Tunnelvision 25th Anniversary Edition by R. Patrick Gates REVIEWED

The absolute best part of running this blog is easily the exposure I get to authors that escaped me, both those currently writing and those who disappeared.

Through this exposure, I'm lucky to have found some of my new favorite authors and books...it's a great thing.

R. Patrick Gates has become one of those under-the-radar winners that I am so fortunate to have been exposed to through recommendation from friends I have made through the readership of Undivine Interventions.

For that, I am forever grateful.

Gates is exactly what I want to read, delivered how I want to read it. He simply writes perfectly to my palate's taste. Pacing is perfect, prose is clean, and an uncanny ability to captivate me in even the most mundane moments.

A criticism I've read is his characterization is lacking, but I find it to work perfectly for his writing style. The at-times questionable decisions characters make in his work (and let's be honest-just about every other piece of genre work from around the same time) actually complements the dreamlike quality that seems to permeate his books. They're very plot driven, very cinematic in style.

If I had to describe a comparison to Gates, I'd say it'd be the pace of Laymon, with the quality of early-80s Koontz, as envisioned by Fulci by way of a Craven script.

A helluva endorsement, I know.
But, here we are, my third book reviewed by the author...and I'm sticking to it.

Tunnelvision is a serial killer novel told through that psychedelic, gory lense that Gates seems to have perfected.

Bill is an alcoholic-in-recovery ex-cop with some heavy baggage.
Ivy is a young, brilliant kid handed a raw deal in life.
Wilbur is an adult victim of brutal childhood abuse, who has grown up to be an equally brutal murderer with psychosis to match.

Bill's back in action, as his expertise is vital to cracking the case, as videos of viciously gruesome murders begin bombarding the local police department, who are completely stumped.
Ivy lives next door to Wilbur...
The three cross paths and...well, you'll have to read the book.

I'll be honest, I prefer my Horror novels to be heavily supernatural, not being the biggest fan of serial killers and the like...it takes some of the escapist quality out of it, the quality that I seek out, out of it for me. As such, I was a bit hesitant.

That was dumb.

Because Gates loads up that wonderful dream-like atmosphere and set pieces to the max that lend itself to being an emblem of quality, that at this point I expect from the author.

The ultra-gore and brutality that is indicative of his prior work is certainly present here, but far more subdued than Fear or Grimm Memorials. It's still quite nasty, just very well timed. It works for the story, to have toned the mile-a-minute chaotic carnival ride feel of those previous books.

This book is practically begging to be made into a film in it's delivery, I was hooked from page one and just blazed on through all 384 pages. Once again, it was the kind of writing that makes me wish I had no other obligations as I'd prefer to just hunker down with this thing.

The psychedelic, psychosis driven moments of the novel, those told from the perspective of Wilbur are spot-on...as a mental health counselor, the narrative of these moments aren't too far off from some of my previous clients description of what they have experienced. Gates did his research...and of course amplified it for the purpose of writing a horror novel. It's very well done.

The most fun character here is Ivy, the 12 year old genius living a pretty dismal life...he's the unlikely hero of the story and just great fun to read. He's a little Charlie Brewster ala Fright Night, a little Goonies and a little James Bond, with the hardened quality that poverty tends to inject. Loved the kid...

Another note is that this "25th anniversary special edition" is released by the best publisher of horror fiction going, Bloodshot Books and their Second Sight line. I haven't read the original edition, so I can't comment on any differences besides the obvious...the books been updated to reflect pop culture relevant to today vs. the 1991 publication. The most obvious is VHS to DVD reference, and a few other things. It does feel a bit out of place, but not to the point where it is a distraction or something that hurts the novel. As I've stated previously on the blog, Bloodshot puts out beautiful looking books that are always worth your time.

Overall, I highly recommend it. It's a great book by a great author, out now through a great publisher.

4.5/5. Only because I get no goopy undead witches this time.

Also, of note, Gates and I have planned an interview, to come very soon! Keep your eyes on the blog for that...coming any day now!