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itcamefromthepage's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I may in fact be officially broken LOL because I am giving a Richard Laymon book 4 stars. This might be thee textbook definition of a problematic fave, it has all the trashy problematic elements that Laymon is known for but it for some inexplicable reason this one really worked for me.
I enjoyed the characters, had a great time with the plot, and thought there were some legitimate spooky elements.
It may be trash but call me THE TRASH MAN because this is unfortunately my shit.
I enjoyed the characters, had a great time with the plot, and thought there were some legitimate spooky elements.
It may be trash but call me THE TRASH MAN because this is unfortunately my shit.
donnakaye64's review against another edition
5.0
A fast read, full of what you expect from Richard Laymon. I enjoyed it.
trudilibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve been on a Laymon kick lately which isn’t unusual when I’m feeling stressed out. His books are pure escapist fiction, what I like to call pulp-riff-page-turners. I especially liked this one because there are scenes that genuinely creeped the bejesus out of me. Bonus! I’m especially sad finishing this one because I am nearing the very end of Laymon’s (who passed away in 2001) 30 novel canon.
tracic0384's review against another edition
4.0
90's Slasher Vibes. Creepy and gross, with moments of terror as the characters realize what they are up against. A bit long, but lots of details and suspense.
jasonsweirdreads's review against another edition
3.0
I had heard of Richard Laymon for many years, yet somehow I've always managed to not read his work until about a year ago. I started with his first book, The Cellar, then read The Beast House. Flesh is my third Laymon novel, and it leaves me impressed.
What I like about Flesh is the writing. There's no attempt at any flashy poetics. It's all very straight forward with little to no errors. Laymon was a writer who knew his strengths and limitations and wrote well within. I also love his characters, as they seem to breathe off the page, they're so real to me.
What I don't like about Laymon, or at least what I noticed in Flesh, is the cheesy, '80s slasher film feel to it. Although Flesh was written during the mid 1980s, I feel the book would have gained much if perhaps the plot didn't feel quite so rushed, especially at the end. Perhaps Laymon was on a tight deadline schedule? Or was this another limitation?
Whatever the case, Laymon is an author to check out. I highly recommend his novels on what I have read. As mentioned above, his style is simple, but it is a great breath of fresh air in a genre polluted with lukewarm writers who, perhaps, try too hard. But this is just one guy's opinion.
What I like about Flesh is the writing. There's no attempt at any flashy poetics. It's all very straight forward with little to no errors. Laymon was a writer who knew his strengths and limitations and wrote well within. I also love his characters, as they seem to breathe off the page, they're so real to me.
What I don't like about Laymon, or at least what I noticed in Flesh, is the cheesy, '80s slasher film feel to it. Although Flesh was written during the mid 1980s, I feel the book would have gained much if perhaps the plot didn't feel quite so rushed, especially at the end. Perhaps Laymon was on a tight deadline schedule? Or was this another limitation?
Whatever the case, Laymon is an author to check out. I highly recommend his novels on what I have read. As mentioned above, his style is simple, but it is a great breath of fresh air in a genre polluted with lukewarm writers who, perhaps, try too hard. But this is just one guy's opinion.
sednadragon35's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a horrific book filled with blood gore and all adult grim things. I would say the characters were good yet some were predictable. However I would say the fights at the end were both gripping and well described and carried out. Then there was the creature itself which was well described and grim too. So it was a good quick read for adults.
odustin's review against another edition
2.0
Terrible characters and the story was just as bad. Not worth reading.
bundy23's review against another edition
3.0
Fairly by the numbers horror, cliche characters, incredibly misogynistic, you know the type... I did enjoy it though :-)
read_amanda_read's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
hotsake's review against another edition
3.0
3.25/5.
This was a fun, fast-paced horror/thriller that I unfairly kept comparing to Adam Cesare's 2013 Video Night. Obviously, this book came out first but the stories are very similar. The biggest flaw of the book was the fact that the transitions between POVs weren't well done with the switch happening just when things seemed to be getting interesting. It would've also been more interesting if we would've gotten more characterization from the antagonists and if Laymon's vocabulary would've been a bit more extensive, he continually uses the same phrasing, word choices, and tones so that none of the characters have distinctive voices.
This was a fun, fast-paced horror/thriller that I unfairly kept comparing to Adam Cesare's 2013 Video Night. Obviously, this book came out first but the stories are very similar. The biggest flaw of the book was the fact that the transitions between POVs weren't well done with the switch happening just when things seemed to be getting interesting. It would've also been more interesting if we would've gotten more characterization from the antagonists and if Laymon's vocabulary would've been a bit more extensive, he continually uses the same phrasing, word choices, and tones so that none of the characters have distinctive voices.