On September 15, 1946, a biological weapon created by an alien race was accidentally detonated above the streets of New York City, killing countless numbers of men, women, and children. But those who survived the initial explosion soon began to wish they had died also, once they discovered they had been forever mutated by the virus unleashed in the blast. . . .
When the first volume in the Wild Cards series made its debut in 1986, it caused a sensation in the science fiction and fantasy communities. Here were stories of superpowered beings in a real world setting, detailing the lives of ³Aces²?those given superhuman powers by the ³Wild Cards² virus?and ³Jokers²?those whom the virus transformed into freaks and monsters. Over the course of fifteen volumes, the world created by editor George R.R. Martin and some of SF¹s most talented writers was explored through the eyes of both Aces and Jokers across the globe.
In this all-new collection of Wild Cards stories, the spotlight is on the most unusual Wild Cards of them all?the Deuces. As you¹ll discover in this thrilling collection, their role in the Wild Cards Universe is just as important as that of the Aces and the Jokers. In fact, their actions have affected the course of Wild Cards history.
Set in an alternate, shared-world universe, Deuces Down is the one place you¹ll find such never-before-told tales as John J. Miller¹s exciting 1969 World Series between the Baltimore Orioles and the Brooklyn Dodgers; Michael Cassutt¹s first moon landing, when the whole world wasn¹t watching; Walton Simons¹ Great New York City Blackout of 1977; Melinda M. Snodgrass¹s account of Grace Kelly¹s mysterious disappearance during the filming of The French Lieutenant¹s Woman. It¹s a strange and terrifying world, where anything can happen. A world of Wild Cards.
Super Reader Another good instalment in the Wild Card series, even if much delayed. Focusing on aces with powers of seemingly little consequence, some of whom are jokers as well, this book is a little more upbeat, or even lighthearted at times.
Plenty of aces make cameos, even Cameo, not to mention Demise. So lots of old favorites are around. Peregrine's son, also, as a teenager.
Fidel Castro has a different job, and Grace Kelly's husband has been very good for her, as two of the more tongue-in-cheek tales unfold.
You like Wild Cards, or this sort of thing, you will certainly like this. This book a series of stories, again.
Wild Cards 16 : 01 Storming Space - Michael Cassutt Wild Cards 16 : 02 Four Days in October - John J. Miller Wild Cards 16 : 03 Walking the Floor Over You - Walton Simons Wild Cards 16 : 04 A Face for the Cutting Room Floor - Melinda M. Snodgrass Wild Cards 16 : 05 Father Henry's Little Miracle - Daniel Abraham Wild Cards 16 : 06 Promises - Stephen Leigh Wild Cards 16 : 07 With a Flourish and a Flair - Kevin Andrew Murphy
Shoestring spaceflight triangle.
4 out of 5
Kid reporter baseball investigation.
3.5 out of 5
Comedy babe's secret Sleeper save.
3.5 out of 5
Centaur porn and the beauty secrets of the famous.
4 out of 5
Priest protection to prevent a Demise.
3 out of 5
Petrified of family life.
3 out of 5
Hats in fashion unto the seventh generation.
4 out of 5
Never received the book ... It has been 5 weeks since I ordered this book and I'vs not seen any sign of it or received any notice of a shipping delay.
I would not deal with this seller again.
3.5 stars really ... Worth a read... It was nice to visit the wild cards again... especially the Sleeper... However it was a bit sad knowing that Zelazny was not at the helm of that story... I also miss the Turtle and some of the other gang... but i guess this was a book for the deuces... i hope that there is another effort to revitalise this series. with GRR Martin's massive popularity (very deserved i might add) there should be an effot to get some writters together and have some adventures... Now that the jumpers and the rox is gone, hopefully we can get back to the 3 books per villain structure... although it will be hard to top the astromomer, or the swarm...
It was nice to go back and visit again... but next time i want aces and jokers...
One story stands out. My perspective on this collection of stories is different than the other reviewers,because this is the first and only collection from the Wild Card series that I have read. To be honest, I did not think much of the stories in general, but one story stood out as excellent.
Daniel Abraham's story, "Father Henry's Little Miracle" is the best short story I have read in sometime. The two main characters of the story are Father Henry and Gina. When I had read the story, I really wanted to take Father Henry out for a beer, and I really wanted to sleep with Gina.
The Return of a Great Series Browsing in a bookstore circa 1986 I came upon the first Wild Cards book. Curious, I bought it . .. and devoured it in a night.That set a patern I would follow with the release of all the subsequent books. The premise, the shared milieu, the contributions of the various writers, the twists, turns, and thrills, it was just so much fun. Like other fans, I was sorry when the series seemed to end, but I understood that the death of Roger Zelazny might want to make the others involved retire the concept. What cause for celebration then to see the Wild Cards resurrected! So, okay, this is not the most exciting entry in the series, dealing as it does with deuces, wild carders who powers seem to be useless. Not so, of course, the authors are quite ingenious at making those useless powers pivotal. There are cameos by some old favorite characters, and the last story, involving a frantic search for a specific top hat, is quite entertaining. But this book does differ from its predecessors in that it does not begin, suspensefully continue, or slam-bang conclude a story arc. I miss that Saturday serial kind of anticipatory excitement, and uneasily wonder if that means the series will not be continued any time soon. If not, too bad. I always left the Wild Cards world wanting more. I always hoped for a story about the Harlem Hammer, or the Troll, and like most fans, wondered whatever happened next to the Radical. C'mon, George R. R. Martin and co., don't leave us hanging!
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
