Helpful Score: 8
I was introduced to Richard Laymon by my mother-in-law. In The Dark was so good, I started looking for others. I found the Island and wow... this book is awesome. I won't spoil it, but let me tell you that I have yet to read an ending to a book that had me say "No way!" for weeks afterward.
Helpful Score: 5
WOW, this book was AMAZING! I read it in two days, couldn't put it down! Very well written, great story... definitely a non stop thriller, you can't wait to see what's going to happen next, or how it ends!
Helpful Score: 5
A cruise, a shipwreck on a deserted jungle island, and a loose maniac bent on murder. What else can you expect from LAYMON. It'll keep you up at night to finish it.
Helpful Score: 3
Another great RIchard Laymon tale. When Rupert Conway set out on a cruise with seven other people, he planned to swim a little, get some sun and relax. He certainly didn't plan to get shipwrecked. But after the yacht explodes, thats exactly what happened, he and his shipmates were stranded on a deserted island. Luckily for them, the island has plenty of fresh water and enoug food to last until they get rescued. Luckily for Rupert most of the castaways are attractive women. But that is where his luck runs out, because they aren't alone on the island. in the jungle beyond the beach lurks a maniac, a killer with a murderous heart, a clever mind and a taste for blood. If your a Laymon fan you'll really enjoy this one!!
Helpful Score: 2
Richard Laymon books are in a class by themselves. As horrifying as Dean Koontz, but more shocking. As creepy as Stephen King, but more demented. I was deeply saddened by his premature death, but admit to wondering just how much more Laymon writing the world could have withstood. (Probably lots more, truth be told!) All that being said, this was not one of his better books. The premise is great: a group of people shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted island are hunted by a crazed murderer. (Yikes! Turn up the lights!) But the narrator of the book is tough to warm up to, being a young man in his late teens who seems to have sex on his mind no matter what the circumstance. Being the mother of two healthy young men, I can accept this in the early stages of the book, but by the time the second male is murdered, leaving the narrator as the sole surviving male, I would think that his mind would have shifted more toward survival rather than sexual fantasies. In addition, [SPOILER ALERT] Laymon included the rape and torture of children (14-year-old twins) which the narrator finds somewhat erotic. While I finished the book, I just didn't find it to be up to the caliber of the other Laymon books I've read. Won't stop me from reading more of Laymon, but this just isn't one that I'd recommend.
Helpful Score: 1
1st Richard Laymon book I've read. Very fast-paced. Saturated with descriptions of women in bikinis which got old fast. Otherwise, the plot was good. I'll definitely check out more of his books.
Helpful Score: 1
pure Laymon!! Hold on to your hat, its gonna be a bumpy ride!!
Helpful Score: 1
rupert set out on a cruise with 7 other people. he planned to swim a littleget some sun and relax.but they got shipwrecked. stranded on a deserted island, but it is not deserted a killer is there with them. very good reading..scary..worth getting...
Helpful Score: 1
loved this book, could not put it down!!!
Helpful Score: 1
A typical laymon thriller.. if you like Laymons other books you should like this one too... its a non stop action with some surprising twists.. as usual for his books.. this is wont disappoint you... Few books get my heart really pounding.. but his books usually do... this isn't one of his best in my opinion but its a good one none the less... worth the read if you want a thrill and surprises!
Helpful Score: 1
Rupert Conway was invited on a vacation with his girlfriends family. What should have been a great adventure turned into a torturous nightmare. The yacht was blown to pieces and the family was stranded on a deserted island. One of the family members was insane and lured the family on this trip and started indiscriminately murdering the men. What started as 8 castaways quickly became four.
The first half of the book was ok though it was dragged down with unnecessary rablings (filler). The last half of the book drifted into the realm of rape and torture. I think this story could have been told just as effectively with much less of this behavior than was detailed. It was just way over the top.
I wouldn't ever read another book by this author as it would just be a waste of money.
The first half of the book was ok though it was dragged down with unnecessary rablings (filler). The last half of the book drifted into the realm of rape and torture. I think this story could have been told just as effectively with much less of this behavior than was detailed. It was just way over the top.
I wouldn't ever read another book by this author as it would just be a waste of money.
Pure Laymon. A nice sail amongst the rich and famous becomes a horrendous attempt to just survive. Join one of the most imaginative authors on the horror genre..its gonna be a bumpy ride!!
One of the worst books I've ever read. I can't believe Stephen King and Dean Koontz endorsed this mess. What a huge disappointment.
Richard Laymon was a sick, twisted individual. And he's at his horrifying best in "Island"! One of my fave Laymon books.
I did not care too much for this book. The antagonist was almost immediately identified so no mystery there. Even though a fiction novel, some events were hard to believe (sexually abused women with no apparent emotional truama? Really?)
Very fast read.. I kept wanting to know what happened next. A little slow in some chapters but very much worth reading... the ending.. WOW..
He's a great story teller.......if you love Steven King you'll love Laymon!!
RIchard Laymon has done it again!
Good read, bit drawn out in parts though. Overall a good book.
A very good story!
Another of Laymons best!
When Rupert Conway set out on a cruise with seven other people, he planned to swim a little, get some sun and relax. He certainly didn't plan to get shipwrecked. But after the yacht blew up, That's what happened-he and his shipmates were stranded on a deserted island. Luckily for them, the island has plenty of fresh water and enough food to last until they get rescued. And luckily for Rupert, most of his fellow castaways are attractive women. But that's where his luck ran out-because the castaways aren't alone on the island. In the dense jungle beyond the beach there's a maniac on the loose, a killer with a murderous heart, a clever mind and a taste for blood. He doesn't like his new neighbors and he plans to slaughter them all...one by one.
A cruise on a yacht with seven other people,Rupert Conway planned to swim,get some sun and relax. But when the yacht blows up,they find themselves stranded on an deserted island.Luckily, there was fresh water and food and most of his fellow castaways were attractive women.
But there their luck ran out.They were not alone on the island.A killer with a murderous heart,a clever mind,and a taste for blood!
But there their luck ran out.They were not alone on the island.A killer with a murderous heart,a clever mind,and a taste for blood!
Crazy A** book. Long story a bit drawn out. Perhaps too long , but that's Laymon. Surprise ending, really , really didn't see that coming at all.... and you won't either trust me.
One of laymons best ,loved it !
When Rupert Conway set out on a cruise with seven other people, he planned to swim a little, get some sun and relax. He certainly didn't plan to get shipwrecked. But after the yacht blew up, that's what happened - he and his shipmates were strandied on a deserted island. Luckly for them, the island has plenty of fresh water and enough food to last until they get rescued. And luckily for Rupert, most of his fellow castaways are attractive women.
But that's where his luck ran out - because the castaways aren't alone on the island. In the dense jungle beyond the beach there's maniac on the loose, a killer with a murderous heart, a clever mind and a taste for blood. He doesn't like his new neighbors and he plans to slaughter them all ....one by one
But that's where his luck ran out - because the castaways aren't alone on the island. In the dense jungle beyond the beach there's maniac on the loose, a killer with a murderous heart, a clever mind and a taste for blood. He doesn't like his new neighbors and he plans to slaughter them all ....one by one
When Rupert Conway set out on a cruise with seven other people, he planned to swim a little, get some sun and relax. He certainly didn't plan to get shipwrecked. But after the yacht blew up, that's what happened - he and his shipmates were stranded on a deserted island. Luckily for them, the island has plenty of fresh water and enough food to last until they get rescued. And luckily for Rupert, most of his fellow castaways are attractive women.
But that's where his luck ran out - becaue the cawstaways aren't alone on the island. In the dense jungle beyond the beach there's a maniac on the loose, a killer with a murderous heart, a clever mind and a taste for blood. He doesn't like his new neighbors and he plans to slaughter them all...one by one.
But that's where his luck ran out - becaue the cawstaways aren't alone on the island. In the dense jungle beyond the beach there's a maniac on the loose, a killer with a murderous heart, a clever mind and a taste for blood. He doesn't like his new neighbors and he plans to slaughter them all...one by one.
A little slow in the beginnning and a lot of detail I could have done without, but I loved this book. I wasn't expecting the ending! I loved all the Laymon books that I have read so far and look forward to reading the ones I still need to get. It's a shame that he is no longer with us because he is rated as one of my top loved authors.
