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badseedgirl's review against another edition
4.0
This book was included in Nightmare Magazine's Top 100 Horror Books.
I have found a great new horror series to rival the Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry. That is so pretty high praise coming from me. Repairman Jack is an all around great character. He is tough, plays outside the lines and is honorable and loyal. Everything I enjoy in an action horror character.
This book is the first book in the Repairman Jack series, but the author F. Paul Wilson seems to have a larger world that interconnects several of his book series, so this book is considered the third book in the "Adversary Cycle" and is part of the "The Secret History of the World." To add to that, Repairman Jack appears in both Jonathan Maberry's Rouge Team International series and in his Rot and Ruin series. I'm not really sure how it all ties together but it seems just a tad incestous and interesting as heck.
Repairman Jack is sort of like The Equalizer, Leverage team, and the A-Team. He helps people with problems that cannot be handled by the police and at least in this first book, it has a supernatural element to the problem. Although Jack solves in in the best kind of American way, Guns, guns, and more guns. This book was an action romp, but there was enough character building to allow the reader to feel like they were getting to know the characters and care about them.
I have found a great new horror series to rival the Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry. That is so pretty high praise coming from me. Repairman Jack is an all around great character. He is tough, plays outside the lines and is honorable and loyal. Everything I enjoy in an action horror character.
This book is the first book in the Repairman Jack series, but the author F. Paul Wilson seems to have a larger world that interconnects several of his book series, so this book is considered the third book in the "Adversary Cycle" and is part of the "The Secret History of the World." To add to that, Repairman Jack appears in both Jonathan Maberry's Rouge Team International series and in his Rot and Ruin series. I'm not really sure how it all ties together but it seems just a tad incestous and interesting as heck.
Repairman Jack is sort of like The Equalizer, Leverage team, and the A-Team. He helps people with problems that cannot be handled by the police and at least in this first book, it has a supernatural element to the problem. Although Jack solves in in the best kind of American way, Guns, guns, and more guns. This book was an action romp, but there was enough character building to allow the reader to feel like they were getting to know the characters and care about them.
elifre's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty solid thriller, with some 80s cultural lingo that did nooot age well. But I thought the story was creative, definitely had me at the edge of my seat. Plus I love a broody sadboi protagonist what can I say.
michael9's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
billymac1962's review against another edition
1.0
I ordered this from Amazon after seeing pretty high ratings for it around the web. In fact, one website I was quite impressed with had this rated as fourth in the top 100 of all time horror novels. Well, I must be getting jaded because no frights for me. It was a quick read though, and entertaining. Much in the same way a Bruce Willis action flick is entertaining. But as you all know from past reviews, I look for novels
that will move me, either emotionally or with wonder, disgust, fright, whatever. This was a mixture detective/horror novel, and for what it is, which is the equivalent of any Bruce Willis action flick, it delivers in spades. If that's what you're looking for, you'll love The Tomb. For me, it lacked the deepness I look for. There was also a few instances where I was prone to mutter "Well, duh!" at some of the characters' revelations.
Now a warning to those of you planning to read it: This is a 426 page novel. The synopsis on the back brings you to page 372. Not a major spoiler, since the novel is quite predictable anyways, but you're still better off avoiding the back cover.
that will move me, either emotionally or with wonder, disgust, fright, whatever. This was a mixture detective/horror novel, and for what it is, which is the equivalent of any Bruce Willis action flick, it delivers in spades. If that's what you're looking for, you'll love The Tomb. For me, it lacked the deepness I look for. There was also a few instances where I was prone to mutter "Well, duh!" at some of the characters' revelations.
Now a warning to those of you planning to read it: This is a 426 page novel. The synopsis on the back brings you to page 372. Not a major spoiler, since the novel is quite predictable anyways, but you're still better off avoiding the back cover.
mattabee's review against another edition
3.0
So much that I love about this book and so much that I’m disappointed by lands this right in the middle.
My favourite parts are The flashbacks to the British Officer that tell the tale of how the main events of the book come to be. Similarly when we get POV of the main antagonist, you’re treated to some culturally fuelled and scathing critiques of America. This books at its best when it’s indulging in history, or the horror elements it’s woven into it
It’s at its worse unfortunately when you’re following the titular hero Jack, or Gia. Jack is a bit too much wish fulfilment for my tastes, and Gia (and the other main female character Kolabati) are there to either have faun over him or agonise over the decisions of the men in the story who have all the agency.
The monster and the premise for it was cool
My favourite parts are The flashbacks to the British Officer that tell the tale of how the main events of the book come to be. Similarly when we get POV of the main antagonist, you’re treated to some culturally fuelled and scathing critiques of America. This books at its best when it’s indulging in history, or the horror elements it’s woven into it
It’s at its worse unfortunately when you’re following the titular hero Jack, or Gia. Jack is a bit too much wish fulfilment for my tastes, and Gia (and the other main female character Kolabati) are there to either have faun over him or agonise over the decisions of the men in the story who have all the agency.
The monster and the premise for it was cool
kayteeem's review against another edition
Nice thriller... but there just had to be a child-in-danger situation, didn't there?
boothby738's review against another edition
2.0
The Repairman Jack character is a cross between Indiana Jones and Robert McCall (from the 1980 television "The Equalizer" with Edward Woodward). I enjoyed the first three quarters of this book. It had good pace, adventure, and plot development that crossed generations going back to the British colonies in India. However, I was very disappointed how the last quarter turned into a bad scary monster story.
professorfate's review against another edition
5.0
This is a re-read. To give you an idea of my opinion of the book, I have read this book a few times already. As I was going through it again this time, the last ninety pages of the book came out of the binding as a chunk and landed on the table. So I downloaded the book for my eReader and finished it that way (I couldn’t wait for it to be delivered to me and Barnes & Noble, while sort of close, isn’t really convenient).
This is the first book of the “Repairman Jack” series and the second book in the “Adversary Cycle”—both of which I recommend.
Repairman Jack is a repairman (duh! I know), but he doesn’t repair appliances or anything like that. In a way, he is a sort of one-man “A-Team,” an off-the-grid mercenary who helps to fix situations that the legal system cannot or will not.
In this book, he takes on two repairs simultaneously (a situation he is not fond of): the aunt of a woman that he loves and who had recently broken off a relationship with him goes missing from her house in Sutton Square in New York; and, the mother of a member of the Indian delegation to the U.N. is mugged and beaten severely. The mugger takes a necklace from her, and the man hires Jack to not only recover the necklace (which is vital to his mother) but also to kill the mugger. Jack tells him that he will try to get the item but, while he will punish the mugger, he will not kill him (he doesn’t do that kinda thing).
Of course, the two repairs become entwined, but in a supernatural way which you’ll have to read to find out. Dr. Wilson is an excellent author and this book crackles with energy and compels you to keep reading. Jack is a very engaging character and I’m sure that once you read this book, you will want to read the rest of the series (book fifteen—I think—recently came out, so get reading!).
Pick up a newer edition if you can. Dr. Wilson re-worked it to fit in better with the Adversary Cycle in 2004 (the character was just supposed to be a one-shot and, indeed, wasn’t even supposed to figure into the Cycle at first).
This is the first book of the “Repairman Jack” series and the second book in the “Adversary Cycle”—both of which I recommend.
Repairman Jack is a repairman (duh! I know), but he doesn’t repair appliances or anything like that. In a way, he is a sort of one-man “A-Team,” an off-the-grid mercenary who helps to fix situations that the legal system cannot or will not.
In this book, he takes on two repairs simultaneously (a situation he is not fond of): the aunt of a woman that he loves and who had recently broken off a relationship with him goes missing from her house in Sutton Square in New York; and, the mother of a member of the Indian delegation to the U.N. is mugged and beaten severely. The mugger takes a necklace from her, and the man hires Jack to not only recover the necklace (which is vital to his mother) but also to kill the mugger. Jack tells him that he will try to get the item but, while he will punish the mugger, he will not kill him (he doesn’t do that kinda thing).
Of course, the two repairs become entwined, but in a supernatural way which you’ll have to read to find out. Dr. Wilson is an excellent author and this book crackles with energy and compels you to keep reading. Jack is a very engaging character and I’m sure that once you read this book, you will want to read the rest of the series (book fifteen—I think—recently came out, so get reading!).
Pick up a newer edition if you can. Dr. Wilson re-worked it to fit in better with the Adversary Cycle in 2004 (the character was just supposed to be a one-shot and, indeed, wasn’t even supposed to figure into the Cycle at first).
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
It's taken me a bit to work up the nerve to write a review on THE TOMB. It is such a well-written and engrossing thriller and I want to do it justice. I may leave it at the above statement and call it a day. I've been told that not all of the series has the touch of paranormal or horror that THE TOMB has. I'm glad, it was a little intense. I love thrillers and I love paranormal and horror reads, but have to pace several books between...except in October and I read them pretty much back to back, just because it's October.
I can see why F Paul Wilson has such a huge fanbase. I have become one of the legion, that's for sure.
Five shudderingly fab beans......
I can see why F Paul Wilson has such a huge fanbase. I have become one of the legion, that's for sure.
Five shudderingly fab beans......