F. Paul Wilson is one of my favorite authors and he does not disappoint with The Last Christmas. I enjoyed the latest installment of the return of Jack. He's a no nonsense guy. I look forward to the continuation of this tale in the next sequel.

Some thirty-six years ago, I read an interesting book titled The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson. It was a quick read, frankly nothing memorable, but it kept me interested right through the end. It also introduced me Repairman Jack, He is a 'fixer' who lives off the grid and repairs other peoples problems. He has no last name, no social security number, works only for cash, and does whatever is necessary to make sure the job gets done.

Little did I know that I was beginning a lifelong relationship with one of the most intriguing literary character I've read. So here I am, after 17 or so books, three related series, and a string of YA fiction featuring Repairman Jack, and now ANOTHER one pops up. I couldn't be happier!

Wilson's many book deals with a history of the world that remains undiscovered, unexplored, and unknown to most of humanity. An Otherness. There are Gods and monsters, conspiracies, sacred objects and much more. The world is hurtling toward an inevitable war of good versus evil incarnate. Jack finds himself right in the middle of it, discovers that nobody can be trusted—and that few people are what they seem. The Last Christmas, which I read courtesy of Net Galley and Crossroad Press is exchange for an objective review, is a prequel to Wilson's Nightworld, the last book in series (and the world).

Jack is asked to hunt down a wolf-like beast that actually shouldn't exist. At the same time, he is being chased by two gangsters whose boss desperately wants an ancient artifact (supposedly with healing powers) Jack has been hired to protect. by a very mysterious and magical lady. And, of course, the world is coming to an end. Not complicated at all!

Does the book stand alone outside the word of Repairman Jack? Absolutely, These are great characters, unexpected humor and creepy darkness. Wilson sets a great pace with all his books and this is no difference. While the book is self-contained, I suspect it will send you to reading the first one, as well you should. What a fantastic holiday present from the author.

I absolutely love the Repairman Jack books and I was sad to see the series end so when I saw there was a new book coming out I jumped on it. Jack is in a real slump with a anniversary of his father and brothers death coming up. The poor man has lost almost everyone in his life that means anything to him.Jack hasn't done a fix in a while now he takes on two at once. The first is find a experiment that went missing from Plum Island.The second is to hide a antique object the turns out to be another Infernal A warning!! Never lie to Jack! There is lots of Jack action going on in this new book. Lots of familiar faces make an appearance If you are a fan of the original Repairman Jack books you do not want to miss this one. Its just like the good old days!!

If you haven’t read any of the Repairman Jack series – or if you’ve been away from it for a while – I would suggest that you go back and read the other books prior to this one. While you can enjoy Jack without the other books, there’s a ton of world building that’s simply critical to understanding all the players and some of the plot intricacies here.

Now, for the seasoned Repairman Jack readers, hold on to your hats. This is a wild and thrilling ride!

Jack is at his best here and Wilson brings back some beloved (and fascinating characters). He also brings us a new character to love. This is a thriller through and through, with so many tense moments and things to keep you guessing!

I’m so happy Wilson brought us another Jack book and I truly hope there’s more to come!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

ARC FROM NET GALLEY

How many times are you glad a series continues, well Merry Christmas to a great story AS USUAL and perhaps the beginning of something named Tier Hill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was SO happy to see a new Repairman Jack book ! I have read all of the series and hoped F. Paul Wilson would write another "Jack" story.

In this read:
Jack searches for a missing person (?)
We meet two "government" liars
Madame de Medico makes an appearance
and... Jack may have some competition from a new character, Tier Hill

Certainly, this book can be read as a standalone, but why not read earlier ones, first? They are all superb!

One of F. Paul Wilson's BEST !

Many Thanks to Crossroad Press and NetGalley for a brilliant read !!!

Jack is back!!! Fantastic, thrilling read. Mr. Wilson has done it again, Welcome back old friend. New and old readers of the Repair Man Jack series will enjoy this one.

F. Paul Wilson once stated that he was through with Repairman Jack. He has reconsidered and brought him back for another great story in the life of Jack. This book fits in toward the end of the Repairman Jack story, and clues about people, situations and events allow you to quickly determine where in the timeline this fits in. In a refreshing return to basics The otherness is not included this time. LAST CHRISTMAS fits smoothly into the series as once again Jack takes on not one but two "Fixes" to occupy his time. It also includes references to the short story INFERNAL NIGHT from the anthology FACEOFF (Heather Graham/F. Paul Wilson writing together).

It was great to get back to a basic Jack story and how he adheres to his own code. Our fixes are separate, but as expected, will cross paths along the way. The story is set at Christmas time, and the title "Last Christmas" will apply in multiple ways as the story keeps the reader interested. The synopsis centers on Jack, who is waiting on events to move along against "The One" (Never say his name) Jack agrees to take on 2 cases. One is a referral from an old friend, one from a stranger who knows of him, and has previously recommended him to another.. Jack must balance these 2 jobs and suspects that each has more to it than appears on the surface. While chasing down one solution, a team of mean are after him on his second fix. His pursuers have a simple instruction. Jack is in the way, and his second fix must be stopped, if that means stopping Jack permanently, then do it. Can Jack elude his pursuers and complete both fixes? And of course, will Jack complete his fixes in a manner that is never expected?

I enjoyed this from beginning to End. Previous adventures and characters are referenced, but in a manner that does not impact the completed series. It is well paced and as we have grown used to, broken up into major sections by day. Our usual band of characters from the series take minor roles, or will only be mentioned. Abe will take his usual role of advising Jack . The fixes are unusual, and fit in with Jack's current views of the world where nothing is impossible. As for a new character, they will reveal something that became a "HOLY HELL" moment for me.

F. Paul Wilson delivered again on characters, story, and the Repairman Jack Legacy..
If you are a fan of RMJ, this is a must read, and if you are in the midst of reading and want to keep this story in order, it will fit in between FATAL ERROR and DARK AT THE END.

F. Paul Wilson delivers another exciting chapter in the Repairman Jack series. I first discover these books a few years ago — and I’m glad I did.

Wilson gives us a nice blend of mystery and otherworldly suspense. I recommend this series to fans of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and other writers who know how to balance the demands of thrill and fantasy.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a digital review copy.

This was my first "Repairman Jack" novel I have read. It was different from what I expected. Jack apparently takes care of weird things that go wrong. Even if the problem involves changing DNA of different animals. Interesting characters. The book does end on a cliffhanger, but the problems that he needs to "fix" are taken care of. I don't think I will read another one, but if you want to try this one, it's an interesting read.

E-book/Urban Fantasy: So the author says no more Repairman Jack novels and then this one comes out. There are 17 or so books to this series. I have only my read the first Repairman book and I've collected about eight in the series over the years, but he's a PI/Fixer so I figured I'd see what Jack does on Christmas. Yep, he's fixing things. This book has three things going on. Jack has to find a creature (you had me at Plum Island), keep a relic safe, and a side plot with mysterious sounds only three people can hear.
I liked the book a lot as I did with the first one. I'm glad to see Jack has all his fingers & toes a Gia is still in his life. I do know the books are a countdown to day zero. Like so many series I read, I want to find the time to emerge into their world. This is one of those worlds.
The book has little to do with Christmas,but there is a really interesting plot. Wilson is able to write a whole novel that fits into a series he has (I believe) finished a year or so ago.

I've been reading F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack books for more than 15 years now, back when the series was just getting going, and I've loved it basically since the beginning. I've watched as the books that started as the story of an urban mercenary/private detective/general "fixer" who finds himself in supernatural situations evolved into a full on horror epic that ends up intersecting with Wilson's other series, the Adversary Cycle. And most of all, I followed the books from their beginning structure as standalone adventures and cases all the way into the final phase of the series, where Wilson started writing what he called a "river novel" that essentially told one long story over multiple books, eschewing normal conclusions and book structures in favor of a larger story that kept each book from entirely standing or rising on its own.

It's that element of the series that most worried me about The Last Christmas, Wilson's first entry in the main Repairman Jack series since the series ended with the revised edition of Nightworld in 2012. The Last Christmas takes place in the middle of that "river novel" phase of the books, by which point the larger plotting of the Adversary Cycle had essentially taken over the series and the books weren't standing on their own terms. More than that, it was a bleak time in the series, and while I loved the Jack saga, I can't deny that I was missing some of the standalone "monster of the week" style books that hooked me into the series in the first place.

But I shouldn't have worried, because The Last Christmas was exactly what I wanted from a new Jack book - a return to the "fixes" that Jack does so well, giving me a standalone story that dabbles in weirdness and science-fiction while staying grounded in Jack's intellect and personality, using the Adversary Cycle as a looming threat while letting the story work all on its own. It ends up feeling like an earlier entry in the series, with all of the good that implies - a return to the sense of fun and adventure that hooked me on the Jack books long before he became the avatar of a much larger conflict.

As ever with Jack books, the story starts simply enough: with someone asking Jack for help - in this case, finding someone. Of course, finding missing people isn't really Jack's typical area of comfort, but even less comfortable is the fact that it's pretty evident that Jack isn't getting the whole story. Nor does he entirely trust the strange woman who's asked him to safeguard an object for him - an object whose connections to Jack's recent history make him even more unnerved about it all. But if you're Jack, it's hard to turn down the chance to do what you do best, especially when you're in need of some work to get your mind off of the events unfolding on a global scale.

The Last Christmas doesn't add any new big revelations to the Jack saga, nor does it give some big twist. But really, that's the best possible outcome for a new Jack book. I enjoyed the Adversary Cycle, and Wilson's big saga of cosmic warfare, but what I loved most about the Jack books originally was the fun of Jack's "fixes", as he helped innocent people, solved complicated problems, and helped right wrongs while doing so in a most unusual - and clever - way. The Last Christmas doesn't quite attain the peaks of the best "fixes" along the way - in a weird way, it's more of a private detective story, with Jack trying to find a missing person and protect an object from prying eyes, which means less of those great Sanjuro-style playing of people off of each other that Wilson does so well. And, if I'm being fair, one of the book's villains is a bit more cartoonish than usual for Wilson, ultimately feeling so "evil" that you can't help but feel like Wilson isn't doing his best character work on him.

But none of that keeps it from being an absolute blast seeing Jack back in action, finding a way to dig through the truth, stay off the grid, and still keep his moral code intact, even when faced with hard choices. And if you think you're getting ahead of the book - as I did, at least once - don't worry, because more often than not, Jack isn't far behind you. Which means that the book still manages to surprise and keep you off balance, even if you're figuring out the story, by making the plot so much less about the mystery and so much more about the choices being presented and the process of unraveling it all. It's a great reminder of why I liked these books in the first place, and if there's a better feeling to come from an unexpected new entry in a series, it's hard to know what it is.

Many years ago, a friend loaned me Conspiracies, the third Repairman Jack novel.  I was immediately hooked, and scrambled to read the first two in the series.  Since then, I've remained a loyal fan, and read every book, as well as Repairman Jack: The Early Years.  I was distraught when I'd believed the last book of the series had been written a few years ago - so imagine my excitement when I saw a new Jack book on NetGalley!  

Repairman Jack is hands down one of the coolest characters I've ever read, and it was such a treat to hang out again with him, Abe, Gia, Vicky, Julio, and Parabellum.  This latest 'fix' involves some genetic engineering, but still ties in with the overall arc of the series.  Jack using his powers of 'persuasion', sweet moments with Gia and Vicky, discussions over food with Abe, nail-biting close calls - it's all here.

This series is classified as horror - not the gore variety - but closer to supernatural occult.  If that's even a category.  If you enjoy intelligent MCs, otherworldly themes, exciting action sequences, and memorable characters, look no further.  Repairman Jack will always be at the top of my list of favorite books.  Jack is back!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ever since I read The Keep I have been a fan of F Paul Wilson and the repairman jack books have kept my enjoyment levels at a high level, this is as always well written, entertaining and exciting and I thoroughly recommend it

The Last Christmas was a fascinating book. F. Paul Wilson is a great author who knows how to entertain his readers. The plot is great and the characters are well developed.

I've always enjoyed F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack stories and I adore anything that's Cosmic Horror. So I leaped to read this novel but at the same time, I read trepidatiously: because "the last" always implies Finality...and if not "the last" for Jack, then for whom? Or "the last" what?


Thankfully, despite a number of scares, close calls, tragic events, and humans behaving despicably, the novel provided me with tremendous satisfaction, the perception of "a job well done," of loose ends successfully interwoven, of numerous examples of the achievement of poetic justice.


If new to Mr. Wilson's work, you can still read and enjoy "The Last Christmas," but I think you will find yourself inspired to delve deeper into his oeuvre.