Aces High is a high class, and high up restaurant catering to the Aces, the Wild Card victims with powers. It is expensive and snooty, run by one of their own, a man named Hiram Worchester, who has the ability to control weight.

The Aces have two serious problems in this book, and the stories all relate to these somehow, the menace of the alien Swarm, and the crazy black magic style power use of the Astronomer, a geeky crazed black magician type.

The other memorable nasty, Demise, with his death gaze and regeneration abilities, also is introduced in "If Looks Could Kill".

Wild Cards 02 : 01 Pennies from Hell - Lewis Shiner
Wild Cards 02 : 02 Jube: One - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 03 Unto the Sixth Generation: Prologue - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 04 Jube: Two - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 05 Ashes to Ashes - Roger Zelazny
Wild Cards 02 : 06 Unto the Sixth Generation: Part One - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 07 Unto the Sixth Generation: Part Two - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 08 Jube: Three - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 09 If Looks Could Kill - Walton Simons
Wild Cards 02 : 10 Jube: Four - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 11 Unto the Sixth Generation: Epilogue - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 12 Winter's Chill - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 13 Jube: Five - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 14 Relative Difficulties - Melinda M. Snodgrass
Wild Cards 02 : 15 With a Little Help From His Friends - Victor Milán
Wild Cards 02 : 16 Jube: Six - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 17 By Lost Ways - Pat Cadigan
Wild Cards 02 : 18 Mr. Koyama's Comet - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 19 Half Past Dead - John J. Miller
Wild Cards 02 : 20 Jube: Seven - George R. R. Martin

Fortunato meets a nice girl to go along with his geisha collection, but his pursuit of the Masons through rare coins has terrible consequences.

5 out of 5

Walrus boy ain't what he seems.

4 out of 5

An ally makes a desperate teleportation attempt to warn Jube of the Swarm.

4 out of 5

The death of his alien ally and the loss of the singularity shifter and a garbled message of warning distracts Jube from the xmas cheer.

4 out of 5

The death of his alien ally and the loss of the singularity shifter and a garbled message of warning distracts Jube from the xmas cheer.

4 out of 5

Jube hires Croyd to find the alien corpse, and anything with it. Devil John biffo.

4 out of 5

Modular Man made, Swarm invade.

4 out of 5

Singularity shifting. Don't try and mind-control androids.

3.5 out of 5

When Jube realises his ally meant the Swarm, he knows he needs the power of the Singularity Shifter rather more urgently.

3.5 out of 5

Astronomer hires Demise eyes.

4.5 out of 5

Jube enlists the transparent infobroker.

3 out of 5

Punks find Shifter.

2.5 out of 5

Girl shy Turtle.

4.5 out of 5

Astronomer, Swarm, Takisians all prove to be a little overwhelming.

3 out of 5

Captain Trips drops back in, as Tachyon's relatives show bad timing, capture them, Turtle, and others.

5 out of 5

Tachyon and Trips vs Takisians and Swarm for the fate of the world.

5 out of 5

On the Mason trail.

3 out of 5

Astronomer has hostages and Shakhti machine, but the Aces rally for a raid.

4 out of 5

Swarm sighting.

3 out of 5

Yeoman finds the Singularity Shifter while taking out Egrets. When Tachyon learns of this, he has a plan to take the fight to the Swarm.

5 out of 5

Jube tells Red about some aliens and decides his allegiances are local.

3.5 out of 5

http://superprose.blogspot.com/2006/1... ( )

Second book in the Wild Card series, I found a stack of them at the Bookstop when my friend stopped in to trade in his books for store credit. This one felt a bit more overtly sexist, but the overarching story of an alien Swarm Mother invading Earth (with the help of Egyptian Masons) was a better unifying theme than just the fall out from the virus itself. Different authors, but pretty much one voice throughout, I was impressed. ( )

Aces High is a high class, and high up restaurant catering to the Aces, the Wild Card victims with powers. It is expensive and snooty, run by one of their own, a man named Hiram Worchester, who has the ability to control weight.

The Aces have two serious problems in this book, and the stories all relate to these somehow, the menace of the alien Swarm, and the crazy black magic style power use of the Astronomer, a geeky crazed black magician type.

The other memorable nasty, Demise, with his death gaze and regeneration abilities, also is introduced in "If Looks Could Kill".

Wild Cards 02 : 01 Pennies from Hell - Lewis Shiner
Wild Cards 02 : 02 Jube: One - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 03 Unto the Sixth Generation: Prologue - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 04 Jube: Two - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 05 Ashes to Ashes - Roger Zelazny
Wild Cards 02 : 06 Unto the Sixth Generation: Part One - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 07 Unto the Sixth Generation: Part Two - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 08 Jube: Three - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 09 If Looks Could Kill - Walton Simons
Wild Cards 02 : 10 Jube: Four - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 11 Unto the Sixth Generation: Epilogue - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 12 Winter's Chill - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 13 Jube: Five - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 14 Relative Difficulties - Melinda M. Snodgrass
Wild Cards 02 : 15 With a Little Help From His Friends - Victor Milán
Wild Cards 02 : 16 Jube: Six - George R. R. Martin
Wild Cards 02 : 17 By Lost Ways - Pat Cadigan
Wild Cards 02 : 18 Mr. Koyama's Comet - Walter Jon Williams
Wild Cards 02 : 19 Half Past Dead - John J. Miller
Wild Cards 02 : 20 Jube: Seven - George R. R. Martin

Fortunato meets a nice girl to go along with his geisha collection, but his pursuit of the Masons through rare coins has terrible consequences.

5 out of 5

Walrus boy ain't what he seems.

4 out of 5

An ally makes a desperate teleportation attempt to warn Jube of the Swarm.

4 out of 5

The death of his alien ally and the loss of the singularity shifter and a garbled message of warning distracts Jube from the xmas cheer.

4 out of 5

The death of his alien ally and the loss of the singularity shifter and a garbled message of warning distracts Jube from the xmas cheer.

4 out of 5

Jube hires Croyd to find the alien corpse, and anything with it. Devil John biffo.

4 out of 5

Modular Man made, Swarm invade.

4 out of 5

Singularity shifting. Don't try and mind-control androids.

3.5 out of 5

When Jube realises his ally meant the Swarm, he knows he needs the power of the Singularity Shifter rather more urgently.

3.5 out of 5

Astronomer hires Demise eyes.

4.5 out of 5

Jube enlists the transparent infobroker.

3 out of 5

Punks find Shifter.

2.5 out of 5

Girl shy Turtle.

4.5 out of 5

Astronomer, Swarm, Takisians all prove to be a little overwhelming.

3 out of 5

Captain Trips drops back in, as Tachyon's relatives show bad timing, capture them, Turtle, and others.

5 out of 5

Tachyon and Trips vs Takisians and Swarm for the fate of the world.

5 out of 5

On the Mason trail.

3 out of 5

Astronomer has hostages and Shakhti machine, but the Aces rally for a raid.

4 out of 5

Swarm sighting.

3 out of 5

Yeoman finds the Singularity Shifter while taking out Egrets. When Tachyon learns of this, he has a plan to take the fight to the Swarm.

5 out of 5

Jube tells Red about some aliens and decides his allegiances are local.

3.5 out of 5

http://superprose.blogspot.com/2006/1... ( )