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Wild Cards #32
Sleeper Straddle
An original collection of interwoven short stories set in the Wild Cards universe, where an alien virus mutates some and grants superpowers to others, created by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones
An alien virus ravages the world, with effects as random as a hand of cards. Those infected either draw the black queen and die, draw an ace and receive superpowers, or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated.
Croyd Crenson is the Wild Card’s greatest failure—and its greatest success. Dubbed “The Sleeper,” he randomly undergoes hibernations that can span days, weeks, or even months. After each hibernation, he awakens with a new appearance and set of powers—sometimes a joker, sometimes an ace, and sometimes a combination of both—until exhaustion claims him and his next inevitable sleep shuffles the cards anew. Ever since his initial infection in 1946, he’s awoken in a singular body—until now. His latest awakening has left him split into six different incarnations, each of them a self-contained piece of the original and each with a unique look and ability.
One of them, at least, recognizes this for the disaster that it is, and tasks the clever and elusive Tesla—a joker with ace powers—to locate and gather the remaining five versions of himself before sleep claims them again and leaves Croyd permanently fractured.
What follows is a journey through Croyd’s long and colorful life, through the lens of some who have encountered the world’s most unusual wild carder. And as Tesla delves deeper into the investigation, he’ll have to work fast, because not every Croyd is as amiable as the first—and they’ll do whatever it takes to survive.
Featuring stories
Christopher Rowe • Carrie Vaughn • Cherie Priest • William F. Wu • Walter Jon Williams • Stephen Leigh • Mary Anne Mohanraj • Max Gladstone • Edited by George R. R. Martin • Assisted by Melinda M. Snodgrass
An alien virus ravages the world, with effects as random as a hand of cards. Those infected either draw the black queen and die, draw an ace and receive superpowers, or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated.
Croyd Crenson is the Wild Card’s greatest failure—and its greatest success. Dubbed “The Sleeper,” he randomly undergoes hibernations that can span days, weeks, or even months. After each hibernation, he awakens with a new appearance and set of powers—sometimes a joker, sometimes an ace, and sometimes a combination of both—until exhaustion claims him and his next inevitable sleep shuffles the cards anew. Ever since his initial infection in 1946, he’s awoken in a singular body—until now. His latest awakening has left him split into six different incarnations, each of them a self-contained piece of the original and each with a unique look and ability.
One of them, at least, recognizes this for the disaster that it is, and tasks the clever and elusive Tesla—a joker with ace powers—to locate and gather the remaining five versions of himself before sleep claims them again and leaves Croyd permanently fractured.
What follows is a journey through Croyd’s long and colorful life, through the lens of some who have encountered the world’s most unusual wild carder. And as Tesla delves deeper into the investigation, he’ll have to work fast, because not every Croyd is as amiable as the first—and they’ll do whatever it takes to survive.
Featuring stories
Christopher Rowe • Carrie Vaughn • Cherie Priest • William F. Wu • Walter Jon Williams • Stephen Leigh • Mary Anne Mohanraj • Max Gladstone • Edited by George R. R. Martin • Assisted by Melinda M. Snodgrass
416 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2024
20 people are currently reading
2274 people want to read
About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,507 books118k 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 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 8, 2025
This is the most enjoyable Wild Cards volume that I've read for some time. It's a contemporary story featuring the character Croyd Crenson that Roger Zelazny created way, way back at the beginning of it all, but there are seven flashback stories that build into the framework. (GRRM used to call them "mosaics" as I recall.) I enjoyed re-visiting many of the characters from the earlier books, like Golden Boy, Oddity, Father Squid, Cameo, and many more. There's a good, short summary of Croyd, The Sleeper, by Christopher Rowe, author of the framing sequences, early in the book:
"He was a villain.
He was a hero.
He was, in many ways, the living embodiment of the wild card virus. He was its greatest victim and its greatest success."
The authors of the flashback stories are Carrie Vaughn (1961), Cherie Priest (1983), William F. Wu (1990), Walter Jon Williams (1999), Stephen Leigh (1999), Mary Anne Mohanraj (2003), and Max Gladstone (2019). My favorites were the ones by Vaughn, Priest, Williams, and Leigh. Some of the earlier books in the series required knowledge of a whole lot of back story from earlier books, but it seems to be that this one is more of stand-alone and would be a good jumping-on point. (I wasn't sure about the title... the card-references seem to be getting more and more obscure as the series progresses.)
"He was a villain.
He was a hero.
He was, in many ways, the living embodiment of the wild card virus. He was its greatest victim and its greatest success."
The authors of the flashback stories are Carrie Vaughn (1961), Cherie Priest (1983), William F. Wu (1990), Walter Jon Williams (1999), Stephen Leigh (1999), Mary Anne Mohanraj (2003), and Max Gladstone (2019). My favorites were the ones by Vaughn, Priest, Williams, and Leigh. Some of the earlier books in the series required knowledge of a whole lot of back story from earlier books, but it seems to be that this one is more of stand-alone and would be a good jumping-on point. (I wasn't sure about the title... the card-references seem to be getting more and more obscure as the series progresses.)
January 29, 2024
Bantam/Random House provided an early galley for review.
I have been with the Wild Cards series since book one. And Croyd Crenson, with his unique power set, has been ever-present in the series for the last thirty-seven years. He is such an interesting character with so much potential for story ideas, so his getting the spotlight in the last collection is no surprise.
This is more than just Croyd's story though. We are also introduced to some new characters he encountered along the way - like the joker Miss Canvas, and the aforementioned Tesla - as well as some familiar faces like detective Leo Storgman and ace Jack Braun. The narrative bounces from present day to flashback tales, filling the reader in on episodes in Croyd's life as Tesla tracks down the various Croyds in present day. I found it sometimes helped the narrative flow while at other times impeded it. It is a tricky thing to pull off successfully.
In the end, it did what each volume in this series does: expand and enrich the tapestry that is the world of Wild Cards.
I have been with the Wild Cards series since book one. And Croyd Crenson, with his unique power set, has been ever-present in the series for the last thirty-seven years. He is such an interesting character with so much potential for story ideas, so his getting the spotlight in the last collection is no surprise.
This is more than just Croyd's story though. We are also introduced to some new characters he encountered along the way - like the joker Miss Canvas, and the aforementioned Tesla - as well as some familiar faces like detective Leo Storgman and ace Jack Braun. The narrative bounces from present day to flashback tales, filling the reader in on episodes in Croyd's life as Tesla tracks down the various Croyds in present day. I found it sometimes helped the narrative flow while at other times impeded it. It is a tricky thing to pull off successfully.
In the end, it did what each volume in this series does: expand and enrich the tapestry that is the world of Wild Cards.
August 1, 2024
Super interesting characters, great plot, and a buttload of talent. Really enjoyed all of the different writing styles and how well some of their styles clicked. While I wish it was a bit longer, overall it was still a great read!
March 15, 2024
Rowe's wrapper story tells of a Croyd who split into six feuding aspects upon awakening. As it gets close to time for them to sleep, water-Croyd hires an information broker (new jack character Tesla) to track down his other five selves and reunite them. Each aspect believes it is the real Croyd and the others are fakes.
The interstitial flashback stories include:
--The burgeoning art scene in Greenwich Village in the 60s. (Croyd sleeps for 8wks on the couch of a couple of struggling artists. We see the frantic, speed-addled end of one Sleeper cycle and the thoughtful, considerate beginning of the next.)
--A murder mystery in 1980s Jokertown (Croyd helps Leo Storgman solve the killing of a radio DJ).
--Inside view of a NY drug gang in 1990. (Croyd helps a young Vivan Choy escape from the crimelord he bodyguards. Both sides of Crenson's moral code are on display: the habitual criminal and the empathetic protector.)
--A trip to scenic Rome with Golden Boy. (Croyd first befriends Golden Boy, then uses him as a patsy while robbing a museum. The Sleeper's scoundrelly duplicity is at the forefront.)
--Y2K tensions in Jokertown on NYE 1999. (Croyd wakes up a mindless electrovore in Oddity's hideout and goes on a destructive rampage.)
--The wild jungles of Sri Lanka, where an oppressive conservative government wages war on its own joker population. (Croyd spends one of his cycles fighting with the desperate, outmatched joker rebels. The tragic solitude of his existence is underscored.)
--Rubberband, the guidance counselor from Texas Hold'em, tries to help a runaway student who may or may not be Croyd Crenson. (....I like the Rubberband POV but I felt this plot was needlessly convoluted and unconvincing.)
The view of Jokertown history was Wild Cards at its best. Likewise the extended exploration of the life of durable, flexible, sometimes piteous core character the Sleeper.
The climax was a disappointing mess, but the final-page cliffhanger made for a perfect ending:
The interstitial flashback stories include:
--The burgeoning art scene in Greenwich Village in the 60s. (Croyd sleeps for 8wks on the couch of a couple of struggling artists. We see the frantic, speed-addled end of one Sleeper cycle and the thoughtful, considerate beginning of the next.)
--A murder mystery in 1980s Jokertown (Croyd helps Leo Storgman solve the killing of a radio DJ).
--Inside view of a NY drug gang in 1990. (Croyd helps a young Vivan Choy escape from the crimelord he bodyguards. Both sides of Crenson's moral code are on display: the habitual criminal and the empathetic protector.)
--A trip to scenic Rome with Golden Boy. (Croyd first befriends Golden Boy, then uses him as a patsy while robbing a museum. The Sleeper's scoundrelly duplicity is at the forefront.)
--Y2K tensions in Jokertown on NYE 1999. (Croyd wakes up a mindless electrovore in Oddity's hideout and goes on a destructive rampage.)
--The wild jungles of Sri Lanka, where an oppressive conservative government wages war on its own joker population. (Croyd spends one of his cycles fighting with the desperate, outmatched joker rebels. The tragic solitude of his existence is underscored.)
--Rubberband, the guidance counselor from Texas Hold'em, tries to help a runaway student who may or may not be Croyd Crenson. (....I like the Rubberband POV but I felt this plot was needlessly convoluted and unconvincing.)
The view of Jokertown history was Wild Cards at its best. Likewise the extended exploration of the life of durable, flexible, sometimes piteous core character the Sleeper.
The climax was a disappointing mess, but the final-page cliffhanger made for a perfect ending:
April 12, 2024
Rec. by: A fresh take on previous work
Rec. for: Power-nappers
It all began back in 1946, when a stalwart hero nicknamed Jetboy flew above Manhattan in single combat against the amoral Takisians who were unleashing a terrible experiment upon Earth. The "Wild Card" virus killed 90% of those human beings it touched... and wreaked havoc on almost all of the survivors.
Or, rather, it began in 1987, when a group of extraordinarily creative gamers in the American Southwest, led by writers like Melinda M. Snodgrass and George R.R. Martin (yeah, that Martin), started a collaborative role-playing campaign full of superheroes... and others. One of those writers was the late Howard Waldrop (whose collection of juvenilia H'ard Starts was the book I read just before this one). Waldrop wrote Jetboy's story, "Thirty Minutes Over Broadway!"
Or, rather... it begins right now.
Sleeper Straddle is the Wild Cards novel I've been waiting for, the first I've really liked since... well, since 2010, at least, when I confessed my disappointment in 2009's Suicide Kings right here on Goodreads.
And I have several specific reasons for saying so.
One is that Sleeper Straddle is focused on a single (well, sorta) complex character. Croyd Crenson, who was originally created by Roger Zelazny, is The Sleeper. Croyd's been around since the very beginning of the Wild Cards saga—his eponymous origin story, "The Sleeper," appeared in Wild Cards.
Another reason is that Sleeper Straddle is actually respectful of its characters—and not just the aces, either, but also the jokers, and the "nats," both women and men... something which has not always seemed true of the other 21st-Century entries I've encountered.
Sleeper Straddle is also focused in another way: it has both a beginning and an end within its covers. Although it's intimately connected with the rest of the Wild Cards universe, Sleeper Straddle stands on its own, at least as much as the thirty-second book in a series can.
*
One of the most inspired—and inspiring—choices made by the series originators, by the way, was going all in (heh) on those card-playing metaphors, which have somehow still not (heh) played out. "Sleeper straddle" is in fact a poker player's term, although I'll admit it's one I'd never heard before.
I'd also recommend reading Walter Jon Williams' great long-form appreciation of Zelazny's Croyd Crenson, if you have the time. The essay is undated, but it doesn't mention Sleeper Straddle, and I didn't see any spoilers for the new book.
*
Now, I don't know how much you already know about this series. If the whole Wild Cards thing is brand-new to you, perhaps this isn't the best place to start after all. But if you're already even somewhat familiar with this richly-detailed and ever-evolving alternative timeline... then Sleeper Straddle is definitely worth checking out.
Rec. for: Power-nappers
It all began back in 1946, when a stalwart hero nicknamed Jetboy flew above Manhattan in single combat against the amoral Takisians who were unleashing a terrible experiment upon Earth. The "Wild Card" virus killed 90% of those human beings it touched... and wreaked havoc on almost all of the survivors.
Or, rather, it began in 1987, when a group of extraordinarily creative gamers in the American Southwest, led by writers like Melinda M. Snodgrass and George R.R. Martin (yeah, that Martin), started a collaborative role-playing campaign full of superheroes... and others. One of those writers was the late Howard Waldrop (whose collection of juvenilia H'ard Starts was the book I read just before this one). Waldrop wrote Jetboy's story, "Thirty Minutes Over Broadway!"
Or, rather... it begins right now.
Sleeper Straddle is the Wild Cards novel I've been waiting for, the first I've really liked since... well, since 2010, at least, when I confessed my disappointment in 2009's Suicide Kings right here on Goodreads.
And I have several specific reasons for saying so.
One is that Sleeper Straddle is focused on a single (well, sorta) complex character. Croyd Crenson, who was originally created by Roger Zelazny, is The Sleeper. Croyd's been around since the very beginning of the Wild Cards saga—his eponymous origin story, "The Sleeper," appeared in Wild Cards.
Another reason is that Sleeper Straddle is actually respectful of its characters—and not just the aces, either, but also the jokers, and the "nats," both women and men... something which has not always seemed true of the other 21st-Century entries I've encountered.
Sleeper Straddle is also focused in another way: it has both a beginning and an end within its covers. Although it's intimately connected with the rest of the Wild Cards universe, Sleeper Straddle stands on its own, at least as much as the thirty-second book in a series can.
*
One of the most inspired—and inspiring—choices made by the series originators, by the way, was going all in (heh) on those card-playing metaphors, which have somehow still not (heh) played out. "Sleeper straddle" is in fact a poker player's term, although I'll admit it's one I'd never heard before.
I'd also recommend reading Walter Jon Williams' great long-form appreciation of Zelazny's Croyd Crenson, if you have the time. The essay is undated, but it doesn't mention Sleeper Straddle, and I didn't see any spoilers for the new book.
*
Now, I don't know how much you already know about this series. If the whole Wild Cards thing is brand-new to you, perhaps this isn't the best place to start after all. But if you're already even somewhat familiar with this richly-detailed and ever-evolving alternative timeline... then Sleeper Straddle is definitely worth checking out.
June 14, 2024
So I'm going to give this a rare (for me) 5*. I grade on a curve. Why the high rating?
Well, apart from I <3 the series, so I've read every single book, this one stood out. The last five or six were shite frankly. What worked:
1) Simpler - not as many new powers / people / dark conspiracies / secret cabals.
2) "Hello Fellow Kids!" - old characters (through flashbacks), times, issues, and personalities. Pablum, but well appreciated
3) Brave ending - not everything tied up. I appreciate that.
So, good show Bantam. Don't mess it up. And get the TV show going.
Well, apart from I <3 the series, so I've read every single book, this one stood out. The last five or six were shite frankly. What worked:
1) Simpler - not as many new powers / people / dark conspiracies / secret cabals.
2) "Hello Fellow Kids!" - old characters (through flashbacks), times, issues, and personalities. Pablum, but well appreciated
3) Brave ending - not everything tied up. I appreciate that.
So, good show Bantam. Don't mess it up. And get the TV show going.
June 2, 2025
I have enjoyed the Wild Card books since I first ran across them. The stories have spanned decades, both in the world of the books and out here in the real world. An alien virus changed the world forever, and a group of writers created a lot of very memorable characters. One of the most unique is The Sleeper, created by Roger Zelazny. He alone got a version of the virus that's most like malaria, where he gets it over and over, locked in a cycle of waking up in a new body with new abilities, getting used to that, fighting to stay awake with every drug he can think of, and then eventually losing that fight to sleep for days or weeks and start all over again. He fights against it so hard because this virus kills more people than it changes, and he's understandably worried that each time he wakes, he stands a chance of getting the fatal version.
This collection of tales looks at various aspects of the Sleeper's long and strange life, as a hired investigator tries to track down the new and strangest yet version of Croyd Crenson, the Sleeper. The stories take place at different times and places all over the globe. We get to see some new characters, some newer Wild Cards (Ramshead for one), and more time with some older characters we haven't seen in a while (Oddity, Golden Boy, Jube, a Dr. Tachyon cameo).
I love this world, the steadily growing mythos, and the inter-connectedness of it all. This is a great addition to the story, and it was nice seeing a story where Golden Boy actually gets some positive treatment. This series has grown so much and had so many tales that it is most definitely a "start aa the beginning and work forward" one.
This collection of tales looks at various aspects of the Sleeper's long and strange life, as a hired investigator tries to track down the new and strangest yet version of Croyd Crenson, the Sleeper. The stories take place at different times and places all over the globe. We get to see some new characters, some newer Wild Cards (Ramshead for one), and more time with some older characters we haven't seen in a while (Oddity, Golden Boy, Jube, a Dr. Tachyon cameo).
I love this world, the steadily growing mythos, and the inter-connectedness of it all. This is a great addition to the story, and it was nice seeing a story where Golden Boy actually gets some positive treatment. This series has grown so much and had so many tales that it is most definitely a "start aa the beginning and work forward" one.
August 6, 2025
You know I kept meaning to write this up last Thursday. Then I get involved with work, walking our dogs and you know somehow keeping my reviews, which are admittedly brief, up to date didn't feel all that important.
I do want to say this book was a surprise for me. Croyd Crenson has not been one of my favorite Wild Cards characters. He seemed a little like a two bit hood with very little depth. I want to credit both the editors and writers for showing that someone who might be immortal isn't and Croyd could be well...
Complicated. There's a lot of gray in this series, and these stories portrayed Croyd, perhaps, as more of a anti hero. He's sill a crook, but he is also a revolutionary, maybe a kid's idol, and more. The defining thing here is not the connecting stories, which were good, but the portrayals of Croyd at different times and incarcerations of his past. Here Croyd has hired a private intelligence operative, a well sourced one, to help him resolve his current Wild Card manifestation. Croyd has split into six different people, each with a different power. Cryod is fearful that if he doesn't merge back into one person before he falls asleep that this is the time he doesn't wake up, that he dies.
As a reader I wouldn't mid seeing more of the joker Tesla. He was interesting, and I think the character shows promise.
I do want to say this book was a surprise for me. Croyd Crenson has not been one of my favorite Wild Cards characters. He seemed a little like a two bit hood with very little depth. I want to credit both the editors and writers for showing that someone who might be immortal isn't and Croyd could be well...
Complicated. There's a lot of gray in this series, and these stories portrayed Croyd, perhaps, as more of a anti hero. He's sill a crook, but he is also a revolutionary, maybe a kid's idol, and more. The defining thing here is not the connecting stories, which were good, but the portrayals of Croyd at different times and incarcerations of his past. Here Croyd has hired a private intelligence operative, a well sourced one, to help him resolve his current Wild Card manifestation. Croyd has split into six different people, each with a different power. Cryod is fearful that if he doesn't merge back into one person before he falls asleep that this is the time he doesn't wake up, that he dies.
As a reader I wouldn't mid seeing more of the joker Tesla. He was interesting, and I think the character shows promise.
May 29, 2024
It was great to get my hit of wild cards. I've always liked Croyd Crenson (well, not exactly liked him, because he's not exactly a good guy). He, in his various incarnations, is the center of the story. Apparently, he has somehow mutated into six separate bodies, which don't have favorable feelings toward each other. The storyline is that one of the Croyds hires a deep undercover investigator, Tesla (yes, his wild card has to do with electricity) to find all the others and get them together.
I'd have given the book four stars, but I never figured out the timeline. Some (most?) of the stories are flashbacks, with the year given, but I didn't manage to put together what was happening now, or then, and I didn't understand how the story of the teenager who Croyd was somehow inhabiting fit in. And I don't think all the writers were consistent about Tesla: he started out extremely secretive and private, and then did things that he would never have done in the story that introduced him. Maybe my mind is moving too linearly for the book?
Despite all that, the book was fun to read and a good addition to the series.
I'd have given the book four stars, but I never figured out the timeline. Some (most?) of the stories are flashbacks, with the year given, but I didn't manage to put together what was happening now, or then, and I didn't understand how the story of the teenager who Croyd was somehow inhabiting fit in. And I don't think all the writers were consistent about Tesla: he started out extremely secretive and private, and then did things that he would never have done in the story that introduced him. Maybe my mind is moving too linearly for the book?
Despite all that, the book was fun to read and a good addition to the series.
May 2, 2024
This was... okay, I guess. I feel like the last few entries in the Wild Cards universe have been flagging a bit, which is honestly understandable for a series that has outlived many of its original writers and readers. The fact that it's still this good is a testament to both the concept and the world, as well as the writing team.
That said, I've been a fan of Croyd Crenson since the first book, and while this was a good enough story in general, it didn't feel particularly true to the character. Also understandable, since he's being written here by several different authors, most of whom weren't around for his origin, but at the same time, a bit of a letdown.
Some of the stories were honestly charming or engaging, and I'll keep tuning in to read as long as they keep putting books out - but I hope they find a more engrossing plotline and characters soon.
That said, I've been a fan of Croyd Crenson since the first book, and while this was a good enough story in general, it didn't feel particularly true to the character. Also understandable, since he's being written here by several different authors, most of whom weren't around for his origin, but at the same time, a bit of a letdown.
Some of the stories were honestly charming or engaging, and I'll keep tuning in to read as long as they keep putting books out - but I hope they find a more engrossing plotline and characters soon.
August 12, 2025
This is easily the best Wild Cards novel I've read since 'Mississippi Roll'. I enjoyed each of the short stories, the older and newer character that showed up, the connecting storylines premise and the fact that it was able to weave in decades of characters and continuity that still stayed on theme.
The only complaints I have are the fact that it's yet another novel featuring Croyd that doesn't give him his own POV, Tesla being a bit too overly competetent even though the story kept poking holes in his competence, the fact that I found about 20 or so simple mistakes that should have been fixed in eiditing (basic spelling and grammar mistakes, repeated or missing words) and the ambigious ending.
The only complaints I have are the fact that it's yet another novel featuring Croyd that doesn't give him his own POV, Tesla being a bit too overly competetent even though the story kept poking holes in his competence, the fact that I found about 20 or so simple mistakes that should have been fixed in eiditing (basic spelling and grammar mistakes, repeated or missing words) and the ambigious ending.
February 19, 2024
3.5 stars. I couldn’t justify a 4 star rating despite having one of the best Wild Cards character front and center. I never thought in 2024 i would still be reading about Croyd Crenson but here we are. This was somewhat of a greatest hits collection that had lots of familiar faces from the original Wild Cards run. Despite all of that i still felt the book needed more Croyd! The flashbacks more or less featured him as opposed to having him take center stage. I initially thought the book would be completely about him but i still enjoyed it.
March 20, 2024
I am biased because Wild Cards is still my favourite series. This one was pretty solid: a frame story with a character we've never seen before, and then a bunch of characters throughout Wild Cards history all flashing back to an adventure (usually) with Croyd Crenson, the Sleeper. He's handled very consistently despite all the different authors, has an interesting new power in the frame story, and then some events occur that may change (some of) the Wild Cards world going forward.
(I hope the TV series comes out soon and that it's good.)
(I hope the TV series comes out soon and that it's good.)
June 19, 2025
Another pretty good book in the Wild Cards series. Contains 8 short stories and novellas. The novella by Christopher Rowe is broken up by the other seven short stories and novellas. The book is all about Croyd Crenson and in Rowe’s novella Croyd has been divided into multiple versions of himself and Tesla is hired by one of them to bring them all together for what purpose you will have to read and find out. Some stories are good and some are not very good at all. I skimmed the last novella.
August 13, 2025
Wild Cards = Always good.
Loosely connected stories about the archetypical wild carder - Croyd Crenson. The stories don't matter particularly about the over arching 'plot' but are entertaining nonetheless. Tesla, our number two character has a bit of an arc and is pretty cool.
Highlights are the return of some of the older characters including Golden Boy, the Oddity, Jube the Walrus, Father Squid and Quasi.
Loosely connected stories about the archetypical wild carder - Croyd Crenson. The stories don't matter particularly about the over arching 'plot' but are entertaining nonetheless. Tesla, our number two character has a bit of an arc and is pretty cool.
Highlights are the return of some of the older characters including Golden Boy, the Oddity, Jube the Walrus, Father Squid and Quasi.
April 15, 2024
A good look at Croyd Crenson, aka the Sleeper, one of the most interesting and well-known characters in the series. It is s bunch of short stories spread across the years, tied together by the main story in modern time.
Want to read
February 15, 2024This book does not even have to be good to be the most important book in the world to me. Not joking
October 8, 2024
I've been reading these books for decades and have yet to read one I didn't like.
January 7, 2025
With The Sleeper being one of the most intriguing and enigmatic characters over the long run of the Wild Cards series, I was greatly looking forward to a book that focused on him. Sadly, this book was so dull and unfocused, hardly featuring the title character, I just could not finish it (as my “started” and “finished” dates make clear). With this book, I believe my interest in the flagging Wild Cards saga is finally at an end.
April 15, 2025
One of the better recent Wild Cards books. Croyd Crenson was a great side character and kind of still is a side character in this story, with lots of involvement by other "Golden Age" (pre- Card Sharks) Wild Cards characters. A fun,satisfying read.
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