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Fat Camp
Since 1985, over 500 overweight teenagers have come to Camp Wašíču, looking to lose weight, gain self-confidence, and turn their lives around. Phillip McCracken arrives, weighing in at almost 400 pounds; but the baggage he carries from the past affects him much more deeply than the numbers of the scale. When a homicidal maniac hell-bent on revenge attacks, Phillip will be forced to either find the courage to save the people around him or fall victim to his own self-doubt… … and possibly a machete. Filled with allusions to the Slasher films of yesteryear, Fat Camp delivers horror, humor, and a little slice of nostalgia for anyone who grew up even slightly afraid of the dark.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2018
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443 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
July 26, 2019
My full video review of FAT CAMP by James Sabata can be seen HERE.
May 2, 2019
3.5⭐
Fat Camp is an entertaining slasher and coming of age novel. This book has a lot of heart, and I enjoyed reading it. I wish it would have had a little more slasher action - it was few and far between, but still enough to move the book forward. I felt like the killer was way too obvious to me, and I wish I could have spent more time trying to figure it out instead of seeing it early on. Fat Camp is a great pick for readers who love coming-of-age horror.
Fat Camp is an entertaining slasher and coming of age novel. This book has a lot of heart, and I enjoyed reading it. I wish it would have had a little more slasher action - it was few and far between, but still enough to move the book forward. I felt like the killer was way too obvious to me, and I wish I could have spent more time trying to figure it out instead of seeing it early on. Fat Camp is a great pick for readers who love coming-of-age horror.
August 24, 2020
I was excited to read a slasher story with an insertion of the psychological pain that afflicts the character even prior to the actual trauma of a killer on the loose. The author does not hold back when it comes to divulging the very graphic and gory details of young obese men and their hygiene. One major complaint I have about this story is that while I understand the author is trying to evoke a 1980’s-1990’s classic slasher horror movie feel for the reader- the sexism is not justifiable in a modern context. I can understand the prevalence of sexist remarks between men who emulate aspects of toxic masculinity between the years of 1960-1990. I cannot see this happening with the seemingly millennial or gen-z type kids at this camp. Simply put, I do not see kids really talking to women or about women in this obscenely objective fashion. The boys will be boys approach to these characters is exaggerated so much to the point of it being an annoying cliché. It makes the dialogue feel inorganic and inauthentic. The protagonist, Phillip, seemingly narrates the story in the first-person limited perspective. The reader is then thrown off when each chapter has a line break followed by a few passages in italics which discusses the next move of the killer- yet simultaneously Phillip claims he has no idea what is happening to the victims. Phillip cannot be limited and THEN omniscient. The murder scenes are too simplistic. It takes a lot to kill someone. Simply stabbing someone in the stomach does not silence the victim. Bone, cartilage, and muscle take time to chop up. The author writes as if the murderer has superhuman strength when he attacks his victims. Each kill was too quick and did not provide enough suspense for me to care. The ending was predictable and trite. I knew before even reaching the middle of the story that the main character would lose a substantial amount of weight and be forever changed in a more positive light.
September 16, 2025
Fat Camp is an indie slasher novel set around a summer weight loss camp for teens. As per most slashers, a masked killer is taking out the teens one by one. I liked the premise of it being set at a weight loss camp, which was different, and the struggles the kids go through with their weight.
The kills, however, we're very underwhelming. They get stabbed, they die, they get stabbed, they die...repeat. There was no real originality in any of them. The killer was who I thought it was as well at around the halfway mark, so most will probably be able to guess that as well, which takes some punch out of the ending.
Overall, it was ok. Im not upset that I read it as the characters were cool, and I loved the setting, but for the reasons stated, I gave it 2.5 stars.
The kills, however, we're very underwhelming. They get stabbed, they die, they get stabbed, they die...repeat. There was no real originality in any of them. The killer was who I thought it was as well at around the halfway mark, so most will probably be able to guess that as well, which takes some punch out of the ending.
Overall, it was ok. Im not upset that I read it as the characters were cool, and I loved the setting, but for the reasons stated, I gave it 2.5 stars.
December 20, 2018
I am always on the lookout for a nice, fun slasher book. For someone who is a fan of slasher movies, there is something especially satisfying about reading those stories translated to the page—the blood, the screams, the stalking—bring it on. If you are nodding your head, then you get me, and you’re going to dig this book.
Set at a summer camp for boys with eating disorders, Fat Camp follows overweight teen Phillip and his few friends as they navigate the festering pool that is life as outcasts, and as if that isn’t bad enough already, take on a crazed killer with a machete.
If you’ve ever looked at yourself in the mirror and felt you didn’t fit in for any reason—and who the hell didn’t have that experience as a teenager?—something in this book will speak to you. Sabata does a great job of conveying life as an overweight teen, from the obvious, like feeling self-conscious about the way clothing fits or having to shower with other boys around, to more detailed observations, like how carrying a suitcase up several staircases can be a huge obstacle.
The main character is also very believable: he wants to fit in and get the pretty girl, but it’s really hard to work out and run and eat almost nothing, and he misses the easy life of vegging out with a bag of Doritos. I can relate. His relationship with his friends is also great; their dialogue and interactions together felt very natural.
I also liked the exploration of social hierarchy, and I thought that this could have been explored and pushed even further in the book. Even at Fit Camp there is a hierarchy of bullies, and Phillip and his friends are on the bottom rung.
While the teenage boys seem to be more fully explored and developed, what I found lacking was the characterization of the women in the book. Phillip’s sister and her friend that come to visit were confusing to me. They were not overly important to the plot and it felt like they were mainly just there to be objects to be stared at and lusted over. The therapist was also a mystery. She was such a helpful presence, but all Phillip seemed to be able to focus on was how attractive she was and it really cut her down as a person. I would have liked to see more well-rounded characters, and women that mattered not just as functions to move the plot forward but as people.
The book is written mainly in first person from Phillip’s perspective. There are a few sections that go to slasher POV, which I really liked—that made it feel like watching a movie. But sometimes in order to forward the plot, the story would need to follow a character other than Phillip, so the narration would switch to third person. Since the setup from the beginning makes it clear that Phillip is telling this from a point in the future, it really did not make sense to me to interrupt his narration with these third-person scenes that he wasn't a part of. The switch in narration was jarring and really did not work. If a book is going to be written in first person, it should be written entirely from that character’s perspective.
Overall, I found Fat Camp to be a fun slasher, like a pretty good B-horror movie from the 80s—one you find yourself laughing at, cringing at, and reveling in the gooshy practical effects. If those types of movies are your jam, you’re going to want to read this one.
My thanks to the author for my copy of this one to read and review.
Set at a summer camp for boys with eating disorders, Fat Camp follows overweight teen Phillip and his few friends as they navigate the festering pool that is life as outcasts, and as if that isn’t bad enough already, take on a crazed killer with a machete.
If you’ve ever looked at yourself in the mirror and felt you didn’t fit in for any reason—and who the hell didn’t have that experience as a teenager?—something in this book will speak to you. Sabata does a great job of conveying life as an overweight teen, from the obvious, like feeling self-conscious about the way clothing fits or having to shower with other boys around, to more detailed observations, like how carrying a suitcase up several staircases can be a huge obstacle.
The main character is also very believable: he wants to fit in and get the pretty girl, but it’s really hard to work out and run and eat almost nothing, and he misses the easy life of vegging out with a bag of Doritos. I can relate. His relationship with his friends is also great; their dialogue and interactions together felt very natural.
I also liked the exploration of social hierarchy, and I thought that this could have been explored and pushed even further in the book. Even at Fit Camp there is a hierarchy of bullies, and Phillip and his friends are on the bottom rung.
While the teenage boys seem to be more fully explored and developed, what I found lacking was the characterization of the women in the book. Phillip’s sister and her friend that come to visit were confusing to me. They were not overly important to the plot and it felt like they were mainly just there to be objects to be stared at and lusted over. The therapist was also a mystery. She was such a helpful presence, but all Phillip seemed to be able to focus on was how attractive she was and it really cut her down as a person. I would have liked to see more well-rounded characters, and women that mattered not just as functions to move the plot forward but as people.
The book is written mainly in first person from Phillip’s perspective. There are a few sections that go to slasher POV, which I really liked—that made it feel like watching a movie. But sometimes in order to forward the plot, the story would need to follow a character other than Phillip, so the narration would switch to third person. Since the setup from the beginning makes it clear that Phillip is telling this from a point in the future, it really did not make sense to me to interrupt his narration with these third-person scenes that he wasn't a part of. The switch in narration was jarring and really did not work. If a book is going to be written in first person, it should be written entirely from that character’s perspective.
Overall, I found Fat Camp to be a fun slasher, like a pretty good B-horror movie from the 80s—one you find yourself laughing at, cringing at, and reveling in the gooshy practical effects. If those types of movies are your jam, you’re going to want to read this one.
My thanks to the author for my copy of this one to read and review.
February 7, 2022
Really smart slasher with an awesome coming of age vibe. I'd love to use this in certain classrooms.
October 28, 2018
A standalone novel in the horror literature genre that will make you laugh.
This ARC was sent to me by James Sabata for an honest review.
My Take
That's right, horror that easily pulls the laughter from you as Sabata embraces his inner teen and lets us have it from the enlarged right bicep to the smell of the locker room...and oh yeah, I could definitely smell that reek. All set in the horror slasher movie genre. I don't watch horror movies...too scary!! But Sabata's tale brought them to life in Fat Camp without the idiot tropes we all despise.
The literature part? Yes. Sabata crafts a brilliant story about the woes of being super-fat as a teenage boy. Nope, he's not taking potshots and cracking jokes about being fat. Sabata is serious in his exploration of Phillip's problems. It's also an opportunity for the fat boy to show us what's it like to be trapped in that fat body and have to use it. The problems of simply living. And he does it so well, lol.
It's all through Phillip's eyes in first person protagonist point-of-view, as he moans about Seth signing up right along with him... Hey, shouldn't a best friend just moan and groan about the idea?, lol. It's that time spent at fat camp, and the horrors that come along with it that change Phillip's perspective on himself. Those thoughts Phillip has about always being picked last, and then the absolute humiliation of being picked last amongst a group of other kids who are always picked last really resonated. The more I think on Fat Camp, the more impressed I am with what Sabata has created. Funny. Scary. Realistic in exploring those themes of bullies, horror films, self-analysis, bravery... Damned good.
That Seth is something else, an incredibly empathic friend to Phillip, even if Phillip isn't impressed. Of course Phillip has his own insights into his sister, especially since his sessions with the camp doc. Emily is surprising as well, seeing inside the book instead of focusing on the cover. Nikki's not too bad either.
The change in their relationship leads to some interesting discussions, including the one about cliques and why people form up with each other.
Poor Phillip, his best friend is dating his sister. Gross. Truly gross is the Perkins family's reaction to the afterwards.
Oh, lord, that shower scene after Phillip slides through the mud. Crack. Me. Up.
No, no, just...no. I don't care if it's Fit Camp or Fat Camp or whatever, I will never be able to see food as simply fuel. No matter what Dr Munson says:
On the surface, Fat Camp is about Phillip's need to lose weight, and it's a journey that takes him through hell in so many ways. But it's a hell that helps him to grow within himself and begin to understand the whys of it.
Always remember, you can't save anyone until you save yourself.
The Story
The emotional baggage Phillip carries weighs more than that physical 400 pounds, and he's about to give up. Sure, he's learned a lot from Dr Munson and will learn a lot more when Emily opens up and sees him as someone more...until a homicidal maniac hell-bent on revenge attacks.
Phillip must either find the courage to save the people around him or fall victim to his own self-doubt … and possibly a machete.
The Characters
Phillip McCracken is 400 pounds overweight, and he has learned that his father's death and his mother is his trigger to overeat. Nicole "Nikki" McCracken is his cheerleader sister. JT is their oldest cousin. Emily Clausen, a seventeen-year-old cheerleader, is Nicole's best friend, and the love of Phillip's life. Although he knows she'd never even think of looking at him. Michael is Emily's brother.
Camp Wašíšu is...
...Fit Camp, first opened in 1985 with the intention of helping kids lose weight, gain self-confidence, and turn their lives around. Frank Doyle is the legend of the camp for the strides he made in losing weight, breaking records, and winning every competition.
Seth Jenkins is his best friend and doing much better at losing weight than Phillip. Georgie Perkins is Phillip's roommate and comes from money. (An ancestor, Kane H. Perkins donated the money to build the place, and the family rents it out as an upscale B&B the rest of the year.) Others include Obi who is too excited about being a normal teen without all those expectations from his parents, Timothy Mallick prefers his online playing and his parents' too-few expectations, Jason Kramer and Fred Hoffman are high school defensive linemen, Jonathan Young, Chuck Denlon, Randy Waterhouse will get you what you want...for cash, Bobby Whannell is the sole anorexic, Brandon Katz, Kyle Messineo, Vincent Alesio is Kyle's basketball partner, Eduardo, Logan, and Jared are fellow campers.
Gordon "Sarge" Stanheight had been a Marine Drill Instructor who had also served in the First Gulf War and Operating Enduring Freedom. Now he's the head counselor. Greg Munson is the doc's husband who is also a camp counselor along with Eric Schultz; Jeff Halden, who's the resident vegetarian hippie; and, Tony and Todd are the overnight counselors. Diane is the head cook. Dr Jessica Munson is the camp therapist.
A few years back, John Walker really failed Fat Camp. Orlando washed out this year. Melissa is another cheerleader along with Nicole and Emily.
Karen Young is Jonathan's mother. Amber is the local weather girl on the radio. Chris is the boyfriend who dumped Emily. The Hochstein sisters appear to be talkers. Dr Rezac is another therapist. Rachel will be a friend of Nikki's from college.
In those camp stories...
...Jessica got her head cut off in the prologue. The dog turned into Doug who turns into a werewolf and meets his old owner, Robert Stuart. Sir Robert of the Lake became Sir Robert the Bob.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a scary cartoon of leafless writhing trees with log cabins set among them, and muddied, terrified, chins and tummies wobbling, screaming in fear as Seth and Phillip run toward us with the machete wielding, hooded killer behind them. The sky above is dark gray with wobbling stripes of lighter gray angling across with a full moon behind it all. The title is at the top in a deep pink, the fear oozing down from the foot of the letters. The author's name is in white at the bottom in a distressed font. Perfect.
That sign may have once read "Fit Camp", but a little paint and the title is no euphemism. It's Fat Camp, where every camper needs to lose weight.
This ARC was sent to me by James Sabata for an honest review.
My Take
That's right, horror that easily pulls the laughter from you as Sabata embraces his inner teen and lets us have it from the enlarged right bicep to the smell of the locker room...and oh yeah, I could definitely smell that reek. All set in the horror slasher movie genre. I don't watch horror movies...too scary!! But Sabata's tale brought them to life in Fat Camp without the idiot tropes we all despise.
The literature part? Yes. Sabata crafts a brilliant story about the woes of being super-fat as a teenage boy. Nope, he's not taking potshots and cracking jokes about being fat. Sabata is serious in his exploration of Phillip's problems. It's also an opportunity for the fat boy to show us what's it like to be trapped in that fat body and have to use it. The problems of simply living. And he does it so well, lol.
It's all through Phillip's eyes in first person protagonist point-of-view, as he moans about Seth signing up right along with him... Hey, shouldn't a best friend just moan and groan about the idea?, lol. It's that time spent at fat camp, and the horrors that come along with it that change Phillip's perspective on himself. Those thoughts Phillip has about always being picked last, and then the absolute humiliation of being picked last amongst a group of other kids who are always picked last really resonated. The more I think on Fat Camp, the more impressed I am with what Sabata has created. Funny. Scary. Realistic in exploring those themes of bullies, horror films, self-analysis, bravery... Damned good.
That Seth is something else, an incredibly empathic friend to Phillip, even if Phillip isn't impressed. Of course Phillip has his own insights into his sister, especially since his sessions with the camp doc. Emily is surprising as well, seeing inside the book instead of focusing on the cover. Nikki's not too bad either.
The change in their relationship leads to some interesting discussions, including the one about cliques and why people form up with each other.
Poor Phillip, his best friend is dating his sister. Gross. Truly gross is the Perkins family's reaction to the afterwards.
Oh, lord, that shower scene after Phillip slides through the mud. Crack. Me. Up.
No, no, just...no. I don't care if it's Fit Camp or Fat Camp or whatever, I will never be able to see food as simply fuel. No matter what Dr Munson says:
"...when you stop eating food for the flavor and you eat it as the fuel you need to get through the day, it becomes incredibly easy to eat the same thing every day."No. Okay, yeah. I do eat the same thing every day, pretty much. Lord knows I'll cook up a week's worth of food, so I don't have to cook from scratch every night! But what's the point in eating if it's not for the flavor!? If I'm eating, I want to enjoy the flavors. Otherwise, why not just take a pill or down a diet drink?
On the surface, Fat Camp is about Phillip's need to lose weight, and it's a journey that takes him through hell in so many ways. But it's a hell that helps him to grow within himself and begin to understand the whys of it.
Always remember, you can't save anyone until you save yourself.
The Story
The emotional baggage Phillip carries weighs more than that physical 400 pounds, and he's about to give up. Sure, he's learned a lot from Dr Munson and will learn a lot more when Emily opens up and sees him as someone more...until a homicidal maniac hell-bent on revenge attacks.
Phillip must either find the courage to save the people around him or fall victim to his own self-doubt … and possibly a machete.
The Characters
Phillip McCracken is 400 pounds overweight, and he has learned that his father's death and his mother is his trigger to overeat. Nicole "Nikki" McCracken is his cheerleader sister. JT is their oldest cousin. Emily Clausen, a seventeen-year-old cheerleader, is Nicole's best friend, and the love of Phillip's life. Although he knows she'd never even think of looking at him. Michael is Emily's brother.
Camp Wašíšu is...
...Fit Camp, first opened in 1985 with the intention of helping kids lose weight, gain self-confidence, and turn their lives around. Frank Doyle is the legend of the camp for the strides he made in losing weight, breaking records, and winning every competition.
Seth Jenkins is his best friend and doing much better at losing weight than Phillip. Georgie Perkins is Phillip's roommate and comes from money. (An ancestor, Kane H. Perkins donated the money to build the place, and the family rents it out as an upscale B&B the rest of the year.) Others include Obi who is too excited about being a normal teen without all those expectations from his parents, Timothy Mallick prefers his online playing and his parents' too-few expectations, Jason Kramer and Fred Hoffman are high school defensive linemen, Jonathan Young, Chuck Denlon, Randy Waterhouse will get you what you want...for cash, Bobby Whannell is the sole anorexic, Brandon Katz, Kyle Messineo, Vincent Alesio is Kyle's basketball partner, Eduardo, Logan, and Jared are fellow campers.
Gordon "Sarge" Stanheight had been a Marine Drill Instructor who had also served in the First Gulf War and Operating Enduring Freedom. Now he's the head counselor. Greg Munson is the doc's husband who is also a camp counselor along with Eric Schultz; Jeff Halden, who's the resident vegetarian hippie; and, Tony and Todd are the overnight counselors. Diane is the head cook. Dr Jessica Munson is the camp therapist.
A few years back, John Walker really failed Fat Camp. Orlando washed out this year. Melissa is another cheerleader along with Nicole and Emily.
Karen Young is Jonathan's mother. Amber is the local weather girl on the radio. Chris is the boyfriend who dumped Emily. The Hochstein sisters appear to be talkers. Dr Rezac is another therapist. Rachel will be a friend of Nikki's from college.
In those camp stories...
...Jessica got her head cut off in the prologue. The dog turned into Doug who turns into a werewolf and meets his old owner, Robert Stuart. Sir Robert of the Lake became Sir Robert the Bob.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a scary cartoon of leafless writhing trees with log cabins set among them, and muddied, terrified, chins and tummies wobbling, screaming in fear as Seth and Phillip run toward us with the machete wielding, hooded killer behind them. The sky above is dark gray with wobbling stripes of lighter gray angling across with a full moon behind it all. The title is at the top in a deep pink, the fear oozing down from the foot of the letters. The author's name is in white at the bottom in a distressed font. Perfect.
That sign may have once read "Fit Camp", but a little paint and the title is no euphemism. It's Fat Camp, where every camper needs to lose weight.
December 1, 2019
Note: I am rating and reviewing the audible audio edition of this title; for some reason, none of the audio editions of this book are available for review on GR.
Awkward language, weird employments of POV, Horror clichés, and corny puns aside, James Sabata's Fat Camp is an inspiring tale about personal strength, bullying, loss, and forgiveness.
I'll remind myself of the above as I attempt to get to sleep; It's a little past midnight, and I'm just fininishing it.
Part of why this book frightened me so much was the ages of the dead; while tons of slashers feature the brutal murders of 16 to 17-year-olds, it's easier, for me, at least, to take because the actors playing these teens are well into their 20s.
By contrast, what I encountered in this novel were 14 to 17-year-old boys who were, quite literally, cut down at a tender age, and by someone they were supposed to trust.
Also, if I'm being honest, I was freaked because I could see myself in these kids' places. I attended sleepaway camp as a teen and imagined, as I read, what it would have been like trying to survive a night like that. I hate the wilderness, especially after dark, so this one really hit home for me.
On another note, the idea of paranormal investigations in the aftermath horrifies me in ways that the killings themselves did not; please don't ask me why.
To sum things up, as a piece of horror, Fat Camp doesn't really do much to distinguish itself from other slashers other than depict the murder of teens of all ages. That said, beyond the "horror" are some really important nuggets of wisdom that teens might find useful as they try to navigate, and hopefully transcend, the "hierarchy of bullies" (Sabata).
Awkward language, weird employments of POV, Horror clichés, and corny puns aside, James Sabata's Fat Camp is an inspiring tale about personal strength, bullying, loss, and forgiveness.
I'll remind myself of the above as I attempt to get to sleep; It's a little past midnight, and I'm just fininishing it.
Part of why this book frightened me so much was the ages of the dead; while tons of slashers feature the brutal murders of 16 to 17-year-olds, it's easier, for me, at least, to take because the actors playing these teens are well into their 20s.
By contrast, what I encountered in this novel were 14 to 17-year-old boys who were, quite literally, cut down at a tender age, and by someone they were supposed to trust.
Also, if I'm being honest, I was freaked because I could see myself in these kids' places. I attended sleepaway camp as a teen and imagined, as I read, what it would have been like trying to survive a night like that. I hate the wilderness, especially after dark, so this one really hit home for me.
On another note, the idea of paranormal investigations in the aftermath horrifies me in ways that the killings themselves did not; please don't ask me why.
To sum things up, as a piece of horror, Fat Camp doesn't really do much to distinguish itself from other slashers other than depict the murder of teens of all ages. That said, beyond the "horror" are some really important nuggets of wisdom that teens might find useful as they try to navigate, and hopefully transcend, the "hierarchy of bullies" (Sabata).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2019
5 out of 5 stars
The slasher horror read with a deep underlining story.
Fat Camp was brilliant.
Phillip had lost so much in his close family life. Decides its time to do better by himself, runs off to camp Wasicu to lose weight. Only to lose much more than what he signed up for. Yet the strength that builds within Phillip is inspiring. He himself is a force to be reckoned with.
The slasher moments within Fat Camp were well done. They reminded me of a true slasher film. Quick, unexpected and shocking. Also not over the top, quiet realistic which only added to the chill factor.
I know the focus for most while reading this book is the murder scenes but I couldn't help but get pulled right into the character growth as well. Existing relationships that flourished and new relationships launched. All while getting your quench of shocking, gory moments.
Moral of the story with Fat Camp. Don't mess around with others, be careful how you wrong people. You never know who will decide to get an awful revenge!
Fat Camp was the perfect edition to my summer reads! Thank goodness my son was back from his summer camp long before I read this.
I would highly recommend this read. Sneak it in before our summer is completely gone.
"𝔽𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕝𝕞𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣, 𝔽𝕒𝕥 ℂ𝕒𝕞𝕡 𝕕𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣, 𝕙𝕦𝕞𝕠𝕣, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕓 𝕠𝕗 𝕟𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕘𝕚𝕒 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕨 𝕦𝕡 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕜."
And of course thank you all for reading.
Your Gory Book Worm
-Nichole
The slasher horror read with a deep underlining story.
Fat Camp was brilliant.
Phillip had lost so much in his close family life. Decides its time to do better by himself, runs off to camp Wasicu to lose weight. Only to lose much more than what he signed up for. Yet the strength that builds within Phillip is inspiring. He himself is a force to be reckoned with.
The slasher moments within Fat Camp were well done. They reminded me of a true slasher film. Quick, unexpected and shocking. Also not over the top, quiet realistic which only added to the chill factor.
I know the focus for most while reading this book is the murder scenes but I couldn't help but get pulled right into the character growth as well. Existing relationships that flourished and new relationships launched. All while getting your quench of shocking, gory moments.
Moral of the story with Fat Camp. Don't mess around with others, be careful how you wrong people. You never know who will decide to get an awful revenge!
Fat Camp was the perfect edition to my summer reads! Thank goodness my son was back from his summer camp long before I read this.
I would highly recommend this read. Sneak it in before our summer is completely gone.
"𝔽𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕝𝕞𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣, 𝔽𝕒𝕥 ℂ𝕒𝕞𝕡 𝕕𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣, 𝕙𝕦𝕞𝕠𝕣, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕓 𝕠𝕗 𝕟𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕘𝕚𝕒 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕨 𝕦𝕡 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕜."
And of course thank you all for reading.
Your Gory Book Worm
-Nichole
December 28, 2020
I loved Fat Camp. This is a slasher novel with a lot of heart and you can connect with the main character Phil, and the others in a lot of ways. Would definitely recommend it to all horror fans. There’s something in it for everyone.
July 3, 2018
Wonderful book with relatable characters, great suspense, and is very descriptive, making it easy to get lost in the book, filling the characters shoes.
Would Definalty recommend
Would Definalty recommend
September 19, 2023
3.5 ✨
Such an interesting take on the slasher genre. Though I found it amusing and hilarious at times, I felt it was a little out of my age range for the most part. The story itself is quite fun and has amazing death scenes, especially if you look at the demographic it was targeted for.
A big problem for me was the amount of characters in it. I get that it's set at a summer camp... however, I kept mixing the characters with each other, which sometimes confused me. My favorite was definitely Sarge only because of his sassyness.
The other little thing that bothered me was that after the "climax," the story continues and it shows the aftermath, which was a tad bit too long for my taste. I skimmed most of it tbh, it was nice to see what happened after but most of it was just not needed, IMO.
Such an interesting take on the slasher genre. Though I found it amusing and hilarious at times, I felt it was a little out of my age range for the most part. The story itself is quite fun and has amazing death scenes, especially if you look at the demographic it was targeted for.
A big problem for me was the amount of characters in it. I get that it's set at a summer camp... however, I kept mixing the characters with each other, which sometimes confused me. My favorite was definitely Sarge only because of his sassyness.
The other little thing that bothered me was that after the "climax," the story continues and it shows the aftermath, which was a tad bit too long for my taste. I skimmed most of it tbh, it was nice to see what happened after but most of it was just not needed, IMO.
August 20, 2019
This story was a lot of fun. It was a good combination of summer camp slasher and coming of age stories. It kept my attention, and I was invested in the two main characters and seeing if they came out of everything okay.
I did have a few issues with the narrative, however.
Throughout the story, we got little glimpses in italics that were from the killer's POV. But then, the killer ends up monologuing the entire story to the main character and it was really repetitive. We did get some new information, but a lot of it was repeated, so I felt like that section could have been shortened up.
Also, in the middle of the action, there were frequent tangents into memories and character growth and psychological realizations that pulled you out of the story. The balance and pacing was thrown off by that format.
Finally, the objectification of women was a huge problem for me. The main character goes to therapy each week with the camp therapist, who helps him through a lot and seems to have a lasting effect on his wellbeing. But there isn't a single scene that she is in that doesn't have a description of how her clothes and body effect him. And the characters of his sister and her best friend are very one dimensional and constantly described only for their clothing and bodies. I understand that this is a camp full of overweight teenage boys, but they are also being terrorized by a masked killer, so maybe that should be the priority?
Looking past these things, this was a fun horror story with an uplifting message. 2.5 stars
I did have a few issues with the narrative, however.
Throughout the story, we got little glimpses in italics that were from the killer's POV. But then, the killer ends up monologuing the entire story to the main character and it was really repetitive. We did get some new information, but a lot of it was repeated, so I felt like that section could have been shortened up.
Also, in the middle of the action, there were frequent tangents into memories and character growth and psychological realizations that pulled you out of the story. The balance and pacing was thrown off by that format.
Finally, the objectification of women was a huge problem for me. The main character goes to therapy each week with the camp therapist, who helps him through a lot and seems to have a lasting effect on his wellbeing. But there isn't a single scene that she is in that doesn't have a description of how her clothes and body effect him. And the characters of his sister and her best friend are very one dimensional and constantly described only for their clothing and bodies. I understand that this is a camp full of overweight teenage boys, but they are also being terrorized by a masked killer, so maybe that should be the priority?
Looking past these things, this was a fun horror story with an uplifting message. 2.5 stars
August 30, 2018
In Short:
If you enjoy slashers, this is the book for you. It is full of random violence and gore mixed in with the humor of a crude cast. I recommend this book to people who also like movies like Friday the 13th.
Pros:
I read this book really quickly because the story was fast paced and full of action. I did enjoy the sheer quantity of deaths and lost count toward the end. I liked the elements of psychology and some real advice for improving self-esteem. There were some good anti-bullying themes. It was nice how some good messages got blended with the horror. There were a lot of jokes and humor, even at inappropriate times like while everyone was dying. I liked the main character and thought he was relatable, I definitely rooted for him to not get murdered. Some of the other characters were very likable too so I worried for them. There was a little bit of a sweet love story mixed in there. The story was well told and I enjoyed the amount of detail, it made me feel like I was watching a movie. Definitely a very thrilling and exciting read!
Cons:
Maybe I received an early copy but there were some typos, and little editing and formatting issues.
I didn’t like the lack of diversity of the cast, all the males were either obese or jock types and the only female characters were cheerleader types. The beginning of the book encourages body image but after reading the entire story I felt it only applied to men. I thought that was disappointing and a little bit too much like a cliche slasher.
I don’t know if it was the point (dramatic irony and all that) but I knew who the killer was early on, that took a little bit of the fun out of it for me. At the end the story sort of being retold from the killers perspective seemed redundant but that was the only part I was bored for.
Parent’s Guide/Trigger Warnings:
Contains blood, gore, violence, murder, sexual content, and strong language.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review as a judge in the Indie Horror Book Awards 2018.
If you enjoy slashers, this is the book for you. It is full of random violence and gore mixed in with the humor of a crude cast. I recommend this book to people who also like movies like Friday the 13th.
Pros:
I read this book really quickly because the story was fast paced and full of action. I did enjoy the sheer quantity of deaths and lost count toward the end. I liked the elements of psychology and some real advice for improving self-esteem. There were some good anti-bullying themes. It was nice how some good messages got blended with the horror. There were a lot of jokes and humor, even at inappropriate times like while everyone was dying. I liked the main character and thought he was relatable, I definitely rooted for him to not get murdered. Some of the other characters were very likable too so I worried for them. There was a little bit of a sweet love story mixed in there. The story was well told and I enjoyed the amount of detail, it made me feel like I was watching a movie. Definitely a very thrilling and exciting read!
Cons:
Maybe I received an early copy but there were some typos, and little editing and formatting issues.
I didn’t like the lack of diversity of the cast, all the males were either obese or jock types and the only female characters were cheerleader types. The beginning of the book encourages body image but after reading the entire story I felt it only applied to men. I thought that was disappointing and a little bit too much like a cliche slasher.
I don’t know if it was the point (dramatic irony and all that) but I knew who the killer was early on, that took a little bit of the fun out of it for me. At the end the story sort of being retold from the killers perspective seemed redundant but that was the only part I was bored for.
Parent’s Guide/Trigger Warnings:
Contains blood, gore, violence, murder, sexual content, and strong language.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review as a judge in the Indie Horror Book Awards 2018.
May 13, 2018
I'll start of by saying upfront that I read a pre-release copy of Fat Camp as a backer reward from this novel's Kickstarter campaign. I can see you backpedalling already at the sight of Kickstarter, but let me pull you back in. If you are into 80s gorefest slasher movies, redemption stories, or summer camp tales, Fat Camp will scratch one of your itches. If you're not, come in for the main character that you want to root for, or the supporting characters that will surprise you, even as they fulfill expected roles. Fat Camp starts somewhat slowly, but hits its stride as the body count rises, which kept me reading, even when I should have been doing other things. I highly encourage you to check out Fat Camp, a fun-filled weekend read that 80s horror films wish they could be.
June 29, 2018
This book is the very definition of "campy," (after all, it even takes place at a camp!), but in a way that totally works. All the recognizable slasher film elements are there, but with a twist (confession: I'm not a horror nerd, so I will leave the review of those tropes to the better qualified readers). However, I read this book in a single sitting, late into the night, and what really kept me turning pages (well, scrolling - I was reading the digital version) was the protagonist, Phil, who manages to be a totally believable character despite his increasingly absurd and unbelievable experiences. I actually laughed out loud at points, gasped when the truth about The Killer came to light, and cheered at the end. A fun summer read!
January 31, 2021
Fat Camp - 5/5
By James Sabata
"THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED WITH AN EATING DISORDER OR FOUND ANY OTHER REASON NOT TO SMILE WHILE LOOKING IN THE MIRROR"
This book was like a slasher movie, in book form, with a heartfelt message attached. I loved it. This book was brilliant.
I giggled a lot whilst reading this book, as well as grimacing at all the gore and blood - which I absolutely loved!
I felt that this was a coming of age novel and I really loved the main character, Phil - the definition of the underdog.
This was such a good read, leaving me with such an important message: you are worth more than you think and you are capable of more than you think.
Can't wait to read more from this author!
By James Sabata
"THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED WITH AN EATING DISORDER OR FOUND ANY OTHER REASON NOT TO SMILE WHILE LOOKING IN THE MIRROR"
This book was like a slasher movie, in book form, with a heartfelt message attached. I loved it. This book was brilliant.
I giggled a lot whilst reading this book, as well as grimacing at all the gore and blood - which I absolutely loved!
I felt that this was a coming of age novel and I really loved the main character, Phil - the definition of the underdog.
This was such a good read, leaving me with such an important message: you are worth more than you think and you are capable of more than you think.
Can't wait to read more from this author!
July 29, 2018
This is a book I probably wouldn’t have picked up if I hadn’t been given the opportunity through the IHBA to read it! I am so glad I had the chance. This is a good story filled with comedy, butchery, teenage antics, and a killer. A few incidents seem a little unbelievable, but that adds to the entertainment of the story.
July 19, 2018
This book was gripping, especially at the end, but a fun read all the way through. I loved the gore and old school feel to this horror story, and the characters were easy to relate to and to root for.
June 26, 2018
Fun to read book that deals with the turmoil of being an overweight teen. Then you add in murder...
October 29, 2020
The book reads like a slasher horror movie, which is a genre I usually avoid. These kind of movies tend to get very repetitive and they aren’t even scary to begin with. However, I decided to pick this one up because I was very intrigued by the general premise of the book.
It was entertaining enough, but it got a bit boring in the middle. It had your classic horror movie tropes; I actually laughed out loud when the black kid died at the beginning. Some aspects were very unrealistic like the cheerleaders going for the fat kids.
But all in all, the writing was very good in my opinion and some parts were very funny. I appreciated how fleshed out all the characters were and how we got to know their backstories. My favorite character from the entire story was Sarge. I also figured out the identity of the killer / the plot twist very early on but it didn’t effect my overall level of enjoyment because at least the killer and his motive made sense at the end.
It was entertaining enough, but it got a bit boring in the middle. It had your classic horror movie tropes; I actually laughed out loud when the black kid died at the beginning. Some aspects were very unrealistic like the cheerleaders going for the fat kids.
But all in all, the writing was very good in my opinion and some parts were very funny. I appreciated how fleshed out all the characters were and how we got to know their backstories. My favorite character from the entire story was Sarge. I also figured out the identity of the killer / the plot twist very early on but it didn’t effect my overall level of enjoyment because at least the killer and his motive made sense at the end.
June 3, 2024
Fat Camp is a fun (& actually kinda heartwarming) Summer camp horror book! There are a few down moments that focused more on the kids/relationships and less on the ✨slashing✨ but it was still fun and had you truly rooting for the kids at camp.
September 1, 2023
Surprisingly fun little horror
The hard part is getting people to care enough about your characters to care what happens to them, and I liked these kids a lot. It wasn't deep but it was a fun little ride
The hard part is getting people to care enough about your characters to care what happens to them, and I liked these kids a lot. It wasn't deep but it was a fun little ride
August 24, 2021
Hello coming-of-age slasher camp story! Excuse me while I can’t stop fangirling for some of my favorite horror tropes being combined into one fun-filled book! Sabata has created a modern story that heavily nods to those who came before. If you’ve ever watched a classic slasher movie then you’ll automatically know how this story is going to play out. Crazy kills, a lot of screaming, creepy stalking, and characters running straight into the killer’s arms. Yup, this has it all!
I loved that while completely owning the slasher vibe, FAT CAMP also manages to pack a really great coming-of-age story in. There’s a lot of heart, character reflection, and genuine bonding throughout this book that really elevated FAT CAMP for me. I genuinely enjoyed this story and watching the events play out through our main character, Phillip’s eyes.
I loved that while completely owning the slasher vibe, FAT CAMP also manages to pack a really great coming-of-age story in. There’s a lot of heart, character reflection, and genuine bonding throughout this book that really elevated FAT CAMP for me. I genuinely enjoyed this story and watching the events play out through our main character, Phillip’s eyes.
November 2, 2019
This book was such a fun read. I got wrapped up in the story very quickly, never losing my interest. I will be recommending this book.
November 2, 2019
This book was such a fun read. I got wrapped up in the story very quickly, never losing my interest. I will be recommending this book.
November 12, 2018
I have to admit that when I received this book I was not sure what to expect. The title FAT CAMP just made me think of a comedy. I was really expecting more Meatballs hi-jinks (yes I'm dating myself with this 1979 movie reference) than Friday The 13th scares. Thank goodness that I was completely wrong.
James Sabata has created a suspenseful, fast-paced coming-of-age story covered in blood and Snickers wrappers. FAT CAMP is the perfect homage to both 80's slasher movies (Friday The 13th, Sleepaway Camp) and the summer camp flicks that flooded the box office around that same time. (Little Darlings, Earnest Goes to Camp and so many more).
Our main character, Phil McKracken (I'll wait a few seconds for your giggles to stop) is a 400lb teenager suffering his way through a summer camp for overweight kids. Phil is not a happy camper. He just can't keep up with the exercise and activities and the small, supposedly healthy meals. Even though his best friend has come to Camp Wasicu with him, Phil has had enough. He is ready to leave and has set up a visit with his sister so that he can go home with her. But when things start to go horribly wrong, Phil will have to dig down deep to fight for his life and the fate of his friends.
James has included everything in the story. We have teen angst, bullying, lust, love, revenge, murder, and buckets of blood. The character development is spot on. I especially liked seeing Phil's progression from the first page to the last. And the character of Sarge is every summer camper's fear of a counselor. The story is non-stop from page one and you will have a hard time putting it down. The balance of comedy and horror is just right. It can be a hard job to not go too far in either direction, but James handles if perfectly. There are enough twists to keep you guessing until the end.
One great point that James gets across is that you don't have to be the perfect muscle bound hero. It is what's on the inside that makes the man, and in the end, the hero.
So pack your suitcase, stuff your pockets full of candy, and lets head off to camp.
James Sabata has created a suspenseful, fast-paced coming-of-age story covered in blood and Snickers wrappers. FAT CAMP is the perfect homage to both 80's slasher movies (Friday The 13th, Sleepaway Camp) and the summer camp flicks that flooded the box office around that same time. (Little Darlings, Earnest Goes to Camp and so many more).
Our main character, Phil McKracken (I'll wait a few seconds for your giggles to stop) is a 400lb teenager suffering his way through a summer camp for overweight kids. Phil is not a happy camper. He just can't keep up with the exercise and activities and the small, supposedly healthy meals. Even though his best friend has come to Camp Wasicu with him, Phil has had enough. He is ready to leave and has set up a visit with his sister so that he can go home with her. But when things start to go horribly wrong, Phil will have to dig down deep to fight for his life and the fate of his friends.
James has included everything in the story. We have teen angst, bullying, lust, love, revenge, murder, and buckets of blood. The character development is spot on. I especially liked seeing Phil's progression from the first page to the last. And the character of Sarge is every summer camper's fear of a counselor. The story is non-stop from page one and you will have a hard time putting it down. The balance of comedy and horror is just right. It can be a hard job to not go too far in either direction, but James handles if perfectly. There are enough twists to keep you guessing until the end.
One great point that James gets across is that you don't have to be the perfect muscle bound hero. It is what's on the inside that makes the man, and in the end, the hero.
So pack your suitcase, stuff your pockets full of candy, and lets head off to camp.
July 25, 2021
4.5 stars rounded down for Goodreads.
This read was fun, especially towards the second half of the book. The first half was more about scene-setting and getting to know the characters and their relationships. I don't mind that at all.
The one criticism I have is that there is a lot of self-deprecating humor that is joked about between the characters and even spoken in the main character's thoughts. I don't mind that being in the book, but there is so much of it that it gets tiring to read at times. That was the only big negative for me.
The best part about this book is the emotion and relatability contained throughout the story, especially near the end. I even teared up while reading the last page.
I found parts of the story predictable, but that doesn't bother me. I liked the slashing and the gore which is actually more prominent than I thought it would be. Overall, I'd describe this as a fun slasher that doesn't skimp on the blood but has plenty of heart too! So I'd totally recommend this to anyone who likes slasher stories...the bonus is that this one has some emotional depth to it which can be rare for slasher books.
This read was fun, especially towards the second half of the book. The first half was more about scene-setting and getting to know the characters and their relationships. I don't mind that at all.
The one criticism I have is that there is a lot of self-deprecating humor that is joked about between the characters and even spoken in the main character's thoughts. I don't mind that being in the book, but there is so much of it that it gets tiring to read at times. That was the only big negative for me.
The best part about this book is the emotion and relatability contained throughout the story, especially near the end. I even teared up while reading the last page.
I found parts of the story predictable, but that doesn't bother me. I liked the slashing and the gore which is actually more prominent than I thought it would be. Overall, I'd describe this as a fun slasher that doesn't skimp on the blood but has plenty of heart too! So I'd totally recommend this to anyone who likes slasher stories...the bonus is that this one has some emotional depth to it which can be rare for slasher books.
August 19, 2018
Review Copy
This book could not have been further off my radar, I just never noticed it and wow - would I have missed out. When I was offered a copy to review and was told it was 'funny horror' I was really skeptical. I honestly didn't even expect to finish the book once I saw it was billed as YA. But, I was curious. I took a look.
It was great! Yes, it's YA horror. It's your classic horror slasher movie in book form. It's not lol funny, it's chuckle funny, it's actually kinda smart funny. But, what made this a terrific novel is that it was for the most part a coming of age story and a very well written one at that.
There's no real surprises in this story. But anyone who watches horror movies knows the plot already. This is pure entertainment combined with teenage boys coming into their own.
And, who hasn't tried to either gain or lose weight? Yes, FAT CAMP is for anyone with an eating disorder. I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. Thank you James Sabata for writing it. I recommend it to everyone young adult and young at heart.
This book could not have been further off my radar, I just never noticed it and wow - would I have missed out. When I was offered a copy to review and was told it was 'funny horror' I was really skeptical. I honestly didn't even expect to finish the book once I saw it was billed as YA. But, I was curious. I took a look.
It was great! Yes, it's YA horror. It's your classic horror slasher movie in book form. It's not lol funny, it's chuckle funny, it's actually kinda smart funny. But, what made this a terrific novel is that it was for the most part a coming of age story and a very well written one at that.
There's no real surprises in this story. But anyone who watches horror movies knows the plot already. This is pure entertainment combined with teenage boys coming into their own.
And, who hasn't tried to either gain or lose weight? Yes, FAT CAMP is for anyone with an eating disorder. I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. Thank you James Sabata for writing it. I recommend it to everyone young adult and young at heart.
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