What Richard Laymon Book Should I read first

[Celeste]

So I've been seeing alot of this author mentioned and I'm interested in reading his work but I don't know where to start. Which book in your opinion is the best?

[[deleted user]]

In my opinion, Laymon's top 3 works are:

The Woods are Dark
Island
The Traveling Vampire Show

I would recommend reading The Woods are Dark first, since it contains everything Laymon is notorious for and is quite representative for the author. There exist different versions of the novel, one which is heavily censored and mutilated and another, restaurated, more original version. You should try to read the latter, of course.

[Phil]

My favorites so far are After Midnight sand The Stake.

[Celeste]

Ekel wrote: "In my opinion, Laymon's top 3 works are:

The Woods are Dark
Island
The Traveling Vampire Show

I would recommend reading The Woods are Dark first, since i..."

Thanks Ekel. The Woods are Dark is already on my to be read list. However I cant find it where Iam. Island sounds interesting as well. The only book currently available to me is the last one you recommended.

[Celeste]

Nolan wrote: "I'm currently reading Darkness, Tell Us for a buddy read, making it my first book from Laymon. I wish I had started somewhere different because the consensus has said this isn't one o..."

I didn't want to run into exactly the problem your having now. If the first book I read by an author is bad im less inclined to give the author another read. Once burned, twice shy, that sort of thing. Plus he has oodles of books.

[Celeste]

Philip wrote: "My favorites so far are After Midnight sand The Stake."

Thanks Philip, I can get the first book.

Has anyone read Among the Missing? Sounds interesting.

[[deleted user]]

Celeste wrote: "Thanks Ekel. The Woods are Dark is already on my to be read list. However I cant find it where Iam. Island sounds interesting as well. The only book currently available to me is the last one you recommended."

I consider The Travelling Vampire Show to be Laymon's best work, but it is a rather unusual one as well. The book has everything fans love about Laymon (Action, violence, characters gone berserk etc.), but that stuff only starts in the second half or even last third of the book. Normally, things in Laymon's fiction tend to escalate quickly, but here the narration starts quite atmospheric and slow-paced.

[Mikana]

The first Richard Laymon book I read was Endless Night, which is why it has probably stuck with me the most. The Woods Are Dark are great, but I have yet to read the Travelling Vampire Show, I might have to add that to my to-read list.

[sonya]

Body rides was also good Celeste

[Gianfranco]

I liked a lot Flesh, The Stake and Blood Games too.

[Kasia]

My first Laymon was No Sanctuary and it got me hooked. Pretty good representation of his style and what he likes to write about.