Scan barcode
waywardkangaroo's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
corvus_corone's review against another edition
4.0
This series, starting with The Tomb was recommended to me by a coworker who saw me reading H.P. Lovecraft. Wilson creates his own mythos for his stories and parts of it are similar to parts of Lovecraft's mythos.
Thus far I've really enjoyed the series, it has elements of horror, suspense, fantasy, and a hint of comedy every here and there. This is not the absolute best written series I've seen but there's something about Jack that makes you want to read more and more of them.
Thus far I've really enjoyed the series, it has elements of horror, suspense, fantasy, and a hint of comedy every here and there. This is not the absolute best written series I've seen but there's something about Jack that makes you want to read more and more of them.
careythesixth's review against another edition
3.0
I lid this book, but if the otherworldy, apocalyptic stuff doesn't start happening, I might get bored. Except maybe I won't, because I really like Jack as a character. I like him so much that I'm thinking of forsaking my next book club book to continue the series uninterrupted.
This second book in the series starts off with Jack being hired to recover Christmas toys stolen from a children's AIDS hospital. He does this, and also kicks the guy's ass, dressed like Santa the whole time. I like Jack's style. However, I didn't like the minimum contact with Jack we got in this book. He seemed like just another character in an ensemble.
There's not a lot about this book that separates it from your run of the mill thriller, and my brother warned me about that. But I'm already onto book three with the hope that everything picks up.
I'm ready for more crazy, and more Jack.
Oh - best part of this book was Jack giving the finger to a crazed mercenary when told to drop his weapons.
This second book in the series starts off with Jack being hired to recover Christmas toys stolen from a children's AIDS hospital. He does this, and also kicks the guy's ass, dressed like Santa the whole time. I like Jack's style. However, I didn't like the minimum contact with Jack we got in this book. He seemed like just another character in an ensemble.
There's not a lot about this book that separates it from your run of the mill thriller, and my brother warned me about that. But I'm already onto book three with the hope that everything picks up.
I'm ready for more crazy, and more Jack.
Oh - best part of this book was Jack giving the finger to a crazed mercenary when told to drop his weapons.
whatmeworry's review against another edition
4.0
Really entertaining thriller, reminiscent of the Reacher books. I was surprised (and a little disappointed) that this didn't have any of the supernatural elements of the first book, but it was still a lot of fun.
braydin's review
4.0
A worthy followup to the first Repairman Jack novel. Wilson goes a bit sci-fi with the maguffin, but all the elements of the good Jack story are there. I'm only glad that I did not read these real time as waiting 15 years or so for a sequel would have been almost too much to bear.
mikekaz's review
4.0
Wilson is pretty consistent with the quality of his writing and how interesting his stories tend to be. Even when I find the characters not as interesting, the story itself is pretty darn good. In this case though, there is not any worries about that. The characters and story are quite exciting.
The story is about Repairman Jack; rather than appliances though, Jack fixes ugly situations with a unique twist on personal justice. For example, he'll help con someone who is taking advantage of migrant workers, getting back all the unpaid money and more. Think of Jack as a nicer and more altruistic Burke from Andrew Vachss' novels. This time, Jack is helping a doctor who doesn't want to sell her house for millions to her half brother. Sound too good to be true? Well, that is definitely where the mystery comes in and slowly unfolds through the novel.
I admit that I was a bit hesitant because the novel tells how this mystery will permanently change the entire world and that's why everyone seems to be after it; I thought that it was overblown and wouldn't live up to its hype. But the mystery does live up to it. The only real negative that I had about the novel was the way that it got preachy about AIDS. (The doctor works at a clinic for children that are HIV positive.) Wilson was not as preachy as Koontz tends to get but there was definitely a bit of sermonizing here. I suppose that he has the right since as a doctor, he probably deals with all the situations in the book. Overall a good solid read with lively characters and an exciting plot. Don't miss it if you are a fan of Repairman Jack.
The story is about Repairman Jack; rather than appliances though, Jack fixes ugly situations with a unique twist on personal justice. For example, he'll help con someone who is taking advantage of migrant workers, getting back all the unpaid money and more. Think of Jack as a nicer and more altruistic Burke from Andrew Vachss' novels. This time, Jack is helping a doctor who doesn't want to sell her house for millions to her half brother. Sound too good to be true? Well, that is definitely where the mystery comes in and slowly unfolds through the novel.
I admit that I was a bit hesitant because the novel tells how this mystery will permanently change the entire world and that's why everyone seems to be after it; I thought that it was overblown and wouldn't live up to its hype. But the mystery does live up to it. The only real negative that I had about the novel was the way that it got preachy about AIDS. (The doctor works at a clinic for children that are HIV positive.) Wilson was not as preachy as Koontz tends to get but there was definitely a bit of sermonizing here. I suppose that he has the right since as a doctor, he probably deals with all the situations in the book. Overall a good solid read with lively characters and an exciting plot. Don't miss it if you are a fan of Repairman Jack.
xterminal's review
4.0
F. Paul Wilson, Legacies (Tor, 1998)
Wilson brings back one of his hardcore fans' favorite characters, Repairman Jack, and weaves three of Jack's jobs into a tightly-wound tale of family manipulation and, as always, saving the world one step at a time.
This time, Jack is employed by longtime on-again-off-again girlfriend Gia to recover a roomful of toys stolen from a children's AIDS crisis center, which leads him into the employ of the head of the center. She just inherited a house, and she wants Jack to burn it down. Jack's curiosity gets the best of him, and he starts wondering why. There the fun begins.
If you're familiar with Wilson's work, you're getting what you've come to expect. Easy reading, a pace that wouldn't be out of place in a formula 1 racecar, likable characters (even the bad guys), and a dose of the supernatural, albeit a smaller one than in most of Wilson's work. If you haven't discovered the joys of F. Paul yet, start back at the beginning of our first encounter with Jack, the Nightworld books (The Keep, The Tomb, The Touch, Reborn, Reprisal, and Nightworld) to get up to speed. He's not as well known as some of the authors working in the supernatural-thriller field, but he's just as good. *** 1/2
Wilson brings back one of his hardcore fans' favorite characters, Repairman Jack, and weaves three of Jack's jobs into a tightly-wound tale of family manipulation and, as always, saving the world one step at a time.
This time, Jack is employed by longtime on-again-off-again girlfriend Gia to recover a roomful of toys stolen from a children's AIDS crisis center, which leads him into the employ of the head of the center. She just inherited a house, and she wants Jack to burn it down. Jack's curiosity gets the best of him, and he starts wondering why. There the fun begins.
If you're familiar with Wilson's work, you're getting what you've come to expect. Easy reading, a pace that wouldn't be out of place in a formula 1 racecar, likable characters (even the bad guys), and a dose of the supernatural, albeit a smaller one than in most of Wilson's work. If you haven't discovered the joys of F. Paul yet, start back at the beginning of our first encounter with Jack, the Nightworld books (The Keep, The Tomb, The Touch, Reborn, Reprisal, and Nightworld) to get up to speed. He's not as well known as some of the authors working in the supernatural-thriller field, but he's just as good. *** 1/2
More...