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Flesh
Best Horror Novel of 1988 - Science Fiction Chronicle.
'If you've missed Laymon, you've missed a treat' Stephen King.
No one had ever seen anything like it before: a slimy, mobile tube of putrefying flesh and an obscene probing mouth. But the real horror is not what it looks like, or even what it does to you when it invades your flesh, but what it makes you do to others...
'If you've missed Laymon, you've missed a treat' Stephen King.
No one had ever seen anything like it before: a slimy, mobile tube of putrefying flesh and an obscene probing mouth. But the real horror is not what it looks like, or even what it does to you when it invades your flesh, but what it makes you do to others...
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
125 people are currently reading
2203 people want to read
About the author
Richard Laymon
216 books2,268 followersRichard Laymon was born in Chicago and grew up in California. He earned a BA in English Literature from Willamette University, Oregon and an MA from Loyola University, Los Angeles. He worked as a schoolteacher, a librarian, and a report writer for a law firm, and was the author of more than thirty acclaimed novels.
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
July 4, 2021
A mysterious parasite is turning humans into killers. The story started strong and very uncanny. But soon to much focus was put on a cast of unappealing characters, some students, and their dealings. The characters were carved in a detailed way but the story became somehow repetitive. You have the typical Laymon-motifs but somehow the plot moved along too slow. For Laymon standards this was rather tedious and a bit boring at some parts. The novel should have been shorter and far more intriguing. So it went on and on... am glad having finished it. Not my Laymon favorite, great cover though.
June 13, 2012
Ah, Laymon. I'm really torn as to how to rate this. I tend to rate within genre. So, as a successful Horror read, I'm thinking 3 1/2 to 4 stars. As I've said before, when it comes to Laymon, I feel I'm reading one of the most (gleefully) manipulative writers I've ever encountered. If you're a fan of cheesy 70s & 80s horror flicks, then Laymon is your man. He is the perfect distillation of what those movies were trying to achieve (and, let's face it, where few succeeded). Laymon's novels are often set at or near a university. So you're going to have very horny teenagers (often English majors (yeah!)) getting into trouble (but just about everyone in a Laymon novel is horny) right from the get-go. And you'll also have extreme, often shocking violence (and I have set Laymon novels down for a while (including this one) over some violent scenes that just freaked me out). But to counter that savagery, Laymon always offers up pretty funny dialogue and wacky characters. You can laugh, even though you're covering your eyes. That is the Laymon formula.
I have dinged Laymon in the past for his excesses, but have now come to realize that's what he's selling. Excess. You either buy into it -- or you walk away. I've also come to respect his writing ability. There are some that think he was a hack writer, and to some extent that is true. This guy worked for a living, and he knew what sold. And what he liked to write. But he also had an M.A. in English from Loyola University. In a number of novels, it's not unusual to find references to Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Hemingway. Oh, it's done lightly enough, but you get the sense that Laymon actually knows these writers, has read them. As far as his own writing style goes, no Horror writer writes cleaner sentences. It's like eating potato chips. On the down side, you get the sense that he wrote quickly, with pages of unnecessary padding in some novels (not so much in this one however).
Flesh is all of the above. A snake (or perhaps, more accurately, a tape worm) kind of thing invades a town. Once it gets in you, you want to kill and then eat your victim. It probably took Laymon 5 minutes to come up with the plot. But the fun is really with all the characters, and how they interact, the tongue in cheek dialogue that can be both horrific -- and then funny as hell:
"Here's the interesting part: the body had been eaten. Quite a lot of the skin had been torn off, portions of muscle devoured." The cigar in Steve's hand was shaking. "She had bite marks all over her body. Some were just enough to break her skin, others took great chunks out of her. Her torso had been ripped open. Her heart had been torn out and partly eaten. Her head . . . she had been scalped. Her skull had been caved in with a blunt instrument, possibly a rock. Her brain was missing."
"Holy fuckin' mayonnaise," Barney muttered.
I don't think it's an accident that a character named "Barney" is the chief of police. The above scene reads like it came right out of Tarantino's Grindhouse/Planet Terror. What follows are various murderous escapades, and a bit of clunky plotting that was obviously aimed for a result you can see a mile away (and I almost dinged this book a star because of that). What saved the novel for me is its outrageousness. I was totally on board with the novel when a character showed up, dressed in tight leather pants, gasoline, and a machete. This is when Laymon introduced Aztecs and Cortez into the novel. That inspired WTF! moment got that star back pronto.
I have dinged Laymon in the past for his excesses, but have now come to realize that's what he's selling. Excess. You either buy into it -- or you walk away. I've also come to respect his writing ability. There are some that think he was a hack writer, and to some extent that is true. This guy worked for a living, and he knew what sold. And what he liked to write. But he also had an M.A. in English from Loyola University. In a number of novels, it's not unusual to find references to Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Hemingway. Oh, it's done lightly enough, but you get the sense that Laymon actually knows these writers, has read them. As far as his own writing style goes, no Horror writer writes cleaner sentences. It's like eating potato chips. On the down side, you get the sense that he wrote quickly, with pages of unnecessary padding in some novels (not so much in this one however).
Flesh is all of the above. A snake (or perhaps, more accurately, a tape worm) kind of thing invades a town. Once it gets in you, you want to kill and then eat your victim. It probably took Laymon 5 minutes to come up with the plot. But the fun is really with all the characters, and how they interact, the tongue in cheek dialogue that can be both horrific -- and then funny as hell:
"Here's the interesting part: the body had been eaten. Quite a lot of the skin had been torn off, portions of muscle devoured." The cigar in Steve's hand was shaking. "She had bite marks all over her body. Some were just enough to break her skin, others took great chunks out of her. Her torso had been ripped open. Her heart had been torn out and partly eaten. Her head . . . she had been scalped. Her skull had been caved in with a blunt instrument, possibly a rock. Her brain was missing."
"Holy fuckin' mayonnaise," Barney muttered.
I don't think it's an accident that a character named "Barney" is the chief of police. The above scene reads like it came right out of Tarantino's Grindhouse/Planet Terror. What follows are various murderous escapades, and a bit of clunky plotting that was obviously aimed for a result you can see a mile away (and I almost dinged this book a star because of that). What saved the novel for me is its outrageousness. I was totally on board with the novel when a character showed up, dressed in tight leather pants, gasoline, and a machete. This is when Laymon introduced Aztecs and Cortez into the novel. That inspired WTF! moment got that star back pronto.
July 16, 2015
I have to say that this book turned out way better than I imagined. I guess I thought it would be about random, multiple ppl getting infected and doing crazy things; much like Herbert's The fog...idk, I might have the title wrong. Anyway, thought it might be like that, but I was wrong. The characters were really like able and everything connected really well. And we were dealing with only one creature feature. The ideas that went into the book were really neat and I didn't care to know much about the creature, which is rare. I was more concerned for the survival of some of the college coeds. Anyway, classic laymon with some disgusting scenes and a lot of sexual feelings, thoughts, frustrations, well....if u know laymon u know what I mean:) loved it! A few surprises on the way. Didn't feel like it was predictable at all. Another fantastic read from a fantastic writer!
December 2, 2016
Final buddy read of the year with always insightful and inspiring Edward Lorn. This time around, he let me feel like a speed reader on account of him being burdened by about a gazillion things to get done, but I sure did feel his support.
And I needed it... My first experience with Laymon was kind of a mixed bag. Not having read anything about the book and having no idea what to expect from the story, I was quite thrown by the twist early on. That I liked very much. When it was established that, yes, we are certainly dealing with a very 'classic 80's creature horror'-story it still did not unravel in the direction I was expecting. Well, at least not linearly. That I liked too.
On the minus side, however, was that the story did end up exactly as predictable as one could fear. And that would have been fine too - if it wasn't for the annoying fact that the narrative comes off as written by a horny teenager. We're getting more details on the female characters' lace panties, bare midriffs and bra straps than any other features they may possess.
It's a quick and often fun read, but surely this cannot be in the basis for the author's popularity? I'll be sure to try something else by him. In the meantime, here's some
Things I learned from 'Flesh':
- College girls struggle tremendously with their wish to not 'have it all to be about sex' colliding with their totally out-of-control libido
- Not only men get you-know-what when the wind blows
- It's always wise to save a dash of gasoline because you never know when you may need it
And I needed it... My first experience with Laymon was kind of a mixed bag. Not having read anything about the book and having no idea what to expect from the story, I was quite thrown by the twist early on. That I liked very much. When it was established that, yes, we are certainly dealing with a very 'classic 80's creature horror'-story it still did not unravel in the direction I was expecting. Well, at least not linearly. That I liked too.
On the minus side, however, was that the story did end up exactly as predictable as one could fear. And that would have been fine too - if it wasn't for the annoying fact that the narrative comes off as written by a horny teenager. We're getting more details on the female characters' lace panties, bare midriffs and bra straps than any other features they may possess.
It's a quick and often fun read, but surely this cannot be in the basis for the author's popularity? I'll be sure to try something else by him. In the meantime, here's some
Things I learned from 'Flesh':
- College girls struggle tremendously with their wish to not 'have it all to be about sex' colliding with their totally out-of-control libido
- Not only men get you-know-what when the wind blows
- It's always wise to save a dash of gasoline because you never know when you may need it
January 13, 2025
This was my second re read of this book. It was selected for my book read in my Richard Laymon book club and this book did not disappoint at all.
This book is about a strange parasite that turns its victims into killers with a taste for human flesh. I did like the twist of the invasion of the body snatchers it definitely made the book a good read and made the 300 something odd pages more like 100. The book is definitely action packed and hard to put down.
The characters of the book were believable and the plot was amazing. Typical Laymon fashion of being presented with decisions and the characters opting to go against the grain, it never fails. I like the setting of the book a small college town where everyone knows each other. Also, some of the guys in these books were jerks.
This book will have to be in my top 5 of favorite Laymon books. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone that wants a nice horror , sci-fy twists with enough sexual scenes that’ll make any modern day Erotic author blush.
This book is about a strange parasite that turns its victims into killers with a taste for human flesh. I did like the twist of the invasion of the body snatchers it definitely made the book a good read and made the 300 something odd pages more like 100. The book is definitely action packed and hard to put down.
The characters of the book were believable and the plot was amazing. Typical Laymon fashion of being presented with decisions and the characters opting to go against the grain, it never fails. I like the setting of the book a small college town where everyone knows each other. Also, some of the guys in these books were jerks.
This book will have to be in my top 5 of favorite Laymon books. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone that wants a nice horror , sci-fy twists with enough sexual scenes that’ll make any modern day Erotic author blush.
October 26, 2024
I mean, it was somewhat dated, and every character was sex-crazed, but it was still a solid 4 star creature slasher. RTC.
November 12, 2017
A trashy 80's slasher flick rendered in prose, Laymon's Flesh threatens a variety of lusty college students with a species of Aztec worm that burrows under the skin of misogynistic men, attaches itself to the length of the victim's spine, plants a toothy sucker directly to the brain and then proceeds to coach its new host through acts of sadism and cannibalism. An overwhelmingly silly book, the word "breast" appears on nearly every page as female college students saunter in and out of revealing outfits with or without the gift of a male gaze on hand. As a writer, Laymon has no problem with making use of the language of horror films. Spooked characters open doors abruptly to find the short-lived relief of an empty room. Police and medical professionals are quick to recognize, understand and adapt to the sudden and inexplicable threat of a mind-controlling monster. A striptease and/or heavy petting always prefaces bloody murder. Attractive females find ridiculous excuses to remain in states of undress, such as one character who goes bare-chested to better scrub clean a derelict barroom floor. But the eye-rolling sexism feels mostly toothless (not to mention that passages read aloud were good for more than a few laughs with the significant other), and Laymon does digress into a seemingly sincere, but shallow, plot thread regarding consent and female objectification. But don't worry, the novel doesn't linger too long before everything is back to business as usual: firm female body parts jiggle about, right up until they're chomped on by a leering killer. Classy? Nope. Fun? If you have the taste for it.
June 12, 2023
Well, this is Laymon as Laymon is but if you see this cover, don't go into this book thinking it's some rising from the dead zombie type thing because it really isn't.
This book has all the elements of a typical slasher horror movie. A small isolated town, sex-hungry teenagers, an abandoned building out in the bushland and something weird going on that is unexplainable. Add to this a cop with questionable motives and now you're set.
Perhaps unlike other Laymon novels, this one has the scene set quite well but when the idea of small town murders eventuates, the usual Laymon takes over and the blood spills. But, like most Laymon's it is a quick escape from reality and an enjoyable horror story.
This book has all the elements of a typical slasher horror movie. A small isolated town, sex-hungry teenagers, an abandoned building out in the bushland and something weird going on that is unexplainable. Add to this a cop with questionable motives and now you're set.
Perhaps unlike other Laymon novels, this one has the scene set quite well but when the idea of small town murders eventuates, the usual Laymon takes over and the blood spills. But, like most Laymon's it is a quick escape from reality and an enjoyable horror story.
November 3, 2023
This novel had all of the qualities that make up a good Richard Laymon book:
* Fast paced
* Good characters
* A suspenseful plot
* Quirky Scenes
* A fantastic conclusion
Flesh is a must read for fans of Laymon! Easy 5 out of 5.
* Fast paced
* Good characters
* A suspenseful plot
* Quirky Scenes
* A fantastic conclusion
Flesh is a must read for fans of Laymon! Easy 5 out of 5.
July 16, 2022
Parasitic horror which conjures images of the iconic scenes from the Alien film. Formulaic Laymon in all the best ways.
January 25, 2025
Classic Laymon. This is pretty much his take on Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with a little of Frank Henonlotter's Brain Damage thrown in, and I had a great time with this one.
March 10, 2011
Flesh is one of the most enjoyable Laymon novels I've read to date. Fast-paced, gory, bizarre, and one of the few tales in which a creature--a slimy mobile tube of glistening yellow flesh--is doing the killing as opposed to a random psychotic. This one ranks right up there with Beast House on the scale of creepy good times!
Page one starts the action when a coed is nearly run over while bicycling in what appears to be a hit-and-run style `accident' in a remote area of Weber Creek. The van speeds through a guard rail killing the driver instantly, leaving local cop Jake Corey with no explanation for the man's bizarre behavior. While inspecting the wreckage, Corey notices a blood trail leading into the woods. During his search, Corey comes across a rural hotel undergoing renovation by its new owners, a young couple. He alerts them to the potential danger and warns them to pack up and go home for the night--but they ignore his advice and return to suffer the fatal consequences.
The autopsy report on the van's driver reveals the hollowed-out path of what the medical examiner describes as a "snake-like creature" that burrowed into the husband's foot and crawled up his body to attach itself to his spine, compelling him to turn cannibal. When its host was killed, the creature made a rectal retreat and moved on to seek another host. Who else but Laymon could craft such a fiendishly tongue-in-cheek scenario?
Laymon novels have an uncanny knack for bridging blatant suspension of disbelief gaps with dry humor for the sake of plot continuity--and Flesh is no different--yet the author's skillful characterization, clever dialogue, and gift for crafting suspense compel readers to overlook such B-movie complications. Because let's face it folks--you aren't reading Richard Laymon for its thought-provoking messages--Laymon is a guilty pleasure, strictly for entertainment, and makes no pretensions otherwise.
Flesh primarily shifts point-of-view between Jake Corey, and Allison--a coed with boyfriend troubles--as the creature assumes its newest host, a college outcast named Roland with connections to Allison's roommates. Readers should expect a certain amount of sexually-obsessed teenage angst--though aside from outrageous situational humor--there is noticeably not a single sex scene in the novel.
I gave it 4 stars--a highly recommended read--withholding 5 only because Flesh is not quite up to the caliber of slam-dunk hits like The Traveling Vampire Show, After Midnight, and Bite.
Page one starts the action when a coed is nearly run over while bicycling in what appears to be a hit-and-run style `accident' in a remote area of Weber Creek. The van speeds through a guard rail killing the driver instantly, leaving local cop Jake Corey with no explanation for the man's bizarre behavior. While inspecting the wreckage, Corey notices a blood trail leading into the woods. During his search, Corey comes across a rural hotel undergoing renovation by its new owners, a young couple. He alerts them to the potential danger and warns them to pack up and go home for the night--but they ignore his advice and return to suffer the fatal consequences.
The autopsy report on the van's driver reveals the hollowed-out path of what the medical examiner describes as a "snake-like creature" that burrowed into the husband's foot and crawled up his body to attach itself to his spine, compelling him to turn cannibal. When its host was killed, the creature made a rectal retreat and moved on to seek another host. Who else but Laymon could craft such a fiendishly tongue-in-cheek scenario?
Laymon novels have an uncanny knack for bridging blatant suspension of disbelief gaps with dry humor for the sake of plot continuity--and Flesh is no different--yet the author's skillful characterization, clever dialogue, and gift for crafting suspense compel readers to overlook such B-movie complications. Because let's face it folks--you aren't reading Richard Laymon for its thought-provoking messages--Laymon is a guilty pleasure, strictly for entertainment, and makes no pretensions otherwise.
Flesh primarily shifts point-of-view between Jake Corey, and Allison--a coed with boyfriend troubles--as the creature assumes its newest host, a college outcast named Roland with connections to Allison's roommates. Readers should expect a certain amount of sexually-obsessed teenage angst--though aside from outrageous situational humor--there is noticeably not a single sex scene in the novel.
I gave it 4 stars--a highly recommended read--withholding 5 only because Flesh is not quite up to the caliber of slam-dunk hits like The Traveling Vampire Show, After Midnight, and Bite.
April 11, 2016
Може би, ако я бях прочел преди 15 години щеше доста повече дами хареса. Ако целта е била да се напише нещо копиращо старите филми на ужасите(онези леко смешните) то изпълнението е добро.
Какво ми обади:
+ Самата идея за паразит контролиращ домакина си никога не остарява.
+ Леката историческа закачка, макар и само в две изречения, с Ацтеките и техните жертвоприношения.
+ На две три места наистина успях да изтръпна и да съпреживея страховете на героите.
+ Куката беше пич, ама тъпак.
Какво не ми обади:
- Втората сюжетна линия с Алисън беше пълна боза, накрая успя да се върже криво-ляво, но героинята не беше успяла да ми стане симпатична, надявах се да пукне.
- Много наивно, като цяло.
- Десетки излишни неща, даже цели сцени, да не кажа глави, да не кажа половината книга.
- Куката беше тъпак, ама пич.
Абе заслужава си да се прочете, без големи очаквания. Най-малкото всичко излизало като хорър в България, ако изключим Кинг може да се опатка за два месеца, не е като да се изгуби много.
Какво ми обади:
+ Самата идея за паразит контролиращ домакина си никога не остарява.
+ Леката историческа закачка, макар и само в две изречения, с Ацтеките и техните жертвоприношения.
+ На две три места наистина успях да изтръпна и да съпреживея страховете на героите.
+ Куката беше пич, ама тъпак.
Какво не ми обади:
- Втората сюжетна линия с Алисън беше пълна боза, накрая успя да се върже криво-ляво, но героинята не беше успяла да ми стане симпатична, надявах се да пукне.
- Много наивно, като цяло.
- Десетки излишни неща, даже цели сцени, да не кажа глави, да не кажа половината книга.
- Куката беше тъпак, ама пич.
Абе заслужава си да се прочете, без големи очаквания. Най-малкото всичко излизало като хорър в България, ако изключим Кинг може да се опатка за два месеца, не е като да се изгуби много.
March 29, 2024
Oh, Laymon
May 24, 2023
This was a typical Laymon horror novel with lots of blood, sex, and gore. I have read several Laymon novels and I would say this one probably ranks in the top 5 or so that I have read (I enjoyed "The Stake" probably the most). This book had the requisite amount of chills (not for the squeamish!). The story reminded me a lot of the super sci-fi movie from the 80's --The Hidden. Both stories were about an entity that invaded humans and affected their minds to commit acts of violence. In fact, "The Hidden" was released in 1987 and "Flesh" was copyrighted in 1988. Hmmm - I wonder if Laymon stole some ideas from the movie? Anyway, I recommend both the movie (The Hidden) and Flesh!
October 14, 2009
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.
May 8, 2014
Definitely not my favorite Laymon title, but this was a fun and wicked little creature feature with plenty of the author's trademarks on display. There were a lot of horny characters but none of the graphic sex that you will usually find in a Laymon novel. Worth the read but one I would probably not read again.
February 8, 2021
Харесах. Просто неговите книги са ми адски забавни, ала не мога да го разбера пича защо постоянно набляга на сексуалните взаимоотношения между хората... хм не само между тях.
November 19, 2020
Като "Нещото", ако беше написано от сценаристите на "Петък 13-ти" - истинско забавление! Но само ако носите на гадости...
Прочетете ревюто ми на линка:
https://citadelata.com/%d0%bf%d0%bb%d...
Прочетете ревюто ми на линка:
https://citadelata.com/%d0%bf%d0%bb%d...
February 28, 2013
I am big Laymon fan but I was sorely disappointed with this one. There is a lot for Laymon lovers here with his particular style of mixing of sexual tension and gore. Many of characters, especially the co-eds, were particularly well done but some of the plot points needed to be developed more (or ha-ha 'fleshed' out).
This idea of a parasitic worm that can burrow into a body and take control of its hosts is interesting, although not entirely original. I want a scientist dissecting this worm and go into details about this species -- where it came from, its life cycle and what kind of threat it presents. I want people in bio-hazard suits scouring the area for this creature. These are the kind of details that would bring the creature to life for readers rather than coming across as a plot device. But Laymon, probably because he is not a particularly technically-oriented writer, only gives us the barest of details. Worst yet, the reaction of the characters to the discovery of this creature doesn't seem plausible. Why doesn't a police officer upon learning of this worm contact the CDC, enlist the help of federal and state authorities? Instead, he decides to hold off and just conducts a lame search of his own (he had some half-assed reason for putting off his annoucement to the world that I don't recall).
More plot holes: earlier in the book is a creepy character who bets one of the women that he can stay overnight in a restaurant where a particularly gruesome homicide had just occurred the night before. Now, the woman doesn't even like the guy but she agrees to the bet and even drops him off at the restaurant. Consider: if you were this guy who is going to sleep overnight on the floor in this gristly crime scene and were concerned you might chicken out, what action might you consider? If you answered, handcuff yourself to a railing so you won't be able to leave, then I guess you will have no problem with this plot detail.
Also, back to the woman he made the bet with: she cannot stand the guy (he is her boyfriend's disgusting roommate). Ask yourself: if you were her, what would would you do to make sure he loses the bet? If your answer is strip naked, pour flour on yourself, run into the restaurant and parade in front of this guy to scare him, then you will have no problem with this part of the plot.
The plot holes really bothered me. I suspect this is a result of Laymon taking a half-step into science fiction territory that he is ill-equipped to handle. Only my love for Laymon's writing kept me from rating this lower.
This idea of a parasitic worm that can burrow into a body and take control of its hosts is interesting, although not entirely original. I want a scientist dissecting this worm and go into details about this species -- where it came from, its life cycle and what kind of threat it presents. I want people in bio-hazard suits scouring the area for this creature. These are the kind of details that would bring the creature to life for readers rather than coming across as a plot device. But Laymon, probably because he is not a particularly technically-oriented writer, only gives us the barest of details. Worst yet, the reaction of the characters to the discovery of this creature doesn't seem plausible. Why doesn't a police officer upon learning of this worm contact the CDC, enlist the help of federal and state authorities? Instead, he decides to hold off and just conducts a lame search of his own (he had some half-assed reason for putting off his annoucement to the world that I don't recall).
More plot holes: earlier in the book is a creepy character who bets one of the women that he can stay overnight in a restaurant where a particularly gruesome homicide had just occurred the night before. Now, the woman doesn't even like the guy but she agrees to the bet and even drops him off at the restaurant. Consider: if you were this guy who is going to sleep overnight on the floor in this gristly crime scene and were concerned you might chicken out, what action might you consider? If you answered, handcuff yourself to a railing so you won't be able to leave, then I guess you will have no problem with this plot detail.
Also, back to the woman he made the bet with: she cannot stand the guy (he is her boyfriend's disgusting roommate). Ask yourself: if you were her, what would would you do to make sure he loses the bet? If your answer is strip naked, pour flour on yourself, run into the restaurant and parade in front of this guy to scare him, then you will have no problem with this part of the plot.
The plot holes really bothered me. I suspect this is a result of Laymon taking a half-step into science fiction territory that he is ill-equipped to handle. Only my love for Laymon's writing kept me from rating this lower.
September 1, 2016
I was listening to the audiobook of this. It was quite a struggle at times. I can't exactly pin point what I didn't like about this book, it just didn't work for me.
I've preferred the other stuff I've read by Laymon far more.
I've preferred the other stuff I've read by Laymon far more.
August 20, 2025
I really enjoyed this book even though the character, Alison, was very very annoying to me!
December 10, 2023
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 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.
April 27, 2021
........... "He looked at his watch but didn't know why... He then remembered he wanted to know what the time was".
Wow. That's writing, this guy sure ain't no Dickens... But it is a book called FLESH... Not sure I would have called it that, I would have gone for something punchy like....
"CREEPY SNAKE THING THAT INVADES ONES BODY AND MAKES THEM COMMIT GRUESOME MURDER"
I also wouldn't have used the word 'BREASTS' as much as this guy did. It was clearly some sort of bet he was trying to win.... Every time a woman is mentioned he comments on her breasts... DONT get me wrong... I'm not adverse to reading about women's breasts but you end up making a game of it.... Your reading... 'ok, here she is' you say 'thats it...here we go....' and there it is, the B-word! A bit like when you watch THE BIG LEBOWSKI and try and count how many words someone says before they drop the F-Bomb....
Apart from a huge number of ridiculous unnecessary descriptions this really is a fun pile of trash... And I mean that in a GOOD way - not the bad way like when it's trash night and the bag breaks and makes a mess in the kitchen floor....
Enjoy
Wow. That's writing, this guy sure ain't no Dickens... But it is a book called FLESH... Not sure I would have called it that, I would have gone for something punchy like....
"CREEPY SNAKE THING THAT INVADES ONES BODY AND MAKES THEM COMMIT GRUESOME MURDER"
I also wouldn't have used the word 'BREASTS' as much as this guy did. It was clearly some sort of bet he was trying to win.... Every time a woman is mentioned he comments on her breasts... DONT get me wrong... I'm not adverse to reading about women's breasts but you end up making a game of it.... Your reading... 'ok, here she is' you say 'thats it...here we go....' and there it is, the B-word! A bit like when you watch THE BIG LEBOWSKI and try and count how many words someone says before they drop the F-Bomb....
Apart from a huge number of ridiculous unnecessary descriptions this really is a fun pile of trash... And I mean that in a GOOD way - not the bad way like when it's trash night and the bag breaks and makes a mess in the kitchen floor....
Enjoy
February 2, 2025
Invasion of the body snatchers and brain damage in book form. The parts with the horror and the creature are fun, but there are also extended periods of time where it's just relationship drama, which is pretty boring. Laymon has his usual rump count and over describes women's bodies and mens elections pushing against their pants. Helen was a funny character as the overweight friend. Laymon sure has a way of writing fat women, which is pretty funny. It was decent, but nothing special and a bit predictable. None of the usual bat shit scenarios he has in some of his books.
April 4, 2020
I loved this book even more than Richard Laymon loved the word "rump".
March 14, 2021
When I discovered Laymon in my teenage years, I was hooked. I ready every single one of his novels, including this one. I decided to re-read Laymon now, as a middle-age adult, to see if the magic was still there. It is!!!!
Although this is not on my top-level recommendations to people, it is still a gem, especially in comparison to other horror that is out there. Believe it or not, this is not one of the weirder Laymon stories. It is reminiscent in plot to David Cronenberg’s Shivers (1975) with all the typical Laymon tropes: beautiful young people getting laid, final girl, fucked-up weirdo, plot twists, weird scenarios, blood, guts, and lots of violence. Like all Laymon novels, it is a guilty pleasure. Of course you can complain that it lacks in depth, but you cannot tell me you didn’t have a rip-roaring amazing time reading and can’t wait to get to the next novel. That is Laymon for you, and no one does it better!!!!
Although this is not on my top-level recommendations to people, it is still a gem, especially in comparison to other horror that is out there. Believe it or not, this is not one of the weirder Laymon stories. It is reminiscent in plot to David Cronenberg’s Shivers (1975) with all the typical Laymon tropes: beautiful young people getting laid, final girl, fucked-up weirdo, plot twists, weird scenarios, blood, guts, and lots of violence. Like all Laymon novels, it is a guilty pleasure. Of course you can complain that it lacks in depth, but you cannot tell me you didn’t have a rip-roaring amazing time reading and can’t wait to get to the next novel. That is Laymon for you, and no one does it better!!!!
October 31, 2021
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.
December 25, 2020
И тук Леймън не разочарова. Доволно количество кръв, съчетано със сюжет, препращащ към най-добрите осемдесеттарски хоръри. Четенето е удоволствие, ако си фен на подобни неща. Все пак, ужасите много пъти са по-забавни от комедиите.
Разбира се, ако трябва да се погледне по-критично върху романа, могат да се посочат някои слаби места. Сигурно и Леймън е бил наясно с тях, но това не отнема от забавлението на четенето.
Разбира се, ако трябва да се погледне по-критично върху романа, могат да се посочат някои слаби места. Сигурно и Леймън е бил наясно с тях, но това не отнема от забавлението на четенето.
September 27, 2022
What a fantastic horrific ride. Tons of fun
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