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Body Rides
Neal has been carrying a gun in his car lately - just to be safe. And it looks like it's a good thing he has. When he spots a woman tied naked to a tree and a man ready to kill her, he has no choice but to shoot the attacker. As a reward, the woman gives Neal something unimaginable.
Neal's reward is a bracelet. A very special bracelet. It enables its wearer to step inside other people, to see through their eyes, to feel whatever they feel. To take "body rides". But Neal has a big problem. The man he shot isn't dead. And he wants revenge. First he's going to finish what he started with the woman. Then he's going after Neal...
Neal's reward is a bracelet. A very special bracelet. It enables its wearer to step inside other people, to see through their eyes, to feel whatever they feel. To take "body rides". But Neal has a big problem. The man he shot isn't dead. And he wants revenge. First he's going to finish what he started with the woman. Then he's going after Neal...
544 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 1996
About the author
Richard Laymon
216 books2,089 followersRichard Laymon was born in Chicago and grew up in California. He earned a BA in English Literature from Willamette University, Oregon and an MA from Loyola University, Los Angeles. He worked as a schoolteacher, a librarian, and a report writer for a law firm, and was the author of more than thirty acclaimed novels.
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
May 1, 2022
Wow, what a story. Only Richard Laymon can come up with a tale like that. Neal rescues a young woman named Elise from getting killed. He shoots the killer (he names him "Rasputin") for several times. He is rewarded a special bracelet by Elise enabling him to slip into other human beings unnoticed. When the killer comes back the situation is getting difficult for Neal and his girlfriend Marta. It gets even more complicated when a new woman named Sue is around... Laymon is obsessed with breasts, nipples, sex, twosomes, threesomes, hard ones, unstoppable killers, in short, weird stuff. This book has all in it Laymon is notorious for. Entertaining and compelling story told by the ultimate Peeping Tom. What can I say. Great dialogues, humor, horror, honey bunnies and some violence. Really recommended!
May 8, 2013
Poor Richard Laymon, he was born into the wrong world. The Eskimos live in a world of snow and have a hundred words for it, but Richard Laymon lived in a world of nipples and had only the one word. One single, lousy word. Nipple.
Sure, there were 'hard nipples' and 'long nipples', even more exotic 'glistening' or 'jutting' nipples - but in the end, it was all just nipples, nipples, nipples. So many adjectives, just one lonely noun.
No, if life was fair Richard Laymon would have been born into a time and place where the language had hundreds of special words to describe each and every type of nipple that could possibly exist...such as the 'precipipple colostorium nexus', which means a nipple that is three-quarters erect (from finger pinching), resembles a slightly used pencil eraser, and has a small freckle on the left side.
But alas, life IS unfair, as Laymon's untimely death has proved with even more certainty than the dearth of words for nipples.
My brother Adam recently shared his beloved paperback of BODY RIDES, and I loved it. It's preposterous, full of equally unlikely coincidences and decisions, and requires such a spectacular level of suspension of disbelief that in the hands of any other author the whole thing would've been nothing more than a giant joke.
But Laymon's writing possesses some sort of magic spell, and once he's got you he never lets go. I haven't read a book so eagerly in a while. The writing is not classic literature, the plotholes could swallow Seattle, but damn if it's not one of my favorite books so far this year.
If you've got a single fun bone in your body, I don't see how you couldn't have one hell of a good time with this one. A word of warning, though - don't try to play a drinking game using this book, because if you took a drink every time your eyes passed over the word 'nipple', you'd be dead by chapter three.
Sure, there were 'hard nipples' and 'long nipples', even more exotic 'glistening' or 'jutting' nipples - but in the end, it was all just nipples, nipples, nipples. So many adjectives, just one lonely noun.
No, if life was fair Richard Laymon would have been born into a time and place where the language had hundreds of special words to describe each and every type of nipple that could possibly exist...such as the 'precipipple colostorium nexus', which means a nipple that is three-quarters erect (from finger pinching), resembles a slightly used pencil eraser, and has a small freckle on the left side.
But alas, life IS unfair, as Laymon's untimely death has proved with even more certainty than the dearth of words for nipples.
My brother Adam recently shared his beloved paperback of BODY RIDES, and I loved it. It's preposterous, full of equally unlikely coincidences and decisions, and requires such a spectacular level of suspension of disbelief that in the hands of any other author the whole thing would've been nothing more than a giant joke.
But Laymon's writing possesses some sort of magic spell, and once he's got you he never lets go. I haven't read a book so eagerly in a while. The writing is not classic literature, the plotholes could swallow Seattle, but damn if it's not one of my favorite books so far this year.
If you've got a single fun bone in your body, I don't see how you couldn't have one hell of a good time with this one. A word of warning, though - don't try to play a drinking game using this book, because if you took a drink every time your eyes passed over the word 'nipple', you'd be dead by chapter three.
February 4, 2023
One of Laymon's better efforts, Body Rides packs a trashy punch for sure. Our main protagonist Neal, a 20 something wannabe screen writer living in LA, starts off the tale by venturing out about midnight to return some videos; on the way there, he hears a woman screaming for help and, while no hero, decides to investigate. Using his trusty pistol (crime in the city is so bad you know?) he manages to save the woman, putting a few slugs in the crazy guy torturing her. As a reward, she gives Neal a magical bracelet, which enables the wearer to venture from one's body and 'ride' another, feeling everything they feel, seeing what they see and so forth. A problem quickly emerges, however, as the crazy guy Neal plugged is not dead, and in fact, pretty pissed off at Neal...
What sets Body Rides apart from Laymon's stable of trashy pulp? For one, the pacing is excellent all the way through. Second, Laymon manages here to create a growing sense of anxiety that starts from the first page. Neal is terrified of going out at night in LA, with all the gang bangers and such, which is why he carries a gun, and Laymon runs with his worries, which just get greater as the novel unfolds. Third, the basic set up is perfect for Laymon's sleaze. What would you do if you had such a bracelet? Why, you could 'ride' some women! Finally, and related to the last point, Body Rides oozes with sex, often quite graphically. While all Laymon's novels feature (sometimes endlessly) myriad discussions of breasts and nipples, this one stands out as one of his most risqué for sure, and that is saying something.
If you like Laymon you should really enjoy this one; that stated, I know Laymon's novels tend to be quite divisive among his fans so YMMV. 4 trashy stars!
What sets Body Rides apart from Laymon's stable of trashy pulp? For one, the pacing is excellent all the way through. Second, Laymon manages here to create a growing sense of anxiety that starts from the first page. Neal is terrified of going out at night in LA, with all the gang bangers and such, which is why he carries a gun, and Laymon runs with his worries, which just get greater as the novel unfolds. Third, the basic set up is perfect for Laymon's sleaze. What would you do if you had such a bracelet? Why, you could 'ride' some women! Finally, and related to the last point, Body Rides oozes with sex, often quite graphically. While all Laymon's novels feature (sometimes endlessly) myriad discussions of breasts and nipples, this one stands out as one of his most risqué for sure, and that is saying something.
If you like Laymon you should really enjoy this one; that stated, I know Laymon's novels tend to be quite divisive among his fans so YMMV. 4 trashy stars!
September 24, 2012
This was a great book! And completely insane! I literally read and read this book till it was done. So hard to put it down. A lot of heart pounding action in this one. A great thiller by a great Author. I think I will definitely have to read this book again.
February 27, 2013
Man, this is one of the best Laymon books I have read. Once again, suspension of disbelief is a must, but this is the case with most horror fiction. Only, with this book, you are dealing with a magic bracelet that, once kissed by the one wearing it, allows you to leave your body and "ride" anyone you want. A cool premise, delivered in Laymon's usual style, with a twist and resolution I never saw coming. I have been on a Laymon kick lately, and this one and After Midnight are my two favorites, for now.
August 9, 2012
I love Richard Laymon. He writes stories that read like b-grade slasher flicks. Always fun. Always bloody. Always in bad taste.
With that being said, this book sucks, badly. The first 50 pages are decent, typical Laymon. Woman in trouble, crazy killer. Then this book goes off the deep end. It turns into a romance novel. The main character Neal, get laid more in the next 250 pages, than in a porn script. It is boring, repetitive, and unbelievable.
Finally we get the killer back but the novel is too far gone by this point. Three main characters you couldn't care less about doing irrational things and wearing little or no clothing.
Laymon has many great books, this is not one of them.
With that being said, this book sucks, badly. The first 50 pages are decent, typical Laymon. Woman in trouble, crazy killer. Then this book goes off the deep end. It turns into a romance novel. The main character Neal, get laid more in the next 250 pages, than in a porn script. It is boring, repetitive, and unbelievable.
Finally we get the killer back but the novel is too far gone by this point. Three main characters you couldn't care less about doing irrational things and wearing little or no clothing.
Laymon has many great books, this is not one of them.
May 4, 2010
Reading a book can be considered a body ride, the reader hops into the brain of each character and unknowns to others gets the front row seat of the action. Richard Laymon's Body Rides takes the same idea and runs with it in this book, making for an exciting and fast read that somehow spans over 500 pages yet it takes the reader all his might to tear away from the story. I can honestly say that this was a great week, reading this book, living through each character, not wanting it to end ever...
Not many writers give me goose bumps the way Laymon does. The simple act of opening one of his books and looking at the font, especially the ones printed by Leisure Books hits me hard and I know I am in for another fantastic ride, this time it was a ride through living bodies.
Neal is an unusual type of a hero. He has a big heart but also a strong drive for desire and falling in love, although pretty genuinely, with many women through this tale ( I stopped counting after three) and his slight air of hesitation about certain situations only made the book more real. I prefer characters with flaws, I don't want to read about a perfectly molded plastic person that can almost fly and defeat any problem with a blink of an eye. One night he decides to return some movies at a very late hour and on his way he hears screams through the open window of his car. He manages to interact something gristly going on and saves Elise, a woman who has a wonderful reward for him, a gold serpent like shaped bracelet with emerald eyes that when kissed, transports the wearer into anyone's body, listening on their thoughts and feeling everything they feel.
The only problem is that the killer is not really dead but angrily perusing Neal, ready to pay back for the wounds he received. Neal on the other hand was having more fun trying to pop into his hot neighbors, creepy people on the streets, girls he found hot and even into the man that is on his trail for blood than going to the police or trying to set the man up. The reader meets his girlfriend Martha and various other figures that play a huge role in the book. There are so many twists and turns that I was glad I read all the reviews fore this book AFTER I was done reading it. Being able to go into anyone with Neal was fantastic as I was always anticipating new people he could run into. When Neal finally decided to go away and hide he ran into Sue, another major character that changed his life. I was heavily annoyed with her, especially since Neal had a girlfriend and I could smell what was about to happen between Neal and Sue but in the end it all made sense and I loved the story.
Bulk of the tale was focused on Neal going into people and trying to use them to his advantage while trying to find the bad guy and nail him before he gets killed first.
I adored the ending; it made the book for me. It was very surprised to find reviewers who hated it, but I guess everyone has different tastes since I was blown away and completely satisfied. Neal went through hell and back and I only wish the bad guy played a bigger part although he was so evil that even a small appearance scared me. In the end I wished I had the same bracelet, just for the fun of it.
For those who keep complaining about Laymon and his over use of sexuality, gore and craziness they sure keep coming back for more, go figure, I think they secretly like it...
Not many writers give me goose bumps the way Laymon does. The simple act of opening one of his books and looking at the font, especially the ones printed by Leisure Books hits me hard and I know I am in for another fantastic ride, this time it was a ride through living bodies.
Neal is an unusual type of a hero. He has a big heart but also a strong drive for desire and falling in love, although pretty genuinely, with many women through this tale ( I stopped counting after three) and his slight air of hesitation about certain situations only made the book more real. I prefer characters with flaws, I don't want to read about a perfectly molded plastic person that can almost fly and defeat any problem with a blink of an eye. One night he decides to return some movies at a very late hour and on his way he hears screams through the open window of his car. He manages to interact something gristly going on and saves Elise, a woman who has a wonderful reward for him, a gold serpent like shaped bracelet with emerald eyes that when kissed, transports the wearer into anyone's body, listening on their thoughts and feeling everything they feel.
The only problem is that the killer is not really dead but angrily perusing Neal, ready to pay back for the wounds he received. Neal on the other hand was having more fun trying to pop into his hot neighbors, creepy people on the streets, girls he found hot and even into the man that is on his trail for blood than going to the police or trying to set the man up. The reader meets his girlfriend Martha and various other figures that play a huge role in the book. There are so many twists and turns that I was glad I read all the reviews fore this book AFTER I was done reading it. Being able to go into anyone with Neal was fantastic as I was always anticipating new people he could run into. When Neal finally decided to go away and hide he ran into Sue, another major character that changed his life. I was heavily annoyed with her, especially since Neal had a girlfriend and I could smell what was about to happen between Neal and Sue but in the end it all made sense and I loved the story.
Bulk of the tale was focused on Neal going into people and trying to use them to his advantage while trying to find the bad guy and nail him before he gets killed first.
I adored the ending; it made the book for me. It was very surprised to find reviewers who hated it, but I guess everyone has different tastes since I was blown away and completely satisfied. Neal went through hell and back and I only wish the bad guy played a bigger part although he was so evil that even a small appearance scared me. In the end I wished I had the same bracelet, just for the fun of it.
For those who keep complaining about Laymon and his over use of sexuality, gore and craziness they sure keep coming back for more, go figure, I think they secretly like it...
November 28, 2012
Ahhhhh. Finally done.
Well, I’ve actually been done for a few days now but I was mulling over how in hell I was going to put a review into words that would encapsulate this book. I mean – really give it that oomph of perspective that this book truly needs. * giggles *
It’s been hard. (No pun intended for those male readers).
I’ve been mulling for days.
I guess I should start off by saying that I was forewarned about Mr. Laymon and his needs, his plot requirements, his fantasies ….. that all kind of entwine and become the horror of the story itself. They weren’t exaggerating. Mr. Laymon is a fan of the jiggly, bouncy endowments of the young female nubiles and what it – they – do to shut down the thinking and logistic capabilities of the male brain. Big time. There were times that this book really just felt like a really bad ‘B’ porn flick and the horror was that I had to endure it. * shudders at recollections *
Honestly – there were times when I was reading that I wanted to reach in and head butt the characters. I can’t vouch for how a male mind works ….. but does it really just stop functioning when a set of mammary glands is close by, or when a skirt hikes up a bit on a girl’s thighs? Really? Tell me straight on that guys. I’m finding it hard to understand.
Anyways ….
I won’t delve too deeply into the plot – suffice it to say that our hero rescues a beautiful (naked) woman from the devious, vicious torments of a killer(using pliers!!) and is rewarded for this act of bravery with a magical bracelet that allows the wearer to have an out of body experience and delve into (spiritually) whomever they want, unknown to the host. And our hero, Neil, does just that … on several occasions … only to mire himself into a mess and into the crosshairs of someone who may possibly want to kill him.
It’s magical. It’s devious. It’s a young man’s absolutely best sexual fantasy ever. It ain’t called ‘Body Rides’ for nothing.
Now the horror element – the ‘splatterpunk’ horror that Richard Laymon is renown for, the no holds barred horror, the in your face horror – is teased about throughout the story but is contained in the last 50 or 60 pages. It’s definitely gruesome and is meant to make you squeamish. In a word – it’s gross.
But the real horror of this book was the fact that you, as the reader, become a part of the story as a ‘Body Ride’ of the story and you will find that you can’t get out of it. You need the resolution. You have to ride it out to the end, even through all that ‘B�� grade porno. That’s the real horror.
Good luck Suckers!!! This one will keep creeping back into my mind for a while.
Well, I’ve actually been done for a few days now but I was mulling over how in hell I was going to put a review into words that would encapsulate this book. I mean – really give it that oomph of perspective that this book truly needs. * giggles *
It’s been hard. (No pun intended for those male readers).
I’ve been mulling for days.
I guess I should start off by saying that I was forewarned about Mr. Laymon and his needs, his plot requirements, his fantasies ….. that all kind of entwine and become the horror of the story itself. They weren’t exaggerating. Mr. Laymon is a fan of the jiggly, bouncy endowments of the young female nubiles and what it – they – do to shut down the thinking and logistic capabilities of the male brain. Big time. There were times that this book really just felt like a really bad ‘B’ porn flick and the horror was that I had to endure it. * shudders at recollections *
Honestly – there were times when I was reading that I wanted to reach in and head butt the characters. I can’t vouch for how a male mind works ….. but does it really just stop functioning when a set of mammary glands is close by, or when a skirt hikes up a bit on a girl’s thighs? Really? Tell me straight on that guys. I’m finding it hard to understand.
Anyways ….
I won’t delve too deeply into the plot – suffice it to say that our hero rescues a beautiful (naked) woman from the devious, vicious torments of a killer(using pliers!!) and is rewarded for this act of bravery with a magical bracelet that allows the wearer to have an out of body experience and delve into (spiritually) whomever they want, unknown to the host. And our hero, Neil, does just that … on several occasions … only to mire himself into a mess and into the crosshairs of someone who may possibly want to kill him.
It’s magical. It’s devious. It’s a young man’s absolutely best sexual fantasy ever. It ain’t called ‘Body Rides’ for nothing.
Now the horror element – the ‘splatterpunk’ horror that Richard Laymon is renown for, the no holds barred horror, the in your face horror – is teased about throughout the story but is contained in the last 50 or 60 pages. It’s definitely gruesome and is meant to make you squeamish. In a word – it’s gross.
But the real horror of this book was the fact that you, as the reader, become a part of the story as a ‘Body Ride’ of the story and you will find that you can’t get out of it. You need the resolution. You have to ride it out to the end, even through all that ‘B�� grade porno. That’s the real horror.
Good luck Suckers!!! This one will keep creeping back into my mind for a while.
February 6, 2023
Classic Laymon. Outlandish premise made seemingly plausible in a way that only Laymon can. There is plenty of violence and "rumps" and bad decisions throughout. Good stuff.
January 27, 2023
Top tier Laymon. Lots of thrills, lots of great characters, and some truly repugnant villains. The theme of "body riding" is explored fully and completely too. One of those books that gives you everything you want from its concept.
September 8, 2020
Добре, тук чичо Дик е надминал себе си с тийнейджърските си разгонени фантазии. Не че повечето му книги не са фантасмагорично нереални със ситуации от реалния живот, които се изплесват в невъзможни сценарии, ама...
Нийл е съвсем обикновен, вече прехвърлящ тридесетте сценарист/писател. Има си приятелка, има си работа, жилище и всичко си му е спокойно и наред. Една вечер се втурва да върне касета от видеорентата, преди да стане полунощ и да се наложи да плаща глоба. По пътя успява да предотврати брутално убийство на известна олимпийска гмуркачка, женена за филмова звезда. За благодарност тя му подарява гривна, чрез която можеш да "яздиш" хората. Тя си върви с куп правила, но това не е съществено. Съществено е, че Нийл не е успял да пречука убиеца и той ще си довърши работата.
От там сюжетът минава през умопомрачителни обрати, като кошмарът отстъпва от предна линия, за сметка на порно фантазиите на автора, но по-добре да не разказвам повече.
Добър, даже много добър главен злодей. Доста прилични и забавно-странни странични образи, нереален любовен триъгълник и много цици и мъчения- Ричард Леймън.
Нийл е съвсем обикновен, вече прехвърлящ тридесетте сценарист/писател. Има си приятелка, има си работа, жилище и всичко си му е спокойно и наред. Една вечер се втурва да върне касета от видеорентата, преди да стане полунощ и да се наложи да плаща глоба. По пътя успява да предотврати брутално убийство на известна олимпийска гмуркачка, женена за филмова звезда. За благодарност тя му подарява гривна, чрез която можеш да "яздиш" хората. Тя си върви с куп правила, но това не е съществено. Съществено е, че Нийл не е успял да пречука убиеца и той ще си довърши работата.
От там сюжетът минава през умопомрачителни обрати, като кошмарът отстъпва от предна линия, за сметка на порно фантазиите на автора, но по-добре да не разказвам повече.
Добър, даже много добър главен злодей. Доста прилични и забавно-странни странични образи, нереален любовен триъгълник и много цици и мъчения- Ричард Леймън.
December 16, 2018
A bit of an abysmal effort by Laymon here. The concept is well crafted but never fully explores its potential. The characters, most anyway, are paper thin, the females just blend into each other; Elise is like Sue, Sue is like Marta and Marta is a combination of both and so on and so on. The sex is aplenty and adds nothing to the story, Laymon devotes much of the tale to a mutual three-way love affair, naturally between one man and two women. Their endless scenes of meat-grinding reads like a low budget adult production on late night Cinemax. However, at a little less than a hundred pages left in the bloated 500 plus page novel, Laymon takes a bold chance with his main character. I appreciated that risk and only wish it occurred sooner. Laymon's stories are usually like your favorite junk food, like Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, sure it's shit for you but the taste is fantastic. 'Body Rides' is like candy corn, shit tasting, shit for you, shit all around. A decent start, dreadful middle, fine ending. By the way, Laymon introduces a throwaway side antagonist that is only featured in two scenes; a flasher called 'The Creeper' who frightens women in order to achieve sexual satisfaction, this character should have been the main focus of the work as he was genuinely frightening. Overall, a misfire by Laymon. He is capable of much better works, an underrated genre writer who's vision just didn't pan out for this one in my opinion. 2.5/5
September 2, 2012
One of my ultimate top favorites by Laymon. Gave me EPIC dreams after reading it, and very few books actually get into my dreams. xD
I loved the whole idea, it was just unique to me and the characters were terrificly done. Been trying to get my husband to read this but he doesn't like horror books lol. It's well worth a read; imaginative and got the right amount of thrills that you'd expect from Laymon.
My favorite part had to be the ending though. It was memorable, adorable in a strange way (lol) and one of the best book endings I've ever read. A prized book in my Laymon collection, and cheekily brought for 99p in a car-boot sale. ;P
Only thing I have to say; I wish he was more recognized in the world of literature.
Five stars.
I loved the whole idea, it was just unique to me and the characters were terrificly done. Been trying to get my husband to read this but he doesn't like horror books lol. It's well worth a read; imaginative and got the right amount of thrills that you'd expect from Laymon.
My favorite part had to be the ending though. It was memorable, adorable in a strange way (lol) and one of the best book endings I've ever read. A prized book in my Laymon collection, and cheekily brought for 99p in a car-boot sale. ;P
Only thing I have to say; I wish he was more recognized in the world of literature.
Five stars.
June 28, 2011
Unlike Stephen King, Richard Laymon knows how to write an ending. This book is a little slow in the middle, but the beginning is like riding a rocket. I was reading at lightning speed and had the biggest grin on my face. Laymon's books are just so much fun! Extremely gory, sexually graphic, and refreshingly unpredictable, BODY RIDES is among the best of his books (IN THE DARK, ISLAND, NO SANCTUARY are just a few). If I was ever stranded on an island and allowed to read only one author, Richard Laymon would be the one.
July 14, 2016
I give it 2.5 stars. The premise was intriguing, the storyline was good except that it kept going off on tangents that sounded like something from a letter you might find in an old copy of Penthouse Forum or Variations. You know, those cheesy sexcapades that all sound like complete bulls**t, because they probably are? If this book hadn't relied on those parts quite so much, it would have been SO much better.
February 18, 2023
Pretty horny, even for Laymon.
April 5, 2012
One of my all time favourite books of all time, imaginative, funny, dark & classic Laymon.
Easy to read characters, relatable at times.
a fantasy story that left me thinking after I finished the book, what would I do if I were in the story.
Make this your next to read....
Highly recommend
Easy to read characters, relatable at times.
a fantasy story that left me thinking after I finished the book, what would I do if I were in the story.
Make this your next to read....
Highly recommend
March 4, 2021
A late night movie rental return turns to hell when Neal stumbles across a women being tortured in the woods. After stumbling his way to heroism he finds himself in a situation straight from the headlines of a weird tales magazine; outer body travel in the minds of strangers, made possible by simply kissing a mysterious bracelet gifted to him by the women he saved.
Neal as an accidental hero works very well. He’s unassuming and not a stereotypical hero with a body cut from stone and a chiselled jaw; he’s an average Joe with above average appeal to women – every single woman who lays eyes on him apparently…I didn’t mind this quirk initially until it became repetitive. As the story progress Neal, and his harem use the bracelet to get into the minds of a killer, acting as a supernatural vigilante of sorts.
In every Laymon book there is a healthy amount of sex which somehow fits with the theme of the book. In Body Rides, however, the sex element took things to smut-script-level proportions derailing the plot in preference for porn. Irrespective of my gripes with the overly sexualised scenes, the premise of Body Rides was fun and, despite the murder and torture, light-hearted relative to other Laymon horror novels.
Neal as an accidental hero works very well. He’s unassuming and not a stereotypical hero with a body cut from stone and a chiselled jaw; he’s an average Joe with above average appeal to women – every single woman who lays eyes on him apparently…I didn’t mind this quirk initially until it became repetitive. As the story progress Neal, and his harem use the bracelet to get into the minds of a killer, acting as a supernatural vigilante of sorts.
In every Laymon book there is a healthy amount of sex which somehow fits with the theme of the book. In Body Rides, however, the sex element took things to smut-script-level proportions derailing the plot in preference for porn. Irrespective of my gripes with the overly sexualised scenes, the premise of Body Rides was fun and, despite the murder and torture, light-hearted relative to other Laymon horror novels.
January 27, 2016
The plot is different, I'll give Laymon that. It was a cool idea to have a bracelet where you can go body-hopping any time you want. The execution fell a little flat but overall the premise was good. As the back blurb reads, Neal gets sidetracked one night returning video tapes with a man torturing and murdering a gorgeous female. Putting on an act of bravery, he shoots the man, captures the woman, and saves the day. The ending should have him walking off with whistles and high fives shouldn't it?
Things go wrong when something else tragic happens, and soon Neal ends up getting other people mixed up in his mess. Things go from bad to ugly to worse as he and his accomplices try to track down the man before he finds them first. The plot is interesting in many ways, and the characters are likeable to a degree. Many of the scenes are tense and nail-biting, and there is a sense of "us against them" going down.
However, a lot of emphasis is placed on sex. Now, while I usually don't mind that and enjoy sex in my books -- there was a bit too much here to where it took away from the plot. Tension scenes were broken up to remove pants, character interaction was a little muddled as someone else got horny yet again, and things became a little too unrealistic and akin to soft porn.
When tension is supposed to be there, it is. Laymon really is a Master at getting things going strong and sturdy. At key moments the atmosphere was powerful and dynamic.
Neal is a loveable guy -- this man would cry at a wedding, a funeral, a christening, an engagement. He has a true heart -- one big enough to swallow everyone else around him up. He's a genuine sweet fella, and I couldn't help but really like him. Usually men aren't shown to be so emotional, but he was, and came across convincing. Sue came across as fun and chipper at first but eventually wore down on my nerves. Not her attitude, but just the way everything just fell into place for her. Started wearing me out. As for Marta, I thought she bent a bit TOO easily and was slightly unrealistic and two dimensional. The deeds of the "bad guy" are certainly violent. At times his actions come across a little too extreme, almost like he's there for a little bit of shock factor.
The pace starts out well but then slows down. Mainly it's all the unnecessary sex and dialogue pertaining to lust. Again, this can be a huge strength in a novel and I'm certainly no prude when it comes to the hot and steamy stuff. But here it's used in so much excess it's un-needed, producing awkwardness and teenage angst. Pretty soon it seems like about half of the book only focuses on hormones, not horror.
On a more positive note, Laymon writes beautifully. His words are well chosen, his sentences easily flow together, his dialogue is realistic enough, and the rhythm of his work is exceptional. If only the pace and plot of this one had been worked on more.
Like a cheap condom, too much of a good thing can wear a bit too thin. This is what happened in Body Rides. A nice editing would have trimmed it up the sides, perhaps some more action and less on bedroom play, and more focus on what's important -- the story. But what we have after awhile is a book a bit too long for what it's covering, a story that drags like sheets being pulled on the floor, and mushy (unrealistic) character interaction. It's not a complete lost cause, however; I really liked Neal, the tension was tightly wound at some points, and the ending was pretty cool. Also the idea itself was unique.
If you're a fan of Laymon pick this one up....or, most likely, if you're just curious about all the sex scenes (almost an orgy too) pick this one up .
Things go wrong when something else tragic happens, and soon Neal ends up getting other people mixed up in his mess. Things go from bad to ugly to worse as he and his accomplices try to track down the man before he finds them first. The plot is interesting in many ways, and the characters are likeable to a degree. Many of the scenes are tense and nail-biting, and there is a sense of "us against them" going down.
However, a lot of emphasis is placed on sex. Now, while I usually don't mind that and enjoy sex in my books -- there was a bit too much here to where it took away from the plot. Tension scenes were broken up to remove pants, character interaction was a little muddled as someone else got horny yet again, and things became a little too unrealistic and akin to soft porn.
When tension is supposed to be there, it is. Laymon really is a Master at getting things going strong and sturdy. At key moments the atmosphere was powerful and dynamic.
Neal is a loveable guy -- this man would cry at a wedding, a funeral, a christening, an engagement. He has a true heart -- one big enough to swallow everyone else around him up. He's a genuine sweet fella, and I couldn't help but really like him. Usually men aren't shown to be so emotional, but he was, and came across convincing. Sue came across as fun and chipper at first but eventually wore down on my nerves. Not her attitude, but just the way everything just fell into place for her. Started wearing me out. As for Marta, I thought she bent a bit TOO easily and was slightly unrealistic and two dimensional. The deeds of the "bad guy" are certainly violent. At times his actions come across a little too extreme, almost like he's there for a little bit of shock factor.
The pace starts out well but then slows down. Mainly it's all the unnecessary sex and dialogue pertaining to lust. Again, this can be a huge strength in a novel and I'm certainly no prude when it comes to the hot and steamy stuff. But here it's used in so much excess it's un-needed, producing awkwardness and teenage angst. Pretty soon it seems like about half of the book only focuses on hormones, not horror.
On a more positive note, Laymon writes beautifully. His words are well chosen, his sentences easily flow together, his dialogue is realistic enough, and the rhythm of his work is exceptional. If only the pace and plot of this one had been worked on more.
Like a cheap condom, too much of a good thing can wear a bit too thin. This is what happened in Body Rides. A nice editing would have trimmed it up the sides, perhaps some more action and less on bedroom play, and more focus on what's important -- the story. But what we have after awhile is a book a bit too long for what it's covering, a story that drags like sheets being pulled on the floor, and mushy (unrealistic) character interaction. It's not a complete lost cause, however; I really liked Neal, the tension was tightly wound at some points, and the ending was pretty cool. Also the idea itself was unique.
If you're a fan of Laymon pick this one up....or, most likely, if you're just curious about all the sex scenes (almost an orgy too) pick this one up .
Read
December 27, 2011It's been a while since I read a good horror and thought this sounded good. I was wrong. The premise is guy hears screaming in the middle of the night, rescues woman from nut job just in time, and she gives him the gift of what sounds like a really trashy snake bracelet which allows him to enter other people's bodies and hear their thoughts and feel what they feel without their knowledge. So the start isn't so bad but the rest is misogynistic crap. What does this guy do with this special power? Basically invade attractive women's bodies and abuse their privacy. On top of that it is boring, incredibly boring, and for a horror novel not even remotely scary it seems to forget that it is horror at all. The ending is unoriginal. At best this should have been a short story at worse we get this. This is time I will never get back - truly awful.
June 19, 2010
The book had an interesting premise, and I was intrigued to see where the author would take the story. Unfortunately, this notion of "body rides" has so much more potential that what Laymon's story gave it. The addition of the character Sue, and the entire section of him meeting her and the themepark, was completely unneccessary. In addition to that we have Marta accepting Sue--yeah, right! In the real world, no such luck. And, lastly, you don't kill off the main character!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2016
Never thought I would give a Richard Laymon book one star, but I just couldn't believe the main premise of this book. There are great parts to the book and some great characters as with any Laymon book but I just couldn't get my head to believe what was happening. Also the middle 300 pages of this book turned into a bit of a pointless soft porn love story which I didn't enjoy at all. This will not stop me reading other Laymon books as I love his storys, sadly not this one though :(
February 5, 2017
Loved this book. Great cast of characters and a very unique story line. This was a wonderful love story with some very steamy and interesting sex scenes, enough violence to satisfy the psychos out there (could of been described in more detail though), and a nice twist towards the end and ultimately a happy ending, sort of.
Throughout this entire novel all I could think about was how much fun a person could have if he/she could "body ride." Makes me feel all tingly just thinking about it.
Throughout this entire novel all I could think about was how much fun a person could have if he/she could "body ride." Makes me feel all tingly just thinking about it.
July 20, 2011
Richard Laymon has recently been discovered by myself and added to my top ten all time favorite authors. Body Rides was the 1st if his books that I read and absolutely loved the content & concept. After reading Body Rides, I tried to find every book I could by him. I was extremely disappointed to learn that he passed away.
May 8, 2014
This was the second book by Laymon that I ever read. It was, therefore, the reconfirmation I needed that apparently Laymon is just not for me. Any horror writer that puts more detail into awkward sex scenes than they do the actual scary stuff isn't going to hold my attention...
March 5, 2021
This book could’ve been good, but:
1. Laymon went from a murder mystery, to a romance novel. By the time he brought us back to the killer, it was too late & I didn’t care about any of the characters.
2. Easier 200-250 pages too long.
I’ve read other Laymon books, & this is easily the worst
1. Laymon went from a murder mystery, to a romance novel. By the time he brought us back to the killer, it was too late & I didn’t care about any of the characters.
2. Easier 200-250 pages too long.
I’ve read other Laymon books, & this is easily the worst
February 9, 2012
Couldn't get into this one and gave up after a few chapters. Not bad but didn't grip me for some reason.
April 17, 2018
I read this because a friend of mine lent me his copy, but I have to say that this was a bit of a weird book. While the whole jumping into someone else's body using a bracelet was a pretty cool idea, the idea of having to go to the bathroom as someone else, and wipe someone else's hoo-har, is gross. And the idea of being a woman and jumping into a man's body, and having that dangling between your legs? that weirds me out a bit too.
Anyway, a big part of this book was sex, including a threesome. I'm guessing this is why my friend liked this book. He probably liked the bit where Elise was naked and tied to a tree also.
I did like the twist at the end though. Quite clever.
Anyway, a big part of this book was sex, including a threesome. I'm guessing this is why my friend liked this book. He probably liked the bit where Elise was naked and tied to a tree also.
I did like the twist at the end though. Quite clever.
June 14, 2020
Such a great idea for a book and it starts off with a wimp of a man rescuing someone after worrying what his mommy would think of him being out in the dark.
They he gets a gift, one that has endless possibilities for a great story, instead...
IT SUCKED!
They he gets a gift, one that has endless possibilities for a great story, instead...
IT SUCKED!
June 8, 2021
Ingen skriver som Laymon. Underhållande som få. Våldsamt som sjutton och allt kan hända.
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