If you like to read simply to enjoy yourself and have a little fun, F. Paul Wilson's "Repairman Jack" series is hard to beat. It features Jack, an urban mercenary, or something like that, and a cast of recurring characters that show up in most books. Add to that a science fiction element about a battle between two powers seeking to control the universe, and you end up with a wild set of books. The previous book, "Gateways" was a great deal of fun and featured a bunch of Florida mutants, along with Jack's father. This time, Jack is back in New York City, the setting for most of the books. In this one, he is working on two "fix it" jobs. One involves a nun who is being blackmailed, another a man who has disappeared into the "Dormentalist" Church, an organization that seems to be modeled on Scientology. From there, both plots develop and eventually intertwine to bring about justice. "Gateways" read like a really fun Saturday morning cartoon. "Crisscross" is perhaps the most serious book in the series. Previous "fix its" involved dispensing justice to bad guys who weren't all that bad, such as a crook who stole a bunch of kids' Christmas presents. This time, the bad guys do some really horrible things. This time, Jack is dealing with pedophilia, torture and murder. It doesn't make for a bad book, it just has a much more serious tone. As with the last book, the series is progressing as Wilson unveils a bit more of the background plot that is underlying the series. The meta-characters have long history with Wilson, beginning with "Demonsong", which was written in the 1970s. By "Crisscross" it is starting to make some sense. While this entry into the Repairman Jack series is more violent and dark than the others, it is well done and keeps the momentum of the series moving forward.
F. Paul Wilson published The Tomb in the 1980s, and seemed to fade from the public consciousness, and he went on to finish The Adversary Cycle.Years later, Wilson experienced a crazy surge of productivity leading to one Repairman Jack book after another.the books themselves are interesting and exciting, and don't require elements of the supernatural to reel you in ( in fact the biggest drawback for me is how they are all dedicated to the adversary/supernatural plot). At the same time it is also clear that Wilson carefully planned out every step of the process, allowing references to carry over, keeping the internal plot strong and connected, building slowly from book to book.I genuinely enjoy the series and think it is a good blend of Harry Dresden and Lucas Davenport. The books have a lot to offer fans of many genres.
What do You think about Crisscross (2006)?
Jack is recovering from his visit to Florida and is barely getting into the swing of things when he's right back in the middle of it. He meets another woman with a dog, but this is just a customer trying to find her son in a church that appears to be a money-scamming cult. His side job is a sweet lady being blackmailed by a former fix of Jack's, Richie Cordova. This book picks up the genre that's almost noir in atmosphere. While there are definitely the typical supernatural undercurrents in the plot, they aren't readily visible so this leaves lots of room for a fantastic detective novel.
—UtahJarhead
Another great entry in the Repairman Jack series. It's amazing how Mr. Wilson can keep this series fresh and interesting. This one started out a bit slow for me. I wasn't very interested in the workings of the Dormentalist church (although it bears a resemblance to Scientology) or their endless acronyms. Once the novel started to build up steam though, I could hardly put it down. This story is a lot meaner than some of the previous books in the series, with some really visceral moments. An overall great read - I can't wait to start the next one!
—Chris
The Repairman Jack series has become one of my all time favorites and this 8th entry doesn't change that opinion in the slightest. It's very hard to categorize these novels...they are thrillers, and mysteries, and can have some horrific elements as well. And that's not to mention the overall background story-arc that is very cool science fiction. I love the way Mr. Wilson writes, letting the reader really get to know the characters and really feel for their trials and tribulations while at the same time teasing us with more and more information about the cosmic battle that is taking place behind the scenes. This book gives us yet more information on that but still not enough to know all the answers. According to the author's website, the series does have an end (book 15, I think) and I like that it is not one of those "I'll keep writing them as long as there is a market for them" series. There is a definite, complete story arc. Of course there will be other prequels and young-adult versions, etc but I can live with that :)Highly recommended.
—Benjamin Thomas
