krill54 Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 I understand that it's just a slightly mad, shared-world that's pretty much a lot of well-written sessions of an RPG... that said, I love it... Other thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 I'm a fan as well, though not as much a one as Mormont -- I haven't tracked down all the books quite yet. There's a new one to be published soon by John J. Miller, with George as editor: Death Draws Five. I don't believe that cover is correct, however. John sent it to us here, drawn by Mike S. Miller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 I must confess to being a huge Wild Cards fan. I now lack only one book of the series... and that WILL be mine. That said, some bits are better than others. George's stuff is excellent - the Turtle, Popinjay, Hiram Worchester, marvellous characters all. John J Miller's stuff is excellent, too, and I'm not just saying that 'cause he sends me cheap WC books. I'm really looking forward to the new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delete this account pls Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 I've only read one, but I enjoyed it. Aces High I think it was, it was the first in the series anyway. The Great and All Powerful Turtle was a great character, and I thought the Golden Boy story was very good as well. I enjoyed them all but those two stand out in my mind. Oh, and the creepy Puppeteer one, with the guy running for office on a Joker's Rights platform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Brady: Aces High is the second book, but what you mention sounds more like the first book, yes (simply titled Wild Cards). What I love about the Turtle is that George does so much with a simple character. He's one of the most powerful Aces there is, but he can't use his power unless he feels safe, for example. He's not a tortured soul, but he's so interesting to read about. Golden Boy's story in Wild Cards I is heart-wrenching, yes. I had a very violent emotional reaction to that story. And it gets better later in the series, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Count me as another fan of Golden Boy. His arc is quite well-written -- his rise and his fall from grace, and his trying to put the pieces back together and rise above the rather meaningless, unsatisfying life he leads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Yeah, all that money, fame, political influence and casual sex (not to mention being superstrong, invulnerable and not aging) is soooooo meaningless and unsatisfying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krill54 Posted November 9, 2005 Author Share Posted November 9, 2005 Yeah, all that money, fame, political influence and casual sex (not to mention being superstrong, invulnerable and not aging) is soooooo meaningless and unsatisfying. Loved Golden Boy. And Puppetman. The one that all takes place at the Democratic National Convention was genius... if thoroughly upsetting. Given the world today, I still might vote for Puppetman over many other candidates... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Funny you should mention that one, krill... that was one half of George's previous foray into split books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hauberk Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Own them all. Read them all numerous times. Love most of them - not especially fond of the Card Sharks books and I'm a little concerned about the return of Fortunato in the next volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krill54 Posted November 9, 2005 Author Share Posted November 9, 2005 Funny you should mention that one, krill... that was one half of George's previous foray into split books. Eeeerie... well, if it helps my GRRM Street Cred, I'm a big fan of Windhaven as well I was getting all my Wild Card books piecemeal at used book stores. Tried to find them online, and wound up getting them off George's personal site (was it an AOL site, or is that a false memory?). He very kindly inscribed the set for me, although it was clear that by #10, he was running out of bad poker puns... Astounding how bad puns can guarantee lifetime loyalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Mormont, Do you think Jack really enjoyed all that stuff after his disgrace, though? It seems to me he was always going through the motions, trying to put the past out of his mind, and that led to a rather unsatisfying life regardless how it looked to people on the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 I've only read the first two. Mormont, your posts seem to be implying that Jack returns after his story in book 1 (well, I know he gets a cameo fighting the Swarm in book 2, but I mean a proper return to protagonist status). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Malt, He does indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Ran: I was making a joke, really, but I think that it's complicated. He clearly did find solace in all that stuff, to a degree - especially, his political career was a reaction to his disgrace, I feel. And I got a similar vibe from him at that point as I did from Jaime after the Kingslaying - there was a certain amount of 'OK, you despise me, so fuck you', albeit covering a layer of deeper regret and shame than anything Jaime ever felt: Jaime, after all, was despised for doing what he felt was right, and reacts badly to criticism for that reason. Jack, OTOH, knows he did wrong, but I think feels that he is condemned over much for his moment of human fallibility. He also condemns himself far more than Jaime does, I think. I'd comment further, but it takes us into spoiler territory. Suffice to say, Malt, read book 6 to see Jack again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hauberk Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 I'd comment further, but it takes us into spoiler territory. Suffice to say, Malt, read book 6 to see Jack again. He shows up in book 4 (Aces Abroad) as well. I can't offer a ringing endorsement of that particular volume but that one scene was pretty satisfying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 I've only read the first Wild Cards book only so far. I felt it was a bit mixed, there were a few very good stories, "Witness" and the GRRM story particularly, and some fairly average or mediocre stories (I particularly disliked the Fortunato story). I might read the other volumes sometime, but I'm not sure I'm really in any hurry to read them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krill54 Posted November 10, 2005 Author Share Posted November 10, 2005 I might read the other volumes sometime, but I'm not sure I'm really in any hurry to read them. They're up and down. It's like any shared world, I guess (and better than some - some of the Thieves World books should be burned). It helps that the characters pretty much go all the way through all the books, so, even if there's annoying ones you don't like (I had an issue with Wyungare, Cordelia and Jack), they'll inevitably fade way in a chapter or so to someone that's more entertaining. Mostly. Has anyone actually RPG'd with Wild Cards? I've got the GURPS supplement, but never ran it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tadite Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 I have them all. Or at the very least I have all the ones made untill recently. I always liked them and honestly I read A Game of Thrones with no idea he had edited Wild Cards. I think i should go and reread them. Its been at least a decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Bandito Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 I read the first five or so in high school. (Long time ago. I'm 28 now) I think it's time to pick them up again for a reread. What exactly did Martin do besides the editing? What stories was he responsible for? The funny thing was that I enjoyed that series, but I don't read many comics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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