Wild Cards by

The alien virus arrived on Earth just after World War II - and the world was never the same. For those who become infected, there are two results: death, or transformation. And depending on the recipient, death is sometimes the preferable outcome. Only a few lucky ones become super-human "aces" as a side effect of the virus; the rest are turned into horrible, grotesque "jokers." It's a strange and wonderful, terrible and terrifying world where anything can go. A world that, in a twist of fate, could lie just outside your door. A world of Wild Cards.

A collection of short stories taking place just after WWII in a world where an alien virus have killed or given superpowers to a great number of people. Some were left deformed and forced to live as outcasts to society.

The first story is about Jetboy, a young man who as the best pilot of his time. The story had air fights with WW2 planes, and focused on the drama of this post war hero that doesn't understand the world he came home to and doesn't car for his reputation. It was REALLY boring. No superpowers here.

The second story was about a teenager boy who got a different superpower every time he slept. It was almost interesting, but it had no exceptional elements to it. He had a family he needed to support, so he begin to steal things with his powers. He met a friend who help him to use his powers to get better loot. He wanted to attend to his sister wedding , but he was having a hard time containing his body to mutating again into a new super human. The end.

Just after I started the 3rd story I began to consider how much more of this I was willing to endure. I can stand a slow start if I expect thing to get better, but since this is a collection of short stories, there was bound to have more bad ones and some good ones. I wasn't willing to trudge trough this.

Read 3:20 / 18:59 : 18%

I just re-read this Wild Cards I. I actually listened to the audio book, which includes the extra stories added to computational 1. I enjoyed the hell out of the audio book.

This is a reread. It's just as good and easy to get through as the first time.

Merged review:

4.5* It was really good and Derek is just gahhhhh. I loved it.