Repairman Jack a favorite
Rating:
5 / 5
I've read one other Repairman Jack book, The Haunted Air, and I think I'm going to be hooked. Wilson is master of characterization, giving characters believable personalities even in extreme circumstances. Jack's feelings for his father come through in doses, as he learns about his accident and meets some very odd people surrounding him...and his facing of the supernatural menace is expertly handled. No silly farce but deadly serious. Can't wait to read more Repairman Jack and other Wilson books. I read The Keep a few years ago, and it is excellent also.
Repairman Jack
Rating:
5 / 5
I have to agree with Kathleen Griffin's note that you should first read "The Barrens." It lends appreciation to this Repairman Jack piece. Jack heads down to Florida after his father is involved in an auto-accident. There are no more coincidences for Jack, of course, and he finds more going on with his dad than he would ever have expected. The repairs in Gateways are personal and not as layered as those in The Haunted Air or Hosts (for example), but the personal information on Jack's life and the much-needed reconnection with his father make this a more-than-worthwhile read. And, afterall, it is Repairman Jack, and F. Paul Wilson doesn't disappoint here. It'll keep you going from start to finish.
Gates of Hell
Rating:
5 / 5
Warning: You should first read Wilson's brilliant short story "The Barrens." The novel will impress without that background, but with it there are greater depths and the mention of nexus points are more ominous.Jack reluctantly encounters his family when his father, recently relocated to a Florida retirement community, is in a terrible car accident. After supercilious years of looking down on his father as an innocent unacquainted with "real" life, Jack discovers a ruthless, extremely self-disciplined, and honorable man. This Korean War veteran and Marine sniper is his father -- and unrealized role model. The Everglades are wonderfully evoked here, with touches of Zora Neale Hurston's lush description. The novel picks up the pathos of the "clan" of nexus-deformed persons trapped by their "home." Carl, the only one to escape to near-normal life, is touching and charming. Anya is a great creation, and her dog Oyv is perfect. Apparently she'll turn up in the future -- but could Wilson bring back Oyv too?
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