Helpful Score: 9
This is an amusingly vile take on the back from the grave plot. Laymon takes twisted delight in creating Melvin, a junk food ingesting geek with an all consuming desire to bring back a woman from the dead. He uses old tomes with recipes/spells to bring the dead back to life but never truly believes it'll work . Somehow his most recent *recipe* works and then the fun begins as he's unprepared to deal with the consequences. It's quite entertaining in a morbid, dark-humor kind of way.
Vicki was unfortunate enough to witness Melvin's first attempt at resurrection when they were teens at the same high school and has had horrible nightmares ever since. Now she's a doctor and headed back to her home town and decides (quite ridiculously, if you ask me) to visit Melvin and get it out of the way. Melvin always liked Vicki because she was the only person who was nice to him as a teen. Now that Vicki is all grown up Melvin likes Vicki a whole lot more and develops an unhealthy obsession and begins serious stalker-like behavior.
Vicki and her friend Ace decide the only way to end Melvin's obsession with Vicki is to shatter the illusion. So these two brainiacs concoct a plan where Vicki will "date" Melvin thus shattering his dreams of the perfect "dream girl" once he realizes Vicki isn't entirely inaccessible to him. This, of course, only allows Melvin closer access to her life and causes more trouble (and more grossities!) This book was extremely funny, filled with perverted men & "resurrected" people who come back as raving sex fiends. Eyeballs gouged out? Hands burned to a crisp? Half a noggin' gone a-missing? Fear not, one can still get excited and easily grab the nearest breast with nearly a fumble!
This was my first Laymon but definitely not my last!
Vicki was unfortunate enough to witness Melvin's first attempt at resurrection when they were teens at the same high school and has had horrible nightmares ever since. Now she's a doctor and headed back to her home town and decides (quite ridiculously, if you ask me) to visit Melvin and get it out of the way. Melvin always liked Vicki because she was the only person who was nice to him as a teen. Now that Vicki is all grown up Melvin likes Vicki a whole lot more and develops an unhealthy obsession and begins serious stalker-like behavior.
Vicki and her friend Ace decide the only way to end Melvin's obsession with Vicki is to shatter the illusion. So these two brainiacs concoct a plan where Vicki will "date" Melvin thus shattering his dreams of the perfect "dream girl" once he realizes Vicki isn't entirely inaccessible to him. This, of course, only allows Melvin closer access to her life and causes more trouble (and more grossities!) This book was extremely funny, filled with perverted men & "resurrected" people who come back as raving sex fiends. Eyeballs gouged out? Hands burned to a crisp? Half a noggin' gone a-missing? Fear not, one can still get excited and easily grab the nearest breast with nearly a fumble!
This was my first Laymon but definitely not my last!
Helpful Score: 6
One thing I can say for Laymon, he can be counted on to deliver if you are looking for sick & twisted.
Melvin Dobbs is the kind of guy that no one likes and everyone likes to pick on and for good reason. Melvin's obsession is to resurrect the dead. After a high school stunt to resurrect a dead cheerleader backfires, Melvin is sent away to an institution where he is 'cured' of his obsession, or so he says.
Vicki was the only girl in high school who ever stood up for Melvin. Now she is back in Elsworth after completing her medical school and residency, to practice medicine in her hometown. But along with her education she brings nightmares of Melvin 'resurrecting' the dead cheerleader. She knows that she is going to have to face Melvin again, but she never dreams that she will become the driving force behind his obsession.
Melvin is determined to prove that he is 'Melvin the Magnificent' and bring back someone from the dead. The lack of cadavers to experiment on does not stop him either. He just creates his own. After many tries he is finally successful in resurrecting a nurse that he has murdered. The ensuing horror that comes with his success is a sick and twisted ride through the imagination of Laymon.
A good zombie story, with interesting characters. I quite enjoyed it!
Melvin Dobbs is the kind of guy that no one likes and everyone likes to pick on and for good reason. Melvin's obsession is to resurrect the dead. After a high school stunt to resurrect a dead cheerleader backfires, Melvin is sent away to an institution where he is 'cured' of his obsession, or so he says.
Vicki was the only girl in high school who ever stood up for Melvin. Now she is back in Elsworth after completing her medical school and residency, to practice medicine in her hometown. But along with her education she brings nightmares of Melvin 'resurrecting' the dead cheerleader. She knows that she is going to have to face Melvin again, but she never dreams that she will become the driving force behind his obsession.
Melvin is determined to prove that he is 'Melvin the Magnificent' and bring back someone from the dead. The lack of cadavers to experiment on does not stop him either. He just creates his own. After many tries he is finally successful in resurrecting a nurse that he has murdered. The ensuing horror that comes with his success is a sick and twisted ride through the imagination of Laymon.
A good zombie story, with interesting characters. I quite enjoyed it!
Helpful Score: 2
First Laymon book I've read and it was a doozie. Starting off having a kid trying to resurrected the killed cheerleader at the science fair and an awesome way to start a book.
Helpful Score: 2
This is a really, really imaginative book! It took me awhile to get used to the characters and the plot, but it was well worth the read!
Helpful Score: 2
BAck in Ellsworth High there was definitely no one weirder than Melvin. All the kids made fun of the way he dressed, the way he acted, everything about him. vicki was the only one who stood up for him, but even she was horrified when he dug up a dead body and tried to bring it back to life with power from a car battery.
That was years ago, but Vicki still has nightmares about Melvin. Now she's back in Ellsworth and she knows she'll have to see Melvin again. He's just been released from the institution and he's acting even weirder than ever. His experiments with the dead have progressed, and as soon as he can get Vicki where he wants her, he can make his most twisted dream a reality...
That was years ago, but Vicki still has nightmares about Melvin. Now she's back in Ellsworth and she knows she'll have to see Melvin again. He's just been released from the institution and he's acting even weirder than ever. His experiments with the dead have progressed, and as soon as he can get Vicki where he wants her, he can make his most twisted dream a reality...
