Night in the Lonesome October

Quite simply, a masterpiece. I read this book in one night. If you've ever woken up at three in the morning and thought "Hey, it would be kinda neat to just go outside for a walk. Just to see how different the outside world is when all is asleep..." Then this will prolly be one of your favorite books ever. People who don't like this book don't appreciate the true horror of bad things happening to people without always having to have an explanation as to how or why. This is the book for the nightwalker in all of us. Just don't walk into Dandi Donuts.

It's hard to pinpoint this novel. Of course, I bought it because it was a horror story by an author whom I have wanted to try. I do like horror in many of its shades. And, to be honest, there are at least 50 pages that can actually be called horror. But most of the book is the story of Edward Logan who seems to have opted for life as a victim when his college girlfriend (Holly) up and leaves him for a camp counselor. Edward's return to ascetic life lasts about a week. One late night he decides to take a long walk for donuts, and his ex-girlfriend's sorority sister (Eileen) decides to rescue him, and he becomes spellbound by a mysterious young woman (Casey) who likes to wander into strange houses and often plays truth or dare with the denizens of the night. There are several other beautiful ladies dotting the novel's story line, and Edward's persistent explanation for his complete lack of loyalty is to blame whatever significant she (usually Holly) isn't present at the moment of his temptation. Most of the novel takes place in night rambles in which Edward finds a serial killer, a mad bicycling granny, a pair of jeep riding sisters, and a clan of cannibal trolls who seem to work as the town's cleanup squad. Edward has a knack of going where no sane college junior should ever go and he seems as addicted to risk as is young Casey. Nobody in this story is really quite sane, and no one (except the serial killer) realizes how crazy they really are. So this is less a horror story than it is a 'spooky' story. Since everything between the various touchy/feely episodes is, well, weird. Laymon writes quite well, and this is far from the first time I've picked up a horror story to discover that the atmosphere is dark, but not ghoulish. Perhaps the horror lies in the was Edward relinquishes all responsibility for his decisions, in a town where karma seems to be instant. Laymon reminds me of Tom Piccirilli, who also has a knack for writing somewhere to the left of mainstream horror, and whom I have also come to enjoy.

Edward Logan, successful English Major and dedicated boyfriend, finds himself facing serious changes on a lonesome October night when he receives a note from his girlfriend, Holly, telling him that she's in love with someone else. Not knowing how to deal with that nor with the fact that the man she's seeing is named Jay (of all things!), he sets off in distress to simply walk and think and to commiserate his suffering while sulking beneath the shadowy veil of night. Well, when he begins wandering the night that first time, he finds himself introduced to a world he's never seen before, one that is brimming with wonders both beautiful and dangerous, and before he knows it he wants to see more and more of what's out there. Addiction, however, comes with costs and he finds himself confronted with dilemmas that assail him in his both his day life and this newly opening door within the darkness, sometimes with only frustrations but, from time to time, with the press of fear and teeth. The late, great Richard Laymon constructed tales of many types in his career, inspiring readers such as myself with his ability to not only craft dread into the world of literature but also to evoke haunting images that bump around in the gloomy night. With a talent that defies many writers of our time, he could take something seemingly mundane that everyone can relate to, the act of being dumped and longing, and craft it into an introduction to a dark and mysterious world where beasts and the occasion beauty lurk. While this piece isn't exact what I would call a standard Laymon centerfold and sometimes too many oddities happen in too short of a timeslot and make both the reader and the character wonder what sort of a town this could be, it does have many qualities within it that I find enlightening. The main character, Edward, is developed throughout the story, with all of coming from his point-of-view as the world becomes darker and darker, and the feelings he feels becoming more and more clouded and uncertain. What sometimes begins as an uncrossable line is questioned and then sullied, and Edward finds himself more and more addicted to the strange world that he seems looming just outside of normality's reach. In it, love lurks where love shouldn't and the shadows cough up figures basking in insanity, and the world becomes a battlefield for senses spinning out of control. Here, he finds himself with more than he bargained for and all because Holly, the woman that he loved, walked away from him and left him wandering alone. Personally, I found the book to be a good read but I can understand how some people would find it a questionable experience and am hesitant to recommend it above other Laymon pieces. The point of this experience wasn't really to create a picture of suffering or horror, but to create an atmosphere in which the world becomes a shadowy pit and sensations fight for domination. This made the life of Edward addictive to me because it seemed like things woul

Richard Laymon has been one of my guilty pleasures since reading "The Cellar" back in the late 70s. Since then, I've delighted at the discovery of each new Laymon book, and have watched him steadily progress as a writer.I read a blurb on one of his books that he was "Stephen King without a conscience" but I always thought that unfair. Laymon's books deal with sexual tension and -- being horror -- also deal with serial killers or such. But there is always some underlying humor (usually black!) where the reader can laugh along at the absurd situations that the protagonist finds him/herself in. His writing touched the adolescent in each of us who is simultaneously repelled and fascinated by the imagined horrors of the world. "Night in Lonesome October" is one of his best, dealing with his usual themes of sexual frustration and dangers stalking the night. It deals with a heatbroken young college student who decides to walk alone one night to a donut shop -- and finds a lot more than what he expected. Richard Laymon died on Valentine's Day this year. He took his own lonely journey into the night ... And I'll miss him like an old friend and wish him well on his journey.

Ed Logan is a typical college student until his girlfriend Holly dumps him with a "Dear John" letter. To ease his mind he takes a 7-mile late night stroll to a donut shop. On his journey he encounters the first of many strange and scary characters that populate this novel. He also gets a glimpse of a mystery girl sneaking into a house that triggers his imagination, as well as an obsession. Ed begins to discover that the small college town he lives in becomes a completely different place after the midnight hour. The characters that come out at night are odd, to say the least. Ed becomes addicted to these nocturnal journeys that threaten his school, his budding relationship with Holly's sorority sister Elaine, as well as his life. I`m trying hard not to give away too much of the story since this is one of those novels where every chapter is a new twist. This novel is a fast read and an excellent read. I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down. I had to see what other dweller of the night Ed would encounter next. It is filled with all the classic Laymon hooks, brutal violence, a strong sexual undercurrent, and great characters. Oh yeah, and cannibals. It's creepy, it's scary, sometimes it's downright shocking. It also makes you wonder what kind of weirdos are living in your town. The ending was unexpected and very satisfying. This is what horror fiction is supposed to be. This novel easily makes it into my list of favorites. If you are looking for the kind of book that makes you scared to leave the house, this is it. Does Ed find out who the mystery girl is? Does he get home safely? And what about the bike hag on the cover? You'll just have to read it and find out.Richard Laymon is a legend and he will be greatly missed by all his fans.