When he’s not holding down a dead-end job or lurking in his mother’s basement, Tony Anastos spends his time shooting ultra-low-budget horror flicks.
After meeting his sexy fame-hungry coworker Anna, he sees an opportunity to launch his career into cult stardom. But when Tony’s plan to jolt their next film’s Kickstarter into overdrive calls for real blood, he will sacrifice the last bit of his humanity for a shot at recognition. But it makes sense. Look at him. The stuff he makes, I mean, he’s the first one you expect.
So what did I think?
“Fame at any cost” is the underlying subtext of The First One You Expect (in my opinion). Some people will do whatever it takes to get their face on TV and some people will go along for the ride, convincing themselves its all in the name of the bigger goal! This sums up the strange relationship between Anna and Tony in this fabulously horrific and tense novella by Adam Cesare.
This was my first Adam Cesare reading experience. I’ve been following his Youtube channel for a while, soaking up his book and movie reviews. This book popped up on my kindle unlimited recommended reads and so I gave it a shot. I’m now hooked on Cesare! A quick drive-by Cesare book haul on Amazon 2 days later and I now own 4 of his paperbacks that sit eagerly on top of my TBR.
“filmmaking is artful lying… “
The First One you Expect is classic horror, not just in terms of the gory detail but the horror of the human need to pursue fame at any cost. Something that is very real and present in today’s society. Ok, not many people will go on a murdering rampage to achieve fame (though some sadly do) but people will literally do whatever it takes to achieve fame.
Here’s my final note, any self-respecting horror fan should check out Adam Cesare and should buy his books. If you’re on the fence, pondering the first step into the horror genre, you should check out his YouTube channel, there you will get an education and a fab intro into the genre itself.
Author Bio
Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. He studied English and film at Boston University.
His work has been featured in numerous publications, including Shroud Magazine. His nonfiction has appeared in Paracinema, Fangoria, The LA Review of Books and other venues. He also writes a monthly column for Cemetery Dance Online.
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The First One You Expect by Adam Cesare is available to buy here
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