Customer Reviews

The Prison

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been an avid reader as long as I can remember. Books have always been a large part of my life and I've always loved horror fiction. R. Patrick Gates' book THE PRISON is a terrifyingly great work. Precious few books have ever frightened me. THE PRISON gave me several unnerving moments in the middle of the night while reading these pages. The plot is a deceptively simple one--Tim Saget is a screw-up whose lifetime of evading responsibility is about to catch up with him. In a last ditch effort to gain control of his life, he accepts a job as a guard at The New Rome Correctional Institute, also known as "The Hill". But "The Hill" wasn't always a prison. In the years gone by, it was an insane asylum with a horrible secret that destroyed all who lived there.

R. Patrick Gates' book bursts out of the gate with intense and unsettling imagery and rockets to an amazing climax that left me breathless. And the last paragraph is a haunting, satisfying conclusion, not to be missed.

THE PRISON is one of the most frightening books I've ever read, my first read by R. Patrick Gates, but definitely not my last. Run, don't walk, to buy this book! Then, curl up in an easy chair and savor the read. But be prepared to sleep with the light ON!

"The Hill" is a correctional facility that twenty years ago was a mental hospital for the criminally insane. New prison guard Tim Sagett becomes increasingly aware of the supernatural forces at work, but no one will believe him.

This is horror in the school of Bentley Little and Andrew Neiderman, anchored by strong characters but still able to go for graphic shocks and supernatural set-pieces. I won't spoil any of the many creepy suprises in the book, but will say that if you like early Robert McCammon or Bentley Little you will definately enjoy THE PRISON.

Also Recommended: THE DEVIL IN GRAY by Graham Masterton, THUNDER ROAD by Tamara Thorne, and SHE WAKES by Jack Ketchum

This is the first book I've read by R. Patrick Gates but it won't be the last. "The Prison" is a MUST READ for horror fans! Not your average ghost stories, these spirits do more than just "go bump in the night"! The author provides plenty of visual descriptions that wreak havoc on the imagination. Several scenes had me cringing as I read them and once or twice I had to put down the book and take a mental break after a particular scene left me thinking, "Oh no he didn't!" But he does and he does it well!

I would definitely recommend "The Prison" to anyone looking for a sleepless night or two. The characters are great, the plot is amazing and "Good Old Doc"....absolutely depraved!

Definitely not for the weak stomached or faint of heart...

I really enjoy R. Patrick Gates's novels. He is such a breath of fresh air. The Prison was a fresh original idea, the characters were solid and believable and the plot was fast paced. So maybe you had it figured out early in the book, so what, this is a work of horror, not a who-dunit. I don't think knowing what was going on in any way ruined the fast paced, in your face horror. There was some twisted sex in the book which only magnified the true terror taking place. It takes place in a prison, for gosh sakes, what do you expect?

This story resembles Edward Lee's style of writing, hard, gutsy, and not afraid to offend. Isn't that what horror is all about? Grab this book and your favorite drink and snacks, curl up in a comfy chair and enjoy, you won't regret it

This book is very original in the plot and is a must read if you are a fan of horror novels. The characters are genuine and the story does not drag throughout the book.

The only critisism i have is the sex. There is a lot of sex scenes in this book and some of them can be very disturbing.

Overall a suspenseful book to read that kept my attention throughout.

I am a big fan of some of his other books. I love horror and I love distrubing!!!! But this one, the ending completely ruined it for me, it seemed to me it was more of way to just end the book and not the story. Like I said enjoyed the book up to the end and I was left with a very strong dislike at that point. I would say not one of his best works, I would read his other works like grimm memeriols and grim reapings for his better works.

This is the 2nd Patrick Gates book I've read and I'm beginning to think I'm just not a fan of his writing. The Prison had a couple of chilling parts to it but otherwise was bland and boring.

I enjoyed the book ,a little too much twisted sex, but not too bad. I did nail the "surprises" in the plot way early but it was a fun read.

I bought it because I liked his other book (Grim Offering), but this one was not as good. Too predictable and not very exciting.

This may well be the dumbest book I've ever read... Though I've never read Paris Hilton's book so there is hope for this one yet.

A woman with an abnormally large uterus (a fact which the writer spends FAR too much time on) does NOT make for compelling reading. The fact that it has anything to do with her being attacked by a poltergiest does not make it any more necessary.

The story jumps around far too much. The characters do nothing to add to a story which is dead after a very exciting first chapter. I struggled through this book because I finish what I start, but I have to admit I would love my money back. And frankly I'd love to have back all the time I wasted on this story.