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Out Are The Lights (1983)

Out Are the Lights (1983)

Book Info

Rating
3.74 of 5 Votes: 5
Your rating
ISBN
0446905194 (ISBN13: 9780446905190)
Language
English
Publisher
warner books (ny)

About book Out Are The Lights (1983)

Another fast paced story from Laymon, perhaps too fast paced. Written in 1982, I think if Laymon had written this a decade later it would be at least 100 pages longer. Great concept, and the main character Connie is good, Dal and Elizabeth intriguing, but Pete was just too right wing. I mean he and a child are in danger of being attacked by a black woman, but he is afraid to draw his weapon because he is concerned about what liberal groups will say? Liberal groups are fine with children being murdered while a police officer stands idly by? Laymon usually shows his conservative politics, but this was just too ridiculous.Unfortunately the relationship between Freya and Todd is not explored more. What drives these dark characters? Are they lovers or just two weird people brought together? Also the character Britt is someone we don't really get to know in her brief ink time, even though she is pivotal to the story.The short stories have typical Laymon prose, but honestly are a bit flat, save for The Tub, which is just so over the top that it is a story Laymon fans could debate forever. I believe it was also made into a short film.

This short Richard Laymon novel is a little disjointed, in which the narrative tries to weave two connected storylines together with mixed results. This is not to say that I did not enjoy the novel. Laymon writes pure, pulp horror, which is undeniably my literary weak spot. But his inability to develop empathetic characters has prevented me from granting any of his work that I have read higher than a three-star rating. Fortunately, Laymon has an extensive catalogue and I hold out hope for an eventual four or five star book in the future.As a bonus, this paperback edition contains five additional short stories. This varied bunch of shorter tales work much better than the novel itself. There's no denying that Mr. Laymon can write horrific scenes like no other.

Do You like book Out Are The Lights (1983)?

I loved this book. I had previously read Beware by Laymon and didn't love it and this one bears that book by a mile. My copy of Out Are The Lights included bonus stories at the end. I'm not sure if every version does, but definitely read this version if u can because some of the bonus stories are great. The main story here reads at about 250 pages. That's the biggest flaw with this book. Out Are The Lights should've either been cut down to a short story or lengthened to be a more fuller novel. Laymon rushes the ending of this story leaving you wanting more and leaving you wondering why he even wasted your time with some if the aspects of the story that he doesn't really follow thru on. But the great thing about Laymon is he knows how to hook you and you can throw the writer's rule book out the window cuz you're gonna be entertained regardless.
—Robjr73

I picked up Laymon's "Out are the Lights" for a little 1980's horror throwback fix. I can honestly say that the book was a fun read though a little disjointed at times due to the merging of storylines.What turned me off was the abrupt ending, and calling it "abrupt" is an understatement. It almost seemed as if Laymon just got bored writing the book and just pinched it off several chapters too early. Maybe that was some early 1980's artsy-fartsy thing to do. I don't know. All I am certain of is that it did not translate well in 2014.2 STARS
—Ken

Absolut krank. Spannend, ekelig, krank. Ich habe eigentlich keine Angst und weiß genau, das die Geschichten nur Geschichten sind, auch wenn die zum zerreißen spannend sind. Aber schauen wir uns doch mal die momentane "Torture"-Horrorfilm Welle an. Filme wie "Saw", "Hostel" oder auch "Final Destination" zeigen uns doch genau das, was diese Schreck-Filme zeigen. Woher wissen wir, dass die nicht auch Opfer haben - echte Opfer, denn die meisten Darsteller daraus sind komplett unbekannt. Was ich damit sagen will ist, dass mir das teilweise etwas zu realistisch war, als dass ich es als Story genießen konnte, ohne wirklich Angst zu bekommen, dass so ein Verrückter plötzlich neben meinem Bett steht. Alles in allem sehr spannend, aber eben auch total krank!
—Zauberlehrling!

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