Frequently Asked Questions

The Adversary Cycle

What books are in the Adversary Cycle?

The Adversary Cycle (originally known as “The Nightworld Cycle” -- this name is printed in the front of some early editions of Nightworld) consists of the following novels, which should be read in the order listed for maximum appreciation of the plotline:

F. Paul has this to say about reading The Adversary Cycle:

In 1987, after finishing BLACK WIND, I started on REBORN. I'd outlined it years before but it didn't gel. I wanted it to look like a ROSEMARY'S BABY or an OMEN but actually be something different (just as THE KEEP looks like a vampire novel for a while, but it's not). I wanted to use an evil entity other than the tired old Antichrist, but who? Then I realized I already had that entity in Rasalom. I needed a suburban setting convenient to Manhattan, and realized I already had one in Monroe where THE TOUCH took place. I became intrigued by the challenge of tying those novels, and THE TOMB as well, into Rasalom's reincarnation, bringing the books full circle.

Things grew from there. The result was an outline for a 1,000-plus-page novel. Nobody was going to publish that, so I broke it down into a trilogy and sold it that way. But it remains a single novel-a roman fleuve, if you will.

The first three novels of the cycle-THE KEEP, THE TOMB, and THE TOUCH-are all stand-alones and can be read in any order, but all three should be read before the final three, which should be read in this order:

1. REBORN
2. REPRISAL
3. NIGHTWORLD

Take note that these six books make up the “core” of The Adversary Cycle but many more novels and short stories tie into the series. These are part of the Grand Unification.

A chart of the Grand Unification was created by David Moore and can be found in the WORKS page - Cross Reference section.

As for reading Nightworld before the RJ Saga is complete, F. Paul had this to say:

My advice... hold off on Nightworld. Reading the revision might cause undue anxiety as you run through the last RJ books. But if you must, be sure to read Harbingers first.

A description of how each of these books ties into each other is planned to be part of a forthcoming companion book “The F. Paul Wilson Compendium”.

What is “Demonsong” and where can I get a copy?

“Demonsong” is a short story that introduces the characters Glaeken and Rasalom. It takes place (way) before The Keep. You can view a timeline in our WORKS page-Secret History section.

To find a copy of the story in the anthology it was originally published, go to Abe Books. In the AUTHOR field type in “Page, Gerald” and in the TITLE field type in “Heroic Fantasy”. It should bring up a whole slew of copies to choose from.

Gauntlet Press printed a limited number of “Demonsong” chapbooks. You can visit their website and see if any copies are left (doubtful).

Will we see any sequels to Nightworld/The Adversary Cycle?

F. Paul Wilson has given us a repeated and pretty definite “NO” to this question over the years.

On April 19th, 2000, F. Paul had this to say:

I rarely say Never. I know I'll never do a sequel to NIGHTWORLD.

When, and if, the Repairman Jack movie ever gets made, there could also be a video game tie-in that is set post-Nightworld. How much (if any) input F. Paul Wilson will have in this project is unknown.

Will we see any prequels to The Keep/Adversary Cycle?

This is something F. Paul Wilson has mentioned as a tentative possibility. Keep in mind he still has to finish the Repairman Jack books before he will even think about a prequel to The Keep, and he’s sure to have other projects in mind as well.

F. Paul Wilson had this to say about the possibility and the tone of a prequel on July 16th, 2002:

Let me make this solemn promise: If “The Keep” film is remade, I will definitely write a prequel. The prequel will demand a higher tone certainly than the RJ novels, but something looser than “Demonsong.” I may have to go back and read the Robert Jordan “Conan” novels (which I remember as being pretty good) to get myself in gear.

This is from an interview (www.mysteryinkonline.com/interviewfpwilson.htm) in October 2001:

MI: For the folks on the Repairman Jack message board: Any plans to write a prequel to your book “The Keep”?

FPW: I have a vague outline in my head that will start with “Demonsong” and pick up where that left off, but I don't know when I'll get to it. It will be a small press kind of thing, I imagine - very sword and sorcery-ish. If I live long enough, I'll write it.

Is the Adversary Cycle going to be reprinted?

It already has been. If you visit our WORKS - Adversary Cycle section you'll see the books listed as a set and individually. They're gorgeous, limited edition hardcovers.

F. Paul Wilson on tweaks and changes to the books:

I made a few minor revisions [to THE KEEP], mostly correcting passive voice (sheesh, I used a lot back then) and making one small change in the final scene on the parapet. (No, I'm not telling what I did.)

THE TOMB will be renamed RAKOSHI – my original title for the book – and will be significantly edited prose-wise.

THE TOUCH and NIGHTWORLD will probably need the most changes. The former because it's so very 80’s and needs to be cut loose from its time frame, and the latter… well, you know about that.

I'm not sure about REBORN and REPRISAL -- haven't read them since they were in galleys.

[For NIGHTWORLD] I see changing dialogue as mostly scut work. Jack will still go where he has to go, meet who he has to meet, and kill who he has to kill. All the rest -- including moving the people he cares most about off stage -- stays the same.

There was also talk of having to incorporate cell phones into REPRISAL.

How about mass market reprints?

Unfortunately, it looks like you’re stuck with either tracking down older copies or buying the limited/lettered Borderlands reprints for now. This is what F. Paul Wilson had to say:

I've been holding back on new mass-market editions of REBORN and REPRISAL because REPRISAL leaves you hanging until NIGHTWORLD picks up a few months after. And since I don't want NIGHTWORLD out there until after the last RJ novel (don't ask when -- I don't know), making a reader wait years for resolution of the story doesn't seem fair.

The Borderlands editions are a different breed since they're limited to 1000 copies that only True Believers -- folks who've already read NIGHTWORLD -- will spring for.