In December, Tor discounted the e-book cost of the first
three novels in the re-launched Wild Cards series of novels edited by George R.R. Martin to $2.99 each. I had never gotten into the original Wild Cards
series, which spanned more than twelve books, so I took this as my chance and
scooped them up. The new Wild Card books are set in modern day on earth where
the world has been dealing with the wild card virus and its effects. The wild
card virus is an alien virus that mutates those afflicted with it and causing
most to die or gain special abilities. These special abilities may be mutations
that do nothing, make them grotesque or give them super powers. The novels of
the Wild Cards series are as mosaic novels or an anthology of stories or
chapters written by different authors, but as a single narrative.
The first of the new books is called Inside Straight and starts with the assassination of the leader of
a unified Middle Eastern state called the Caliphate. This event and the effects
it has in the Middle East and northern Africa are the main plot line in the
background of the novel. In the foreground is the story of numerous wild card
“Aces” or people who developed super powers from the virus’ mutation competing
on US television in an American Idol-like
contest called American Hero. As the
book progresses the contestants question what it means to have powers and to be
a hero.
The second and third books, Busted Flush and Suicide Kings, continue to delve into a world impacted by people with amazing
powers and the governments that try to use them. I enjoy super hero TV shows
and movies, so I was always interested in what this series would be like. I
found that I enjoyed the limitations many of the characters had with their
powers. Take for instance Curveball, a girl who can accelerate and control any
object she throws even to the point of it exploding when it hits something.
That is a fantastic power, but she is vulnerable to anything a normal person
might be; all firepower and no defense. Another example is Earth Witch who can
control the earth. At the start of the story we find Earth Witch making a
living for her family digging wells with her power.
That kind of common application of these powers made the
world of Wild Cards have more depth. Since the story is set in a world where
they have been dealing with this virus and its effects for decades, it felt
like people were still just being people whether they had super powers,
tentacle mutations or no powers at all. One minor quibble with the stories is
that there are many characters floating in and out and this can cause you to
have to read through several chapters or stories about characters you really
aren’t very connected to in order to reach those you are. Unlike an anthology
though, all of the chapters and stories continue the overarching plot of the
novel.
