Slashvivor!

by Stephen Kozeniewski, Stevie Kopas, Zach McCain (Illustrator)

Try Not to Die

TV-XXX (Salty language, Sexual innuendo, Vomit-inducing ultraviolence)

TBA. Pirate transmission.

North America's number one reality television show returns with instant fan favorite Dawn Churchill, a plucky, hometown girl from the irradiated ruins of the former United States. Will she survive the night in the electrified, booby-trapped arena or will one of the serial killers pitted against her come out on top?

Returning slashers include evil animatronic Abraham Lincoln, eight-year-old “Daughter of the Devil” Abadonna, and all-time undefeated champion Denney the Killer Clown. (Plus surprise appearances by mad surgeon Doctor Feelbad, silver-tongued “Charming” Charlie Whitmore, and steel-clawed firebrand Razortooth.)

A night of chills, thrills, and endless buckets of blood. A must-see for Dawn’s innovative use of a shotgun alone. Fun for the whole family!

Mark Winters
Marisol Martinez, Amy Green, Jacob Graves, Derron James

Genres: Horror, Splatterpunk, Science Fiction, Dystopia

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2021

About the author

Stephen Kozeniewski (pronounced "causin' ooze key") is a Splatterpunk Award-winning author and two-time World Horror Grossout Contest champion. His published work has also been nominated for the Voice Arts and Indie Horror Book Awards, among other honors. He lives in Pennsylvania with his fiancée and their two cats above a fanciful balloon studio.

Reviews

[Mort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun! Fun! FUN!!

This book deserves six stars for entertainment value! It might not be the book to broaden your horizons and change your life, but this must have been the book that I enjoyed the most all year.

I've been thinking about the best way to describe this story since about 20% in the story. This might not be the most graceful or tactful review you come across, but this comes straight from the heart:

SLASHVIVOR! must have been the product of a Hollywood party. Actually, to be more accurate, orgy. THE RUNNING MAN hosted, MAD MAX: BEYOND THUNDERDOME, THE HUNGER GAMES and GLADIATOR was there. Dark comedies like FIGHT CLUB, IN BRUGES, SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS and VERY BAD THINGS showed up. PLANET TERROR made a surprise appearance. And, hey, wait a minute, is Hannibal Lector giving a speech like Al Pacino in ANY GIVEN SUNDAY? Man, it was a wild night.
And from this night was born a script for a reality TV show that was so unprecedented that they needed a director like Eli Roth to bring it to life...

This book is a post-apocalyptic horror comedy...
After the nuclear war in the 80's only about 1% of the American population survived. And that's when this Mad Max shit started. And the Geiger Lands is probably the worst of the worst, which makes it the perfect place for the pirate show called 'Try Not To Die'...
Okay, that's the concept, but this story offers so much more. The deaths are brutal and gory, so don't think the authors held back. They decided early on that we will be the sick fucks who will laugh until we piss ourselves at all the horrible shit that happens in this story.
And, just to make it clear, there will be no cursing on air because the children are watching.
As for the mxnxkxkm...cough...
I beg your pardon. What I meant to say - cough...cough cough...cough...
What the...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-

Finally. I apologize, ladies and gentleman, but I just couldn't let him go on any longer.
Allow me to introduce myself - I am Mort's conscience, and on behalf of both of us I have to apologize for all this cursing. I mean, come on, does he always have to drop the f-bombs in his reviews like that. He's not like that at home, you know. In fact, he never curses in front of his son. He doesn't even watch violent movies or shows when his son is there. I have no idea where he comes up with all this filth and his enjoyment of it.
Really, don't judge him by these reviews. And, for fornication's sake, don't read all this feces he advocates. It is super violent and the humor is just wrong, wrong, wrong. I swear, I get so urined off sometimes, I'm beginning to wonder if people won't think we are just some immature penises or something...

Anyway, sorry for the interruption, I just had to get my two cents in before this anus makes us look bad again.

Cough...
I really hope I didn't give too much away in this review. It was funny as fornicate...

[Ken Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book if you liked The Hunger Games but it wasn't gruesome enough.

[Hail Hydra! ~Dave Anderson~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the meantime, he just wished there was something worth watching that could keep his attention for five fucking minutes anymore. With its boring plotlines and nondescript killers, Try Not to Die had jumped the shark ages ago.

“Let’s see what else is on,” he grunted, his voice distorted by the gasmask’s internal filters.

He flipped the channel.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I haven't had this much fun with a book in ages. In fact, I read it when I should have been doing other things (like working lol).

I didn't know what to expect. So much of slasher fiction is heavy on the gore, but authors forget about things like plot and character. Not here! Our authors give you a total package, bloody though that package might be. We have a cast of lovable killers, a woman who simply will not be a victim, and an enemy you want to see destroyed!

While reminiscent of both Running Man and Death Race, the authors have a style all their own. The book is gory, intelligent, and very funny.

I have no idea if there will be a 2nd book but I hope so!

[Frank Errington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review copy

It's 1983. An accidental nuclear war has left the US with just 1% of its former 234 million residents. Stephen Kozeniewski and Stevie Kopas have created such a world and have decided to have some fun with it.

Take for example the tagline for the TV ads fo Alino Al's Discount Surplus, "Come on down! It's not illegal. In the Geiger Lands, nothing is!"

That is so true and includes what passes for entertainment...

"From the ruins of Vancouver to the Cuban Keys, from the Allied Texas Republic to the Irradiated Plains, welcome back, ladies and gents, to the most popular show on the continent!"

Try Not to Die, where contestants, drawn from the populace at large, are pitted against notorious serial killers, including an evil animatronic Abraham Lincoln. But when the producers selected Dawn Churchill, they never expected what was to follow.

"We present to you 45,000 square feet of mayhem, terror, and pure entertainment!"

Personally, I found this work to be imaginative with many surprises. Slashvivor! is horror in the extreme and not for the faint of heart. Kind of like The Hunger Games on acid. If you like lots of blood in your horror, I promise this book will not disappoint.

Slashvivor! is available in both paperback and e-book formats from Sinister Grin Press.

Totally recommended.

[Nia Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a realisation of all of my goriest dreams in one go. I got a hint of Hunger Games, a dash of Planet Terror, a lashing of Suicide Squad (good concept, terrible film) and a hat off to all things 80s apocalyptic cinema.

If I thought there would be some kind of conflict of ideas and writing styles by having too authors, I needn't have worried, this was totally seamless and more fucked up and wondrous than a single human being could have come up with on their own.

This book is so gory there were moments where even I wondered if I'd reached my limits, there's blood, entrails and dismemberment at every turn but it manages to be both horrifying and entertaining.

Dawn lives in the wasteland that is North America following the nuclear apocalypse, as if that wasn't bad enough she is chosen to participate in the TV gameshow 'Try Not To Die'. Where she and other selected unfortunates are dumped in an arena and put up against seasoned killers called Slashers.

It's not all mindless violence though, there's a very compelling and suspenseful storyline running through all the carnage and that's why I always come back for more. If you, like me, love your horror messy - just read this book and cherish it always.

[Stephen Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun Running Man meets Borderlands style slasher that lives up to its awesome title. Colourful characters, a fun concept and a great pace to it. Really enjoyed this one, and that's one amazing cover too.

[Sharon Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the concept of this and it doesn't disappoint. It's a thoroughly entertaining horror novel with some pretty bloody, gruesome moments. Suspenseful and shocking, the fast pace kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. While none of the characters are particularly likeable, there were a couple I found myself rooting for by the end which added to the tension. There is a bit of dark humour too. It pokes fun at the ridiculousness of what is acceptable on TV against what isn't, taken to extremes of course. I do hope Kozeniewski and Kopas decide to work together again as I'd love to see what else they would come up with! Highly recommended.

[Donna Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Post apocalyptic horror meets reality television. But this is not your standard gory slasher fiction. I generally don't like that stuff, but I loved this book. It has action, a heroine (and a few other characters) you will root for, even a little sarcasm. Highly recommend everything by this author.

[P.J. Griffin]

Obviously I'm a horror fanatic, but I'm also a shameless fan of reality television. It’s because of this that I've always been delighted by works that combine the two worlds. For example, I've always loved movies like Series 7: The Contenders, 2003's Slashers, Herschell Gordon Lewis's The Uh-Oh Show, etc. Since I'm also a book lover, I'm thrilled with how more and more horror novels are allowing themselves to get down and dirty with the same fun, roller coaster style of some of the cult exploitation films out there. Because of all this, I was quite intrigued by Stephen Kozeniewski & Stevie Kopas' Slashvivor! I'll explain why.

Slashvivor! takes place in an alternate time-line, in which a Soviet attack has left the United States a decimated wasteland. This zone is known as the Geiger Lands. In this world, mutation and murder are just an expected part of everyday life. The hottest thing in the world of reality television in this dystopia is Try Not to Die! In it, contestants are chosen and thrown into what can best be described as a living hell. Pitted against a diverse and brutal array of slashers and contraptions, the players face death around every turn. To the audience it's all good sport, but for those unfortunate ones caged off and thrown in, it's anything but a good time.

The book tells the story of an especially memorable episode, primarily how it's experienced by a new contestant. Dawn is a spry young woman just trying to survive the harsh reality that is the Geiger Lands, but soon she finds herself taken against her will and forced to be a new hopeful in the craze that is Try Not to Die! Some contestants are fans, grateful and honored to participate. Dawn, however, has a far more negative view of the situation. She's appalled by the show and has no interest in becoming another dismembered body, slashed apart for the entertainment of a bloodthirsty audience. Nonetheless, whether she wants to or not, Dawn becomes tangled in the horror that she has been forced into. Dawn is presented as a relatively likable and grounded character; she isn't righteous or hot-headed, she just wants to mind her own and survive.

Right away I liked the little details, like how when in safe zones, players are able to see what is going on elsewhere in the arena. Another example is the merchandise the producers sell to fans promoting the show and little inside references to what's happened in a moment's notice. These little touches of how the show works drew me in and I had a good sense of how something of the sort came from the rough shape the area is in.

As part of her journey, Dawn starts off interacting with several other contestants. They are a varied bunch and things get kicked into high gear fairly quickly, making it clear that anyone can go at any time. Through Dawn mostly, we follow the stories of a few different players and after a while, the slashers become just as personable as the others. We also are given a look at what's going on behind the cameras. The face of the game is a hapless man named Mark, but the high-end producer, the person pulling at the strings, the Queen, is a woman named Marisol Martinez. Above all, anyone involved in the game sees her as their main enemy. Not all the slashers are happy to be there and even they want their turn at getting to her, but the drive of power reigns supreme, and Marisol will stop at nothing to keep her own personal world spinning.

The layout of Try Not to Die! is massive and the book goes into great detail to paint a clear picture. Colorful contraptions such as the Girl Splitter and the Wheel of Dismemberment face the players and everything is soaked in graphic detail. The slashers are impressively unique, varying from massive giants of pure killing power to an assassin-level little girl having fun carving up her victims. There is cannibalism, a killer clown, and zero room for repetition.

The book is completely aware of what makes the concept fun and takes full advantage. The bloody chaos comes complete with commercials peddling the various products of the Geiger Lands as well as rich descriptions of the TNTD! fans. The moments of eager spectators desperately trying to be chosen for involvement and the gleeful way they view severed heads as souvenir foul balls makes the culture and social importance of the game unmistakable. When the book begins, the show has been going on for a while and has become a staple of the Geiger Lands. Because of this, the reader is thrown headfirst into the adrenaline-fueled mayhem that unfolds throughout the pages.

One thing that stuck with me was how, after a while, the different levels of characters begin to blur. What starts off as a group of average Joes facing off against murderous lunatics becomes an array of interesting characters focusing their rage against the high-ups controlling everything. The slashers who have been there for a while have a calmer insanity to them, having had the chance to get used to the violence and bedlam. However, I found myself not only drawn to the slashers, but eventually seeing them as equally compelling and emotionally diverse as the other characters.

Everything in the book is organized very well. While the Try Not to Die! spectacle is as complex as it is treacherous, the story itself finds more footing in the interaction between those involved. It all moves at a brisk pace, but never to the point where it blows by anything too quickly. Information about the characters comes out at just the right time, everyone has their place, but as the novel progresses we get to know more and more about their state of mind and the reasoning behind it.

The gore and bloodshed isn't constant, but it makes the splatter moments count. No one is safe in this game, not even the cameramen, which means that players, slashers, and crew alike meet their end in a variety of fun and inventive ways. Limbs are torn, heads are bounced around and human sludge hits the floor. The book is as gleeful about describing the nastier moments as much as the audience does, and I love that. While there are certainly characters to root for and against for many reasons, there is no real line divide of “good vs bad”. Marisol is by far the main antagonist, but the rest are characters merely trying to survive in a world gone mad. Whether a slasher or a contestant, the apocalyptic feel of the scenario comes across in every move they make.

At no point during reading the novel did Slashvivor! drag or weigh itself down for me. There are moments where things settle and simmer for a bit, but only to work through the plot points, increase the reader's understanding of a character or something of that nature. No page is wasted and the more exciting moments balance themselves well with the exposition and story flow. It isn't as full-blown shock or exploitation based as I was expecting, but I wasn't disappointed at all as the book does what it does very well and just naturally puts more emphasis on the exciting than the depraved. That isn't to say there aren't some wonderfully gore-tastic moments, as there is plenty of the red stuff flowing throughout the book's length.

I don't want to give away any more as once the scenario is laid down, Slashvivor! is a ticking time bomb of the chaotic and unexpected. To say any more would be to do the book a disservice. I was genuinely surprised by several aspects and I wouldn't want to rob the reader of the same experience. What I will say is that Slashvivor! is straight up a good time read. It's a fast-paced blast from start to finish that wonderfully lays down the world it's created without getting too bogged down by its own concept. It stays true to what it is and while I won't spoil the ending, certainly, I will say that it's all quite satisfying and comes full circle.

The book reminded me of what I love about more extreme cult novels as well as reality-based horror films, especially Slashers. But at the same time, Slashvivor! is a project all its own. Rather than a retread, it stands as a book that went its own way and while it pays homage to some beloved horror concepts, it remains original. Honestly, what more could I ask for?

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you told me this was a novelization of a lost 80's gem I'd totally believe you. Slashvivor! is pretty much what happens when someone watches Running Man a hundred times and decides they could do it better. And you know what? They succeeded! Everything is ramped up to eleven, making it an over-the-top gory goofy story.

You pretty much know what the plot is going to be with a story like this: there's a show that pits normal people against serial killers(slashers) for the entertainment of the zombie-like masses. We get a little more behind the scenes on the people running the show, and we discover that the serial killers are not just mindless killing machines. This adds suspense as well a bigger pool of characters to cheer for, even flipping your thoughts on who might be your favorite.

Slashvivor! is a complete blast as Kozeniewski and Kopas come up with very inventive set pieces and kills. The slow ramp up of new slashers leaves you guessing what crazy creations will show up in the Arena next. The story almost goes where you think it will, but there is enough of a twist to keep this type of story fresh and entertaining.

You pretty much know what you are getting with a title like this, but I don't think that is a bad thing. Just sit back and enjoy the sick and twisted show!

[A. Giacomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kozeniewski and Kopas kill it! I loved this book! Chilling, thrilling, and funny! If you like watching Black Mirror or reading about alternative futures, then this is the read you need! The characters are wild and you will love to hate some of them. I feel this would make such an entertaining film, hopefully someday!

[Jim Coniglio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I read a lot of books through the coarse of a year. This week alone I have read 3 books. Luckily one of the books was SLASHVIVOR. I have to say that I have not enjoyed reading a book this much in awhile. 2 days is all it took to read this wild ride in a post apocalyptic, alternate history, bloodbath of a story.

In 1983 the US was virtually destroyed in a nuclear exchange with Russia. The United States as we know it is gone and in its place is a irradiated desert, known to those who live there as The Geiger Lands. Populated by the few survivors riddled by radiation and mutations. And a new threat to make their lives even more miserable, the Slashers. Serial Killers preying on the helpless survivors.

What can these poor huddled masses turn to for relief from their plight. How about a sadistic game show that comes on every few months called Try Not To Die. The contestants, picked by lottery, whether they want to or not are thrust into a deathtrap arena to fight for their lives again the most deranged collection on killers on earth. Most of the populace flock to the games to see the violence and death, most even think it a honor to be in the games, but not everyone. Dawn Churchill does not want to be here. She does not want to be fighting for her life in a game run by The Producers, four of the most powerful people in the Geiger Lands. But she knows that to survive she must do anything she can to out wit, out fight and try to survive.

Stephen Kozeniewski and Stevie Kopas give us a dark and violent world, peppered with some of the most colorfully wicked characters you will find anywhere. Yes Dawn is just a woman trying to survive, but Ellen Ripley, bad ass queen of the galaxy, would be in awe of the transformation that Dawn has to go through in this story.

Where this story really shines is in it's collection of Slashers. How can you go wrong with a killer animatronic Abe Lincoln who spouts historical quotes with a twist. Or a giant killer clown named Denney. A well mannered cannibal (eat your heart out Hannibal Lecter (literally)) Charming Charlie Whitmore, to a 8 year old Demon child, Gimps, a razor clawed mad woman, a mad doctor, more Gimps,,,,the list keeps going.

Now you might be saying,,"But Jim,,characters like this have been done before",,and you would be right. And that's the rub. SLASHVIVOR knows what it is. This a a bubbling, bloody, music blaring, lights flashing, Theater of The Absurd. The characters are over the top, and they need to be. Not only is this a horror/post apocalyptic story, but it is also a commentary on violence and how people respond to it. The denizens of the Geiger Lands have lost all hope, they long for Try Not To Die. The only escape they have from their horrible lives is to see others die in a spectacle that has been created just for them.

The authors do not pull any punches when it come to the gore. So if you are squeamish, then run away now. (and you probably shouldn't be reading a book blog that revolves around horror novels)
The story is fast paced and has some great character development. With just enough twists to keep you on your toes.

SLASHVIVOR is the unwanted love child of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and The Running Man, that grew up and kicked it's parents asses.

I could not recommend this book more.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

The apocalypse has had an apocalypse. The Soviet Union won the Cold War with a first strike against the United States and now its former citizens are trapped in a ruined radioactive wasteland. Dawn Churchill is dumped into a area full of serial killers and filmed for the entertainment of a blood-loving communist audience! Can she survive to win her freedom? Stevie Kopas and Stephen Kozeniewski are two of my favorite indie horror novelists. This is a delightful homage to the movie versions of Running Man and Roger Corman's Death Race. It's a brutal, gore-filled fun slasher story that I think someone looking for a grand guginol of satirical fun will enjoy. The cover tells you pretty much everything you need to know. 5/5

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

Stupid, silly, gratuitous, and I loved it

Stupid, silly, gratuitous, and I loved every single page. A much bloodier and fun version of The Running Man or Smash TV. Highly recommend

[Pyropatty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

Wrestle mania with lots of action and Gore. Creepy characters to die for with lots of tricks in the art of killing. Fun, exciting and enjoyed every minute.

[Rose Kiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, what a fun book. One of my favorites that I've read this year.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea what I was in for when I started this amazing title from on of my favorite authors and I was NOT disappointed. It was action packed and full of all kinds of original characters, I couldn't recommend this book enough. Loved it!

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting how things go.

This is a novel that you can easily explain in a couple of situations, Imagine somekind of american version of Takeshi's Castle (well , probably more another show I saw on TV where some body builders fought normal contestants) but turn up a notch. So, after some devastating nuclear war - this time the communists won and USA was devastated. From those ashes, some people survive and try to make a live action show where contestants would fought slashers (think Jason, hannibal or Edward Scissor hands etc). To be fair, the contestants never win so basically you were seeing just people being killed.

We have a female contestant Dawn that is thrown into this game and after an initial win she soon finds out that there is no win by the end because they will just increase the difficult.

As the story progress there are other slashers that will side on (either willing or not) with Dawn against the producers - the people that created this game and by the middle half of the book is a royal rumble.

First of all, I though it was interesting making Dawn the main character and I thought - here we go to female bossy who can easily win men, but no. She has some tribulations, some losses and only with the help of other people she is able move forward.

Stephen & Stevie really brought something interesting to the table and I enjoy reading it. It's a slasher that is gore and makes you root for cannibals or sadists. It's funny how things go.

If there is a complain was the pacing. Sometimes it was really fast, others a bit slow (too slow) and you constantly had to switch gear. By the last 50 pages it was a bit of a mess and confusing and that take a toll on me.

Overall it's a very good book but be warn of violence and gore. I didn't see any sexual problems with this novel as it's hinted on the synopsis. 81/100

PS: I have another book by Stephen Kozeniewski (The Hematophages) Let see when I read it. I will probably buy another one from Stevie Kopas.

[Brian Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books I tore through in one sitting, that is pure insane, violent fun. In a dystopian alternative history, a reality TV game show pits selected “winners” against cartoonish serial killers in an arena battle to the death. Dark satire mixed with outlandish gore make this book can’t-miss for fans of horror that leans more bizarro.

[~Cyanide Latte~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally heard of this through BookTube and I kind of wish I hadn't. I wanted to give this a try, I genuinely was hoping this would be a new favorite. Unfortunately, I can't say I really enjoyed my time with this book; it dropped off very quickly and I stopped feeling genuinely interested. A lot of it felt like disgusting violence for the sake of shock and gross-out effect, and there's nothing to really save it from itself. The story doesn't know where it's going, and it's not truly driven by its characters (which are paper-thin at best) nor is it driven by its own story. Decent characters can save a bad story but it didn't have decent characters and I feel like the plot forgot where it was going, once or twice. The only reason you see two stars on here is because I'm unable to give fractional ratings on GR; my actual rating is a 1.75. Don't waste your time with this, if you really want my opinion. There's little plot, characters you cannot emotionally connect with, no true purpose and no real climax. Additionally if you require content warnings, check here to see what I tagged this book for.

[Jeremy Maddux · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole 'murder game show' premise has been done to death. This one is a few years too late for it to be fresh material, but the characters are well fleshed out and there's enough plot velocity to keep the pages turning. Still, this is part of that long list of current cliches that are trotted out far too often in horror (i.e. evil clowns, lullabyes sung by creepy little girls before they kill, etc.).

[zee♥︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

splatterpunk is so fun and so silly lmao

[Salfaraz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unimpressive

[Nick Belhomme · Rating 1 out of 5]

it was like reading the fighting arena of RAGE 2 .
But instead of playing it you read how they moved left, then right, then crouched.
Not interesting and quite juvenile for 8+ ."

[Cláudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gory, well-paced and fun! A great summer read, with enough plot twists to keep us hooked until the final page. Well done.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the authors for providing a review copy.

Holy shit, this book was so much fun! I'm realizing that game show horror might be one of my favorite really niche subgenres. They're always such a good time, and I enjoyed every bit of Slashvivor! Even though the cast of characters is filled with sadistic murderers and mutants, I kind of liked all of them. The story itself is very smart and funny, and Dawn is a badass main character. I would love to see her story continue. 4.5 stars