Review: The Gospel of Tommy Visconti (The Edge of the Known – Conclusion) by Seth Mullins

The Gospel of Tommy Visconti by Seth Mullins is the sixth and final volume of The Edge of the Known series, which follows the rise of the band Edge of the Known and the mercurial bandleader Brandon Chane, as he muses about life and the creative process. Here the story is told by his creative partner Tommy Visconti, as we get a view of Brandon from a distance, and potentially a deeper look into the author of this fascinating series.

Tommy Visconti is the lumbering bass player in Edge of the Known – not quite the mastermind, but instrumental in the band’s evolution. In many ways, Gospel is a similar novel to the previous books in the series, as Tommy Visconti is a very similar character to Brandon Chane, with the same thoughtfulness and passion for the creative process, and therapist Saul offering his wisdom and guidance to Tommy, just as he mentored Brandon. Yet Tommy has a different voice than Brandon’s: more down-to-earth and less on the edge of self-destruction – though Brandon himself was settling in that direction as well.

In reviewing the previous novel in the series – Awaken to the Wilderness – the critique was that the novel seemed to read like a kind of epilogue, and in a way that was the case, as Gospel reads more like an afterword than an epilogue. If you’ve been along for the ride for five books so far, you may have some curiosity about the author of the books, and Tommy Visconti seems very much a stand-in for Mullins himself. One cannot be sure if the stories from Visconti’s life mirror Mullins’ own, but this book certainly has the flavor of a memoir more so than previous books, where Brandon Chane felt more like a larger than life character.

Memoir or not, Tommy Visconti has a compelling story of his own, as he opines about his childhood, especially his star-athlete brother who tragically died, his relationship with women, and his evolution as a musician. That said, the book is a somewhat divergent path for the series to take, as it seems more like the introduction to a new series than something that wraps up this series in any major fashion. The title “Gospel” suggests this is Tommy’s summation of Brandon Chane, but mostly this is Tommy’s story about his own life, which is interesting and engaging on its own, but seems more tangential than an encapsulation of the series.

Still, there is something wildly inspiring about all of the Edge novels, and Tommy Viconti’s voice is clearer and more self-assured than Brandon Chane’s. As with Brandon’s novels, the book leaves you with a real respect not just for these characters, but for the creative process itself. By the end of reading this novel you’ll want to record a record, or write a book of your own.

All in all, The Edge of the Known series is one of the most unique, inspiring, and eloquent examinations of what it is to be a musician, or any creative person, trying to balance creativity and the demands of life, both metaphysical and material. The Gospel of Tommy Visconti may diverge from Brandon’s personal story, but it has all the elements that make this series work so well, marking a fitting end to a stellar series.