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The Way to Get Here
Fiction.
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 22, 2010
Stephen King once said (not that I’m a Stephen King fan, mind you) that “Good books don’t give up all their secrets at once.” Gavin Pate’s The Way to Get Here may have some minor first novel unevenness, but it demonstrates the King point well, giving the novel a level of intrigue that doesn’t quit.
A man who calls himself Walden has come to Norfolk, Virginia, in the midst of a blackout spreading across the United States. He comes with nothing but a past, and soon some locals want him involved in a crime that could only take place under this consuming darkness. Thing is, Walden doesn’t know what the crime is or why they’d want him involved. He just knows his past (obviously), but he’s not telling anyone, and the joy of The Way to Get Here is watching a crew of characters guard their agendas while sizing everyone else up through sharp conversations and high-intensity situations. Unlike many novelists, Pate pulls off violent scenes well. The tale earns it, consequences and all.
I was, however, a little put off by some of the character names. Pascal and Shakespeare are well-developed (the latter especially), but this artist tagging comes off as a gimmick that never gets explored. Sure, the names are most likely fake, but why those names specifically? I guess that’s one of the few secrets I would have liked to have seen spilled by the end. Pate delivers the goods on the rest, but not there. Additionally, some of the relationships change in a way that I couldn’t logically follow (namely Walden’s relationship with Claire—a woman who may or may not be in on the crime). Finally, some of the minor characters get lost in the shuffle; especially when they’re introduced early yet don’t reappear until late in the read. Regardless, the web of characters is one of the best parts of the novel and none shine brighter than the Shrike—a dangerous street evangelist who uses the law of God when it overlaps with his agenda. A twisted religious character is tough to pull off, but Pate makes the Shrike work where so many others have failed. His theology is on in some areas, but way off in others. He’s never trustworthy, but comes off as one of those characters who might not be so bad either. It’s only late in the book that he’s identified for what he truly is.
One of the other aspects I really appreciate is that the blackout is not a catalyst for some post-apocalyptic shift. If anything, it’s just some problem—albeit a big, growing problem—that people are working through or lurking underneath. Things are still normal; life still goes on. The ending of The Way to Get Here works well with a slight ambiguity and Pate’s explanation of the title—about how we try to get somewhere new, but always end up back here, right where we’ve been all along—is spot on. For everything in The Way to Get Here that is overdone or doesn’t quite go far enough, there was never a time that I didn’t want to know how the story would unfold. Three stars.
A man who calls himself Walden has come to Norfolk, Virginia, in the midst of a blackout spreading across the United States. He comes with nothing but a past, and soon some locals want him involved in a crime that could only take place under this consuming darkness. Thing is, Walden doesn’t know what the crime is or why they’d want him involved. He just knows his past (obviously), but he’s not telling anyone, and the joy of The Way to Get Here is watching a crew of characters guard their agendas while sizing everyone else up through sharp conversations and high-intensity situations. Unlike many novelists, Pate pulls off violent scenes well. The tale earns it, consequences and all.
I was, however, a little put off by some of the character names. Pascal and Shakespeare are well-developed (the latter especially), but this artist tagging comes off as a gimmick that never gets explored. Sure, the names are most likely fake, but why those names specifically? I guess that’s one of the few secrets I would have liked to have seen spilled by the end. Pate delivers the goods on the rest, but not there. Additionally, some of the relationships change in a way that I couldn’t logically follow (namely Walden’s relationship with Claire—a woman who may or may not be in on the crime). Finally, some of the minor characters get lost in the shuffle; especially when they’re introduced early yet don’t reappear until late in the read. Regardless, the web of characters is one of the best parts of the novel and none shine brighter than the Shrike—a dangerous street evangelist who uses the law of God when it overlaps with his agenda. A twisted religious character is tough to pull off, but Pate makes the Shrike work where so many others have failed. His theology is on in some areas, but way off in others. He’s never trustworthy, but comes off as one of those characters who might not be so bad either. It’s only late in the book that he’s identified for what he truly is.
One of the other aspects I really appreciate is that the blackout is not a catalyst for some post-apocalyptic shift. If anything, it’s just some problem—albeit a big, growing problem—that people are working through or lurking underneath. Things are still normal; life still goes on. The ending of The Way to Get Here works well with a slight ambiguity and Pate’s explanation of the title—about how we try to get somewhere new, but always end up back here, right where we’ve been all along—is spot on. For everything in The Way to Get Here that is overdone or doesn’t quite go far enough, there was never a time that I didn’t want to know how the story would unfold. Three stars.
November 15, 2013
An author I'll keep an eye on.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews