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How to Move Spheres and Influence People
(Wild Cards #27.2)
by
For over 25 years, the Wild Cards universe has been entertaining readers with stories of superpowered people in an alternate history.
In Marko Kloos's short story "How to Move Spheres and Influence People" an outcast learns how to fit in at her school and much more...
T. K. hates a lot of things, but at the moment, it's how she becomes the #1 target during dodgeball at gym. ...more
In Marko Kloos's short story "How to Move Spheres and Influence People" an outcast learns how to fit in at her school and much more...
T. K. hates a lot of things, but at the moment, it's how she becomes the #1 target during dodgeball at gym. ...more
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This is a charming Tor.com short story set in the "Wild Cards" universe.* T.K. attends a privileged high school and feels like an outsider in the social scene. This shows up the most in her PE class, where a couple of mean girls deliberately target her during the weekly dodgeball games, perhaps partly because T.K. has one disabled arm.
T.K.'s frustration at being targeted leads to a sudden discovery of an interesting "ace" superpower: she can control any spherical object with her mind. (T.K. = t ...more
T.K.'s frustration at being targeted leads to a sudden discovery of an interesting "ace" superpower: she can control any spherical object with her mind. (T.K. = t ...more
“How to Move Spheres and Influence People” by Marko Kloos. I detest George RR Martin and as a result, tend to steer clear of his Wild Card series, even the stories not written by him.
I’m glad I read this one, as I really enjoyed it. Like 5 stars enjoyed it. Quick, enjoyable read. Highly recommended. Wish I had that power, it sounds amazing!
I’m glad I read this one, as I really enjoyed it. Like 5 stars enjoyed it. Quick, enjoyable read. Highly recommended. Wish I had that power, it sounds amazing!
I normally dislike stories from the Wild Cards universe, but this one - a superhero origin story - is pretty nice. Or maybe also because of the author.
Can be read here: https://www.tor.com/2019/03/27/how-to... ...more
Can be read here: https://www.tor.com/2019/03/27/how-to... ...more
A new entry in GRRM’s Wildcards universe, this novelette tells the origin story of T.K., a teenager will partial left-side paralysis who gets picked on at PE by the mean girls. Her “card turns” one day during class and she discovers she has the power to control spherical objects with her mind. Her squeamishness after engaging in a mild act of revenge convinces her she’s better off just using her powers for good. That opens its own can of worms once the opportunity presents itself. Kloos built hi
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Oh, how I loved Wild Cards when I was younger. This was a lovely dose of nostalgia, and I love the character's initials, a nice touch—I wonder if they ever included a queer character in the series? I got about six or seven books into the series originally...
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This was a solid piece of writing, though I felt that because it was an origin story, the ending left the story hanging somewhat.
While it may help to have read other stories (to get a handle of what "ace" or "joker" meant, or to even understand how powers are acquired), this still wasn't a bad place to start. ...more
While it may help to have read other stories (to get a handle of what "ace" or "joker" meant, or to even understand how powers are acquired), this still wasn't a bad place to start. ...more
A new Wild Cards ace.
A 15yo New England prep school girl named T.K. unlocks the ability to move spherical objects with her mind. Her plans to keep a low profile are quashed when she's forced to stop a terrorist from driving a truck through a crowd of innocent shoppers. Now she's spectacularly famous, besieged by the press, and kicked out of school for being "dangerous".
This is a minor, workmanlike power fantasy of an origin story that avoids melodrama. It focuses instead on the way an adolescen ...more
A 15yo New England prep school girl named T.K. unlocks the ability to move spherical objects with her mind. Her plans to keep a low profile are quashed when she's forced to stop a terrorist from driving a truck through a crowd of innocent shoppers. Now she's spectacularly famous, besieged by the press, and kicked out of school for being "dangerous".
This is a minor, workmanlike power fantasy of an origin story that avoids melodrama. It focuses instead on the way an adolescen ...more
*3.5 stars
Despite not knowing anything about the Wild Cards universe I found this short story easy to follow and fun to read.
T.K. is a highschooler who discovers she's an Ace - someone with superhuman abilities. Her ability is related to moving spherical objects. If that sounds like it wouldn't be super useful, you don't have as much imagination as T.K., who goes from playing with basketballs to ball bearings, increasing in strength and accuracy extremely quickly. She doesn't have any plans to ...more
Despite not knowing anything about the Wild Cards universe I found this short story easy to follow and fun to read.
T.K. is a highschooler who discovers she's an Ace - someone with superhuman abilities. Her ability is related to moving spherical objects. If that sounds like it wouldn't be super useful, you don't have as much imagination as T.K., who goes from playing with basketballs to ball bearings, increasing in strength and accuracy extremely quickly. She doesn't have any plans to ...more
Great change of pace for Koloa
Mr Kloos shows in the short story that he can do superhero fiction just as well as he can do his science fiction novels. Great character development, as well as a very entertaining short story, makes me wish he was able to do a full novel on this character.
Mr Kloos shows in the short story that he can do superhero fiction just as well as he can do his science fiction novels. Great character development, as well as a very entertaining short story, makes me wish he was able to do a full novel on this character.
How to Move Spheres and Influence People: A Tor.com Original (ebook)
by Marko Kloos
Marko Kloos does a great job introducing a new character into the Wild Cards Consortium. Marko uses a childhood memory and game to cause the switch. Its a common series of childhood memories, Dodge ball is a common American nostalgia game, the 1970-80's kids remember it fondly and mixed results. The main character finding her nemesis using the rules of the game to hurt and attack her was common occurrence. In man ...more
by Marko Kloos
Marko Kloos does a great job introducing a new character into the Wild Cards Consortium. Marko uses a childhood memory and game to cause the switch. Its a common series of childhood memories, Dodge ball is a common American nostalgia game, the 1970-80's kids remember it fondly and mixed results. The main character finding her nemesis using the rules of the game to hurt and attack her was common occurrence. In man ...more
Another brief jaunt into the Wild Cards Universe
I read the original Wild Cards book way back in the 1980’s and fell in love with the universe and the many talented writers that contributed to it. We are onto a new generation of writers creating new characters, some reimagining old ones and generally adding depths to this wonderful world. This is a short story of discovery and fun. Enjoy
I read the original Wild Cards book way back in the 1980’s and fell in love with the universe and the many talented writers that contributed to it. We are onto a new generation of writers creating new characters, some reimagining old ones and generally adding depths to this wonderful world. This is a short story of discovery and fun. Enjoy
[How to Move Spheres and Influence People](https://www.tor.com/2019/03/27/how-to...) by *Marko Kloos* is a superhero origin story, I guess. It's about a teenager who discovers that she can move any spherical object with her mind. Very slice-of-life, not really going anywhere.
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T.K.'s left arm is useless but this doesn't prevent her from doing many things in the her classes at the prestigious Mapletree Academy. It's while playing dodgeball that her Wild Card turns - not dramatically, but in ways the young ace could never have imagined. Ways that will have international consequences on this amazing sphere we call Earth.
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Loved it. I have not read any of the Wild Cards stories before but it kind of reminds of the origin story of Kitty Pryde from X-men. For a story featuring the awakening of super-powers in a teenage girl it is remarkably low-key and spandex-free which makes it all the more effectful when it gets in full swing. Recommended! Looking forward to reading some of the other Wild Cards stories.
I was an early reader of the Wildcards anthologies assembled by GRRM. But I haven't really followed all of the installments.
This story was pretty faithful to those early books. An inventive power that has limitations and an interesting "Ace" as a character.
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This story was pretty faithful to those early books. An inventive power that has limitations and an interesting "Ace" as a character.
...more
I have never read any of the Wild Card stories before but I gave this free short story a try on TOR.com. It is an OK story about a young girl who discovers she can move spherical shapes with her mind.
Mar 28, 2019
Maria
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
short-stories,
tor-com
Very good. Read it at Tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2019/03/27/how-to...
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Actual rating: 3.5 stars
A nice coming-of-age story! I'd like to read more in this world.
...more
Read this!
I really enjoyed this story. I want to read the further adventures. High school and dealing with powers. I highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this story. I want to read the further adventures. High school and dealing with powers. I highly recommend this book.
Very cool origin story.
Short tale, short review: How to Move Spheres and Influence People introduces an new and interesting character. It's well written and fun.
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It's a fun read, but also pretty straightforward teen girl-can-move-spheres-with-her-mind.
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Very entertaining. I really enjoyed this quick story and the immersive world that it is in.
Nice shortie
An enthralling short story with a twist. Could be a longer story with more adventures for TK and company. Enjoyable.
An enthralling short story with a twist. Could be a longer story with more adventures for TK and company. Enjoyable.
Great story and interesting power
How to Move Spheres...is a charming short story that is equal parts super-hero fantasy and YA coming-of-age. It is the story of a young woman from a well-to-do family and how she discovers she is an Ace and, more importantly, how she will have to live with the consequences of that discovery.
Wild Card stories have been around for decades; I had lost track of the series to such an extent that I didn't know new stories were being published. I picked this one up because I like the author (Marko Kloo ...more
Wild Card stories have been around for decades; I had lost track of the series to such an extent that I didn't know new stories were being published. I picked this one up because I like the author (Marko Kloo ...more
I love the WC universe and this young, disabled protagonist was refreshing. Would definitely read more of T.K.
Well-written with an interesting protagonist, but, ultimately, too similar to other such stories I’ve read and too predictable.
In places, this Wild Cards short feels as on-the-nose as the dodgeball which turns the protagonist's card. Seriously, she's already called T.K. and then she gets a telekinetic power? Uncomfortably reminiscent of Marvel mutant Telford Porter and his conveniently name-relevant ability. And I'm not convinced the incident at its core would be such a life-changing event in the Wild Cards world as it is here; at most I can see it making her a nine days' wonder a la our own 'Fuck you, I'm Millwall' cha
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