Neuropath



"You are not what you think you are."

Neuropath (2008) is a near-future Techno Thriller by R. Scott Bakker, better known as the author of Second Apocalypse.

Professor of psychology Thomas Bible's life is turned upside down when the FBI arrives on his doorstep with reports of murders and gruesome experiments. The prime suspect is Tom's old college buddy Neil Cassidy, who has set out to prove a philosophical argument in the most shocking way possible...


 * Ax Crazy: The Chiropractor.
 * Action Survivor: Mia.
 * All for Nothing:
 * And I Must Scream:
 * Animals Lack Attributes: Very explicitly averted when Tom's dog rolls over and exposes his genitals. Agent Gerard finds it hilarious and says it's so big it should get its own website. Then makes up some domain names. ("www.dog-got-a-bone.com")
 * Big No: Thomas, right before
 * Chase Scene: One of the few upbeat sections of the novel, in fact.
 * Cruel and Unusual Death: The serial killer known as the Chiropractor rips out his victims' spinal columns. This happens to one character  while he is paralyzed but still fully conscious.
 * Cyberpunk: A subtle near-future example.
 * Despair Event Horizon:
 * Electric Instant Gratification: The pornstar near the start,
 * Emotion Suppression: This happens to
 * Fate Worse Than Death
 * Fighting From the Inside: Averted hard.
 * Go Mad from the Revelation:
 * Government Conspiracy
 * Ho Yay:
 * Inherent in the System: Every system, be it politics, biology, or the values on which we base our lives, is basically depicted as a complete sham.
 * Luke, I Am Your Father:
 * Mad Scientist:
 * Mind Control Device: Nicknamed "Mary".
 * Mind Rape: The most horrendously extreme Mind Rape happens to
 * In this near future, the NSA neurologists routinely Mind Rape suspected terrorists as interrogation.
 * The Mole: who reveals herself in a truly unsettling scene.
 * Mr. Exposition: Tom, rather irritatingly in places.
 * Nietzsche Wannabe: Neil.
 * Out with a Bang:
 * Serial Killer: The Chiropractor.
 * Shown Their Work: Tom's speeches about neurology and psychology. Mostly justified in-story as they are dealing with a killer who literally mind controls people, but sometimes Tom suddenly goes off on yet another rant about psychology when that scene could have done without it.
 * Sliding Scale of Free Will vs. Fate: A definite type 0.
 * Squishy Wizard: Having absolute power over people's minds surely qualifies  for this.
 * Stealth Pun: Neuropath. What's a related word to 'neuro-'?'Psycho-'.
 * Invisible to Gaydar: Mia.
 * Tap on the Head: Subverted: Tom notes that the guard he and Mia knocked out needs serious medical attention.
 * Twenty Minutes Into the Future: The year in which the novel takes place is never stated, but 2010 is mentioned as a year gone by (The novel was published in 2008).
 * What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic: Thomas Bible? His unusual surname is Lampshaded but it's not clear if it's meant to signify anything.
 * World Half Empty: Judging by news reports, most of the world seems to have gone to hell.