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Wild Cards (Wild Cards, #1)
by George R.R. Martin , Howard Waldrop , John J. Miller , Michael Cassutt , David D. Levine (Goodreads Author) , Carrie Vaughn (Goodreads Author) , Roger Zelazny , Walter Jon Williams , more…
by George R.R. Martin , Howard Waldrop , John J. Miller , Michael Cassutt , David D. Levine (Goodreads Author) , Carrie Vaughn (Goodreads Author) , Roger Zelazny , Walter Jon Williams , more…
Tammy's review
bookshelves: first-reads, short-stories, science-fiction, own
Jul 05, 11
bookshelves: first-reads, short-stories, science-fiction, own
Read from June 23 to July 02, 2011 — I own a copy
I won a copy of this from Goodreads First Reads.
I liked a number of the stories. It was in between a set of standalone stories and cohesive serial, but as a result, much of it felt like it was introducing the characters.
Minutes over Broadway by Howard Waldrop (2/5) - introduces Jetboy, a fighter pilot war hero, and the wild card virus. It was filled with WWII references that went over my head, and I had a hard time getting into the story.
The Sleeper by Roger Zelazny (3/5) - has one of the cooler wild cards. He is boy who changes into a new ace or joker every time he falls asleep. It's a good, absorbing story.
Witness by Walter Jon Williams (3/5) - introduces the Four Aces, a group of traditional super heroes, and marks the beginning of the McCarthy era. I liked this one.
Captain Cathode and the Secret Ace by Michael Cassutt - is a television show with a chronically late actor and a producer with fokus (a.k.a. super vision). I liked the story, but the ending was hokey.
Powers by David D. Levine (4/5) - A secret jet disappears over the Soviet Union, and an ace that can stop time tries to prevent a international incident. The story is simple, but the plot/action is exciting.
Shell Games by GRRM (4/5) - features Tachyon and the telekinetic turtle. It was really good and hard to put down.
Degredation Rites by Melinda M. Snodgrass (3/5) - is a sweet and sad story about Tachyon and Blythe.
The Long, Dark Night of Fortunato by Lewis Shiner (2/5) - An ace pimp hunts down a murderer targeting hookers. I didn't feel like this fit in with the rest of the stories. The power was gross, and the story reminds me of Illuminatus! (which I didn't like).
Transfigurations by Victor Milan (2/5) - features the Vietnam protests. I didn't really get the point, and felt that the aces/jokers were superfluous.
Down Deep by Edward Bryant and Leanne C. Harper (2/5) - features alligator and animal telepath aces who get in trouble with the mob. I thought the story was random.
Strings by Stephen Leigh (3/5) - Puppetman and the riotous jokers. It had an interesting twist.
Ghost Girl Takes Manhattan by Carrie Vaughn (4/5) - A night out in the Bowery goes awry with ghost girl and the sleeper. The story was funny and exciting.
Comes a Hunter by John J. Miller (3/5) - A nat takes on an ace. The story was interesting, and I'm curious to find out how it 'ends'.
I liked a number of the stories. It was in between a set of standalone stories and cohesive serial, but as a result, much of it felt like it was introducing the characters.
Minutes over Broadway by Howard Waldrop (2/5) - introduces Jetboy, a fighter pilot war hero, and the wild card virus. It was filled with WWII references that went over my head, and I had a hard time getting into the story.
The Sleeper by Roger Zelazny (3/5) - has one of the cooler wild cards. He is boy who changes into a new ace or joker every time he falls asleep. It's a good, absorbing story.
Witness by Walter Jon Williams (3/5) - introduces the Four Aces, a group of traditional super heroes, and marks the beginning of the McCarthy era. I liked this one.
Captain Cathode and the Secret Ace by Michael Cassutt - is a television show with a chronically late actor and a producer with fokus (a.k.a. super vision). I liked the story, but the ending was hokey.
Powers by David D. Levine (4/5) - A secret jet disappears over the Soviet Union, and an ace that can stop time tries to prevent a international incident. The story is simple, but the plot/action is exciting.
Shell Games by GRRM (4/5) - features Tachyon and the telekinetic turtle. It was really good and hard to put down.
Degredation Rites by Melinda M. Snodgrass (3/5) - is a sweet and sad story about Tachyon and Blythe.
The Long, Dark Night of Fortunato by Lewis Shiner (2/5) - An ace pimp hunts down a murderer targeting hookers. I didn't feel like this fit in with the rest of the stories. The power was gross, and the story reminds me of Illuminatus! (which I didn't like).
Transfigurations by Victor Milan (2/5) - features the Vietnam protests. I didn't really get the point, and felt that the aces/jokers were superfluous.
Down Deep by Edward Bryant and Leanne C. Harper (2/5) - features alligator and animal telepath aces who get in trouble with the mob. I thought the story was random.
Strings by Stephen Leigh (3/5) - Puppetman and the riotous jokers. It had an interesting twist.
Ghost Girl Takes Manhattan by Carrie Vaughn (4/5) - A night out in the Bowery goes awry with ghost girl and the sleeper. The story was funny and exciting.
Comes a Hunter by John J. Miller (3/5) - A nat takes on an ace. The story was interesting, and I'm curious to find out how it 'ends'.
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Reading Progress
| 06/25/2011 | page 56 |
|
11.0% | "Prologue by Studs Turkel (3/5) - intriguing setup; alien virus infects Earth after WWII; killing some and endowing some with powers; comic book-esque Thirty Minutes over Broadway by Howard Waldrop (2/5) - Jetboy, prodigy fighter pilot war hero, adjusting to life after WWII; virus is released; many WWII references that went over my head; couldn't get into it; bored" |
| 06/25/2011 | page 100 |
|
20.0% | "The Sleeper by Roger Zelazny (3/5) - boy who changes into a new ace or joker every time he falls asleep; good story; absorbing" |
| 06/26/2011 | page 146 |
|
29.0% | "Witness by Walter Jon Williams (3/5) - 4 Aces; traditional super hero powers; from Blond Boy's pov; good story" |
| 06/26/2011 | page 215 |
|
43.0% | "Degredation Rites by Melinda M. Snodgrass (3/5) - Tachyon and Blythe Interlude One by GRRM - rise and fall of McCarthy Captain Cathode and the Secret Ace by Michael Cassutt - fokus, Hollywood, chronically late actor, good story, hokey ending" |
| 06/28/2011 | page 295 |
|
59.0% | "Powers by David D. Levine (4/5) - secret jet disappears over the Soviet Union; ace that stops time; simple story; absorbing plot/action Shell Games by grrm (4/5) - tachyon and the telekenetic turtle; really good; hard to put down Interlude Two by grrm (3/5) - feel good turn of events for tachyon" |
| 06/28/2011 | page 345 |
|
70.0% | "The Long, Dark Night of Fortunato by Lewis Shiner (2/5) - pimp ace hunts down someone murdering hookers; doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the stories; gross power; reminds me of Illuminatus Transfigurations by Victor Milan (2/5) - Vietnam protests; didn't really get the point; the aces/jokers were superfluous to the story Interlude Three by grrm (3/5) - wild card party" |
| 06/30/2011 | page 387 |
|
78.0% | "Down Deep by Edward Bryant and Leanne C. Harper (2/5) - alligator and animal telepath aces; the mob; random Interlude Four by grrm (3/5) - joker malcontent" |
| 07/02/2011 | page 426 |
|
86.0% | "Strings by Stephen Leigh (3/5) - Puppetman and the riotous jokers; interesting twist Interludes Five by grrm (3/5) - quotes" |
