Reviews

The Woods Are Dark by Richard Laymon

songwind's review against another edition

1.0

It's hard to know where to start with this book. It's pretty much bad in every way.

At first I continued to listen because I thought maybe the red flags I noticed near the beginning would be isolated, and the rest of the story would be worth it. By the end, it more horrified fascination.

lovelydeadgirl's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Child abuse, Incest, Cannibalism, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Rape

sea_caummisar's review

5.0

I can't tell you how many years ago I read this book. It was the original version, the one that I have come to learn that an editor massacred. I'm honestly not surprised. I don't recall too much of my original read, but it's safe to say that I preferred this version better. I didn't want to put the book down. I wanted to keep turning pages so the glorious story before me would keep unfolding.
This book is awesome. Possible one of my favorite Laymons ever (since reading this version?

skullheadface's review

5.0

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!
This is one of the greatest horror stories I’ve ever experienced. It’s like, it’s... Christ Almighty, it’s FUCKING AWESOME.

Like Wrong Turn on steroids, even better.

I have a soft spot for redneck/hillbilly/inbred type horror but FUCK!

READ THIS.

5/5 Krulls
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️

alexandrabree's review

2.0

I just can't seem to gauge Layman's works.

I loved the Beast House Chronicles, he has Funland and other campy awful but hilarious books.
And then he has a lot of this half smutty half horror garbage. They are never quite bad enough to walk away from the book (particularly because the books are so short) but they are definitely turning me away from searching out more Laymon worms

jacob_elliott_books's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

paperwitch's review

3.0

I always appreciated Laymon’s “I don’t give a damn” attitude, the man wrote what he wanted without caring about the shocking impact it might have on its readers. The woods are dark is no exception with its huge amount of gore, sex and over the top scenes, unfortunately as entertaining as some of the stuff was, it just didn’t cut it, the story felt incomplete, the ending almost rushed, definitely not one of Laymon’s best but still entertaining.

guardtristan's review against another edition

1.0

Terrible writing style, cliched characters (mostly based on their sex), unnecessary sex scenes just for the sake of putting more of that in the book. Might be 'shocking' for a 50 years old housewife that usually only reads romance novels but god knows everyone that ever read a GOOD horror/slash/gore novel will probably want a refund for this one.

grimscribe114's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

bushbabyninja's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0