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Product Description
Product Description
Visitors flock to see the Beast House with its blood-soaked corridors and creaky doors. Armed with video camcorders, these poor sould enter the forbidden house, never to return. The deeper they go into the house, the darker their nightmares become. Don't even think about going into the cellar.
About the Author
Richard Layman was born in Chicago in 1947. He grew up in California and has a BA in English Literature from Willamette University, Oregon, and an MA from Loyola University, Los Angeles. He has worked as a schoolteacher, a librarian, a mystery magazine editor and a report writer for a law firm. He now works full-time as a writer. His novel FLESH was shortlisted for the prestigious Bram Stoker Award, as were FUNLAND and his short story collection, A GOOD, SECRET PLACE. Richard Layman is the author of many acclaimed works of horror and suspense, including THE STAKE, SAVAGE, AFTER MIDNIGHT and the three novels in the Beast House Chronicles: THE CELLAR, THE BEAST HOUSE and THE MIDNIGHT TOUR. He lives in California with his wife and daughter.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Richard Laymon has the knack of turning what should be abhorrent into an entertaining literary feast and this is the case with The Cellar. The journey takes us through bestiality, paedophilia, torture and some of the most finely crafted suspense horror in a long, long time.
The Cellar is located in the only attraction in Malcasa Point, the infamous Beast House with its blood steeped history and the even stranger Kutch House with no windows and only one door. Running from her deranged husband who has recently been released from gaol Donna Hayes finds herself stranded in Malcasa Point after a car accident in the fog. At her daughter's insistence she takes the Beast House Tour and meets Jud Rucker who changes her life around, albeit temporarily.
What happens from here on in is bloodsoaked but so gripping you don't want to put the book down. Does the beast exist or is it one of the Kutch family playing dress-up? Will they all escape alive? Will they escape the clutches of the Beast House at all?
If you like your horror novels with gore dripping from the page onto your lap as you read this is definitely the book for you.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
First published back in 1980, "The Cellar" introduced the world to the horror author Richard Laymon and formed the first instalment of the four part `Beast House' series.
The tale sets out in a typical clique manner, introducing the reader to what appears to be a somewhat standard `horror novel' style opening. The novel's title and subject matter don't help to dissuade the reader from the feeling that the novel is likely to turn out to be yet another attempt at a basic book to simply slide into this genre, involving a big beast and a tonne of splatter thrown in for good measure.
However, this is not the case, as any avid reader of Laymon's work would know. The storyline quickly breaks away from this mundane and predictable route and instead weaves a tale of bizarre almost comic book like tongue-in-cheek horror.
Laymon's style of writing is a pleasure in itself to read, which draws the reader into this thoroughly enjoyable read. Characterization is nicely developed, but not overly so, as is the way with the majority of Laymon's novels.
Alongside the main plot line, another equally involved subplot is spun, involving a sociopathic killer ex-husband who rapes, murders and steals his way through the tale until the two plot lines come to their eventual meeting.
The novel contains some strong moments such as the recurring rape of children by the ex-husband.
As the tale progresses, the storyline reveals further depths to this bizarre premise, until the reader reaches the final somewhat twisted ending.
The end result is a tale that sets out with the standard `beast on the loose' premise, but quickly becomes a much more elaborate and well contrived story that delivers repeatedly strong moments and leaves plenty of room for the next `Beast House' novel.
The book runs for a total of 254 pages.
The tale sets out in a typical clique manner, introducing the reader to what appears to be a somewhat standard `horror novel' style opening. The novel's title and subject matter don't help to dissuade the reader from the feeling that the novel is likely to turn out to be yet another attempt at a basic book to simply slide into this genre, involving a big beast and a tonne of splatter thrown in for good measure.
However, this is not the case, as any avid reader of Laymon's work would know. The storyline quickly breaks away from this mundane and predictable route and instead weaves a tale of bizarre almost comic book like tongue-in-cheek horror.
Laymon's style of writing is a pleasure in itself to read, which draws the reader into this thoroughly enjoyable read. Characterization is nicely developed, but not overly so, as is the way with the majority of Laymon's novels.
Alongside the main plot line, another equally involved subplot is spun, involving a sociopathic killer ex-husband who rapes, murders and steals his way through the tale until the two plot lines come to their eventual meeting.
The novel contains some strong moments such as the recurring rape of children by the ex-husband.
As the tale progresses, the storyline reveals further depths to this bizarre premise, until the reader reaches the final somewhat twisted ending.
The end result is a tale that sets out with the standard `beast on the loose' premise, but quickly becomes a much more elaborate and well contrived story that delivers repeatedly strong moments and leaves plenty of room for the next `Beast House' novel.
The book runs for a total of 254 pages.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A must read for any fan of strong horror materiel, Laymon never gained the commercial success he deserved in life especially in The US, The Cellar is an extreme, unrelenting and sometimes quite sick tale of characters from different places forced on a path to ultimately the same place, with a varied outcome for each of them. A relatively short novel don't let this put you off, it's fast pace and unexpected turns make it one of my favourite horror yarns ever! Laymon never holds back on what some people might consider going too far which may explain why so many American publishers turned down his work. Needless to say, this isn't for the faint hearted. If Stephen King is about the extent of your threshold then maybe The Cellar Isn't for you! If you want more try Lamon and The Cellar is about the best place to start.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brilliant !!
Someone wrote that this book was utter rubbish but I totally disagree! OK, it is a bit different, well, alot, but as you read through it,you just can't put it down. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Diane, Tamworth
Not for the faint hearted
Found this book interesting from the start. Once you do start reading it is difficult to put down. If you like scary..this is the book to read.
Published 14 months ago by fredswife
RICHARD LAMON THE CELLAR GREAT READ !!!!!!! :o)
wow i could not believe this book especially how it ended up i have never read a book like this before . Read more
Published 16 months ago by <3 patchwork <3
Richard Laymon at his best!
Excellent, gripping tale that continues in the next book called The Best House. Very hard to put down.
Published 20 months ago by S. Brayna
utter rubbish!
very poor and a subject matter which is at best called tasteless....I decided to give Richard Laymon a read as so many recommended and I am a great fan of horror. Read more
Published on 10 April 2010 by RT Twinem
What a gripping read
I have not been a horror fan until discovering Bentley Little and Richard Laymon. Now I am hooked and will no doubt be reading many of their books in the coming months. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2009 by Pn Edlin
Entertaining - isn't it?
It seems holidays are a good place to pick up authors - if you'll pardon the expression - and Richard Layman is no exception. It's my first outing and I had no idea what to expect. Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2008 by Michael Watson
Laymon's Gone Too Far In The Cellar
Monsters come in all shapes and sizes and one of the masters of horror tries to prove this in the unsettling `The Cellar'. Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2008 by Sam
typical laymon
having read a few of laymons other books, i can safely say that this is a typical laymon book.
the only dissapointment i have is that it is rather graphic and a few... Read more
the only dissapointment i have is that it is rather graphic and a few... Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2007 by jenny taylor
Curate's egg
Having read my first Laymon novel, Funland (Which I was informed in hindsight was one of his weaker novels) I decided to give Laymon one more chance with this one. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2005 by Danny
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