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Wild Cards #20
Dodelijk spel
From the #1 New York Times bestseller, the third of a new generation of Wild Cards tales
In 1946, an alien virus that rewrites human DNA was accidentally unleashed in the skies over New York City. It killed ninety percent of those it infected. Nine percent survived to mutate into tragically deformed creatures. And one percent gained superpowers. The Wild Cards shared-universe series, created and edited since 1987 by New York Times #1 bestseller George R. R. Martin (“The American Tolkien”—Time magazine) along with Melinda Snodgrass, is the tale of the history of the world since then—and of the heroes among the one percent.
Ranging from New York and New England to ravaged Africa and New Orleans, encompassing war, devastation, and stubborn hope, Suicide Kings advances the story of the Wild Cards, and their struggle to be fully human in a world that fears and mistrusts them.
In 1946, an alien virus that rewrites human DNA was accidentally unleashed in the skies over New York City. It killed ninety percent of those it infected. Nine percent survived to mutate into tragically deformed creatures. And one percent gained superpowers. The Wild Cards shared-universe series, created and edited since 1987 by New York Times #1 bestseller George R. R. Martin (“The American Tolkien”—Time magazine) along with Melinda Snodgrass, is the tale of the history of the world since then—and of the heroes among the one percent.
Ranging from New York and New England to ravaged Africa and New Orleans, encompassing war, devastation, and stubborn hope, Suicide Kings advances the story of the Wild Cards, and their struggle to be fully human in a world that fears and mistrusts them.
479 pages, Paperback
First published December 22, 2009
26 people are currently reading
1625 people want to read
About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,506 books119k 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 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 7, 2016
I love the Wildcards series. It's easy to forget how well they work when you aren't reading them. Then you pick one up after a year of not reading them and rediscover all the characters you'd forgotten.
The world of Wildcards is genius. I can't over emphasise how brilliantly the Wildcards team have created an entire world in which the Wildcards virus fits so well. The political and sociological complexity of these books makes the Marvel and DC universes feel like comics for kids. Don't get me wrong, I love Marvel and will, if pushed, read some DC also ;) but Wildcards is like a whole new level.
Only, it's not new. The books have been around for decades and this one, only completed relatively recently, is a worthwhile addition to the canon.
Suicide Kings takes on the subject of child soldiers, and does so with the usual brutal, no-punches-pulled style that marks the books. Children are kidnapped and turned into child aces or, as is more often the cases, child jokers. No prizes for guessing what the ruthless makers do with those who can't help the cause.
That plays out behind the wrapping up of one of the largest story arcs within the whole series, the case of The Radical, Ace extraordinaire and psychopathic looney to boot. Mingled with the action is the touching love story between the Gardener and Rusty, Bubbles return to life after she saved the world a while back, Double Helix's final job, Bugsy and Cameo's very screwed up relationship, and the creation of yet more, intriguing aces.
I love these books. I love the wealth and depth of superhero madness that spans them. I love the moments of real character development that make them so emotionally powerful. I love the author's willingness to go anywhere, from Hoodoo Mama, a character who speaks almost entirely using cuss words, to pits of dead babies, to a woman having a relationship with the man who can only live inside her when she puts his old fedora on, but died a long time ago.
Yeah, you've got to read it, really. Go do so, you won't be disappointed.
The world of Wildcards is genius. I can't over emphasise how brilliantly the Wildcards team have created an entire world in which the Wildcards virus fits so well. The political and sociological complexity of these books makes the Marvel and DC universes feel like comics for kids. Don't get me wrong, I love Marvel and will, if pushed, read some DC also ;) but Wildcards is like a whole new level.
Only, it's not new. The books have been around for decades and this one, only completed relatively recently, is a worthwhile addition to the canon.
Suicide Kings takes on the subject of child soldiers, and does so with the usual brutal, no-punches-pulled style that marks the books. Children are kidnapped and turned into child aces or, as is more often the cases, child jokers. No prizes for guessing what the ruthless makers do with those who can't help the cause.
That plays out behind the wrapping up of one of the largest story arcs within the whole series, the case of The Radical, Ace extraordinaire and psychopathic looney to boot. Mingled with the action is the touching love story between the Gardener and Rusty, Bubbles return to life after she saved the world a while back, Double Helix's final job, Bugsy and Cameo's very screwed up relationship, and the creation of yet more, intriguing aces.
I love these books. I love the wealth and depth of superhero madness that spans them. I love the moments of real character development that make them so emotionally powerful. I love the author's willingness to go anywhere, from Hoodoo Mama, a character who speaks almost entirely using cuss words, to pits of dead babies, to a woman having a relationship with the man who can only live inside her when she puts his old fedora on, but died a long time ago.
Yeah, you've got to read it, really. Go do so, you won't be disappointed.
August 9, 2017
Dodelijk Spel is absoluut het beste boek in de Wild Cards reeks. Alle verhaallijnen komen samen wanneer de Azen, mensen met superkrachten als gevolg van een buitenaards virus, de strijd met de Radical aangaan. Een spannend boek vol actie, maar ook met de nodige liefde en emotionele momenten. Ik ben onder de indruk!
Mijn complete recensie lees je op Oog op de Toekomst.
Mijn complete recensie lees je op Oog op de Toekomst.
February 16, 2015
Blew through this in about two days. A nice, fast read. Despite the fact that I was disappointed with the previous book in the trilogy, I'm glad I checked this one out because it's back to more of what I remembered enjoying from Inside Straight (and more recently, reading the original Wild Cards). It's not rock-your-world deep, but it's interesting, and there's something inherently fun about action-packed superheroes and it's hard to mess this up. Can't help but read stories like this and wonder what might have been with the show Heroes, with its one good season and the rest crap.
It's not very subtle with its child ace experiment as a stand-in for the real-world atrocities of child soldiers, with a note from GRRM about this at the end, but that's what Wild Cards seems to have always been, kind of a vehicle for social commentary.
The stars here are Rustbelt, Gardener, Bugsy and Bubbles mostly, with the Radical as the big villain. And what a villain he is. The cuts between the stories here are faster than previous ones, which were more connected short stories rather than one giant, continuing plot sorted out day by day. Rustbelt's infectious simplicity is probably the best. I guess Bugsy has always been kind of a meta character if you think about it, considering a lot of his story from the American Hero novel is told through him writing on his blog. You always need comic relief, though, and while there's some soap opera to this story this time I don't remember it being quite so annoying as from Busted Flush. Plus the guy is funny.
Anyway, nice rebound here. My understanding is there's a new novel due out soon that focuses on Jokertown cops and I'll probably check that out once it makes it to the library.
Re-read in February 2015, additional thoughts:
I liked the entire Committee trilogy much better on a second read-through. Part of that may have had something to do with having had more exposure to the first three Wild Cards stories, at least, where the origin of Mark Meadows figures in more. As well, having read the prior two books in the trilogy much closer, plot/character details for the more immediate stuff was fresher in my mind. The first time around I'd kinda forgotten who everybody was other than Bugsy, who stands out most in my mind for some reason.
It's not very subtle with its child ace experiment as a stand-in for the real-world atrocities of child soldiers, with a note from GRRM about this at the end, but that's what Wild Cards seems to have always been, kind of a vehicle for social commentary.
The stars here are Rustbelt, Gardener, Bugsy and Bubbles mostly, with the Radical as the big villain. And what a villain he is. The cuts between the stories here are faster than previous ones, which were more connected short stories rather than one giant, continuing plot sorted out day by day. Rustbelt's infectious simplicity is probably the best. I guess Bugsy has always been kind of a meta character if you think about it, considering a lot of his story from the American Hero novel is told through him writing on his blog. You always need comic relief, though, and while there's some soap opera to this story this time I don't remember it being quite so annoying as from Busted Flush. Plus the guy is funny.
Anyway, nice rebound here. My understanding is there's a new novel due out soon that focuses on Jokertown cops and I'll probably check that out once it makes it to the library.
Re-read in February 2015, additional thoughts:
I liked the entire Committee trilogy much better on a second read-through. Part of that may have had something to do with having had more exposure to the first three Wild Cards stories, at least, where the origin of Mark Meadows figures in more. As well, having read the prior two books in the trilogy much closer, plot/character details for the more immediate stuff was fresher in my mind. The first time around I'd kinda forgotten who everybody was other than Bugsy, who stands out most in my mind for some reason.
August 3, 2017
The only reason I bothered finishing the previous WILD CARDS installment was because I hoped the series would get better.
Turns out, I hoped in vain.
I gave up on this book about 150 pages in. I was at a point where I had to tape my eyelids open just to keep myself from drifting off in boredom every five seconds.
I do not care about any of these characters. I am not interested in their stories. I don't like the piecemeal way the book was written. And it annoys me that George R.R. Martin's only contribution was to put his name on the cover.
Turns out, I hoped in vain.
I gave up on this book about 150 pages in. I was at a point where I had to tape my eyelids open just to keep myself from drifting off in boredom every five seconds.
I do not care about any of these characters. I am not interested in their stories. I don't like the piecemeal way the book was written. And it annoys me that George R.R. Martin's only contribution was to put his name on the cover.
April 9, 2018
This is an excellent conclusion to a storyline that's been going on for 2-3 books now. No real beginning; you'll need to read other books for that, but at least there's closure at the end, and there are fewer typos slipping through the editing process than has been the case lately. Well worth the read if you've been keeping up, and possibly even readable if you HAVEN'T read the lead-ins.
February 25, 2024
This one lost me pretty quick and became a skim-fest. Will almost certainly read better in a full series reread.
January 9, 2012
The structure of this novel is different from the other Wild Cards novels. Where the others kept the storylines seperated by announcing the title of the storyline and its author on top of each chapter, here only the location of the next chapter is announced.
There are 3 storylines in this collection, all are concerned with what is happening in the People's Paradise of Africa, and The Radical:
Bubbles is waking up after being in a coma for a year, and bubbles off all her stored-up energy (one nuke worth) over several days. She keep having visions of a little girl called Adesina, who is stuck in a pit full of corpses. Once she is back on her feet, Bubbles and Joey (Hoodoo Mama) decide to go to the Congo to find Adesina before it's too late.
Wally/Rusty is wondering about a weird letter from his little penpal Lucien from the PPA, in which he said that he was going to be taken away to a special school where he would not be allowed to write to Wally anymore. As Wally is quite aware of his own naivety and helplessness, he talks Jerusha/Gardner into coming with him to check on things.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Hive and Cameo and her various channeled friends try to find out more about Tom Weathers, for example why he treats the daughter of one Mark Meadows as his own, which leads them halfway around the world.
BIG Spoilers from here :)
Independently, the two teams find out that the regime of the PPA is infecting children with the wild card virus in secret labs in the jungle, in order to create an ace army. All children whose card doesn't yield anything useful to the regime are excuted. Wally and Jerusha liberate such a camp. Unfortunately, they can only find Lucien's corpse in a mass grave. They decide to split up: Jerusha heads east to Tanzania with the surviving kids, while Wally goes off on his own to destroy other wild card labs. On the way, he suffers more and more, as his iron skin rusts in the humidity, and a psychotic ghostly child ace follows him.
Bubbles and Joey are intercepted by the President of the PPA's sister Alicia, who takes them to another lab, and makes them watch a horrible ritual during which her guards are turned into were-leopards. With the help of some bubbles and zombies, they vanquish them and liberate the camp.
Jonathan and Ellen find out that Meadows and Weathers are actually the same person, plus a lot of drugs and a bunch of extra personalities, each with their own ace powers. Now The Radical is loosing touch with reality more and more, and Mark Meadows becomes stronger, as some aspects of the Gestalt decide to bugger off. Double Helix comes up with an Ocean's 11 type heist plan to both steal the gold reserves of the PPA and shift the blame on the President and his sister, in order to make The Radical think they betrayed their people, and thus turn against them, which more or less works out as planned.
In the end, all meet at the main wild card lab, and there is an epic battle between Bubbles and The Radical, which ends vaguely well, although some of the good guys die :(
I really liked this book, it has good, very dark plotlines and some good character development. The only thing I wonder about is this: The Radical and his various constituents have appeared before, as far as I know. Now, I've only read the first of the original books, so I only vaguely remembered The Radical. Readers who have read the entire series probably know a lot more about him and might just have gone, "well, d'uh" during the whole Jonathan/Cameo plotline.
It is also interesting how the book takes the theme of child soldiers, which is bad enough, and just runs with it and makes it much much worse. Unfortunately, people would probably be capable of doing things like that to children in the name of power. It's a disgusting thing to think about. I like how a series that is basically about superheroes can go into the dark places of the human psyche.
There are 3 storylines in this collection, all are concerned with what is happening in the People's Paradise of Africa, and The Radical:
Bubbles is waking up after being in a coma for a year, and bubbles off all her stored-up energy (one nuke worth) over several days. She keep having visions of a little girl called Adesina, who is stuck in a pit full of corpses. Once she is back on her feet, Bubbles and Joey (Hoodoo Mama) decide to go to the Congo to find Adesina before it's too late.
Wally/Rusty is wondering about a weird letter from his little penpal Lucien from the PPA, in which he said that he was going to be taken away to a special school where he would not be allowed to write to Wally anymore. As Wally is quite aware of his own naivety and helplessness, he talks Jerusha/Gardner into coming with him to check on things.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Hive and Cameo and her various channeled friends try to find out more about Tom Weathers, for example why he treats the daughter of one Mark Meadows as his own, which leads them halfway around the world.
BIG Spoilers from here :)
Independently, the two teams find out that the regime of the PPA is infecting children with the wild card virus in secret labs in the jungle, in order to create an ace army. All children whose card doesn't yield anything useful to the regime are excuted. Wally and Jerusha liberate such a camp. Unfortunately, they can only find Lucien's corpse in a mass grave. They decide to split up: Jerusha heads east to Tanzania with the surviving kids, while Wally goes off on his own to destroy other wild card labs. On the way, he suffers more and more, as his iron skin rusts in the humidity, and a psychotic ghostly child ace follows him.
Bubbles and Joey are intercepted by the President of the PPA's sister Alicia, who takes them to another lab, and makes them watch a horrible ritual during which her guards are turned into were-leopards. With the help of some bubbles and zombies, they vanquish them and liberate the camp.
Jonathan and Ellen find out that Meadows and Weathers are actually the same person, plus a lot of drugs and a bunch of extra personalities, each with their own ace powers. Now The Radical is loosing touch with reality more and more, and Mark Meadows becomes stronger, as some aspects of the Gestalt decide to bugger off. Double Helix comes up with an Ocean's 11 type heist plan to both steal the gold reserves of the PPA and shift the blame on the President and his sister, in order to make The Radical think they betrayed their people, and thus turn against them, which more or less works out as planned.
In the end, all meet at the main wild card lab, and there is an epic battle between Bubbles and The Radical, which ends vaguely well, although some of the good guys die :(
I really liked this book, it has good, very dark plotlines and some good character development. The only thing I wonder about is this: The Radical and his various constituents have appeared before, as far as I know. Now, I've only read the first of the original books, so I only vaguely remembered The Radical. Readers who have read the entire series probably know a lot more about him and might just have gone, "well, d'uh" during the whole Jonathan/Cameo plotline.
It is also interesting how the book takes the theme of child soldiers, which is bad enough, and just runs with it and makes it much much worse. Unfortunately, people would probably be capable of doing things like that to children in the name of power. It's a disgusting thing to think about. I like how a series that is basically about superheroes can go into the dark places of the human psyche.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2020
Excessive violence, cruelty, actually boring gratuitous sex, kill off most of the interesting characters, allow a few to continue to function despite fatal wounds...randomly throw some romantic paragraphs in that crop up now and again instead of actually developing. Trite, tired, cliche'. Worst, if you've read future installments, you already know the outcomes of these stories. We do learn the origin of Ghost and Adesina here, but two sentences would have sufficed to explain those. And they do, in future stories.
2 stars, because I can't imagine wanting to ever reread this collaboration. Here, obvious setups work for no apparent reason, botched plans magically get saved, endless travelogues replace simply asking a colleague to pop people to their destinations, 'adults' still don't understand why someone with physical beauty would fall for someone without... Isn't this poor story crafting, holes diverted with 'miracle' abilities that no one knew about before?
The characters have fought global tyrants, but still don't talk to each other before 'going into the lion's den'? An assassin assembles a team for a heist, and doesn't take them through a single practice run?
>>spoilers!<< And wait - the Wild Cards are the result of viruses, but somehow, magically, when the President's Wife is killed, ALL the characters she's had sex with suddenly revert to normal? Huh? Excuse me? A character can produce fertile eggs just by having sex, even with someone who is sterile? Then couldn't she produce them by masturbating?
These may be common writing slop in comics and superhero stories. But the ending highlights the hyper-macho crap-out most. "Oh wait, _I_ know how to destroy the monster! Let me just pop over here..." If that were viable, wouldn't one of them have thought of it before half the characters are dead? Yawwwn! I skimmed many of the over-choreographed melee rounds, which read like some of the authors thought they already had a movie deal. I wish they had stayed with >Bam!< and >Sock-o!< for much of it.
The constant jerking around of the flow by inter-splicing otherwise stand-alone stories greatly reduced the 'drama' for me. If nothing changes except some people get killed, others replace them, a few get rescued and a lot don't, it takes a deft hand to spin that into an engaging story, and that didn't happen for me with this collection. It was disappointing, often stupid, and felt half empty.
The Editor's Afterword about the plight of Child Soldiers punctuates the failure of this collection for me. Certainly there is value in identifying a problem and dramatizing it, but is it not time for these stories to lay out plans about what non-augmented readers might do to improve the situations? And why single out the Congo?
The essay calls-out the news media for not highlighting conflict in the Congo. But wait - a cnbc report states "A child age 15 to 19 in the U.S. is 82 times more likely to die from gun violence than such a child in the other countries." From CNN, "Death by gunshot was the second-highest cause of death in the United States in 2016 among children and adolescents ages 1 to 19, according to a study released ... in the New England Journal of Medicine." I don't recall seeing much reporting on that either. Is the essay acting as the pot calling the kettle black?
Maybe the world's Wild Cards should come in to the US and do something about this? Continuing, "The authors of the Health Affairs report said that in the full 50-year period their study looked at, the U.S. had more than “600,000 excess deaths” among kids because of the country’s lagging performance in curbing child mortality." True, it's not the 5.5 million people in 5 years cited in the book's Afterword, but it is over half a million children! Sure, we're not institutionalizing the production of children who kill ... or are we, sans central coordination? More than half a million children!
Since Wild Card heroes are no more real than Marvel superheroes, and the authors had to stretch their fictional world's rules to close this story, the collection does not show the reader what can be done to address the real problems in the Congo, or anywhere.
Perhaps a collection portraying the impact of global demand for 'gold, coltan, diamonds, and uranium' would have been a start? Perhaps conceiving a viable plan and ethical justification for changing the culture of a chunk of another continent? Here rescuing dozens of abused, violent children, killing corrupt politicians and having their evil works spontaneously revert - are pure fiction. And what happens then? These Wild Card characters relocate and institutionalize the rescuees. But they're the Good Guys, so we're supposed to be happy they are in a better institution?
They're not reunited with their families. No one is preventing the practices from continuing. Most would agree, not being forced to kill is better. Unless they're 18 and in an friendly country's military? This book does not work through any of the problems it presents, it doesn't highlight any solutions, its just a 'magical' hack-and-slash in a more modern alternate reality. Which disappointed me, as some of the other collections actually examine the problems they raise.
>>spoiler!<< More ethical sleaze - In later stories we find two of the rescued children are adopted by two of the rescuers. But each children literally saved the rescuer's life in this collection. So altruism isn't at play, obligation is. The adoptees have already 'proven' themselves to their adopters. That doesn't mean there isn't real affection, but doesn't that it seem slimy?
So what did I like? Some clever characters and tricks >>Spoilers!!<< Bubbles sinking into the ground for a year. HooDoo Mama animating the dead. (Why not have an Ace pop them to where Adesina is and let HooDoo have the zombies just push her to the top?) Ghost. Gardener. Some of the realizations Bugsy comes to. Presenting the child soldiers in Africa at all. But that didn't justify over 400 pages for me.
2 stars, because I can't imagine wanting to ever reread this collaboration. Here, obvious setups work for no apparent reason, botched plans magically get saved, endless travelogues replace simply asking a colleague to pop people to their destinations, 'adults' still don't understand why someone with physical beauty would fall for someone without... Isn't this poor story crafting, holes diverted with 'miracle' abilities that no one knew about before?
The characters have fought global tyrants, but still don't talk to each other before 'going into the lion's den'? An assassin assembles a team for a heist, and doesn't take them through a single practice run?
>>spoilers!<< And wait - the Wild Cards are the result of viruses, but somehow, magically, when the President's Wife is killed, ALL the characters she's had sex with suddenly revert to normal? Huh? Excuse me? A character can produce fertile eggs just by having sex, even with someone who is sterile? Then couldn't she produce them by masturbating?
These may be common writing slop in comics and superhero stories. But the ending highlights the hyper-macho crap-out most. "Oh wait, _I_ know how to destroy the monster! Let me just pop over here..." If that were viable, wouldn't one of them have thought of it before half the characters are dead? Yawwwn! I skimmed many of the over-choreographed melee rounds, which read like some of the authors thought they already had a movie deal. I wish they had stayed with >Bam!< and >Sock-o!< for much of it.
The constant jerking around of the flow by inter-splicing otherwise stand-alone stories greatly reduced the 'drama' for me. If nothing changes except some people get killed, others replace them, a few get rescued and a lot don't, it takes a deft hand to spin that into an engaging story, and that didn't happen for me with this collection. It was disappointing, often stupid, and felt half empty.
The Editor's Afterword about the plight of Child Soldiers punctuates the failure of this collection for me. Certainly there is value in identifying a problem and dramatizing it, but is it not time for these stories to lay out plans about what non-augmented readers might do to improve the situations? And why single out the Congo?
The essay calls-out the news media for not highlighting conflict in the Congo. But wait - a cnbc report states "A child age 15 to 19 in the U.S. is 82 times more likely to die from gun violence than such a child in the other countries." From CNN, "Death by gunshot was the second-highest cause of death in the United States in 2016 among children and adolescents ages 1 to 19, according to a study released ... in the New England Journal of Medicine." I don't recall seeing much reporting on that either. Is the essay acting as the pot calling the kettle black?
Maybe the world's Wild Cards should come in to the US and do something about this? Continuing, "The authors of the Health Affairs report said that in the full 50-year period their study looked at, the U.S. had more than “600,000 excess deaths” among kids because of the country’s lagging performance in curbing child mortality." True, it's not the 5.5 million people in 5 years cited in the book's Afterword, but it is over half a million children! Sure, we're not institutionalizing the production of children who kill ... or are we, sans central coordination? More than half a million children!
Since Wild Card heroes are no more real than Marvel superheroes, and the authors had to stretch their fictional world's rules to close this story, the collection does not show the reader what can be done to address the real problems in the Congo, or anywhere.
Perhaps a collection portraying the impact of global demand for 'gold, coltan, diamonds, and uranium' would have been a start? Perhaps conceiving a viable plan and ethical justification for changing the culture of a chunk of another continent? Here rescuing dozens of abused, violent children, killing corrupt politicians and having their evil works spontaneously revert - are pure fiction. And what happens then? These Wild Card characters relocate and institutionalize the rescuees. But they're the Good Guys, so we're supposed to be happy they are in a better institution?
They're not reunited with their families. No one is preventing the practices from continuing. Most would agree, not being forced to kill is better. Unless they're 18 and in an friendly country's military? This book does not work through any of the problems it presents, it doesn't highlight any solutions, its just a 'magical' hack-and-slash in a more modern alternate reality. Which disappointed me, as some of the other collections actually examine the problems they raise.
>>spoiler!<< More ethical sleaze - In later stories we find two of the rescued children are adopted by two of the rescuers. But each children literally saved the rescuer's life in this collection. So altruism isn't at play, obligation is. The adoptees have already 'proven' themselves to their adopters. That doesn't mean there isn't real affection, but doesn't that it seem slimy?
So what did I like? Some clever characters and tricks >>Spoilers!!<< Bubbles sinking into the ground for a year. HooDoo Mama animating the dead. (Why not have an Ace pop them to where Adesina is and let HooDoo have the zombies just push her to the top?) Ghost. Gardener. Some of the realizations Bugsy comes to. Presenting the child soldiers in Africa at all. But that didn't justify over 400 pages for me.
May 9, 2010
Pretty good. I have not read a wild card novel in a while.
March 12, 2010
Robert Crumb once said, in his introduction to a very different book (American Splendor, 1985), that "Comic books are for kids. Adolescent male power fantasies, that's what most comic books contain; escape fantasies for pimply-faced young boys... yep." I don't agree with Crumb—but he has a point. Most stories about superheroes really are easily dismissed—shallow, thoughtless festivals of stretch tights and violence. But there are exceptions.
I've been enjoying the Wild Cards series since the first book came out, 'way back in 1987. It was a glorious subversion of the typical origin myth, a fascinating conceit even then, and it remains so today—an alternate Earth where an alien race, the Takisians, used humanity as unwitting guinea pigs to test an experimental military retrovirus which the Takisians hoped would make them super-soldiers.
The Takisians' plan... didn't work very well. The Wild Card virus was released over Manhattan Island in 1946. 90% of its victims died (they drew the "Black Queen," that is—one of Martin's more brilliant moves was to appropriate the jargon of playing cards. Decades later, the titular metaphors still haven't played out).
90% of the remaining victims of the Wild Card became Jokers—that is, they gained "powers" which were useless, if not worse than useless—debilitating in the extreme, disgusting, eventually fatal.
The remainder, those few who didn't die or become hideously deformed or just gain a power that wasn't very versatile (changing hair color at will, or levitating an inch off the ground), got to become "Aces." Aces tend to have superpowers that, while quirky, actually do them some good. It can be hard to tell, but an Ace power usually has some relationship to the Ace's personality, and it has specific limits (which are also usually related to the Ace's personality).
This basic idea has been the springboard for nearly two dozen books since. I don't think any single author could have written as varied a group of superheroes, super-villains, and exotic characters into a series. The Wild Cards books, though, weren't written by a single author. Although all of the Wild Cards books have been edited or at least overseen by the prolific and well-regarded George R.R. Martin, these are a "shared-world anthology" series. Martin's original vision and strong editing skills provide the bones, but many authors have filled in the flesh.
The list of writers for this latest entry in the Wild Cards series contains several of the original names from the first book, back in 1987; the "credits" at the end include, for example, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Victor Milan and of course George R.R. Martin himself. But a lot of newer writers have been brought into the mix, too, and some of them are... well, not quite as good. The quality of the writing in Suicide Kings varies greatly from segment to segment, and some of it's jarringly cliched. The franchise is much fresher than one might expect given its age, but I got the feeling that it might be getting just a little tired.
There are also some rather disappointing failures of imagination. This is an alternate world where things changed drastically in 1946... plenty of time for radical divergence from our timeline, yet its inhabitants still listen to iPods with white-corded earbuds, and do their Internet searching via Google? Such brand names and marketing details are extremely contingent, it seems to me, and wouldn't necessarily be the same even in a much closer worldline.
Worse, although the novel is set largely in an Africa whose political map is, as would be expected, significantly altered, the map has only changed in the patches that're important to the plot! The continent is written about, with few exceptions, from an almost entirely white, almost entirely American perspective. There are a few purely African characters, but they are rarely fleshed-out and seldom take center stage. Most of the action is given to the aces, who come mostly from... the United States.
There's a reason for aces to come primarily from the U.S., of course—the Wild Card virus was released over New York, after all—but less reason for the focus to be on the aces so much of the time.
And then there's the flesh... the poor, human flesh of dozens, if not hundreds of characters who are introduced solely so they can die in ever-changing and ever-more-horrible ways. In a world that revolves around Aces, Deuces and Jokers, those who never caught the Wild Card virus get called "Nats"—pronounced, and all too often treated like, gnats. The violence in this book is never-ending, and jarring even for an old hand at the series.
It is hard to escape the conclusion that we are far better off in a world without superheroes.
To some extent, perhaps, it is inevitably that way. The Wild Cards—whether they be Joker, Deuce or Ace—are all the products of a military virus, after all. Aces were intended as weapons, and weapons they are. And, the political, ethnic and religious conflicts in this world's Africa are not much different from those in our own, just as violent and divisive. But I found myself wishing that there would be at least one superhero who went around curing things more often than destroying them in flashier ways than the last ace. (Okay, there's that one centaur in the Jokertown Clinic... but he's been in the series since almost the beginning, and I'm not sure he counts, since his role in this book seems primarily to patch up the aces and get 'em back into battle as soon as possible.) Over and over again we are shown the deaths and dismemberments of ordinary people, often as justified, even inevitable. We're supposed to be horrified by the extremes to which the bad guys go in this book, but even the best of the good guys are not much better.
Maybe this is intentional, underscoring just how much better off we are in a world without superheroes and their super-mayhem. But the unending carnage soon becomes wearisome.
Suicide Kings ends with a rather maudlin editorial appeal on behalf of our real Africa's "Child Soldiers," pointing us to Google to learn more. A worthy cause, but this does not strike me as an especially effective method for advancing it.
And yet... and yet, all that being said, I still found this book exciting, still a page-turner, and would not try to dissuade you from reading it if you've been following earlier installments in the series. I cannot recommend it nearly as strongly as I would have most earlier entries in the franchise, though, and I would definitely not recommend this book as a starting point.
For that, you need to go back to the beginning, to newly-minted heroes like Jetboy and the Great and Powerful Turtle in the air over Manhattan, just a short while after the Takisian air burst, when we didn't know anything about what would happen to the brave new world this band of writers was making.
I've been enjoying the Wild Cards series since the first book came out, 'way back in 1987. It was a glorious subversion of the typical origin myth, a fascinating conceit even then, and it remains so today—an alternate Earth where an alien race, the Takisians, used humanity as unwitting guinea pigs to test an experimental military retrovirus which the Takisians hoped would make them super-soldiers.
The Takisians' plan... didn't work very well. The Wild Card virus was released over Manhattan Island in 1946. 90% of its victims died (they drew the "Black Queen," that is—one of Martin's more brilliant moves was to appropriate the jargon of playing cards. Decades later, the titular metaphors still haven't played out).
90% of the remaining victims of the Wild Card became Jokers—that is, they gained "powers" which were useless, if not worse than useless—debilitating in the extreme, disgusting, eventually fatal.
The remainder, those few who didn't die or become hideously deformed or just gain a power that wasn't very versatile (changing hair color at will, or levitating an inch off the ground), got to become "Aces." Aces tend to have superpowers that, while quirky, actually do them some good. It can be hard to tell, but an Ace power usually has some relationship to the Ace's personality, and it has specific limits (which are also usually related to the Ace's personality).
This basic idea has been the springboard for nearly two dozen books since. I don't think any single author could have written as varied a group of superheroes, super-villains, and exotic characters into a series. The Wild Cards books, though, weren't written by a single author. Although all of the Wild Cards books have been edited or at least overseen by the prolific and well-regarded George R.R. Martin, these are a "shared-world anthology" series. Martin's original vision and strong editing skills provide the bones, but many authors have filled in the flesh.
The list of writers for this latest entry in the Wild Cards series contains several of the original names from the first book, back in 1987; the "credits" at the end include, for example, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Victor Milan and of course George R.R. Martin himself. But a lot of newer writers have been brought into the mix, too, and some of them are... well, not quite as good. The quality of the writing in Suicide Kings varies greatly from segment to segment, and some of it's jarringly cliched. The franchise is much fresher than one might expect given its age, but I got the feeling that it might be getting just a little tired.
There are also some rather disappointing failures of imagination. This is an alternate world where things changed drastically in 1946... plenty of time for radical divergence from our timeline, yet its inhabitants still listen to iPods with white-corded earbuds, and do their Internet searching via Google? Such brand names and marketing details are extremely contingent, it seems to me, and wouldn't necessarily be the same even in a much closer worldline.
Worse, although the novel is set largely in an Africa whose political map is, as would be expected, significantly altered, the map has only changed in the patches that're important to the plot! The continent is written about, with few exceptions, from an almost entirely white, almost entirely American perspective. There are a few purely African characters, but they are rarely fleshed-out and seldom take center stage. Most of the action is given to the aces, who come mostly from... the United States.
There's a reason for aces to come primarily from the U.S., of course—the Wild Card virus was released over New York, after all—but less reason for the focus to be on the aces so much of the time.
And then there's the flesh... the poor, human flesh of dozens, if not hundreds of characters who are introduced solely so they can die in ever-changing and ever-more-horrible ways. In a world that revolves around Aces, Deuces and Jokers, those who never caught the Wild Card virus get called "Nats"—pronounced, and all too often treated like, gnats. The violence in this book is never-ending, and jarring even for an old hand at the series.
It is hard to escape the conclusion that we are far better off in a world without superheroes.
To some extent, perhaps, it is inevitably that way. The Wild Cards—whether they be Joker, Deuce or Ace—are all the products of a military virus, after all. Aces were intended as weapons, and weapons they are. And, the political, ethnic and religious conflicts in this world's Africa are not much different from those in our own, just as violent and divisive. But I found myself wishing that there would be at least one superhero who went around curing things more often than destroying them in flashier ways than the last ace. (Okay, there's that one centaur in the Jokertown Clinic... but he's been in the series since almost the beginning, and I'm not sure he counts, since his role in this book seems primarily to patch up the aces and get 'em back into battle as soon as possible.) Over and over again we are shown the deaths and dismemberments of ordinary people, often as justified, even inevitable. We're supposed to be horrified by the extremes to which the bad guys go in this book, but even the best of the good guys are not much better.
Maybe this is intentional, underscoring just how much better off we are in a world without superheroes and their super-mayhem. But the unending carnage soon becomes wearisome.
Suicide Kings ends with a rather maudlin editorial appeal on behalf of our real Africa's "Child Soldiers," pointing us to Google to learn more. A worthy cause, but this does not strike me as an especially effective method for advancing it.
And yet... and yet, all that being said, I still found this book exciting, still a page-turner, and would not try to dissuade you from reading it if you've been following earlier installments in the series. I cannot recommend it nearly as strongly as I would have most earlier entries in the franchise, though, and I would definitely not recommend this book as a starting point.
For that, you need to go back to the beginning, to newly-minted heroes like Jetboy and the Great and Powerful Turtle in the air over Manhattan, just a short while after the Takisian air burst, when we didn't know anything about what would happen to the brave new world this band of writers was making.
May 20, 2021
Wild Cards is a series I've loved since I first ran across it. A collection of different characters and ideas edited by George RR Martin before he got huge with Game of Thrones, the novels are often called mosaic novels, as different stories and events weave together to create a world that's like ours, but different from 1946 forward.
Suicide Kings brings forward the characters from the last few books, as well as giving us glimpses of a few favorites. This one touched on strange relationships, super-powered terrorism, child soldiers, and a lot of other elements. A few characters try and make the world better, while others are greedy, self-involved, or just plain violent and selfish. It's a huge mess with global consequences.
The People's Paradise of Africa is a collection of African nations, brought together by dictators backed by The Radical, the world's most powerful ace. But they are desperate to hold power, and will do anything to keep themselves on top. Opposition is building, and one by one, other aces are drawn into the conflict for different reasons, including Gardener, Rustbelt, Bugsy, Cameo, and more.
Last book ended with the Amazing Bubbles saving New Orleans from a nuclear blast, but at great cost. Will she recover? Will Mark Meadows, the lovable Cap'n Trips, get his body back? Will the UN Committee be allowed to act and do the right thing? Can Busgy uncover the secret of the Radical's strange past and even weirder secret?
It's a globe-hopping adventure as very creatively defined powers and personalities clash in this strange, twisted mirror of our own world. If you know Martin's writing at all, and the Wild Card novels, you know not everyone is going to make it out alive. The twists and turns along the way are surprising and heartbreaking.
Wild Cards is a story of people with special powers in a very real world. A good, more recent comparison might be The Boys. If you like heroic action and adult themes, along with some really unique spins on the ideas of how powers work, you have to check this out. As with many rich and detailed series, I really, strongly recommend starting this one from the beginning.
Suicide Kings brings forward the characters from the last few books, as well as giving us glimpses of a few favorites. This one touched on strange relationships, super-powered terrorism, child soldiers, and a lot of other elements. A few characters try and make the world better, while others are greedy, self-involved, or just plain violent and selfish. It's a huge mess with global consequences.
The People's Paradise of Africa is a collection of African nations, brought together by dictators backed by The Radical, the world's most powerful ace. But they are desperate to hold power, and will do anything to keep themselves on top. Opposition is building, and one by one, other aces are drawn into the conflict for different reasons, including Gardener, Rustbelt, Bugsy, Cameo, and more.
Last book ended with the Amazing Bubbles saving New Orleans from a nuclear blast, but at great cost. Will she recover? Will Mark Meadows, the lovable Cap'n Trips, get his body back? Will the UN Committee be allowed to act and do the right thing? Can Busgy uncover the secret of the Radical's strange past and even weirder secret?
It's a globe-hopping adventure as very creatively defined powers and personalities clash in this strange, twisted mirror of our own world. If you know Martin's writing at all, and the Wild Card novels, you know not everyone is going to make it out alive. The twists and turns along the way are surprising and heartbreaking.
Wild Cards is a story of people with special powers in a very real world. A good, more recent comparison might be The Boys. If you like heroic action and adult themes, along with some really unique spins on the ideas of how powers work, you have to check this out. As with many rich and detailed series, I really, strongly recommend starting this one from the beginning.
March 1, 2020
Inhalt:
Einst war er ein Held. Doch nun ist er wahnsinnig!
Immer mehr Kinder werden in Afrika in ein geheimes Labor verschleppt, wo sie absichtlich mit dem Wild-Cards-Virus infiziert werden. Die meisten sterben oder mutieren auf schreckliche Weise. Doch einige wenige werden zu Assen mit superheldengleichen Kräften und anschließend gezwungen, für das People's Paradise of Africa zu kämpfen. Dahinter steckt Radical, das wahrscheinlich mächtigste Ass der Welt, der endgültig dem Wahnsinn verfallen ist. Das Kommitee – die Ass-Eingreiftruppe der UNO – muss ihn aufhalten. Doch der Radical ist der tödlichste Gegner, dem sie sich je gegenübergesehen haben.
Meine Meinung:
Mir hat es super gefallen. Die Story ist spannend und flott erzählt. Die Charaktere und ihre Fähigkeiten sind interessant. Auch das Thema ist wirklich gut, und nicht mal weit hergeholt. Zu meckern habe ich nichts, außer vielleicht, dass mir nach einer Weile oft die Arme sehr schwer wurden... Das lag nicht an der Story, sondern an dem riesen Schinken. :D
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ von 5 möglichen ⭐. Tolles Buch mit tollen Charakteren.
Einst war er ein Held. Doch nun ist er wahnsinnig!
Immer mehr Kinder werden in Afrika in ein geheimes Labor verschleppt, wo sie absichtlich mit dem Wild-Cards-Virus infiziert werden. Die meisten sterben oder mutieren auf schreckliche Weise. Doch einige wenige werden zu Assen mit superheldengleichen Kräften und anschließend gezwungen, für das People's Paradise of Africa zu kämpfen. Dahinter steckt Radical, das wahrscheinlich mächtigste Ass der Welt, der endgültig dem Wahnsinn verfallen ist. Das Kommitee – die Ass-Eingreiftruppe der UNO – muss ihn aufhalten. Doch der Radical ist der tödlichste Gegner, dem sie sich je gegenübergesehen haben.
Meine Meinung:
Mir hat es super gefallen. Die Story ist spannend und flott erzählt. Die Charaktere und ihre Fähigkeiten sind interessant. Auch das Thema ist wirklich gut, und nicht mal weit hergeholt. Zu meckern habe ich nichts, außer vielleicht, dass mir nach einer Weile oft die Arme sehr schwer wurden... Das lag nicht an der Story, sondern an dem riesen Schinken. :D
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ von 5 möglichen ⭐. Tolles Buch mit tollen Charakteren.
July 30, 2019
When I returned with this book from the library, excited to start this new story, I discovered it is actually the 20th book in the series and the end of a trilogy. However, figuring out what happened before was actually a fun part of reading this book. This book definitely made me interested in reading the other books. I love the concept of the series, the universe it's set in and its characters. It amazed me how well the book fit together while having been written by multiple authors. (4.5/5 stars)
June 4, 2018
Suicide Kings is the conclusion to the best arc in the Wildcards series! Intersex Noel and his activities are my favorite but in general, a lot of the characters are immensely likeable. The Committee's entrenched in bureaucracy and some of the heroes from the past two books don't show, but there's an old favorite coming back to play the role of the villain.
Some mentions of gang rape/war time atrocities, discussion of euthanasia and of course, warnings for violence.
Some mentions of gang rape/war time atrocities, discussion of euthanasia and of course, warnings for violence.
October 11, 2018
I really liked Suicide Kings. I like Michelle’s (the Amazing Bubbles), Noel’s, and Wally’s (Rustbelt) storylines, the last chapter, and the epilogues. There isn’t anything that I disliked about Suicide Kings. If you enjoyed reading other books in the Wild Cards Series, then you will enjoy reading Suicide Kings as well. Five Stars.
October 9, 2020
I love the Wild Cards universe a lot!
The story here is so great and touching that I nearly felt a tear come out at the end, when plot twist after plot twist hammers my poor heart. I could go on more but I do not want to spoil the story.
Plenty of sex references within, not suitable for children.
The story here is so great and touching that I nearly felt a tear come out at the end, when plot twist after plot twist hammers my poor heart. I could go on more but I do not want to spoil the story.
Plenty of sex references within, not suitable for children.
September 4, 2018
What an exciting, emotional end to this triad. Man, I never thought Rusty would be a great POV character, but I love him. Other favorites take center stage, but none moreso than Mark Meadows himself. A great book for new and old WC readers alike.
August 25, 2019
Really enjoying my return to this very lived-in world of powers and deformities, even if some of the writers can only manage groan-worthy dialogue, and the focus on child soldiers in this volume was touching.
April 20, 2018
Sci-fi with a social conscience
I’ve read almost all of the books in this series, and this one was particularly good. Well developed characters and a strong sense of morality.
I’ve read almost all of the books in this series, and this one was particularly good. Well developed characters and a strong sense of morality.
August 31, 2019
The last three were probably the best in the series in terms of character development.
January 6, 2023
My favourite of these in a long time
May 2, 2023
Good finish to this three-parter with a bit more from some old favourites (Wally, Jerusha and Michelle amongst them)
July 16, 2024
Another solid ending to a trilogy. You never know who will move on as a character because it's an ever evolving universe, and I really like that part, the unknown.
August 21, 2013
http://www.bscreview.com/2009/12/wild...
Suicide Kings, as the third book of the Committee triad, follows the tradition established by Jokers Wild, the third book of the original Wild Cards triad. While the two preceding books were always composed of alternating chapters penned by the different contributing authors, Suicide Kings is a true mosaic novel in which all of the contributions are edited together into a single continuous story. The chapters are organized into days, starting with the events of November 26th, Thanksgiving Day, and ending with New Year’s Day. Following the events of Busted Flush, in which the People’s Paradise of Africa established itself as the dominant power in Africa, Suicide Kings opens with the PPA spreading its influence onto the world stage through a successful war against The Caliphate of Arabia. Busted Flush also reintroduced the character of Tom “The Radical” Weathers, one of the oldest surviving characters of the Wild Cards continuum, a Marxist fanatic, and the world’s most powerful ace. He also tried to kill the entire Committee and a sizable percentage of New Orleans, so, needless to say, he’s the bad guy.
As if he was not enough of a problem, both the Committee and the Caliphate discover that the PPA has an increasingly large number of aces working with their army against the Caliphate. President Saraj of the Caliphate, having no aces of his own to counter the PPA, enlists the aid of Noel Matthews through blackmail. Noel, seeing no way to defeat the PPA through either direct confrontation or assassination, sets in motion plans to bring down the PPA from within.
Back in America we find Wally “Rustbelt” Gunderson, probably the best character introduced in Inside Straight, growing increasingly disillusioned with both the Committee and his place in it. Unable to find satisfaction in his work for the UN, Rusty has been sponsoring a number of children in Africa. Unfortunately he lost contact with one of these pen-pals, a boy living in the Congo named Lucien, after his last letter told of soldiers coming into his village to collect children for a “special school.” When the Committee turns down Rusty’s request to be posted to the Congo so he can check on Lucien, he decides to go without their support. He realizes however, that he doesn’t have the slightest idea on how he’s going to do that by himself, so he solicits help from Jerusha “Gardener” Carter, and together they attempt to infiltrate the heart of the PPA in search of his little friend.
In the previous two books, one of the contributors would provide a core narrative, a kind of skeleton to which the other contributors would attach their parts of the story. The structure for Suicide Kings is very different. The perspective is constantly rotating between the six point-of-view characters, one for each author, and none of them dominate the others. The result is a book with a much smoother narrative flow and a more even pace than its predecessors.
Suicide Kings is the most realistic book of the triad, and consequently it is the most depressing. George R. R. Martin makes it very clear in the afterward that one of the aims of this novel is to remind us that the problem of child soldiers in Africa is very real and very much a problem of today. In that vein, something I found very interesting was the different ways the various characters handled the children. Alicia Nshombo treated the children of the PPA like her own personal property. Tom Weathers loved and fiercely protected his own daughter, but thought nothing of what had been done to the PPA children or of using them as soldiers in his cause. Noel Matthews ignored the problem until he is confronted with the children’s plight directly, and it is only then that he feels compelled to help. Josephine Hebert identifies with them as victims, and considers her own anger and pain to be one and the same as their own. Michelle Pond becomes obsessed with rescuing one little girl she has connected with, and along the way barely hesitates to kill another little girl to protect herself. Jerusha Carter and Wally Gunderson both decide that they owe the children no less than to put their own lives at stake to protect them, and Wally never gives up on any child no matter what they have done or had done to them. What is so bizarre and yet disturbingly insightful is what makes them all the same. They all see themselves as doing what is right and necessary. Nshombo and Weathers saw themselves as every bit as moral and heroic as we see Rusty and Gardner, and that is what makes them truly frightening figures.
Suicide Kings was exactly what I was hoping for as the conclusion of the triad. It is a rip-roaring story which is also capable of making you think and feel. It is also an interesting counterpart to Inside Straight, each book representing the opposing extremes of power and heroism. If you enjoyed the books in the triad so far, Suicide Kings has a lot to offer you. Check it out.
Suicide Kings, as the third book of the Committee triad, follows the tradition established by Jokers Wild, the third book of the original Wild Cards triad. While the two preceding books were always composed of alternating chapters penned by the different contributing authors, Suicide Kings is a true mosaic novel in which all of the contributions are edited together into a single continuous story. The chapters are organized into days, starting with the events of November 26th, Thanksgiving Day, and ending with New Year’s Day. Following the events of Busted Flush, in which the People’s Paradise of Africa established itself as the dominant power in Africa, Suicide Kings opens with the PPA spreading its influence onto the world stage through a successful war against The Caliphate of Arabia. Busted Flush also reintroduced the character of Tom “The Radical” Weathers, one of the oldest surviving characters of the Wild Cards continuum, a Marxist fanatic, and the world’s most powerful ace. He also tried to kill the entire Committee and a sizable percentage of New Orleans, so, needless to say, he’s the bad guy.
As if he was not enough of a problem, both the Committee and the Caliphate discover that the PPA has an increasingly large number of aces working with their army against the Caliphate. President Saraj of the Caliphate, having no aces of his own to counter the PPA, enlists the aid of Noel Matthews through blackmail. Noel, seeing no way to defeat the PPA through either direct confrontation or assassination, sets in motion plans to bring down the PPA from within.
Back in America we find Wally “Rustbelt” Gunderson, probably the best character introduced in Inside Straight, growing increasingly disillusioned with both the Committee and his place in it. Unable to find satisfaction in his work for the UN, Rusty has been sponsoring a number of children in Africa. Unfortunately he lost contact with one of these pen-pals, a boy living in the Congo named Lucien, after his last letter told of soldiers coming into his village to collect children for a “special school.” When the Committee turns down Rusty’s request to be posted to the Congo so he can check on Lucien, he decides to go without their support. He realizes however, that he doesn’t have the slightest idea on how he’s going to do that by himself, so he solicits help from Jerusha “Gardener” Carter, and together they attempt to infiltrate the heart of the PPA in search of his little friend.
In the previous two books, one of the contributors would provide a core narrative, a kind of skeleton to which the other contributors would attach their parts of the story. The structure for Suicide Kings is very different. The perspective is constantly rotating between the six point-of-view characters, one for each author, and none of them dominate the others. The result is a book with a much smoother narrative flow and a more even pace than its predecessors.
Suicide Kings is the most realistic book of the triad, and consequently it is the most depressing. George R. R. Martin makes it very clear in the afterward that one of the aims of this novel is to remind us that the problem of child soldiers in Africa is very real and very much a problem of today. In that vein, something I found very interesting was the different ways the various characters handled the children. Alicia Nshombo treated the children of the PPA like her own personal property. Tom Weathers loved and fiercely protected his own daughter, but thought nothing of what had been done to the PPA children or of using them as soldiers in his cause. Noel Matthews ignored the problem until he is confronted with the children’s plight directly, and it is only then that he feels compelled to help. Josephine Hebert identifies with them as victims, and considers her own anger and pain to be one and the same as their own. Michelle Pond becomes obsessed with rescuing one little girl she has connected with, and along the way barely hesitates to kill another little girl to protect herself. Jerusha Carter and Wally Gunderson both decide that they owe the children no less than to put their own lives at stake to protect them, and Wally never gives up on any child no matter what they have done or had done to them. What is so bizarre and yet disturbingly insightful is what makes them all the same. They all see themselves as doing what is right and necessary. Nshombo and Weathers saw themselves as every bit as moral and heroic as we see Rusty and Gardner, and that is what makes them truly frightening figures.
Suicide Kings was exactly what I was hoping for as the conclusion of the triad. It is a rip-roaring story which is also capable of making you think and feel. It is also an interesting counterpart to Inside Straight, each book representing the opposing extremes of power and heroism. If you enjoyed the books in the triad so far, Suicide Kings has a lot to offer you. Check it out.
December 2, 2016
Wally alias Rustbelt macht sich Sorgen um Lucien, ein Kind aus Afrika, mit dem er eine Brieffreundschaft aufrecht erhält. Doch Wally hat schon länger nichts mehr von Lucien gehört, was sehr ungewöhnlich ist. Der Wunsch, in den Kongo zu reisen, um nach Lucien zu sehen, setzt sich so in Wally fest, wie seine Haut aus Eisen besteht. Zusammen mit dem Ass Gardener alias Jerusha Carter macht er sich auf den Weg dorthin.
Gleichzeitig finden andere Asse heraus, dass Kinder in Afrika in geheime Labore verschleppt werden. Ihnen wird das Wild Card-Virus injiziert, um eine Armee von Kinder-Assen zu erhalten. Doch schlägt das Virus bei vielen Kinder nur in der Art an, dass sie sich in Joker verwandeln. Für das People`s Paradise of Africa ein Grund, Massenmorde an den Kindern zu begehen.
Und dann ist da noch Radical, der tödlichste Gegner der Asse, aber auch das mächtigste Ass selbst.
Nach einem genialen Auftakt mit Band 1 "Das Spiel der Spiele" und dem doch sehr enttäuschenden zweiten Teil "Der Sieg der Verlierer" habe ich mich nun dem dritten Teil widmen können - und war wieder völlig gebannt von der Schreibweise, der interessanten Geschichte und dem Spannungsbogen, der sich von Anfang bis Ende aufrecht erhält.
George R.R. Martin und seine Autorenkollegen haben es geschafft, wieder eine actionreiche Geschichte zu schaffen, die mich in den Bann gezogen hat. Ich bin zurückgekehrt ins Wild Card-Universum, in die unendlichen Möglichkeiten, die sich ergeben. Die Mischung aus Fantasy und Science-fiction bietet großen Handlungsraum und jeder Autor, der an der Story beteiligt war, hat sich auch wieder richtig austoben können.
Schon allein die verschiedenenen Asse, die sich die Autoren ausgedacht haben, sind genial. Sei es Bubbles, ein ehemaliges Model, dass nun aus der Haut Blasen entstehen lassen kann und diese durch Kontrolle als Waffe einsetzt. Oder Jonathan Hives, der sich in einen großen Wespenschwarm auflösen kann. Aber auch die Kontrolle über die Toten, diese Fähigkeit hat Hoodoo-Mama. Oder Gardener, die nur Kraft ihrer Gedanken aus jedem Samen eine Pflanze entstehen lassen kann.
Jeder Autor hat sich eine eigene Figur ausgedacht und zusammen haben sie es geschafft, alle miteinander agieren zu lassen.
Die Geschichte an sich ist sehr erschütternd. Kinder werden dazu benutzt, eine Armee aufzustellen. Der ihnen injizierte Wild Card-Virus führt dazu, dass sie entweder zu Assen werden - was aber nur bei wenigen der Fall ist - oder sie werden zu einem sog. Joker. Und wenn sie zu diesem werden, werden sie nicht gebraucht und in Massengräber geworfen. Tausende Kinder kommen dadurch zu Tode und die amerikanischen Asse wie Rustbelt, Gardener, Bubbles, Hoodoo-Mama, Noel, Cameo und Bugsy wollen dies nicht weiter geschehen lassen. Erst machen sie sich unabhängig voneinander auf den Weg in den Kongo, doch letztendlich merken sie, dass sie zusammenarbeiten müssen.
Und dann ist da noch Radical alias Tom Weathers, der sich als mächtigstes Ass erweist und diese Macht natürlich auch dazu ausnutzt, Böses zu tun. Zusammen mit den Geschwistern Nshombo baut er die Armee auf und will damit die Welt überrennen. Er muss aufgehalten werden.
Ich bin immer wieder überrascht, wie es möglich ist, dass viele Autoren zusammen ein Buch schreiben können. Aber es ist geglückt. An "Der höchste Einsatz" waren insgesamt 12 Autoren beteiligt. Dabei hat sich jeder Autor ein oder mehrere Asse ausgedacht. Der bekannteste Autor ist wohl George R. R. Martin, der auch gleichzeitig der Herausgeber ist. Seine Figuren sind: Hoodoo-Mama, Klaus Hausser alias Lohengrin, Jay Ackroyd alias Popinjay, Donation Racine alias Tricolor.
Aber wie gesagt, unendliche Fähigkeiten, unendliche Möglichkeiten. Und so wundert es nicht, dass es im amerikanischen schon etliche Bände zu der Wild Cards-Reihe gibt. Auch wenn ich vom zweiten Band sehr enttäuscht war, mich der dritte aber wieder so richtig mitreißen konnte, bleibe ich der Reihe treu und freue mich auf weitere Erscheinungen. Vor allem, da es sehr interessant ist, dass jedes Buch von anderen Assen handelt bzw. bestimmte Asse in den Mittelpunkt gestellt werden.
Fazit:
Spannend bis zum Schluss.
Gleichzeitig finden andere Asse heraus, dass Kinder in Afrika in geheime Labore verschleppt werden. Ihnen wird das Wild Card-Virus injiziert, um eine Armee von Kinder-Assen zu erhalten. Doch schlägt das Virus bei vielen Kinder nur in der Art an, dass sie sich in Joker verwandeln. Für das People`s Paradise of Africa ein Grund, Massenmorde an den Kindern zu begehen.
Und dann ist da noch Radical, der tödlichste Gegner der Asse, aber auch das mächtigste Ass selbst.
Nach einem genialen Auftakt mit Band 1 "Das Spiel der Spiele" und dem doch sehr enttäuschenden zweiten Teil "Der Sieg der Verlierer" habe ich mich nun dem dritten Teil widmen können - und war wieder völlig gebannt von der Schreibweise, der interessanten Geschichte und dem Spannungsbogen, der sich von Anfang bis Ende aufrecht erhält.
George R.R. Martin und seine Autorenkollegen haben es geschafft, wieder eine actionreiche Geschichte zu schaffen, die mich in den Bann gezogen hat. Ich bin zurückgekehrt ins Wild Card-Universum, in die unendlichen Möglichkeiten, die sich ergeben. Die Mischung aus Fantasy und Science-fiction bietet großen Handlungsraum und jeder Autor, der an der Story beteiligt war, hat sich auch wieder richtig austoben können.
Schon allein die verschiedenenen Asse, die sich die Autoren ausgedacht haben, sind genial. Sei es Bubbles, ein ehemaliges Model, dass nun aus der Haut Blasen entstehen lassen kann und diese durch Kontrolle als Waffe einsetzt. Oder Jonathan Hives, der sich in einen großen Wespenschwarm auflösen kann. Aber auch die Kontrolle über die Toten, diese Fähigkeit hat Hoodoo-Mama. Oder Gardener, die nur Kraft ihrer Gedanken aus jedem Samen eine Pflanze entstehen lassen kann.
Jeder Autor hat sich eine eigene Figur ausgedacht und zusammen haben sie es geschafft, alle miteinander agieren zu lassen.
Die Geschichte an sich ist sehr erschütternd. Kinder werden dazu benutzt, eine Armee aufzustellen. Der ihnen injizierte Wild Card-Virus führt dazu, dass sie entweder zu Assen werden - was aber nur bei wenigen der Fall ist - oder sie werden zu einem sog. Joker. Und wenn sie zu diesem werden, werden sie nicht gebraucht und in Massengräber geworfen. Tausende Kinder kommen dadurch zu Tode und die amerikanischen Asse wie Rustbelt, Gardener, Bubbles, Hoodoo-Mama, Noel, Cameo und Bugsy wollen dies nicht weiter geschehen lassen. Erst machen sie sich unabhängig voneinander auf den Weg in den Kongo, doch letztendlich merken sie, dass sie zusammenarbeiten müssen.
Und dann ist da noch Radical alias Tom Weathers, der sich als mächtigstes Ass erweist und diese Macht natürlich auch dazu ausnutzt, Böses zu tun. Zusammen mit den Geschwistern Nshombo baut er die Armee auf und will damit die Welt überrennen. Er muss aufgehalten werden.
Ich bin immer wieder überrascht, wie es möglich ist, dass viele Autoren zusammen ein Buch schreiben können. Aber es ist geglückt. An "Der höchste Einsatz" waren insgesamt 12 Autoren beteiligt. Dabei hat sich jeder Autor ein oder mehrere Asse ausgedacht. Der bekannteste Autor ist wohl George R. R. Martin, der auch gleichzeitig der Herausgeber ist. Seine Figuren sind: Hoodoo-Mama, Klaus Hausser alias Lohengrin, Jay Ackroyd alias Popinjay, Donation Racine alias Tricolor.
Aber wie gesagt, unendliche Fähigkeiten, unendliche Möglichkeiten. Und so wundert es nicht, dass es im amerikanischen schon etliche Bände zu der Wild Cards-Reihe gibt. Auch wenn ich vom zweiten Band sehr enttäuscht war, mich der dritte aber wieder so richtig mitreißen konnte, bleibe ich der Reihe treu und freue mich auf weitere Erscheinungen. Vor allem, da es sehr interessant ist, dass jedes Buch von anderen Assen handelt bzw. bestimmte Asse in den Mittelpunkt gestellt werden.
Fazit:
Spannend bis zum Schluss.
November 5, 2016
Inhalt:
Schreckliche Machenschaften kennen keine Grenzen und wenn sich unter sie noch wahre Superhelden ohne Skrupel mischen ist das Böse an einem Punkt angekommen an dem es nicht mehr zu stoppen scheint. Als immer mehr Kinder in Afrika Opfer dieser Machenschaften werden um dort in einem geheimen Labor mit dem Wild-Card-Virus infiziert zu werden, hat dies schreckliche Folgen. Die meisten sterben bei dem Versuch, andere mutieren auf schreckliche Weise und nur wenige entwickeln sich zu Assen mit superheldengleichen Fähigkeiten. Aber auch diese erlangen nicht die erwünschte Freiheit, sondern werden wie Sklaven gezwungen für das People´s Paradise of Africa zu kämpfen. All dies geht auf die Kappe von Radical, eines der mächtigsten Asse der Welt, welcher endgültig dem Wahnsinn verfallen ist und die Welt unter seine Fittische an sich reisen möchte.
Es wird Zeit dem Ganzen einen Strich durch die Rechnung zu machen und so ruft es das Komitee auf den Plan, eine Ass-Eingreifgruppe der UNO. Im Kampf um Freiheit und Weltfrieden sieht sich das Komitee dem stärksten Gegner aller Zeiten gegenüber und ihn zu stoppen scheint schier unmöglich zu sein!
Meine Meinung:
Mit dem Abschluss der Wild-Card-Trilogie ist dem Autor George R.R. Martin ein actionreicher, spannender und voller Wendungen gestalteter Endspurt gelungen.
Der Einstieg gestaltete sich anfänglich etwas schwieriger, denn er beginnt mitten im Geschehen und man muss erst einmal herauskristallisieren wer denn nun wirklich der Feind und der Freund ist, dennoch ist es sofort extrem fesselnd gestaltet und nachdem man alles quasi sortiert hat, möchte man gar nicht mehr aufhören mit dem lesen. Es war wirklich eine Überraschung für mich, dass ich innerhalb von knapp 2 Tagen am Ende angelangt war und das Gefühl sich einschlich, noch mehr von dieser Gruppe lesen zu wollen. Schon traurig, dass es wirklich das Ende dieser Reihe darstellen soll, denn es ist noch so viel ungenutztes Potential vorhanden, aus dem man locker noch 1-2 Bücher mehr hätte machen können.
Dennoch ist es für mich ein grandioser Abschluss, der mich aufs Neue nochmal total in seinen Bann gezogen hatte. Erst hatte ich wahre Zweifel, ob ich den dritten Band wirklich lesen sollte, da mich sein Vorgänger nicht zu 100% umgehauen hatte und ich nicht davon überzeugt war, dass es besser werden kann. Doch so muss man wiederum sagen, dass es wie bei vielen Werken von George R.R. Martin ist, er beendet seine Reihen immer mit einem riesen Knall und bindet so seinen Leser wieder an sich und seine Schreibkunst!
Der Schreibstil ist einfach mega! Energisch, fesselnd, flüssig und voller Action weiß er seinen Leser an das Buch zu binden und nie mehr los zu lassen!
Die Charaktere sind vielschichtig und einzigartig. Alle haben ihre Kanten und Ecken, und genau dies macht sie entweder sehr sympathisch oder eben nicht. Einen wahren Liebling kann ich nicht benennen, denn es waren viele Sympathieträger darunter, aber ganz klar kann ich Radical als absoluten Ich-Hab-Angst-Und-Mag-Ihn-Gar-Nicht-Charakter nennen.
Fazit:
Mit einem ordentlichen Knall findet erneut eine grandiose Reihe ihr Ende und ich bin am Boden zerstört. Alles was mir am zweiten Band fehlte, holte George R.R. Martin in diesem Band nach und hat mich total geflasht. Leider fand ich es an manchen Stellen etwas zu vollgestopft und so bliebt einiges an ungenutzten Potential auf der Strecke, welches er locker in 1-2 weiteren Bänden hätte umsetzen können. Dennoch muss ich sagen, dass diese Trilogie an Spannung & Action ein enormes Unterhaltungsspektrum mit sich bringt, welches man sich absolut nicht entgehen lassen sollte!
Schreckliche Machenschaften kennen keine Grenzen und wenn sich unter sie noch wahre Superhelden ohne Skrupel mischen ist das Böse an einem Punkt angekommen an dem es nicht mehr zu stoppen scheint. Als immer mehr Kinder in Afrika Opfer dieser Machenschaften werden um dort in einem geheimen Labor mit dem Wild-Card-Virus infiziert zu werden, hat dies schreckliche Folgen. Die meisten sterben bei dem Versuch, andere mutieren auf schreckliche Weise und nur wenige entwickeln sich zu Assen mit superheldengleichen Fähigkeiten. Aber auch diese erlangen nicht die erwünschte Freiheit, sondern werden wie Sklaven gezwungen für das People´s Paradise of Africa zu kämpfen. All dies geht auf die Kappe von Radical, eines der mächtigsten Asse der Welt, welcher endgültig dem Wahnsinn verfallen ist und die Welt unter seine Fittische an sich reisen möchte.
Es wird Zeit dem Ganzen einen Strich durch die Rechnung zu machen und so ruft es das Komitee auf den Plan, eine Ass-Eingreifgruppe der UNO. Im Kampf um Freiheit und Weltfrieden sieht sich das Komitee dem stärksten Gegner aller Zeiten gegenüber und ihn zu stoppen scheint schier unmöglich zu sein!
Meine Meinung:
Mit dem Abschluss der Wild-Card-Trilogie ist dem Autor George R.R. Martin ein actionreicher, spannender und voller Wendungen gestalteter Endspurt gelungen.
Der Einstieg gestaltete sich anfänglich etwas schwieriger, denn er beginnt mitten im Geschehen und man muss erst einmal herauskristallisieren wer denn nun wirklich der Feind und der Freund ist, dennoch ist es sofort extrem fesselnd gestaltet und nachdem man alles quasi sortiert hat, möchte man gar nicht mehr aufhören mit dem lesen. Es war wirklich eine Überraschung für mich, dass ich innerhalb von knapp 2 Tagen am Ende angelangt war und das Gefühl sich einschlich, noch mehr von dieser Gruppe lesen zu wollen. Schon traurig, dass es wirklich das Ende dieser Reihe darstellen soll, denn es ist noch so viel ungenutztes Potential vorhanden, aus dem man locker noch 1-2 Bücher mehr hätte machen können.
Dennoch ist es für mich ein grandioser Abschluss, der mich aufs Neue nochmal total in seinen Bann gezogen hatte. Erst hatte ich wahre Zweifel, ob ich den dritten Band wirklich lesen sollte, da mich sein Vorgänger nicht zu 100% umgehauen hatte und ich nicht davon überzeugt war, dass es besser werden kann. Doch so muss man wiederum sagen, dass es wie bei vielen Werken von George R.R. Martin ist, er beendet seine Reihen immer mit einem riesen Knall und bindet so seinen Leser wieder an sich und seine Schreibkunst!
Der Schreibstil ist einfach mega! Energisch, fesselnd, flüssig und voller Action weiß er seinen Leser an das Buch zu binden und nie mehr los zu lassen!
Die Charaktere sind vielschichtig und einzigartig. Alle haben ihre Kanten und Ecken, und genau dies macht sie entweder sehr sympathisch oder eben nicht. Einen wahren Liebling kann ich nicht benennen, denn es waren viele Sympathieträger darunter, aber ganz klar kann ich Radical als absoluten Ich-Hab-Angst-Und-Mag-Ihn-Gar-Nicht-Charakter nennen.
Fazit:
Mit einem ordentlichen Knall findet erneut eine grandiose Reihe ihr Ende und ich bin am Boden zerstört. Alles was mir am zweiten Band fehlte, holte George R.R. Martin in diesem Band nach und hat mich total geflasht. Leider fand ich es an manchen Stellen etwas zu vollgestopft und so bliebt einiges an ungenutzten Potential auf der Strecke, welches er locker in 1-2 weiteren Bänden hätte umsetzen können. Dennoch muss ich sagen, dass diese Trilogie an Spannung & Action ein enormes Unterhaltungsspektrum mit sich bringt, welches man sich absolut nicht entgehen lassen sollte!
January 30, 2017
Während Bubbles nach der Aufnahme der Atombombenexplosionsenergie als riesiger Koloss im Koma liegt versucht Noel ein normales Leben mit seiner Frau zu führen. Bugsy dagegen ist von Normalität weit entfernt, kann er doch mit seiner toten Freundin nur über ein anderes Ass zusammen sein. Doch Bubbles träumt von einem Mädchen zwischen Leichen in Afrika und Rusty will mit Gardeners Hilfe seinen kleinen Brieffreund befreien, der in Tansania entführt wurde. Zu dumm, dass das Komitee dabei ist, zu verbürokratisieren. Die Asse sind auf sich gestellt und ihr schlimmster Feind Radical hat Furchtbares mit den Kindern vor.
Das Buch hat mich wieder umgehauen. Die Thematik ist schwer und trotz der fantastischen Grundlage erschreckend realistisch, denn Kindersoldaten kennen wir auch. Dabei geht das Buch unglaublich gelungen vor. Die unterschiedlichen Perspektiven ranken sich um die Thematik und die Figuren kommen auf unterschiedlichen Wegen zum Ziel. Dass auch Radical selbst betrachtet wird, zeigt die tiefe Psychologie, der die Figuren zugrunde liegen, sehr gut. Hier wird gut nachgedacht und stimmig konzipiert, ohne auf Überraschungen zu verzichten. Es wird dramatisch und die einzelnen Fäden fassen immer wieder ineinander.
Ich finde es etwas schwer, dass die Konflikte hier nahezu nur in Afrika stattfinden. Hier hat der zweite Band mit dem zweiten Kampfschauplatz Amerika Abwechslung geboten. Auch, dass viele Gegner für die amerikanischen Asse Ausländer sind, schmeckt leicht bitter. Doch auch hier zeigen sich durchaus Methoden, die dem amerikanischen Patriotismus zumindest teilweise entgegenwirken. Es gibt deutsche und britische Figuren und der „Endgegner“ ist Amerikaner. Trotzdem würde ich mir zu diesem Punkt etwas mehr Entwicklung wünschen. Immerhin haben sich quasi die ersten drei Bände mit Afrika beschäftigt. Jetzt sollte etwas Neues kommen!
Dass neben dem übergreifenden Plot des Konflikts jede Figur ihre eigenen Probleme zu bewältigen hat, finde ich gut und wichtig. In jedem Band treten neue oder zumindest andere Hauptcharaktere auf, es gibt viel Entwicklung und immer wieder auch Abschiede. Gerade dadurch verliert sich meiner Meinung nach nicht der Überblick. Es wäre nicht allzu einfach für jemanden, der die ersten Bände nicht kennt, sich auf den dritten Einzulassen, aber ich denke, es geht. Denn ohne Redundant zu werden gibt es die wichtigsten Infos und die Charakterisierung der Figuren wird mit Band zu Band tiefer, so dass es auch hier wieder Neues zu entdecken gibt.
Gelungen finde ich auch immer wieder, dass jeder Band sein rundes Ende hat. Nur sehr wenige Fäden verbleiben in der Luft und alle nur soweit, dass es zu keiner großen Schlussfrage kommt. Niemand hängt hier über Klippen. Großartig ist vor allem, dass die unterschiedlichen Autoren beim Lesen absolut nicht zu merken sind. Eventuell sorgen sie dafür, dass die Figuren in sich authentischer wirken, weil sie eigene Gedanken habe und eine individuelle Sprache. Eben das, was ein gut konzipierter Roman für seine Figuren haben sollte. Doch es gibt keine stilistischen Einbrüche, alles ist aufeinander abgestimmt und die gemeinsame Entwicklung einfach toll.
Zuletzt mag es eventuell beschwerlich sein, dass es immer wieder um Bürokratie und Politik gibt. Doch das sind eben die Hürden, die sich den Helden der Reihe tagtäglich in den Weg stellen. Es gibt Beziehungsprobleme und Familienstreitigkeiten, Annäherungen und Entfremdung. Doch für mich machen diese Punkte die Reihe unheimlich realistisch. Hier wird ja nicht nur Fantasy betrieben, sondern eine Art alternative Realität geschaffen, die tief und komplex strukturiert wurde.
Das Buch hat mich wieder umgehauen. Die Thematik ist schwer und trotz der fantastischen Grundlage erschreckend realistisch, denn Kindersoldaten kennen wir auch. Dabei geht das Buch unglaublich gelungen vor. Die unterschiedlichen Perspektiven ranken sich um die Thematik und die Figuren kommen auf unterschiedlichen Wegen zum Ziel. Dass auch Radical selbst betrachtet wird, zeigt die tiefe Psychologie, der die Figuren zugrunde liegen, sehr gut. Hier wird gut nachgedacht und stimmig konzipiert, ohne auf Überraschungen zu verzichten. Es wird dramatisch und die einzelnen Fäden fassen immer wieder ineinander.
Ich finde es etwas schwer, dass die Konflikte hier nahezu nur in Afrika stattfinden. Hier hat der zweite Band mit dem zweiten Kampfschauplatz Amerika Abwechslung geboten. Auch, dass viele Gegner für die amerikanischen Asse Ausländer sind, schmeckt leicht bitter. Doch auch hier zeigen sich durchaus Methoden, die dem amerikanischen Patriotismus zumindest teilweise entgegenwirken. Es gibt deutsche und britische Figuren und der „Endgegner“ ist Amerikaner. Trotzdem würde ich mir zu diesem Punkt etwas mehr Entwicklung wünschen. Immerhin haben sich quasi die ersten drei Bände mit Afrika beschäftigt. Jetzt sollte etwas Neues kommen!
Dass neben dem übergreifenden Plot des Konflikts jede Figur ihre eigenen Probleme zu bewältigen hat, finde ich gut und wichtig. In jedem Band treten neue oder zumindest andere Hauptcharaktere auf, es gibt viel Entwicklung und immer wieder auch Abschiede. Gerade dadurch verliert sich meiner Meinung nach nicht der Überblick. Es wäre nicht allzu einfach für jemanden, der die ersten Bände nicht kennt, sich auf den dritten Einzulassen, aber ich denke, es geht. Denn ohne Redundant zu werden gibt es die wichtigsten Infos und die Charakterisierung der Figuren wird mit Band zu Band tiefer, so dass es auch hier wieder Neues zu entdecken gibt.
Gelungen finde ich auch immer wieder, dass jeder Band sein rundes Ende hat. Nur sehr wenige Fäden verbleiben in der Luft und alle nur soweit, dass es zu keiner großen Schlussfrage kommt. Niemand hängt hier über Klippen. Großartig ist vor allem, dass die unterschiedlichen Autoren beim Lesen absolut nicht zu merken sind. Eventuell sorgen sie dafür, dass die Figuren in sich authentischer wirken, weil sie eigene Gedanken habe und eine individuelle Sprache. Eben das, was ein gut konzipierter Roman für seine Figuren haben sollte. Doch es gibt keine stilistischen Einbrüche, alles ist aufeinander abgestimmt und die gemeinsame Entwicklung einfach toll.
Zuletzt mag es eventuell beschwerlich sein, dass es immer wieder um Bürokratie und Politik gibt. Doch das sind eben die Hürden, die sich den Helden der Reihe tagtäglich in den Weg stellen. Es gibt Beziehungsprobleme und Familienstreitigkeiten, Annäherungen und Entfremdung. Doch für mich machen diese Punkte die Reihe unheimlich realistisch. Hier wird ja nicht nur Fantasy betrieben, sondern eine Art alternative Realität geschaffen, die tief und komplex strukturiert wurde.
March 6, 2017
Excellent volume
An engrossing tale, with fascinating characters and unexpected twists. The bad guys meet satisfying fates and not all the good guys die. One of the better books in the series.
An engrossing tale, with fascinating characters and unexpected twists. The bad guys meet satisfying fates and not all the good guys die. One of the better books in the series.
Read
January 26, 2016Suicide Kings ist der zwanzigste Band der Wild Cards-Reihe und nach Inside Straight und Busted Flush der Abschluss der Committee-Trilogie. Wie schon in früheren Bänden wird auch hier die Geschichte als "Mosaic Novel" vorgelegt, in der die Autoren die anfangs weitestgehend unabhängig von einander wirkenden Geschichten ihrer Charaktere schreiben, diese dann aber als Kapitel einer größeren Gesamtgeschichte angeordnet werden.
Suicide Kings greift nicht nur Charaktere und Handlungsbögen der vorangegangenen beiden Bände auf, sondern führt auch einige Handlungsstränge zuende, die teilweise weitaus älter sind, tatsächlich sogar bis in die ursprüngliche Wild Cards-Anthologie von 1986 zurückreichen.
Als Hauptcharaktere agieren in diesem Band die ehemaligen American Hero-Stars und jetzigen Committee-Mitarbeiter Gardener, Rustbelt, Jonathan Hive und Amazing Bubbles, sowie Noel Matthews alias Double Helix (ein Name, der eigentlich nie verwendet wird) und Tom Weathers/Mark Meadows. Auch wenn es einige Gastauftritte von Charakteren aus der Frühzeit der Serie gibt, liegt das Hauptaugenmerk, mit Ausnahme des Radical und Cameo in einer wichtigen Nebenrolle, wie in den anderen Bänden dieser Trilogie auf den Charakteren der neuen Generation. Und wie die beiden Vorgänger ist auch hier die Handlung an realweltliche Ereignisse angelehnt; in diesem Fall weniger an Reality Shows als an den Kriegen und Gräueltaten in Zentralafrika.
Tatsächlich ist Suicide Kings ein deutlich deprimierenderes Buch als Inside Straight und Busted Flush. Für die meisten Figuren beginnt die Handlung mit einem Status Quo, in dem sie aufgrund von Hilflosigkeit oder empfundener Sinnlosigkeit unzufrieden sind, bevor sie aufgrund unterschiedlicher (und im Fall von Bubbles ziemlich an den Haaren herbeigezogener) Motivationen den Weg nach Afrika finden, um dort die Wahrheit über die Vorkommnisse vor Ort zu erfahren. Wie in einem Wild Cards-Buch zu erwarten, gibt es hier einige spektakuläre Szenen und Kämpfe, in denen die Figuren ihre Kräfte anwenden und ebenfalls wie in einem Wild Cards-Buch zu erwarten, kommen nicht alle Charaktere unbeschadet - oder überhaupt - aus der Handlung heraus.
Wie oben bereits geschrieben, führt dieses Buch einige Handlungsstränge zuende; oft, indem sie mit ihrem Anfang verbunden werden (etwa wenn die überlebenden American Hero-Kandidaten über das Schicksal eines anderen Charakters abstimmen oder wenn Popinjay nahezu wörtlich "so it ends where it all began" sagt), aber auch, indem einige Verstrickungen und Fallstricke vorangegangener Bücher mit den Charakteren enden, an die sie geknüpft waren.
Und so hinterlässt Suicide Kings nach seinem eher deprimierenden Anfang ein recht wehmütiges Gefühl, dass das Ende viele Neuanfänge ermöglicht, aber über die Verluste nicht hinwegtäuscht. Jetzt bleibt nur abzuwarten, ob die nächsten Bände (von denen der erste zum Zeitpunkt dieser Rezension bereits erschienen ist), die mit neuen Charakteren in vertrauteren Gefilden (Jokertown) spielen sollen, einige der Figuren und Handlungsstränge wieder aufgreifen, oder gänzlich unabhängige Storypfade beschreiten werden.
Suicide Kings greift nicht nur Charaktere und Handlungsbögen der vorangegangenen beiden Bände auf, sondern führt auch einige Handlungsstränge zuende, die teilweise weitaus älter sind, tatsächlich sogar bis in die ursprüngliche Wild Cards-Anthologie von 1986 zurückreichen.
Als Hauptcharaktere agieren in diesem Band die ehemaligen American Hero-Stars und jetzigen Committee-Mitarbeiter Gardener, Rustbelt, Jonathan Hive und Amazing Bubbles, sowie Noel Matthews alias Double Helix (ein Name, der eigentlich nie verwendet wird) und Tom Weathers/Mark Meadows. Auch wenn es einige Gastauftritte von Charakteren aus der Frühzeit der Serie gibt, liegt das Hauptaugenmerk, mit Ausnahme des Radical und Cameo in einer wichtigen Nebenrolle, wie in den anderen Bänden dieser Trilogie auf den Charakteren der neuen Generation. Und wie die beiden Vorgänger ist auch hier die Handlung an realweltliche Ereignisse angelehnt; in diesem Fall weniger an Reality Shows als an den Kriegen und Gräueltaten in Zentralafrika.
Tatsächlich ist Suicide Kings ein deutlich deprimierenderes Buch als Inside Straight und Busted Flush. Für die meisten Figuren beginnt die Handlung mit einem Status Quo, in dem sie aufgrund von Hilflosigkeit oder empfundener Sinnlosigkeit unzufrieden sind, bevor sie aufgrund unterschiedlicher (und im Fall von Bubbles ziemlich an den Haaren herbeigezogener) Motivationen den Weg nach Afrika finden, um dort die Wahrheit über die Vorkommnisse vor Ort zu erfahren. Wie in einem Wild Cards-Buch zu erwarten, gibt es hier einige spektakuläre Szenen und Kämpfe, in denen die Figuren ihre Kräfte anwenden und ebenfalls wie in einem Wild Cards-Buch zu erwarten, kommen nicht alle Charaktere unbeschadet - oder überhaupt - aus der Handlung heraus.
Wie oben bereits geschrieben, führt dieses Buch einige Handlungsstränge zuende; oft, indem sie mit ihrem Anfang verbunden werden (etwa wenn die überlebenden American Hero-Kandidaten über das Schicksal eines anderen Charakters abstimmen oder wenn Popinjay nahezu wörtlich "so it ends where it all began" sagt), aber auch, indem einige Verstrickungen und Fallstricke vorangegangener Bücher mit den Charakteren enden, an die sie geknüpft waren.
Und so hinterlässt Suicide Kings nach seinem eher deprimierenden Anfang ein recht wehmütiges Gefühl, dass das Ende viele Neuanfänge ermöglicht, aber über die Verluste nicht hinwegtäuscht. Jetzt bleibt nur abzuwarten, ob die nächsten Bände (von denen der erste zum Zeitpunkt dieser Rezension bereits erschienen ist), die mit neuen Charakteren in vertrauteren Gefilden (Jokertown) spielen sollen, einige der Figuren und Handlungsstränge wieder aufgreifen, oder gänzlich unabhängige Storypfade beschreiten werden.
December 30, 2016
Den Einstieg fand ich etwas schwer und die Geschichte spielt ja circa einen Monat lang und davon fand ich den ersten teil etwas lang. Mein liebster Charakter War Gardener und auch ihre Fähigkeit fand ich weiterhin am besten. Auch Wally mochte ich in diesem Band sehr gerne. Michelle ist natürlich auch super auch wenn ich sie manchmal nicht ganz verstehe :D Der schreibstil ist sehr flüssig nur sind manche Charaktere meiner Meinung nach manchmal etwas gefühlslos. Es wird zwar beschrieben wie sie Handeln und angedeutet was sie fühlen aber nicht näher darauf eingegangen. Insgesamt kann ich sagen dass es mir sehr gut gefallen hat und nur manche Kapitel in denen nichts passiert ist das ganze etwas in die Länge gezogen haben.
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