Customer Reviews

Bloodline (Repairman Jack Novels)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In earlier installments of this outstanding series, author F. Paul Wilson would often weave two storylines, one with a foot in the so-called real world, the other grounded in the world of the supernatural. His last two books, however, have placed more emphasis on the supernatural. In INFERNAL, Jack was stricken by a mystical malady which threatened to erase him from this plane of existence; in HARBINGERS, he was forced cut a deal with the otherworldly Ally to protect all he held dear. In BLOODLINE, Wilson switches gears a bit, grounding the story in stark, but still dangerous, reality.

Still dealing with the fallout of the harrowing events chronicled in INFERNAL and HARBINGERS, Jack accepts a job that, at least on the surface, seems just the thing to help him ease back into the repair business--he's asked by protective mother Christy Pickering to break up her teenaged daughter Dawn's relationship with Jerry Bethlehem, a much older man of questionable morals. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Something that John D. MacDonald's quixotic Travis McGee might handle with aplomb, no doubt (Bethlehem being, in many ways, eerily reminiscent of the loathsome Junior Allen of DEEP BLUE GOODBYE fame). Of course, this being the world according to Jack, the situation is not as clear cut as it seems. Bethlehem turns out to be a hardened, dangerous criminal, released from prison because he agreed to take part in a scientific study.

Jerry, you see, is unique because his genome shows evidence of "other" or "o" DNA, a trait which causes extreme, explosive aggressiveness. The scientists studying him are fascinated by the research possibilities. Jerry, on the other hand, cares little about his genetic background--he's on a mission given to him by his psychopathic father, and his target is eighteen year old Dawn Pickering. As Jack unravels the mystery surrounding Bethlehem's twisted quest, he uncovers unsettling information that will change him forever.

As always, Wilson provides entertaining and intelligent reading--he hasn't lost his any of his edginess as the series has progressed, he's only gotten sharper and more proficient at providing shocking twists that will leave readers shaking their heads, first in utter disbelief, then in admiration. Wilson's no frills style makes him easy to underestimate as a writer, but he always delivers the goods--his annual forays into Jack's universe have become events, as his ever growing legion of fans flock to see where he's going to take them next.

F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack series is one of the most well-written and enjoyable of its type out there. For anyone who isn't familiar with it - though it is likely someone reading a review of the eleventh book in the series is - think Dashiell Hammet meets HP Lovecraft, with a lighter tone than either. (In this novel he even playfully includes a hack scifi writer named P. Frank Winslow as a minor character.) Wilson maintains his usual readable standards in Bloodline, with the basis for the next sequel, also as usual, laid out in the last chapter.

Jack, an urban mercenary of sorts, but one who is selective about his clients and methods, takes on an apparently simple case; once again, and not as a coincidence, it blows up into something involving unseen forces - not quite supernatural in the usual sense, but otherworldly nonetheless.

All in all, this is a solid addition to the series. However, though I have no wish to deprive Mr. Wilson of a future downpayment on a beach house on the Jersey shore (and Jack is his creation to do with as he likes), as a reader I am at the point similar to an hour into a monster movie when, as viewer, I am getting impatient for the big lizard to rise out of the sea and trash Tokyo already. A storm has been building in the last few Repairman Jack novels. I await the author's unleashing of it, even though that probably means wrapping up the series.

The eleventh book in the Repairman Jack series is another excellent, haunting thriller that will doubtless impress this cult favorite's many fans. Jack, the ultimate urban fix-it man, uncovers a plot to "rehabilitate" violent criminals by tinkering with their DNA. At the same time, he runs into the followers of a shady self-help guru with plans for world domination. Could these two plot threads be related? (Ya think?) This is not the easiest series to pick up if you haven't read the earlier books. But if you haven't, you should, because Wilson is one of the best.

I've been a huge fan of this series ever since I discovered it three years ago, and look forward to each installment with eager anticipation. However, this entry in the Repairman Jack series falls far short of most of its predecessors in terms of suspense, humor, and fix-its. It's still a good, compulsive read, but a certain spark is missing. I kept waiting for the book to take off and reach the heights of Harbingers, but those heights never came. The only real Repairman Jack moment comes near the end, and the book features far too much of Jack reacting to situations instead of instigating solutions on his own.

Recommended for hard-core fans of Jack, but I think anyone getting started on this series needs to read a bunch of the earlier ones first.

A shark cruising through murky oceanic waters. Suddenly, a splash. A red stain of thick fluid streams below the waves. An ever-increasing sphere of potential chaos attracts the predator's sharp attention. The ancient being swims closer, seeking the source of this Siren's call to destruction. The struggling body of a wounded creature becomes the shark's unrelenting focus. Its jaws spread. Teeth flash. Death ensues.

In F. Paul Wilson's latest addition to the Repairman Jack saga, Bloodline, the motif of "blood" guides, enlightens, and horrifies both Jack and the reader as never before. The result is a perversely fascinating tale that grabs the reader by the scruff of the neck and drags him along at a breakneck pace to destinations both fair and foul.

Still recovering from the events revealed in Harbingers, Jack and his surrogate family are struggling to come to grips with the loss of Gia's -- and Jack's -- unborn child ("the baby [who] carried his bloodline" [p. 13]) after the murderous "accident" that nearly killed both Gia and her daughter Vicky. Jack's unearned guilt digs at his soul, especially given the secret he fears to share with those closest to him: that the attempt upon their lives came from enemies out to destroy him; that "he was the cause of all the trauma" (p. 13) that had shredded their collective lives.

As a result of his shame, his "cowardice" (p. 17), Jack has taken no fix-it jobs for three months. He wonders if he has, perhaps, slid into retirement from a business that has, for so long, disturbed and upset Gia. Given her past reactions to the danger he both endures and creates, Jack is surprised when it is Gia who encourages him to "get back on the horse" and help a mother seeking to "keep [her] daughter from making a terrible mistake." (p. 9) After her life-altering experience, Gia realizes that, not only can she not change Jack, but she's "no longer sure [she] wants to." (p. 14) Jack is who he is, and it's that reality that she loves. She knows his career is "in [his] blood." (p. 15)

Bored and restless, Jack finally agrees to take on a new customer. Christy Pickering -- a single mother who has become a self-made financial success -- is beside herself. Her plain-looking eighteen-year-old daughter, Dawn, has taken up with a man old enough to be her father. Though Christy has no evidence to back up her suspicions, she does not trust gaming programmer Jerry Bethlehem. She believes his attractive blue eyes and easy-sounding Southern drawl hide a darker purpose.

Though such a domestic case hardly seems his style, Jack decides that a simple task such as this would be a good way to ease back into more serious fix-it situations. Unfortunately, in a world on an ultimate collision course with obliteration by the Otherness (as told in Nightworld), no situation involving Jack can be that straightforward.

While he begins his probing into the life of Jerry Bethlehem, Jack learns the truth of the saying "no good deed goes unpunished" when he does a favor for his friend, Abe, owner of Isher Sports Shop. An old anthropology professor of Abe's, Dr. Peter Buhmann, is nearing retirement. Buhmann aided Jack with the mysterious text, the Compendium of Srem (as recounted in Infernal; my review here), and wants to see the near-mythical book with his own eyes before he dies. When the book mysteriously disappears, Jack learns precisely how wrong he was in thinking "how much could it hurt?" (p. 29) to loan out the volume.

Unfortunately for Jack, the problems engendered by his job for Pickering and the theft of the Compendium are compounded when he makes the acquaintance of Hank Thompson -- author and leader of the "Kicker" movement, a self-help discipline in which one becomes "dissimilated" -- and Aaron Levy, a genetic researcher at the Creighton Institute. The intertwining threads in Bloodline become even more complicated when they extend to such past threats as the Dormentalists, the Otherness, and, of course, Rasolam, the prime "agent" for evil in the cosmic conflict unfolding around (and through) Jack.

As mentioned above, "blood" looms prominently in Bloodline, either figuratively or literally. There is plenty of "blood and guts" here, as the body count ratchets higher on both sides of this titanic yet sub rosa struggle. Dispensing death is nothing new for either Jack or the Otherness. Both are adept at concocting particularly gruesome demises for their opponents. The crucial difference, of course, is the reason for the killing. While some people condemn "violence" per se, retaliatory force is as moral as murder is immoral. Jack sometimes teeters on the edge of that distinction, but at least he wrestles with the demons he calls his own. For those in league with the Otherness, using violence is only a negative if they face capture or the loss of some short-term goal.

For Jack, the old adage that "blood is thicker than water" is also reinforced by the events in Bloodline...though not in a literal fashion. Indeed, those most closely related to Jack genetically are not-so-slowly being eliminated from his life. Parents and siblings have died at an accelerated pace as the end nears. But the idea that family relationships and family loyalties are indeed the most important and crucial is born out as Jack tries to connect with -- and worries most about -- those who form his actual family: Gia and Vicky, of course, but also Abe. Their welfare is central to the choices he makes and the actions he performs. Indeed, the unforeseen negative consequences of his efforts as a "repairman" and how they affect his chosen family are what haunt him the most.

Though Jack often sees a warped reflection of himself in the behavior of those committed (knowingly or not) to the Otherness, any literal physical or psychic connection he shares with them is of less importance than what he has chosen as his priorities. After all, what is truly significant about a person is what he decides to do...and what he actually does. What results from his genetic code; who his parents are; where he was born; where he was raised; what others around him do or do not do: none of that is under someone's control. Ultimately, to feel "guilty" for any of those things or to disparage others in a similar circumstance is to betray an overweening arrogance, a presumptuous belief bordering on hubris that one has control over the uncontrollable.

(This is why, in the context of these tales, Jack's continued and often-repeated moralistic "beer snobbery" is so baffling and jarring. Since when is anyone's worth as a human being determined by what his taste buds do or do not find appealing? After all, de gustibus non est disputandum is true for good reasons.)

Indeed a crucial quote comes halfway through this novel:

"It always comes down to personal responsibility," Jack said. "Like you said, the oDNA triggers violent impulses. But there's one more step before the violence: You still have to decide whether or not to act on the impulse. And even if you're drunk or coked up at the time, you're responsible for deciding to drink or snort. So even though you have an impulse to drop a cinder block off an overpass, you don't cross the line until you release it." (p. 191)

The violence committed by the Otherness -- and by the State Jack so zealously tries to avoid -- is never honestly confronted by the perpetrators. The power they violently wield is power for its own sake, asserting the "right" to use people -- whether an impressionable and homely teenager or a country's citizens -- for whatever reasons happen to strike their fancy. Worse, the Otherness/the State frequently cloaks its destructive intent in the guise of enslaving us for our "own good" and with a false compassion that never extends beyond lying lips. The Otherness/State whispers absolution from honest guilt and instills guilt where none is warranted.

We are mere "pawns." It's not our fault nor that of the Otherness/State but always someone else who is "to blame." We are victims of "seduction." The Otherness/State "swears" it is telling us the truth even as it attempts to bury reality. We shouldn't be "thinking about [our]selves" but should instead concern ourselves with someone else and what he wants. The Otherness/State will keep us "safe" and protect us from any "monster" lurking around the corner. Its mask of "comfort and safety [with no] hint of danger" lures us into its clutches as it seeks what is "best" for us, "guiding" us gently yet firmly in the direction it wants us to go, promising that "everything will be all right now" as the doors lock behind us...and our "guardian." Instead of heaven, however, the Otherness/State delivers us into a "hell on Earth for humanity" while it swells in strength and influence. (p. 416 - 423)

In Bloodline, we see the "blood, sweat, and tears" that both Jack and the Otherness expend as they fight towards opposing goals that will soon intersect in an almost literally earth-shattering cataclysm. For Jack, his clients, and the Otherness, "blood will tell," as devastating secrets emerge from carefully crafted concealment. The number of players with "blood on their hands" mounts, blood that they can wash away with as little success as Lady MacBeth enjoyed. Both Jack and his nemesis Jerry Bethlehelm "get their blood up" as they face up to their own savage rage...though for radically different reasons. For each of them, the explanation for their similar yet divergent actions lies "in their blood," as fundamental values ingrained in their respective characters come to dominance. On the surface, both act "in cold blood," ruthlessly, seemingly without feeling...but this is an illusion. While J and J both observe behavior that "makes their blood boil" and act in bloodthirsty ways that would "make others' blood run cold" if they discovered the truth of what the J's have done and are capable of, when Jack is "out for blood," he is motivated by his desire to preserve values. Though Jerry has convinced himself that he, too, shares that desire, his false "values" are aimed at nothing more than debasement, death, and destruction.

Oceanic sharks are attracted to blood in the water because they are focused on basic survival. But the Otherness sniffs out such bloody trails because it thrives on the pain of innocents, on chaos for chaos's sake. A shark does not gain perverse pleasure from the suffering of its prey. Rasalom does.

Bloodline is not for the faint of heart. Blood-curdling in its blood-...er...baths..., yes, but where else will a devoted reader of Repairman Jack enjoy the opportunity to meet "P. Frank Winslow," author of the "Jake Fixx novel" Berzerk! and its precursor, Rakshasa?

Enjoy.

I've read all the RJ novels and this one was by far my least favorite. While it shared may of the same problems as HARBINGERS (mostly a meandering supernatural plotline and little-to-no "fixin'"), this novel had the added "bonus" of just sort of...stopping.

There is no real wrapping up of the story, just sort of an intermission until it picks up in the next book; while this isn't the first time I have seen this tactic used for series-style novels, it never fails to bother the heck out of me.

It's getting harder and harder for me to care about Jack's exploits, mostly because they are getting more and more unbelievable. There is a particular part of the book that really seemed to be jumping the shark (a particular novelist of the "Jake Fixx" persuasion; deliver me from writer's in-jokes...), and all in all I wished that it had been closer to the earlier Jack books - more fixin', less supernatural-related nonsense.

I love this series. I've just recently discovered it and I can't seem to get enough. But, this one wasn't as gripping as the preceeding. I think it was the part in the very beginning where Jack walks by a book store...I won't give anything away, but that piece of author indulgence and tongue-in-cheek self adulation totally took me out of the story and put me back in the real world. If I wanted to be reminded that I was reading a novel, I'd read a book review.

I read the first book in what was to become the Repairman Jack series longer ago than probably either I or Mr. Wilson cares to remember. Up to this one, they offered an interesting premise and a character who's unwilling position between the proverbial rock and hard place because of his own lifestyle choice was compelling.

What Mr. Wilson has chosen to do in this latest effort strikes me the same way as when I read Thomas Harris's HANNIBAL--that I was reading the work of a writer thoroughly bored with a character that had been taken beyond his control and frustrated that he was having to write yet another volume in a tale he wished was over.

Mr. Wilson may well surprise me with this new direction he's taken, and my disappointment with it won't prevent me from following to see what he does with it. However, my instinct as both a writer and an editor tells me what has been revealed about Jack isn't a good idea. Worse, it has the potential for reducing what has up till now been an interesting multifaceted character to a caricature.

I'm glad to see Jack back to what seem like his regular fix-its, though they are now more and more connected. This one continues where Harbingers left off and Jack is still reeling from a tragic event. However, this time, Vicky and Gia take a back seat to the story and I'll have to admit I breathed a sigh of relief. I read these stories for the action and mystery, not for the soap opera. Yeah, it's nice to know a few things about his personal life, but don't dwell on it.

Bloodline brings up some more questions to go with the answers. It is all linked. My only problem is there's a hint of an ending to the series in a few months of story time. I hope that is not true as I want this series to continue for a lot longer. However, I know how hard it is to consistently come up with fresh stuff for a tried-and-true character.

This is a competent and very well-done continuation of the Repairman Jack saga and I was not a bit disappointed in the usual "leave us hanging for the next one" ending. Highly recommended.

I'm way behind on my "Repairman Jack" novels. I have four hardcover books sitting up on my bookshelves that I'm just now starting to read: Bloodline, By the Sword, Ground Zero, and Fatal Error. I've been buying the books, but I've held off from reading them, knowing the series was nearing its end. I think Mr. Wilson plans on one or two more books before bringing Jack to a close. I've been reading the "Repairman Jack" novels since The Tomb was first published in paperback during the mid-eighties (F. Paul Wilson is also the author of The Keep, which was published in 1981). That's almost three decades and a long time. Hell, I've actually been reading Wilson's fiction since The Keep. Anyway, I started seeing Viggo Mortensen as Jack about six years ago, and that has stuck in my mind. I keep hoping he'd play Repairman Jack in the movie adaptation, but who knows. Anything can happen in Hollywood.

In Bloodline, Jack is still recovering emotionally from the near-death of his girlfriend, Gia, and her daughter, Vicky (see Harbingers). Their unborn baby died after the attempted murder. Jack has been holding off on telling Gia that she and Vicky were targeted because of him. He doesn't know how she'd react to that shocking piece of news. To keep busy, he takes a case involving a mother who thinks her daughter is going to get hurt in a relationship with an older man. Of course, this being a "Repairman Jack" novel, everything is not as it seems, and the boyfriend of the daughter is part of the plan for the "Others" to eventually take over the world. As Jack investigates the boyfriend, he discovers a hidden connection to a bestselling "self-help" guru that seems to originate with the Creighton Institute for criminally insane and perhaps a closely guarded plan for the creation of the "Key to the Future" that is necessary before the Others can take over. Jack will certainly have his hands full as he attempts to find out exactly what's going on and how he's tied into it, knowing there are no coincidences and that the day of reckoning is quickly approaching.

My major problem with the "Repairman Jack" novels is that the story lines all take place within months of each other, though the books are written years apart. I need to go back to the beginning and start over with the series so that the time line makes sense to me. That, however, doesn't stop me from enjoying the books and especially the character of Jack. Jack is an urban mercenary who lives underground (fake drivers license, Social Security Card, credit cards, license plates for his car, etc.) so there's no record of him in the system. Jack doesn't exist on paper, and he prefers it that way. He doesn't trust the government, and I honestly don't blame him. To live the life of the "everyday man" would've gotten him killed years ago. As it is, he may not have long to live with the finale coming up.

F. Paul Wilson has created an anti-hero in the form of Repairman Jack. Though he breaks the law in numerous ways, he's loyal to his friends and tries to help those in need of his special abilities. I only wish Jack was real, instead of a fictional character. We have need of men like Jack to help guard our rights as Americans and human beings. They see life as black and white, and aren't afraid to do whatever is vital for our continued existence. In other words, Repairman Jack is the Man! He's the dude who'll cover your back when the going gets tough. You can trust him to keep his word and to do what's morally right, no matter what the consequences.

Repairman Jack is one of the foremost characters in fiction today with few contemporaries who can equal his persistence in getting to bottom of every mystery he encounters. This is why there's a "Repairman Jack" fan club with Stephen King as its top member. This is also a series you don't want to see end, but everything seems to run its course, much as life does, and Jack is nearing his final days. I just hope to be there for the explosive ending with Jack hopefully defeating the Otherness for humanity's sake. Highly Recommended!