It was a fabulous read that reminded me of Doctor Who meets The Demon Headmaster and the Uglies series. I also detected a sprinkling of Kafka-like surrealism.

The characters were vivid, particularly the main three, and as a secondary school teacher myself, I relished Matt and Joan's sentiments!

The worldbuilding was terrific, and I cried more than once during my two sittings. It's confidently written, fun, sad, and engaging. I adore mysteries, character growth, and what-ifs; this book did all of them brilliantly.

Thank you so much for the advance reader copy!

This is the story of Matthew Barker, a despondent teacher who explores the origins of a portal in the Scottish Highlands.

Things begin to change for Matt when his old university friend, Ethan Madison, contacts him and claims their former lecturer, Professor Joan Clarke, wants to share her discovery.

Little does Matt realise the life-changing journey he's about to embark on...

---

Finished this quickly. A very fun read with next to no fat.

The laser-focused prose keeps the pace swift and the twists exciting. It's a race-to-the-finish-line thriller with some great characterization and memorable scenes. Just wanted it to be a tad longer.

It was fast-paced with ample settings, which I love, but for me, the best part of the book was the main characters themselves. They were well-developed and likeable, and I found myself quickly invested. Each had their own personality and believable motivations (one especially tragic, which I can sadly relate to), which made the narrative more engaging. While the sci-fi elements were intriguing, compelling, and well-executed, the characters stood out the most. I had a great time and was sad to finish it. Perfect length for this reader.

Really enjoyed this sci-fi thriller. Couldn't put it down. Knowing what you do at the end makes it highly re-readable. I thought the pacing was excellent, too. See this being a big hit.

A thought-provoking and stimulating novel with an enduring sense of mystery (that I don't want to spoil).

The characters in the story are complex and flawed, making them feel like real people rather than merely characters. It was a delight to see so many relatable and well-rounded female characters among them, notably Joan Clarke, who steals the show but maintains an endearing presence with what she's trying to accomplish.

I was pulled into the intrigue and suspense, wondering what would happen to the relatable Matthew and his challenging fate. The dialogue was authentic and believable, and the prose was easy to glide through.

I do hope there's more to come from Joan and the group.

Loved the vibes of this one. Very polished and engaging. Lance knows his sci-fi adventure audience. 4.5.

This text was more intellectual and multi-layered than I imagined; The Trial by Franz Kafka is the book I recall in my mind. Here, we have a similar setup whose true nature is not revealed to the protagonist until the end but serves as a subtextual commentary on a dystopian society. This was about how power and meaning shift without anyone truly knowing who holds it. I found it frightful, lucid and an unexpected treat of a book.

Enjoyed this more than Blake Crouch's latest. Ideal for sci-fi/thriller readers. Gripping and very fun.

4.5/5 Fast-paced thrillers like this don't require characters to have epic-fantasy-level depth, but the author has added great nuance to his primary characters anyway. A thrilling and pacey blast.

The Gateway was my cup of tea all the way. It had great characters, a well-told and engrossing mystery that kept you guessing, a likeable and understandable antagonist whom I felt for, and a nicely paced and realistic ending that wasn't like a cheesy fairy tale. Very well-written. There are loads of places it could go from here; I don't think we've seen the last of any of the characters. This reader wanted more of it all, but Lance was clearly putting the pieces into place.

That final moment had me smiling. I particularly appreciate the bittersweet ending the author went for. There is no happy magical payoff in life. Life is the gift, so start living. Couldn't agree more! I had a great time with it. Could easily see more titles in the series (with obvious places to go!), but liked the ending as is.

The Gateway James Lance
A very enjoyable thriller. Great characters and character development. Nice blend of sci-fi elements into the story. Well written and nicely paced. Raises questions worth asking. #TheGateway #NetGalley

This is the story of Matthew Barker, a despondent teacher who explores the origins of a portal in the Scottish Highlands.

Things begin to change for Matt when his old university friend, Ethan Madison, contacts him and claims their former lecturer, Professor Joan Clarke, wants to share her discovery.

Little does Matt realise the life-changing journey he's about to embark on...

-

This was an excellent read. The author excels at making complex sci-fi accessible, and the text gave this reader strong Crichton/Turton vibes throughout. I cared a great deal about the characters in what is a typical thriller runtime—in other words, pretty short. I have to say, that's rare for me. It easily met the genre's expectations and ticked off pretty much everything I like to see. I would love to see more from the author.

Great characterization, memorable themes, and thrilling from start to finish. There's depth here, too, particularly in the subtext and character motives, although Lance is clearly performing a delicate balancing act between entertaining first and educating second. It has more depth than the average genre fiction but keeps itself fast and engaging. It felt like hybrid fiction to me. Lance knew exactly what he was doing with this polished text; absolutely an author to watch.

The most fun I've had with a sci-fi this year!! I can't be the only one who got some spicy sexual tension there, either. Can we have a steamy romance circle next time?! :)

The novel is a critique of the dangers of technology and consumerism. It raises important ethical questions about the role of science and technology across society in a way Crichton would have. The characters are well-developed, and the plot is engaging, with several unexpected twists and turns. The exploration of deep philosophical themes is shown as the characters grapple with questions of power, destiny, and the nature of humanity, while the futuristic city is a metaphor for the ecological costs of resource exploitation.

The story challenges readers to question their own values. It is a cautionary tale and a must-read for anyone interested in science fiction and dystopian literature.

Fab, fab, fab. When everything clicked into place at the end, I was like, what? That's wild! Gave me the feels the Ace Attorney visual novel games do. It's really well assembled and fresh.

this author really knows how to tell a story. At frist when i was 11 chapters in i lost interest in it but as i kept reading i got hooked. Diidnt think i would like the scifi type books as ive not read many of them but this one was good.

It was a great read. If this had been a little longer, perhaps five more chapters, I would have easily given it a 5/5. It was extremely fun. The author really respects his audience's time.

This is the story of Matthew Barker, a despondent teacher who explores the origins of a portal in the Scottish Highlands.

Things begin to change for Matt when his old university friend, Ethan Madison, contacts him and claims their former lecturer, Professor Joan Clarke, wants to share her discovery.

Little does Matt realise the life-changing journey he's about to embark on...

--

The more I read, the more I liked it. By the end, I LOVED it!!

If you are a fan of science fiction thrillers, then I highly recommend The Gateway. It is a fast-paced, suspenseful, and thought-provoking novel that will keep you guessing until the very end. I loved the novel's exploration of the nature of humanity, morality, and the future of technology.

This is the story of Matthew Barker, a despondent teacher who explores the origins of a portal in the Scottish Highlands.

Things begin to change for Matt when his old university friend, Ethan Madison, contacts him and claims their former lecturer, Professor Joan Clarke, wants to share her discovery.

Little does Matt realise the life-changing journey he's about to embark on...

-----------------------------

I take ages to read books nowadays. I read this one yesterday afternoon in one go... Very satisfied with the story, and it didn't mess up the ending either.

Thanks to James Lance and the team for the eARC. What a tale. This rocked hard!!! I'm wondering about that final scene and where it could lead!

This is the story of Matthew Barker, a despondent teacher who explores the origins of a portal in the Scottish Highlands.

Things begin to change for Matt when his old university friend, Ethan Madison, contacts him and claims their former lecturer, Professor Joan Clarke, wants to share her discovery.

Little does Matt realise the life-changing journey he's about to embark on...

-

I absolutely loved it. Thrilling from start to finish!

I just finished reading The Gateway, a must-read for any fan of sci-fi thrillers. This book hooked me from the beginning and held my attention right until the end. The level of accessible detail in the science and technology fields was impressive, and the characters were well-developed and relatable.

What sets this book apart is the pacing and tension. The author expertly builds suspense and keeps you guessing until the very end. There were several twists and turns that I did not see coming, and the climax was genuinely thrilling. I had Twilight Zone vibes with this; one of my all-time favorite shows.

There is something about old-school science fiction mystery that is simply thrilling to me. It has a certain charm that today's science fiction lacks. Perhaps it was the way in which the stories were told or the way in which the mysteries were crafted, but there was undoubtedly a certain magic to the genre that is hard to replicate today. The stories were often more grounded in science and technology, and the ideas presented were thought-provoking and often ahead of their time. Additionally, the pacing and structure of the stories were often more deliberate and methodical, allowing for a greater sense of tension and suspense to build. Ultimately, the combination of these elements resulted in a genre that was able to captivate and engage audiences in ways that modern science fiction struggles with. I got that same feeling again from this. It's an old-school sci-fi mystery at its best. Some will miss the point, but for the target audience like me, this is a must-read!

It was well-written and had a fast-paced plot that kept this reader engaged from beginning to end. The author has a talent for creating an intricate and gripping storyline full of unexpected twists and turns.

Matthew's transformation from a miserable person to a kind and compassionate individual was a compelling example of character development. At the beginning of the story, Matthew is portrayed as bitter, self-centred, and closed off from the world. However, as the story progressed, we witnessed a remarkable change in his demeanor and behavior. Through a series of experiences and interactions with other characters, Matthew began to show empathy, understanding, and a genuine concern for others. This transformation not only added depth to his character but also served as an inspiring reminder of the capacity for positive change within all of us. Ethan, of course, was clearly the opposite, starting off compassionate and moving towards something else... I think this was a very clever construction.

The author's skilful use of settings also greatly enhanced the storytelling and made the narrative come alive. Each setting was vividly described, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the world of the story. The careful attention to detail in depicting the settings not only provided a rich backdrop for the characters and events but also helped to set the tone and atmosphere of each scene. The settings were not just locations but integral elements that contributed to the overall mood and impact of the story. There was excellent use of settings here that added depth and dimension to the narrative, making the reading experience all the more engaging.

A very enjoyable read.

Matthew Barker's quiet life changes when he investigates a mysterious portal in the Scottish Highlands, thanks to an old friend's urgent call. -- Very good and fast read.

Enter a portal with Matthew and begun a wonderful adventure. Or is it. This book creates an interesting world with unusual occupants and plot changes to keep you guessing