Cold City

Repairman Jack: Early Years Trilogy, Book 1

By: F. Paul Wilson

Narrated by: Alexander Cendese

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

If you've never read a Repairman Jack novel, this is the place to begin.

It's 1990. A twenty-one-year-old named Jack has dropped out of college, leaving his old life behind to build a new one in New York City. Manhattan's rough edges are jagged enough to shred any unwary newcomer, but perhaps not one who is determined to stay off the grid, at any cost, in the busiest metropolis on earth. And to do so, he'll have to take jobs of a less than legal nature.

An interstate smuggling operation seems to fit the bill perfectly. But Jack's initial foray into the trafficking of illicit goods carries greater risk than he bargained for, putting him afoul of a preteen slavery ring, a group of jihadists, and a pair of vigilante brothers. As if those problems weren't enough, Jack is hunted by some machete-wielding maniacs, and his bartender Julio is harassed by the mob. How these things are linked, and what they have to do with the murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane in Manhattan's East Side Marriott, is a mystery Jack cannot let go of.

Cold City is the first of three new novels revealing the early years of one of the most popular characters in contemporary fiction: a self-styled "fix-it" man who is no stranger to the macabre or the bizarre, hired by victimized people who have nowhere else to turn. This is where he begins the metamorphosis from a naïve New Jersey refugee into the urban mercenary known as Repairman Jack.

©2012 F. Paul Wilson (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

I'll read another Repairman Jack novel

This book was pretty good. Good reader. I like the array of characters. I will almost certainly get the next Repairman Jack book.

Great Listen

This was a great read. I loved the narrator and the story line. Will definitely be reading the next in the series of repairman jack

just left you hanging

the book just stopped. is there a sequel? no really sure if I would buy the sequel wasn't a nail biter.

Good read; Narrator solid; "Ending" questionable

I liked the book overall with narration and character building and everything that came with it. My only issue is with the "ending". I understand it's a series, however, to end a book, ANY book, the way this one ended is just baffling! Overall I can't complain though, just lacking with the great endings I've experienced in previous novels by other authors. Moving on to book 1 of repairman jack now. Here's to hoping this one delivers the 5 star effect I hoped for 0.5!!!

Complex story - outstandingly good narration

I am new to RJ. I wanted to get the books for years, but was put off by the long story arc, which would use up half of my credits! So I decided to take the plunge during the sale. I am SO glad I did.

The story is really complex, with many different plot lines happening at the same time. Living in Qatar, which is ruled by the Al-Thani family, I was intrigued by the baddie being a minor Royal, very funny.

The narration was absolutely superb, the (very good looking, yum, yum :)) Mr Cendense is now officially my favourite audible narrator! He switched from young and old to different ethnicities in an amazing way. He even did a nearly creditable Cockney! Because the story is so complex, in the hands of a less skilled narrator it would have been really difficult to follow.

A word of warning, this is NOT a self-contained story! It ends out of nowhere. If you get this you will be pretty much locking yourself into the first three books because you will so want to know what happens next.

Im off to download the next two while the sale is still on. Happy listening!!!

Successor to the Keep

Enjoyed story though hoping for more of a magical battle between an elemental warrior and a monster, similar to the Keep

Hmmmmm....

I enjoyed this book but I was left wondering things at the end and that makes me irritable. Jack is young with a vigilante history who nonchalantly goes about a underground crime career including murder, assault, and smuggling without really batting an eye. He simply doesn't have any insight or the insight he does have is pale compared to the context. This bothered me. That aside, I went along for this crazy ride and liked it. Abe, a father type figure to Jack, is hysterical. Hoping the second book gives our Jack some depth past money in his pocket, no strings attached relationships and a little remorse for his situations.

Story ended abruptly

The story was good but ended abruptly. I wanted to hear how it all ended. I guess it is in the next book. It left too many questions unanswered.

Awesome

Loved it. Couldn't put it down. Even made me cry a few times. Fantastic

The Beginning of Repairman Jack

Read a few of the later Repairman Jack books and going back to the start has me ready to start the series knowing all the history. This one gives the foundation of the stories and lays the groundwork for development of the quicky cast of characters for the series. Great reader, really captured the essence of the characters and used a variety of regional accents that make the story more real. Give the repairman a try and start from the beginning.