Il lato oscuro dell'anima

by Joe R. Lansdale, Umberto Rossi (Translator)

Una Chevrolet nera del '66 è in viaggio verso il Texas del nord. A bordo, una banda di teppisti con l'unico desiderio di seminare terrore e morte e compiere un'orribile vendetta.

Il rapporto tra Becky e Monty sta vivendo un periodo di profonda crisi. A dividerli, l'incapacità dell'uomo di affrontare la terribile violenza subita dalla moglie qualche tempo prima. I due decidono di trascorrere l'inverno in una baita di montagna per tentare di ricucire la loro relazione, ma il passato riaffiora prepotentemente con la notizia che uno degli assalitori di Becky si è suicidato in carcere. Una morte di cui proprio la donna è ritenuta colpevole, e per la quale il branco esige vendetta. Così, a bordo di una Chevrolet del '66, viaggia un gruppo di teppisti, decisi ad assediare il rifugio montano della coppia e punirla...

Forte e intensissimo romanzo del terrore, Il lato oscuro dell'anima è un thriller psicologico, scritto con un linguaggio e uno stile non convenzionali, in cui la vivida immaginazione di Joe R. Lansdale condensa scene di sesso, violenza e panico incontrollato, portando alla luce il terribile volto di un'America fatta di chi vive ai margini della società, rispettando regole proprie e credendo nei legami di sangue.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Splatterpunk, Audiobook, Americana

287 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.

He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

Reviews

[Dave Edmunds · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

"Joe gets into some cold, dark places here, and perhaps he's nastier in this one than he really needs to be, restraint was something he was still learning when he wrote it." - Dean Koontz

So you want some old fashioned, blood and guts, b-movie horror that pushes your boundaries. Step right up and look no further than Joe R Lansdale's Nightrunners.

I've really gotten into this author in 2021.  After starting with "The Bottoms," a brilliant coming of age mystery, and then reading two fantastic short story collections, I recently finished the magnificent western drama "Paradise Sky."  That was enough to make me a firm fan of this author.  So this time I wanted to go back to Joe's roots in the month of October with one of his early efforts.  After watching a YouTube review by the Paperback Maniac, I decided this was perfect for the Halloween season.  A disturbing, bloodthirsty scarefest by all accounts. Perfect!

"The pot of blood on the stove of Hell had just begun to boil."

So how did this one measure up to those other previously mentioned titles that I've had the pleasure of digesting?  Well one thing's for sure.  Lansdale has grown and developed as a writer since penning this one.  That's not to say I didn't enjoy it.  It was a hell of a lot of fun.  But there's a fair bit lacking in this one in comparison to what comes later in the Lansdale bibliography.



This one centres around the aftermath of a rape, in which Becky Jones suffers at the hands of Clyde Edson.  Haunted by the events and struggling to recover, her husband Monty plans to take her away to a remote cabin in the woods.  Where nothing could possibly go wrong.  Well, if you've watched enough movies like Straw Dogs and Last House on the Left you'll have an idea what's in store for the Joneses.

Lansdale's writing is raw, brutal and to be honest pretty darn good, even at this early stage in his career.  But for me it's lacking in characterisation...and you know how important those characters are for me.  The two protagonists are pretty cardboard and are basically there as a focal point for those dastardly villains to terrorise.  A supernatural element is added to spice things up, but this sometimes comes across as a little bit silly.

"His eyes were watered with tears, but they were not tears of remorse, sadness or pain; they were fostered by the cool October wind and the rapid movement of the car. There was no room left inside Brian for idle tears, not anymore."

The novel exhibits the early promise that Lansdale had as an author in terms of its raw balls to the wall style that he uses to drive the narrative. But it lacks the literary craft he's honed throughout his career.  The narrative structure and quality of prose that are a real feature of later novels like the Bottoms are sadly lacking in this one.

But it all depends what you're after.  If what want is intense, fast paced scares that takes you on a ride through the Texas landscape in a '66 Chevy then you won't be disappointed. Just switch of your brain and don't set your sights too high and you'll no doubt have a good time.

[Evans Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book did not disappoint.

I'm not sure exactly where The Nightrunners lies in Lansdale's chronology, but that it is one of his earlier works is a frequently-mentioned fact. Although somewhat uneven in style and tone (especially through the middle section), this book is written with such a hunger and raw passion that I can't imagine any fan of Lansdale's horror not loving this one.

The language drips with creativity, and even though the end wasn't as wildly inventive as I expected coming from Lansdale, it still certainly satisfied. Overall a nice mix of vivid imagery, violence and the supernatural.

A 5-star must-read for any true horror fan.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars for The Nightrunners (audiobook) by Joe R. Lansdale read by Brad Sanders.

This is a rather brutal story. After reading several of the author’s books I’m still surprised by the dark and disturbing places he is willing to go.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most explicit and brutal books I ever came across. It's about a group of evil rapists doing mischief in a small town. The content of the book is disgusting, you really hope for the evildoers to find a hard and cruel ending. Well written, fast paced, absolute plausible language for the characters depicted. Be aware if you see a 66 Chevy at night cruising around. Nothing good will come from that. You will run through the pages of that book, not only by night, believe me! Recommended!

[Ajeje Brazov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ogni ventisei minuti viene ammazzato qualcuno in qualche parte degli Stati Uniti. (Dato statistico)

Così cita nella parte terza di questo romanzo l'autore. Ma pensateci su un attimo ogni mezz'ora, come la campana di una qualsiasi chiesa che suona la sentenza di morte violenta per un'anima che si è trovata al posto sbagliato nel momento sbagliato. Inquietante!
Così Big Joe ci racconta una storia di quelle appena sopra citate ed una storia agghiacciante, violenta di degrado morale, sociale e soprattutto mentale.
I personaggi sono molteplici e ben caratterizzati, con il solito stile secco, asciutto e senza peli sulla lingua, anche se io penso, anzi credo fermamente, che la realtà superi e di gran lunga la fantasia.
La copertina mi aveva sempre inquietato, ma allo stesso tempo non ne capivo il significato e per più di metà libro rimane quell'alone d'incertezza e disorientamento, che mi lascia con un punto interrogativo sopra la testa. Passata però la metà, il significato di tutto l'arcano viene proprio spiattellato in faccia senza mezze misure, com'è solito fare Lansdale ed in questo è davvero insuperabile.
Un altro spettacolare romanzo splatterpunk/slasher, sulla stessa falsa riga di "Atto d'amore" e "Il valzer dell'orrore", anzi forse molto di più!

Il governo e i gestori della riserva avevano trasformato quel posto in una pagliacciata. Prendete la visita alla riserva, metteteci sopra il ristorante schifoso, aggiungeteci Becky che stava male, e adesso pure quei maledettissimi sogni, e vi ritroverete col 29 ottobre che scivola in terra come una grande e deprimente cagata.

Tempo fa mi ha detto che se ci fosse una carestia, ci sarebbe un po' di caos, ma la maggior parte della gente ragionerebbe e cercherebbe di cooperare.
Be' questo è proprio il film di Bambi. Forse una volta sarà anche stato così. Ma l'uomo è una bestia carnivora, e penso che se uno cercasse di fermare un branco di gente affamata ed esasperata finirebbe con le suole delle scarpe stampate in testa e forse mezzo mangiato.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! I've been a Lansdale fan for years, mostly due to his weird western work. This is a not a weird western, but I was blown away by it.

This is almost like a supernatural version of the book (and movie) Straw Dogs. You have this group of teens, (the leader possessed by an evil entity), terrorizing a couple in a remote cabin. This is definitely not for the faint of heart, as it's quite graphic. It's also very powerful. It has one of the best climactic endings I've ever read. I was literally holding my breath as I was turning the pages. Just a very well done novel on many levels.

If you like suspenseful horror and don't mind some graphic material, you'll love this one.

[paper0r0ss0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo e' Lansdale!!! Diretto, crudele, violento e ironicamente compiaciuto. Nessuno spazio per il politicamente corretto e per il perbenismo. Come sempre scritto molto bene, anche senza una particolare originalita', il risultato e' un thriller da leggere d'un fiato.

[Cody | CodysBookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally published in 1987, this is one of Joe R. Lansdale’s earlier works and it shows. Filled with cheesy dialogue and cardboard cutout characters and scares that fall flat, this is a dated and torturous read that is perhaps best left in the past.

This is a chase novel. Taking place over the span of three days, main characters Monty and Becky are staying at some friends’ cabin in an attempt at relaxing and getting over a recent rough patch in their marriage: Becky was raped and almost murdered by a gang of teenage boys, and they are coming after her again. The fight is on.

Luckily this novel is short and pretty compulsively readable — it isn’t good by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s also not challenging and easy enough to finish. As I loved Lansdale’s story collection, By Bizarre Hands (which features a chapter from this book), I was unpleasantly surprised to find I didn’t much care for The Nightrunners. It didn’t scare me; it only annoyed and disappointed.

This book is readable and maybe recommendable if you’re looking for something quick, and perhaps a bit of cheesy fun. But certainly buy it used and do not start reading Lansdale here.

[Jon Von · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oops! It turns out I'm a wimp! This was too dark for me. Grisly, mean, violent little book. The right medicine for the bad sort of sickness. But there's something cathartic about finishing it, a nightmare that actually fucks you up.

[Nick LeBlanc · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down.

Weird book! It’s rich in that grimy ‘70s exploitation vibe, pulling straight from the DNA of Straw Dogs and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Then there’s the God of the Razor—some bizarre, half-serious, Stephen King-style horror god that shows up like a fever dream. It’s a weird move, but it works and comes at a crucial time in the narrative, just when your attention almost starts to slip.

The villains talk like they’re in a noir; quippy, crude, sometimes funny. It feels like they’re in a different book half the time. I get the feeling this was kind of purposeful and still, they’re memorable, but it wears a bit thin.

I liked the use of the fractured timeline, and thought it worked really well to build dramatic tension. I also really liked the writing in the section where Clyde and Brian are first falling into their pseudo-romance. I wished there was a bit more form their time in that horror house with the scary basement.

The good: Lansdale’s got a clear sense of humor and a knack for pulpy, ugly momentum and has written some great nasty ideas for scenes. The not-so-good: plotting gets a little sloppy and rushed. Many reviews cite this as an early work of his and it sort of shows. This book won’t be for everyone, but it’s worth a read for horror weirdos.

A question for Lansdale heads: Is this the only appearance of the God of the Razor?

Read in a TOR edition with a beautiful nasty cover of the God of the Razor.

[Nina The Wandering Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished reading my first #PaperbacksFromHell of the year and I have to say, while it was entertaining, suspenseful, graphically violent and explicit, it was also very much a product of its time. I’m talking racial slurs, misogyny, and definitely content that requires trigger warnings. But did I still like it? Yes!

The Nightrunners (1987) is pretty much about a maniacal gang of teenage serial killers/rapists who have had a history of terrorizing the countryside of Galveston, Texas. When Clyde Epson, the gang’s leader, is apprehended and later commits suicide in prison, his second-in-command Brian Blackwood is devastated. That is until his old buddy returns to him in a dream as (get this) a ventriloquist dummy perched on the knee of a frightening entity known as the God of the Razor. Answering now to dark supernatural forces, Brian must do his dead leader’s bidding by attacking and cutting out the heart of their last victim—a survivor by the name of Becky Jones, a woman who was once their high school teacher.

While there were many (many) unpleasant moments in this book I could’ve personally done without, it had a lot of things going for it that I gave points for. The multi-perspective storytelling, the fast pacing, the shock to the senses I anticipate in splatterpunk, the mix of psychological with the supernatural (Is the God of the Razor real or is the villain in our story simply descending into madness due to grief for his gang leader? How will the lasting effects of Becky’s trauma be overcome?) In just under 250 pages, we’re given a violent crime thriller mixed with supernatural horror and it’s a messed up ride.

This is only my second book by the great Joe R. Lansdale (my first being a novella called Prisoner 489) and seeing that this is a very early work of his, I can only assume they get better and better. I know I’ve got a lot of material to cover before deciding if this author is for me, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t held at the edge of my seat with this one!

**TRIGGER WARNINGS: rape, racial slurs, animal cruelty, assault on an elderly person

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an earlier Lansdale novel. It has a bit of a reputation since it sets the stage for many of Lansdale's later themes and it was probably ahead of its time in its depiction of sex, violence and gore. The Nightrunners is often cited as a pioneer of the splatter-punk sub-genre.

All this may be true but it is still an early work and it shows. Lansdale's style seems to be on unsteady ground and the dialogue does not show the razor wit of his later books. Yet this is still a very tense and riveting horror tale. It tends to waver on whether it is supernatural or psychological, another weakness of the story, but Lansdale's pack of villains is one of his best portrayal of psychopathic horror. All in all, a successful novel that paves the way for some of Lansdale's best in the later years. Three and a half stars.

[Judith Sonnet · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there's a splatterpunk hall of fame, The Nightrunners is sat right beside The Light at the End. Pure entertainment from start to finish, with brutal violence, a great sense of pacing, memorable characters, dirty atmosphere, and did I mention the BRUTAL violence?

[Adam Light · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Lansdale is in fine form with this one. It was short but crammed with the author's signature style. Certainly one of the better books I've read this year so far.

[Kurt Reichenbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early Lansdale novel that doesn't hold back on the brutality. Has more of a 1970's vibe to it because of references to Vietnam, Raquel Welch along with the sociological themes. Worth looking for. I first read it more than 20 years ago but had forgotten the story. Best read on the front porch with an 8-track copy of FUNHOUSE rattling your old stereo speakers.

[Corey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lurid, ugly, brutal and badly written. Possibly the worst book I've ever read; surely the worst book I've ever finished. Why did I finish it? I guess it's similar to what Pauline Kael said about "An Officer and a Gentleman,": "It's crap, but it's crap on a motorcycle."
Now I think I'll read Dante.

[Chris Berko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slick, fast and intense. Good brainless fun.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swear, this guy could write Bible lessons and I would read them, he's that much fun. Had to skip the animal stuff, though; I just hate it when the dog gets hurt. And the cat. And then a few more critters. If I knew how to write, I would only kill humans. I don't though, so I just watch others do it.

[Beautiful Redemtion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, i couldn´t stop reading,is a fast-paced story.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very early novel by Lansdale; this edition appeared thirty years ago, back when major publishers put the word "Horror" on the spine as a genre category. It's an entertaining read, but a lot of the graphic violence seems calculated for its shock value rather than to advance the plot. The characters are almost all very unpleasant people who do very unpleasant things, but aside from an occasional kind of clumsy or choppy feel engendered by shifting viewpoints and flashback sections it's still a good, quick read... if you like that kind of thing once in a while! There's also a nice introduction by Dean Koontz.

[Cristian · Rating 5 out of 5]

E ora ti divoro! 8 luglio
È così è stato!
Tosto!! Caxxo quanto tosto...
Anche quasi [QUASI] del tutto privo della tipica ironia o scompisciata di risate di L.
Perche questa è una storia davvero nera. Nera che più nera non si può. Qui i personaggi ironici sono di contorno; tutto lo spazio è per il Male.
Un altro Lansdale. Uno dei tanti Lansdale.Ma sempre un grandissimo Lansdale. Come tutti gli altri.+++++

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally had to buy me a copy online - to read this early Lansdale tale. He didn't hold back his punches in this story, of sex and murder. He showed us the really dark side of the human soul, the twisted, revengeful side of even young souls. This thing carries some raw power, as he was establishing himself with what has become his style in some of his novels - East Texas noir.

[Sjgomzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most brutal books I’ve ever read. Like one of those low budget, over the top violent, bloody horror films from the 1970’s, that you would catch with your friends at a drive in on a Saturday night. The kind of book that leaves you feeling a little dirty when it’s over-especially since I couldn’t stop turning the pages! An early gem from the brilliant Joe Lansdale.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutal, but not without a considerable dose of black humor. This hard-to-get book is legendary, and there are several stretches in this one that gives weight to that reputation. Lansdale at his wild-man best.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally like this the best out of Lansdale's books. Straight horror and lots of it.

[William III · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great imitation of Stephen King. I prefer Lansdale doing Lansdale, but this is still a good read.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is number 14 of 500 copies.

[Martina L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stelle sono meritatissime!
Il romanzo è coinvolgente dall'inizio alla fine, letto mesi fa ma ho intenzione di rileggerlo. Mi ha lasciato TANTO dentro.
Consigliato!

[Dick Grunert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read. This early Joe R. Lansdale book is raw, brutal and rough around the edges. It’s definitely the work of a young writer discovering his voice.

[Giusy Giuffrè · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ti tiene incollato alle pagine con una buona dose di strizza. Crudele, violento, adrenalinico.