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Aces High (Wild Cards #2)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 1,445 ratings · 59 reviews

It all began in 1946, when the bizarre, gene-altering A3Wild CardsAy virus was unleashed in the skies over New York City. A virus that created superpowered Aces and bizarre, disfigured Jokers. Now, thirty years later, the victims face a new nightmare. From the far reaches of space comes The Swarm, a deadly menace that could very well destroy the planet. Putting aside their...more

Paperback, 361 pages

Published October 1st 2001 by iBooks (first published 1987)

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Mar 19, 2011 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, short-stories

This was pretty good, not quite a 4. Again it was short stories, but much more tightly bound together over the course of the book. There were several definite objectives that went through each story. Very well done. Several new characters were also introduced, but one of my favorites is Cap'n Tripps. Croyd also makes several short appearances. Lots of fun.

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Jul 16, 2007 R. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1974-2002

Christmas Gift, 1987. Along with a Laser Tag set that drained batteries with a startling quickness. Read this during the winter break...my introduction to the Egyptian Freemasons...Cthulhoid creatures...tantric sex magick...yeah, this little paperback warped me eternally. And, for that, I'm grateful.

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Jan 01, 2013 Nathan Burgoine rated it 4 of 5 stars

The continuing short story collection set in the shared world as introduced in 'Wild Cards,' this is the continuing stories of those Aces and Jokers (and sometimes plain old natural humans) in the fallout of the genetic Wild Card virus. We're in the eighties now, and a new menace looms on the horizon - a dark alien organism is on its way, and the Swarm Mother sends terrible creatures down to attack earth in many places - and who else can stop them but the super-powered Aces?

The nice thing is the...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Alytha rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. There's 11 stories in this "Mosaic novel", but only two main plots: there's Jube, the slightly walrus-shaped newsagents, who is actually not a joker but an alien, discovering that an alien Swarm, a yeast creature controlled by an intelligent "mother" is coming to Earth, and the ensuing war.
Then, there's a Masonic conspiracy around the powerful ace called The Astronomer, looking for the last pieces to complete a mysterious alien device to call a being called TIAMAT (note the Caps) to Earth.

This c...more There's 11 stories in this "Mosaic novel", but only two main plots: there's Jube, the slightly walrus-shaped newsagents, who is actually not a joker but an alien, discovering that an alien Swarm, a yeast creature controlled by an intelligent "mother" is coming to Earth, and the ensuing war.
Then, there's a Masonic conspiracy around the powerful ace called The Astronomer, looking for the last pieces to complete a mysterious alien device to call a being called TIAMAT (note the Caps) to Earth.

This collection broadly follows storylines begun in the very first collection. The beginnings of the Masonic twats in robes were shown when Fortunato discovered his powers and killed one of their members if I remember correctly. The end of the whole story will be in the third collection, although this one also has a completed stand-alone plot.

I quite liked it, although I thought that the masonics were a bit ill-defined, and shoehorned in to provide an opponent for the others to fight against.
Also, the writer of Brennan still doesn't have a clue about how archery works...If he was good enough to look up the concept of a compound bow, he might also have considered that it is pretty much physically impossible to sling such a bow across your torso. You can also not lean on it, unless you're very short, because they're no more than 3 ft tall. They also cannot be seperated into parts fir transport, or strung and unstrung without considerable effort and material. Such thing just irritate me :p (at least he didn't shoot 6 arrows in 9 seconds this time...)

Aanywhooo...

I liked Croyd's appearance in this one. He's one of my favourite Wild Cards characters, as he is quite a nice guy, who may do questionable things to get by, but is never really evil. Here, he gets paid by Jube to steal the body and belongings of a dead alien spy from a morgue. In the course of this, pretty much everything goes wrong, the body is lost, dumped, stolen and otherwise mistreated several times, and in the end arrives at Jube's in a large jar and several doggie-bags...

Another important story element is the hunt for an alien artifact that can teleport people away and generally do energy things. It appears like a black bowling ball, and it intially snatched by a deranged baglady, who uses it to displace everybody who gets near. Both the Masons and the goodies are trying to get it. On the side of the goodies, it's mostly Tachyon, the Turtle, and Mark Meadows, who has created drugs which allow him to turn into a collection of different aces for a short time, mostly to the confusion of everyone around. Meanwhile, the artifact changes hands from the baglady to a bunch of young thugs to Tachs family (not a good thing).

In general: 8/10(less)

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Apr 19, 2012 Des rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Unlike the first Wild Cards book, Aces High is a tightly written tale, following some threads to their end, more or less. It means that, generally, the individual stories are less noteworthy (with the exception of the remarkable "Winter's Chill" and the half comic "Ashes to Ashes") but the overall quality is high.

The book introduces us some new heros. the most entertaining of them are Jube, an extraterrestrial who knows more jokes than anyone else around, and Kid Dinousaur, a boy who can change...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: random-comments-review

...I guess this volume signals change for the reader. It exchanges some variety and distinctness found in the first volume for a more solid story arc in the second. I don't think the series would have lasted twenty-five years and produced twenty-one volumes (I understand there is a twenty-second in the works continuing the Fort Freak story line). It also shifts the focus a bit from the Aces and Jokers to the various alien races that inhabit the Wild cards universe. Maybe doing both at once is a...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Mark rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

This book is pure cheese. People with superpowers running around trying to stop or hasten an invasion of alien insects - totally cheesy. If that's your thing, you will like this book. If it's not, you won't, and that's okay.

Where the first book of Wild Cards was more of a meandering journey through the mid-20th century as it would have been affected by the presence of aces and jokers, the second tries to focus more on this invading alien plot. I say tries because, well, I don't really think it s...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Calamity rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Lovers of sci-fi and super powered adventures

Shelves: 2010-reads, science-fiction, dystopian, other

This time around the Wild Card universe takes us trough an alien invasion, giving clever nods to ancient mythology and even the ctulhu mythos, while introducing several new characters like Walrus, the Astronomer, Dr. Tachyon’s family and their sentient ships (Hellcat and Baby), Captain Trips, Modular Man, and many others.
I was again mesmerized by this alternate Earth that George R R Martin and his friends created, even if it did not amaze me as much as the first volume, it felt as if I was readi...more

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May 17, 2011 Наташа rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Мое безграничное уважение создателям этих циклов, вот у кого и правда стоило бы учиться превращать настольные игры в книги. Большая детская мечта создать из моей игры что-то такого же класса. Но мечта это - ага, а вот книга шикарна и красочна, история о нападении из космоса теперь уже вполне знакомая, но подана она под каким-то совсем иным углом,неожиданным и интересным, совершенно не скучным, а мозаичность придает этому свою особую изюминку без которой мир выглядел совсем не так.

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Oct 30, 2010 Phil rated it 2 of 5 stars

What I liked about the first book in the series was how each story was by a different author. Each story had it's own flavor, and was very linked in a very subtle way to the preceding story.

In this book, however, it was almost as if Mr. Martin laid out the complete outline of the story and just gave different parts to different authors to write. In some of the stories, the new author's voice came through loud and clear, but most of them were indistinguishable one from another.

The other thing I...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Kathe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Incredible! A clever mixture of history and Scifi cleverly woven together through multiple characters' lives. In this second book of the series, the characters introduced in the first book begin to come together to save the world from multiple threats, including those history made for us but also new ones due, in part, to the problems created by the wild card virus. The virus, introduced in the first book as an experiment on humans by an alien race, has produced superheroes, grossly disfigured p...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Shawne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

This second installment in the Wild Cards series lays similar claims as the first book did to being a ''mosaic novel' i.e., a novel composed of stories written by several authors, all of which contribute and tie into a larger, coherent narrative. The original Wild Cards asserted that it was such, but aside from the basic premise and some interlinking moments and cameos, was really more an anthology of short stories. Does this second book better fulfil its remit?

I'd say yes. The tale reads smooth...more This second installment in the Wild Cards series lays similar claims as the first book did to being a ''mosaic novel' i.e., a novel composed of stories written by several authors, all of which contribute and tie into a larger, coherent narrative. The original Wild Cards asserted that it was such, but aside from the basic premise and some interlinking moments and cameos, was really more an anthology of short stories. Does this second book better fulfil its remit?

I'd say yes. The tale reads smoothly across the various stories, and quite a bit of thought and coordination clearly went into plotting and expanding the universe around the cataclysmic event that serves as the heart of the book.

Perhaps the plot isn't the strongest or most compelling of narratives - it does feel more than a little bit like a 'superheroes defeat invading alien army' B-movie set to prose, because that's precisely what it is. The Swarm - led by a dimly sentient, mainly malevolent Swarm Mother and also the sworn enemy of the Takisians who introduced the wild card virus to Earth - has set its sights on this planet and it's up to Earth's new aces (and jokers) to defend planetary integrity.

This means we get to meet characters old and new, and again it's a thrill to have insight into a superhero (and supervillain) that goes beyond the panels of a comic book page. All the old favourites from Book I - Croyd Crenson, the Turtle, Fortunato and more - are back, and their own fears and foibles and concerns are explored alongside new characters like jocular newspaper-walrus Jube and the intriguingly powerful and innocent Jane Dow.

Fortunato, for instance, is grounded by meeting a woman unlike the geisha with whom he is typically surrounded, as he delves into a strange Masonic cult that somehow is tied to the Swarm. (Pennies From Heaven) For all his power as the Turtle, Tom Tudbury struggles with matters painfully and heartbreakingly human (Winter's Chill) - while even Dr Tachyon, the ginger Takisian who took up residence on Earth to pay a debt of guilt for the unleashing of the wild card virus, must encounter his past and his family to determine if he can continue down the path he has chosen for himself on Earth. (Relative Difficulties)

We're also introduced to new aces and jokers who will make their presence felt, as I understand it, in stories to come - Modular Man, the android who seems more worryingly human than his Frankensteinish creator (Unto The Sixth Generation); the haunted, half-dead James Spector on his way to becoming Demise (If Looks Could Kill); the Astronomer, whose power is matched only by his own evil... And other characters, so many other characters, like the aforementioned Jane Dow, and those who scored a mention in Book I who bloom into fuller life here (Kid Dinosaur, Brennan, Judas, Red and Kim Toy).

If the way the book is wrapped up doesn't quite match the build-up, there's still much to be enjoyed from all the tales woven into the larger whole. I particularly enjoyed watching the universe created in Wild Cards expand, as new worlds and galaxies and ideas are introduced that exponentially increase the potential for storytelling on all fronts. We learn more about the Takisian culture and accompanying social mores, while realising that the Takisians are not the only space-faring race out there and the stars hide a vast, vast multitude of possibilities.

Story-wise, we even move beyond the comfortable perspective of the good guys of the story to get a glimpse into the lair of the 'villains' - which allows us to find out their back stories and motivations for choosing the side they have. Comic relief comes in the form of Croyd Crenson as he cycles through powers in his attempts to help Jube in the face of the oncoming Swarm.

In short, this installment only helps whet my appetite to delve further into the Wild Cards universe - and to see where everything and everyone goes next. (less)

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Feb 20, 2012 Kat Hooper rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
3.5 stars

Aces High is the second volume of George R.R. Martin’s long-running WILD CARDS anthology. In the first volume, Wild Cards, we learned how aliens from the planet Takis decided to test their new virus by using humans as their guinea pigs. In the 1960s, they let loose what has now become known as the Wild Card virus on Manhattan. Much of the world population died and many of the survivors became grossly deformed and are now referred to as “Jokers.” A...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
3.5 stars

Aces High is the second volume of George R.R. Martin’s long-running WILD CARDS anthology. In the first volume, Wild Cards, we learned how aliens from the planet Takis decided to test their new virus by using humans as their guinea pigs. In the 1960s, they let loose what has now become known as the Wild Card virus on Manhattan. Much of the world population died and many of the survivors became grossly deformed and are now referred to as “Jokers.” A much smaller proportion of those who were infected gained one or more superpowers and are now known as “Aces.” In Wild Cards, we followed several Aces and Jokers as they dealt not only with their new status in life, but also with the social and political events of the 1960s.

Aces High, which is named after the upscale restaurant at the top of the Empire State Building that caters to Aces, is set in the early 1980s. The Wild Card virus continues to exert its effects on the Earth, regularly producing malformed Jokers and occasionally creating a new Ace. One thing that makes this series so interesting is that the Wild Card virus mixes with each individual’s unique DNA, resulting in a completely different species of Joker and Ace each time it strikes. I don’t really believe that this is how an alien virus would manifest (there’s just not enough diversity in the human genome), but there’s always something fresh and new in WILD CARDS — it’s not constrained by the character types laid down at the beginning of the series.

This installment contains stories by Lewis Shiner, George R.R. Martin, Walter Jon Williams, Roger Zelazny, Walton Simons, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Victor Milán, Pat Cadigan, and John J. Miller. Amazingly — and this is another thing that makes WILD CARDS work so well — though it’s an anthology, Aces High reads like a novel written by one author. This is a testament to Martin’s excellent editorial skills, I’m sure. For one thing, all of the stories are written in a similar style — they’re all fast-paced, focused on character and action, and have similar amounts of description and dialogue. A couple of the stories are divided into several parts that appear as interludes between the other stories, making it feel like a novel with chapters from different points of view. But more importantly, every story fits snugly in its place and refers to characters and events in the other stories, always getting the other stories’ particulars correct but never repeating anything in a clumsily obvious attempt to show that they’re connected. I envision Martin taking all of these individual stories and adding in these clever little details to make it flow so smoothly. The end result is brilliant.

This time the Aces are dealing with an Egyptian Masonic Temple and the Swarm aliens they want to bring to Earth. Meanwhile, Dr. Tachyon’s relatives have tracked him down and want him to come home. Then there’s the crazy old bag lady who’s carrying around a Singularity Shifter in her bag. All of these threads are eventually weaved together.

Some of the characters in Aces High are ones we met in the first volume: Fortunato the pimp, Croyd Crenson the sleeper (who is now considered and Ace rather than a Joker), the Magnificent Turtle, Dr. Mark Meadows (Captain Trips) and Yeoman. We’re introduced in this installment to Jube the Walrus, the paperboy who is really an alien; Modular Man, the sensitive robot who has a conscience (he’s one of my favorites); Demise, who can kill people by staring at them; The Astronomer, the evil guy who runs the Masonic Temple; Water Lily, who can suck all the water out of a human body; and Kafka who, as his name implies, has metamorphed into a giant cockroach. Though most of the villains in Aces High are comically two-dimensional (the whole series has a superhero comic strip vibe), the stories themselves are unique and exciting and there’s even a couple of touching love stories for the tender-hearted reader.

I listened to Brilliance Audio’s version of Aces High, read by Luke Daniels. That last phrase, “Read by Luke Daniels,” should be Enough Said for anyone who’s listened to him before. He’s flawless and entertaining as always.(less)

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May 02, 2013 Kruunch rated it 3 of 5 stars

While the first book in the series (Wild Cards) captures the golden era of comics perfectly, the subsequent books are entertaining but pulpy.

Some of the connecting short stories are very poignant (the Great and Powerful Turtle) but the general tone of this book and the next couple of subsequent books in the series, move very quickly to the pulp dramas of 80s comic books. While very popular at the time, I don't think it holds up quite as well today.

If you enjoy that type of story telling you'll e...more

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Nov 12, 2010 Mjhancock rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Like the other books in the Wild Cards series, this book is an anthology work, but also an ongoing story as a whole, with various writers writing their own part of this superhero/alien invasion/ secret society story. Most of the stories as independent pieces are pretty good, but taken together, the shifts in tone and focus make the threat seem less important, and the characters a little schizophrenic. If, however, you're looking for some superhero prose fiction, you could do a lot worse.

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Nov 11, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

The second volume of Wild Cards called Aces High collection of stories relate more to one another and tie into one another. Unlike the first volume which was mostly a collection of stories that only slightly had any connection accept for the Wild Cards virus.

I overall felt like that Aces High was a much better book than the first Volume. Many character return from the first book including the Great and Powerful Turtle, Dr. Tach, Sleeper, and Yeoman. There are also new character introduced inclu...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Derrick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, scifi, short-story-collection

Instead of dealing with old lefty politics, we move up to the Eighties and an alien invasion.

Find out a bit more about the bigger universe this storyline inhabits.

The short story format just isn't really working for me. To much jumping around, with lots of details simply inferred. There were times I had to backup to make sure I hadn't missed a whole story or something.

I'll probably read one more as I am enjoying this series, just not really enjoying it. And I'd rather try new books

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Dec 10, 2012 Craig Fisher rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The second in the (currently) 25 volume Wild Cards anthology series and one of the better ones. After the establishing stories being necessarily character heavy and diverse, the sheer action pace and cohesion of all these writers makes it feel like the second part of a trilogy written by a single author.

George R R Martin's talents as an editor shine through here. Havving said that, anyone that does not enjoy a short story format and multiple creators should still steer clear of this and any comi...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Ian Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Closer to a true mosaic novel than the first book, Wild Cards II: Aces High brings new life to the comic book/science fiction trope of an alien invasion. I was hoping that the new ebook edition would have some new, expanded material in it like the first Wild Cards book did, but it's the same as it was in previous editions. The only reason I didn't give the book a full 5 stars is that it does feel like there are gaps in the story that would benefit from additional writing. Otherwise, an admirable...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Leelas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: superheroes

A very solid volume that is, in my opinion, better than the ensuing mosaic novel Jokers Wild. Consists of a number of interlocking stories with two very solid overarching plots written by George RR Martin and Walter Jon Williams. Contains classic stories featuring the likes of Modular Man, Captain Trips, the Turtle, and, of course, Croyd Crenson. This is good stuff. Absolutely worth reading.

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Sep 22, 2012 Russ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another great book in this series of gritty "super hero" stories edited by Martin. An anthology of stories that all relate to the same central story. This one starts off a little slow but picks up steam pretty quickly. There are fantastic characters in here and a terrific sense of realism in that everything doesn't come up roses for the good guys. I highly recommend for fans of sci-fi/fantasy, as well as fans of super hero books and movies.

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May 26, 2012 Jeremy Preacher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: short-stories, superheroes

More Wild Cards! I actually enjoyed this a little more, because I found the hardcore McCarthyism that the first volume was written around both distasteful, which was the point, and tedious, which probably wasn't. The alien invasion was not really as interesting as the surrounding social commentary, but at least it kept people busy for a while.

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Mar 04, 2012 KEvin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed it. Perhaps not as much as the first one, but still quite good. It seems like it focused on less characters this time around, but they were still spread across as many authors, so we had less new viewpoints to hear from. And as much as I enjoy a good 'crisis crossover', I did get a little sick of the story always coming back to the faux-Masons. Not enough Croyd, maybe too much Fortunato too. And perhaps I am just being overly-sensitive, but his constant 'faggot' diatribe in that...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Jon is currently reading it

Just started this one today (ebook format) and am looking forward to it. Read it in high school and this contained one of the many mysterious references to "Lovecraft" and "Cthulhu" that intrigued me so much as a teen and sent me on a mission to find his writings (no mean feat in those days!).

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Sep 17, 2012 Jebadiah Bacon rated it 4 of 5 stars

The second book improves upon the first with better stories that are closer, as well as the political agenda that has evolved from the wild card virus. Looking forward to the third book.

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Aug 12, 2010 Brainycat rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read_before_2010, scifi, read_in_2010

Another fantastic book in this series. It didn't feel as episodic as the first book; the storyline sticks very close to the main antagonism. A great read for fans of neuvo pulp scifi.

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Dec 12, 2012 Steven Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Once again, the Wild Card Trust gives us a fantastic yarn of a world with Ace and Joker superheroes and villains, aliens and a menace coming from space. I love this pulp-SF series, especially its many colorful characters. Though this book shows a bit of looseness in how different authors handle the same characters (mostly obvious in the character of Fortunato), the various authors' threads all weave together masterfully. And if you go for the new edition, you'll get a cover that beats all previo...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Lyn rated it 1 of 5 stars

What the hell was THAT all about?? How incredibly confusing.........and yet I LOVE his Game of Thrones........unbelievable....!

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Jan 16, 2012 Paul Landis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amazing series, looking forward to the rest of the books being re-released as this book was very difficult to find.

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Oct 23, 2012 Jeff rated it 3 of 5 stars

A welcome follow-on to the first Wild Cards anthology, with an overarching plot to tie the various short stories together. Enough to have me check-out the next book in the series, and see what follows.

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About George R.R. Martin

George R. R. Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies,...more George R. R. Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: "The Hero," sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.

As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.

In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.

Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.

Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...(less)

More about George R.R. Martin...

Books by George R.R. Martin

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4)

A Dance With Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5)

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Aces High (Wild Cards #2)

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