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236th out of 284 books
—
446 voters
Fort Freak (Wild Cards #21)
by
George R.R. Martin ,
Stephen Leigh , John J. Miller , Victor Milán , Ty Franck , Mary Anne Mohanraj (Goodreads Author) , Melinda M. Snodgrass (Goodreads Author) , Cherie Priest (Goodreads Author)
,
more…
In 1946, an alien virus that rewrites human DNA was accidentally unleashed in the skies over New York City. It killed ninety percent of those it infected. Nine percent survived, mutated into tragically deformed creatures. And one percent gained superpowers. The Wild Cards shared-universe series, created and edited by New York Times #1 bestseller George R. R. Martin (call
Hardcover, 464 pages
Published
June 21st 2011
by Tor Books
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The more Wild Cards books that I read, the more that I realize these are what the TV show Heroes wishes it could have been. I liked two out of three books of the re-launch trilogy, and those were books that were about the high-flying, high-powered aces who were off saving people in large numbers, and saving the world in turn.
Fort Freak reminds us there's more to the world than that. Here we are in Jokertown, a chunk of New York City that, in the Wild Cards universe, has come to be inhabited by a...more
Fort Freak reminds us there's more to the world than that. Here we are in Jokertown, a chunk of New York City that, in the Wild Cards universe, has come to be inhabited by a...more
My only previous exposure to the Wild Cards series was through the short stories (really, selections) published in GRRM's Dreamsongs collections. I knew this was going to be a "mosaic novel" but what that actually meant didn't sink in till I was past the first chapter, at which point I began to fully appreciate GRRM's contribution to this book. It's one thing to edit a collection of short stories, but to have the vision to corral a bunch of sci-fi authors and have them work together to write a c...more
A few weeks ago, I was a bit let down by the latest Bordertown book, which I reviewed as stuck too much in the past, even as it tried to bring that setting into the present day.
Paradoxically, that's what I enjoyed most about Fort Freak - after the last several books featured an almost entirely new generation of Aces and Jokers involved in major events around the globe, this one goes back to where it started - New York, specifically Jokertown. There are plenty of new characters, but featured rol...more
Paradoxically, that's what I enjoyed most about Fort Freak - after the last several books featured an almost entirely new generation of Aces and Jokers involved in major events around the globe, this one goes back to where it started - New York, specifically Jokertown. There are plenty of new characters, but featured rol...more
...Fort Freak is written as a standalone and given the limited availability of the older books in the series, that makes sense. It can be read without having read any of the other volumes but I'm not sure it is a good point to enter the series. There are a lot of nods to other books in the series, and some characters have quite a history. Besides the aforementioned Father Squid, The Sleeper, originally a creation of Roger Zelazny, make an appearance for instance. This novel is a treat for those...more
I remain amused that for a man who despises fanfic that George R.R. Martin continues to edit and contribute to the Wild Cards series. Basically the series grew out of Martin, and a group of fellow writers with whom he is friends, love of super heroes, a RPG they were playing, and he has made veiled comments that some of them were writing fanfic.
Fort Freak is not the strongest entry in the series. After the trilogy the previous three books provided we receive a stand alone that takes place entire...more
Fort Freak is not the strongest entry in the series. After the trilogy the previous three books provided we receive a stand alone that takes place entire...more
Fort Freak was a bit of a mixed bag for me--except for Paul Cornell's story, the writing was very consistent and fresh compared to previous volumes in the series. I appreciated the focus on Jokertown, there is a lot of good story and character to be mined in that relatively small area (considering the world-wide scope of the previous trilogy). I think Cornell is a very entertaining writer normally, but his story sticks out like a sore thumb and was tonally wrong for Fort Freak. He introduces som...more
I really liked this volume of Wildcards.
The only part that disappointed me was Melinda Snodgrass' one on the first case of rookie cop Franny Black. It's a bit too goodie two-shoes and too easily wrapped up. much prefered Slim Jim's story in that regard.
On the whole though, the stories are good, especially Leo's quest to solve a long-dead case before it's too late. It gives some good insight into the characters.
One might accuse this book of following the usual tropes of police proedural fiction,...more
The only part that disappointed me was Melinda Snodgrass' one on the first case of rookie cop Franny Black. It's a bit too goodie two-shoes and too easily wrapped up. much prefered Slim Jim's story in that regard.
On the whole though, the stories are good, especially Leo's quest to solve a long-dead case before it's too late. It gives some good insight into the characters.
One might accuse this book of following the usual tropes of police proedural fiction,...more
I have to say that so far this has been my favorite of the Wild Cards books I have read. I only picked up the Wild Cards with the first novel of the most recent cycle (Inside Straight) but have enjoyed every book. Fort Freak is a departure from the previous three books which focused one Jonathan Fortune and the Hero's of the UN Association Task Force. This book takes us to Jokertown's 5th Precinct nicknamed Fort Freak. The book starts out with the story of Detective Leo "Ramshead" Storgman, just...more
If you love "freaks" and superheroes, then Fort Freak is the book for you! The police precinct is well-realized in a series of short stories from George R.R. Martin's Wild Card universe that have been melded together to form a novel. The writing is excellent (as are the authors who contributed to the tome), but it is a long book to read in one setting, which isn't for those who are becoming more accustomed to novella-length works in e-literature. Still, it's worth the read if only to figure out...more
Jokertown's Finest. From the newest Rookie to the Oldest Veteran facing retirement too soon, the Thin Blue Line could run straight here or have some nasty kinks and twists in it. The leaves of time change the scene as we head into fall and winter, but old sins cast long shadows. One case still bothers the old detective with the ram's horns on his head. A 30 year old massacre in a diner. Can he solve it before he retires? Thrown into the mix are old and young vigilantes, the mob and the gangs of...more
I have greatly enjoyed the previous four Wild Cards novels--they contained some of the best writing I've read in the past couple years. Maybe I would have liked this book more if I hadn't read the others, but I didn't feel Fort Freak lived up to the excellence of the others. This was written as a mystery, but I felt it lacked urgency. I was never made to care very much about the resolution of the mystery, nor made to feel that anything significant was riding on the outcome. The writing was good,...more
First I have to say this was a desperation purchase in an international airport with limited selection of English titles. Despite that, it was not a bad book. It is a collaborative book written by various authors as part of a long running series set in an alternate US where an alien virus often mutates people in unpredictable ways and/or gives them special powers. Like all books of this collaborative nature, it does not flow terribly well and is told from multiple viewpoints and in multiple styl...more
Unlike the first two collections, Fort Freak is more or less a novel with a linear plot, albeit one written by a whole collection of authors. Some of the segments are better than others, of course, but the uncomfortable look at a dirty police station in the Joker's ghetto is pretty effective, and the cold-case main plot stayed interesting and more or less unexpected all the way through. I'm not going to lose sleep hunting up the whole Wild Cards series, but I'm happy to work my way through them...more
This was the return to Wild Cards that I waited for. I enjoyed the previous trilogy (Inside Straight, Busted Flush, and Suicide Kings) but those books lacked something. Fort Freak felt like home.
And new member of the consortium, Cherie Priest, owned the show with "The Rat Race" and her addition to the world, Detective-Investigator Leo Storgman. I hope we get to see him again in a future book.
And new member of the consortium, Cherie Priest, owned the show with "The Rat Race" and her addition to the world, Detective-Investigator Leo Storgman. I hope we get to see him again in a future book.
really loved the stories in this one. All it did was make me curious as to how the alien virus broke out in the first place so I am currently reading Wild Cards 1 the first in the series that explains it all. I loved the mutant humans that they came up with and all the weird combinations there were. the Aces and their special powers were wicked cool too and it was just a ya never know whats around the corner type of read. Start with the first one or this one it doesnt really matter. They are ver...more
Martin's series and its new contributors continues to show its impressive chops, although this volume felt a touch lackluster in comparison with the high stakes and throwback of Suicide Kings. Great work on the police procedural in a Superhuman world in the piece starring Slim Jim; I actually felt that the main storyline was underdone. Still, a fun, light read, and that's all I was looking for.
Personally, I didn't think this volume was as interesting or engrossing as the previous twenty. While I enjoyed parts, especially those chapters on the Infamous Black Tongue and the Oddity, the rest just felt out of place. Where are the Wild Cards of my past? Seems to me that maybe GRRM has too much on his plate right now because normally every one of these novels is one which I'd re-read. Not this one.
Maybe more like 3.5. I enjoyed this book and felt like it was a pretty good addition to the Wild Cards universe. It seemed much more faithful to the earlier books than some of the other recent books. (I should probably note that one of the contributors is vaguely an Internet acquaintance of mine, in that we frequent the same web site and are somewhat aware of each other's existence, but I was thinking this before I got to his story.)
There were some minor errors, like a guy being Eddy in one para...more
There were some minor errors, like a guy being Eddy in one para...more
About as different as possibly could be from thw Game of Thrones series--A neighborhood police station in a seamy New York precinct, an about-to-retire detective, some unsavory characters, and supernatural powers, ram's horns, snakes' tails, and baaaad bossesthrown in....
I had almost given up on the WildCard books, since I read the first of the 'CardSharks' series.
Fort Freak gets back to the original format of the series- a mosaic novel; with a number of different stories all interwoven. The passage of time among the stories was a little wonky for me, but not unbearable. I enjoyed all the characters in the stories, and was glad to see the level of character development in them.
The WildCards series _is Back!_
Fort Freak gets back to the original format of the series- a mosaic novel; with a number of different stories all interwoven. The passage of time among the stories was a little wonky for me, but not unbearable. I enjoyed all the characters in the stories, and was glad to see the level of character development in them.
The WildCards series _is Back!_
Damned good stuff. I've been reading Wild Cards since the beginning and have loved each and every one of the books. The whole idea of superpowers and massive mutations in the real World is produced remarkably well in this series.
Great books, starts out slow but when I got into the middle of the book I just could not put it down. Great detective story and nice focus on the past of the Wildcards universe.
Given the option, I'd call this one a 3.5. I've been reading the series since it first appeared, and this seems to be less cohesive than most of the others. I really enjoyed Cherie Priest's connecting story and Stephen Leigh's contributions, but on the other hand the big-tongued snake guy and the dancer didn't do much for me. Perhaps it's because most of the other books have concerned vast interstellar (or at least global) concerns, while this one is set firmly in a Jokertown police station, and...more
If you're reading the "Game of Throne" series then check out the "Wild Cards" novels by Mr. Martin. I walked away from "Fort Freak" wanting more.
Brilliant addition to this great series. Its always good to see new faces, as well as familiar characters I've been following for 20 years.
I have quibbles and some stories were stronger than others, but I thought they fit together very well and I enjoyed the book.
It's a bit wierd - a good wierd so far, but wierd. I need to read the original in the series to get the full story of how the world got this way.
I'm an easy mark for the WILD CARDS books, as they're my favourite series of all time, but this is easily one of the better ones in quite some time - I'd say since the turn of the century. I love the focus on a smaller scale - it's more personal and touching than the great and epic storylines we've seen in a lot of the volumes.
Some great new characters are introduced, some familiar favourites make their appearances. If you're a long time fan, prepare to be choked up once or twice.
Some great new characters are introduced, some familiar favourites make their appearances. If you're a long time fan, prepare to be choked up once or twice.
Overall, a strong and enjoyable Wild Cards book with the mosaic pieces pulled together very well.
Jun 08, 2011
John Ibarzabal
marked it as to-read
I didnt know GRR Martin was involved with the Wild Cards stories!
I really want to read this !!!!
I really want to read this !!!!
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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
More about George R.R. Martin...
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
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Dec 27, 2011 04:48pm
Jul 30, 2012 01:59am