Blind Panic is larger in scale than most of Masterton's work, however it lacks the depth of character and menace usually present. Masteron's vengeful medicine man, Misquamacus, returns serving up an almighty helping of chaos, blinding the populace of the United States starting with the President. It's up to Harry and friends to save the day. Although this is a handful of books in to this series, each is a self-contained story, so anyone can enjoy it. The story follows the main two characters and a few other seemingly random groups, which interconnect in tenuous manners throughout the story. There's little development for most of these extras and since their purpose remains undisclosed for most of the book, there's little opportunity to engage with them. In defter hands this could have been a real winner, however Masterton's talent for tightly constructed horror misfires a little here. Still entertaining, however not in his top half. ( )

I usually can suspend quite a bit of disbelief when reading books but I had trouble with this one. People are suddenly struck blind, including the president, as chaos spreads throughout the country. Amelia is a psychic. Harry is a fake. Together they have summoned spirits in the past as reference is made to an enemy Harry had made in the past, an Indian known as The One Who Went and Came Back. I’m not sure there is a central character as the author brings forth a number of groups, a young truck driver and her grandmother; four friends out camping; a stunt driver and reporter, and the president and his entourage. TOWWCB has two box-shaped buddies whose laser eyes look upon people and turn them blind. Their goal is to eliminate everyone and take back their land which the “white man” stole centuries ago. They want us to live off the land, give up technology, watch as our love ones suffer as they had to watch loved ones suffer. Being struck blind walking down a street is one thing, but you can imagine the chaos when pilots and drivers are struck blind. The puzzling part, although it’s tough to pick one, is what the baby had to do with it. He seemed to notice things and the grandmother thought he had some powers but no one can decipher baby talk. I vaguely remember reading something else by this author but this one, unfortunately, really stretched my plausibility meter. ( )

I had the misfortune to purchase this book without knowing that it was part of a continuation of a story that spans four more novels, starting with the Manitou. However, Masterton does an excellent job of bringing in enough information from the past books to let those who know next to nothing about the series in question (me) gain some insight into what has happened before without it sounding gratuitous.

When certain citizens of the United States begin to succumb to seemingly permanent blindness, doctors are baffled, even those who try to help out the President, who also suffers from the unknown disorder. Protagonists from all over the nation search for some answers, while two people with past experience with the supernatural realize that something sinister is behind the mass blindness.

I have to say that I need to read the other books in this series, because I get the feeling that I would enjoy them very much. Blind Panic is an excellent novel, and one that could almost standalone from the series it is tied-in to. Four stars out of five from me. ( )