I recently watched the first of three Netflix films based on R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, and I enjoyed it. While not necessarily based on any parI recently watched the first of three Netflix films based on R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, and I enjoyed it. While not necessarily based on any particular novels in the series, the film certainly captures the "vibe" of the long-running young adult horror series that Stine wrote in the late-80s/early-90s.
The first film---titled, and set in, "1994"---definitely checked a lot of the boxes for horror fans, including not one but four supernatural slashers, gratuitous sex scenes, a tongue-in-cheek self-referentialism, and plenty of blood and guts. Fans of the "Scream" franchise will find in it a suitable alternative.
Stine himself isn't a huge horror fan, according to a few interviews I've read, which may seem like an odd thing to say considering he's the guy who pretty much invented the young adult horror genre and the middle-reader horror series "Goosebumps", which is still going strong after nearly 30 years.
"Halloween Party" is, like the previous Fear Street books, less horror than it is suspense-thriller-ish. Stine didn't really add much supernatural stuff to the series until later books.
Justine, the new girl, lives in one of the old mansions on Fear Street. She has invited a select group to attend a Halloween party. At first, the party starts out okay, but attendees start disappearing one at a time, and, as the night progresses, it's clear that Justine has ulterior motives for throwing the party.
It's fluff, but it's entertaining and fun fluff, without all the gratuitous sex and violence that seems de rigeur for what passes for horror nowadays. "Terrifier" it ain't....more
R.L. Stine is a ten times better writer than James Patterson. Don't believe me? Read "Missing", the fourth book in Stine's horror series for young aduR.L. Stine is a ten times better writer than James Patterson. Don't believe me? Read "Missing", the fourth book in Stine's horror series for young adults, Fear Street, published in the late-'80s. It is more suspenseful, exciting, and believable than any of the crap books Patterson publishes. Plus, Stine wrote---and still writes, I'm sure---his own books.
The plot: Mark and Cara's parents don't come home from work one night. They are still missing the next day. The phone is dead. Roger, the college student boarder who lives in the attic apartment is acting strange. There's a white van parked continuously down the street. And what's up with the little white monkey head medallion that the kids find in their parent's bed?
What the hell is going on?
I won't tell you. Just find a copy of this book and read it.
The six students in the Nature Club are stoked to go on an overnight camping trip on Fear Island, but when the only adult chaperone is called away on The six students in the Nature Club are stoked to go on an overnight camping trip on Fear Island, but when the only adult chaperone is called away on a family emergency for the weekend, it looks like the camping trip is cancelled.
Then again, who needs adult chaperones, right?
The third book in R.L. Stine's late-80s young adult horror series Fear Street, "The Overnight" is a decent enough thriller. Somewhat predictable, more than a bit cheesy, Stine's novel still delivers a few decent jump scares and plot twists to keep readers engaged.
It probably helps if you're a young reader who hasn't read a lot of other more sophisticated adult thrillers. Also, it may help if you are still living in the '80s....more
What do you do when your best friend, who has been away for a year after her boyfriend was killed in a bizarre hunting accident, comes back to town foWhat do you do when your best friend, who has been away for a year after her boyfriend was killed in a bizarre hunting accident, comes back to town for a visit?
Throw a party!
The protagonist, Megan, in R.L. Stine's second Fear Street book, "The Surprise Party" is pretty dumb. Also, clueless, insensitive, and self-absorbed. So self-absorbed that she doesn't get the hint from all her friends that a surprise party is a Bad Idea. After getting threatening notes and phone calls, she still doesn't get the hint. She also doesn't seem to notice that her boyfriend, Tony, is going a bit psycho.
This was pretty dumb, overall. It will, however, not stop me from reading more Fear Street novels in the future....more
Surprisingly suspenseful and entertaining, "The New Girl", R.L. Stine's first book in his '80s series for teens, Fear Street, is the story of a horny Surprisingly suspenseful and entertaining, "The New Girl", R.L. Stine's first book in his '80s series for teens, Fear Street, is the story of a horny high school boy who falls in love (lust) with a girl who may or may not be a ghost. Whatever. As long as she puts out, he's happy. Until her brother shows up...
Stine apparently wrote this series before he started writing his more-popular and best-selling series for middle readers Goosebumps. Nobody could accuse Stine of being a stellar wordsmith, but he told creepy stories that kids of all ages absolutely loved. There's a Netflix TV show based on Fear Street. I have not watched it yet....more
Back in the late-‘80s, popular children’s author of the Goosebumps series, R. L. Stine, wrote a series of horror novels targeted to teenagers called FBack in the late-‘80s, popular children’s author of the Goosebumps series, R. L. Stine, wrote a series of horror novels targeted to teenagers called Fear Street. (In point of fact, Fear Street pre-dates Goosebumps by four years.)
I never read these books. Strangely enough, they never interested me, which is odd because I loved horror. Part of the reason may stem from the fact that I was, as early as middle school, reading Stephen King and Peter Straub and Dean Koontz and a whole slew of other horror authors that were clearly not intended for children. Teen horror authors like Stine, Christopher Pike, Lois Duncan, and others got lumped in the “kid stuff” category that I clearly felt was beneath me. They got relegated to the pile with Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High and Ann Martin’s The Babysitter’s Club as series that I didn’t think I’d like.
I know: I was a book snob.
“Night Games” is the first Fear Street novel I’ve read, although it’s one of 51 books in the series, and I’m not sure where it falls. It doesn’t matter, as they were all standalone and could be read out of order.
Aside from some pretty simplistic writing (Stine could never be accused of being an eloquent or sophisticated writer), “Night Games” is actually pretty suspenseful and steadily builds in intensity. The story follows a group of teens who get caught up in nightly rounds of vandalism throughout the neighborhood. Targets are random at first, but soon become more specific as the students start to have a problem with one of their math teachers, a Mr. Crowell.
Diane, the narrator, tries to get her boyfriend, Lenny, from doing anything stupid, but Lenny hates Mr. Crowell with a passion, and a dangerous one. Their escapades soon escalate to break-ins, theft, and, eventually, murder. But could somebody be setting all of them up? Is there a mastermind choreographing their whole crime spree?
There’s a supernatural twist in this that frankly comes out of left field near the end, but it’s pretty effective in creating a creepy vibe. I don’t think it’s much of a spoiler to say because astute readers may see the twist ending coming. (I’ll be honest: I didn’t, although there was kind of a crazy hint about half-way through that I just thought was weird. In hindsight, it was obvious.)
Still, this book wasn’t bad. Much like the few Goosebumps books I’ve read, this is in keeping with Stine’s rather tame but subtly terrifying style of horror....more
Due to the fact that his dad has been transferred and the family has to move, Evan has to stay the summer with his Aunt Kathryn. Besides being really Due to the fact that his dad has been transferred and the family has to move, Evan has to stay the summer with his Aunt Kathryn. Besides being really old and weird, she's also completely deaf. Evan befriends a girl named Andy in the neighborhood. They buy an old jar of slimy green goo called "Monster Blood", which appears to have no purpose other than to be slimy. Evan's dog manages to eat some, and a few days later, the dog has doubled in size. The goo also appears to be growing, quickly outgrowing its small jar. It also appears to be breathing, as if it's alive...
R.L. Stine's "Monster Blood", part of his best-selling Goosebumps series, is another fun, gross, creepy horror story for kids....more
“Welcome to Dead House” is the second book by R.L. Stine that I have ever read, and here is a few things that I have already determined as to why he i“Welcome to Dead House” is the second book by R.L. Stine that I have ever read, and here is a few things that I have already determined as to why he is as popular as he is:
1) Stine knows that parents don’t listen to kids, or if they do, they really can’t do anything to help. Parents are basically ineffectual creatures, as kind and loving as they are sometimes. Truth is: kids are on their own out in the world.
2) Stine knows something that most, if not all, adults tend to forget or ignore: kids are a lot smarter than they are given credit for. They have to be, after all. (See #1.)
3) Stine understands kids’ basic fear and mistrust of all adults. Let’s face it: your parents are no good against zombies, killer dolls, or blob monsters. That’s a given. But even worse than ineffectual parents are those other adults. You know: your science teacher, your church pastor, the garbage man, that old creepy guy who lives two doors down. They all have something to hide, and you know it. No adult can adequately be trusted.
4) Stine tells it like it is. He isn’t going to sugarcoat it for the “sensitive” kids. Those kids are always the first ones to be slaughtered anyway. No, Stine’s target audience may be kids ages 9 to 13, but he’s not gonna dumb anything down. (See #2.) He’s also not gonna necessarily end everything on a happy note. Because that ain’t real life, kids. It’s best that you learn that lesson now…
5) Stine is actually a decent writer. He'll probably never win a Pulitzer, but he’s writing at a reading level for middle school age children and tweens, and that doesn’t mean his stories can’t be enjoyed by older kids or adults. Stine is a ten times better writer than James Patterson any day of the week. Indeed, I think Stine could hold his own against Stephen King or Brian Keene, and I think those guys are the best in the horror biz. For what he does, Stine does it really well, and I’m a converted Stine fan....more
“The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb” is the first Goosebumps book I have ever read. Ever. I’ll let that statement sink in for a few minutes.
I know what you“The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb” is the first Goosebumps book I have ever read. Ever. I’ll let that statement sink in for a few minutes.
I know what you are thinking: How could you have not read even one of the most popular kids’ horror book series in publishing history? One that is, since the first published book in the series back in 1992, still going and still immensely popular?
I dunno. Seriously. I don’t know how I’ve managed to miss this series. One of those weird little things in life. It’s like that one guy I know who has never seen a Star Wars movie. It’s bewildering, I know.
But, I’ve done it. I’ve read my first, and it wasn’t bad. In fact, it was kind of fun. I suppose if I was in middle school, it would be awesome.
I have no idea where this book fits in the series. I think it’s, like, the fifth or the seventh. Not that it matters. They all kind of stand alone, without having to necessarily read them in order.
In “TCotMT”, Gabe is on a vacation with his parents in Egypt. Gabe’s an Egyptian-American, so he has family that live in the country. One of those relatives is his Uncle Ben, an archaeologist who works at the famous Pyramids. He’s excited when he gets to spend a day working on a dig with his uncle, exploring the many tunnels within and under the Great Pyramids. Not so exciting is having to spend the day with his annoying older cousin, Sari. The two inadvertently stumble upon a mystery when one of the workers tries to kidnap them. They escape from this man, Ahmed, but end up lost in a tunnel that lands them in a room full of hundreds of mummies. And they’re all coming to life!
Seriously, if I was in the target demographic—-ages 9-14—-this book would actually be pretty spooky. As someone considerably older, it was still kind of spooky, although certainly tamer than what I look for in a horror novel.
Still, I liked it enough to want to read more Goosebumps. My daughter, who is 8, refuses to read them, as they “look too scary”. That’s fine. I’ll try to convince her in a few more years…...more
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