Long is the Way

Wild Cards #27.3

by Carrie Vaughn, Sage Walker

For over 25 years, the Wild Cards universe has been entertaining readers with stories of superpowered people in an alternate history. "Long is the Way" by Carrie Vaughn and Sage Walker sheds light on what people will do to escape the sins of their past, and whether anyone can find redemption.

Zoe Harris is a marked in hiding for decades because of her connection to a terrorist attack on Jerusalem almost twenty years ago. One determined reporter, Jonathan Hive, stumbles upon a lead that takes him to the south of France to discover the truth. What he finds out is a lesson in how life can bring about the most unexpected miracles.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Short Stories, Superheroes

37 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2019

About the author

Carrie Vaughn is the author more than twenty novels and over a hundred short stories. She's best known for her New York Times bestselling series of novels about a werewolf named Kitty who hosts a talk radio advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. In 2018, she won the Philip K. Dick Award for Bannerless, a post-apocalyptic murder mystery. She's published over 20 novels and 100 short stories, two of which have been finalists for the Hugo Award. She's a contributor to the Wild Cards series of shared world superhero books edited by George R. R. Martin and a graduate of the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop.

An Air Force brat, she survived her nomadic childhood and managed to put down roots in Boulder, Colorado, where she collects hobbies.

Visit her at www.carrievaughn.com

For writing advice and essays, check out her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carrievaughn

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess when ever I expound about a book or an author and state something I run the risk of being corrected and sent home again with my tail between my legs - and the Long is the way has done just that.

Not in a bad way certainly not - but rather on my perception of these short stories and how they exist in the larger Wild Card universe.

the reason I say this is that previously the stories can be read standalone - yes there are recognisable markers which help you orientate them both chronologically but also geographically too.

But up till now they were pretty much standalone - till now - as this story is most definitely anchored it a much larger story one which I will not refer to as that would spoil it but you definitely feel this is a bridge between a larger arc - partly because of the names it drops from past stories but also from the potential of where it could go next, you definitely feel that there is more to come here and that is not a bad thing just something I have to keep in mind as I work through the vast material that is the Wild Cards.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan 'Bugsy' Hive goes looking for renowned Ace terrorist Zoe Harris, who has renounced her ways for a chance at redemption.

A simple story, told well of the quest to atone for past mistakes and build a meaningful life. Vaughn and Walker have imbued Garris with a quiet dignity and give Hive a chance to be the perfect hero.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long is the Way is a tale of redemption written the increasingly awesome Carrie Vaughn. No spoilers but The Sleeper may be the most overused character in the Wild Cards universe. However I promise you in this story that is totally forgivable.

[Jamie Revell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale of redemption is a follow-up to the Card Sharks triad in the wider Wild Cards series, revealing what happened to Zoe Harris after the events of that book. It's something of a mix, with the framing device about Bugsy tracking down Zoe for an interview being nothing very special - although it does set the scene and fills some background from the previous books that a reader might be unfamiliar with, or have forgotten. The recounting of the story itself is better, bringing in an old favourite from the series, but focussing on Harris' redemption for her sins in the previous books.

It's well-written and believable, a decent conclusion to one minor loose end. On the other hand, there's no action and it has little of the superheroics or fantastic elements that one would associate with the wider genre, so if that's what you're after, this isn't it. It's not exactly a slice-of-life, given the emotional journey of Harris (if not Bugsy) but it's a good, if short, character piece.

[Desiree · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing itself is fine and there were tidbits I liked from it. But it didn't work well as a standalone story. I have not read the bulk of the Wild Cards stuff, only one other story similarly posted by Tor on their site, which was more successful as a total standalone piece. This one had references to events, organizations, and characters that weren't explained quite enough for new readers.

Also, the central event this story focused on was very problematic, as well as a few stray passages here and there. It was difficult to tell if the latter resulted as demonstrations of a flaw in the narrating character, or were missteps on the part of the writer. The former was more definitely just using a woman of color as a prop and plot device to progress the arcs of the white American characters...

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long is the Way: A Tor.com Original
by Carrie Vaughn and Sage Walker

A tease of the next book in the series and a connection to one of the more popular trios in the series. Unfortunately the Card Sharks trio is one of the hardest to find. Bugsy has become an investigator, and is sent to find a reclusive Wild Cards Terrorist long thought dead. He finds more to the story then he wanted.. What he finds will change his perspective, and make one more connection to a beloved character, yes more about Croyd.. Please join us in celebrating this short story in the plethora of the whole series.

[Alex Sarll]

A redemption story, or at least a story about the quest for it if not its attainability. It would probably resonate a lot more if I'd read the middle Wild Cards books, following as it does from events in the Card Sharks trilogy, and there's an extended childbirth sequence which was giving me twinges even though I don't have the relevant anatomy, so you might want to watch for that. But that's not the only power it has, and nor is the interesting new tweak it adds to one of the series' longest-standing characters.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

So as said, first off put by the idea that even a barely Jewish character wouldn't know how many Tzadikim. Especially when it's not even a particularly arcane myth or hard to look up. I mean, some say it's 36 in Israel and 36 out, so that'd be fair, but come on.

And then the only (so far as I can tell) non white female character gets fridged to provide a redemption arc? Nope.

[Nan Silvernail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan Hive (aka Bugsy, a Wild Card who can turn himself into many bright green hornets) has gone fishing for a good news story in dangerous territory.
He seeks to interview a former terrorist, a killer. A Wild Card woman who, for awhile was held in a mental institution, sedated constantly to stop her powers from causing damage.
Will he leave alive, with or without the story?

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first Wild Cards short that I've managed to get through. I don't know why, but all of the others just bounced off of me.

It's a short story about redemption, and written very well. If not for the Wild Cards jargon, it would be a completely universal story.

[Luci · Rating 2 out of 5]

IMO, this was more of a character study than a typical Wild Cards story. It’s good but there are several problematic tropes at work. All in all, it was an interesting story but not very substantial.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t feel like this lived up to any of the premise (the promise?) in the blurb.
I normally love stuff in the Wild Cards universe, so I’m quite disappointed.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing more but a teaser but such a good one. Why have I never heard of this universe before?

[Katrina Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it is a fantasy piece, this story really hits on the human experience and the lengths we will go to to help others

[Joe Pranaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author's Carrie Vaughn and Sage Walker bring us an interesting tale set in the Wild Cards universe. Tipton-Clarke is sent to the middleast to interview a former terrorist Zoe Harris whom Clarke finds out is running a perfume company. But the story that she tells about how she saved a child from the death it of it's mother to how she raised him as her own to how she decided to help more people like herself. This is a great short read and I highly recommend it.    

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another solid entry in Tor Publishing's Wild Cards shorts. It is a story about redemption and judgement and putting the past to bed. If you're into the series at all, this is a worthwhile read; if you're brand new, this is a good place to start.

[Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional

Great short story. Love the prose and the characters. The author is one of my favorites so I may be biased.

[Andrew Wild-Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neat, quick story

A short tale, tying several longer stories together with a meeting between characters previously used in several Wild Cards stories