Terror Academy: Student Body
Abby Wilder is a bright and popular senior. A cheerleader and straight-A student. And the victim of an attacker who clearly intended to kill her! While the police search desperately for clues. Abby’s memory of the attack fades completely. But not the strange visions that seem to be warning her: this killer has rampaged before - and is about to strike again…
GOT U COVERED 📘
Author: Nicholas Pine
Published: 1993
Series: Terror Academy
Tagline: Who’s next? A killer never forgets…
Description: An open yearbook with several student’’ photo’s slashed in an X.
Abby turned and shined the flashlight on the form that rushed forward in the darkness. Someone - something - was almost upon her. Abby started to run, but slipped on an empty bag of popcorn left over from the game. She stumbled a few steps which allowed the intruder to catch her. The hurling weight of the attacker knocked Abby to the ground. - pg. 78
SYNOPSIS 📖
Abby Wilder has it all. She’s pretty, she’s rich, she’s the head cheerleader and even has her own personal psycho.
But everything is far from perfect and it all seems to come at a cost. Her parents don’t pay much attention to her, her boyfriend Billy is pressuring her to have sex, dweeb Frankie insists on pestering her and her cheer coach is ruthless towards her and the squad.
What’s a girl to do?
Abby’s had enough!
After threatening the head coach Mrs. Seavy that she’ll quit the squad, kneeing Billy in the crotch for trying to force himself on her, telling Frankie to get lost. It seems most of her problems are sorted. WRONG!!! They’ve only just begun.
One night, Abby gets attacked pretty badly by an unknown assailant, landing her in the hospital. Luckily she survives (just barely)…but the antagonist is back and this time they intend to finish what they’ve started.
Not a minute after Lucy walked into the house the phone rang. Lucy flinched.
“Hello?” she said
For a moment there was silence and then heavy breathing.
“This isn’t funny,” Lucy said to the mysterious caller. “You sick creep!” - pg. 113
THOUGHTS 💭
The first time I read this book, I wasn’t particularly a fan, however upon my second read, I actually ended up really liking this book.
It is a fun, quick paced read that has some fun scenes. It honestly feels like something straight out of the 80’s. It’s akin to those B-level teen slasher films from that era that understands the formulae well enough to be in fan service thereof. It does do something a little different by including a supernatural element, which I thought complimented the story, particularly the climax.
The horror elements and kills, although very quick, were quite surprising. It was more gruesome than I’d expected from most teen books. While it doesn’t go into great drawn out detail or involve any chase sequences, which is a bit of a let down, there’s enough detail to allow your own imagination to fill in the blanks. If you’re a massive horror fan like myself, I’m sure you can come up with pretty gnarly imagery (probably more than the author intended).
Abby might not gain immediate favour from the reader, but I will give credit to Nicholas Pine for creating a character that isn’t as vapid as she is presented in the beginning. I actually found her to be more layered than she initially appeared. Rather than leaning into the stereotype that she fits into, Abby seeks to figure out who she is beyond the status and reputation (which she consciously finds herself relying on, but ultimately knows it makes her feel empty). This reflection and self-awareness helped to make her feel a bit more three dimensional, instead of your typical flat bratty & spoiled rich girl.
However, something I noticed was that Mrs. Seavey’s weight is constantly pointed out by Nicholas Pine in an implied negative light. Making multiple notes of how fat she is (body and face) in a way that we’re clearly supposed to feel some disdain towards her because of that fact. I guess in the PC culture we live in now, it’s definitely an indicator that this is a book from the 90’s.
Seeing as this is the first book within the Terror Academy series that I’ve read, I’d be curious to see if Central Academy is used as more of a backdrop to these stories or if there’s any lore attached to it.
Overall, I’d say this book was worth the read. Perhaps not the most riveting book, but it made me more interested in Nicholas Pine’s other Terror Academy offerings.
I’d grade it a C+
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