Hosts: A Repairman Jack Novel

by F. Paul Wilson

2003

Status

Available

Publication

Tor Books (2003), Edition: 1st, 512 pages

Description

Repairman Jack has been tearing up the urban adventure scene ever since he was introduced in the New York Times bestseller, The Tomb. Jack has no last name, no social security number, and no qualms when it comes to getting the job done--even if it means putting himself in serious danger. Hosts starts with a bang when Jack has to stop a psychotic's shooting rampage on a subway car--but there are witnesses, and Jack's essential anonymity is threatened. A good deal more is threatened when the lover of Jack's sister Kate survives a brain tumor, thanks to an experimental treatment, only to join a strange cult called "the Unity." Now Jack must face a new kind of enemy, a virally-based group mind that wants to take over him, and the world. "Jack is righteous " --Andrew Vachss "The Tomb is one of the best all-out adventure stories I've read in years." --Stephen King (President of the Repairman Jack fan club)… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member readinggeek451
After thwarting a subway shooting, Jack is hounded by a reporter-witness who thinks the story is his ticket to the big time. Meanwhile, Jack's estranged sister needs his help because her lover has gotten involved in a cult. Or is it something even more sinister? Can Jack save the world--or even his
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sister?
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LibraryThing member timothyl33
One of the best Repairman Jack books so far, but also one of the grimmest. Repairman Jack
LibraryThing member Carol420
When Jeanette Vega is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor she is offered the chance to participate in an experimental treatment program using a tailored virus. A miracle cure follows, but what she or her lover Kate Iverson hadn't bargained for was the strange personality change which followed
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the treatment. Slowly but surely Jeanette is pulling away from Kate, and joins in a cult-like enclave with her fellow patients. When Kate is given Repairman Jack's card as a possible source of help, she makes contact. To the amazement of both Jack and Kate, they have already met - Jack is the brother who dropped out of their family after their mother was killed.

Jack has his own problems to deal with. Caught on a subway train with a mass murderer, he goes into action, shoots the killer and saves dozens of lives. Unfortunately, another passenger is Sandy Palmer, a third string reporter for a New York scandal sheet, who realizes this story is a chance to make it into the big time. Jack, who has made a career out of being totally anonymous, sees only that publicity will destroy his hard won independence. He is willing to do everything in his power to deflect Sandy's well meant attention.

The Repairman Jack novels started out as horror stories with a strong supernatural bent, and have gradually become suspense stories with a slight touch of the spooky. This is not one of my favourite Repairman Jack's novel. Too much focussed was given to the story of the journalist and his pursuit of the Savior. I would have preferred if more emphasis is given on Jack's 'fix-it' jobs. Maybe that's why Jack's heroism did not really shine in this novel.
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LibraryThing member majackson
Granting that I'm a good deal older…but this story scared me almost as much as the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" so many years ago. The idea that your consciousness could be subverted & perverted is all too repulsive for me--this is also why I never finished Peter Hamilton's "Reality
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Dysfunction" series. In Hamilton's stories your consciousness is pushed out; in this story your sense of self is forcibly seduced and then perverted. If Wilson wasn't such a good writer I don't know if I could have finished reading it.
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LibraryThing member majkia
First appearance of The Adversary in the series. Jack reconnects with his sister, only to find her swept up into the Adversary's plans.

Awards

Prometheus Award (Nominee — Novel — 2002)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2001

Physical description

1.11 inches

ISBN

081256166X / 9780812561661

Barcode

1602957
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