Book Review: Signalz (The Adversary Cycle) by F.Paul Wilson

 

Signalz (The Adversary Cycle) by F.Paul Wilson 

paperback, 190 pages
Crossroad Press Published July 2020

Despite this novel being a thin 190 pages (a novella by modern publishing standards) it would be easy for me to overwrite this review. The subtitle of the book is the Adversary Cycle – A prelude to Nightworld. The Adversary Cycle is a series of books (that I will refer to here as the AC) that had been six books long until this new novella and now we can say is seven books long. This story is set right before or from a certain point of view as the events of Nightworld unfold. In this series that means the end of the world.

This six, uh yeah seven-book series starts with an all-time classic of horror The Keep which is the ultimate misdirection novel. That novel manages to kick off a saga that encompasses all history and most of this prolific author’s entire canon. The only comparison that comes close is King’s Dark Tower that bleeds out into an author’s entire body of work. Unlike Dark Tower Wilson has plotted this in the open with novels, short stories, novellas that are on a set timeline he calls the secret history. No alternate reality wheel of Ka-tet hoo-ha here.  You can find elements of the secret history in stand-alone novels like Black Wind, and three different series The AC, The Ice Trilogy, The two dozen Repairman Jack novels that include a prequel trilogy, and a YA trilogy about Jack as a kid.

None of this should work. As an exercise in plotting it is insane. Keep in mind he ended the AC in 1992 with Nightworld and circled back to book two of AC and launched the Repairman Jack series. That makes The Tomb AC #2 but Repairman Jack #1. Are you following? In this way, Nightworld was book six, now seven of the AC, and book 15 of the Repairman Jack and ended both series. So, with the publishing of Signalz FPW has moved the goalposts again.

If my math is correct and it probably is not.

Nightworld is not only AC book 7, and Repairman Jack number 24 and ends both series. Imagine a whole bunch of train tracks that come back together.  37 books total? That is fucking crazy. I understand why that would be daunting to a new reader. Like not wanting to start watching Doctor Who because of fifty-plus years to catch up on. Keep in mind you can read the AC or the Jack books on their own. That said these books are infinitely readable and I recommend them, but not starting with this book.

F.Paul Wilson is a genius and he is a bestseller with a legion of fans for a reason. These books as complicated as they are plot-wise are written with a reader in mind. They are page-turners with characters you will grow to care about. Signalz however is a tough sell in some ways. This book is for Secret history super fans. There are 36 books I think you SHOULD read first.

Don’t get me wrong I am stoked I bought this. That’s right not a library book or a review copy I wanted a complete AC on the shelf. This Lovecraftian tale really doesn’t stand alone, it works for those of us who love the Secret History.  

It is the story of Ellie who is a sixteen-year-old visiting the big city when she hears a series of signals that no one else seems to hear. This begins a transformation in which Ellie becomes a monster more ready for the big change coming.

The most interesting aspect of signalz involves P.Frank Winslow the writer stand-in for the author who was slowly drawn into the prophecy of the events by writing Meta-novels. The most interesting moments of this novel involve Frank and his book, which challenges the Ancient Septimus Fraternal Order that is working with the Adversary thought-out the 37 books. Their conclusion is a spoiler but it was this storyline that I felt was the most added value Wilson gave to the overall storyline.  

So here is your SPOILER WARNING…

When the order reads Winslow’s book it is revealed to them that they are suckers and will die for the big change. What I think is telling considering that we are reading this in 2020 is how against their own interests, even in light of the overwhelming evidence they walk into their demise. I know Wilson is a libertarian, but you can see parallels to the far right in this country here.
 
In Meta-moment Frank tucks what we assume is the very novella we are reading under his arm and intends to deliver it to the publisher. Then this happens.

“A rough-hewn, squarish tunnel, maybe eight feet on a side, carved through dark stone, stretched ahead of him curving off to the left. Smokeless flames flickered in sconces spaced along the walls.
Okay, first question: Who lit the sconces? And second what were the flames feeding on?
What did it matter? In sharp contrast to the blah, semi-modern characterless buildings on the surface, this tunnel looked ancient. And that gave Frankie hope. Because it might lead somewhere else.

Was it unreasonable to hope it led back to Manhatten-his Manhatten? Most certainly. Did he have a better route to follow? No.
With the manuscript of the Great American Novella clutched to his chest, P.Frank Winslow started walking.”

Winslow disappears. My reading of this and I may be totally off is this is the moment where the secret history in meta sense travels through to our world. This is the gap that FPW is filling with this novel. This is the purpose of this novella. As a secret history fan, it is a little but important thing. Also makes me want to read Nightworld again. Ha-ha.

I was skeptical that this would add to the saga but I don't know why. 37 books in and Wilson brings it again. For serious fans of Secret History, this is a must-read, for others start at the beginning. No rush but you have quite a saga to get to this point.