Point Horror


Point Horror is a series of young adult horror fiction books. The series was most popular among teenagers.

History

The Point Horror series was launched in 1991 by Scholastic Inc, with the publisher re-releasing several of its previous Point titles under the Point Horror banner. Other books were published under the Point SF and Point Fantasy imprints.
Authors who published under the label of Point Horror include R.L. Stine, L. J. Smith, Diane Hoh, Richie Tankersley Cusick, Christopher Pike, and Caroline B. Cooney. The series was notable as Blind Date was one of R.L. Stine's first works and helped launch his career.
After an eight-year absence, Scholastic announced their plan to release three new titles in May 2013, with more to follow later in the year.

Literary criticism

While the Point Horror series did not attract much serious attention, British children's novelist and literary historian Gillian Avery noted the series was "invariably structured around oppositions" in that teen horror novels "does not 'put an end to the opposition between the real and the imaginary' but, instead, affirms the distinction". Roy Fisher wrote the series embodied and represented "the fears and anxieties of young people about their lives in general and about school in particular". Others noted the series' similarity to Stephen King, saying that there "was little difference between the approach and design...other than length".
Will Davis of The Guardian attributed the decline of the series to higher standards from teen readers and the series' lack of real-life issues.
The series has received negative criticism for its portrayal of female characters. British educational historian Mary Hilton wrote in her book Potent Fictions: Children's Literacy and the Challenge of Popular Culture many young readers viewed the female characters as the ones who get "upset, killed, or dumped".

Offshoots

There have been three offshoots of the Point Horror series that, while all showing the "Point Horror" Logo, are often regarded as separate series in their own rights. They are Point Horror Unleashed, Nightmare Hall and Mutant Point Horror. Nightmare Hall is unique amongst the offshoots as the entire series was written solely by Diane Hoh.

Television

In November 2019, it was announced that Point Horror would be adapted into an anthology series for HBO Max.

Publications

1979

  • ''Avalanche''

    1980

  • ''When No One Was Looking''

    1985

  • ''Slumber Party''

    1986

  • Blind Date
  • ''Weekend''

    1987

  • Twisted
  • ''Through the Hidden Door''

    1988

  • The Lifeguard
  • ''The Nightmare Man''

    1989

  • Party Line
  • The Fog
  • The Babysitter
  • Trick or Treat
  • My Secret Admirer
  • Prom Dress
  • ''The Rain Ghost''

    1990

  • The Snow
  • The Fire
  • April Fools
  • Final Exam
  • Funhouse
  • Beach Party
  • The Boyfriend
  • ''Teacher's Pet''

    1991

  • Thirteen: 13 Tales of Horror An Anthology of short horror stories;
  • # "Collect Call"
  • # "Lucinda"
  • # "The Guccioli Miniature" Originally written and published in 1975.
  • # "Blood Kiss"
  • # "A Little Taste of Death"
  • # "The Doll"
  • # "House of Horrors"
  • # "Where the Deer Are"
  • # "The Spell"
  • # "Dedicated to the One I Love"
  • # "Hacker"
  • # "Deathflash"
  • # "The Boy Next Door"
  • Mother's Helper
  • Sister Dearest
  • The Accident
  • The Babysitter II
  • The Cheerleader
  • The Girlfriend
  • The Invitation
  • ''The Snowman''

    1992

  • Beach House
  • Fatal Secrets
  • Freeze Tag
  • Hit and Run
  • The Cemetery - previously released as The Ripper
  • Mirror, Mirror
  • The Dead Game
  • The Fever
  • The Hitchhiker
  • The Mall
  • The Perfume
  • The Return of the Vampire
  • The Train
  • The Waitress
  • ''The Window''

    1993

  • In Camera and Other Stories
  • Camp Fear
  • Dream Date
  • Halloween Night
  • Help Wanted
  • Nightmare Hall 1 - The Silent Scream
  • Nightmare Hall 2 - The Roommate
  • Nightmare Hall 3 - Deadly Attraction
  • Nightmare Hall 4 - The Wish
  • Nightmare Hall 5 - The Scream Team
  • Nightmare Hall 6 - Guilty
  • The Dead Girlfriend
  • The Phantom
  • The Stepdaughter
  • The Stranger
  • The Vampire's Promise
  • ''The Babysitter III''

    1994

  • 13 More Tales of Horror An Anthology of short horror stories;
  • # "The Cat-Dogs"
  • # "The Piano"
  • # "The Devil's Footprints"
  • # "Softies"
  • # "The House That Jack Built"
  • # "The Station With No Name"
  • # "Something to Read"
  • # "Killing Time"
  • # "J.R.E. Ponsford"
  • # "The Buyers"
  • # "Closeness"
  • # "The Ring"
  • # "Bone Meal"
  • Call Waiting
  • Driver's Dead
  • Halloween Night II
  • Nightmare Hall 7 - Pretty Please
  • Nightmare Hall 8 - The Experiment
  • Nightmare Hall 9 - The Night Walker
  • Nightmare Hall 10 - Sorority Sister
  • Nightmare Hall 11 - Last Date
  • Nightmare Hall 12 - The Whisperer
  • Nightmare Hall 13 - Monster
  • Nightmare Hall 14 - The Initiation
  • Nightmare Hall 15 - Truth or Die
  • Silent Witness
  • The Witness
  • Twins
  • The Diary
  • The Forbidden Game 1: The Hunter
  • The Forbidden Game 2: The Chase
  • The Forbidden Game 3: The Kill
  • The Watcher
  • The Yearbook
  • ''I Saw You That Night!''

    1995

  • 13 Again An Anthology of short horror stories;
  • # "Anjelica's Room"
  • # "Foxgloves"
  • # "The Ultimate Assassin"
  • # "The Rattan Collar"
  • # "'Boomerang"
  • # "The Delinquent"
  • # "The Ghost Trap"
  • # "Close Cut"
  • # "Grandma"
  • # "Vampire in Venice"
  • # "Picking up the Tab"
  • # "Evidence of Angels"
  • # "Hospital Trust"
  • Hide And Seek
  • Night School
  • The Babysitter IV
  • The Body
  • The Boy Next Door
  • The Claw
  • The Surfer
  • Vampire's Love 1: Blood Curse
  • ''Vampire's Love 2: Blood Spell''

    1996

  • Amnesia
  • Double Date
  • Homecoming Queen
  • Krazy 4 U
  • Prom Date
  • Second Sight
  • Spring Break
  • Sweet Sixteen
  • The Bride
  • The Stalker
  • Unleashed - Blood Sinister
  • ''Unleashed - Transformer''

    1997

  • Unleashed - At Gehenna's Door
  • Unleashed - The Carver
  • ''Unleashed - The Vanished''

    1998

  • Unleashed - Catchman
  • Unleashed - Darker
  • Unleashed - House of Bones
  • ''Unleashed - The Hanging Tree''

    1999

  • Unleashed - Eve's Party
  • Unleashed - Facetaker
  • Unleashed - The Ghost Wife
  • ''Unleashed - Skinners''

    2000

  • Unleashed - Amy
  • Unleashed - In Spirit
  • Unleashed - The Bogle
  • Unleashed - Scissorman
  • Mutant - Carnival of the Dead
  • Mutant - Night of the Toxic Slime
  • Mutant - Ortho's Brood
  • ''Mutant - Dissolvers''

    2001

  • Unleashed - Fright Train
  • Unleashed - Lowlake
  • Unleashed - The Cunning Man
  • Mutant - Fly-Blown
  • Mutant - Crawlers
  • ''Mutant - Hair Raiser''

    2002

  • Unleashed - Moonchildren
  • Unleashed - The Belltower
  • ''Unleashed - Welcome Stranger''

    2003

  • Demon
  • The Dark
  • The Unseen Part 1 - It Begins
  • ''X-Isle''

    2004

  • The Dark II
  • The Unseen Part 2 - Rest in Peace
  • Return to X-Isle
  • ''Demon II''

    2005

  • The Unseen part 3 - Blood Brothers
  • ''The Unseen part 4 - Sin and Salvation''

    2013

  • Defriended
  • ''Identity Theft''

    2014

  • Wickedpedia - July 1st
  • Followers - July 1