*By the Sword* takes up the adventures of Repairman Jack directly after *Bloodline*. Jack is hired to find a legendary Japanese sword, a katana stolen from the Hiroshima Peace Museum and brought to New York City. Central characters include the members of a weird Japanese cult, a young Japanese businessman and his three Yakuza bodyguards, plus Hank Thompson, the Kicker cult leader from *Bloodline*. The cult, the businessman, the Yakuza, and the Kickers are looking for the sword as well. Also in the mix is the pregnant teenager carrying a child, loaded with abnormal DNA, who will be a decisive force in the cosmic shadow war raging behind the scenes. She becomes a pawn in the game, hunted by both sides. Following his usual m.o., Jack maneuvers all sides into a bloody melee from which he plans to waltz away with the fabled katana. Of course, when things donâ t go as planned, Jack must improvise (and he hates to improvise). *By the Sword* takes F. Paul Wilsonâ s trademark breakneck pacing and interweaving storylines to a new level.