Into The Fire

‘Into the Fire’ features two third-person specific narratives.

First, we have Pamela, a recently married twenty-three-year-old beauty. Her good looks work against her, though, as a former schoolmate turned psycho who’s obsessed over her for ten years finds out her home address. He breaks into Pamela’s house and takes her into the Californian desert.

Second, we have Norman. He’s a bit of a nerd, and harmless on the surface, but a hidden darkness comes out when he gets involved with bad boy Duke and a strange woman called Boots. They eventually end up in the same desert as Pamela, bringing the two storylines together.

I wasn’t sure I’d like this novel when I started reading. It opens with a lot of dialogue and not much sense show more of place. I’m a fan of heavily featured dialogue but to open with it in spades without any real sense of place or character is not my preferred story opener. This inevitably led to back story at an early stage, which I don’t like being forced on me in a first chapter. It’s a shame the author didn’t keep this part linear, as it could have made a more tense and exciting opening. Instead, it’s reported on, which is passive.

The above is my only criticism of what’s otherwise an enthralling story. Once the early dose of backstory is bypassed, the novel takes off. I’d never heard of Richard Laymon before, and I’ve since learned ‘Into the Fire’ was published posthumously, making it his last publication. I intend to read as many of his books as possible after reading this fantastic tale.

Norman’s narrative is the most varied of the two. He, Duke, and Boots go from one place to another for quite some time, causing fatalities and avoiding the law, before ending up in the desert.

Pamela is the only character in the book who I’d say is in no way weird or evil. She’s no shrinking violet, though. A most likeable character.

Although ‘Into the Fire’ incorporates familiar themes from books and films alike, it’s nevertheless original in the way the author fashioned both plot and characters.

Take the original plot and vivid characters, mix them with lots of violence, blood, gore, and nudity, and you have in ‘Into the Fire’ a damn good read. show less

An uneven effort by Richard Laymon, Into the Fire feels like a shotgun marriage of two different novellas. Pamela's storyline is mildly interesting and creepy, while the portion of the book belonging to Norman borders on obnoxious and unbelievable. I have to think that even the most hormone-stricken teenage boy (a Laymon hallmark) would have exercised better judgment than Norman, who apparently will do anything for a little bit of action from a woman he claims to detest. Norman and company's interlude at a motel owned by the retired cast of a TV drama was especially bizarre and did little to move the story along.

The old saying is "out of the frying pan and into the fire"; this is the inspiration for Richard Laymon's title and the situation that his protagonist Pamela is thrust into. As the book opens, Pam is in a nasty situation. She has just been kidnapped by Rodney, a man who has been obsessed with her since high school. He's killed her husband and is going to take Pam to a remote hideaway where he intends for them to live happily ever after. Fortunately, Rodney will be killed into the opening chapters and Pam will wind up with a mysterious stranger named Sharpe. If Rodney is the frying pan, Sharpe is potentially the fire.

Sharpe takes Pamela to a small desert town called Pits, population six. Most of the others in the town are also people show more Sharpe has rescued over the years; while they all seem welcoming, Pam senses something strange about the town and its people. Soon enough, she will encounter the truth, but what she does after that is a little out of the ordinary.

In a parallel story, college student Norman is on his way home when he winds up forced into the company of Duke, a rather amiable psychopath. Soon, they have another companion, the hitchhiking Boots, a woman of, shall we say, loose morals who is not above any crime. Eventually, Norman is on a crime spree with the two, a spree in which he begins to enjoy himself more and more (along with Boots's sexual favors). In fact, it is debatable as to who is the more truly evil: Duke with his forthright malice or Norman who hypocritically thinks he is above his companions even as he commits his crimes; Duke and Boots, however, are irrevocably evil; Norman may still be redeemable. Their flight from the law will eventually bring them to Pits. show less

Mr Laymon doing what he does best!

Anyone that's read any Richard Laymon will know just what a wonderful example of 'b-movie in novel form' his books are. If you enjoy the old tongue in cheek, sexploitation type movies then give this a try. Two different storylines collide in a little pseudo town called Pits where everything is exactly as it seems. The characters are fun and Norman surprises more than I'd have imagined when i started out.

Recommended, as long as you accept the sexiness which is even more prominent here than in most of his books.

Into the Fire is definitely not one of Richard Laymon’s better novels. His writing is typically top notch, but this novel has characters that aren’t believable or likeable, who make stupid decisions. The plot is not remotely credible, and the story slowly spirals to a slow death.

There are a couple of separate story lines at work. One of them involves a trio of young adults who decide to go on a crime spree with lots of sex and fleeing from the scene of the crime. The main character in this trio is Norman, who is a winy, unlikeable wimp who doesn’t want to commit the crimes but goes along anyway, which is perfectly logical. If you are a person who is not committed to be a criminal it’s highly improbable that you would just go show more along for the ride. The second ridiculous story line involves Pamela, who is kidnapped by a guy who obsessed over her during high school. She is rescued by a person who is more of a robot than a human being. The ending of the novel where the story lines come along is just absurb. This is definitely a Laymon novel to skip.

Carl Alves – author of Blood Street show less

This was typical Laymon. It was an interesting thriller, but so sick and twisted. If you get sick or creeped out easily, don't read Richard Laymon's books. If you love a good thriller and don't mind the gore and sex, his books are great.

typical enjoyable Laymon read full of gore, chills and sex. not as good as others but still enjoyable