By the Sword: A Repairman Jack Novel (Repairman Jack)

By the Sword: A Repairman Jack Novel (Repairman Jack)

By the Sword takes up the adventures of Repairman Jack directly after Bloodline. Jack is hired to find a legendary Japanese sword, a katana stolen from the Hiroshima Peace Museum and brought to New York City. Central characters include the members of a weird Japanese cult, a young Japanese businessman and his three Yakuza bodyguards, plus Hank Thompson, the Kicker cult leader from Bloodline. The cult, the businessman, the Yakuza, and the Kickers are looking for the sword as well.

Also in the mix is the pregnant teenager carrying a child, loaded with abnormal DNA, who will be a decisive force in the cosmic shadow war raging behind the scenes. She becomes a pawn in the game, hunted by both sides. Following his usual m.o., Jack maneuvers all sides into a bloody melee from which he plans to waltz away with the fabled katana. Of course, when things don’t go as planned, Jack must improvise (and he hates to improvise). By the Sword takes F. Paul Wilson’s trademark breakneck pacing and interweaving storylines to a new level.

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Customer Review: By the Sword
I was disappointed with By the Sword and the direction Wilson is taking the Jack as a character. I've read all the previous books loving the story lines where Repairman fixes other people's problems. These stories are clever and at time humorous (recalling the helicopter dropping used truck tires on a gangsters outdoor party LOL). I don't read the books for the fictional cosmic battles between good and evil that Jack got sucked into. This book wasn't fun at all to read, it was very dry and dark. I'm having serious doubts that I'll finish the set knowing there are only two or three volumes left. On the other hand I may just wait for the paperback versions so I can be disappointed as cheaply as possible.
Customer Review: Worthwhile continuation of the series
It's hard to rate this book higher than 4 stars, just because it doesn't really feel "complete". But it is a worthy addition to the series, answering many questions without really introducing too many new ones. The "Kicker" movement is explained, as is (at least in part) the women with the dog. And it is an action filled tale; plenty is happening, and Jack seems to be right in the middle of everything. It was a fun read, and at some point for me, became a "can't put it down" type of read. I'm looking forward to the other final books of the series. Not a book to read as a standalone, for sure. You really need the context of the earlier novels. But if you have that context, you're going to enjoy this one.