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billymac1962's review
1.0
I ordered this from Amazon after seeing pretty high ratings for it around the web. In fact, one website I was quite impressed with had this rated as fourth in the top 100 of all time horror novels. Well, I must be getting jaded because no frights for me. It was a quick read though, and entertaining. Much in the same way a Bruce Willis action flick is entertaining. But as you all know from past reviews, I look for novels
that will move me, either emotionally or with wonder, disgust, fright, whatever. This was a mixture detective/horror novel, and for what it is, which is the equivalent of any Bruce Willis action flick, it delivers in spades. If that's what you're looking for, you'll love The Tomb. For me, it lacked the deepness I look for. There was also a few instances where I was prone to mutter "Well, duh!" at some of the characters' revelations.
Now a warning to those of you planning to read it: This is a 426 page novel. The synopsis on the back brings you to page 372. Not a major spoiler, since the novel is quite predictable anyways, but you're still better off avoiding the back cover.
that will move me, either emotionally or with wonder, disgust, fright, whatever. This was a mixture detective/horror novel, and for what it is, which is the equivalent of any Bruce Willis action flick, it delivers in spades. If that's what you're looking for, you'll love The Tomb. For me, it lacked the deepness I look for. There was also a few instances where I was prone to mutter "Well, duh!" at some of the characters' revelations.
Now a warning to those of you planning to read it: This is a 426 page novel. The synopsis on the back brings you to page 372. Not a major spoiler, since the novel is quite predictable anyways, but you're still better off avoiding the back cover.
mattabee's review
3.0
So much that I love about this book and so much that I’m disappointed by lands this right in the middle.
My favourite parts are The flashbacks to the British Officer that tell the tale of how the main events of the book come to be. Similarly when we get POV of the main antagonist, you’re treated to some culturally fuelled and scathing critiques of America. This books at its best when it’s indulging in history, or the horror elements it’s woven into it
It’s at its worse unfortunately when you’re following the titular hero Jack, or Gia. Jack is a bit too much wish fulfilment for my tastes, and Gia (and the other main female character Kolabati) are there to either have faun over him or agonise over the decisions of the men in the story who have all the agency.
The monster and the premise for it was cool
My favourite parts are The flashbacks to the British Officer that tell the tale of how the main events of the book come to be. Similarly when we get POV of the main antagonist, you’re treated to some culturally fuelled and scathing critiques of America. This books at its best when it’s indulging in history, or the horror elements it’s woven into it
It’s at its worse unfortunately when you’re following the titular hero Jack, or Gia. Jack is a bit too much wish fulfilment for my tastes, and Gia (and the other main female character Kolabati) are there to either have faun over him or agonise over the decisions of the men in the story who have all the agency.
The monster and the premise for it was cool
kayteeem's review against another edition
Nice thriller... but there just had to be a child-in-danger situation, didn't there?
boothby738's review against another edition
2.0
The Repairman Jack character is a cross between Indiana Jones and Robert McCall (from the 1980 television "The Equalizer" with Edward Woodward). I enjoyed the first three quarters of this book. It had good pace, adventure, and plot development that crossed generations going back to the British colonies in India. However, I was very disappointed how the last quarter turned into a bad scary monster story.
professorfate's review
5.0
This is a re-read. To give you an idea of my opinion of the book, I have read this book a few times already. As I was going through it again this time, the last ninety pages of the book came out of the binding as a chunk and landed on the table. So I downloaded the book for my eReader and finished it that way (I couldn’t wait for it to be delivered to me and Barnes & Noble, while sort of close, isn’t really convenient).
This is the first book of the “Repairman Jack” series and the second book in the “Adversary Cycle”—both of which I recommend.
Repairman Jack is a repairman (duh! I know), but he doesn’t repair appliances or anything like that. In a way, he is a sort of one-man “A-Team,” an off-the-grid mercenary who helps to fix situations that the legal system cannot or will not.
In this book, he takes on two repairs simultaneously (a situation he is not fond of): the aunt of a woman that he loves and who had recently broken off a relationship with him goes missing from her house in Sutton Square in New York; and, the mother of a member of the Indian delegation to the U.N. is mugged and beaten severely. The mugger takes a necklace from her, and the man hires Jack to not only recover the necklace (which is vital to his mother) but also to kill the mugger. Jack tells him that he will try to get the item but, while he will punish the mugger, he will not kill him (he doesn’t do that kinda thing).
Of course, the two repairs become entwined, but in a supernatural way which you’ll have to read to find out. Dr. Wilson is an excellent author and this book crackles with energy and compels you to keep reading. Jack is a very engaging character and I’m sure that once you read this book, you will want to read the rest of the series (book fifteen—I think—recently came out, so get reading!).
Pick up a newer edition if you can. Dr. Wilson re-worked it to fit in better with the Adversary Cycle in 2004 (the character was just supposed to be a one-shot and, indeed, wasn’t even supposed to figure into the Cycle at first).
This is the first book of the “Repairman Jack” series and the second book in the “Adversary Cycle”—both of which I recommend.
Repairman Jack is a repairman (duh! I know), but he doesn’t repair appliances or anything like that. In a way, he is a sort of one-man “A-Team,” an off-the-grid mercenary who helps to fix situations that the legal system cannot or will not.
In this book, he takes on two repairs simultaneously (a situation he is not fond of): the aunt of a woman that he loves and who had recently broken off a relationship with him goes missing from her house in Sutton Square in New York; and, the mother of a member of the Indian delegation to the U.N. is mugged and beaten severely. The mugger takes a necklace from her, and the man hires Jack to not only recover the necklace (which is vital to his mother) but also to kill the mugger. Jack tells him that he will try to get the item but, while he will punish the mugger, he will not kill him (he doesn’t do that kinda thing).
Of course, the two repairs become entwined, but in a supernatural way which you’ll have to read to find out. Dr. Wilson is an excellent author and this book crackles with energy and compels you to keep reading. Jack is a very engaging character and I’m sure that once you read this book, you will want to read the rest of the series (book fifteen—I think—recently came out, so get reading!).
Pick up a newer edition if you can. Dr. Wilson re-worked it to fit in better with the Adversary Cycle in 2004 (the character was just supposed to be a one-shot and, indeed, wasn’t even supposed to figure into the Cycle at first).
git_r_read's review
5.0
It's taken me a bit to work up the nerve to write a review on THE TOMB. It is such a well-written and engrossing thriller and I want to do it justice. I may leave it at the above statement and call it a day. I've been told that not all of the series has the touch of paranormal or horror that THE TOMB has. I'm glad, it was a little intense. I love thrillers and I love paranormal and horror reads, but have to pace several books between...except in October and I read them pretty much back to back, just because it's October.
I can see why F Paul Wilson has such a huge fanbase. I have become one of the legion, that's for sure.
Five shudderingly fab beans......
I can see why F Paul Wilson has such a huge fanbase. I have become one of the legion, that's for sure.
Five shudderingly fab beans......
emilybryk's review
1.0
I don't get it.
R.J.'s sort of another in the Smilla's-Sense-of-Snow style of hero (someone I find perplexing in his conventional unconventionality and generally mysterious belovedness), and there are a whole lot of weird exoticism of India (best line: "like a loyal Indian wife throwing herself on her husband's funeral pyre, it headed towards Kusum's iron tomb.")
I mean, I guess I do sort of get it. I read this in about 48 hours, all told, with New Year's Eve in the middle, and it was fast and easy and I think I even snuck in a few chapters at 3 in the morning after a NYE party and didn't feel like I missed a single plot point. It's an easy and brisk book, and I guess that's the draw. I don't know. I'm trying to be a nice person here.
R.J.'s sort of another in the Smilla's-Sense-of-Snow style of hero (someone I find perplexing in his conventional unconventionality and generally mysterious belovedness), and there are a whole lot of weird exoticism of India (best line: "like a loyal Indian wife throwing herself on her husband's funeral pyre, it headed towards Kusum's iron tomb.")
I mean, I guess I do sort of get it. I read this in about 48 hours, all told, with New Year's Eve in the middle, and it was fast and easy and I think I even snuck in a few chapters at 3 in the morning after a NYE party and didn't feel like I missed a single plot point. It's an easy and brisk book, and I guess that's the draw. I don't know. I'm trying to be a nice person here.
jarichan's review against another edition
3.0
Wie konnte ich diesem Cover widerstehen? Auch der Rückentext klang verlockend und so zog das Buch bei mir ein.
Grundsätzlich liest sich die Geschichte sehr spannend, ist flüssig geschrieben und ich wollte stets wissen, was als nächstes geschehen würde. Wilson bedient sich eines guten Schreibstils, der auch zum Genre passt. Die Seiten fliegen dahin und machen diesen düsteren Fantasyroman zu einem wahren Pageturner.
Somit sind eigentlich alle Punkte gegeben, um es zu einem für mich passenden Werk zu machen. Eigentlich. Wären da nicht einige Punkte, die mich sehr gestört haben.
Wobei sich diese alle in einer Aussage zusammenfassen lassen: man merkt dem Werk sein Alter an.
Das Buch erschien 1984 und dies merkt man einfach. Das geht über Alltagssexismus, zu Fettphobie, bis hin zu einem Gefühl von kultureller Aneignung. All diese Punkte, zusammen mit einer sehr schlecht geschriebenen Frauenfigur, machten mir das Lesen teilweise sehr unangenehm.
Aufgrund dieser Punkte weiss ich auch noch nicht, ob ich das Buch in meiner Bibliothek behalten werde oder nicht. Ich bin diesbezüglich sehr zweigeteilt, so wie es auch meine Leseerfahrung diesbezüglich ist. Mehr werde ich von Jack trotz des Spasses auf jeden Fall nicht lesen, das zumindest ist mir bereits klar.
Grundsätzlich liest sich die Geschichte sehr spannend, ist flüssig geschrieben und ich wollte stets wissen, was als nächstes geschehen würde. Wilson bedient sich eines guten Schreibstils, der auch zum Genre passt. Die Seiten fliegen dahin und machen diesen düsteren Fantasyroman zu einem wahren Pageturner.
Somit sind eigentlich alle Punkte gegeben, um es zu einem für mich passenden Werk zu machen. Eigentlich. Wären da nicht einige Punkte, die mich sehr gestört haben.
Wobei sich diese alle in einer Aussage zusammenfassen lassen: man merkt dem Werk sein Alter an.
Das Buch erschien 1984 und dies merkt man einfach. Das geht über Alltagssexismus, zu Fettphobie, bis hin zu einem Gefühl von kultureller Aneignung. All diese Punkte, zusammen mit einer sehr schlecht geschriebenen Frauenfigur, machten mir das Lesen teilweise sehr unangenehm.
Aufgrund dieser Punkte weiss ich auch noch nicht, ob ich das Buch in meiner Bibliothek behalten werde oder nicht. Ich bin diesbezüglich sehr zweigeteilt, so wie es auch meine Leseerfahrung diesbezüglich ist. Mehr werde ich von Jack trotz des Spasses auf jeden Fall nicht lesen, das zumindest ist mir bereits klar.