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Wild Cards #9
Jokertown Shuffle
Bloat, the boy governor of the Rox, had dreams as big as his monstrous body. He wanted to make Ellis Island a safe haven for his people, a Joker homeland. To survive Bloat needed the Jumpers, adolescent outcasts who could steal a man's body in the blink of an eye. He needed their money to feed the Rox. Even more, he needed their terrifying powers to stave off the vengeance of a frightened world.
But the Jumpers grew more vicious and uncontrollable every day, under the leadership of Dr. Tahcyon's psychopathic grandson.
The greatest threat the Wild Cards have ever faced continued in this series.
But the Jumpers grew more vicious and uncontrollable every day, under the leadership of Dr. Tahcyon's psychopathic grandson.
The greatest threat the Wild Cards have ever faced continued in this series.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1991
42 people are currently reading
1381 people want to read
About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,509 books119k followersGeorge Raymond Richard "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...
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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 7, 2016
This is a tough one to rate and review. On the one hand, there were some pretty cool sections with Captain Trips coming back, and better yet the sections by Walter Jon Williams involving the Black Shadow, who has become one my favorite characters in this series. Williams has the best mix of superhero with dark fantasy and film noir/detective styles, doing it far better than the other writers in this volume.
On the other hand, Melinda Snodgrass's sections were borderline awful. This series has never shied away from extreme violence, and rape, but in this case it seems like she was reveling in her depictions of rape, and it wasn't just occasional, but pervasive. I get that Blaise is an utter shit-stain of a character, and that he himself has been raped, but holy fucking shit "Lovers" goes beyond all reasonable boundaries.
According to the end notes, the next book is going to be a novel penned solely by Snodgrass, which doesn't leave me feeling very positive about reading it. But I've already committed myself to at least the volumes I borrowed from my friend, for better or worse.
On the other hand, Melinda Snodgrass's sections were borderline awful. This series has never shied away from extreme violence, and rape, but in this case it seems like she was reveling in her depictions of rape, and it wasn't just occasional, but pervasive. I get that Blaise is an utter shit-stain of a character, and that he himself has been raped, but holy fucking shit "Lovers" goes beyond all reasonable boundaries.
According to the end notes, the next book is going to be a novel penned solely by Snodgrass, which doesn't leave me feeling very positive about reading it. But I've already committed myself to at least the volumes I borrowed from my friend, for better or worse.
March 19, 2017
George R.R. Martin has said that One-Eyed Jacks was a big jumping-off point for readers of the Wild Cards series. However, if I had to guess, I'd say this book was even moreso. I'm pretty sure it was where I stopped reading, when I originally read these books in the '90s.
The problems isn't even in the main plot. The jumpers are a fair enough plot, but the real heart of the story is the Rox, and that's quite intriguing. The creation of an illegal Joker state feels like a very natural evolution of the Wild Cards world, and one that's dealt with well here. Meanwhile, we get a a few old-favorite characters back, something that was missing in the previous volume.
So what's the problem? It's a single story that's so horrible that it can put you off reading Wild Cards at all. Just one story, you might say?? yeah, it's that bad.
The Temptation of Hieronymus Bloat (Leigh: Bloat). The first framing story is about Bloat, the governor of the Rox. If offers some nice surprises when we first visit Bloat's psyche, and learn that he's a fairly young and uncertain man. After that it does a nice job of framing some of the conflicts of the novel and also offering a few climatic assaults on the island. It runs a little long and takes up a little too much of this novel (with 11! parts), but it's still mostly enjoyable [7/10].
Lovers (Snogiass: Tachyon). The other framing story is what caused me to stop reading Wild Cards the first time around. It's pretty awful. Snodgrass basically uses the jumper power to weaponize rape, then uses it in the ickiest way possible. It's distasteful and disturbing. And it's greatly repetitive. The first four parts of this story end with a rape, a rape, a promise of sexual slavery and future rape, and a rape. Yay?
Yes, the Wild Cards books had always focused a bit on rape, and no I've never liked it. And yes, body horror was the at the heart of the jumper menace ... which made it unique, but which was also its greatest weakness. This was a step too far. This story appearing as Jokertown Shuffle's frame means that we have to wade through this muck for far, far too long. [0/10]
And Hope to Die (Miller: Yeoman). It's great to see Brennan pulled back into the story after retiring (and escaping his plotlines) in a way that always seemed too easy. His return here is quite exciting. With that said, I don't love the degeneration into a dream story, and if this is the finale for Kien (and it seems to be), it's very anticlimactic. A pity after the brilliant setup of the last book [5/10].
Madman Across the Water (Milan: Captain Trips). Mark Meadows' story in the previous volume seemed a little off, because he was so far removed from the main narrative. That totally pays off in this volume, when we learn that his problems with the law have led him ... straight to the Rox. It's a great outsider's view of the growing Joker society and a very believable plunge into darkness (that's a much less abrupt heel turn than Blaise's in the last volume). But despite the focus on the Rox, this continues to be Mark's story, deeply entwined with his personal needs and goals. Overall, it's a strong and emotional story [7/10].
When Nights Dark Agents To Their Prey Do Rouse (Williams: Black Shadow). Another interesting character from Williams: the Black Shadow, who is pretty much the Wild Cards' answer to Moon Knight. Part of what makes this character interesting is his history: he's been around a while and has ties to notable events. Part is how it explains what we've seen before, particularly the strange characters of Wall Walker and Mr. Gravemould. Williams manages to juggle all these characters well. Meanwhile, he tells a good Jumper story, and how they're quickly taking control of the rich ... and what Black Shadow can do about it.
Then, the second half of the story ups the ante by taking us to the Rox. I love this part of the story a little less due to its ultimate pointlessness. But it's still exciting (and interesting to learn more about Chalktalk, though I could do without sexual abuse appearing everywhere in this series). [7/10].
Riders (Shiner: Veronica). A lot of this story is the plodding tale of how Veronica got from 18 months ago to the present day. Which I suppose might be exciting if you like Veronica as a character. (I don't.) Things finally tie back into the jumpers at the end, and when they do the story becomes much more enjoyable. I suppose, one can understand the storytelling technique here: Veronica was involved with the jumpers, and then 18 months later becomes involved with them again. But the story of the in-between isn't the most enthralling [6/10].
Nobody Does It Alone (Simons: Mr. Nobody). Essentially, the finale to the Veronica story, but also a conclusion to the whole Veronica/Nobody arc from these last two volumes. Which is a bit of a relief, as too much of this volume has been setup and water-treading. Unlike the Yeoman finale which didn't work because of the large change in storytelling focus, this one keeps right on with the pseudo-espionage feel of the previous Nobody stories, and thus offers a compelling conclusion [7/10]
Overall, this ninth volume had a few good stories, but no greatness, and some of those good stories were troubled. But then you have "Lovers". Without "Lovers", this was probably a 3-star book. With it: bleh.
The problems isn't even in the main plot. The jumpers are a fair enough plot, but the real heart of the story is the Rox, and that's quite intriguing. The creation of an illegal Joker state feels like a very natural evolution of the Wild Cards world, and one that's dealt with well here. Meanwhile, we get a a few old-favorite characters back, something that was missing in the previous volume.
So what's the problem? It's a single story that's so horrible that it can put you off reading Wild Cards at all. Just one story, you might say?? yeah, it's that bad.
The Temptation of Hieronymus Bloat (Leigh: Bloat). The first framing story is about Bloat, the governor of the Rox. If offers some nice surprises when we first visit Bloat's psyche, and learn that he's a fairly young and uncertain man. After that it does a nice job of framing some of the conflicts of the novel and also offering a few climatic assaults on the island. It runs a little long and takes up a little too much of this novel (with 11! parts), but it's still mostly enjoyable [7/10].
Lovers (Snogiass: Tachyon). The other framing story is what caused me to stop reading Wild Cards the first time around. It's pretty awful. Snodgrass basically uses the jumper power to weaponize rape, then uses it in the ickiest way possible. It's distasteful and disturbing. And it's greatly repetitive. The first four parts of this story end with a rape, a rape, a promise of sexual slavery and future rape, and a rape. Yay?
Yes, the Wild Cards books had always focused a bit on rape, and no I've never liked it. And yes, body horror was the at the heart of the jumper menace ... which made it unique, but which was also its greatest weakness. This was a step too far. This story appearing as Jokertown Shuffle's frame means that we have to wade through this muck for far, far too long. [0/10]
And Hope to Die (Miller: Yeoman). It's great to see Brennan pulled back into the story after retiring (and escaping his plotlines) in a way that always seemed too easy. His return here is quite exciting. With that said, I don't love the degeneration into a dream story, and if this is the finale for Kien (and it seems to be), it's very anticlimactic. A pity after the brilliant setup of the last book [5/10].
Madman Across the Water (Milan: Captain Trips). Mark Meadows' story in the previous volume seemed a little off, because he was so far removed from the main narrative. That totally pays off in this volume, when we learn that his problems with the law have led him ... straight to the Rox. It's a great outsider's view of the growing Joker society and a very believable plunge into darkness (that's a much less abrupt heel turn than Blaise's in the last volume). But despite the focus on the Rox, this continues to be Mark's story, deeply entwined with his personal needs and goals. Overall, it's a strong and emotional story [7/10].
When Nights Dark Agents To Their Prey Do Rouse (Williams: Black Shadow). Another interesting character from Williams: the Black Shadow, who is pretty much the Wild Cards' answer to Moon Knight. Part of what makes this character interesting is his history: he's been around a while and has ties to notable events. Part is how it explains what we've seen before, particularly the strange characters of Wall Walker and Mr. Gravemould. Williams manages to juggle all these characters well. Meanwhile, he tells a good Jumper story, and how they're quickly taking control of the rich ... and what Black Shadow can do about it.
Then, the second half of the story ups the ante by taking us to the Rox. I love this part of the story a little less due to its ultimate pointlessness. But it's still exciting (and interesting to learn more about Chalktalk, though I could do without sexual abuse appearing everywhere in this series). [7/10].
Riders (Shiner: Veronica). A lot of this story is the plodding tale of how Veronica got from 18 months ago to the present day. Which I suppose might be exciting if you like Veronica as a character. (I don't.) Things finally tie back into the jumpers at the end, and when they do the story becomes much more enjoyable. I suppose, one can understand the storytelling technique here: Veronica was involved with the jumpers, and then 18 months later becomes involved with them again. But the story of the in-between isn't the most enthralling [6/10].
Nobody Does It Alone (Simons: Mr. Nobody). Essentially, the finale to the Veronica story, but also a conclusion to the whole Veronica/Nobody arc from these last two volumes. Which is a bit of a relief, as too much of this volume has been setup and water-treading. Unlike the Yeoman finale which didn't work because of the large change in storytelling focus, this one keeps right on with the pseudo-espionage feel of the previous Nobody stories, and thus offers a compelling conclusion [7/10]
Overall, this ninth volume had a few good stories, but no greatness, and some of those good stories were troubled. But then you have "Lovers". Without "Lovers", this was probably a 3-star book. With it: bleh.
August 25, 2023
Събитията в „Jokertown Shuffle” са директно продължение на тези в предишната книга. За разлика от нея, тук повечето текст е от гледната точка на жокерите и най-вече Мехура (Bloat), който се опитва да управлява Rox въпреки все по-обтегнатите си отношения със скачащите. Друга важна сюжетна линия, която разбира се, е свързана с тази, е тази за Блес и жестокото му отмъщение на Тахион, който е отвлечен, прехвърлен в тялото на тийнейджърка и многократно изнасилван от полуделия му от злоба внук (!). Гаврите не са описани кой знае колко визуално, но достатъчно, за да му призлее на читателя.
Фън-факт за разведряване на обстановката: важен за сюжета е реално-съществуващия триптих на Йеронимус Бош – „Изкушението на свети Антоний“. Той е подарен на Мехура, който намира вдъхновение в него за действията си, а един от изобразените персонажи – пингвин на кънки с фуния на главата, оживява и става негово алтер-его. Разказът от гледната точка на Мехура е озаглавен с игра на думи от заглавието на картината и името на автора ѝ – „Изкушението на Йеоронимус Блоут“.
Относно историите, тук отново се редуват и преплитат, майсторски напаснати от Мартин в хронологичен ред.
"The Temptation of Hieronymous Bloat" (Stephen Leigh): Единайсетте глави на историята на Мехура проследяват израстването му от лидер, който на практика само може да отблъсква нежелани посетители от Rox до такъв, който се грижи за поданиците си. Той измисля схема, с която скачащите могат да печелят сериозни пари, вместо да си прекарват времето в тероризиране на случайни хора и жокери в Ню Йорк. Островът Елис, който е “Rox” е атакуван от полицаи, но психологическата стена и скачащите се справят относително лесно с атаката. В края на книгата следва нова, сериозна атака от армията на САЩ, която има далеч по-сериозни последици. Мехура открива и нови сили, които му позволяват да изгражда материални структури само със силата на съзнанието си. Опитва се и да помогне на затворения на Rox Тахион, на който е безкрайно признателен за грижите за жокерите в последните 40 години.
"And Hope to Die" (John Jos. Miller): Киен Пхук открива къде са се оттеглили Даниел Бренан и възлюбената му Дженифър Малой. Той изпраща отряд убийци, но те са едва трима, а и не най-добрите. Това е и най-голямата логическа пукнатина в книгата. Първо – Киен излиза нездравословно отмъстителен – Бренан иска да си живее живота и да не се занимава с Ню Йорк. Да речем, че това е възможно, макар и не безкрайно логично. Той е много наясно с това колко е опасен Бренан, а и Дженифър е асото с псевдоним „Призрачното момиче“, която може да прави тялото си нематериално и да преминава стени. Тя е ранена и по време на нападението и Бренан я закарва в клиниката на Тахион в Жокертаун в кома. Там тя е излекувана, след като Бренан се бори в свят отвъд реалния да открие съзнанието ѝ. Там се сблъсква и с Киен, който е решен да довърши започнатото.
"Lovers" (Melinda Snodgrass): Втората най-дълга история (шест глави) разказва за малтретирането на Тахион от внукът му – Блес, който разменя съзнанията в телата на Тахион и wanna-be скачащата Кели, която се ползва със специалното отношение на Блес. След това, Блес многократно изнасилва Тахион в женско тяло (ffs!), а последният открива, че е бременен/на. Тахион се опитва да научи новия си мозък на поне малко телепатия, която да използва, за да избяга, той се свързва с най-силния телепат в тази вселена – Мехура, с който споделят сънища в продължение на месеции стават близки по един безкрайно странен начин. Мехура е тайно влюбен в Кели, все пак… МЕсеци по-късно, когато “Rox“ е атакуван от американската армия, Блес разбира, че планивете му са се провалили и бяга от Земята към Такис с кораба и тялото на Тахион. Тахион не успява да го спре и остава на нашата планета в очакване на това да роди. Тази линия е голям майнд-фак и доста хорър.
"Madmen Across the Water" (Victor Milán): Марк Медоус се крие от издирващите го власти в Rox. Той изчаква удобен момент да се събере с дъщеря си и се запознава с Кей Си – скачаща и сексуална приятелка на Блес. Между тях има игра и Кей Си му помага да оформят план, с който да съберат баща и дъщеря. Тънък детайл е, че Кей Си спуска информация за това на Блес, който иска да убие Марк, а му е забранено да стори това в Rox. Така, спасяването се сблъсква със засада от полицията и Блес, а Марк успява да избяга, но на голяма цена. Добра история, силно различна и несвързана с основния сюжет, та беше приятен начин за пауза.
"While Night’s Black Agents to Their Prey Do Rouse" (Walter Jon Williams): Кратка история, в която познатото асо Черна сянка среща стара приятелка, която е пренесена в тялото на жокер, като част от схемата на скачащите. Съзнанието в нейно тяло ще изтегли попечителския фонд и ще изчезне. С помощта на Кройд Кренсън (който е голямо прилепоподобно нещо след последното си събуждане), Сянката съсипва цялата схема на скачащите, като в процеса убива няколко от тях и освобождава цял склад пълен с жокери и богати „натове“ (това са обикновени хора, незасегнати от вируса). Той е ранен тежко и му помага Тебеширеното момиче, за което не се знае нищо, освен това, че може да пътува в паралелни реалности, които рисува с тебешири из Ню Йорк. Тя го, да речем, телепортира в болница в ССАЩ (USSA). Това е в свят, в който в САЩ е имало успешна комунистическа революция през 30-е години, което е интересна идея. В крайна сметка, той се връща в нашия свят и в Rox с намерението да изтрепе всички скачащ, но Мехура му обяснява, че Тахион не е мъртъв, както си мислят всички извън Rox, а е затворник в чуждо тяло и го убеждава да го спаси.
"Riders" (Lew Shiner): Вероника опитва да разбере истината за смъртта на Хана и разкрива мрежа от лъжи и смърт. За кратко се присъединява към тайната феминистка организация WORSE, в която висок пост заема Зелда – личния бодигард на Латам. Тя ще се съюзи със старият си клиент Джери Строс, за да му отмъсти.
"Nobody Does It Alone" (Walton Simons): За жителите на Ню Йорк, и най-вече за тези на кварталът му Жокертаун, доктор Тахион е убит от скачащите. Джери Строс продължава разследването на създателя им – Латам и предлага на Вероника да обединят сили. Те успяват да постигнат целта си, но далеч не всичко се развива по план. Както съм писал за тази поредица, много ме кефят преплитания и продължавания на сюжетни линии от предишни книги. В този иначе добър разказ е вторият алогизъм, който ме издразни, макар и не колкото първия. Джери спасява Вероника, която е в болница, за което му помага вдовицата на брат му. Тя се завръща в Ню Йорк и двамата започват връзка. Разбира се, тя ревнува от Вероника, но още преди да знае за нея, Джери я моли за помощ да „откраднат“ Вероника от болницата, и тя дори не се замисля дали да откаже или да попита за подробности.
Продължението е добро, но с тези двете неща, които ме подразниха, ще пишем 4,4*. Следващата книга не е мозаечна, а е писана от Мелинда Снодграс и се занимава с това какви ще ги върши Блес на планетата Такис – родина на Тахион.
Фън-факт за разведряване на обстановката: важен за сюжета е реално-съществуващия триптих на Йеронимус Бош – „Изкушението на свети Антоний“. Той е подарен на Мехура, който намира вдъхновение в него за действията си, а един от изобразените персонажи – пингвин на кънки с фуния на главата, оживява и става негово алтер-его. Разказът от гледната точка на Мехура е озаглавен с игра на думи от заглавието на картината и името на автора ѝ – „Изкушението на Йеоронимус Блоут“.
Относно историите, тук отново се редуват и преплитат, майсторски напаснати от Мартин в хронологичен ред.
"The Temptation of Hieronymous Bloat" (Stephen Leigh): Единайсетте глави на историята на Мехура проследяват израстването му от лидер, който на практика само може да отблъсква нежелани посетители от Rox до такъв, който се грижи за поданиците си. Той измисля схема, с която скачащите могат да печелят сериозни пари, вместо да си прекарват времето в тероризиране на случайни хора и жокери в Ню Йорк. Островът Елис, който е “Rox” е атакуван от полицаи, но психологическата стена и скачащите се справят относително лесно с атаката. В края на книгата следва нова, сериозна атака от армията на САЩ, която има далеч по-сериозни последици. Мехура открива и нови сили, които му позволяват да изгражда материални структури само със силата на съзнанието си. Опитва се и да помогне на затворения на Rox Тахион, на който е безкрайно признателен за грижите за жокерите в последните 40 години.
"And Hope to Die" (John Jos. Miller): Киен Пхук открива къде са се оттеглили Даниел Бренан и възлюбената му Дженифър Малой. Той изпраща отряд убийци, но те са едва трима, а и не най-добрите. Това е и най-голямата логическа пукнатина в книгата. Първо – Киен излиза нездравословно отмъстителен – Бренан иска да си живее живота и да не се занимава с Ню Йорк. Да речем, че това е възможно, макар и не безкрайно логично. Той е много наясно с това колко е опасен Бренан, а и Дженифър е асото с псевдоним „Призрачното момиче“, която може да прави тялото си нематериално и да преминава стени. Тя е ранена и по време на нападението и Бренан я закарва в клиниката на Тахион в Жокертаун в кома. Там тя е излекувана, след като Бренан се бори в свят отвъд реалния да открие съзнанието ѝ. Там се сблъсква и с Киен, който е решен да довърши започнатото.
"Lovers" (Melinda Snodgrass): Втората най-дълга история (шест глави) разказва за малтретирането на Тахион от внукът му – Блес, който разменя съзнанията в телата на Тахион и wanna-be скачащата Кели, която се ползва със специалното отношение на Блес. След това, Блес многократно изнасилва Тахион в женско тяло (ffs!), а последният открива, че е бременен/на. Тахион се опитва да научи новия си мозък на поне малко телепатия, която да използва, за да избяга, той се свързва с най-силния телепат в тази вселена – Мехура, с който споделят сънища в продължение на месеции стават близки по един безкрайно странен начин. Мехура е тайно влюбен в Кели, все пак… МЕсеци по-късно, когато “Rox“ е атакуван от американската армия, Блес разбира, че планивете му са се провалили и бяга от Земята към Такис с кораба и тялото на Тахион. Тахион не успява да го спре и остава на нашата планета в очакване на това да роди. Тази линия е голям майнд-фак и доста хорър.
"Madmen Across the Water" (Victor Milán): Марк Медоус се крие от издирващите го власти в Rox. Той изчаква удобен момент да се събере с дъщеря си и се запознава с Кей Си – скачаща и сексуална приятелка на Блес. Между тях има игра и Кей Си му помага да оформят план, с който да съберат баща и дъщеря. Тънък детайл е, че Кей Си спуска информация за това на Блес, който иска да убие Марк, а му е забранено да стори това в Rox. Така, спасяването се сблъсква със засада от полицията и Блес, а Марк успява да избяга, но на голяма цена. Добра история, силно различна и несвързана с основния сюжет, та беше приятен начин за пауза.
"While Night’s Black Agents to Their Prey Do Rouse" (Walter Jon Williams): Кратка история, в която познатото асо Черна сянка среща стара приятелка, която е пренесена в тялото на жокер, като част от схемата на скачащите. Съзнанието в нейно тяло ще изтегли попечителския фонд и ще изчезне. С помощта на Кройд Кренсън (който е голямо прилепоподобно нещо след последното си събуждане), Сянката съсипва цялата схема на скачащите, като в процеса убива няколко от тях и освобождава цял склад пълен с жокери и богати „натове“ (това са обикновени хора, незасегнати от вируса). Той е ранен тежко и му помага Тебеширеното момиче, за което не се знае нищо, освен това, че може да пътува в паралелни реалности, които рисува с тебешири из Ню Йорк. Тя го, да речем, телепортира в болница в ССАЩ (USSA). Това е в свят, в който в САЩ е имало успешна комунистическа революция през 30-е години, което е интересна идея. В крайна сметка, той се връща в нашия свят и в Rox с намерението да изтрепе всички скачащ, но Мехура му обяснява, че Тахион не е мъртъв, както си мислят всички извън Rox, а е затворник в чуждо тяло и го убеждава да го спаси.
"Riders" (Lew Shiner): Вероника опитва да разбере истината за смъртта на Хана и разкрива мрежа от лъжи и смърт. За кратко се присъединява към тайната феминистка организация WORSE, в която висок пост заема Зелда – личния бодигард на Латам. Тя ще се съюзи със старият си клиент Джери Строс, за да му отмъсти.
"Nobody Does It Alone" (Walton Simons): За жителите на Ню Йорк, и най-вече за тези на кварталът му Жокертаун, доктор Тахион е убит от скачащите. Джери Строс продължава разследването на създателя им – Латам и предлага на Вероника да обединят сили. Те успяват да постигнат целта си, но далеч не всичко се развива по план. Както съм писал за тази поредица, много ме кефят преплитания и продължавания на сюжетни линии от предишни книги. В този иначе добър разказ е вторият алогизъм, който ме издразни, макар и не колкото първия. Джери спасява Вероника, която е в болница, за което му помага вдовицата на брат му. Тя се завръща в Ню Йорк и двамата започват връзка. Разбира се, тя ревнува от Вероника, но още преди да знае за нея, Джери я моли за помощ да „откраднат“ Вероника от болницата, и тя дори не се замисля дали да откаже или да попита за подробности.
Продължението е добро, но с тези двете неща, които ме подразниха, ще пишем 4,4*. Следващата книга не е мозаечна, а е писана от Мелинда Снодграс и се занимава с това какви ще ги върши Блес на планетата Такис – родина на Тахион.
June 13, 2022
CW: sexual violence
And it was going so well up to this point...
There are a lot of elements in Jokertown Shuffle that work well: Black Shadow is an interesting character, Bloat feels like the first villain who isn't a cartoon character in ???, etc. But what doesn't work here drags the book down quite a bit, namely that the jumper threat is mostly seen from the outside, save for the subplot of Dr. Tachyon gets body switched and repeatedly raped by his grandson. That wildly ill-advised creative direction (brought to you by the writer of the infamously terrible "space Irish" episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation Up the Down Staircase!) is the only fairly deep exploration of the potential horror of the "jumpers" a gang that can psychically swap bodies with victims that they make eye contact with, like Jericho of the Teen Titans.
Well, it'll get better right? It's not as if the next Wilds Cards novel is solely written by the author of the worst subplot in this book, that almost solely continues that thread, right?
...right?
And it was going so well up to this point...
There are a lot of elements in Jokertown Shuffle that work well: Black Shadow is an interesting character, Bloat feels like the first villain who isn't a cartoon character in ???, etc. But what doesn't work here drags the book down quite a bit, namely that the jumper threat is mostly seen from the outside, save for the subplot of Dr. Tachyon gets body switched and repeatedly raped by his grandson. That wildly ill-advised creative direction (brought to you by the writer of the infamously terrible "space Irish" episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation Up the Down Staircase!) is the only fairly deep exploration of the potential horror of the "jumpers" a gang that can psychically swap bodies with victims that they make eye contact with, like Jericho of the Teen Titans.
Well, it'll get better right? It's not as if the next Wilds Cards novel is solely written by the author of the worst subplot in this book, that almost solely continues that thread, right?
...right?
December 2, 2021
Read the first few of the 'Wild Cards' books when I was younger and they were new. I can't say they've aged well - this one, for example, is mired in the late 80s - but they stand as a bold attempt to try to bring 'comics / superhero stories into a different (and grittier) light. I have to admit the 'grittier sometimes seems like someone reaching for something they don't really get, but I like to see the effort, so I find the stories enjoyable. This book kinda screams 'bridge volume' & buy the next to find out what happens, but some of the individual stories are intriguing.
May 5, 2024
Overall, a good ending but there were some severly uncomfortable parts of the story.
October 1, 2012
This book has some of the best stories the Wild Cards series produced up to this point. Unfortunately, despite some very high highs (I hesitate to say highest, though sometimes they come close), this story also has the lowest lows so far.
Let's begin with the overplots. There are two of them, 'The Temptation of Hieronymous Bloat', by Stephen Leigh, and 'Lovers', by Melinda Snodgrass.
The Stephen Leigh overplot frustrates me. Bloat is a fascinating character. As a militant advocate for joker's rights, he is very much Gimli's successor. In his story, he emerges as the central anti-hero of this anthology, as he struggles to maintain his power over his newly created stronghold on Ellis Island. Unfortunately, this story is bogged down simply by association with the other overplot. Speaking of which...
The Melinda Snodgrass overplot is a vile story. I know that's a strong word, but believe me, it's appropriate. This is a vile, nasty story that should never have been written and which should never be read. This story is so vile that it knocked the entire book down two stars. Yes, that's right. Without this story, this book would have been a 4-star volume, and one of the best in the series thus far. With this story, it's easily the worst. This story reads like bad fan fiction legitimized and allowed to run rampage. If this story had been written by a man, the Wild Cards series would be much more famous now, and NOT in a good way. I honestly recommend that if you read this book, you skip this story. You'll get the gist of it through the references in the other story. If you do decide to read it, be aware that it contains virtually EVERY SINGLE TRIGGER WARNING that exists. Also, bring along some industrial-strength brain bleach, because after the sheer amounts of wrong you'll be exposed to here, you'll need it.
Both these stories get better towards the end, and the conclusion of the volume is actually quite satisfying.
Getting on to the main plots... normally I'd say that 'less is more', but when your overplots include the steaming pile of brain shit that is 'Lovers', more full stories is definitely more.
Our first full story is 'And Hope to Die', by John J. Miller. This is one of the weakest in the volume, as Yeoman's feud with Brennan comes to a head in a contrived and unsatisfying manner. It's not bad - if you like Yeoman you'll like this story - but it's not exactly good either.
Next up we've got 'Madman Across the Water', by Victor Milan, in which Captain Trips goes rogue. This one's awesome, and has a really cinematic feel. It made me feel like I was watching one of the new superhero movies of the last 10 years or so, except about Captain Trips. Now that Trips is on the wrong side of the law, we get to see the Turtle show up and play antagonist to him, which is great fun too. Every book could use a little Turtle in it.
The next story is 'While Night's Black Agents to Their Preys Do Rouse', an epic two-parter (continued at the end of the volume) by Walter Jon Williams. This one is the highlight of the whole volume, and one of the best Wild Cards stories ever. There's little doubt in my mind by now that Williams is the best Wild Cards author, better even than George RR Martin himself. He gives us a new PoV character in this one, the Black Shadow, a Batman-like vigilante with an identity crisis. If you loved his previous characters, Golden Boy and Modular Man (and really, who didn't), you'll love 'Shad', too.
Lewis Shiner's Veronica stars in 'Riders', which is a really boring and unsatisfying follow-up to her story in the previous volume. Aside from the horror that is 'Lovers', this is the volume's weakest story.
Then we get my new favorite, Mr. Nobody, in 'Nobody Does it Alone', by Walton Simons. Mr. Nobody goes from deuce to full-on action hero in this one, using a combination of creative use of his relatively weak power and all the shiny toys that wealth can buy (think Batman or the Green Arrow) to settle his score with Latham.
So yeah, go ahead and get this book... get it for the Captain Trips and the Black Shadow and Mr. Nobody. Get it for Yeoman if you like his stories. Maybe you can even read the Bloat story and the Veronica story.
But for the love of all that is holy, don't read the horrendous, steaming pile of dog doo doo that is 'Lovers'. I'd recommend skipping the entire thing until after the second part of the Black Shadow story. That's the point where things stop being horrible and start being kind of interesting.
Let's begin with the overplots. There are two of them, 'The Temptation of Hieronymous Bloat', by Stephen Leigh, and 'Lovers', by Melinda Snodgrass.
The Stephen Leigh overplot frustrates me. Bloat is a fascinating character. As a militant advocate for joker's rights, he is very much Gimli's successor. In his story, he emerges as the central anti-hero of this anthology, as he struggles to maintain his power over his newly created stronghold on Ellis Island. Unfortunately, this story is bogged down simply by association with the other overplot. Speaking of which...
The Melinda Snodgrass overplot is a vile story. I know that's a strong word, but believe me, it's appropriate. This is a vile, nasty story that should never have been written and which should never be read. This story is so vile that it knocked the entire book down two stars. Yes, that's right. Without this story, this book would have been a 4-star volume, and one of the best in the series thus far. With this story, it's easily the worst. This story reads like bad fan fiction legitimized and allowed to run rampage. If this story had been written by a man, the Wild Cards series would be much more famous now, and NOT in a good way. I honestly recommend that if you read this book, you skip this story. You'll get the gist of it through the references in the other story. If you do decide to read it, be aware that it contains virtually EVERY SINGLE TRIGGER WARNING that exists. Also, bring along some industrial-strength brain bleach, because after the sheer amounts of wrong you'll be exposed to here, you'll need it.
Both these stories get better towards the end, and the conclusion of the volume is actually quite satisfying.
Getting on to the main plots... normally I'd say that 'less is more', but when your overplots include the steaming pile of brain shit that is 'Lovers', more full stories is definitely more.
Our first full story is 'And Hope to Die', by John J. Miller. This is one of the weakest in the volume, as Yeoman's feud with Brennan comes to a head in a contrived and unsatisfying manner. It's not bad - if you like Yeoman you'll like this story - but it's not exactly good either.
Next up we've got 'Madman Across the Water', by Victor Milan, in which Captain Trips goes rogue. This one's awesome, and has a really cinematic feel. It made me feel like I was watching one of the new superhero movies of the last 10 years or so, except about Captain Trips. Now that Trips is on the wrong side of the law, we get to see the Turtle show up and play antagonist to him, which is great fun too. Every book could use a little Turtle in it.
The next story is 'While Night's Black Agents to Their Preys Do Rouse', an epic two-parter (continued at the end of the volume) by Walter Jon Williams. This one is the highlight of the whole volume, and one of the best Wild Cards stories ever. There's little doubt in my mind by now that Williams is the best Wild Cards author, better even than George RR Martin himself. He gives us a new PoV character in this one, the Black Shadow, a Batman-like vigilante with an identity crisis. If you loved his previous characters, Golden Boy and Modular Man (and really, who didn't), you'll love 'Shad', too.
Lewis Shiner's Veronica stars in 'Riders', which is a really boring and unsatisfying follow-up to her story in the previous volume. Aside from the horror that is 'Lovers', this is the volume's weakest story.
Then we get my new favorite, Mr. Nobody, in 'Nobody Does it Alone', by Walton Simons. Mr. Nobody goes from deuce to full-on action hero in this one, using a combination of creative use of his relatively weak power and all the shiny toys that wealth can buy (think Batman or the Green Arrow) to settle his score with Latham.
So yeah, go ahead and get this book... get it for the Captain Trips and the Black Shadow and Mr. Nobody. Get it for Yeoman if you like his stories. Maybe you can even read the Bloat story and the Veronica story.
But for the love of all that is holy, don't read the horrendous, steaming pile of dog doo doo that is 'Lovers'. I'd recommend skipping the entire thing until after the second part of the Black Shadow story. That's the point where things stop being horrible and start being kind of interesting.
September 24, 2020
This is my least favorite Wild Cards book so far. On the whole, the quality of both the plot and the writing is way down. The villains are all telepaths of some sort, just like Astronomer and Puppetman in the first two triads. Bloat is whiny and indecisive. The jumpers are rather unimaginative in using their abilities.
Plus, Melissa Snodgrass's decisions concerning Tachyon are ill-conceived. Up to this point, Tachyon has been the face of the series. He is enigmatic, unpredictable, flamboyant. At times you cheer for him; other times you hate him, but you always care about him. He has been through a lot over the first eight volumes. He lost the love of his life. His family tried to kill him. He was blackmailed into being a Russian spy. His hand was chopped off by Mack the Knife. However, nothing compares to the indignities he suffers in this book. It seems doubtful he can come back from this, even if he survives the trilogy. It is the waste of a great character, and it feels like a story line invented simply for shock value.
Here are my individual story reviews:
"The Temptation of Hieronymus Bloat" by Stephen Leigh -- This story told from Bloat's point of view relates his struggle to unite jokers and create a home for them on Ellis Island, walled-off from the world of nats. His conflict with the Jumpers, and particularly Blaise, threatens to topple his kingdom in the making. This begins as an interesting storyline, but it jumps the shark. Bloat and Tachyon begin appearing to each other in a series of surreal dreams and then Bloat creates underworld caverns where people's nightmares come to life.
"And Hope to Die" by John J. Miller -- The final confrontation between Yeoman and Kien takes place in an alternate reality that is similar to Wyungare's aboriginal Dreamworld. The story is cheesy, but I did like the new ace Trace who has the ability to track lost people and objects through space-time. I also appreciate the fact the author brings back Chrysalis' manikins from Dead Man's Hand. I used to like the Yeoman-Kien storyline, but after nine books, I was ready for it to end.
"The Unintended" by Cherie Priest -- This story, which was written for the 2019 reissue edition, is broken up into four parts and interspersed between the others stories. Ramshead investigates the shooting at Tachyon's clinic. He searches for Mark Meadows. He looks for Cody Havero's missing son, and he helps put down a jumper attack in the station house after Black Shadow raids the jumper warehouse. This story on its own is slightly disjointed and lacks a resolute ending, but it ties up loose ends not addressed in the original version (such as what happened to Cody's son after she was captured). It also helps ground this wild narrative with a trustworthy policeman's point of view. (Note: Ramshead's first appearance was in Wild Cards XXI: Fort Freak. This marks the second time he has been retconned into an earlier book.)
"Lovers" by Melinda Snodgrass -- Tachyon is jumped into Kelly's body, then raped and impregnated by his grandson. This is the shock value storyline that feels like it may derail the series.
"Madman Across the Water" by Victor Milan -- Mark Meadows lost contact with his powerful alter-egos after he destroyed his drugs at the end of One-Eyed Jacks, part of his unsuccessful attempt to win custody of his intellectually disabled daughter Sprout. Now he teams with Durg at-Morakh and one of the Rox jumpers to rescue Sprout from a juvenile detention center. One of the most notable revelations is that Captain Trips cannot be telepathically controlled. Overall, this story is fun, but Milan's limited ability to juggle multiple viewpoint characters and elaborate action scenes makes it difficult to follow. In the end, Meadows and Sprout are reunited and head off to California.
"Unraveling" by Carrie Vaughn -- Lady Black is involved on the periphery of the FBI manhunt for Mark Meadows in the wake of the bloodbaths at his drug lab and the detention center. While reviewing Ramshead's files on the jumpers, she becomes interested in the case of runaway teen Theodor Honorlaw. I continue to be impressed with Vaughn's contributions to the expanded reissues of the older books. She grounds the books' over-the-top pyrotechnics with character-driven insights. In ten pages, she does more here to engage reader empathy by establishing Bloat as a tragic figure than all the previous stories combined.
"While Night's Black Agents to Their Preys Do Rouse" by Walter Jon Williams -- The best story in the collection. Black Shadow, a minor ace mentioned a few times in the first novel, now gets his first point of view story. He is a vigilante with questionable decision-making skills and multiple personas. He is revealed to be the same entity we also met in Down and Dirty as Wall Walker/Mr. Gravemold. He helps a former girlfriend whose body has been jumped, and he uncovers the jumpers' chaotic "jump the rich" scheme. Frankly, this story should have been placed earlier in the book, or even in the previous volume, because this is the first time we see how much havoc the jumpers are able to cause. It introduces two fun new aces: Chalktalk, who can enter alternate realities through her graffiti art, and an as-yet-unnamed ace who can remove and rearrange her body parts like Mr. Potato Head.
"Riders" by Lewis Shiner -- Still trying to stay clean, Veronica falls in with a radical feminist terrorist cell that is not afraid to use murder to advance their agenda. She learns that Loophole Latham is responsible for Hannah's death, but she does not realize he is Prime Jumper. This is a lackluster story; Veronica's ace power has to be the lamest in the whole series.
"Nobody Does It Alone" by Walton Simons -- Jerry Strauss aka The Projectionist aka Mr. Nobody rescues Veronica and finally manages to kill Latham. He also starts up a romantic relationship with his dead brother's wife, which adds a small creepiness factor that distracts from rather than serves the story.
While I did not enjoy this book, it did end on a high note that effectively sets up the next two volumes:
Bloat has realized his full abilities and in doing so, he repelled an army attack and transformed Ellis Island into a medieval fantasyland. Lady Liberty is burning in the bay beyond the Wall….
Black Shadow now knows he was controlled for years by Puppetman, who turned him into a killer…
Baby is gone. Blaise is headed to the home world Takis, while Tachyon remains trapped in a young girl's body pregnant with his own great-grandson…
Plus, Melissa Snodgrass's decisions concerning Tachyon are ill-conceived. Up to this point, Tachyon has been the face of the series. He is enigmatic, unpredictable, flamboyant. At times you cheer for him; other times you hate him, but you always care about him. He has been through a lot over the first eight volumes. He lost the love of his life. His family tried to kill him. He was blackmailed into being a Russian spy. His hand was chopped off by Mack the Knife. However, nothing compares to the indignities he suffers in this book. It seems doubtful he can come back from this, even if he survives the trilogy. It is the waste of a great character, and it feels like a story line invented simply for shock value.
Here are my individual story reviews:
"The Temptation of Hieronymus Bloat" by Stephen Leigh -- This story told from Bloat's point of view relates his struggle to unite jokers and create a home for them on Ellis Island, walled-off from the world of nats. His conflict with the Jumpers, and particularly Blaise, threatens to topple his kingdom in the making. This begins as an interesting storyline, but it jumps the shark. Bloat and Tachyon begin appearing to each other in a series of surreal dreams and then Bloat creates underworld caverns where people's nightmares come to life.
"And Hope to Die" by John J. Miller -- The final confrontation between Yeoman and Kien takes place in an alternate reality that is similar to Wyungare's aboriginal Dreamworld. The story is cheesy, but I did like the new ace Trace who has the ability to track lost people and objects through space-time. I also appreciate the fact the author brings back Chrysalis' manikins from Dead Man's Hand. I used to like the Yeoman-Kien storyline, but after nine books, I was ready for it to end.
"The Unintended" by Cherie Priest -- This story, which was written for the 2019 reissue edition, is broken up into four parts and interspersed between the others stories. Ramshead investigates the shooting at Tachyon's clinic. He searches for Mark Meadows. He looks for Cody Havero's missing son, and he helps put down a jumper attack in the station house after Black Shadow raids the jumper warehouse. This story on its own is slightly disjointed and lacks a resolute ending, but it ties up loose ends not addressed in the original version (such as what happened to Cody's son after she was captured). It also helps ground this wild narrative with a trustworthy policeman's point of view. (Note: Ramshead's first appearance was in Wild Cards XXI: Fort Freak. This marks the second time he has been retconned into an earlier book.)
"Lovers" by Melinda Snodgrass -- Tachyon is jumped into Kelly's body, then raped and impregnated by his grandson. This is the shock value storyline that feels like it may derail the series.
"Madman Across the Water" by Victor Milan -- Mark Meadows lost contact with his powerful alter-egos after he destroyed his drugs at the end of One-Eyed Jacks, part of his unsuccessful attempt to win custody of his intellectually disabled daughter Sprout. Now he teams with Durg at-Morakh and one of the Rox jumpers to rescue Sprout from a juvenile detention center. One of the most notable revelations is that Captain Trips cannot be telepathically controlled. Overall, this story is fun, but Milan's limited ability to juggle multiple viewpoint characters and elaborate action scenes makes it difficult to follow. In the end, Meadows and Sprout are reunited and head off to California.
"Unraveling" by Carrie Vaughn -- Lady Black is involved on the periphery of the FBI manhunt for Mark Meadows in the wake of the bloodbaths at his drug lab and the detention center. While reviewing Ramshead's files on the jumpers, she becomes interested in the case of runaway teen Theodor Honorlaw. I continue to be impressed with Vaughn's contributions to the expanded reissues of the older books. She grounds the books' over-the-top pyrotechnics with character-driven insights. In ten pages, she does more here to engage reader empathy by establishing Bloat as a tragic figure than all the previous stories combined.
"While Night's Black Agents to Their Preys Do Rouse" by Walter Jon Williams -- The best story in the collection. Black Shadow, a minor ace mentioned a few times in the first novel, now gets his first point of view story. He is a vigilante with questionable decision-making skills and multiple personas. He is revealed to be the same entity we also met in Down and Dirty as Wall Walker/Mr. Gravemold. He helps a former girlfriend whose body has been jumped, and he uncovers the jumpers' chaotic "jump the rich" scheme. Frankly, this story should have been placed earlier in the book, or even in the previous volume, because this is the first time we see how much havoc the jumpers are able to cause. It introduces two fun new aces: Chalktalk, who can enter alternate realities through her graffiti art, and an as-yet-unnamed ace who can remove and rearrange her body parts like Mr. Potato Head.
"Riders" by Lewis Shiner -- Still trying to stay clean, Veronica falls in with a radical feminist terrorist cell that is not afraid to use murder to advance their agenda. She learns that Loophole Latham is responsible for Hannah's death, but she does not realize he is Prime Jumper. This is a lackluster story; Veronica's ace power has to be the lamest in the whole series.
"Nobody Does It Alone" by Walton Simons -- Jerry Strauss aka The Projectionist aka Mr. Nobody rescues Veronica and finally manages to kill Latham. He also starts up a romantic relationship with his dead brother's wife, which adds a small creepiness factor that distracts from rather than serves the story.
While I did not enjoy this book, it did end on a high note that effectively sets up the next two volumes:
Bloat has realized his full abilities and in doing so, he repelled an army attack and transformed Ellis Island into a medieval fantasyland. Lady Liberty is burning in the bay beyond the Wall….
Black Shadow now knows he was controlled for years by Puppetman, who turned him into a killer…
Baby is gone. Blaise is headed to the home world Takis, while Tachyon remains trapped in a young girl's body pregnant with his own great-grandson…
September 6, 2010
WTF happened to this series? It's like the authors all got together and decided to ignore all my favorite characters (the ones that are still alive, anyway) and come up with ridiculous plots that aren't hardly believable, even in the Wild Cards world of the late 80's.
The "jumpers" are so contrived and unbelievable it's painful to read about them. The conspiracy around them and the Shadow Fists finally has a chance to finally die; I hope since they killed off major players in that plotline we can finally move on to something new. These last two books really miss the point of alternate history, IMHO, by focusing too much on wild card characters and not taking the characters and the storylines into the broader world around them.
Part of the book falls into torture porn, another part dips dangerously close to self-serving navel gazing, and the whole book is dreary and unsurprising. Maybe that was the tone of the time it was written; I was too self-absorbed to notice what the rest of the world felt like. They did introduce a new joker who promises to be interesting if only because he's the only new multifaceted character in the last few hundred pages, but again the amount of disbelief they're asking me to suspend makes me feel this series is tipping towards fantasy and away from scifi.
The "jumpers" are so contrived and unbelievable it's painful to read about them. The conspiracy around them and the Shadow Fists finally has a chance to finally die; I hope since they killed off major players in that plotline we can finally move on to something new. These last two books really miss the point of alternate history, IMHO, by focusing too much on wild card characters and not taking the characters and the storylines into the broader world around them.
Part of the book falls into torture porn, another part dips dangerously close to self-serving navel gazing, and the whole book is dreary and unsurprising. Maybe that was the tone of the time it was written; I was too self-absorbed to notice what the rest of the world felt like. They did introduce a new joker who promises to be interesting if only because he's the only new multifaceted character in the last few hundred pages, but again the amount of disbelief they're asking me to suspend makes me feel this series is tipping towards fantasy and away from scifi.
October 16, 2011
I'm reading the series in order, I haven't commented on any of them yet What I can say is that Wild Cards books are full of fantastic ideas ; which sometimes translate to very enjoyable books. Other times they seem just middle of road hum drum superhero fiction. I'm starting to get slightly annoyed at the number of aces and jokers who for some reason or another are multiple people. In the beginning when it was just Croyd, "The Sleeper" - it was cool and seemed novel. Even bringing in Captain Trips was okay to a point. But now honestly between Jumpers, and Shad/Gravemold/Black Shadow/Neil, it's starting to wear thin. I still love the concept of a superhero themed shared universe series but I don't know, maybe it will get better once the new cycle begins... because right now the books are losing steam for me. Jokertown Shuffle was one of the low points thus far. I know that book 10 is Tachyon centric and I'm not his biggest fan really. I'm just hoping that something big happens in this next volume because i really really wanted to love this series because I think it has such potential to be great.
January 8, 2025
I liked the book (be aware, there is rape; I think in most cases a reader needs to know it happens without all the details.I almost dropped a star rating for this.)
The book in itself was sometimes police-procedural like. In the same respect at some times told from a different POV very detective or even spy like.
I did enjoy the book however,despite the aforementioned.
The book in itself was sometimes police-procedural like. In the same respect at some times told from a different POV very detective or even spy like.
I did enjoy the book however,despite the aforementioned.
September 15, 2019
Jokertown Shuffle Reprint
by George R.R. Martin
"The temptation of Hieronymus Bloat" by Stephen Leigh character Bloat, has more to tell then his ability to block others from Ellis Island. His creation of the Rox has become a haven to those jokers that are nearly destroyed by their affliction. But his heroic dream is only that, in many ways. He can not consciously control his power. His ability to protect his people is tested from inside and out. Two attracts by the world outside, cause the death of his beloved jokers. The internal fighting causing the Jumpers to conflict with the Jokers. He has to gain control of his ability, and learn the meaning of his dreams. He is tarnished and broken by Blase, and the jumpers to only find his strength in saving his love. This is the main theme of this edition of the Wild Cards and the most difficult story for those who love to play games in world they can not control. Wow! the power of romance!!! This was a very dark and sad story for the series. Very, very violent, probably the one they would make the movie out of. Jokertown shuffle is the struggle of the Jokers left out of the prestige and glory of the Aces. They feel abandoned and ridiculed and treated as sub human. Bloat is a joker the leader of the Jokers who take over Ellis Island. They hope to make their own colony; somewhere they can survive without the horror of others rejection of them. Bloat finds love and sacrifices all he has for it. Only to lose all that he dreams, all that any one of them dreams
"And hope to die" By John Jos Miller His main heroic character Brennan has found retirement and love, but the world of Wild Cards can not leave its characters in peace. He is thrown into a world of violence when the Jumpers emerged and reached out to punish him for his prior actions. He looses nearly everything in this story in a violent, and terrifying sequence of events.
"The Unintended" by Cherie Priest her character Cody provides so much in the story that it is amazing it was not in the first edition. She pulls out the story of this short lived character. Providing motivation for Blase, and Tackyon. Her life is tragic and through its tragedy she gains a strength that only later is shown in the female characters. Its remarkable how this story weaves into the original story. Making the woman that devides grandfather and grandson significant.
"Lovers" by Melinda Snodgrass. How dark is her vision. She looks in to the twisted mind of Blase in ways that would make most writers fear. Blase has taken the power from the Prime, he uses it in his twisted mind to control the jumpers behaviors, but also punishes his grandfather, in ways that remarkably dark. Tackyon is tortured in a way that prior books could only pale by. He is impressioned, and injured and tortured. Melinda is so dark in this story you would feel nothing but sorrow for the first man to invent the wild card virus, and how attempted to help those he afflicted. Tackyon learns that his empathy is nothing that could encompass the pain his virus made.
"Madman across the water" by Victor Milan Always hard to read, the idea that Mark Meadows has lost all his friends, his daughter is taken by the government, and he is in the deepest low in his life. Victor's character is bringing the cost of the Wild Card virus has many ways to make those whom are afflicted in more than one way. His friends, brought out by drugs is out of his reach, his attempts to regain his daughter more important than before. Victor Milan makes the reader see the world form this desolation creating a heart rendering story. The shadow of what this character will become.
"Unraveling" By Carrie Vaughn a new story added into the original story written in 1991. It always amazes me how the authors can add new stories that show the dimension of the Wild card world priory unexplored. Borrowing Leo a character created more recently, providing a back story to a well known character. The forging of his character is brought by the polite of the jumpers, and the people the have cause destitution, and disruption. It is a seamless story.
"While Night's Black Agents to their preys do Rouse" by Walter Jon Williams Shad or Night Shadow has stumbled not only into his own nightmare as he was jumped and used by the Jumpers. His redemption can only come if he is able to bring those most afflicted by the Wild Card virus, and the Jumpers increasing plots against the world. Their fun, cost lives, reputations, and the acceptance of the world for those afflicted by the Wild Card.
"Riders" Lewis Shiner The jumpers are one of the most predominate characters in the Wild Cards world that haunt the authors, through the trilogy of the story it became harder and harder to figure out who was whom and how they could affect the world. This book looks into the rise and fall of the Jumpers and their ability to ride the nats, aces, jokers, and others in their world.
"Nobody does it Alone" by Walton Simons
Bud's character the Projectionist, Jerry featured predominate in the prior book, but its the characters of Veronica and Beth, that face more of the problems in this book. The devastation brought on by the Jumpers to the world has taken Veronica's love, but also her purpose in life. Veronica is learning a different way to live life, and find focus for her virginal Wild Card ability. The ability to control what has always been in control in her life. The story not only shows the reliance of the characters, but the affects of the wild card virus.
by George R.R. Martin
"The temptation of Hieronymus Bloat" by Stephen Leigh character Bloat, has more to tell then his ability to block others from Ellis Island. His creation of the Rox has become a haven to those jokers that are nearly destroyed by their affliction. But his heroic dream is only that, in many ways. He can not consciously control his power. His ability to protect his people is tested from inside and out. Two attracts by the world outside, cause the death of his beloved jokers. The internal fighting causing the Jumpers to conflict with the Jokers. He has to gain control of his ability, and learn the meaning of his dreams. He is tarnished and broken by Blase, and the jumpers to only find his strength in saving his love. This is the main theme of this edition of the Wild Cards and the most difficult story for those who love to play games in world they can not control. Wow! the power of romance!!! This was a very dark and sad story for the series. Very, very violent, probably the one they would make the movie out of. Jokertown shuffle is the struggle of the Jokers left out of the prestige and glory of the Aces. They feel abandoned and ridiculed and treated as sub human. Bloat is a joker the leader of the Jokers who take over Ellis Island. They hope to make their own colony; somewhere they can survive without the horror of others rejection of them. Bloat finds love and sacrifices all he has for it. Only to lose all that he dreams, all that any one of them dreams
"And hope to die" By John Jos Miller His main heroic character Brennan has found retirement and love, but the world of Wild Cards can not leave its characters in peace. He is thrown into a world of violence when the Jumpers emerged and reached out to punish him for his prior actions. He looses nearly everything in this story in a violent, and terrifying sequence of events.
"The Unintended" by Cherie Priest her character Cody provides so much in the story that it is amazing it was not in the first edition. She pulls out the story of this short lived character. Providing motivation for Blase, and Tackyon. Her life is tragic and through its tragedy she gains a strength that only later is shown in the female characters. Its remarkable how this story weaves into the original story. Making the woman that devides grandfather and grandson significant.
"Lovers" by Melinda Snodgrass. How dark is her vision. She looks in to the twisted mind of Blase in ways that would make most writers fear. Blase has taken the power from the Prime, he uses it in his twisted mind to control the jumpers behaviors, but also punishes his grandfather, in ways that remarkably dark. Tackyon is tortured in a way that prior books could only pale by. He is impressioned, and injured and tortured. Melinda is so dark in this story you would feel nothing but sorrow for the first man to invent the wild card virus, and how attempted to help those he afflicted. Tackyon learns that his empathy is nothing that could encompass the pain his virus made.
"Madman across the water" by Victor Milan Always hard to read, the idea that Mark Meadows has lost all his friends, his daughter is taken by the government, and he is in the deepest low in his life. Victor's character is bringing the cost of the Wild Card virus has many ways to make those whom are afflicted in more than one way. His friends, brought out by drugs is out of his reach, his attempts to regain his daughter more important than before. Victor Milan makes the reader see the world form this desolation creating a heart rendering story. The shadow of what this character will become.
"Unraveling" By Carrie Vaughn a new story added into the original story written in 1991. It always amazes me how the authors can add new stories that show the dimension of the Wild card world priory unexplored. Borrowing Leo a character created more recently, providing a back story to a well known character. The forging of his character is brought by the polite of the jumpers, and the people the have cause destitution, and disruption. It is a seamless story.
"While Night's Black Agents to their preys do Rouse" by Walter Jon Williams Shad or Night Shadow has stumbled not only into his own nightmare as he was jumped and used by the Jumpers. His redemption can only come if he is able to bring those most afflicted by the Wild Card virus, and the Jumpers increasing plots against the world. Their fun, cost lives, reputations, and the acceptance of the world for those afflicted by the Wild Card.
"Riders" Lewis Shiner The jumpers are one of the most predominate characters in the Wild Cards world that haunt the authors, through the trilogy of the story it became harder and harder to figure out who was whom and how they could affect the world. This book looks into the rise and fall of the Jumpers and their ability to ride the nats, aces, jokers, and others in their world.
"Nobody does it Alone" by Walton Simons
Bud's character the Projectionist, Jerry featured predominate in the prior book, but its the characters of Veronica and Beth, that face more of the problems in this book. The devastation brought on by the Jumpers to the world has taken Veronica's love, but also her purpose in life. Veronica is learning a different way to live life, and find focus for her virginal Wild Card ability. The ability to control what has always been in control in her life. The story not only shows the reliance of the characters, but the affects of the wild card virus.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2020
George R.R Martin nie napisał tej książki, on zajął się jej redakcją i wyborem tekstów. To oczywiście nadal jest „jego dziecko”, ale nie ma w sobie jego słów a tylko jego pomysł, wizję Dzikich Kart. Chociaż to nie jest mój klimat i uważam, że fantasy współcześnie klepie biedę brutalności, wulgarności i zwyrodnialstwa, to muszę doceniać cały ten zamysł. Jak to w przypadku takich pokaźnych tomów bywa, pewne rzeczy się podobają, inne nie (wyjątkiem jest Tolkien, który stworzył arcydzieło).
„Tasowanie w Dżokerowie” to UWAGA tom IX autorskich antologii o superbohaterach i zarazem moje pierwsze spotkanie z tym cyklem. Zaznaczę więc na początku, że spokojnie można czytać nie po kolei, bo ja sięgając po najnowszą odsłonę Dzikich kart nie czułam dezorientacji, czy jakiegoś braku znajomości poprzednich tomów. Nawet nie wiem, czy bohaterowie się w danych częściach powtarzają, czy raczej przenosimy się do innych światów, innych miast i innych postaci. Tak czy owak można czytać „Tasowanie w Dżokerowie” bez obaw i bez wiedzy z poprzednich książek cyklu.
To, co mi się podobało, to pomysł na fabułę, którego twórcą był, jak sądzę, George R.R. Martin. Stworzył on ciekawy, pełen pułapek i dziwolągów świat, a wizja Dżokerów i Asów wprost mnie zachwyciła. Mogło to być wyśmienite! Lecz nie było… myślę, że ten błyskotliwy pomysł zniszczyła banalność akcji, wylewająca się z każdej strony brutalność i seks… a raczej wypaczony seks. Czuć, że autorzy chcą szokować, ale nie wiem, czy w dzisiejszych czasach już czymś takim można kogoś zaszokować. Zdaje się, że w kwestii obrzydliwości powiedziano już wszystko, a jeśli ktoś nadal o tym mówi, to tylko powiela istniejące scenariusze.
Wyjątkowo podobała mi się także koncepcja skoczków, który w jednej chwili mogą zawładnąć ciałem obcej osoby. Takie pomysły są na wagę złota, zwłaszcza gdy akcja pędzi na łeb, na szyję i prześciga się w mordowaniu stworzonych bohaterów.
Przy czytaniu tej książki (i zapewne innych z tego cyklu) trzeba pamiętać, że jest to w gruncie rzeczy ogromna, wielka metafora współczesności. Odnajdziemy tu odniesienia do tego, co nas otacza, do polityki, religii, historii, sztuki. Niektóre z tych metafor przypadły mi do gustu, ale niestety z większością się zwyczajnie nie zgadzam. Tak, to bardzo mocno polityczna książka, opiniotwórcza, że się tak wyrażę. Czasem jest aż nazbyt dosłowna i przez to traci swój smak fantasy, a zyskuje smak gorzkiego moralizatorstwa.
Jestem pewna, że wielu się spodoba, więc nie mogę jej nie polecać. Polecam ją tym, którzy szukają w książce szalonej akcji, ostrego seksu, gwałtów co parę stron, koncepcji dziwnych i zmutowanych, superbohaterów niestandardowych, scen brutalnych, ciągłej walki i sporej dawki wulgaryzmów (ale i tak dość umiarkowanej). To współczesne (choć część tekstów napisano w latach 90 XXw.) fantasy, któremu daleko do klasyki, a już naprawdę daleko do takiego mistrza jak Tolkien. Mamy tu raczej do czynienia z prostymi odniesieniami, jawnymi i nie wymagającymi wielkiej wiedzy, raczej wiedzy telewizyjnej, newsowej, czysto informacyjnej.
Zwrócę również uwagę na sposób wydania, szatę graficzną, która naprawdę mi się podoba. Zerknęłam z ciekawości na okładki innych tomów i są świetne, więc jeśli ktoś zakocha się w tym cyklu i postanowi mieć cały w domu, to jego półka będzie się godnie prezentować. To eleganckie i przyciągające uwagę wydanie.
Z tego co wiem, planowany jest również serial na podstawie Dzikich kart, i to mnie bardzo interesuje. Z chęcią zobaczę, jak przełożą ten różnorodny świat na język telewizyjny.
6/10
bo pomysł jest bardzo dobry, elementy świata przedstawionego potrafią zaczarować i Tropicielka jest mega fajowa!!!
„Tasowanie w Dżokerowie” to UWAGA tom IX autorskich antologii o superbohaterach i zarazem moje pierwsze spotkanie z tym cyklem. Zaznaczę więc na początku, że spokojnie można czytać nie po kolei, bo ja sięgając po najnowszą odsłonę Dzikich kart nie czułam dezorientacji, czy jakiegoś braku znajomości poprzednich tomów. Nawet nie wiem, czy bohaterowie się w danych częściach powtarzają, czy raczej przenosimy się do innych światów, innych miast i innych postaci. Tak czy owak można czytać „Tasowanie w Dżokerowie” bez obaw i bez wiedzy z poprzednich książek cyklu.
To, co mi się podobało, to pomysł na fabułę, którego twórcą był, jak sądzę, George R.R. Martin. Stworzył on ciekawy, pełen pułapek i dziwolągów świat, a wizja Dżokerów i Asów wprost mnie zachwyciła. Mogło to być wyśmienite! Lecz nie było… myślę, że ten błyskotliwy pomysł zniszczyła banalność akcji, wylewająca się z każdej strony brutalność i seks… a raczej wypaczony seks. Czuć, że autorzy chcą szokować, ale nie wiem, czy w dzisiejszych czasach już czymś takim można kogoś zaszokować. Zdaje się, że w kwestii obrzydliwości powiedziano już wszystko, a jeśli ktoś nadal o tym mówi, to tylko powiela istniejące scenariusze.
Wyjątkowo podobała mi się także koncepcja skoczków, który w jednej chwili mogą zawładnąć ciałem obcej osoby. Takie pomysły są na wagę złota, zwłaszcza gdy akcja pędzi na łeb, na szyję i prześciga się w mordowaniu stworzonych bohaterów.
Przy czytaniu tej książki (i zapewne innych z tego cyklu) trzeba pamiętać, że jest to w gruncie rzeczy ogromna, wielka metafora współczesności. Odnajdziemy tu odniesienia do tego, co nas otacza, do polityki, religii, historii, sztuki. Niektóre z tych metafor przypadły mi do gustu, ale niestety z większością się zwyczajnie nie zgadzam. Tak, to bardzo mocno polityczna książka, opiniotwórcza, że się tak wyrażę. Czasem jest aż nazbyt dosłowna i przez to traci swój smak fantasy, a zyskuje smak gorzkiego moralizatorstwa.
Jestem pewna, że wielu się spodoba, więc nie mogę jej nie polecać. Polecam ją tym, którzy szukają w książce szalonej akcji, ostrego seksu, gwałtów co parę stron, koncepcji dziwnych i zmutowanych, superbohaterów niestandardowych, scen brutalnych, ciągłej walki i sporej dawki wulgaryzmów (ale i tak dość umiarkowanej). To współczesne (choć część tekstów napisano w latach 90 XXw.) fantasy, któremu daleko do klasyki, a już naprawdę daleko do takiego mistrza jak Tolkien. Mamy tu raczej do czynienia z prostymi odniesieniami, jawnymi i nie wymagającymi wielkiej wiedzy, raczej wiedzy telewizyjnej, newsowej, czysto informacyjnej.
Zwrócę również uwagę na sposób wydania, szatę graficzną, która naprawdę mi się podoba. Zerknęłam z ciekawości na okładki innych tomów i są świetne, więc jeśli ktoś zakocha się w tym cyklu i postanowi mieć cały w domu, to jego półka będzie się godnie prezentować. To eleganckie i przyciągające uwagę wydanie.
Z tego co wiem, planowany jest również serial na podstawie Dzikich kart, i to mnie bardzo interesuje. Z chęcią zobaczę, jak przełożą ten różnorodny świat na język telewizyjny.
6/10
bo pomysł jest bardzo dobry, elementy świata przedstawionego potrafią zaczarować i Tropicielka jest mega fajowa!!!
November 2, 2022
"Tasowanie w Dżokerowie" to zdecydowanie najlepsza z "powieści mozaikowych" osadzona w stworzonym przy współudziale George R. R. Martina quasi-komiksowym uniwersum Dzikich Kart... Poprzedni tom ("Jednookie walety") zarysował postaci i wątki, które miały wstrząsnąć - i zaiste wstrząsnęły! - podwalinami tego alternatywnego świata, gdzie w dobrze znanej nam historii pojawiły się istoty o nadprzyrodzonych mocach i możliwościach oraz odrażające mutanty, które w "Tasowaniu..." wreszcie biorą odwet za lata krzywd i upokorzeń...
Pojawienie się nowego, potężnego Dżokera, z racji swej tuszy zwanego Opasem (wyglądem przypominającego nieco Boga-Imperatora z serii "Diuna", pod pewnymi względami również kierującego się podobnymi do wzmiankowanej postaci motywami), Skoczków (istot obdarzonych możliwością wymiany osobowości z dowolną osobą) i - wreszcie - "zerwanie ze smyczy" Blaise'a, socjopatycznego wnuka Doktora Tachiona, doprowadza do niebezpieczeństw, przy których zagrożenia ze strony Astronoma ("Szalejący Dżokerzy"), kosmicznego Roju ("Wieża Asów") czy Lalkarza (trylogia z Gregiem Hartmannem) wydają się pomniejszymi problemami.
Tak ogromne niebezpieczeństwo wymusza wręcz wprowadzenie, lub przywołanie z "dalszego planu / "niebytu", solidnych protagonistów i tacy się na kartach "Tasowania..." pojawiają - wracają Czarna Lady i Yeoman ("skrzyżowanie" Hawkeye z Frankiem Castle), ukrywający się przed wymiarem sprawiedliwości i pragnący odzyskać córeczkę Kapitan Trips, zmiennokształtny Jerry Strauss i - postać dotąd poboczna - Czarny Cień. Każdy z nich ma indywidualny cel i motywacje, których spełnienie łączy się w jakiś sposób z dotarciem na przerobioną na swoiste "państwo w państwie", opanowaną przez Dżokerów i Skoczków, Ellis Island - nazywaną teraz przez nich Rox.
Choć żadnego z fragmentów tej "powieści mozaikowej" nie napisał George R.R. Martin, zagrania fabularne zdecydowanie są w jego stylu, bowiem pozostali twórcy zadbali, aby fabuła obfitowała w zwroty akcji i "nieczyste zagrania". Los wielu z bohaterów, mówiąc eufemistycznie, jest tu nie do pozazdroszczenia (to, co się dzieje tutaj z Tachionem to szczyt pisarskiego okrucieństwa!) a historia skręca niejednokrotnie w najmniej oczekiwanym kierunku!
Po raz kolejny trudno uwierzyć, że powieść stworzona została przez siedmiu pisarzy! Ich indywidualny styl służy tu głównie temu, by poszczególne rozdziały / opowiadania, mimo iż są elementami większej całości, stanowiły też mini-opowieści, służyły pogłębieniu charakterów, backgroundu i motywacji poszczególnych postaci. Ciekaw jestem, jak wszystkie te elementy połączy Melinda Snodgrass, która będzie w całości odpowiedzialna za kontynuację ("Podwójny pasjans"), zwłaszcza po spektakularnym finale, jaki dostarczyło "Tasowanie w Dżokerowie".
Nie muszę dodawać, że tom i całą serię polecam? Wspaniała rzecz dla wszystkich fanów komiksów i nietuzinkowej zabawy z motywami z historii super-bohaterskich, historii alternatywnej i ogólnie pojętej fantastyki.
Pojawienie się nowego, potężnego Dżokera, z racji swej tuszy zwanego Opasem (wyglądem przypominającego nieco Boga-Imperatora z serii "Diuna", pod pewnymi względami również kierującego się podobnymi do wzmiankowanej postaci motywami), Skoczków (istot obdarzonych możliwością wymiany osobowości z dowolną osobą) i - wreszcie - "zerwanie ze smyczy" Blaise'a, socjopatycznego wnuka Doktora Tachiona, doprowadza do niebezpieczeństw, przy których zagrożenia ze strony Astronoma ("Szalejący Dżokerzy"), kosmicznego Roju ("Wieża Asów") czy Lalkarza (trylogia z Gregiem Hartmannem) wydają się pomniejszymi problemami.
Tak ogromne niebezpieczeństwo wymusza wręcz wprowadzenie, lub przywołanie z "dalszego planu / "niebytu", solidnych protagonistów i tacy się na kartach "Tasowania..." pojawiają - wracają Czarna Lady i Yeoman ("skrzyżowanie" Hawkeye z Frankiem Castle), ukrywający się przed wymiarem sprawiedliwości i pragnący odzyskać córeczkę Kapitan Trips, zmiennokształtny Jerry Strauss i - postać dotąd poboczna - Czarny Cień. Każdy z nich ma indywidualny cel i motywacje, których spełnienie łączy się w jakiś sposób z dotarciem na przerobioną na swoiste "państwo w państwie", opanowaną przez Dżokerów i Skoczków, Ellis Island - nazywaną teraz przez nich Rox.
Choć żadnego z fragmentów tej "powieści mozaikowej" nie napisał George R.R. Martin, zagrania fabularne zdecydowanie są w jego stylu, bowiem pozostali twórcy zadbali, aby fabuła obfitowała w zwroty akcji i "nieczyste zagrania". Los wielu z bohaterów, mówiąc eufemistycznie, jest tu nie do pozazdroszczenia (to, co się dzieje tutaj z Tachionem to szczyt pisarskiego okrucieństwa!) a historia skręca niejednokrotnie w najmniej oczekiwanym kierunku!
Po raz kolejny trudno uwierzyć, że powieść stworzona została przez siedmiu pisarzy! Ich indywidualny styl służy tu głównie temu, by poszczególne rozdziały / opowiadania, mimo iż są elementami większej całości, stanowiły też mini-opowieści, służyły pogłębieniu charakterów, backgroundu i motywacji poszczególnych postaci. Ciekaw jestem, jak wszystkie te elementy połączy Melinda Snodgrass, która będzie w całości odpowiedzialna za kontynuację ("Podwójny pasjans"), zwłaszcza po spektakularnym finale, jaki dostarczyło "Tasowanie w Dżokerowie".
Nie muszę dodawać, że tom i całą serię polecam? Wspaniała rzecz dla wszystkich fanów komiksów i nietuzinkowej zabawy z motywami z historii super-bohaterskich, historii alternatywnej i ogólnie pojętej fantastyki.
July 14, 2021
Quem nasceu Blaise nunca vai ser Bomba.
O Bomba sozinho já merece 5 estrelas. Me apeguei, mas foi inevitável apreciar a construção do vilão perfeito. Fui sortudo em comprar dois livros aleatórios que eram na verdade os dois primeiros de uma trilogia. Não recomendo fazer o que fiz, começar do livro 8, mesmo que tenha conseguido entender...Agora eu me arrependi, queria ter começado do início.
O bom: além do Bomba, a história tá ganhando impulso explosivo. Algumas narrativas do anterior são concluídas majestosamente. Aqui, Bomba e Tachyon são os principais; ambos possuem diversos capítulos dedicados a eles. Junto deles, percebemos a tensão de uma guerra aparentemente inevitável. Me lembra muito Ex-Men. Bomba não é exatamente um Magneto. Ainda não.
O Bomba sozinho já merece 5 estrelas. Me apeguei, mas foi inevitável apreciar a construção do vilão perfeito. Fui sortudo em comprar dois livros aleatórios que eram na verdade os dois primeiros de uma trilogia. Não recomendo fazer o que fiz, começar do livro 8, mesmo que tenha conseguido entender...Agora eu me arrependi, queria ter começado do início.
O bom: além do Bomba, a história tá ganhando impulso explosivo. Algumas narrativas do anterior são concluídas majestosamente. Aqui, Bomba e Tachyon são os principais; ambos possuem diversos capítulos dedicados a eles. Junto deles, percebemos a tensão de uma guerra aparentemente inevitável. Me lembra muito Ex-Men. Bomba não é exatamente um Magneto. Ainda não.
August 30, 2021
A jumper could be anybody. Anywhere. Anytime.
These jumpers were the goddamn worst, and Leo had a feeling they didn't work alone. There had to be more afoot than Not-Joe-Fannin, and here the Fifth had just delivered up a whole host of new potential victims. These people had only just been freed from God-only-knew-what horrors, and here there be jumpers. Out of the frying pan.
Except the whole city was the frying pan, wasn't it?
This one was a mess. I imagine the pitch meeting went something like, remember the Puppetman and Typhoid Croyd arcs? How the seeping terror of not being control of your own mind and/or body infects every aspect of people's lives? And how it was especially maddening and effective because of how absurdly limited it was - all centered on one person, except that person could have been anyone?
The problem here though is that the writers all ignored the last part. The jumpers are everywhere, all the time (yes Leo<3) and they make NO sense whatsoever.
This should have been a story about the Rox, the impossible joker refuge out on Ellis Island that somehow survives everything the nats throw at it, even as it twists into a macabre mockery of what it once aspired to be.
In the midst of a twisted medieval landscape, the characters of Bosch were playing. Jokers. They cavorted everywhere you looked. The triptych is a celebration of jokerhood: fox-headed demons, a merman riding a flying fish, another fish crawling down a road with a castle on its back, a skating penguin, a stag-headed man in a red cloak, another with grass growing on his back, a half-naked woman with a lizard's tail, a toad-man, a monkey-man - hundreds of them, roiling in a dark, stormy world.
Like my Rox. Very much like the Rox I see in my dreams.
The Rox I might build if they'd let me.
Actually no. This should have been a story about Bloat.
"If he still has his ace powers, he will be an invaluable ally when the nats try to crush us. If he does not... His body is still warm. He can still attract bullets that might otherwise find homes in joker flesh."
I had felt nats die for the first time. A helpless voyeur, I watched them, and it hurt. It hurt just as much as if they were jokers.
After the Astronomer and Puppetman, the last thing this series needs is another vaguely omnipotent, absurdly polished, and weirdly apolitical antagonist. The jumpers, Prime especially, are just more of the same tired storyline that has been recycled over and over again (turns out 1980's sci-fi authors were REAL scared of losing bodily autonomy), while Bloat is compelling to the point where his mosaic chapters were enough to get most readers through the fever dream that was 'Lovers'. He's the big bad, he's the hero, he's exactly what the jokers need and the reason why wild card prosecution is skyrocketing. His very interesting intersection of powers and deformities aside, he feels more real than any of the other characters put together, and in a better version of this story his Rox storyline would not have had any trace of the jumpers in it.
Also, his narration is the best thing that's happened to this series since Xavier Desmond's journals.
All the pressure, pent up for years and years and years behind his emotionless wall (not as good a wall as mine), and David - poor David - cracked it with just his presence. David's death was a jackhammer blow. Walls: I have mine; Prime has his; and his is crumbling as the Berlin Wall crumbled last month.
But okay, let's talk Tachyon.
"There are no easy answers," Brennan said. "Neither of us follows the herd. Both of us do what we have to do. Both of us have to live with the consequences of our actions."
"We were friends," Tachyon whispered.
"Once," Brennan said.
Tach turned away. "I am wounded, Jay, wounded in ways which can't even be seen. I just want to be left alone."
"That's not an option that's open for you." There was a grimness, a seriousness to the detective's expression that Tachyon had never seen before. It was a little frightening. "There are people who are actors on history. They can't step off the stage no matter how much they might like to. You're one of those people - you poor bastard."
And that's enough about him - can't believe he fully disappeared from the story on page 119 :)
--- PRE-REVIEW<3 ---
What I would like from this book is more quality comedic moments of certain wild carders being fucked up past the point of being jumped. I predict Croyd watching his own body collapse under the control of someone who's not used to their bloodstream being 50+% amphetamines (he'll go "aw no kid this your first time? Don't worry, the second hit's the one that really takes you out" as foreshadowing for the fact that he's going to need all of 10 minutes to defeat the jumpers once someone gets desperate enough to call him in).
What I would not like from this book is Melinda sticking to her guns and using Blaise as the framing device for it. According to the top Goodreads reviews, this seems like it's going to be a problem.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2023
Wish I could go back in time and tell Melinda Snodgrass that you can write an amoral villain who enjoys hurting others without resorting to; Feels like at that point you might as well have Blaise grow a Hitler moustache and start drowning puppies as well to really make sure everyone gets the point of how awful he is. Parts of 'Lovers' were truly unreadable to me with how detailed they went into the descriptions of the multiple rape scenes.
October 9, 2021
They did it again
As realistic a story can be told as a work of fiction. The power may be amazing and at times ironic or just plain amazing, but the minds behind the powers are as human as can be. Gritty and dark in a way no one else can achieve. Highly recommend the entire series so far.
As realistic a story can be told as a work of fiction. The power may be amazing and at times ironic or just plain amazing, but the minds behind the powers are as human as can be. Gritty and dark in a way no one else can achieve. Highly recommend the entire series so far.
January 20, 2022
Call it a 3.5. The plot thickens. Blaise is so evil. Tachyon is in a very tough position. And Bloat becomes a more interesting character. The stories in this book are much more tightly connected compared with some of the earlier books in the series. I barely noticed when one author's story ended and the next begun.
October 20, 2019
I liked this one better the second time around. Blaise is still awful, the sex scenes are still awful, but it all felt more worthwhile. Very much looking forward to the volume X re-release now, and still holding out hope that Tachyon shows up again someday.
May 11, 2020
Wild Cards IX Jokertown Shuffle, a really great book but very disturbing in some places do not read it if you don't have a strong stomach.
would highly recommend. I have a youtube video talking about it if anybody is interested https://youtu.be/GoeUcJKNCkM
would highly recommend. I have a youtube video talking about it if anybody is interested https://youtu.be/GoeUcJKNCkM
June 7, 2021
I have otherwise enjoyed these books, but would definitely advise that Tachyon's story in this book takes a dark, and frankly unnecessary turn. In particular any survivors of sexual violence should be heavily, heavily warned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
A few of the stories were pretty good, especially the Fort Freak stuff which was added to the 2019 expanded edition. But the less said about Bloat, Tachyon and Blaise, the better.
October 31, 2020
Bastante perturbador
December 5, 2020
4.5 stars
January 11, 2021
This series is just so good, and this volume is particularly good. I'm a big fan of Tachyon and Bloat.
April 12, 2021
To me, this is the weakest of the books in the series so far. It could just be that I'm burned out on the jumpers and blaise.
July 14, 2021
Jeśli, wg opinii wielu czytelników, jest to najgorsza część serii, to nie mogę doczekać się, kiedy zatopię się w Dzikich kartach ponownie 😊
May 26, 2022
this was enjoyable
While there are a bunch of dated references this was an enjoyable tale. I loved the end of Kiens storyline
While there are a bunch of dated references this was an enjoyable tale. I loved the end of Kiens storyline
April 5, 2016
Как это часто бывает в данном цикле, повести и рассказы мозаично чередуются друг с другом, вплетаясь в общее полотно повествования. Основой антологии стали две повести, разделившие между собой один конфликт. Это «Искушение Иеронима Блоута» Стивена Лея и «Любовники» Мелинды Снодграсс. Проблема, вставшая перед жителями Джокертауна на страницах прошлой книги, получает здесь свое развитие и затрагивает ключевых персонажей саги. Джамперы, банды подростков, способных перепрыгивать из тела в тело, претворяют в жизнь планы юного Блеза, жаждущего посчитаться если не со всем миром, то по крайней мере – со своим дедом.
Завязка этого конфликта дана уже на первых страницах и к концу сборника конфликт не получает решения. Можно смело сказать, что повесть «Любовники» — это своеобразный пролог к следующей книге серии, сольному роману Мелинды Снодграсс «Double Solitaire». Увы, судя по некоторым интернет-источникам, Эксмо не планирует выпуск этого романа на русском. После девятой выйдет одиннадцатая книга серии, и я совершенно не представляю, как будет выглядеть пропуск немаловажной в событийном отношении части. Вероятно, вопросы, поднятые в девятой книге, для русскоязычного читателя так и останутся без ответа: чем окончится противостояние Тахиона и его внука Блеза? Как переживет Тахион рождение дочери?
Удастся ли ему вернуть украденное у него тело?
Возвращаясь к девятой книге цикла, несколько особняком, не касаясь напрямую основного конфликта антологии, стоят повести Джона Дж. Миллера и Виктора Милана. История Бренанна и Дженнифер с одной стороны демонстрирует читателю угрозу, исходящую от джамперов, с другой – представляет собой финал другого конфликта, зародившегося в предыдущих книгах серии. Точно так же и Марк Медоуз решает свои старые проблемы. Хотя повесть Виктора Милана довольно тесно и органично сплетена с «Искушением Иеронима Блоута». Одновременно это одна из самых трогательных историй сборника.
Повесть Уолтера Йона Уильмса, названная по строке из Макбета, «Выходят слуги ночи на добычу», показалась мне наиболее удачной. Она вполне самостоятельна композиционно, в ней нет оборванных хвостов. Одновременно автор дает интересные и сложные характеры, показывает их в развитии. Повесть разбита на две части, и в каждой части находит разрешение свой конфликт. Фактически автор рассказывает две самостоятельные истории, объединенные лишь главным героем.
Удачно перекликаются и рассказы Льюиса Шайнера и Уолтона Саймонса. Они показались мне более экшеновыми и менее глубокими, чем другие вещи в книге, но в обрамлении больших повестей, они читаются с большим интересом и добавляют действия там, где герои других историй вынуждены ждать благоприятного стечения обстоятельств. Хотя повесть «Искушение Иеронима Блоута», несмотря на все перебивки, все же выглядит чрезвычайно затянутой. С одной стороны, в рамках этой повести разворачивается основной конфликт группировок, противоборствующих в Джокертауне, и она связующей нитью пронизывает всю антологию, с другой – главный ее герой статичен и в прямом, и в переносном смысле. Джокер, из-за своих титанических размеров лишенный возможности передвигаться, топчется на месте и там, где мог бы показать хоть какое-то развитие характера. Автор раз за разом загоняет своего персонажа в одну и ту же ловушку, и раз за разом персонаж пасует перед трудностями, находя себе то или иное оправдание. Хотя образ мальчика вышел правдивым и трогательным, но шаблонный сценарий, используемый автором, повторяется снова и снова, не претерпевая изменений, не внося ничего нового в понимание характера и лишь затягивая повествование. Это серьезный недостаток, и лишь грандиозная финальная сцена несколько сглаживает его.
Завязка этого конфликта дана уже на первых страницах и к концу сборника конфликт не получает решения. Можно смело сказать, что повесть «Любовники» — это своеобразный пролог к следующей книге серии, сольному роману Мелинды Снодграсс «Double Solitaire». Увы, судя по некоторым интернет-источникам, Эксмо не планирует выпуск этого романа на русском. После девятой выйдет одиннадцатая книга серии, и я совершенно не представляю, как будет выглядеть пропуск немаловажной в событийном отношении части. Вероятно, вопросы, поднятые в девятой книге, для русскоязычного читателя так и останутся без ответа: чем окончится противостояние Тахиона и его внука Блеза? Как переживет Тахион рождение дочери?
Удастся ли ему вернуть украденное у него тело?
Возвращаясь к девятой книге цикла, несколько особняком, не касаясь напрямую основного конфликта антологии, стоят повести Джона Дж. Миллера и Виктора Милана. История Бренанна и Дженнифер с одной стороны демонстрирует читателю угрозу, исходящую от джамперов, с другой – представляет собой финал другого конфликта, зародившегося в предыдущих книгах серии. Точно так же и Марк Медоуз решает свои старые проблемы. Хотя повесть Виктора Милана довольно тесно и органично сплетена с «Искушением Иеронима Блоута». Одновременно это одна из самых трогательных историй сборника.
Повесть Уолтера Йона Уильмса, названная по строке из Макбета, «Выходят слуги ночи на добычу», показалась мне наиболее удачной. Она вполне самостоятельна композиционно, в ней нет оборванных хвостов. Одновременно автор дает интересные и сложные характеры, показывает их в развитии. Повесть разбита на две части, и в каждой части находит разрешение свой конфликт. Фактически автор рассказывает две самостоятельные истории, объединенные лишь главным героем.
Удачно перекликаются и рассказы Льюиса Шайнера и Уолтона Саймонса. Они показались мне более экшеновыми и менее глубокими, чем другие вещи в книге, но в обрамлении больших повестей, они читаются с большим интересом и добавляют действия там, где герои других историй вынуждены ждать благоприятного стечения обстоятельств. Хотя повесть «Искушение Иеронима Блоута», несмотря на все перебивки, все же выглядит чрезвычайно затянутой. С одной стороны, в рамках этой повести разворачивается основной конфликт группировок, противоборствующих в Джокертауне, и она связующей нитью пронизывает всю антологию, с другой – главный ее герой статичен и в прямом, и в переносном смысле. Джокер, из-за своих титанических размеров лишенный возможности передвигаться, топчется на месте и там, где мог бы показать хоть какое-то развитие характера. Автор раз за разом загоняет своего персонажа в одну и ту же ловушку, и раз за разом персонаж пасует перед трудностями, находя себе то или иное оправдание. Хотя образ мальчика вышел правдивым и трогательным, но шаблонный сценарий, используемый автором, повторяется снова и снова, не претерпевая изменений, не внося ничего нового в понимание характера и лишь затягивая повествование. Это серьезный недостаток, и лишь грандиозная финальная сцена несколько сглаживает его.
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