защото са шувенистични прасета.
Не разкривайте на непознати къде живеете, на познати също.
Не плувайте нощем в реката.
Не се привързвайте към домашните зомбита, особено ако налитат да хапят.
Timeo danaos et dona ferentes.

[Melanie Bouthillette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Laymon is the GOAT. I'm on a Laymon kick right now and really enjoying the ride for a second time.

This story has it all

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going to mark spoilers ahead because... I have to say something and only explaining the novel you get it.

Well as I finish the last a hundred pages in one sitting waiting for my medical appointment I felt cheated.. let me explain why... basically this novel we follow Vicki as she is going back to her small town to me a doctor. She has a friend, Alice, which she has been friends since highschool. In this tale we also follow Melvin. He is a crazy guy with a fetishes to resurrect people.. he tried doing on a science fair and was sent to the loony bin. A decade later or less he is out and taking care of a gas station but secretly killing people to follow his dreams. Can't fault a person for following dreams, right?

So he is smitten, obsessed with Vickie because she defended him one time against a bully. So his ultimate goal? Resurrect someone and if he can do it, then Vickie.

Vickie meanwhile is starting anew, she has some demons on her , we are never really focus on them , we don't know for concrete and hey at least it's not a perfect character (lol).

Every time he meets a guy he is pig. Her former tenant , a police chief (former) is also a pig and being a piggy he harassed her. On that day he finds death at the hands of Melvin... no? Patrícia, the nurse? Okay... ah Patrícia the nurse his the first success on the resurrection dream and it works. It's alive!! And perfect, not rotten at all, still fucking and now totally obedient to Melvin (muqhaha) and she is a perfect body.. but Melvin wants more..he wants Vickie. So he do stuff for her... Her not knowing.

Until she meets jack, another perfect character. A lawyer who she ends up to the fiddle... (I mean fvck). Melvin is upset and plots to have her brought to her. Oh ace was stabbed by Melvin several times but she is fine, don't worry.

After capturing he tries to kill her and resurrect her. But Patrícia don't want to share so she kills Melvin with help of 2 police officer, they had kill ( and she brought them back) . Instead of biting to have more zombies you use magic.. way easier.. biting btw don't work.

Why didn't Patricia killed Vickie? Well because...shut up.
She is then seen on her own, doing some stretches and meet her former lover Paul who, was travelling around the world but knew about this, well because... and then fall in love again and they live ever yafter together...

So what happened to Patricia and the rest of the gang? Well they continuing eating people. The end.


First of all if you've read more than one of Laymon books you know he falls into the same stuff everytime. Female main character, HOT & perfect. IF this was a D&D she would always be a lawful good paladin kind of person. The bad guys are always bad and always go the either way around - chaotic (maybe neutral) evil and usually a bit crazy. There is always sex scenes - awkward some. In this he was kind moderate. There was no rape, well maybe who knows... if someone dies and now must do the bidding (partly) of the guy who brought her back and have sex and she enjoys it (her words) is it rape? And then in all books there are plot armor, deus ex-machina stuff and our main character, although may suffer, never dies and in the it's okay.

So I will rate this 6/10
This was my 14 book by Laymon Read. Let see my favorite...

The woods are Dark 9.5
Dreadfuil Tales 9
The Cellar 8
One Rainy Night 8
Out are the Light 7.5
Flesh 7
The Beast House 6.5
Resurrection Dreams 6
NightShow 6
In the Dark 6
Beware 6
All Hallows Eve 4
Midnight's Lair 4
Endless Night 3

[Richard K. Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch out Vicki Chandlers of the world....there is that weirdo Melvin following you!! 1988's Vintage Horror from Richard Laymon will disturb you...and in the most 'resurrecting of ways!' Get ready to be grossed out! I LOVED it!

It is your final year in high school, and the school creepy guy's name is Melvin, and he is obsessed with all things DEAD! Vicki Chandler is the only girl in school who is nice to Melvin maybe because she see's something in him that no one else does, and she feels kinda sorry for him. She attends the Science Fair along with some of her girlfriends, and this is a night that NO one in Ellsworth will EVER forget.....because Melvin is playing God, and Dr. Frankenstein both at the same time......are you ready for Resurrection Dreams? It has been well over 40 years since this came out, and I had completely forgotten how messed up and gory this blast from the past was and how much i LOVED it! Do you have a stomach for the insane and sickness of Melvin and his obsessions?

The town of Ellsworth is about to be 'shocked' and I do not mean that as a jab to what is about to happen on the night of the fair.....but in the first chapter of Laymon's sick and twisted tale of dead tissue we are subjected to witnessing the most disturbing of car crashes EVER in the pages of blood. This crash involves a completely naked dead man, his also naked girlfriend, well at least her cut off head............and she is holding in her mouth the chewed off penis of her boyfriend!!

It is the night of the Science Fair and Melvin is the star of the fair, well he is about to be here in a minute. He literally shocks and sickens the town as they witness him to try to bring a local girl back from the dead with the battery cables of a car battery, and his obsession with electrical currents!!
Forget anything that you ever read in Mary Shelley's classic 'Frankenstein'! Melvin is about to become THE maddest of 'Mad Scientists' EVER!! He is arrested and sent to the local mental hospital after this horror show.

This is pure Laymon all the way! Now, if you are not a fan of the horror of (or if you have never ever read him, this is the one to pick up!) Richard Laymon, let me tell you that his usual foray into sex and gore does actually work very well in this one! Melvin's obsession with just wanting to be loved by the most gorgeous girl in school is the best in Resurrection Dreams, and at times it makes you feel sorry for this sicko.

Vicki returns to her hometown of Ellsworth after graduation from college to work at the local hospital/clinic due to owing debts to the head medical doctor because he helped pay her tuitions to school and college. All she wants is to date again, and fall in love; Maybe! But Melvin is always there following her; giving her cars; and trying to be friends again.....you know, a boy never gets over his first love, remember Norman Bates? lol. As Vicki picks up her past with best friend 'Ace' she realizes that Melvin's return to Ellsworth was not what she was looking forward to upon her arrival 'home' as we say. Now, i want to warn you about Patricia......where ever there is madness in the male species, there has to be one in the female species too! This was classic Laymon!! I am not usually the number one fan of 'Zombie fiction' (can this even be called this, or just call it Sick Obsession with the dead!!) but this was a blast, and I highly recommend it to any fan of disgusting but oh, so much fun in Horror!! 4.5 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️.😱

[✟Roxanne✟(Death by Book Avalanche) ☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laymon has to be one of my favourite writers. Great story!

[Aaron Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laymons fun take on zombie horror with some great twists I didn't see coming. This book is a blast from start to finish. When Laymons on form he's seriously entertaining.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read a Laymon novel, you know what you're getting into
and this novel certainly is in keeping with that. Vicki Chandler returns home to Ellsworth after finishing medical school, even has a job lined up at the local doctor's clinic, but doesn't look forward to seeing Melvin Dobbs again. You see, Melvin owns and operates the town gas station and garage. But he's also known for his crazy high school stunt, when Vicki went to school with him, in which he'd attempted to resurrect a dead cheer leader during a science fair. Needless to say, Vicki doesn't care to see him again after all these years, even though she'd defended him in the past from school bullies. But they meet and Melvin is still creepy...and has a serious crush on her. And he'll do anything...anything...to have her all to himself.

Laymon is at his plot-twisting, perverse best with this gorefest involving reanimated corpses and undying love, of a sort. Nice hook at the novel's conclusion, perfect summertime...or anytime, good reading!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could have been in the room when Laymon was working on this one. I picture him drinking Pepsi, eating trail-mix, and having a few chuckles. I had a few chuckles too while reading this. It is one of the more humorous tales from the Laymonverse. And while I thought it was a huge amount of fun, by the end of it I was ready for something else. The amount of stupid decisions by Vicki, our heroine, was really irritating towards the end. Now we all know that stupid decisions are part of the fun in Richard Laymon's books, but when the damaged young female protagonist is purposefully setting up dates with the weird, creepy serial killer/mad scientist/dark sorcerer, just so she can get information from him, then we need to quickly wrap this up. But no . . . . it went on and on. But it's still a great, creepy tale and I do recommend it.

[Cujo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zombie story that doesn't involve an outbreak due to a virus, pathogen, or Government weapon. In fact, this is more of a classic zombie story with the deceased being brought back to life by a master, with the use of black magic or Voodoo. The zombies are intelligent and retain their motor skills and are extremely hard to kill. Or re-kill

This book reminded me a little of Frankenstein and a lot of the Super Natural TV series episode, "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things". The story and pacing were good, but I'm noticing a repeating theme with this authors female protagonists in that they seem to "Fall in Love" very quickly and easily. Another issue I had with this was the ending. It seems to end teasing a sequel, and I hope that is the case because if not, the ending was extremely weak

[Vaelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly the weakest Laymon book I've read to date.

However plenty of quirky and WTF moments within the story still made it enjoyable

[Mike (Hail Horror Hail) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wild and unhinged Laymon.