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Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - Grimjac100 - 12-22-2004
Stumbled on Repairman Jack last summer during one of my periodic used bookstore rambles. I'd remembered reading THE KEEP way back in the 80s, but had lost touch with FPW's work when the titles I usually saw seemed to be medical-type thrillers. Suffice it to say, I didn't keep up; sorry about that.
So, wandering the stacks, I came across THE TOMB. Having loved THE KEEP and with the similarity in titles, I assumed it was a sequel I'd somehow overlooked in the 80s.
Thus, my introduction to Repairman Jack, and I must say, I was hooked. This was gritty urban men's adventure with a horror twist; an immediately identifiable hero with an interesting past and more than the cardboard `superhero' personality. Over the next few months, I picked up HOSTS, CONSPIRACIES, and LEGACIES...
Got sidetracked, found HOSTS in the pile of books waiting to be arranged (okay, I have a lot of books...but that's not a crime! And when I say a lot, I don't mean 2 or 3 hundred lot, but 4500+ at last count, which was 2 years ago) and decided to read it again.
And on to research Amazon to fill out the RPJ collection because he's definitely one of the top five, if not top three, heroes out there right now.
Now, on to my questions from more experienced readers of RPJ, and who knows...maybe some words from FPW himself (he seems to post a lot, which is always a good thing!)
As I understand the series timeline, the order of RPJ books is as follows:
1) THE TOMB
2) LEGACIES
3) CONSPIRACIES
4) ALL THE RAGE
5) HOSTS
6) HAUNTED AIR
7) GATEWAYS
With hopefully many more to come. (Yes, there is the `books' section on site, but with publishing dates and reprints and what-not, I just want to make sure it's accurate)
Secondly...I haven't read The Adversary Cycle. I loved THE KEEP, but, all apologies to the author, REBORN seemed...extremely derivative, shall we say? This led me to abandoning that series line.
Now, with some thought and a few bricks dropping on my head, it seems obvious that RPJ's nemesis, Sal Roma, is in actuality Rasalom, from THE KEEP, etc. (One of the bricks being in HOSTS, the originator of the viral contamination was a `Ms Alara'...)
So obviously, the two series tie together. Meaning I'll probably have to pick up NIGHTWORLD in order to get the full scope. Apparently, The Adversary Cycle is FPW's main world plot-view...everything else taking place within the context of The A. Cycle.
However, from what I've seen hinted...NIGHTWORLD isn't going to be a typical RPJ sort of novel, where the good guy wins, really. Browsing the website, it seems the world will be very much changed and post-NIGHTWORLD won't have room for anything new from RPJ.
Now, the question I have...and it's a bad one coming from the new guy on site...should I waste my time growing attached to RPJ? If he and his adventures end at NIGHTWORLD...why bother?
See, the allure of RPJ, for me, is his seeming averageness. He's not the swaggering tough guy, he's a `normal' guy like you or me (unless you happen to be female, which is another story entirely) who made a decision to try to `fix' things. He has serious Issues, some believable human quirks, and in general is the sort of guy everyone should want to be. I would personally love to see RPJ novels coming out until I'm too old to read even the Large Print editions with a magnifying glass. I'm talking Doc Savage, The Shadow, and the more contemporary Dirk Pitt.
I don't like thinking his adventures arbitrarily end at a specific date and time.
I'm going to pick up NIGHTWORLD so I can be more informed, but...I'm a bit worried. Reading posts, online research, etc...makes me wonder if NIGHTWORLD is going to put an end to RPJ's adventures.
If that happens...I'm going to be quite disappointed. RPJ is one of the few heroes in contemporary fiction that has the appeal...the `legs'...to guarantee sales and fan enjoyment for years and years. Sure, I suppose any number of books can be written detailing Jack's adventures in the three years of the timeline before NIGHTWORLD, but...after a couple, it's gonna get pretty crowded. He's gonna be running out of time, attention, focus, and healing ability. It will be a case of adjacent timeline...Book X taking place at the same span of time as HOSTS, Book Y crammed in between HOSTS and HAUNTED AIR, with maybe a few mentions of those storylines tossed in to `explain' it. Book X having a mention of him being pressed for time as he had to get back to Kate, he was worried about her...
To me, Jack exists in the contemporary world. Our world, if you will. We could all have seen him and paid no attention. We all know things are going on we're completely clueless about...there are cults, cultures, wars, rebellions, domestic disputes, whatever, that we know absolutely nothing about. So to me, Jack is a contemporary guy `fixing' things that could actually be happening and I'm clueless about.
That's his allure.
Looking around, I don't see a NIGHTWORLD type landscape, so...Jack can and should still be out there, `fixing' things.
Beyond The Adversary Cycle being a shockingly good storyline, magnificent in breadth, depth, and scope...sorry, it lost me at REBORN. RPJ is my focus and my interest. I'll probably wind up picking up the Cycle just because I'm a bit obsessive that way about books, but I sincerely doubt it will allow me to relegate Jack to a supporting character in the epic storyline.
My question is...should I bother? Should I go trolling the terminal ward at the biblio-hospital, settle down with a really cool guy named Repairman Jack, knowing he's not going to be there for the future?
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - Dave - 12-22-2004
Grimjac100 Wrote:My question is...should I bother? Should I go trolling the terminal ward at the biblio-hospital, settle down with a really cool guy named Repairman Jack, knowing he's not going to be there for the future?
You have at least two more to go, Crisscross, and Infernal out next year.
As for running out of time, FPW has stated he will keep writing as long as he is interested in the character and does not cover old ground. So hopefully a few more yet.
Yes, Nightworld is the lid that will close the books, but with nine RJ specific stories already out there, you can hardly say you can't get involved and feel short changed because he has an ending.
And the idea of prequels has been mentioned in passing. RJ stories from his earlier days, his first fixes and stuff.
Ultimately, I like Paul's writing, his diversity. RJ is a great character, but there are a hundred more waiting in the wings.
Welcome to the board.
Dave
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - jimbow8 - 12-22-2004
Welcome to the board, Grimjac.
As Dave said, there are at least nine books. That is hardly a small pittance and more than most series have to offer. Every series has to end some time.
As far as Nightworld being the end..... It is currently the end of the series and will in the future be the end of the series. The difference being that since FPW (Paul) is writing more RJ books since he originally wrote the grand finale, he WILL be revising and reissuing an updated Nightworld which takes into account the changes and additions to the RJ character. So don't worry about a lack (or shortage of books).
In the meantime, try out some of those medical thrillers. You might be surprised. My favorite is The Select. Since you like RJ, you will also most likely enjoy Nightkill. For straight horror, there is Midnight Mass (vampires). I'm sure others on the board will be more than happy to make suggestions, both FPW and a plethora of other authors. We (they) are a pretty well-read bunch!
Enjoy!
Jim
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - the Oracle - 12-22-2004
WELCOME!
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** NIGHTWORLD SPOILER BELOW **
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** NIGHTWORLD SPOILER BELOW **
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** Consider youself warned **
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Nightworld is the end of the world as we know it for sure. But, that doesn't mean that FPW won't keep writing RJ novels from that point forward. You see, Jack makes it through and the world will still be here. I for one would love to keep reading about RJ and his continuing adventures after Nightworld. Who knows if Paul wants to continue the saga though. I have heard him say (on this board) that he is done with the AC and there won't be any pre or post books... But, that doesn't mean that Jack can't pick-up the pieces and start "repairing" things again. I am sure in the new world there will be a need for guys like RJ (perhaps more than before!)
Once again, WELCOME and enjoy!
-Rip
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - jimbow8 - 12-22-2004
http://www.repairmanjack.com/faq.html#5
Will there be a follow up to NIGHTWORLD?
No. Nein. Nyet. Not ever. Never. I do not wish to deal with the post-NIGHTWORLD world.
But the Repairman Jack novels will arc out from THE TOMB and eventually end up at NIGHTWORLD (which will need some revisions by then). Jack will keep running into weird things related to the powers gathering to wreak all the havoc in NIGHTWORLD; plus I'll be using those books as a sort of Grand Unification to link up events in my other books and stories.
And after the convergence with NIGHTWORLD, if I'm not too old or too tired or too burnt out, I might do a few pre-TOMB Jack novels, showing how he learned his trade, so to speak.
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - Lisa - 12-22-2004
Welcome to the board. Even though I didn't read your entire post (I don't know about you, but my days are only 24 hours long) I can assure you that reading the Jack books is worth your while.
In the meantime, you might want to check out some of FPW's scifi, medical thrillers, and "other" (Black Wind and The Fifth Harmonic). Personally, his SF is my favorite followed by Other.
Lisa
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - KRW - 12-22-2004
Welcome to the board!
RJ is addicting and as with anything addicting, you'll always be craving a fix! (Pun intended)
For me there is alot of value in rereading these books. I can always find something I missed and the best part is you know you won't be dissappointed when your through. FPWs' other books hit almost all genres so he never gets boring. But RJ is my favorite character thus far and like you I will hate to see them end. But as long as he keeps writing them, I'll keep reading them!KRW
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - Maggers - 12-22-2004
Welcome to the board, Grimjac. And thanks for your thoughtful exposition.
I've yet to read anything written by F. Paul Wilson that fails to satisfy, let alone thrill. I'm quoting myself, here, from a recent post I directed to the Man, himself.
All of FPW's works are worth reading. I'm especially fond of his short stories. "The Barrens and Others" is a favorite of mine. I also just finished "Soft and Others," and enjoyed that immensely. And I just ordered not one but two of the "Little Beige Book" (by accident mind you, but I'm still happy to have them), another collection of shorts, with the all important "Demonsong" among them.
As KRW stated in his post, re-reading FPW's books is vastly entertaining. I'm always finding nuances that I missed the first time around, especially since I initially read them at such a fevered pace.
So, in short, anything written by F. Paul Wilson can be counted on for a great ride. Sit back, fasten your seat belt, and enjoy!
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - Biggles - 12-22-2004
Your initial post was quite lengthy and well thought out, so I won't excerpt it here, but I have had many of the same thoughts (reservations) as you in the past. I have put all of my reservations to rest.
Consider: Paul left the outcome in doubt at the end of The Tomb, or RJ would have been a one-shot deal. With Legacies the string continued, and since fictional characters live in a time-space continuum independent of real-time, Paul could quite literally write dozens of books about RJ spanning the time period between the end of his latest book (whatever that is) and Nightworld. Since Paul has to rewrite Nightworld for the Borderlands Press limited due out in the future, he will have the opportunity to change the temporal references (Example: The End Of The World As We Know It commences on his 60th birthday--coincidence? I think not).
Basic RJ Questions From The New Guy - Grimjac100 - 12-22-2004
Thanks for the welcomes and replies...most stating what I already know deep in my sneaky heart, but it's always good to have external confirmation.
RJ is a great character. Wracking my brains trying to come up with a character as downright appealing as Jack, and having little luck. There's another Jack...Jack Reacher by Lee Child...but he's a bit more mainstream/men's action superstud (still worth reading though...great series).
Special Agent Pendergrast by Child & Preston is probably the closest to RJ in terms of subject matter and sheer character awesomeness, but lacks the `average guy' factor that makes RJ unique.
Dirk Pitt is great in terms of story, but after a few in a row, you just want to drop on anvil on his head. Best thing about those books is the little alternative history/future twists Cussler throws in every book, and trying to spot Clive's own cameo...
Jim Butcher's `Dresden Files' series is a bit more light in fare, a tad more fantasy oriented. Sort of a male quasi-Anita-Blake-before-she-became-monster-slut...
But RJ is a little different. Not quite `Spillane meets King' or `Hammett crossed with Koontz' sort of melding. He gives me the feeling that...there's things man ought to wot not of going bump in the night just outside our very own doors and windows. The credit goes solely to FPW for the believability of the stories.
I, as a voracious reader and RJ fan, want to see his story progress. Prequels are fine, but more, to me, a form of grabbing a muffin to tide you over till you get home for dinner. They aren't the real meal.
See, I want to see Jack progress. Thus far, every book has revealed a little more of his past, and steps are taken in the present (outside of the main plot/adventure/fixit job) to carry his life into the future. I want to see Vicky become a teenager and Jack's reaction to her dating. I want to see how he handles the responsibility of parenthood. I want to see how his attempts to trick Abe into losing weight and being more health-conscious turn out.
Because NIGHTWORLD or not, I just can't see Jack's life `ending', as it were. From what I can tell, Jack is by far the most popular and appealing hero in The Adversary Cycle. Odds are, FPW himself is a little surprised and gratified at Jack's popularity. He's pretty obviously very fond of the character himself, probably more than he originally expected to be. To me, it says a lot that the website is http://www.repairmanjack.com and not something like http://www.fpaulwilson.com or http://www.rasalomisaweeniehead.com...
So, maybe this is my way of planting a tiny seed in FPW's mind. I'm going to keep reading the RJ books...the ones I'm missing I better get for Christmas, or will have to find them myself, darnit...so no worries about losing me as a fan. But 3 years of fighting Otherness, according to the timeline...well, that's just a small slice of what I, for one, want to see of RJ's life. There's a big old future for him, too...I want to see what comes *next*. If NIGHTWORLD *is* the end of the world as we know and live it, I want to see how Jack and Co. react to what comes after.
I know FPW has said he has no interest in post-NIGHTWORLD...but you know, NIGHTWORLD was published what, 12 years ago? It took a long time for RJ to come back after THE TOMB...so who knows? I'm holding on to the hope that RJ has been knocking persistently on the door of FPW's psyche and that deep down, FPW knows RJ isn't gonna let a little thing like NIGHTWORLD keep him down...