Slap Happy Fun Time

 Pet Sematary - Stephen King                                                                          Writers always have books they cite as major influences and this one is mine. I was ten when I first read this and suddenly a light bulb clicked on in my head and I wanted to be a writer. I was ten so I wasn't thinking about anyting other than writing. Writing was more than enough and it turns out, I'm pretty good at it despite not making any money from being a published author. Odds are, you've never read anything I've written but if you look up Michael Noe on Amazon, you'll find some of my work. The point is King's novel is dark and sinister and deals with a subject no one likes to talk about. We think about it a lot and even see it on our television screens but we pretend that it can't happen to u...

 As Long As We Both Shall Live - JoAnn Chaney                                                                What makes a book great? For me, it's about the story, the writing and the characters. Chaney's novel is something familiar but at the same time it's done well. This is a writer who explores the dark side of human nature, and marriage and does in a way that's compelling. Matt's first wife dies in a horrific home invasion and then twenty years later, his second wife falls off a cliff. Is it a case of bad luck or something far more sinister? The interesting thing is that deep down you think Matt not only killed his first wife, but also had something to do with Marie's dissapearance. He's not a character you get to learn a great deal about, but you can't help but feel that he's guilty mainly due to how the book is writte...

 'Salem's Lot Stephen King                                                                                  It's hard to believe that 'Salem's Lot is Stephen King's second novel or maybe it isn't so hard to believe. When we think of King now a lot of words come to mind, but back then, he was simply a new writer trying to find his voice. Carrie was a great introduction to King's writing style and what an introduction it was. Carrie is a classic horror novel and showed us how great horror could be if done correctly. 'Salem's Lot was King's attempt at story about vampires invading a small town and it includes a few Easter Eggs as a nod to Bram Stoker's classic novel. I remember reading this as a kid and not liking it all that much so I hadn't bothered to reread it. One day I pic...

       In The Dark - Richard Laymon                                                                       Jane is a librarian working through rhe last of her shift when she spots an envelope with her name on it and inside is a letter inviting her to play with someone named the Master Of Games. The simple task sets of a chain of events that slowly escalate to the point where the money becomes more important than Jane's safety. Who is The Master Of Games? What's his motivation? This is what drives the novel as well as the escalation of each dare. At any point Jane can quit, but the pull of easy money is far too hard to ignore even though she sees first hand just how dangerous things are becoming. Laymon stacks the novel with a great deal of suspense while throwing in his usual trademarks. At its c...

 Your Secret Admirer - Carl Laymon                                                                                                                               I know you're asking yourself why I'm reading a cheesy young adult novel but more importantly why am I reviewing it? The answer is simple. Your Secret Admirer was written by none other than the late Richard Laymon and I wonder how he felt about this novel when he started gaining a cult following. Did he know that fans like me would actually track it down just to show them off in their collection? It's funny to see Night In The Lonesome October, Funland and Bite standing next to a book called Your Secret A...

 Beware! - Richard Laymon                                                          Richard Laymon is not only one of my favorite authors, he's also a huge influence on my own writing. Beware! is one of his earlier works and it shows in the early going. It's almost as if he wants to make up for the past mistakes of The Woods Are Dark by tapping into mainstream horror and it almost works The problem with Woods was that the failure wasn't his. His publisher gave him a crappy cover and hacked away half of the book. He has a distinct, almost frenetic writing that pulls you in from the opening paragraph. What it lacks is the usual Laymon trademarks, it more than makes up for in plot and pacing. Beware! is an updated version of the Invisible Man, but here, there's nothing redeemable about the guy. He uses his invisibility to create as much mayhem...

 Mine - Robert R. McCammon                                                                   I've heard a lot about McCammon yet the only experience I've ever really had was with Blue World a short story collection. I can only remember bits and pieces of it and I have tried, and failed to read Swan Song. Mine was picked up on a whim and I thought I was going to read a straight up horror novel but to be fair, it's not, but that's not a bad thing. What we have is a story with multiple threads weaving the plot together while the core focus is on Mary Terror and the baby she's stolen to present to a cult leader. As I read about how easy it was to kindnap the baby it was unsettling and couldn't happen these days. You simply can't go into a hospital wearing a nurses uniform and just snatch someone's kid. There are two st...