night in lonesome october richard laymon

We find out Holly Johnson crushed his heart. I was twenty years old and heartbroken the night it started.Well damn, now I’m curious to know more. Both Laymon and Zelazny used Edgar Allan Poe as inspiration - it was Poe that first coined the unique phrase.Ĭhapter one begins with a banger of an opening sentence. I won’t spoil this wonderful book but I have to share a few highlights…īy the way, this book is not to be confused with Roger Zelazny’s A Night in the Lonesome October, which I have also heard great things about. Why is she roaming the streets late at night? Where is she going? Ed endeavors to find out, and what he finds, may be more than he can handle. He begins to follow her night after night and fancies himself as sort of her guardian. But chief amongst them is a mysterious and alluringly beautiful girl that immediately captures Ed Logan’s fancy. To alleviate his pain, he wanders the dark streets of his small town, Willmington, in an attempt to “get his mind off things.” It is there on those seedy streets after midnight that he runs into all sorts of - shall we say - “interesting” characters. His girlfriend Holly breaks up with him, and he enters a spiraling stage of depression.

It is told in first person form, from the eyes of our 20 year old protagonist, Ed Logan. He doesn’t much care where he’s going, but soon finds himself fascinated by what he discovers between midnight and dawn - frightened by the town’s lurking terrors, lured by its mysteries… and enthralled by a strange, beautiful girl who roams the lonely streets. Heartbroken and restless, Ed strikes out late one night for a walk through town. Shortly after returning to college for the start of the Fall semester, Ed Logan learns that the girl he loves has found herself a new boyfriend and won’t be coming back to school. There are other editions with better covers, but it’s the inside that counts.Ĭemetery Dance’s synopsis of Night in the Lonesome October is the best: Creepy hardcover version I know the front cover is generic as all hell, but don’t let that discourage you from picking up a copy. I’m sad he’s gone, but I am thankful we’ll always have books like this to remember him by! Richard Laymon created a dreamy and dangerous world here like no one else could. It’s one of those books that has to be read late at night only. It is a masterful piece of horror fiction.

My favorite book of his is by far Night in the Lonesome October. It’s an unsettling place to visit, but one in which you’ll always remember - for better or for worse.

His horror was of the “splatterpunk” variety - extreme gore, sex scenes aplenty and all manner of depravity that is akin to surfing the Dark Web. He had a writing style that was unique and unforgettable. It’s crazy that it’s almost been 20 years since his passing. Sadly he passed away on February 14, 2001, leaving this world far too early. Richard Laymon is considered one of the most prolific horror writers of his day.

Night in lonesome october richard laymon