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Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ Main Menu | General Questions | The Adversary Cycle | Repairman Jack | The LaNague Chronicles | Movies, TV, Multimedia & Plays | Miscellaneous | Errata

 

REPAIRMAN JACK

What are all the Repairman Jack books?

The Repairman Jack books so far (in order they were published and in the order they should be read):

  1. THE TOMB
  2. LEGACIES
  3. CONSPIRACIES
  4. ALL THE RAGE
  5. HOSTS
  6. THE HAUNTED AIR
  7. GATEWAYS
  8. CRISSCROSS
  9. INFERNAL
  10. HARBINGERS
  11. BLOODLINE
  12. BY THE SWORD


Jack also makes an appearance in NIGHTWORLD, but that is not a Repairman Jack book per se.

For a description of the Repairman Jack Mythos, links to where to buy all the books and other Repairman Jack information, please see our WORKS page-Repairman Jack section.

There are also a handful of other stories that involve Repairman Jack. These are:

Why are there three different versions of The Tomb?

There is the “pre-1998” version and the “revised” novel that Tor/Forge reprinted in 1998.

When the Repairman Jack movie is released it is assumed that Tor/Forge will re-publish the revised version of THE TOMB with the title Repairman Jack to tie in with the movie.

Also, Borderlands Press released a limited edition of the revised version of THE TOMB under the authors preferred title: RAKOSHI.

Here is what F. Paul had to say about the reason for the revision:

Some of you who read pre-1998 editions of THE TOMB have questioned (and rightfully so) how LEGACIES, so obviously a contemporary novel, could take place only months after THE TOMB, which was definitely set in the mid 1980s. The answer is simple: I cheated. I changed THE TOMB for the new 1998 edition.

You see, I never planned to bring Jack back. But when I did, I realized I’d either have to set his new stories in the eighties, or go back and change THE TOMB. I chose the latter and removed all references that would moor THE TOMB in a specific era. The 1998 edition is now what we authors like to call “the preferred text.”

All the new Repairman Jack novels loop out from THE TOMB and will weave their way back toward NIGHTWORLD. I don’t know how many we’ll end up with. When they stop being fun to write or when I notice I’m starting to repeat myself, I’ll quit and move on to something else.

Why is it called The Tomb when there is no “Tomb”?

As for why the book was titled THE TOMB in the first place, the story goes that after reaching a fairly high level of success with THE KEEP, F. Paul Wilson’s publisher decided that to continue the trend of good tidings the next novel should keep with the same sort of title to give it name recognition.

The working title for the book was RAKOSHI. They didn't like the sound of Rakoshi and came up with THE TOMB instead even though the story didn't feature a “tomb”. The publisher was convinced it would sell as well as THE KEEP because the titles were so similar.

 

Why is the Jack in Nightworld ignorant of things he should know about
from his adventures in the Repairman Jack books?

At the time F. Paul Wilson was finishing up The Adversary Cycle, he did not know he was going to write a whole new series of Jack books. A few years after NIGHTWORLD was published, F. Paul Wilson decided to write more Jack. However, considering the apocalyptic nature of NIGHTWORLD, he could hardly set his new Jack books after that novel.

Therefore he decided instead to set the books in the time between THE TOMB (the first Jack book) and NIGHTWORLD.

This gets very sticky because F. Paul Wilson threw in quite a few pop culture references and definite dates into The Adversary Cycle (which ends in the early 90’s), yet has set the Jack books in our current time. Thus, many gentle readers are confused mightily when

Jack doesn't know things he should in NIGHTWORLD. This problem has been somewhat mitigated by the revised version of THE TOMB (Tor/Forge, 1998), in which pop culture references were updated. When F. Paul Wilson is done with the latest round of Jack books, he plans to go back and revise NIGHTWORLD so that it meshes better with the current state of Jack's knowledge and adventures. Currently this revised version of NIGHTWORLD is available from Borderlands Press.

Why is Jake Nacht from Nightkill so similar to Jack?

In 1997 F. Paul Wilson and Steven Spruill (going by the name Steve Lyon) teamed up to write the novel NIGHTKILL. The main character, Jake Nacht, has a lot of characteristics that are similar to F. Paul Wilson’s other character, Repairman Jack.

The reason for this, in F. Paul Wilson’s words:

Jack's return wasn't on the radar when we created Jake. He does have common traits with RJ, too many to allow them to co-exist. So Jake's in indefinite suspended animation (unless he runs into Jack sometime).

FAQ Main Menu | General Questions | The Adversary Cycle | Repairman Jack | The LaNague Chronicles | Movies, TV, Multimedia & Plays | Miscellaneous | Errata

What is the timeline and chronology of the RJ and AC Books?

Taken from our Works page - Secret History section:

The preponderance of my work deals with a history of the world that remains undiscovered, unexplored, and unknown to most of humanity. Some of this secret history has been revealed in the Adversary Cycle, some in the Repairman Jack novels, and bits and pieces in other, seemingly unconnected works. Taken together, even these millions of words barely scratch the surface of what has been going on behind the scenes, hidden from the workaday world.  I've listed them below in chronological order.  (NB: "Year Zero" is the end of civilization as we know it; "Year Zero Minus One is the year preceding it, etc.)

The Past:

Year Zero Minus Three:

Year Zero Minus Two:

Year Zero Minus One:

Year Zero:

*Notes on Secret History from F. Paul Wilson

Some of you who read pre-1998 editions of THE TOMB have questioned (and rightfully so) how LEGACIES, so obviously a contemporary novel, could take place only months after THE TOMB, which was definitely set in the mid 1980s.

The answer is simple: I cheated. I changed THE TOMB for the 1998 edition and edited it yet again for the 2006 reissue.

You see, I never planned to bring Jack back. But when I did, I realized I'd either have to set his new stories in the eighties, or go back and change THE TOMB. I chose the latter and removed all references that would moor THE TOMB in a specific era. All editions published since 2006 are what we authors like to call "the preferred text."

All the new Repairman Jack novels loop out from THE TOMB and will weave their way back toward NIGHTWORLD, where the Repairman Jack stories (and just about everything else) end.  I don't know how many there'll be at that point, but they won't go on forever.  When they stop being fun to write or when I notice I'm starting to repeat myself, I'll quit and move on to something else. Until then . . .

What is this I hear about a Young Jack series?

“Secret Histories” will be released on May 28, 2008 and is the first in a planned trilogy. “Secret Vengeance” has been written and will be published in 2009.

When asked how the Young Jack series will affect the current Jack series, F. Paul Wilson stated:

I'm looking at maybe 4 more adult novels before NIGHTWORLD. The YAs won't have a direct effect on the main storyline, but some characters will overlap.

 

I’ve read through every Repairman Jack book there is and I still crave this type of fiction.
Any suggestions?

You might try reading just about anything else by F. Paul Wilson. It’s all good. Trust us. Oh? You’ve already read everything? Okay, then here are some of the series/authors that RJ Forum members and F. Paul Wilson have recommended in the past:

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