The Travelling Vampire Show
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Product Description
Review
'A wickedly involving story...a horror tale that's not only emotionally true but also scary and, above all, fun' (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY )
'If you are not already well acquainted with Richard Laymon, get to know him now. This is an enticing tale of three youngsters in a small American town' (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS )
'This gloriously inventive piece is probably Laymon's best book yet: dipping into the poetic vein of Ray Bradbury was clearly a vitalising exercise for him, and this is sheerly enjoyable... The prose here is rich and inventive, the atmosphere and scene-setting handled with real aplomb' (NEWS INTERNATIONAL )
'Set in a sleepy American town in the summer of 1963, this rites of passage novel recreates the long, stifling days - and nights filled with possibilities - that distinguish the teenage years' (BELFAST TELEGRAPH ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
'If you are not already well acquainted with Richard Laymon, get to know him now. This is an enticing tale of three youngsters in a small American town' (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS )
'This gloriously inventive piece is probably Laymon's best book yet: dipping into the poetic vein of Ray Bradbury was clearly a vitalising exercise for him, and this is sheerly enjoyable... The prose here is rich and inventive, the atmosphere and scene-setting handled with real aplomb' (NEWS INTERNATIONAL )
'Set in a sleepy American town in the summer of 1963, this rites of passage novel recreates the long, stifling days - and nights filled with possibilities - that distinguish the teenage years' (BELFAST TELEGRAPH ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
'A wickedly involving story...a horror tale that's not only emotionally true but also scary and, above all, fun' -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 'If you are not already well acquainted with Richard Laymon, get to know him now. This is an enticing tale of three youngsters in a small American town' -- MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 'This gloriously inventive piece is probably Laymon's best book yet: dipping into the poetic vein of Ray Bradbury was clearly a vitalising exercise for him, and this is sheerly enjoyable... The prose here is rich and inventive, the atmosphere and scene-setting handled with real aplomb' -- NEWS INTERNATIONAL 'Set in a sleepy American town in the summer of 1963, this rites of passage novel recreates the long, stifling days - and nights filled with possibilities - that distinguish the teenage years' -- BELFAST TELEGRAPH
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Travelling Vampire Show is not Laymon's best, but delivers the usual ingredients which mean you cannot put the thing down.
Laymon's USA is - and this applies to whatever year he sets the story - full of perverts, weirdos and axe wielding maniacs. As soon as your kids set foot out the door, they're in mortal danger. Laymon's world is also full of teenagers who are fixated on getting laid. They love sneaking peaks at cleavage, knickers and anything to satisfy their adolescent torment.
This story is set in 1963 and tells in first person (through the eyes of Dwight), 24 hours in the life of a 16 year old, with his best friends Slim and Rusty. Slim is a girl and Dwight is beginning to realise he has the hots for her. He is also finding his trousers swelling whenever he thinks of his sister-in-law Lee as well. When he sees a naked Valeria, his pants are ready to explode.
Slim seems to be an expert with bow and arrows and knives and Rusty is a flawed (!) chunky fellow who fancies anything with a pulse, but would sell his mother for a chocolate bar.
The tension builds towards the usual bloodfest climax and although there's a few points in the story which don't quite add up, its gripping all the same.
I would like to know where Lee went when they arrived at her house and she wasn't there. Everybody thought the worst, but she turned up in the end just in time for all her clothes to fall off. Joy. But her absence wasn't really explained - as though Laymon had a plan for her, but forgot in his lust driven finale.
Anyway, very typical Laymon, expertly written, great dialogue, keeps you engrossed to the end. Like a previous reviewer, I was sorry to hear of his death but hope that like 2-PAC and Bob Marley, he manages to keep on churning them out from beyond the grave. That would be just like him.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The story is set in a sleepy American town in 1963, and when Dwight, Slim, and Rusty discover the travelling vampire show is in town for one night only they cant resist the temptation of getting a sneak peak at the "beguiling" Valeria the vampire on display and the only captured vampire in the world.It is here that the kids troubles really start! strange events start to happen all over town on the vampire shows arrival and that is just the beginning!. This book has all the thrills and suspense+ blood, guts and gore you would expect from a laymon novel although not as graphic here as in previous books. This is certainly a story that will live with you for a very long time and i cannot stress highly enough just how good this book is, just get hold of a copy and see for yourself you won't be sorry.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The other reviews submitted here seem to indicate that this is a below par effort from Laymon. I could not disagree more.
Yes, it's different but what is wrong with a change.
The closest comparison, in my experience, is Stephen King's novella "The Body", which was filmed as "Stand By Me". Its a rites of passage novel set in the early 1960's, a more innocent age, in which part of the horror or thrill is the main characters' fear of their own parents' reactions to their own indiscretions as well as the more obvious possible chills of the vampire show that they are, to varying degrees, looking forward to.
Sparkling dialogue, as ever from Laymon, completes an excellent novel and the climax, the vampire show and its after effects is delivered impeccably.
So good it kept me up until 3AM. I can't make a higher recommendation.
Fabulous.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Richard Laymon is my new favourite author
is this the best book you will ever read? - probably not,
is this a really frightening book? - no,
is this a book worth reading? Read more
is this a really frightening book? - no,
is this a book worth reading? Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2009 by megamarble
One Of His Finest Novels
Any fan of Laymon's MUST buy this. It is one of, if not the finest novels he ever wrote.
Think of Stephen king's "The Body" with a Laymon, vampire spin and you'll have an... Read more
Think of Stephen king's "The Body" with a Laymon, vampire spin and you'll have an... Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2007 by SIMON R. WILLIS
Good Book, Great Ending
I started reading Laymons books when I was at Waterstones one day and was looking at the Stephen King books for one I hadn't read - and discovered that there was none! Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2006 by marky77
Hilarious horror novel
A lot of sexual imagery, violence and gore packed together in a hilarious horror novel about a "posse" of adolescents who go where they should not have gone. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2006 by P. Christensen
brilliant!
He has his very own writing style - well, most of the better authors do but Laymon's is really unique. No one writes like him. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2006 by Gina Skinner
A Good Time
The posters appeared overnight. The Travelling Vampire Show is coming to town. Dwight, Rusty and Slim just have to see it. So what if they are underage. Read more
Published on 2 Oct 2005 by "jonpapa_uk"
Richard Laymon does "Stand by Me"
I know I mention Stand By Me in my title but this novel certianly isn't a "rip-off" of the story. It's a compliment in so much as it having the same... Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2004 by Captain EO
Classic Laymon
When I heard about Richard Laymon's death, I was shocked and saddened as I suspect were all of his fans. Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2004 by "stuatk"
Top notch writing!
One of Laymon's better novels, set in the 1960s. Slim, Rusty and Dwight notice posters all around their town and see that there is a vampire show coming to Jank's Field, which... Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2002 by "alanfergusonaicb"
Vampire book with a difference
Richard Laymon books on a whole do not let you down. The travelling Vampire show, although not the best of Laymon books, does not either. Read more
Published on 25 Nov 2001
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