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Repairman Jack #5
Hosts
From New York Times bestselling author F. Paul Wilson, Repairman Jack is back in the urban adventure thriller, Hosts .
As his fans know, Repairman Jack doesn't deal with electronic appliances; he's a situation fixer, no matter how weird or deadly a situation may be. Repairman Jack has no last name, no Social Security number, and no qualms when it comes to getting the job done--even if it means putting himself in serious danger.
After fifteen years of separation, Jack is contacted by his long-lost sister, Kate, to help her track down the source of her girlfriend Jeanette's sudden trance-like behavior. Referred by a mysterious stranger who gives only Jack's name and phone number, Kate is shocked to find out that the "repairman" she seeks is none other than her little brother--and not altogether happy to find out what little "Jackie" has been doing with himself for all these years.
With Jack leading the way, Kate finds out that Jeannette's behavior can be traced back to the experimental therapy she underwent for a brain now Jeannette's brain and those of several other subjects are infected by a mutated virus. Like any good virus, it wants to multiply--and if Jack can't stop the virus in its path, there will be deadly results.
Meanwhile, Jack is traveling on the 9 train when suddenly a passenger goes berserk and starts shooting at random--leaving Jack no choice but to throw himself into the spotlight by putting the shooter down. Worse for Jack, one of his fellow passengers is a reporter for the local tabloid, The Light , who sees Jack's heroism as his ticket to journalistic stardom. The reporter promises to make Jack a celebrity hero, a household name--which could mean the end of Repairman Jack as we know him.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
As his fans know, Repairman Jack doesn't deal with electronic appliances; he's a situation fixer, no matter how weird or deadly a situation may be. Repairman Jack has no last name, no Social Security number, and no qualms when it comes to getting the job done--even if it means putting himself in serious danger.
After fifteen years of separation, Jack is contacted by his long-lost sister, Kate, to help her track down the source of her girlfriend Jeanette's sudden trance-like behavior. Referred by a mysterious stranger who gives only Jack's name and phone number, Kate is shocked to find out that the "repairman" she seeks is none other than her little brother--and not altogether happy to find out what little "Jackie" has been doing with himself for all these years.
With Jack leading the way, Kate finds out that Jeannette's behavior can be traced back to the experimental therapy she underwent for a brain now Jeannette's brain and those of several other subjects are infected by a mutated virus. Like any good virus, it wants to multiply--and if Jack can't stop the virus in its path, there will be deadly results.
Meanwhile, Jack is traveling on the 9 train when suddenly a passenger goes berserk and starts shooting at random--leaving Jack no choice but to throw himself into the spotlight by putting the shooter down. Worse for Jack, one of his fellow passengers is a reporter for the local tabloid, The Light , who sees Jack's heroism as his ticket to journalistic stardom. The reporter promises to make Jack a celebrity hero, a household name--which could mean the end of Repairman Jack as we know him.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
518 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2001
78 people are currently reading
979 people want to read
About the author
F. Paul Wilson
421 books1,979 followersFrancis Paul Wilson is an author, born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He writes novels and short stories primarily in the science fiction and horror genres. His debut novel was Healer (1976). Wilson is also a part-time practicing family physician. He made his first sales in 1970 to Analog and continued to write science fiction throughout the seventies. In 1981 he ventured into the horror genre with the international bestseller, The Keep, and helped define the field throughout the rest of the decade. In the 1990s he became a true genre hopper, moving from science fiction to horror to medical thrillers and branching into interactive scripting for Disney Interactive and other multimedia companies. He, along with Matthew J. Costello, created and scripted FTL Newsfeed which ran daily on the Sci-Fi Channel from 1992-1996.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/fpaulw...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/fpaulw...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
October 17, 2015
I had forgotten how much I was enjoying this series as I set it aside a while back. Recently a "prequel" was released by the author showing us how "Repairman Jack" came about (and the sadist ended said book in a cliffhanger). That book reminded me and I went back to my shelves and pulled the paperback where I'd "fet off down". (That was what I typed originally...I have no idea what I meant to type. That is one "doozy" of a typo. I meant to type that I picked up the series where I'd left off. I leave the typo to show what can happen when a "self taught typist" tries to type quickly.)
And I'm glad I did. Here Jack's past pops up to sort of drag him back in and his carefully crafted anonymity is threatened. He unwillingly gets drawn farther into the apparently supernatural "war" or "conflict" or "invasion"....or "invasions" that seem to be horning into his life.
The story here snatched me up and dragged me in quickly. As I don't often have as much time as I'd like to actually sit and read print it was extremely frustrating to find I couldn't get back to it as often as I'd like.
Told as a complete story yet still leading deeper into the morass that Jack's life has become this is another good read.
On another tack I also find Jack's view of life (and the view of those around him) interesting and enjoy that part of the books also. So, good read, interesting read, fairly fresh take on the ideas behind the books. I like them...I like this one.
5 stars, recommended, enjoy.
And I'm glad I did. Here Jack's past pops up to sort of drag him back in and his carefully crafted anonymity is threatened. He unwillingly gets drawn farther into the apparently supernatural "war" or "conflict" or "invasion"....or "invasions" that seem to be horning into his life.
The story here snatched me up and dragged me in quickly. As I don't often have as much time as I'd like to actually sit and read print it was extremely frustrating to find I couldn't get back to it as often as I'd like.
Told as a complete story yet still leading deeper into the morass that Jack's life has become this is another good read.
On another tack I also find Jack's view of life (and the view of those around him) interesting and enjoy that part of the books also. So, good read, interesting read, fairly fresh take on the ideas behind the books. I like them...I like this one.
5 stars, recommended, enjoy.
December 3, 2020
Hosts is a rather tame outing for Repairman Jack, but makes up for it to some degree with some solid character building. Alas, we are not treated to any scenes of Jacks 'fixes', which have always served as a sideline in the other books in the series. Hosts starts off with a bang-- Jack is riding the subway when suddenly a guy pulls out some glocks and starts killing everyone, with himself blocking the only door out. Finally, Jack gets up and puts the guy down--hard. When the train stops, Jack makes a quick break, but there are plenty of eyewitnesses and Jack dreads being tracked down. Worse, a budding journalist was sitting right next to Jack, and actually wants to track him down and even worse, he got a good look at Jack and has access to a graphic profile machine!
As usual, a side story becomes the main focus when Jack gets a call about a cult and after meeting up, he discovers it is his sister! Wilson has mentioned Kate before, but only that she is a doctor somewhere and her and Jack have not spoken in over a decade. Turns out his sister's lover was given an experimental treatment for a brain tumor and is now acting very weird...
This straddles the line between medical horror (another of Wilson's fortes) and supernatural thriller, albeit the supernatural is pretty subdued here. Definitely not as fast paced or fun as some of the other volumes in the series, but still, a good read.
As usual, a side story becomes the main focus when Jack gets a call about a cult and after meeting up, he discovers it is his sister! Wilson has mentioned Kate before, but only that she is a doctor somewhere and her and Jack have not spoken in over a decade. Turns out his sister's lover was given an experimental treatment for a brain tumor and is now acting very weird...
This straddles the line between medical horror (another of Wilson's fortes) and supernatural thriller, albeit the supernatural is pretty subdued here. Definitely not as fast paced or fun as some of the other volumes in the series, but still, a good read.
July 4, 2015
4.5 Stars
Hosts by F.Paul Wilson (Repairman Jack #5) is another fantastic addition to the life and story of Jack, our anti-hero fixer upper. Hosts starts out with a great action scene on a subway and things don't necessarily work out for the best. I won't spoil anything for you. I loved that we were treated to some back story about Jack and were given a story about him and his sister Kate. I did miss Gia and vicky as they are hardly in this one.
Two story lines unfold in this one and Jack finds himself in the center of both. I wondered how this story fit in to the bigger picture that is the center of The Repairman Jack series and was pleased when I finally discovered how. I love how slowly Wilson has developed the bigger picture as it now takes on more and more weight in Jack's life.
Hosts is a great read. The Repairman Jack series is a blast. F.Paul Wilson is an author not to be missed...Highly recommended!
Hosts by F.Paul Wilson (Repairman Jack #5) is another fantastic addition to the life and story of Jack, our anti-hero fixer upper. Hosts starts out with a great action scene on a subway and things don't necessarily work out for the best. I won't spoil anything for you. I loved that we were treated to some back story about Jack and were given a story about him and his sister Kate. I did miss Gia and vicky as they are hardly in this one.
Two story lines unfold in this one and Jack finds himself in the center of both. I wondered how this story fit in to the bigger picture that is the center of The Repairman Jack series and was pleased when I finally discovered how. I love how slowly Wilson has developed the bigger picture as it now takes on more and more weight in Jack's life.
Hosts is a great read. The Repairman Jack series is a blast. F.Paul Wilson is an author not to be missed...Highly recommended!
February 20, 2025
3.5
Another banger in the Repairman Jack series. It’s been a while since I dipped into this series, but I’ve collected a few more of these lately so I’m back. No spoilers, and there’s a big one for the series as a whole in this book. Maybe more than one.
One thing Wilson always does well is when he writes about mind-control. This sort of thing happens in several FPW novels; probably because he’s skilled with this material and knows it.
This book in particular seems to be pointing the way to an overarching story that’s been hinted at in previous Repairman Jack adventures and elsewhere. I remember hints of this plot line way back in the Adversary stories (The Keep, etc). These books can all be read as standalones.
For those who aren’t familiar, Repairman Jack is the story of a man who lives off the official grid, doesn’t pay taxes, doesn’t have an official identity, and works as a freelance problem-solver to make a living. He’s a modern pulp hero in many ways, something that’s a little rare but sorely needed in a book-series world full of detectives, alphabet-agency agents, private investigators, etc. Just a little bit off the usual track and very welcome. It helps that Repairman Jack is always finding unusual, horrific, or paranormal problems to solve. These books have just enough horror and SF to satisfy.
Another banger in the Repairman Jack series. It’s been a while since I dipped into this series, but I’ve collected a few more of these lately so I’m back. No spoilers, and there’s a big one for the series as a whole in this book. Maybe more than one.
One thing Wilson always does well is when he writes about mind-control. This sort of thing happens in several FPW novels; probably because he’s skilled with this material and knows it.
This book in particular seems to be pointing the way to an overarching story that’s been hinted at in previous Repairman Jack adventures and elsewhere. I remember hints of this plot line way back in the Adversary stories (The Keep, etc). These books can all be read as standalones.
For those who aren’t familiar, Repairman Jack is the story of a man who lives off the official grid, doesn’t pay taxes, doesn’t have an official identity, and works as a freelance problem-solver to make a living. He’s a modern pulp hero in many ways, something that’s a little rare but sorely needed in a book-series world full of detectives, alphabet-agency agents, private investigators, etc. Just a little bit off the usual track and very welcome. It helps that Repairman Jack is always finding unusual, horrific, or paranormal problems to solve. These books have just enough horror and SF to satisfy.
August 4, 2009
I love Repairman Jack. If there was such a person in this world, you'd really want to have him on your side. In the world of fantasy, horror and often verging into pulp, this entire series is just fun.
In this installment, Jack, who prefers to remain anonymous, has his work cut out for him. After an incident on the subway, a New York tabloid reporter wants to find him and draw him out of hiding. This thread continues throughout the book and ultimately is interwoven with the main story -- in which Jack's new client turns out to be his long-estranged sister. Without much detail, Jack is drawn into the world of a strange group of people, all of whom are patients of a certain doctor whose treatment has altered their brains. I won't say any more; suffice it to say that Jack is under a deadline to stop a nefarious plot (is there really any other kind in the sci-fi, horror world?) and you can feel the tension heating up as the time grows nearer and Jack must once again save the world.
Hosts is the type of book that you absolutely have to read as escape fiction, or at least just for the sheer fun of it all. Once you start it, it's hard to put down and trust me, you'll get through it quickly because it's a page turner.
My advice on reading the Repairman Jack series -- start from the beginning and do not miss a single one in order -- http://booksnbytes.com/authors/wilson...
Anyone who likes a bit of horror fiction with some dark humor would like these books.
In this installment, Jack, who prefers to remain anonymous, has his work cut out for him. After an incident on the subway, a New York tabloid reporter wants to find him and draw him out of hiding. This thread continues throughout the book and ultimately is interwoven with the main story -- in which Jack's new client turns out to be his long-estranged sister. Without much detail, Jack is drawn into the world of a strange group of people, all of whom are patients of a certain doctor whose treatment has altered their brains. I won't say any more; suffice it to say that Jack is under a deadline to stop a nefarious plot (is there really any other kind in the sci-fi, horror world?) and you can feel the tension heating up as the time grows nearer and Jack must once again save the world.
Hosts is the type of book that you absolutely have to read as escape fiction, or at least just for the sheer fun of it all. Once you start it, it's hard to put down and trust me, you'll get through it quickly because it's a page turner.
My advice on reading the Repairman Jack series -- start from the beginning and do not miss a single one in order -- http://booksnbytes.com/authors/wilson...
Anyone who likes a bit of horror fiction with some dark humor would like these books.
January 11, 2010
Reading the Repairman Jack series is starting to remind me of listening to old 1930s radio serials when I was a kid. Whether it's Dick Tracy unraveling the Mystery of the Pharaoh's Scarab or The Shadow trying to stop a notorious arsonist, Wilson definitely draws much inspiration from the radio heroes of yesteryear in the construction of his bite-size thrillers and his reluctant hero, Jack.
In Hosts, Jack's conflict against the inter-dimensional Otherness gets personal when his estranged sister contacts him out of the blue for help in freeing her girlfriend from a creepy cult. Of course when Jack is involved things are never as cut and dry as a mere cult. Before he knows it, Jack is fighting off an especially malicious virus doing what viruses do best (spread their contagion as far and wide as possible) and trying to keep his family out of the increasingly dangerous crossfire.
Wilson is setting Jack up for some big events further down the line but the story in this one suffers from looking ahead too much. It's as though Wilson was more interested in framing events for the series' climax than in crafting a truly captivating story. There were some fun additions to Jack's rather familiar bag of tricks and some rather chilling flash forwards of a strife-filled future in which the contagion has run rampant, but all in all this book seemed like a build-up for something farther down the road.
In Hosts, Jack's conflict against the inter-dimensional Otherness gets personal when his estranged sister contacts him out of the blue for help in freeing her girlfriend from a creepy cult. Of course when Jack is involved things are never as cut and dry as a mere cult. Before he knows it, Jack is fighting off an especially malicious virus doing what viruses do best (spread their contagion as far and wide as possible) and trying to keep his family out of the increasingly dangerous crossfire.
Wilson is setting Jack up for some big events further down the line but the story in this one suffers from looking ahead too much. It's as though Wilson was more interested in framing events for the series' climax than in crafting a truly captivating story. There were some fun additions to Jack's rather familiar bag of tricks and some rather chilling flash forwards of a strife-filled future in which the contagion has run rampant, but all in all this book seemed like a build-up for something farther down the road.
August 1, 2020
Rating for this book is 4.8/5
This story includes an interesting thriller and a hideous tragedy. The involvement of unexpected turns hooks the reader very well! The idea of The Repairman jack is an astonishing character while and after finishing the book. I enjoyed reading this book, it was neither too fast nor too slow. The story can be picked up quickly and does not leave its essence in the middle. The stories picked up in the right place. If you enjoy reading thriller and suspense, this is the right book to look forward to!
jack has maintained distant relationships all his life to stay a-put. First, with the reporter who is a witness of cruel tragedy on the bus, trying to get The Repairman out of his misery of hiding. His involvement with his blood, his sister Kate with certain tragedy. The unusual group forms a cult that lies beyond the human world to unify themselves. Being the The chosen , he wants to save the world from the uncertainty that may occur. He's the savior and a warrior. In a world of chaos, jack appears to belong to ancient times with his unique collection of various items. The patients belonging to the same doctor are a part of the cult, induced with a virus that mutates all over their system, deaths of members and the doctor, Jack is wired towards them.
The character building in this story is very strong. The storyline is interesting. The delicacy of his style of maintaining the story by establishing moods with the twists, perfect imagery, and right explanations of scenes. The very part that touched me truly was the ending with the tragedy of the reporter. He won my attention over the story, the twists got him bad.
The .2 score is due to this reason. The dreams of Gia and Vicky baffled Jack. I did not get to see much of both after the tragedies. As per the story, the dreams were the future occurrence leading to chaos in the world full of infected vs uninfected. Yet, I wanted to know at least how they were or where they were. I would've never thought the story to turn differently. My assumption was general fighting, murder, and suspense by the of The hosts.
My favorite line in this story when Jack tells this to Sandy: "I'll use my own virucidal agent. Don't know about their's but, minis administered via nine-millimeter, hollow-pointed injection" :P
July 30, 2018
In this extremely enjoyable novel, Wilson continues expanding on the life of Repairman Jack and by extension the Adversary Cycle universe. We pick up on Jack's life about a year after ALL THE RAGE; at the same time though Wilson brings Jack's life into the present. There are small clues dropped throughout the story that point at Jack now living in the 2000s instead of the 1980s. Anyway this story has Jack by an act of weird synchronicity finding his sister who he hasn't talked to in years. The sister pulls Jack into an adventure that ends up tying into previous books and future books.
As is usual for Wilson, he does a fabulous job at writing a story that is engrossing with characters that are interesting and includes enough adventure and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. This time the story does not involve Gia or Vicky very much; it would have been nice to see more of them but they didn't fit into the story line. The one thing that I didn't like that much was near the end when Jack has revealed to him that he is an important person in the fight against the Adversary. I know that Wilson is playing into the already written Adversary Cycle finale but it was a bit too contrived; it's like the moment during a movie when you just KNOW that there are going to be lots of sequels. Same thing. It's good because I love his writing and the character. The moment was just over-dramatized.
As is usual for Wilson, he does a fabulous job at writing a story that is engrossing with characters that are interesting and includes enough adventure and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. This time the story does not involve Gia or Vicky very much; it would have been nice to see more of them but they didn't fit into the story line. The one thing that I didn't like that much was near the end when Jack has revealed to him that he is an important person in the fight against the Adversary. I know that Wilson is playing into the already written Adversary Cycle finale but it was a bit too contrived; it's like the moment during a movie when you just KNOW that there are going to be lots of sequels. Same thing. It's good because I love his writing and the character. The moment was just over-dramatized.
June 29, 2014
In the fifth of sixteen Repairman Jack novels, a strange Russian lady with a large white dog appears at Jack's sickbed and tells him that he, and he alone, must stop a virus that the Adversary of all mankind has unleashed to create war, hate, death, fear, pain, and destruction. Here is a snippet of their conversation:
If that doesn't qualify as creepy, the statute should be repealed. And this is only one-third of the way through a series of thrillers that get weirder and scarier with each installment. The Adversary bit suggests that this book also features a crossover with the same author's six-book Adversary Cycle. Whether you call it the Adversary or the Otherness, or whatever you choose to call it, it's a force from outside our reality whose intentions toward mankind are not good. Already in less than a year (Jack's time), it has tried to break into the world four different ways: vicious demons, diabolical machines, rips in the fabric of the universe, and most recently a drug that heightens aggression. Now it's found another way: turning an experimental cancer cure into a mutation that could end human life as we know it.
It isn't unusual for Jack's most serious cases to endanger the people he cares about the most. He's gotten pretty well mauled himself, a few times. But his work gets harder than ever when a young journalist witnesses him saving a subway carful of passengers from a mass murderer. Not only does the publicity threaten to blow his cover—no disaster could be worse for a man whose lifestyle is based on flying below the government's radar—but it also attracts the attention of a pair of professional bombers who have a grudge against Jack. And it's just when his invisibility cloak is slipping that he gets a new fix-it job that hits closer to home than most. For his new client, referred to him by the mysterious lady with dog, is none other than Jack's estranged sister Kate.
Kate has her own closet complete with skeletons. One of them is a lesbian lover whose personality suddenly changed after a life-saving cancer treatment. Kate worries that Jeanette has become involved in a cult. But it's actually much worse than that. All the members of this supposed cult were subjects in the same clinical trial. Somehow their miracle cure has mutated into a virus that has replaced their individual identities with a single, shared mind. Driven by the survival instincts of a sentient virus, they are only a few mutations away from being ready to spread their Unity to an unsuspecting world. From a virus's point of view, the result will be a paradise on earth. Other than that, it looks like the end of human civilization.
While Jack dodges the enquiring mind of his own personal Jimmy Olsen and the deathtraps set by a couple of pyrotechnic goons, he and Kate find themselves fighting an enemy that—thanks to Jeanette and her buddies—is now in their blood too. Kate feels herself gradually losing control over her own thoughts and actions. Jack becomes deathly ill, helpless and weak. And though the Russian lady assures him that he is the one who can stop the virus, it's hard to figure how he can do this. People who can act in concert, sharing the same mind, can be amazingly dangerous enemies. They know Jack is a threat to them. They have proven willing and able to kill whoever stands in their way. And he knows that if he doesn't stop them before the virus goes airborne, all will be lost.
Truly, fixing this is going to be a big job. It's going to hurt Jack more than any case he has worked so far. But more importantly, it poses the big "Why me?" question in a way that he can no longer ignore. For the first time, Jack begins to realize that his repeated brushes with the Otherness are more than a case of serendipity. He learns that he has been recruited as a warrior to fight an Adversary he does not understand, and he has no choice in this. It's not going to sit easy with a guy who values his own freedom (including the right to bear arms) as much as his own life. But he has eleven more novel-length adventures to learn to accept it. The next Repairman Jack book is The Haunted Air.
"Stop virus before it spreads, or all you love will perish." She turned and headed for the bedroom door. "I leave you now."
Jack felt the temperature drop. No...more chills. He pulled the covers back over him.
"Lady, who are you?"
She and her big white dog stopped at the door and looked at him. "I am your mother."
Nonplussed, Jack struggled for a reply. She was nothing like his mother. Finally he resorted to a simple statement of fact.
"My mother's dead."
"She was your birth mother," she said. "I am your other mother."
If that doesn't qualify as creepy, the statute should be repealed. And this is only one-third of the way through a series of thrillers that get weirder and scarier with each installment. The Adversary bit suggests that this book also features a crossover with the same author's six-book Adversary Cycle. Whether you call it the Adversary or the Otherness, or whatever you choose to call it, it's a force from outside our reality whose intentions toward mankind are not good. Already in less than a year (Jack's time), it has tried to break into the world four different ways: vicious demons, diabolical machines, rips in the fabric of the universe, and most recently a drug that heightens aggression. Now it's found another way: turning an experimental cancer cure into a mutation that could end human life as we know it.
It isn't unusual for Jack's most serious cases to endanger the people he cares about the most. He's gotten pretty well mauled himself, a few times. But his work gets harder than ever when a young journalist witnesses him saving a subway carful of passengers from a mass murderer. Not only does the publicity threaten to blow his cover—no disaster could be worse for a man whose lifestyle is based on flying below the government's radar—but it also attracts the attention of a pair of professional bombers who have a grudge against Jack. And it's just when his invisibility cloak is slipping that he gets a new fix-it job that hits closer to home than most. For his new client, referred to him by the mysterious lady with dog, is none other than Jack's estranged sister Kate.
Kate has her own closet complete with skeletons. One of them is a lesbian lover whose personality suddenly changed after a life-saving cancer treatment. Kate worries that Jeanette has become involved in a cult. But it's actually much worse than that. All the members of this supposed cult were subjects in the same clinical trial. Somehow their miracle cure has mutated into a virus that has replaced their individual identities with a single, shared mind. Driven by the survival instincts of a sentient virus, they are only a few mutations away from being ready to spread their Unity to an unsuspecting world. From a virus's point of view, the result will be a paradise on earth. Other than that, it looks like the end of human civilization.
While Jack dodges the enquiring mind of his own personal Jimmy Olsen and the deathtraps set by a couple of pyrotechnic goons, he and Kate find themselves fighting an enemy that—thanks to Jeanette and her buddies—is now in their blood too. Kate feels herself gradually losing control over her own thoughts and actions. Jack becomes deathly ill, helpless and weak. And though the Russian lady assures him that he is the one who can stop the virus, it's hard to figure how he can do this. People who can act in concert, sharing the same mind, can be amazingly dangerous enemies. They know Jack is a threat to them. They have proven willing and able to kill whoever stands in their way. And he knows that if he doesn't stop them before the virus goes airborne, all will be lost.
Truly, fixing this is going to be a big job. It's going to hurt Jack more than any case he has worked so far. But more importantly, it poses the big "Why me?" question in a way that he can no longer ignore. For the first time, Jack begins to realize that his repeated brushes with the Otherness are more than a case of serendipity. He learns that he has been recruited as a warrior to fight an Adversary he does not understand, and he has no choice in this. It's not going to sit easy with a guy who values his own freedom (including the right to bear arms) as much as his own life. But he has eleven more novel-length adventures to learn to accept it. The next Repairman Jack book is The Haunted Air.
May 20, 2009
Repairman Jack returns for another exciting adventure as he unknowingly takes yet another step into to the paranormal. This novel intertwines two story lines-- that of "The Savior" and the subway fiasco at the beginning of the novel and the self-named parasitic virus called Unity. Things get a little twisted when Jack's sister gets a mysterious visit from someone who tells her Jack is the only one who can help with the strangeness going on with her lesbian lover, Janette. What a surprise when she discovers this Jack is her little brother.
The most interesting part of the story is seeing how two completely different story lines come together in the end. Wilson does an excellent job tying up the loose ends.
While I did enjoy the novel, turning page after page and reading whenever I could... I don't like futile situations (It's why I hate zombie movies). As far as the Repairman Jack series goes, I didn't quite find this one as pleasurable a read as some of the other novels-- it was almost predictable. Though, it does have excellent "kick-ass" moments like the incident with the Kolkowski brothers. I think what I didn't like the most about this was the ending... but I hate writing spoilers so you'll have to read the book to find out what happens to Jack in this adventure.
Jack's experiences in the other novels come into play a little, but you can still read the novel out of order as there are enough clues to keep the story flowing.
The most interesting part of the story is seeing how two completely different story lines come together in the end. Wilson does an excellent job tying up the loose ends.
While I did enjoy the novel, turning page after page and reading whenever I could... I don't like futile situations (It's why I hate zombie movies). As far as the Repairman Jack series goes, I didn't quite find this one as pleasurable a read as some of the other novels-- it was almost predictable. Though, it does have excellent "kick-ass" moments like the incident with the Kolkowski brothers. I think what I didn't like the most about this was the ending... but I hate writing spoilers so you'll have to read the book to find out what happens to Jack in this adventure.
Jack's experiences in the other novels come into play a little, but you can still read the novel out of order as there are enough clues to keep the story flowing.
August 15, 2017
Yet another foray into the urban adventures of Repairman Jack and his close encounters with the supernatural, inter-dimensional Otherness as he tries to "fix" situations for those who are desperate and in need. We get to meet Jack's sister, Kate, in this fifth novel. Delving into Jack's back story and family dynamic really adds to the depth and appeal of his character.
In terms of the plot, this might be the best of the series yet -- echoes of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Jack's anonymity is also in jeopardy as his heroism as "the Savior" in a tragic subway encounter draws the admiration not just of the city but of a reporter who won't let go of the story that can make him famous.
For me, these books read like those old-time radio mystery serials that our grandparents used to listen to week after week. I am really enjoying this ride. Glad I have ten more books to enjoy. :)
In terms of the plot, this might be the best of the series yet -- echoes of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Jack's anonymity is also in jeopardy as his heroism as "the Savior" in a tragic subway encounter draws the admiration not just of the city but of a reporter who won't let go of the story that can make him famous.
For me, these books read like those old-time radio mystery serials that our grandparents used to listen to week after week. I am really enjoying this ride. Glad I have ten more books to enjoy. :)
September 18, 2010
Another great book involving the continuing fight against "the otherness".
Wilson continues the story of Repairman Jack as he continues his struggle to right wrong while at the same time remain anonymous.
Wilson continues the story of Repairman Jack as he continues his struggle to right wrong while at the same time remain anonymous.
February 12, 2015
Good book. Enjoying this series.
August 1, 2021
Jack helps where he can. But despite this, Jack brings havoc and death to many.
March 27, 2025
Awesome book!!! This was a great addition to the Repairman Jack series, and I was shocked by how Jack handled things near the end and by the whole ending. The introduction of a mysterious new character and the word "adversary" finally being used was very interesting.
January 8, 2025
No more coincidence for you...
April 20, 2022
Vote: 3,75
Class: L-B2 (FP) (*)
(fifth book of the Repairman Jack Series)
Fast pacing, well written and with wonderful characters I've come to really like the Repairman Jack series!
This one pick up where the third book ended, with a supernatural war going on with the Otherness: good story with some interesting twists.
A good and enjoyable reading and I'll follow up with the next installment of the series sometimes in the future.
(*) There is some homosexual contest (almost nothing explicit though) which some people could find not appropriate.
Class: L-B2 (FP) (*)
(fifth book of the Repairman Jack Series)
Fast pacing, well written and with wonderful characters I've come to really like the Repairman Jack series!
This one pick up where the third book ended, with a supernatural war going on with the Otherness: good story with some interesting twists.
A good and enjoyable reading and I'll follow up with the next installment of the series sometimes in the future.
(*) There is some homosexual contest (almost nothing explicit though) which some people could find not appropriate.
May 31, 2021
Only vague generalities, no spoilers:
This has to be the worst of the early Repairman Jack books. It was very frustrating for me to read and it’s one of the few that I’ve never bothered to go back and reread. The character of Sandy is just so annoying and he created a situation that basically ends up being a “fix” for Jack. Had this been anyone else’s fix, Jack would’ve handled it with much more aplomb. Instead he kind of blows it again and again and it’s so frustrating to see Jack be this incompetent.
The A plot of the book has its own problems. It’s pretty much necessary for the over arching plot of the books, and that creates its own kind of problem. As the Adversary Cycle comes to a close it creates less and less of a window to write a decent Jack book because the events are predetermined and Jack is going to have to fail. That’s why I divide the books into early and later Repairman Jack. In the later books the outcome is just so predetermined and there is a built-in futility to all of the stories which makes them much less of a fun read in the early books. When you’re first reading them you’re dying to know what’s going on so there is a lot of suspense. But on subsequent readings, when you already know the details of the major arc, this just leads to a kind of doomed frustration.
In a sense, this book flows much more like the later books than earlier RJ.
Spoilers:
This has to be the worst of the early Repairman Jack books. It was very frustrating for me to read and it’s one of the few that I’ve never bothered to go back and reread. The character of Sandy is just so annoying and he created a situation that basically ends up being a “fix” for Jack. Had this been anyone else’s fix, Jack would’ve handled it with much more aplomb. Instead he kind of blows it again and again and it’s so frustrating to see Jack be this incompetent.
The A plot of the book has its own problems. It’s pretty much necessary for the over arching plot of the books, and that creates its own kind of problem. As the Adversary Cycle comes to a close it creates less and less of a window to write a decent Jack book because the events are predetermined and Jack is going to have to fail. That’s why I divide the books into early and later Repairman Jack. In the later books the outcome is just so predetermined and there is a built-in futility to all of the stories which makes them much less of a fun read in the early books. When you’re first reading them you’re dying to know what’s going on so there is a lot of suspense. But on subsequent readings, when you already know the details of the major arc, this just leads to a kind of doomed frustration.
In a sense, this book flows much more like the later books than earlier RJ.
Spoilers:
July 25, 2018
Having enjoyed the RJ series up until this one, I found Hosts to be a letdown. It has several problems.
1. The author switches back and forth between present and future without any warning to the reader. This was not only disconcerting and confusing, but elicited unnecessary remorse from certain events which were narrated but did not really happen because they were a dream. As I reader I felt manipulated.
2. The author would at times drop pronouns for a paragraph, as some do these days in blog comments. It was a bit jarring, and negatively affected the flow. Why do this?
3. The author seemed to be on a didactic binge to teach us about controversial topics, such as sexual orientation tolerance. I don't read a novel to get a lesson from a fiction author!
4. I had to force myself to keep reading several times, and could only read a few pages before I had to take a break, because this is a "dark" story that was not particularly pleasant or fun to read.
5. The author has made the Semmerling pistol a major prop in the book, which is interesting, but both he and the editor need to at least learn how it functions if they are going to write about it. On page 370: "Kate's left hand slides back the top of the pistol and lets it slide forward." She is supposedly cocking and loading a round. But the Semmerling does not function like most other slide-action pistols. A Semmerling's slide is pushed FORWARD, and then springs BACK to load a round, the opposite of the narrative.
1. The author switches back and forth between present and future without any warning to the reader. This was not only disconcerting and confusing, but elicited unnecessary remorse from certain events which were narrated but did not really happen because they were a dream. As I reader I felt manipulated.
2. The author would at times drop pronouns for a paragraph, as some do these days in blog comments. It was a bit jarring, and negatively affected the flow. Why do this?
3. The author seemed to be on a didactic binge to teach us about controversial topics, such as sexual orientation tolerance. I don't read a novel to get a lesson from a fiction author!
4. I had to force myself to keep reading several times, and could only read a few pages before I had to take a break, because this is a "dark" story that was not particularly pleasant or fun to read.
5. The author has made the Semmerling pistol a major prop in the book, which is interesting, but both he and the editor need to at least learn how it functions if they are going to write about it. On page 370: "Kate's left hand slides back the top of the pistol and lets it slide forward." She is supposedly cocking and loading a round. But the Semmerling does not function like most other slide-action pistols. A Semmerling's slide is pushed FORWARD, and then springs BACK to load a round, the opposite of the narrative.
May 11, 2021
Jack has a sister. In previous books we have met his father and heard the story of his mother, but we have not met his sister and Jack hasn’t shown any interest in adding a sister to his life. Luckily the that sentiment is shared by his sister Kate who is shocked and ready to run when she encounters Jack by chance.
The title of the book refers to humans controlled by someone, or something, else, and since one of these people is someone that Jack’s sister Kate cares a lot about, Kate is desperate for someone that can figure out what is going on and the story gets rolling.
In previous books the story has often involved several sub stories, one of them paranormal, others more normal human interaction. This one is much more focused on the zombie story and that makes it less interesting to me. As I’ve written in earlier reviews, I’m not a fan of the paranormal, especially not when the author is free to introduce anything at any time. The only thing the books have in common is that there is an external force, the "otherness" that thrives on chaos. How that chaos manifests itself follows no rules. It can be superhuman beings, or inter-dimensional portals, or something else.
The most skilled part of the books are the endings which are real cliff hangers. After barely making it through the rest of the book, the ending really leaves you wishing for one more chapter, which then means you need to buy the next book. It annoys me, and it annoys me that it works on me.
The title of the book refers to humans controlled by someone, or something, else, and since one of these people is someone that Jack’s sister Kate cares a lot about, Kate is desperate for someone that can figure out what is going on and the story gets rolling.
In previous books the story has often involved several sub stories, one of them paranormal, others more normal human interaction. This one is much more focused on the zombie story and that makes it less interesting to me. As I’ve written in earlier reviews, I’m not a fan of the paranormal, especially not when the author is free to introduce anything at any time. The only thing the books have in common is that there is an external force, the "otherness" that thrives on chaos. How that chaos manifests itself follows no rules. It can be superhuman beings, or inter-dimensional portals, or something else.
The most skilled part of the books are the endings which are real cliff hangers. After barely making it through the rest of the book, the ending really leaves you wishing for one more chapter, which then means you need to buy the next book. It annoys me, and it annoys me that it works on me.
May 14, 2019
Hosts start out awesome and looked like it could be by far the best Repairman Jack novel. We find Jack in the middle of a mass shooting where he ends up stopping the shooter- and it is all told from the POV of a reporter. Following this, the reporter wants to use Jack to propel his career.
Unfortunately the book then starts to go downhill. The main case involves Jack's sister whose female lover has been acting strange since her brain surgery, but is it a natural result of the surgery, or something more sinister?
The problem is that there are so many sideline stories that the main case gets very little page time. The entire sub-plot of the brothers out for revenge is wasted page space. And while the reporter is an interesting character with an interesting arc, alot of pages are again wasted on unimportant information (his rivalry with co-worker, his new GF, etc).
Even with the lackluster plot that tried to do too much, the book could of been good- except for that ending. No spoilers, but it made large portions of the book irrelevant.
O and there is a ton of pro-gun agenda within.
Unfortunately the book then starts to go downhill. The main case involves Jack's sister whose female lover has been acting strange since her brain surgery, but is it a natural result of the surgery, or something more sinister?
The problem is that there are so many sideline stories that the main case gets very little page time. The entire sub-plot of the brothers out for revenge is wasted page space. And while the reporter is an interesting character with an interesting arc, alot of pages are again wasted on unimportant information (his rivalry with co-worker, his new GF, etc).
Even with the lackluster plot that tried to do too much, the book could of been good- except for that ending. No spoilers, but it made large portions of the book irrelevant.
O and there is a ton of pro-gun agenda within.
July 13, 2021
This is the first book I read by F. Park Wilson. I found it very interesting. The main character is repairman Jack. He gets involved with people who do crimes and gets them eliminated. The story opens with a bang. He is on a NYC subway and a gunman starts shooting people for no reason. Jack draws his own gun and kills the shooter. A reporter by the name of Sandy Palmer sees all this and also protects a girl by going on top of her while the shooting is happening. This girl name is Beth Abrams. Sandy writes a story for his newspaper the Light and calls Jack the savior. Jack also meets is sister that he has not seen in years Dr Kate Iverson Who is a pediatrician. She is married but has this women Jeanette Vega as her lover. She is getting over a brain tumor. Jeanette belongs to this cult called the host which are people who had the same tumor and a Doctor by the name of Dr. Fielding. All of his patients are able to communicate by brain power alone. This becomes very scary. That is all I am going to tell you. It is a very good read. I enjoy the book very much and I would advise you to read it.
December 17, 2017
You can read the first book in a series and, depending on the cliffhanger, just walk away from that whole written universe. (I have done that with the Redwall series about 15 years ago). But once you've read the first five books could you walk away? I'm going to read the entire Repairman Jack series. I'm hooked.
A quote from the very end of this novel: "No more coincidences for you." Jack isn't getting into situations on accident. He is a warrior for the war that is coming. So far what I've liked about the series and this book in particular, each story feels different from the others, but maintains the world he creates among the newly added story. I also like that there is sometimes a side problem going on in the story. Hosts offered The Brothers K, a couple of bomb makers that were out for revenge against Jack.
A quote from the very end of this novel: "No more coincidences for you." Jack isn't getting into situations on accident. He is a warrior for the war that is coming. So far what I've liked about the series and this book in particular, each story feels different from the others, but maintains the world he creates among the newly added story. I also like that there is sometimes a side problem going on in the story. Hosts offered The Brothers K, a couple of bomb makers that were out for revenge against Jack.
January 14, 2022
The best Repairman Jack book yet! Somehow I got a little hooked on this series. All the ingredients for sleepless, page-turning nights were there; fast paced action, suspence (ohh..the suspence!), a mixture of sciency-medical-horror, tragedy... oh, and did I mention suspence?? It was a blast. Getting to know the Jack, the protoganist, better also has it's downsides... I got a bit annoyed with his somewhat conservative mindset and even more so with Abe, Jacks friend who's is just a plain right winged NRA gun nut freakshow.. Nevertheless, my next book will definately be part 6 of the series as there was a somewhat open ending to this story... i'm just too curious what will happen next. Rapairman Jack for the win!
January 26, 2025
Jack goes to the aid of his sister, whose partner has become involved with a cult that displays an unusual degree of cohesion and likemindedness among its members. This tight thriller with a Body Snatchers vibe is among the better Repairman Jack novels that I have read so far. The main story is meaty enough to fill the pages without resorting to an extended digression in which Jack performs one of his fixes as is so common in these books. I have not particularly enjoyed those parts in earlier installments of the series because they always feel like filler to me. Getting to know a member of Jack's family adds to the interest.
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September 25, 2019
I Love All Things Repairman Jack
The Repairman Jack series is one of my favorites, each book has been well written, evenly paced, thrilling, exciting, suspenseful and many times emotional.
However, Host was a step slower than the previous books, not bad by any means, just not quite up to the high standards previously established.
Hosts feeds off and of a few previous book’s adventures and characters, which I like.
The supporting characters, who are excellent, had a smaller role, too bad.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Hosts and the next installment is in my wish list.
The Repairman Jack series is one of my favorites, each book has been well written, evenly paced, thrilling, exciting, suspenseful and many times emotional.
However, Host was a step slower than the previous books, not bad by any means, just not quite up to the high standards previously established.
Hosts feeds off and of a few previous book’s adventures and characters, which I like.
The supporting characters, who are excellent, had a smaller role, too bad.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Hosts and the next installment is in my wish list.
May 26, 2025
I'm re-reading the series in order after reading it a long time ago.
As always an interesting and entertaining read. This is the first occurrence of the earth mother figure and yet another interference from the adversary. Here we have an intelligent virus. The story has an interesting opening with the perils that Jack has of being exposed in his life slipping within the cracks of our society when he reluctantly has to play hero.
Among other tidbits we get more background into Jack's past, something fleshed out in a later book about young Jack.
Really 4.5 stars.
As always an interesting and entertaining read. This is the first occurrence of the earth mother figure and yet another interference from the adversary. Here we have an intelligent virus. The story has an interesting opening with the perils that Jack has of being exposed in his life slipping within the cracks of our society when he reluctantly has to play hero.
Among other tidbits we get more background into Jack's past, something fleshed out in a later book about young Jack.
Really 4.5 stars.
January 15, 2023
This is the first Repairman Jack book I read, just because it was on the B&N bargain shelf and sounded pretty good. WOW, I was amazed at how much I liked it. I researched online and found out about the series and the author. I have since read every one of the Repairman Jack books, including the YA and early years books. I have also read several other books by F. Paul Wilson and he is by far one of my favorite authors. I highly recommend any and all of his books!
December 20, 2016
A bit of a misstep in the REPAIRMAN JACK series. Not that it's a bad book, it just fell a bit flat for me. It's still a compelling book in parts, but Jack seems a bit of a side-player in this one. A lot of it has to do with medicine and science, which simply aren't Jack's forte. Still, a worthwhile read for a few strong action sequences and, of course, some additions to The Adversary cycle.
May 15, 2020
On one hand you always know what you are going to get with a Repairman Jack novel, on the other hand the solutions are never easy. No one walks away unscathed. I appreciated the novel's resolution and introduction of new elements.
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