|
|
Freedom Book of the Month
Email List Archive
Free-Market.Net's F r e e d o m B o o k o f t h e M o n t h
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Edited by Sunni Maravillosa. To join or leave this and other lists,
click to: http://www.free-market.net/features/lists/
* October, 2002: "The Haunted Air," by F. Paul Wilson
* New and notable
* The Way Back Machine: Halloween fun
-----
Freedom Book of the Month for October, 2002:
"The Haunted Air"
by F. Paul Wilson
Forge, October 2002, hardcover, 400 pp.
ISBN: 0312878680
Jack's back, and just in time for Halloween enjoyment! "Jack" is
Repairman Jack, the major character in a series of "horror" novels
by F. Paul Wilson. While this will get me some quibbles from Jack
fans, "The Haunted Air," the latest of the Repairman Jack (or "RJ,"
as fans refer to them) novels, may be Wilson's best in the series.
(If you aren't familiar with the series, you may wish to skip ahead to
this month's Way Back feature, where I describe and summarize
the series.)
Much more a fast-paced action thriller than horror, "The Haunted
Air" continues in the RJ series, picking up some time after the
conclusion of the previous novel. Jack's moping after the untimely
death of his sister, and trying to come to terms with some
unwanted news he received at the same time. A trip to a
scamming psychic proves intriguing, and ultimately launches Jack
into another confrontation with the "Otherness." A challenging
concept to explain, it's the dark side in Wilson's unique and
interesting take on the ages-old rivalry between good and evil. Jack
has somehow been pegged as a VIP on the good side, which
makes him an enemy of Otherness denizens.
Jack's personal life has also become more complicated in "The
Haunted Air," with his lover, Gia, becoming drawn into one of his
fixes. And can it really be that Jack is contemplating getting into
the system, after being successfully outside it for so long? The
challenges seemingly never end, yet Jack manages to keep a
handle on them as he does his business and tries to come to grips
with the new directions his life seems to be heading.
Already known among libertarians for his terrific science fiction
(such as "Wheels within Wheels," "An Enemy of the State," and
"The Healer") F. Paul Wilson keeps a steady undercurrent of
freedom-oriented ideas flowing in all the RJ novels. One result is
that much of it is practically oriented, rather than preachy sermons
that are likely to turn non-libertarian readers off. Wilson is also
masterful at rendering complex characters and keeping them true,
and creating atmosphere so rich that it can be difficult to shake
loose from one's mind when one must put the book down.
If you've not read any of the Repairman Jack novels yet, do yourself
a favor -- do it right and start at the beginning, with "The Tomb," and
work your way to "The Haunted Air." You'll understand a lot more in
"The Haunted Air" (although nothing is dependent upon having read
the preceding novels), and will likely find yourself thinking about
various freedom-related issues in new ways. F. Paul Wilson proves
himself a master not only of terrific fiction, but also of working in
important libertarian ideas in the most unusual places.
Order "The Haunted Air" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/309728399.html, $17.47.
-----
New and notable
o "Stealth Juror," by Trent Hammerstein
"The ultimate defense against bad laws and government
tyranny," says the cover. The book doesn't quite measure up to
that, but it is a valuable, very readable treatise on the
importance of freedom-loving individuals serving on juries. Solid,
general tactical information, examples, and resources too.
Order "Stealth Juror" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/312698606.html, $10.50.
o "In the Teeth of the Wind," by Shelly Waxman
A series of case-based stories that's likely to astonish even the
most jaded with respect to the justice system. Waxman
exposes the behind-the-scenes shenanigans that appear to be
commonplace in the U.S. courts, and offers insightful
commentary on the state of our personal freedom.
Order "In the Teeth of the Wind" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/314898730.html, $16.95.
o "The Libertarian Idea," by Jan Narveson
A reissue of a thorough, eminently readable exploration and
justification of libertarianism. Given the muddying of freedom's
waters by recent world events, this re-publication couldn't have
come at a better time. If you missed it the first time around, be
sure to get "The Libertarian Idea" now.
Order "The Libertarian Idea" from Laissez Faire Books:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/306277999.html, $16.95.
-----
The Way Back Machine: Halloween fun
For those of you who haven't touched any of F. Paul Wilson's
"horror" novels because of the, well, *horror*, get ready for a
great surprise. Many of them contain a steady current of pro-
freedom ideas, courtesy of the protagonist, Repairman Jack.
Furthermore, Wilson's horror is unlike any other I've read, most
notably in that it is not anti-reason.
Let me back up a little. I don't like horror novels -- never have. But
when a dear friend whose judgment I trust kept suggesting I read a
Repairman Jack novel, I decided it was time to try the first one,
which is "The Tomb", originally published in 1984. I devoured it,
enjoying every bit, then waited impatiently for my partner to finish
the second in the series so that I could immerse myself in it. Now
I've read them all, and find myself waiting impatiently to get my next
"RJ" fix. Probably labeled horror because of the supernatural
content, the most accurate term for the RJ novels is "action thriller."
Repairman Jack is a man who lives outside the system, outside its
laws. He's a "fixer" of problems that individuals can't take to the
justice system. Despite being a "criminal," Jack's integrity and
adherence to a strict moral code make him more upstanding than
most good little citizens. He is quite possibly the most complex
character I've come across to date -- driven to do right by his code,
yet utterly capable of killing and *enjoying* it under the right
circumstances. Jack's personal life is similarly complex and
challenging, and Wilson never lets him take the easy way out.
The supernatural content of the RJ novels revolves around the nature
of good and evil, with Wilson's own take on the issue. Although
Jack deals with otherworldly elements, such as the rakoshi and
ghosts, there are no magic solutions. His fixes are always based in
reality; Jack reasons his way through every problem, with a
stubbornness that also endears the character to libertarians.
In "The Tomb," the first RJ novel, Jack is sought out by an Indian
diplomat who wants him to find an irreplaceable family heirloom
stolen during a mugging. His former lover also seeks his services
to locate an aunt who's disappeared. "Legacies" has Jack caught
up in a bizarre inheritance situation between a brother and sister
that somehow involves big-time American, Saudi, and Japanese
interests.
"Conspiracies" is a clever RJ romp through the shadowy world of
conspiracy theories that is at times laugh-out-loud funny, too. In
"All the Rage" some of the pieces of the puzzle regarding the
Otherness forces begin to come together for Jack, as he takes on
the dangerous world of designer drug makers. "Hosts" reveals
more, as Jack is immersed in a fix that has immense personal
stakes, as well as that of the future of the human race. The most
recent RJ novel is "The Haunted Air," this month's Freedom Book
of the Month.
Each Repairman Jack novel offers something new within the
comfortable structure of the novels. Jack grows and develops over
the years, and Wilson is masterful in melding plot, characters, and
atmosphere into story after story that grips your imagination and
won't shake loose.
For some extra zing, and good freedom-oriented content this
Halloween, pick up "The Tomb" for starters -- the books are best
taken in sequence, although that isn't necessary to understand
each novel -- turn down the lights, and enter the shadowy,
challenging world of Repairman Jack. You won't be disappointed.
Order "The Tomb" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/318429053.html, $6.95.
Order "Legacies" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/323239373.html, $6.95.
Order "Conspiracies" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/326659642.html, $6.99.
Order "All the Rage" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/329239945.html, $7.99.
Order "Hosts" from Amazon.com:
http://www.free-market.net/rd/335460499.html, $18.17.
Keep doing freedom,
Sunni Maravillosa
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Please forward and copy freely, and include the following:
The Freedom Book of the Month is a feature of Free-Market.Net
http://www.free-market.net/features/bookofthemonth/
Opinions expressed are purely those of our writers and editors.
To join or leave this and other lists, click to:
http://www.free-market.net/features/lists/
To support the Book of the Month and other activities of FMN
and The Henry Hazlitt Foundation, please make a tax-deductible
donation now:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In December 2004 this page was modified significantly from its original form for archiving purposes.
, founded in 1995, is now a part of ISIL.
 |