What are you reading?

[Darcy Parker]

I read Silver Surfer: Parable last night. It knocked me on my ass.

[Mark Tolch]

Keep meaning to order the BR book. How is it? Hoping for more info on the early days of the band.

It was just OK, truth be told. It's the same guy that helped Keith Morris write his book, he used to write for Flipside, and I don't like his writing style at all. There was a bit of information in there that I was unaware of, but it glosses over a lot of thing. I'm kind of a BR superfan, so I was going to have to buy it, but I read the Sick of It All book right after, and it smoked the BR book for being enjoyable, and loaded with information.

[Newt Cox]

I'm currently reading DO WHAT YOU WANT: THE STORY OF BAD RELIGION and re-reading MINISTRY: THE LOST GOSPELS by Al Jourgensen.

Keep meaning to order the BR book. How is it? Hoping for more info on the early days of the band.

[Newt Cox]

Having trouble focusing enough to read a book.

So going thru issue 4 of Sleazefiend Magazine. In the middle of a 20 page or so piece on the history of Peepbooths.

https://sleazefiendmagazine.storenvy...end-magazine-4

[Andrew Monroe]

Once you finish the Reacher books, I highly recommend the Harry Bosch novels by Michael Connelly. Great reads, and different enough from the Prime show that even the books that were adapted for the show are still well worth reading if you've already watched those seasons.

I've heard of those, will definitely check them out. Thanks!

[Darcy Parker]

I'm almost finished with my last Jack Reacher book, Tripwire. It's damn good, as is the entire series. I'm seriously going to be at a loss when I've finished this. 24 novels in the series, and I've read the vast majority of them during this shitstorm of a pandemic and they've been a terrific way to escape things for a while. I've burned through one of them (average length of 500 pages) a week. Just miles above the typical thriller.

Once you finish the Reacher books, I highly recommend the Harry Bosch novels by Michael Connelly. Great reads, and different enough from the Prime show that even the books that were adapted for the show are still well worth reading if you've already watched those seasons.

[Andrew Monroe]

I think Amazon Prime is doing a Jack Reacher series with the guy who plays Hawk from Titans. At least he looks more formidable than Cruise.

Yeah, I will have to check that series out, really don't know why I haven't yet. I actually really like the first Cruise Reacher film, he's looks nothing like the character as described in the books but he played it very well (and they picked one of the best books in a generally excellent series - One Shot.) The second film was not nearly as good.

[Gary Banks]

I'm almost finished with my last Jack Reacher book, Tripwire. It's damn good, as is the entire series. I'm seriously going to be at a loss when I've finished this. 24 novels in the series, and I've read the vast majority of them during this shitstorm of a pandemic and they've been a terrific way to escape things for a while. I've burned through one of them (average length of 500 pages) a week. Just miles above the typical thriller.

I think Amazon Prime is doing a Jack Reacher series with the guy who plays Hawk from Titans. At least he looks more formidable than Cruise.

[Andrew Monroe]

I'm almost finished with my last Jack Reacher book, Tripwire. It's damn good, as is the entire series. I'm seriously going to be at a loss when I've finished this. 24 novels in the series, and I've read the vast majority of them during this shitstorm of a pandemic and they've been a terrific way to escape things for a while. I've burned through one of them (average length of 500 pages) a week. Just miles above the typical thriller.

[Marshall Crist]

Alright, Marshall, you've convinced me, I won't give up on Mr. Laymon. I think I'm going to continue with the order I've listed: BLOOD GAMES is next, followed by ENDLESS NIGHT and IN THE DARK, which I'm really looking forward to now.

Cheers! Hope you enjoy them. I seem to recall the beginning of ENDLESS NIGHT being utterly gripping, but it's ultimately so subjective.

[Lorne Marshall]

Lorne, THE WOODS ARE DARK is my favorite Laymon book due to its gruesomeness and unrelenting action, but IN THE DARK may be his “best” book in terms of psychological intrigue. It really stood out to me as I was plowing through his body of work. I highly recommend it.

Alright, Marshall, you've convinced me, I won't give up on Mr. Laymon. I think I'm going to continue with the order I've listed: BLOOD GAMES is next, followed by ENDLESS NIGHT and IN THE DARK, which I'm really looking forward to now.

[Paul L]

Ah, Richard Laymon. That name is a blast from the past.

Marshall, I remember THE WOODS ARE DARK as one of my favourite of his novels too, though admittedly it must be nearly 30 years since I read many of them.

Currently reading:
WEIRD WOODS - TALES FROM THE HAUNTED FORESTS OF BRITAIN, an anthology of vintage spooky stories published as part of the British Libraries Tales of the Weird series.

[Marshall Crist]

Lorne, THE WOODS ARE DARK is my favorite Laymon book due to its gruesomeness and unrelenting action, but IN THE DARK may be his “best” book in terms of psychological intrigue. It really stood out to me as I was plowing through his body of work. I highly recommend it.

[Mark Tolch]

THE BLOOD AND THE SWEAT: THE STORY OF SICK OF IT ALL'S KOLLER BROTHERS-Howie Abrams
WHAM! GEORGE MICHAEL AND ME-Andrew Ridgeley

[Lorne Marshall]

Finally finished ONE RAINY NIGHT. Definitely an intriguing premise, with some clever surprises in the last few scenes. I enjoyed it much more than RESURRECTION DREAMS. My impression of Laymon from these two (I don't recall much about THE CELLAR) is that the his books are unnecessarily long considering the lack of complexity in the stories. I'm not sure if it was common practice for paperback originals, but I assume it's because Leisure/Dorchester probably paid by the word or something like that? (And he must have gotten a higher price for using the word rump, as it seems to appear on every other page. )

Below is a list of the others I have from Laymon (I believe in chronological order) that I have yet to read. Note that none are the ones Marshall and Paul recommended - THE WOODS ARE DARK, THE BEAST HOUSE or THE ISLAND - so I'll have to think about picking those up at some point.

BLOOD GAMES
ENDLESS NIGHT
IN THE DARK
BITE
BODY RIDES
AMONG THE MISSING
COME OUT TONIGHT
NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER
NO SANCTUARY
TO WAKE THE DEAD

Not sure when I'll start the next one. Right now I'm still working on PAPERBACKS FROM HELL and SHIVERS II, and I added a non-fiction book on politics (which I won't describe any further since this is not the appropriate forum in which to do so).