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A review by secre
Wild Cards I: Expanded Edition by George R.R. Martin, Wild Cards Trust
4.0
I don't often read anthologies of short stories and whilst I enjoyed this, it does remind me why. I feel knocked out of the story at each jolt to a new character, a new viewpoint, a new issue or concern. It was far more noticeable here than with a few other anthologies I have read, due to the sheer amount of stories. There is twenty here in total (and that doesn't include the appendices!); a few of the interludes only a handful of pages long, whilst others stretch easily to 25,000 words.
All relate to this world in which an alien virus is released, killing 90% of those who contract it and causing strange changes in those remaining. The lucky few become Aces; beings with subhuman powers. The 90% of the survivors... don't. It becomes known as the Wild Card virus as it is a true wild card as to what you draw; Ace, Joker, Deuce, Black Queen. Whatever you draw, it will change your life and even if you are one of those who wasn't in range of that immediate virus, life will still never be the same again.
I also found that the writing styles to be variable and whilst all were well written, some simply didn't grab and hold my attention. Some characters just failed to excite or intrigue me and some events made me uncomfortable rather than interested. There are a couple of short stories here with a firm focus on a grimy underworld of sex, violence and expletives that I struggled more with. I also found myself struggling to re-engage each time, particularly by half way through the book as the chopping and changing was giving me a headache.
For all of that however, I can't help but be impressed with this anthology both for how realistic and thorough the world-building is and for how well the stories worked together in this intricately balanced world. There are no inconsistencies jarring you between different stories and that has to be considered virtually miraculous. The way different authors 'borrow' characters that earlier entries have introduced, whilst keeping them in character is clever and gives a grounding to keep the universe steady and linked. Sometimes its a throwaway comment, other times key early characters play a forefront role and it nearly always works.
The interlinking of fantasy events with true history is also beautifully done, making that fine line between reality and distortion difficult to find in some cases. There's some real imagination in the nature of the distortions and disfigurements of both Aces and Jokers, but there is also an uncanny ability to meld truth into fiction. The way the McCarthy years are used like a scalpel goes beyond clever, and the political implications reverberate through later tales. It is all joined up and that allows for these twenty odd stories to build a comprehensive world to dip your feet in.
All relate to this world in which an alien virus is released, killing 90% of those who contract it and causing strange changes in those remaining. The lucky few become Aces; beings with subhuman powers. The 90% of the survivors... don't. It becomes known as the Wild Card virus as it is a true wild card as to what you draw; Ace, Joker, Deuce, Black Queen. Whatever you draw, it will change your life and even if you are one of those who wasn't in range of that immediate virus, life will still never be the same again.
I also found that the writing styles to be variable and whilst all were well written, some simply didn't grab and hold my attention. Some characters just failed to excite or intrigue me and some events made me uncomfortable rather than interested. There are a couple of short stories here with a firm focus on a grimy underworld of sex, violence and expletives that I struggled more with. I also found myself struggling to re-engage each time, particularly by half way through the book as the chopping and changing was giving me a headache.
For all of that however, I can't help but be impressed with this anthology both for how realistic and thorough the world-building is and for how well the stories worked together in this intricately balanced world. There are no inconsistencies jarring you between different stories and that has to be considered virtually miraculous. The way different authors 'borrow' characters that earlier entries have introduced, whilst keeping them in character is clever and gives a grounding to keep the universe steady and linked. Sometimes its a throwaway comment, other times key early characters play a forefront role and it nearly always works.
The interlinking of fantasy events with true history is also beautifully done, making that fine line between reality and distortion difficult to find in some cases. There's some real imagination in the nature of the distortions and disfigurements of both Aces and Jokers, but there is also an uncanny ability to meld truth into fiction. The way the McCarthy years are used like a scalpel goes beyond clever, and the political implications reverberate through later tales. It is all joined up and that allows for these twenty odd stories to build a comprehensive world to dip your feet in.