A New Fear (Fear Street Sagas, #1) by R.L. Stine - Book Review
Release: January 3, 1996
Format: Kindle
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Amazon
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Synopsis: The Fear name brings fortune…and doom.
The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it. The Fears. Those they love—and hate. The entire town of Shadyside. All are tainted forever by the evil of the family’s curse. Finally, No one can escape.
Nora Goode and Daniel Fear hoped to end the curse of the Fear family. But on their wedding day, a horrible fire swept through the Fear mansion, taking the life of every member of the doomed family.
Except one. A new Fear. The child of Nora and Daniel. Will he be able to live his life untouched by the evil of his family? Or will the dark forces claim yet another Fear for their own?
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About the Author R.L. Stine: Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children’s literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children’s author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids’ Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA’s Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
Gothic Cheese Done Right
The Fear Street series has always been my guilty pleasure. I see the series as over-the-top, cheesy horror that knows exactly what it is. You don't pick these up expecting Mary Shelley, and A New Fear delivers exactly the campy gothic fun I wanted.
What Works:This book never drags. Stine throws everything at the wall, including burnt mansions, mental asylums, wrecked ships, and somehow it all sticks. There are some gruesome, gory sees that stick to your mind after reading. The multi-part structure keeps things fresh; Nora's storyline in the first half hooked me immediately, and Nicholas takes over beautifully in the second. Both have so much happening that putting the book down felt impossible. Moreover, the supporting cast adds nice flavor too. Rosalyn, Ruth, Jason, and Betsy each bring something memorable rather than just filling space.
What Falls Short:The villain reveal won't shock anyone who's read Stine before. You can see it coming, though to be fair, watching the fallout afterward remains entertaining enough that the predictability doesn't fully sink the experience.
Verdict:A New Fear kicks off the Fear Street Sagas with exactly the right energy with it's gothic atmosphere, relentless pacing, and zero pretension. It embraces its own ridiculousness so wholeheartedly that you can't help but enjoy the ride. The twist may telegraph itself, but the chaos that follows makes up for it. Already curious where this saga heads next.
Perfect for:Fear Street devotees, gothic horror fans, and readers who like their scares with a heavy side of cheese.
A New Fear (Fear Street Sagas, #1)
by R.L. Stine
Synopsis
"The Fear name brings fortune…and doom.
The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it. The Fears. Those they love—and hate. The entire town of Shadyside. All are tainted forever by the evil of the family’s curse. Finally, No one can escape.
Nora Goode and Daniel Fear hoped to end the curse of the Fear family. But on their wedding day, a horrible fire swept through the Fear mansion, taking the life of every member of the doomed family.
Except one. A new Fear. The child of Nora and Daniel. Will he be able to live his life untouched by the evil of his family? Or will the dark forces claim yet another Fear for their own?"
Release
January 3, 1996
Format
Kindle
Publisher
Simon Pulse
Source
Amazon
About the Author
R.L. Stine
Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children’s literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children’s author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids’ Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA’s Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
My Review
Gothic Cheese Done Right
The Fear Street series has always been my guilty pleasure. I see the series as over-the-top, cheesy horror that knows exactly what it is. You don’t pick these up expecting Mary Shelley, and A New Fear delivers exactly the campy gothic fun I wanted.
What Works:
This book never drags. Stine throws everything at the wall, including burnt mansions, mental asylums, wrecked ships, and somehow it all sticks. There are some gruesome, gory sees that stick to your mind after reading. The multi-part structure keeps things fresh; Nora’s storyline in the first half hooked me immediately, and Nicholas takes over beautifully in the second. Both have so much happening that putting the book down felt impossible. Moreover, the supporting cast adds nice flavor too. Rosalyn, Ruth, Jason, and Betsy each bring something memorable rather than just filling space.
What Falls Short:
The villain reveal won’t shock anyone who’s read Stine before. You can see it coming, though to be fair, watching the fallout afterward remains entertaining enough that the predictability doesn’t fully sink the experience.
Verdict:
A New Fear kicks off the Fear Street Sagas with exactly the right energy with it’s gothic atmosphere, relentless pacing, and zero pretension. It embraces its own ridiculousness so wholeheartedly that you can’t help but enjoy the ride. The twist may telegraph itself, but the chaos that follows makes up for it. Already curious where this saga heads next.
Perfect for:
Fear Street devotees, gothic horror fans, and readers who like their scares with a heavy side of cheese.
