For Fear of the Night

by Charles L. Grant

As Labor Day approaches, four inhabitants of a New Jersey shore town are preoccupied with upcoming changes in their lives, as well as with questions regarding the death of their mutual friend, Julie Etler, in a fire in a horror house on an amusement pier. The questions multiply when one friend, Devin Graham, receives a message on his answering machine from Julie and when another sees her on the beach. Other inexplicable accidents and deaths compel Devin to explore the burned horror house.

Genres: Horror, Fiction

277 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Charles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.

Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons, a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", and another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," the latter telling of an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.

Reviews

[Kenneth McKinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The term "quiet horror" gets thrown around everytime you read any review of a Charles Grant story. What exactly is quiet horror. Simply put, its a moniker created by Charlie himself, as a way to describe his writing style. Quiet horror is a slow crescendo of dread that builds in the story. It's subtle, not in your face. Its a creepy feeling that something isn't right. It's also not for the person who has the attention span of a highly caffeinated squirrel with ADD. You're not going to find blood spattered on every page of a Grant story. Nor will you find non-stop action. This isn't a Marvel comic. Grant's stories are all about the ride and not necessarily the destination. Patience is key. If you have it, chances are you'll see what he's trying to create and you'll enjoy it. Now, is every one of his stories a hit? No. But, there is always a certain level of quality in every Grant tale. For Fear of the Night is no exception. Is it his best? No, again.

As Labor Day nears, a group of teenagers are preoccupied with the big changes that have already shaped their lives and the ones that are about to. Going off to college looms in around the corner. Couples are about to become apart and wonder whats in store for them. Career decisions have to be made. Their friend, Julie, was recently killed in a fire that happened in a building near the pier. Devin, the groups older photography friend, receives a message on his answering machine from their dead friend. Was it really her? Is it some sick prank? He doesn't know, but it sparks off the mystery of what really happened to Julie.

For Fear of the Night is not Grant's strongest story. Very little action happens for the first 100 pages. It's his typical slow burn. The storytelling and atmosphere are still there. The ending strikes me as a bit muddied and leaves more questions than answers. If I were looking to read Grant for the first time, this wouldn't be the one I'd start with. But, if you're looking for that quiet horror that he specializes in, you could do a lot worse.


3 Popped Balloons out of 5


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[Jamie Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

For Fear of the Night by Charles L. Grant

I am a massive fan of Grant’s atmospheric writing and while that is on display here this story feels like Grant trying to echo the works of his contemporaries published at the time. What do I mean by this, I couldn’t help feel that the way the story is told was closer to Richard Laymon’s style than Grant’s outside of how the book opens.

The result is a fragmented story telling style where I often had to reread passages to understand what was going on. Unlike previous books I’ve read of his the characters were hard to pin down. There were times where I found I didn’t know which character a particular section of the book was being perceived through, giving an overly disappointed feeling for me. The premise of this story feels like it should have been one of Grant’s more actioned packed books, but sadly due to the confusion nature of how it’s written and lack of attachment to the characters I lost interest.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I love Grant's style, this particular book just didn't have as much to capture my attention as some of the others I've read recently. As usual, the atmosphere is realistic, the scenery painted perfectly. Unfortunately, I just couldn't seem to get into the motivation for some of the characters, and was left at the end feeling that something was somehow lacking…. Still, an incredible author with wonderful prose, but this book isn't one of my personal favorites. However, I have an entire list of others to begin!!

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago, I rekindled my interest in '80s horror by going through and reading all of Charles L. Grant's horror fiction. I thought I had hit all of them, but earlier this year I realized I had missed a few of them. For Fear of the Night is the first of three, and it's a reminder of how well Grant could command fear and atmosphere without resorting to jump scares and graphic descriptions.

For Fear of the Night is about Devin Graham, a photographer who witnessed the burning of a pier a week previous. He managed to get shots of the fire to sell to papers, but one photo he kept to himself was one that featured Julie, a teenager from a group of friends Devin knows. She was the only one to die in the fire, and while he and Julie's friends are still grieving her loss, Devin receives a phone call from Julie asking for her picture back.

Grant takes his time building his stories, creating atmosphere and setting before he settles in to the story proper, but even with that in mind, this book takes a long time to get going. He teases and hints at the plot during the exposition, but it takes half the book before it finally gels. Strangely, the story doesn't feel too long, nor does it feel like nothing's happening; it's just Grant taking his time to evoke a feeling before worrying about piddly details like plot.

Speaking of evoking mood, another thing Grant does well is repeating phrases through his chapters to help set the scene, the mood, and the atmosphere of his stories. In the opening chapter of For Fear of the Night, he writes about how the August breeze cools at the end of a summer day. It's a little reminder that gets lodged in the brain amid the other details of his scene, but it tells us how it feels, how it smells, and how it looks, all in a simple refrain. We've all been on a beach at the end of a hot day, thankful for the cool air while lamenting the loss of the fun time has during the day, and that single, repeated phrase tells us everything we need to know to identify where we are, as well as to name the mood it evokes: melancholy.

I see Grant as a like-him-or-hate-him author because of this characteristic, but I enjoy that aspect of his fiction. When I was younger, in my hardcore horror phase, he didn't do much for me, but now, when I find I can appreciate a more subtle approach to horror, he's helping me identify what good horror is. This isn't a book for everyone (not even every fan of horror), but those who appreciate mood would do well to read his books.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time around it is a fully fledged novel from Charles L Grant and rather an intriguing one. I think it is always harder to ground a dark brooding horror story is the dazzling sunlight but that is effectively what you have here. The horrors of a fire on a pier during the dying days of the hot summer is hardly a location for a brooding horror but that is what you have here.

As is trade mark for Grant you have a growing sense of fear and unease while at the same time casting doubt on the sanity of those around them. This has all the trappings of a teem horror story (that is not a bad thing) however with a wide variety of supporting characters the story easily side steps tropes so often (and excessively) exploited.

A great sense of unease and tension builds and I have to say that the conclusion is suitably satisfying

[Jon Recluse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 3.5 star read.
Not one of Grant's best works, it lacks his heart and suffers from a sense of disconnect on his part.
Still, a less than stellar Grant still sets the bar pretty high.

[Cujo · Rating 4 out of 5]

As campy as this book was, there are a few reasons I loved it as much as I did. And they should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. They are:
1) As a child of the 80's I love 80's horror. I love the slang, the stereotypical characters, somewhat predictable plot,(actually this doesn't have that), and the required sex at the worst possible time,(Doesn't have that either)
2) I was a Jersey shore kid while growing up and at the time this book takes place,(1988) I would be doing what a typical dorky middle school kid normally does at the Shore, lie on the beach, try to boogie board, and flirt with the girls in the game stalls
3) This book featured 3 of my favorite things, a ghost story, the beach, and a jersey boardwalk. How could I not love it? But is there anyone out there who could explain the ending ? Did the entire Riccaro family die when the pier collapsed?

[Mike (Hail Horror Hail) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up. This is my second novel by Grant, and it left me with the same impression as the first. Solid writing, but with too few ideas and happenings spread over too many pages. I found his characters all blended into one another, which left me rereading passages just to understand which pov was being represented, leading to confusion and hindering the story's success and my enjoyment.

[Hayden Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those seeking a spooky summer beach read, look no further. You do, I admit, have to be an admirer of Grant’s style though. That means you’re gonna have to put up with an opening chapter describing the weather and setting (this puts a lot of Grant h8ers off, and I don’t really get why they dislike it?); you’re gonna be given subtle scares rather than gore and nasty kills (although the climax here is shockingly big-budget for a Charles L. Grant production); and, you’re going to have to do a lot of the work. I really enjoy all of these things about his writing and when I close a book by CLG, even if I’m not blown away, even if I can count a hundred flaws, I feel really fulfilled and satisfied. Reading his books is such a joy.

It’s not unusual to feel lost for a little while when getting into a Grant book. I’m not sure if he’s a master at his craft, or I’m just making excuses for dense prose, but this is what I’m talking about when I say ‘you have to do a lot of the work.’ He’s not upfront with information, and it takes a while to learn very crucial information about the characters you’re following. It’s frustrating at first, but feels rewarding in the long-run. That said, there are a lot of times when I just walk away confused. The main action centers around a pier, and oftentimes I was confused about the geography. I grew up in Texas, and so I don’t have a lot of experiences around piers and big boardwalks…but some of it is supposed to be condemned after a disastrous fire, with characters expecting the ruins to topple any day now…and yet there are plenty of chapters where it’s teeming with tourists and games and an operating Ferris wheel. Characters are seemingly able to run down to the beach, and then back to the crumbling House of Horrors within seconds…I was just pulled out of the action and lost several times. This is why *every* book needs a little map at the beginning!

There’s also the problem of characters. We have our main crew, and a bunch of satellites circling their orbit, and the tertiary ones get confused constantly. There’s one guy I was sure was killed in a traffic accident who just appears later like nothing happened. Who was that?? There are also lingering questions about our main boy, the sad sack loser who all the ladies wanna bone. How old is this guy? So how (and why) is he, apparently, pretty good friends with a bunch of teenagers graduating high school? He was dating one of their moms…so I’m assuming he’s old enough to be their dad. I don’t know.

My last gripe is about the length. It’s not a long book by any means—just shy of 300 pages for a small-town horror novel is pretty standard. But I did get a little wandery during the middle section, as it began to feel plodding and muddled. I don’t think Grant’s style would ever fit something “tightly-plotted,” as atmosphere is what he was best at, but it did start to feel long. Ultimately, this story would’ve been more gripping as a novella.

However, I stand by my original statement. This is a delightful read. It’s an old-fashioned ghost story, a cozy creeper with a languid, sunburnt summer setting and a surprisingly huge set-piece at its climax. The pacing of the story itself fits the vibe;
you’re never in a hurry to get anywhere, and why should you be in summer? But in those last days before Labor Day, there comes a mounting dread…

[Mark R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second horror novel I've read lately wherein a boardwalk carnival becomes the site of mysterious goings-on (the first being Richard Laymon's superior "Funland").

A photographer in his twenties hangs out with a group of kids. One night, the spooky funhouse attraction burns down, and one of their friends is trapped inside. Days later, the photographer begins receiving voice messages purportedly from the dead girl; one of the kids thinks he sees her on the boardwalk.

It's pretty standard ghost story material, written in a more than serviceable manner, but lacking any real intensity or a satisfying conclusion. I hear good things about this author, so I'll probably check out more by him, but found "For Fear of the Night" a bit lacking overall.

[Kevin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skillful prose sadly cannot save this snoozefest. While the last 50 pages or so would make a damned decent short story, the slow, plodding snoozefest of the first 220 or so seem tacked on to try and make it a novel when it never should have been. The "revelations" in the climax seem utterly disconnected from everything beforehand, but not in a pleasing twist-ending way, which only exemplifies the uselessness of the first three-quarters of the book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this 3.5 if I could, I think, but going up bc I did like it quite a bit and finished it in only a few days. Basically like It on the Jersey Shore but much less involved.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me and my boys (my dude penpals in Texas) each read a Charles L Grant book for Halloween and had a cute little morning book club over it. However, I did not like this book very much. Weird character dynamics with a bum adult older man hanging with a bunch of teens who have a TON of angst, which is a shame because the spooky element is pretty intriguing and strange.

[Gilda Felt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts out pretty slow, to the point that I almost gave up on it. I’m glad I didn’t. There’s a creeping horror connected to the old horror house that now sits, burned and abandoned, on the pier. Dread slowly builds, as the four friends confront the evil that has entered their lives.

There are many questioned to be answered, though unfortunately not all are, which is probably the greatest flaw in the book. I want to know why things are happening and why Julie is appearing to her friends. I want to know why the house burned down, and why it has suddenly turned evil.

I did like how the characters’ backgrounds and hopes for the future are intertwined with what is going on. Somehow, who they are is very much a part of that future, just in a way they have no way of knowing.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this book...
I have unfortunately a one track mind and seeing that the book had so many characters I got confused quickly. Plus it felt very slow, and dragged on.

It was third person, which I had no problem with, it was also a bit spooky, I read the last bit of the book before bed, and of course I had a tricky time with that.

[Lura Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Rising Action. Disappointing Climax.

I've read this book before. Somehow I thought it would be better then before. Grant did a good job building suspense, but the ending is confusing, and needs more direction.

[Annette Vecellio · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t finish this. Too boring.

[Meli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty run-of-the-mill ghost / haunted house story that isn't terribly spooky or gory. The characters are all pretty 'meh, and our protagonist is kind of a shlub. It's enjoyable enough and the pacing is decent. Nothing too exciting though, so maybe skip if you're looking to be really spooked.

[Robert Parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

very atmospheric, up to Charlie's usual high standards.

[Kleiner Maulwurf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Keine Ahnung, was da jetzt los war. Kaum dachte ich, die Handlung fängt an, war schon wieder Stillstand und irgendjemand saß im Diner.
Der Fotograf sollte wohl die Hauptperson sein, aber was genau sein Auftrag war - kein Plan.
Und wer am Ende überlebt hat, hab ich auch nicht gecheckt (vor allem WAS man überlebt hat).
Aber die Teenie-Lovestory war ganz nett. Wusste zwar nicht, was das sollte, aber man muss ja nicht alles wissen.

[Eric · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll admit, I did not make it through this book. It just dragged on way too slowly. When it's over halfway done and still nothing has really happened, it's just time to pitch it. I can take aimless character development for only so long.

I wanted to like this book, and I tried really hard to slog through it. But it bored me too much.

[Brittany Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a bizarre book with so many characters that I literally had to make myself a key on the inside cover of who was who. I finished reading it and still wasn't quite sure what happened, but I liked it. Not for the light reader- be prepared to dig in and focus.

[Kjirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story potential but I found it hard to stick with this book.