Sci-Fi & Scary

The beginning of the blurb for Scary House made me mildly interested. Stranger Things and Goonies were both decent-to-good shows. When I found it on Amazon, it was listed under children’s e-books, so I was curious to see how the author would work things. Well, this should not be under the children’s e-book section. This is not a kids book. I can’t see children under 12, unless they’re advanced readers, being able to read and maintain interest in it. It belongs in the Teens & Young Adult section at minimum.I’d be a little irritated here, normally, because I hate it when authors deliberately shelve their books incorrectly. I don’t have the energy to be irritated today.

Scary House does have a Stranger Things vibe. Well, a general nostalgia vibe, at least. There’s a lot of references to Jurassic Park, which of course was produced in the early 90s, but spandex-wearing rock stars are mentioned quite a bit as well. A time when parents actually felt safe to let their kids wander around the neighborhoods together without worrying too much. (Does that even still happen?) Though there is a weird throw-in of the watch that apparently has cell-phone capabilities. Maybe it is meant to be timeless like the weirdness of It Follows? Regardless, it’s obvious the author was seeking to set a certain tone, and channel some of his favorite horror stories from long ago.

A well-paced story, Scary House never gives you time to get bored or let your mind wander. Its got a good atmosphere right off the bat, and by the time the kids confront the evil near the end, you’re fully invested in the story. The story is creepy, appealing on a simple level. A fairly classic tale of haunted houses, curious kids, and things going sideways. Oh, and the requisite old geezer who believes and helps out. The dialogue is believable, but by contrast the characters are completely typical and supremely forgettable. But, I still felt a certain satisfaction from the ending.

Scary House is a clean read, with jokes in it aimed at the younger end of its audience. Scary House is not perfect, but the author does exactly what he sets out to do. It’s a book that will appeal to nostalgia lovers, and interesting for the story itself for those who aren’t wishing for days gone by. It’s worth giving a shot when you’re bored, but not particularly outstanding.