The Con Season

by Adam Cesare

Horror movie starlet Clarissa Lee is beautiful, internationally known, and...completely broke. To cap off years of questionable financial and personal decisions, Clarissa accepts an invitation to participate in a “fully immersive” fan convention. She arrives at an off-season summer camp and finds what was supposed to be a quick buck has become a real-life slasher movie. Deep in the woods of Kentucky with a supporting cast of B-level celebrities, Clarissa must fight to survive the deadly game that the con’s organizers have rigged against her. A demented, funny, bloody, and strangely-poignant horror novel from the acclaimed author of Tribesmen, Zero Lives Remaining, and Mercy House. “Cesare is poised to take the reins of the new generation. Looking for the new face of horror? This is it right here.”—Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of The Dead Won’t Die and Dead City “[Cesare] has implemented a style that is highly cinematic, merciless in its execution and leaves you hanging on for dear life wondering what he'll do next.”— Horror Talk on Mercy House

Genres: Horror, Horror Thriller, Halloween, Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Adult

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2016

About the author

Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. His books include Clown in a Cornfield, Video Night, The Summer Job, and Zero Lives Remaining. He’s an avid fan of horror cinema and runs Project: Black T-Shirt, a YouTube review show where he takes horror films and pairs them with reading suggestions.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When five horror actors in various states of their careers are recruited for an interactive horror convention, they get more than they bargained for...

I've read a few novels that take place at conventions in the last few years. I Am Providence, Night of the Living Trekkies, and Shatnerquake come to mind. I keep seeing Adam Cesare's name pop up so I decided to give Con Season a shot.

The title is a little misleading. While it takes place in a convention of sorts, Camping Season might have been more appropriate. Anyway, Con Season is some bloody good fun.

Much like the guests at conventions of this type, the main characters are a mix of washed up has-beens and a rising star. It's not readily apparent which of them will survive, though three of them were more detailed than the others. The setup is a twist on the old "man getting hunted for sport" trope, only in this case, they're being hunted for fun, and being filmed to boot.

The body count is pretty high, as is the gore factor. It was a quick, fun read but I almost wish it would have went longer. While I like my horror short, the ending felt a little rushed to me. Some people's deaths were a little too easy.

The concept was a little too plausible in the age of reality TV, making for an unsettling read. Con Season is a fun horror novel that can be devoured in an extended sitting. You could find a lot worse ways to spend a few hours reading. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[Mort · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tip: Jump into this book after suspending reality, and you will probably enjoy it more.

Celebrity is something way beyond my understanding. Most people who want to be famous only see the glamorous things - the obstacles in life will be removed for you, and everybody will love you. Or at least know your name. And, these days, it is surprising how many attention whores will be happy to be famous for being famous.

Me - I like to blend into the background. Being the center of attention is truly stressful and uncomfortable for me. So, I can imagine it, but I can't understand it. It makes it so much easier to see the downside of fame.

And that is why I can only imagine how difficult it must be for a star whose fame and notoriety is fading. When nobody cares anymore, when you are only special in your own mind and people can easily dismiss you.

Which brings us to Clarissa Lee, who gets an invitation to a new and different kind of convention shortly after finding out she is broke. The money is good enough to get her there, along with some other B-List celebs. But they will soon find out this time, it is their lives they will fight for, and not their careers.

So, this is a slasher and fans of the genre will enjoy it. Not the best I have read, but enjoyable none the less. Leaning toward a 3.5 stars on this one.

[Janie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. I was prepared for a full-on b-movie massacre with a heaping side of mind-fuckery. Instead, I found the story to be a rather disjointed stop-and-go ride. There was plenty of character description, but I didn't feel as if I knew anyone close up and personally. As a matter of fact, I started to get the names and the characters confused. There seemed to be an excess of filler that held up the action rather than driving it forward. The experience picked up for me about half-way through the book as the action was ramped up and the blood started to flow. Just as I was getting wrapped up in the excitement, the narrative began to stutter again. I didn't think that the story was planned out well enough to warrant the ending and epilogue that ensued. The ideas were solid, however, and this reading experience could have been riveting if only the story had more coherency and a bit more editing. I am still eager to explore Mr. Cesare's other books.

It was great fun reading this book with my wonderful friend Edward Lorn. The buddy read made the experience all the more enjoyable!

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of having a ton of characters, which this was comprised of, so I struggled to stay focused on any one specific person or plot point. With so many characters here, the plot, which wasn't anything groundbreaking or complicated, just got muddled. So, my interest began to fade around the halfway mark, and it was hard to keep my interest until the finale. On the conclusion, I really disliked the open ending. Made it feel like the author wasn't sure what to do with everything built up and just left things as they were. On the positives, I really enjoyed the writing style and Adam Cesare always excels there. But the overall experience was just ok for me.

[Frank Errington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keith Lumbra is a filmmaker, if you can call titles like Teenage Cumsluts in Tortureland film. He's on his way back from a horror con where he was selling his wares when he gets pulled over by the cops, or at least he thinks they're cops.

Rory and Teeks are putting together a completely new form of con. Where, instead of having fans line up to get their pictures taken with their favorite horror actors, a limited number of fans, who pay top dollar, would get to interact with a select group of B through D list celebrities at a camp where a slasher is taking them out one by one.

On the surface, it sounds like a really cool idea, but believe me, the talent has no idea what they're in for.

It was tough writing that synopsis without dropping spoilers left and right. I've probably said to much as it is.

The writing in The Con Season is crisp and the pacing is excellent. There was a brief disconnect for me between the story's opening and where things come together with the setting up of this new interactive, high-end, horror con, but in the end Adam Cesare delivers a uniquely original tale.

The Con Season is currently available for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Or, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can borrow it for FREE through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From his bio - Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. His work has been featured in numerous magazines and anthologies. He writes a monthly column about the intersection of horror fiction and film, called PAPER CUTS, for Cemetery Dance Online. His previous books include Mercy House, Video Night, The Summer Job, and Tribesmen.

[11811 (Eleven) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate giving one star ratings to hard working authors but honest reviews can be a bitch and I can't fix that. This had a decent premise and a promising intro but I enjoyed it less and less with every turn of the page. It felt rushed and sloppy. I failed to engage on every level.

I'm a fan of this author and intend to continue reading his work but this was a tremendous disappointment. Skip this one and check out Tribesmen. That was excellent.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earlier this year, Adam Cesare was a guest on Brian Keene's podcast, The Horror Show With Brian Keene, and he spoke a bit about his upcoming novel, The Con Season. Ever since I heard Cesare first discuss this work, I'd been eager to check it out and nominated it during the author's recent Kindle Scout campaign. While I was disappointed for Mr. Cesare's loss, I was also very pleased to see him release the book immediately, which meant I finally got to plunk down my three bucks and give this a read.

Sometimes when you get hyped up about a work, it's almost inevitable to feel disappointment. How many movies trailers have you watched that convince you to buy in, only to be left cold by the final product, or worse, to find out that the movie completely sucked? It happens.

Thankfully, I came away from The Con Season a happy camper. Certainly much happier, at any rate, than Clarissa Lee, a washed-up and broke B-movie horror actress who, along with a handful of other horror actors and scream queens, agree to take part in the first annual Blood Camp Con. This convention promises to be unlike any other - part fan service, part performance art, it seeks to recreate the aesthetics of a slasher horror movie in real-life, with the celebrities unwittingly the victims.

Cesare uses The Con Season to cleverly deconstruct horror movies and fandom in Scream-like fashion, giving reader's a birds-eye view into the conventioneer's lifestyle, where they are both grateful and spiteful of their fans and their reliance on what is arguably a dark and parasitic relationship of who's using who.

The genre, and its inhabitants as both creator and consumer, are viewed through a glass darkly, allowing for moments of wry satire and bleak, knowing laughter. And although the book has some pretty dark examinations, you can still sense the appreciation Cesare has for his topic. As a horror writer, it's certainly his job to view things in, perhaps, a slightly skewed way, but it all comes from a place of deep affection and an examination of genre conventions (in both the literal conventions and in the tropes of horror works) without being overly reverential or nastily preachy. He's not afraid to skewer those things that need a good stabbing, and he is certainly a well-studied student of the horror genre and its permutations in book and film.

Most importantly, as far as I'm concerned anyway, it's just a fun, highly readable slasher story. Friday The 13th fans should feel right at home here, but it's the commentary that really earns this book high marks.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

MTY Productions is putting on a con to end all cons. Blood Camp Con will be a total immersive fan experience and introduce the world to a new horror icon.

The sh*t is about to get real up in here.

This story is exactly why I like Adam Cesare’s work so much. You can tell that he loves horror. Movies and the written word. Dude knows his stuff and it shows. My only peeve with this one is that I thought it could have been longer. While the characters were fleshed out well enough, I think there could have been a little more backstory and slasher action at the camp.

Overall, a very good bloody b-movie-esque romp in the backwoods of Kentucky. 3.5 Stars

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

THE CON SEASON, by Adam Cesare had a great premise for fans of 80's style horror. Blood Camp Con boasted a unique, full-immersion horror experience--guests of honor (aging, former horror stars), and a certain number of participants would actually LIVE in a "horror movie" set-up for one weekend! I loved the idea of this book, and the way Cesare shows us the way things are at a regular horror convention.

However, I did feel that the initial build-up of the real action took up too much time in relation to the actual "con", itself. We are introduced to the characters--getting to know some of them better than others--and the set up, transportation, etc. of the event. When things started happening to get the blood literally flowing, the book was already 3/4 of the way finished. The ending was satisfying, but over with much too quickly.

Overall, a great idea, but with too long of an "introduction" phase, and too short of the actual con and expected violence. While not my personal favorite by this author, I still love his writing style and look forward to reading more from him in the future.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this truly was a blast of a book.

The author takes fandom to a whole new level. It's a slice and dice thrill that offers some genuine surprises!

Happy to say that it didn't follow the obvious path and the ending was definitely different than I expected.

Such a fun read and I'm looking forward to exploring more from the author.

[Karl]

This is hardcover copy V of 36 copies signed by Adam Cesare.

[Bandit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, I really liked this one. And sure I enjoy survival themes in fiction and sure I’ve read Cesare before (albeit only a novella), but that alone wasn’t enough to prepare me for how unexpectedly good this novel was. Mainly, because it sounded like it might have gone the way of a cheesy slasher gorefest by description alone. Frankly, it might have, if done by a less talented author, but Cesare absolutely nailed it, delivering the best possible version of this scenario. And what a scenario indeed…a B and C level celebrities are invited to a very special sort of con. A convention for the most rabid of genre fans, the connoisseurs of gore, the experts of the horrific, the aficionados of macabre. The ones who are tired of watching the things they love unfold on screens and wish to be in the movies they so love. A completely immersive experience. Sounds like a dream to them. But then again nightmares are dreams too. And this con is definitely going to take that dark turn. It’s only a matter of time and then it’s only a matter of survival as a group of convention show level actors struggle to survive their most devoted fans. So that’s the basic plot, but now let’s talk about all the things Cesare did right with it. First off, the survival genre lives and dies by their characters and the characters here shine. Ironically enough an all star cast of once upon a timers, led by the terrific Clarissa and many kudos to the author for making her 54 and complex instead of a 20something bimbo. No, this is a woman who has been through the mill, aged out of the race and is now just trying to get by with crappy gigs, this is a woman who understands desperation enough to make her tough to kill, this is a woman who will do whatever it takes. The other characters are great too, Clarissa is just a real stand out. Even the con organizers are entertaining in their own (demented) right, although once again, it is the underrated woman of the bunch that you gotta watch out for. So yey, awesome female characters throughout, girlpowered vehicle in the best possible way. And the other thing that’s notably great about this novel is how well written and socially relevant it is. I didn’t know that strangely poignant thing from the description was so accurate, but it really is. This novel makes you think about power divisions and dynamics between genders, ages, fans and famous, it takes on the media powered celebrity obsession, it even contemplates the very definition of the morality of art, at least art as a form of entertainment. There’s a surprising amount of clever socio-politically commentary that goes on, very subtly, beneath the slaughter and I appreciated it so much. And in general, this book was just so much fun to read. Great book, one of the best October reads this month and I have been deliberately trying to stick with genre exclusively. Recommended.

[Matthew Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about some of Adam Cesare's work is how he utilizes nostalgia, more specifically things I'm nostalgic for. This time around he uses nostalgia in older B-movie actors as the focal point of the plot. This is something a lot of us horror fans can identify with. I know I love going to conventions and seeing the various actors that played Michael Myers, or the stars of my favorite 80's horror movies. What Cesare has done here is taken the B-movie actor and placed them into a real life horror movie, something that I found unique and entertaining.

So basically The creators of Blood Camp Con have assembled a group of B-list celebrities for what is to be a new and unique con experience. Gone are the long lines of fans waiting to get an autograph and a photo. Instead the actors are brought to an actual summer camp for what is supposed to be a "fully immersive" experience. Things quickly turn bloody and our B-movie actors are forced to use the skills they've learned from their own previous movies to survive.

I found The Con Season to be quite enjoyable, if maybe a little less bloody than I expected. I'm not even sure why I expected more blood and gore but I did. That did not impact how well written the story was, or my enjoyment of said story. Joe Hempel did an excellent job narrating, as he always does with Adam's books. I can't help but wonder if this will be the last one he does for Adam Cesare since it seems he's moved up quite a bit in the world of audio book narrators.

[Adam Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard Cesare pitch this puppy on Brian Keene’s podcast, and was hooked right away by the high-concept premise… A select group of B-movie (and lower down the alphabet) celebs, and horror convention regulars, are cash-lured to what they THINK will be an immersive ‘slasher movie summer camp’ convention…only to find themselves fighting for survival in a real-life slasher scenario. Brutal, funny, whip-smart and whippet-fast, The Con Season is a literary slasher infused with horror scholar Cesare’s insightful commentary on genre and horror fandom. If you know Cesare’s work, you’ll have read this already; if you’re still yet to get your Ceez on, The Con Season is a great place to start.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second horror novella by Adam Cesare and I thought it was great! Like the previous book I read it follows a lot of the horror genre tropes but then messes with them and gives you something a little a bit different.
It is quite similar to the previous book in style/format which is great as that was a winner too. So if you've read Tribesmen then you'll love this!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam never disappoints me when I'm looking for a campy, gory good time. This may be one of my favorites of his now because it all sounds so familiar. Conventions are a huge part of our lives and scene so it all rang so true. This would make for a great movie and the introduction to the con scene is really essential to setting the feel for the rest of the book. I even appreciate the ending, which leaves us wondering exactly what happens....

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got a free audible copy of this for review, I will start by saying the narration is great. The Book itself wasn't my favorite from this author though, it had a great premise but failed to deliver. The First 2/3's where character development and setting up the story and then it was over way too fast. only 2 of them where killed before the villain was taken out! Seriously? All that buildup and the bad guy gets taken out after 2 kills! I did love the very end though, if not for that it would have gotten 1 star. If Your reading this and your new to this author, checkout tribsmen instead.

[Bracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of Tribesmen or The First One You Expect by Adam Cesare, this book completes what I now think of as a conceptual trilogy of film-making gone horribly wrong. Unlike the first two, however, The Con Season adds the elements of fandom and horror conventions, ripe for exploration/exploitation. While this isn't presented as a thesis on the nature of individual fans vs. faceless Fandom or how content creators in horror are influenced and undermined by the stridency of certain factions of Fandom, those themes are here. If what you're looking for is an exciting, gory romp through the familiar stomping grounds of slasher/survival horror, this book provides that in ample quantity with a joie de mort rivaling the best 80's slasher. At the same time, it is a fairly *cutting* view of the relationships between creator, performer, and fan. Adam Cesare does not disappoint! Read this book!

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very disappointing book. Crappy characters, too much description of things then,bang, bang, and it’s over..with a cliffhanger ending.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Con Season is the latest story by Adam Cesare and I loved it from the first page to the last. It was fun to read about a murderous convention right after going to a convention myself. This book read like a fun slasher movie and there was never a slow moment throughout. For a short novel I feel the characters were well created and definitely were ones that I pulled for to survive. The characters were realistic and all had there flaws so they felt real. There was plenty of action and violence and some pretty cool death scenes. The pace was steady throughout and the book moved along quickly. The ending was one which a reader will probably love or hate. I personally loved it and think it was a great way to end the book. Overall I loved this fast paced horror novel that really delivered. I highly recommend it and think many will love it as well.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUN. FUN. FUN. FUN. FUN. If you are a fan of horror conventions, slasher movies, camp or just b-horror in general grab this one!

[Milica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
It was terrific, but it left me wanting more. Surprisingly good. I didn't expect much bcs the rating isn't quite stellar, but I really liked it.

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent story that spent too much time with the setup and rushed the third act while leaving the story feeling unfinished.

[David Bridges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Cesare is my go to guy for something quick, entertaining and violent. The Con Season is absolutely no exception. Not only that though, I really enjoy the literary merit of what Cesare does. He has the ability to just put all of his influences and tropes out there but remix them in a way that makes them wholly fresh and original. He does it every time. Cesare gives you just enough context to follow along quickly but still manages to create suspense until the last few lines of the book.

I don't want to give too many details because it is a short book and i don't want to give anything away. The concept is basically several mostly washed up low budget horror movie actors are lured to what they think is a Horror Convention with a significant cash advance. They are flying into Cincinnati thinking the con will be there but when they are picked up from the airport they are taken south into the backwoods of Kentucky. That's when I knew the book was going to get good. Then the books becomes like a Battle Royale or Saw two type situation...but not really.

I also want to say I listened to the audiobook version of this book and highly recommend it as well. The narrator, Joe Hempel, does a great job reading the book. I think he captures all the characters well and he nails the dry humor. He also read Zero Lives Remaining by Cesare which was good too. I think this book ties with Exponential as my second favorite book by Cesare. It's hard for me to call. The First One You Expect is probably still my favorite but that was the first book I read by the author and I tend to attach sentiment to the first book I read by an author I like. Anyways, Get The Con Season!

[Mylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ohhhh.... I think I will read some more from this author

Cesare makes me reminisce on the 80s every single time I read his novels. I did like Video Night but I truly sped-read through Con Season. It is fun and gory. Although this idea has been presented on multiple occasions, Cesare always puts his own spin on the story.

The only three things that stopped me from giving this novel five stars was:
1. The editing was lacking. It did not make the book unreadable by any means and most people probably did not even notice some of the mistakes, but I’m detailed and they stood out to me. At one point, I read something to the effect of “the chain was pulled taught...” instead of “taut”. Stuff like that.
2. The characters could have been developed a bit more. I would have liked more of a backstory on Marcus Lang and a little more sarcasm/humour would have elevated this novel to primo status.
3. The ending seemed a bit rushed and anticlimactic. However, that may be because a sequel could be in the works... what do ya say, Adam? Liking that idea, are we? I certainly am :)

[donna backshall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this novel was supposed to be horror? Or was it just a horror-themed book? I spent my time waiting for something new and interesting to happen, and the unpredictable never came.

There were no likeable characters, which usually doesn't bother me. Sometimes unlikeable in an intriguing or laughable way, like in the TV show Archer, is worthwhile. You know what I mean, the kind where you're eagerly waiting to see just how narcissistic they can get? Well, in this case, each was just a cliche of self-absorption and/or cluelessness.

All in all, I didn't get what this book was trying to deliver or accomplish. I wanted to, but nothing particularly compelling or original happened. It was mostly build up, then near the end a couple gory and hardly scary or surprising scenes, then poof, it was over. It's like I received the abridged version, one where someone pruned out all the really good stuff.

For such a dull book, the narration was surprisingly good. Joe Hempel did a more-than-decent job on the Audible version.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Con Season is a fast paced modern "slasher" set in the world of horror convention celebrities. Any fan of the genre will get a big kick out of the premise and the characters. Adam Cesare is adept at setting up his characters and then diving right in. I've seen some complaints about the length, and it is on the short side, but it never bores and I was riveted up to the last page. Kindle Scout missed out not picking this one! 5 stars, highly recommended for horror fans.

[Matt (TeamRedmon) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun take on the slasher genre with a great premise and a superb ending. Cesare excels with his descriptions of the violence and death.

[Jessica {Litnoob} · Rating 3 out of 5]

This itched a scratch I didn’t realize I had


This book was too short is literally my only complaint about it. I could have gone with this stretched over the whole weekend and been so happy. I loved the nostalgic feel to it all. And I was very much a fan of the ambiguous ending. It was everything I feel horror should be.

[Logan Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Con Season’ is a horror novel for horror fans. It’s takes a literary dive into the slasher genre, bathing us in gore and plenty of knowing winks.

Adam Cesare’s newest work operates on multiple levels. It’s outside is a highly inventive bloody romp, the written equivalent to so many classic 1980’s gorefests. After the blood begins to flow you start to see the hidden skeleton beneath. It’s clear that Cesare not only understands the tropes and cliches, but that’s he’s willing to subvert and morph them to deliver a thrilling adventure that never grows stall under decades of genre history and expectations.

Our characters are introduced as a variety of known horror archetypes. The mastermind, the killer, the final girl, the tough guy and the level headed leader. My concern going in was that Cesare would stick to those well worn cliches and that the book would suffer. Thankfully, he avoids it. Clarissa is a great character, layered with the all too real fears and concerns that an aging actress would have. The major slasher villain, The Fallen One (awesome name!) was terrifying in a very visceral way. The rest of the cast, mostly filled in with aging horror celebrities and other villains, do a fantastic job of fleshing out this horrific novel.

As horror fans we love to worship our icons. Any self respecting fan gets a little excited when Jamie Lee Curtis drops in for a cameo or when Barbara Crampton plays a leading role in some indie piece. ‘The Con Season’ plays into that nostalgia, lampooning horror conferences and demonizing the worst corners of the fandom.

Cesare is a very skilled writer, using a clear knowledge of horror pitfalls to make his high concept seem plausible at every turn. His open ending left me pondering where this story goes next. ‘The Con Season’ is a horror movie turned into a horror novel. What kind of ending are we getting?

‘The Con Season’ is a lean and mean novel. It pulls no punches. Filled with interesting characters and some truly thrilling sequences, this is a novel that everyone should immediately go out and download.

Original review written by me on The Fiction and Film Emporium.
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