The blurring of the genres is what seperates RJ from most of the stories found on television and in cinema today. Hollywood loves to ride the coat-tails of a single genre, even if it's ridden six-feet into the ground, and it's the same for a lot of other mainstream authors.

FPW is a real G because he's not afraid to knock down barriers and branch out. If RJ had simply continued to stick to the purely fix-it motif, the series would've become redundant and stale. You may not agree, but that type of thing happens to a lot of mainstream TV and movies today.

Fortunately, you'll probably find yourself right at home with YA RJ series, so don't give up hope.

I didn't mean to say that I don't appreciate originality. I think that's something that's sorely lacking in most of todays works of fiction (novels, movies, TV). I also didn't mean to suggest that "blurring" the lines between genres isn't favorable, because it is. One of my favorite series is Eric Garcia's "Rex" novels (Anonymous, Casual and Hot & Sweaty), and the main character in those books is a dinosaur private investigator masquerading as a human. Hard-boiled detective fiction wrapped in a thick coat of science fiction, and (in my opinion), they're tops. Reeses Peanut Butter Cups tops, to continue an analogy.

This is just a matter of these specific characters in these specific novels. I disagree that the series would've become stale without the supernatural elements. I mean, sure, eventually it would've. All series do, usually (I've found) around the 10th entry. Past that it's a rare animal that can sustain a series of any genre. If Dr. Wilson didn't seem to be writing the series to a conclusion already eventually even Repairman Jack would've become humdrum no matter what kind of predicaments he found himself in. In that regard I give him a lot of respect for wrapping up his world before Jack became another Remo Williams (what are the Destroyer books up to now? 115? 120?)

In the case of these characters and stories, I just feel that the two central themes would have been best served as individuals rather than a duet. There's something to be said for duets, of course, but there's also something to be said for solos.

I'm not trying to change anyone's opinion. Just voicing my own.

(And, although I'm sure I've missed some good stuff along the way, I haven't cared for YA fiction since I was a YA myself.)

The first Jack novel (The Tomb/Rakoshi) contains the supernatural, and the last Jack novel (Nightworld) contains the supernatural. I think it only natural that those between also contain the supernatural.

That breathing is necessary to living?

I knew there was at least one specific example of me agreeing with you, Scott. This is in the Musician Name game ....

The Replacements

We are going to run out Ss with so many bands having a plural at the end of their names. Perhaps we should consider allowing the letter before the S in cases like this?

Supertramp

I'll go along with Scott's suggestion - maybe use the 2nd to last letter if the S is used to pluralize the group name?

I'm sure there are more examples in other threads, but that one was the easiest to find. :p

The first Jack novel (The Tomb/Rakoshi) contains the supernatural, and the last Jack novel (Nightworld) contains the supernatural. I think it only natural that those between also contain the supernatural.

Naturally.

Seriously, an excellent point. It wouldn't make much sense for the entire RJ series to stray very far from its origins and eventual conclusion.

Excelsior, if I may make a suggestion, I wouldn't dismiss the YA series out of hand just for being YA. That classification is not what it used to be, not by a long shot.

Naturally.

Seriously, an excellent point. It wouldn't make much sense for the entire RJ series to stray very far from its origins and eventual conclusion.

Excelsior, if I may make a suggestion, I wouldn't dismiss the YA series out of hand just for being YA. That classification is not what it used to be, not by a long shot.

I have no problem with Excelsior's point. If it isn't his "cup of tea" that's fine. Frankly, I also enjoy the "normal jobs" at the beginning of many of the RJ books A LOT. I often wish there were more of them and that they would be more of a focus, but I also understand that the course that Jack is on. In a sense, yes, Paul has written himself into a corner, but it's a really nice corner and the zigzagging job of getting there is quite fun.

Excelsior, have you read the Adversary Cycle, or have you only read the Repairman Jack novels?

Thanks for the replies, folks (and FPW, that's my fondest hope!).

I don't want to read any more of your great books but I sure hope you respond to my post-not sure I see the logic here.

I knew there was at least one specific example of me agreeing with you, Scott. This is in the Musician Name game ....

I'm sure there are more examples in other threads, but that one was the easiest to find. :p

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. I mean it's not often people agree with me, even agreeable sorts such as yourself-not to agreeable though-I don't want to imply that you will just blindly agree to anything. You're like the the baby bears stuff-just right on your agreeability.

I don't want to read any more of your great books but I sure hope you respond to my post-not sure I see the logic here.

I was replying directly to the "fruitful and multiply" thing, not fishing for anything. I wasn't even sure he posted here - some authors don't post on their boards.

Hey! I did the exact same thing. I "discovered" Paul at #2, read all the rest of the RJ series up until Haunted Air and the quit when the Otherness showed up, because it wasn't Reeses peanut butter cup like (to steal your analogy). But then I read some of his older fiction, and borrowed the new few books from the library, and I came back. I know exactly what you mean though. I didn't think it was realistic for this Otherness to be in NY and him fighting it and stuff. (I didn't know at the time that he had written other Otherness books, HA was my first dose. I freaked and ran. I haven't read the Adversary Cycle yet.) But the important thing is that I came back. One day, you may come back too. Happy reading.

Stephanie