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A review by mrsenginerd
The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente
5.0
When I picked up this book at the 2019 ECCC from the Quirk Books booth I was expecting great outside the box material and The Con Artist delivered. Set in the San Diego Comic Con, the mother of all nerd and geek fandom gatherings, Fred and Tom orchestrate a story that includes drama, suspense, humor, and vivid illustrations about the scene of the crime. As someone born and raised in the 80s, I appreciated the gags, jokes and schticks used to develop the narrative, which is full of sarcastic one liners, and very well executed twists and turns. It describes rich and diverse characters which was a really nice touch since the city itself and fans have a very interesting mash of peoples and cultures. It was such a compelling "who done it" that read it all in one sitting!
Having attended the San Diego Con myself, I can vouch for the landmarks and locations the author used. If you haven't been there it might be hard to follow or understand; check out a map of the area ahead of reading or during to clarify points. Based on my Con experience, the book can serve as an introduction to what to expect from your visit and experiences at the events. I passed it along to my sister who was very excited to figure out how the book ends. Share this tome with your fellow nerds/geeks. It's a really cool gift or stocking stuffer.
Having attended the San Diego Con myself, I can vouch for the landmarks and locations the author used. If you haven't been there it might be hard to follow or understand; check out a map of the area ahead of reading or during to clarify points. Based on my Con experience, the book can serve as an introduction to what to expect from your visit and experiences at the events. I passed it along to my sister who was very excited to figure out how the book ends. Share this tome with your fellow nerds/geeks. It's a really cool gift or stocking stuffer.