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Wild Cards: Inside Straight
Topic Started: Apr 15 2008, 11:45 PM (309 Views)
TR1
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I know there were a few fans of this series in their youth. I was wondering if anyone had picked up the newest volume.

I just started it myself.
"Nobody's gay for Moleman." - Hans Moleman
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Custer
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What is it about?
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MapleLeafs4Ever
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I read the first half dozen or so books when they came out in the 80s but none of the more recent stuff.

The plot, in brief, has aliens who are masters of telekinetics and other psychic powers disperse an artificial virus on Earth to test it. It has the property of creating all sorts of weird powers with those who are infected but not all of them are useful (e.g. Snotman). Those who, with the luck of the draw (one in nine), gain useful powers are called Aces. Those who gain worthless powers or are hideously transformed (also one in nine) are called Jokers. The rest draw the "Black Queen" and die painful deaths. The books deal with the subsequent changes to Earth history so they are AH but with ASBs.

Sounds hockey but I found it entertaining. The first few books were short stories, the rest shared novels.
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Makkabee
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When's the PoD? When do the aliens begin their experiment?
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TR1
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1946. One of their own tries to stop it, but doesn't get to Earth in time. Their ship crashes, they die, and a gangster gets a hold of the cannister. He holds New York hostage, a famous fighter pilot tries to stop it, fails, and the virus is release.

History doesn't change that radically from that point, actually. The aces get swept up in McCarthyism, China goes communist, Vietnam happens, the Iron Curtain falls, etc. There are some celebrities still running around, like Buddy Holly and Marilyn Monroe. And later on, we learn that there is a secret conspiracy of non-infected humans trying to destroy the virus (and everyone it's infected) who are responsible for terrible things.

The most recent volume actually has shown some of the most substantial changes, with the restoration of the Caliphate.
"Nobody's gay for Moleman." - Hans Moleman
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MapleLeafs4Ever
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TR1
Apr 17 2008, 12:39 PM
. . . a famous fighter pilot . . .

By the name of Robert "Jetboy" Tomlin if I'm not mistaken :lol:

Actually Makk you probably wouldn't like the twee twists with historicals. For instance an infected Jim Morrison is literally the Lizard King. But the authors don't do too much of that although the history does follow OTL entirely too closely given the nature of the POD. Still, I did enjoy it.

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Makkabee
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I think you can get away better with the Twee in ASB type stories. The idea that Jim Morrison literally becomes "the Lizard King" in a vaguely comic bookish universe works for me.

The lack of historical divergence for several decades irks me a bit, but stories meant for humor value can be held to a less rigorous standard.
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TR1
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Finished it this afternoon.

It starts out on a cliche, with a reality TV show to find the next American Hero, and ends with a groups of aces and jokers saving Egypt from the fundamentalist Caliph.

For the long time fans--the old generation is pretty much retired, and a few fan favorites make some walk-ons. The novel is devoted exclusively to establishing the new generation.
"Nobody's gay for Moleman." - Hans Moleman
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