Funland

Make no mistake - Laymon's books do tend to recycle themes and characters, but his imagination and writing abilities always make these stories work. Laymon's ideas are original, and though his storylines are somewhat unbelievable at times, he has an uncanny knack at revving up the suspense. Funland is a definite must for any Laymon fan, and it is a good introduction for those who are interested in reading Laymon's works.

This was my first entry into the Richard Laymon catalog, and I must say that I was blown away with the story. Richard is definitely a powerful writer because I am still twisted up after reading that book a few days ago. Yes, it is a long novel, and although there was some drags in the tempo of the story, I definitely could not put the book down. Very good characters, very good plot, nice twists and one hell of a turn of events near the end of the book. Once the last few chapters arrived the story seemed to kick into overdrive, going from telltale suspense to shocking horror, with a lot of genuine scares and a decent amount of gore. The one thing that I noticed about this novel was the way that Laymon didnt over do it in contrast to some other horror stories that I have read. I am still in awe at how attached I became to the characters, possibly because I could relate with what the main character was going through. Tales of belonging, tales of male machismo, young love, and acceptance. Laymon did a wonderful job bringing them all to life with fire-breathing results. Bottom Line: I am impressed enough that I am going on in his collection to see what other treasures await me. So for any of you out there that love carnival horror/suspense, or are interested in trying a Laymon novel, this was an interesting place to start and a great, great book. -CW

I would rank this Laymon book in my top five! A spooky book about an amusement park. A book that centers around a group of kids trying to get rid of weird, homeless bums...I did say weird didn't I? As usual, Laymon takes you on a wild ride of brutal killing, abuse, sexual encounters and just plain spookiness! There's always a little romance thrown in for kicks. Oh, did I mention there's always a little something far fetched in his books. This one especially throws you for a loop. I didn't expect the ending. This is one of those you have to read if your a fan!

you can't put them down. "Funland" is one of the best of Laymon's books (and he has many GREAT books). Get the UK version if at all possible because it has 500 pages, not the 390+ that other versions have. You don't want to miss any of the action in this novel. The sleepy tourist trap of a town called Boleta Bay will never be the same when some of the local kids declare "war" on the indigents and derelicts (called "trolls") that are terrorizing the citizens and visitors to the town. Laymon's characterization is terrific and you find yourself with mixed emotions about the leading characters. Many twists and turns are part of a fairly diverse plot that rockets to a roller-coaster of an ending. You'll find yourself wishing that there were 500 more pages of this book when you finish! This book is not for the fate of heart or those that are offended by the gore and violence that are a staple of Laymon's writing. But, on the other hand, if you like great storytelling with great characters, by all means pick this book (or any of Laymon's work) and settle in for a long night.

IF you're a Laymon fan and you haven't read this one, you're missing one of his best (and that's saying a lot). If I had to pick a favorite Laymon book, it would be really hard, but probably I would be torn between this and Endless Night (both sadly out of print). This is a nice long one and you won't be able to put it down. There are tons of twists and turns that you don't see coming, some really gruesome scenes, typical sick Laymon characters, and the last few sentences are an O.Henry type ending that totally threw me for a loop and blew me away. This one came and went in bookstores way too fast, and is an undiscovered treasure. If you have the excellent taste to dig Richard Laymon and haven't read this, it's worth doing an out of print search for...trust me, you won't be disapointed.