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A review by topdragon
Reborn: Book IV of the Adversary Cycle by F. Paul Wilson
4.0
The previous books I’ve read in the Adversary Cycle by the talented F. Paul Wilson have all been stand-alone books (although part of the larger Secret History of the World) but this novel really gets us started on the larger mythos of the battle between the “Otherness” and the “Ally”. For those that read this one without benefit of having read previous books in this series or the Repairman Jack series, it can still be enjoyed as a fairly straight-forward horror tale. I think there would be some confusion and a feeling of “missing something” that might be frustrating but it can still be a good read.
Like many horror novels, this novel begins with a lengthy build-up of normal family situations, allowing the reader to build an affinity with the main characters and come to feel for them, especially when they are later faced with horrific situations. I do feel that there is more traditional horror in this one than most of Wilson’s work. He is adept at genre-bending and I often classify his work as adventure or even science fiction as much as it is horror. But this one is clearly of the horror genre. The final 50 pages or so are filled with blood splattering, ax-wielding, anti-Christ religious fervor, and so forth.
A very enjoyable read but I do recommend it be experienced as part of the two larger series to really grasp the multiple layers of the story.
Like many horror novels, this novel begins with a lengthy build-up of normal family situations, allowing the reader to build an affinity with the main characters and come to feel for them, especially when they are later faced with horrific situations. I do feel that there is more traditional horror in this one than most of Wilson’s work. He is adept at genre-bending and I often classify his work as adventure or even science fiction as much as it is horror. But this one is clearly of the horror genre. The final 50 pages or so are filled with blood splattering, ax-wielding, anti-Christ religious fervor, and so forth.
A very enjoyable read but I do recommend it be experienced as part of the two larger series to really grasp the multiple layers of the story.