Slap Happy Fun Time

 Darklings - Ray Garton                                                                  Darklings isn't a new book nor is it one that a lot of people remember, It was released during the horror boom of the eighties and what a time it was! So many classic novels were released and of course Stephen King was leading the charge with his middle finger raised high. I would spend the majority of my allowence on horror novels and shit, there were a lot to choose from. The covers on some of these were so good, and yes, even terrible but that was what grabbed my attention. If it had an interesting cover odds were I'd pick up the book just to see what it was about and odds were, I'd end up buying it. The problem was a lot of these writers were just looking to cash in on the horror boom so while you had a lot of great and even mid level horror novels you were also stuck with a lot of shit. Novels so had you ended up throwing the book across the room in disgust. Where does Darklings fi

 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 us. Reading the book now as an adult I can see why this book is so dark. The death of a cat opens a door that should never be opened and a warning from a dying ma

 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 written. Add to that the second plot that's about Detective Loren and the fact that his partner suddenly dissappeared many years a

 '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 picked it up and thought why not read it again. Look at it with a pair of adult eyes? Is it really as good as everyone says it is? What did I miss the first time aro

       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 core is what Laymon calls bad people doing bad things. While its clear that Mog could be crazy, Jane herself does some questionable things as well. It shows you just how far people will g

 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 Admirer. There's really no comparison between this and his later novels which is kind of the point. What's great about it is that Laymon gets right to the mystery which is who the secret admirer could be. I remember reading a few young adult horror novels and some of them were great. R.L. Stine really raised