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Book Review of Hosts (Repairman Jack, Bk 5)

Hosts (Repairman Jack, Bk 5)
Hosts (Repairman Jack, Bk 5)
Author: F. Paul Wilson
Genre: Horror
Book Type: Paperback
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Helpful Score: 1


My favorite so far of the first five books of the Repairman Jack series. Jack is reunited with his sister and fights a sentient virus that takes over the mind of its human host so the person becomes part of a single hive mind, devouring the infected person's personality as it matures. Interwoven with this is the side plot with Jack stopping a gunman who opens fire in a subway train, but then having to deal with an overzealous young reporter determined to make Jack a celebrity because of it.

Hosts seemed to me to have a bigger scope than the previous books in the series. There are points in the book describing exactly what the world would become if the virus was not stopped. I felt these visions further increased the intensity since you see that it is not just Jack rescuing a few people, but really Jack saving the world. By the end of the book, I got the strong feeling that the epic struggle of good-vs-evil entities was just beginning in earnest & that Jack must become a warrior to defend all of humanity. (note-throughout the series the author stresses that the "good" entity is not so much good as indifferent but for me this is the easiest way to describe these opposing powers) Now I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

As is always the case with the series, Wilson does an excellent job with the character of Jack so that readers new to the series will be able to pick up on him and fans will learn a little bit more. It seemed like a bigger part of the story came from the viewpoint of supporting characters rather than being almost entirely Jack's point of view. Although I love Jack, I thought this change in viewpoint really fleshed out the side characters more than previous books.