The Haunted Air

Rating:
Summary: Just some clarification
Review: ...However, The Tomb was updated recently with what F. Paul Wilso calls the preferred text. The Tomb now takes place in present time with the subsequent tales falling in line within months of each other.

All the stories are leading to something big which has already been written, but alas, that book and all books in the already completed Adversary Cycle will have to be updated save for The Keep, because lets face it, you cant change history.

...Just don't ask who should play Jack in the upcomming movie based on The Tomb. Unless of course you enjoy wrath, then go for it.

Rating:
Summary: Best in the series so far
Review: F. Paul Wilson continues his popular (and constantly improving) Repairman Jack series while putting his own stamp on the familiar haunted house tale. Repairman Jack is absolutely the most intriguing series character running today -- a mercenary with no official identity but a solid moral foundation, he "fixes" situations that are outside the realm of normal legal channels and that generally involve some supernatural elements. And I wait eagerly for the release of each succeeding entry.

The Haunted Air is by far the best novel in the series that I have read since the inaugural The Tomb. I thought Hosts was great until I read this one. Wilson has really caught his stride and is able to further develop the characters of Jack, his girlfriend Gia (and her daughter Vicky), and his friend and supplier Abe -- as well as their relationships to each other -- while continuing to invent plausible fantastic scenarios that put them deeper and deeper in peril. The Repairman Jack series can always be counted on for thought-provoking storylines as well as heart-pounding, pulse-racing, eye-widening climaxes.

Two brothers, Lyle and Charlie Kenton, run a sham psychic business out of their historic home, Menelaus Manor, under the names Ifasen and Kehinde, respectively. They have, over the years, quickly boosted their clientele by stealing them from competing psychics, and somebody has decided to get revenge. Drive-by shootings and mysterious door openings and closings are only the beginning. Once Jack gets involved, however, the intensity is turned way up as he decides to confront the suspects -- a competing psychic -- on her own turf; he gets to scam the scam artist.

Further investigation brings up secrets about the house, its previous owner, and a spirit out for revenge. On top of all this, Gia fears she may be pregnant. How can a child have a father with no identity? Would Jack be willing to give up his Repairman Jack lifestyle to become Citizen Jack?

It is this extra layer of emotion that raises The Haunted Air above the usual fare. Wilson gets into the minds of his characters, especially tricky with a man like Jack who is such a physical presence, and lets us know how they feel about the events, as well as taking us on a rollercoaster ride of fear, thrills, and suspense--all the while dropping clues to the upcoming confrontation with The Otherness--making sure to deliver a whiz-bang conclusion that tops anything else he has written.

Rating:
Summary: You gotta love Jack
Review: F. Paul Wilson sure has a gem of a character in Repairman Jack. He is a tough, no-nonsense guy who is prone to beat the (expletive) out of people who deserve it and he also has a heart. A nice guy vigilante. Doesn't sound possible but Wilson makes it work and every page makes the reader even more interested in what happens next. I also like how he sometimes incorporates a bit of the supernatural in his stories. Sometimes a lot more than a bit.

There is an underlying evil that I think will tie all of the novels together, the Adversary or the Otherness and Jack is supposed to be one of the people who stop it (all in later books I assume). In this one he has his hands full with other things though.

My only gripe (and it is a small one) is I wish there were more vigilante type scenes with Jack handling up on regular scumbags that don't tie into the main plot somehow.

Anyways, a great read and I recommend the series to anyone who likes action/mystery/X-files/ and even a tad of romance.

Rating:
Summary: Unexpected Visitations
Review: Jack is the ultimate rebel, refusing to take any membership in society - as far as the workings of bureaucracy know Jack does not exist. This leaves him free to pursue his own goals - fixing peoples problems, righting wrongs, and occasionally scamming the bad guys. His only direct connections to the world we know are his two loves, Gia DiLauro and her young daughter Vicky. All things considered Jack has a pretty good life for a non-being.

Or he did until Gia talks him into visited Ilfasen the psychic on a whim. No sooner does Jack cross the threshold into Menelaus Manor when an earthquake signals a new phase in Jack's life and responsibilities. Gia is pregnant, dead children are haunting the living, and Jack find's himself propelled unwillingly into a conflict with the 'Otherness.' The same force was the indirect cause of his sister's death earlier in the year. Now it seems to be playing for even bigger stakes.

This is at least the sixth in F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack series. In it Wilson complete the shift from stories which seem supernatural but aren't quite that simple to a world where evil is a real power and the spiritual world often overlaps the mundane. This adds life to the series, and makes 'The Haunted Air,' despite a few faults, the best written in the series for some time.

While I was uncomfortable with was Jack's excessive macho in the face of Gia's pregnancy. While Jack has never been a particularly complicated person, he succumbs to the situation by becoming over protective of Gia, who really does have a mind of her own. In fact, Gia is far better at ignoring Jack's attempts at parenting that I was as a reader. It will be interesting to follow this relationship in future volumes. Of which there will no doubt be many.

Rating:
Summary: Unexpected Visitations
Review: Jack is the ultimate rebel, refusing to take any membership in society - as far as the workings of bureaucracy know Jack does not exist. This leaves him free to pursue his own goals - fixing peoples problems, righting wrongs, and occasionally scamming the bad guys. His only direct connections to the world we know are his two loves, Gia DiLauro and her young daughter Vicky. All things considered Jack has a pretty good life for a non-being.

Or he did until Gia talks him into visited Ilfasen the psychic on a whim. No sooner does Jack cross the threshold into Menelaus Manor when an earthquake signals a new phase in Jack's life and responsibilities. Gia is pregnant, dead children are haunting the living, and Jack find's himself propelled unwillingly into a conflict with the 'Otherness.' The same force was the indirect cause of his sister's death earlier in the year. Now it seems to be playing for even bigger stakes.

This is at least the sixth in F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack series. In it Wilson complete the shift from stories which seem supernatural but aren't quite that simple to a world where evil is a real power and the spiritual world often overlaps the mundane. This adds life to the series, and makes 'The Haunted Air,' despite a few faults, the best written in the series for some time.

While I was uncomfortable with was Jack's excessive macho in the face of Gia's pregnancy. While Jack has never been a particularly complicated person, he succumbs to the situation by becoming over protective of Gia, who really does have a mind of her own. In fact, Gia is far better at ignoring Jack's attempts at parenting that I was as a reader. It will be interesting to follow this relationship in future volumes. Of which there will no doubt be many.

Rating:
Summary: Horrifyingly Scrumptious
Review: Since I loved his other book, Crisscross, I bought this book with a paralyzing fear-induced apprehension. How many times have I read a great book and then went for another in the series only to be disappointed? Too many times. After putting the book down, my cup runneth over with glee. With a buffet of vengeful ghost, bloody sacrifices, evil entities and a hefty portion of violence on the side - this is horrifyingly scrumptious.

The sixth novel in the Repairman Jack series, you will have no trouble reading it as an isolated story. The plot is intricate, original and irresistible. I sat down with the intention to only read a few pages before bedtime and found myself still reading at 3 am. The subplots moved with a hushed undercurrent until converging, giving you an exploding climax. The pace in the story is steadfast and tenacious. The book hijacks you from the first line but always manages to keep you close and secure.

The atmosphere is shrouded in mystical undertones and terrifying fundamentals. As the journey unfolds, the air vibrates with an overpowering sense of fear and rage. Wilson's style of writing is taut and up-front. With that said, I did have a problem with the dialogue of the Kenton brothers. I understand the need to make the men sound more urban, but around the third chapter it started to grate until finally I skipped almost all the dialogue of Charlie Kenton completely.

Having read the last book first, I have no concept of the fleshing out of players over time. Instead, I get to learn Jack's past and understand how he got to this point. The characters are realistic, consistant and hilarious. Wilson gives his cast what readers hunger for: A Soul. Returning to the series, I felt like I was meeting back up with old friends.

My rating? I give it a 4 . Wrap those pennies, collect some cans and if all else fails I hear Red Cross needs a pint or two - this book is a Must Have!

Rating:
Summary: Jack is back, and he's got a few more challenges...
Review: Take, for example, Lyle and Charlie--two con artists (although Charlie's a born-again Catholic) trying to make a few bucks. They've made some enemies since their move to New York. Enemies that may want them dead.

And then there's the earthquake that occurs beneath the brothers' house. It creates a giant crevice in the floor of their basement...and releases something into this world that maybe should've stayed below.

And then there's Jack's girlfriend, Gia. She's worried...because she's pregnant. And that means that Jack might have to turn in his Repairman job forever...

F. Paul Wilson's "The Haunted Air" is not only riveting--it's flat-out entertaining! Repairman Jack is quite possibly the best literary character to come along since James Bond, or Sherlock Holmes. He's tough, he has a mean streak...but he's sensitive, and abhorrs violence. Doesn't stop him from repairing situations for people, though.

The fifth Repairman Jack novel finds Jack (and Wilson) in top form. Check this one out; then, if you haven't yet, check out the other Repairman Jack novels. They're a must for die-hard readers.

Rating:
Summary: 3 1/2 Stars -- A Good Book But Pretty Predictable!
Review: While I enjoyed The Haunted Air (as I have most of Wilson's books), it is far from the best in the series and nowhere near as good as The Tomb. Perhaps after reading so many superlative reader reviews here, I was expecting much more than what I got. The Haunted Air is a fast-paced, entertaining book that is a good choice as a beach read or long plane trip, and Repairman Jack is - well - just Jack. Enough said about that. However, most of the other characters are thinly developed and the plot lacks the level of excitement, surprises and suspense that I've come to expect from this series, and particularly from these reviews. All in all, if you don't go into reading this book with very high expectations, as I did, and can be satisified with an entertaining story, I think you'll enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: Repairing Queens
Review: Wilson's series is always engaging, with his New Jersey born Jack the rebel repairer. This one is outstanding, and moves from both his standard Manhattan and suburban settings to the borough of Queens. Lyle and Charlie Kenton are very attactive additions to the series; I hope to see more of them!

There are weaknesses. Wilson isn't entirely comfortable with the Kenton brothers, and his ghastly version of Detroit black street language is a distracting nuisance. Lyle, the very upwardly mobile, articulate, and sharply intelligent con artist, is more realistic. Gia from Iowa remains as boring as her unbearably cutesy daughter, but the reader can skip past her.

Otherwise it's a lively, exciting, well-developed novel, with flashes of acid humor. The settings are very well-handled, and the pacing is breathless. Grab a copy for the beach or subway!

Now when will Dr. Wilson set a story in the Bronx? We have Edgar Allan Poe's cottage and Woodlawn Cemetery, so well written of in Peter Beagle's _A Fine and Private Place_, to tempt him!