reviews

REVIEWS

--ScreameR 9

One of the best factors of this story is definitely the setting, a new and seemingly cold high-tech school, and the atmosphere generated by it. They give the story an edge, but the rest of it isn’t much different from your average horror movie. It’s got the barely there plot and a few too many clichés, but it’s still a good read if you’ve got some time to kill (no pun intended).

SCHOOL DAY

SCHOOL DAY 2

Looking for a sequel that surpasses the original? This one should be considered. The plot, like most horror movies, is basically a rehash of the first installment. But SCHOOL DAY 2 takes it up a notch with various cool deaths, including two scenes in a swimming pool and library. Another nice factor that deserves to be mentioned is the high body count. I’m definitely interested in seeing how this series develops.

SCHOOL DAY 2

Two and a half skulls for this continuing adventure of the Grim Reaper. Some very ingenius ways to kill have popped up, including a deadly toilet seat. Jeff and Allison find themselves back in the clutches of the scyther himself, the imfamous Dillon! Excellent bodycount, a suspenseful chase in a new school setting, though ending sets up for sequal (not necessarily a bad thing) This is a great story for those of us looking for a good old fashioned bloodbath!!

SCHOOL DAY 3

Two and a half skulls, for new adventures for Jeff the hero, new ways to kill, and several plot twists near the end, including a complete suprise as to who survives. Another gruesome body count and a scene with dueling Grim Reapers!! (I won't explain what happens, you'll have to read it for yourself). The end still catches me by suprise, and it makes me wonder how School Day 4 will be.

--JH

SCHOOL DAY

“Write what you know” is probably the phrase that triggered Jeff Long’s “School Day”. The reason I’m saying this is because the situation is very realistic (sans the killing). I am willing to bet that at least some of these characters and their traits are based off of actual people, including Jeff. Jeff is our hero in this macabre, fast paced story about a killer who strikes in an empty school during a snowstorm. I think something that hooked me in from the get-go was that I could relate to a lot of the situations. I remember in my freshman year of high school the meaningless conversations and threats of social upheaval. Jeff uses this element very well in this story, especially with the dialog. The technicalities aren’t as well set up as the entertainment value, and I think that’s something that could improve on, but overall I really enjoyed it! It was something that when I first read it, I couldn’t stop reading. Albeit, it was predictable, but paced so well that before you could say “Attack of the Pre-teen Menace” the Grim Reaper has struck again. I didn’t find it hard to adjust to the lack of description in the story, because I just pictured my high school with the necessary adjustments - yet another element that Jeff pulls off (though I’m not sure if it was intentional or not). I think Jeff’s greatest accomplishment at the end of the story is that you will look forward to reading School Day 2.

-- X

SCHOOL DAY 5: SCHOOL'S OUT

~ I'll say this much. Each of these School Day stories get more and more creative, outrageous, and make Jason Vorhees look like an amatuer. This time, the next generation of victims (Lisa and Sheldon) go up against the scythe. Carpenter once created (accidentally) the notion that "Sex kills". IMHO, this series has created something similiar. "Going to the Bathroom kills". Ya notice, in almost all of the SD stories, the person taking a whizz gets hacked (In this case, Ellie the major witch of the cast)
But, as far fetched as some of the story gets, it never fails to suprise and come up with new angles on the "Grim Reaper" killer. I won't give anything away, but there is a GREAT resurrection of an old character. Not since Jason got struck by lightning has there been a more wild and crazy reason to bring back a familiar face

INVISIBLE KILLER

Very unique premise. A father and son go on a camping trip, only to find themselves and others stalked by a vicious unseen force. It'll suprise you to find out who (or what) is doing all the killing. Excellent scenes of gore and violence, and a climactic chase to keep you on the edge. Can't say much more without giving things away. Read and judge for yourself. Only real flaw: The characters make some bad decisions about dealing with the problem, but you'll find that in nearly any Horror movie.

-- JH

SCHOOL DAY

I had heard a lot about this series so I was intrigued to read it. When I finally got around to it I found it a very fast paced and gripping tale. Description isn’t too important; the setting is a place we all have been to, school and we can imagine it to suit our backgrounds. Perhaps it would have made a better script but that’s a minor quibble. The story itself is excellent with many characters seeming just like people I know! The Grim Reaper was a great idea and comes off with some good kills though they do get a bit repetitive towards the end. With tighter writing, more deaths and greater plot emphasis this would have got top marks. As it is I give it a rating of Three Hooks out of Five.

-- SCARECROW

SCHOOL DAY 2

The Grim Reaper is back! And as with most sequels it is basically a rehash of the original. With reasons for the murders given before the killer need not worry about motive and neither should you. Just sit back and read as a much older Jeff is once again hunted down after writing a sequel to his original horror story. The kills are a lot better with some quite fun ones thrown into the mix and the tension is higher than before. Still, it seems lacking in some respects and is too like the original to go up a grade. But as Three Hooks it is still excellent and the cliffhanger ending leaves you waiting for the inevitable School Day 3.

SCHOOL DAY 3

This series is turning into the “Friday the 13th” of the site, with a constant variety of deaths, resourceful gory details, and some excellent action sequences. I enjoyed the references to the story’s two predecessors, and also the setup of the victims—er, characters—having to stay behind at the camp. On the critical side, a few clichés are present, and I think the author should spend a little more time on editing—it gives the story more credibility. Like any horror story, a couple of the characters were utterly stupid: They run away to the highway, and when no cars stop for them, they run back to the camp where the killer is waiting. I guess I don’t have to tell you what happened to them but they deserved it. The story is pretty on par with SCHOOL DAY 2, and is a fun addition to the series.

SCHOOL DAY 4: CARRER DAY

In a nutshell, SCHOOL DAY 4 is a bunch of people getting killed off one by one in a news broadcasting building, an interesting setting that had the same cold atmosphere the original did. First a few things that didn’t work: It had the exact same formula as the past entries. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it makes the story predictable. I strongly recommend using more character development. I know it’s usually weak in all slashers, but the reader doesn’t care who dies and who lives. Now what did work: Even though the setup is getting repetitive, I still really like how the Grim Reaper stalks all his victims and gives them fresh, gruesome deaths. I also enjoyed the new elements of paranoia between the characters, which wasn’t really used in the first three stories. The scenes interspersing is also nice, making things more suspenseful, and it was cool how it coincided with SCHOOL DAY 3. All in all, it wasn’t the bad entry you might expect a third sequel to be. It offers more of the same that makes the series so fun to read, but it would be nice to have a wider range of plot, characters, etc. and not be so by-the-book.

SCHOOL DAY 5: SCHOOL'S OUT

Taking place in the same location as the first SCHOOL DAY, this story is pretty decent and I can definitely see the author’s writing developing. The violent deaths are still intact, as well as the dark atmosphere. There’s some more character development this time around, and there are a few plot twists too (some justified while others aren’t). Some parts of the story are way too rushed, and the editing is lacking. Overall, I enjoyed the latest effort in the series, but the author might want to take it up a notch.

--SCREAMER009

SCHOOL DAY 3

You’ve done the original, part two was basically a remake so when it comes to 3 you have to do something different. So this time an older Jeff and Ryan are now teachers who, along with their students have gone to a summer camp; the set up is complete and the carnage can begin! There is slightly more description than before, something that benefits the story, and the deaths are getting more creative. The Grim Reaper is beginning to become Jason-like in his use of props in order to pull off some creative kills. On the down side the characters don’t seem as real and aren’t portrayed as well as usual and you don’t care too much for there fates.

Also the Grim Reaper, as most horror killers eventually do, is becoming less human. He survived the battering at the end of Part2 and here he takes a lot of punishment too. Still its nice to read that his costume is still half burnt from the bomb; the little touches help you enjoy it. In the end this is at least equal to School Day 2 and so deserves its score of Three Hooks out of Five.

Oh and by the way, look out for the really cool bit with duelling Grim Reapers! It rocks!

SCHOOL DAY 4: CARRER DAY

School Day is now officially a franchise! A fourth story and the Grim Reaper is still cutting his way through a path of bodies and this time he attacks a TV station where Allison (School Day 1 & 2) works; a good idea, a shame then that this is the weakest so far. Its not that the writing is any less good but things are beginning to become cliched and you feel you’ve read it all before. I’d like to emphasise it isn’t a bad story but if you’ve read the previous three there is nothing new here.

I don’t want to sound too negative, I really enjoy this series but I have to be honest with my views, if there is to be another story then some fresh blood is needed. On the plus side the description is still improving and at least we have returned to the task of having to guess the killers identity. So, though it scores Two Hooks out of Five I have high hopes that the next one will redeem the series.

SCHOOL DAY 5: SCHOOL'S OUT

It is ironic after my negative reaction to School Day 4 that the next sequel should only prove to be far superior but in fact turn out to be the best yet in the series! Throughout this series Jeff has shone his improving writing skills and with this story he does his best yet. It is filled with twice as much description as most other School Day stories and really sets the scenes well.

The story returns, as all horror franchises usually do, to the location (in this case the school) where the first one was set this time with a new generation of potential victims. Once again we get to know the characters and feel worried for their safety; this increases the tension as we wonder who will survive till the end.

Of course I can’t review a School Day story without mentioning the Grim Reaper. The killer is put to excellent use in this chapter, he doesn’t appear for a while as the character build up, and when he does he simply stands and watches. Not until about a third in does he claim his first victim who is a character we have come to care about in there few appearances. The kills are well described and there are some interesting one sin the mix. Also, following the last two films we are once again forced to try and guess the Reapers identity as well as how many of them will appear this time.

In the end it is well written and well presented. As with the other School Days it perhaps uses a few too many cliches but is still an excellent read. If you have read no other of this series at least read this one. It is truly Jeff’s best piece yet and as such deserves its Four Hooks out of Five.

--SCARECROW

REVENGE: SCHOOL DAY 6

Once again we are presented with another chapter of the ever increasing School Day saga, a saga that is threatening to grow longer than Friday the 13ths! Following the apparent final death of Dillon and his fellow killers we are left wondering who could be at it this time; however the series has reached a point where we will be assuming its Dillon until otherwise proven wrong.

The opening scene sees the death of an old character and following that all the previous stories begin to get tied together. This is very much the ‘fan story’ of the series and those who haven’t followed previous events will probably be slightly baffled by it; still it keeps those who do get it interested and involved as to what will happen next. The kills come thick and fast in this one that definitely is seeking to build up a high body count though some of the tension that the last story gained is lost within this chapter.

The characters are alright and you get to know a few of them; the best are definitely the ‘tough guy’ bunch of Caleb, Chad and Travis who sadly don’t appear much as they were quite fun to read about. Though the use of the names of all the ‘Friends’ characters though explained does still seem tacky but that’s a minor quibble.

In the end Jeff has presented us with another tale of the Grim Reaper and has added a few more twists to these increasingly bizarre story line. It comes across as a bit rushed but none the less it is still a good read and gets a deserved Three Hooks out of Five.