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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wilson continues to deliver the goods, May 3, 2006
For those who came in late, F. Paul Wilson has been writing about the adventures of a reluctant hero, known to his customers and allies as Repairman Jack, for several years now. Jack, who had his first solo adventure in Wilson's novel The Tomb, plays a key role in the author's justifiably praised Adversary cycle. Since The Tomb, Wilson has treated readers to eight uniformly excellent installments in Jack's saga, providing stories with a unique balance of action, adventure, humor, and philosophy.
As the years have passed, Jack's adventures have grown more and more fantastic, and, sadly, lethal. Jack, who has been told that he is actually no more than a pawn in a cosmic chess game between two entities known as the Ally and the Adversary, has suffered several significant losses during those adventures, which have seen the deaths of several family members. In Harbingers, Wilson ups the ante significantly, as Jack encounters a group of zealots who strive to do the work of the Ally, even if that includes the slaughter of innocents. Jack initially views them as allies, but eventually begins to have doubts about their methods and activities. Is the group what it says it is? And, if it is, is it being manipulated by otherworldly forces? Jack has to find the answers, or else face personal tragedy once more.
Looking back, it's hard to believe that Wilson has actually reached the ninth (tenth if you count The Tomb) installment in this ongoing saga. It's also difficult to believe that Wilson could sustain the quality and momentum of the series the way he has, but it's true--each tale is a stepping stone towards the ending that Wilson has already written, essentially back story to a tale that's already been told. It's a tribute to Wilson's writing skills that he's been able to make readers care so much about this character and his supporting cast, and in such a consistently surprising and entertaining manner. Jack, whose adventures recall those of the great pulp heroes such as Nayland Smith, Doc Savage, and The Shadow, is truly a hero for the ages.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Jack's Best, August 30, 2006
I'm biased. I admit it. I'd be thrilled watching Jack fix absolutely anything, like a TV. Or a cat.
But this was a particularly good entry in the series for two reasons.
First, because there's a huge twist in the middle of the book that you'll never see coming (a spear has no branches...), and second, the ending was actually emotional.
Wilson is the master of blending horror and action, and in this aspect, Harbingers doesn't disappoint. There's a high body county, a really fun scene in a rigged building, and some great minor characters to compliment the regulars.
But there's also a lot revealed in this book, and many secrets that were hinted at in earlier novels are finally answered.
If you've never read a Repairman Jack book before, you'll enjoy the supernatural thrills. If, like me, you're a huge fan of the series, you'll be salivating over this book. It's well worth the collector's pricetag.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jack rocks, June 4, 2006
Better than the last repairman Jack book, Infernal.
The reader below doesn't understand the reason for the $66 price tag.
The reason is, this is a special collectors FIRST EDITION of which there are only 500 signed copies in existense.
The 'official' release will take place sometime this fall with a price tag around $20.
This happens every year when a new Repairman Jack story is released.
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