Fear
L. Ron Hubbard
Fear
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by L. Ron Hubbard
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material.
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About This Book
A man wakes up with no memory of the past four hours and spirals into madness as he desperately tries to uncover the dark truth behind what happened. Chilling events unfold, revealing disturbing secrets and haunting fears that threaten his sanity. Brace yourself for a gripping and eerie journey into the depths of terror.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 6-7 book with very intense content intensity. Content themes include death & grief, domestic violence, gaslighting. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Fear 11VE
Fear is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 238 pages (approximately 44,346 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Fear works for readers up to grade 8.1.
Read aloud, Fear runs about 4.9 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Fear as 11VE ("Vivid — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Death & Grief, Domestic Violence, Gaslighting, Stalking, Substance Use, Rape Mention, Physical Danger, Restraint.
Thematically, Fear explores horror, psychological thriller, mystery, mental health, and fear & anxiety — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about horror, psychological thriller, mystery.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11VE — Vivid — EmotionalGraphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.
Content Flags
Was our "Very Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0884047598
- Pages
- 238
- Publisher
- Bridge Publications (CA)
- Published
- 1995
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 44,346
- Read-Aloud
- ~4h 56m
- Text Density
- Standard