The twenty fourth volume of the long running Wild Cards series doesn't have as high a barrier to entry as that might seem. While not as perfect an entry point as the eighteenth, Inside Straight, Mississippi Roll doesn't require as much knowledge of the full series. Sure, being familiar with the triad starting with Fort Freak would help - but that gives shading.

Mississippi Roll is a ghost story set on an old mississippi riverboat and it's very effective at the beginning of the story (where we learn the reason for the haunt) and it's effective in the last third - but the storytelling does fall flat a bit in that middle third. I'd have to check again to see which stories are the ones that didn't work as well as the others since this is a mosaic novel, but the overall story is coherent and fits together. There are moments and sections the novel hums along (there should be a riverboat metaphor here), but while the middle section doesn't quite sink the book (there it is), Mississippi Roll doesn't quite achieve the promise of the either the wonderful beginning or the ultimate payoff.

This is the 24th book in the Wild Cards anthology series, which is pretty darned impressive and suggests it has a pretty loyal following (publishers aren’t going to continue to publish a series if people aren’t buying it). This also happens to be the first book I’ve read in this series. I do have a few others on my Kindle, but since this was an ARC and the others were books that I purchased I thought I should read this first. And I'll say right up front that the reason I was attracted to this was the theme of the Mississippi River. Having grown up along the mighty Mississippi I'm almost always attracted to stories set along the river.

The story takes place on the Riverboat Natchez which is captained by Wilbur Leathers ... who happens to be a ghost (though he was the captain before he died).

An alien virus has devastated the planet and many people have been transformed ...either into "jokers" (people with deformities) or into "aces" (people with super powers).

Wilbur and the crew of the Natchez are transporting some wild cards (people with the virus) to the United States where they are seeking asylum.

While the book is billed as a novel, it is a composite novel ... that is, a novel made of short stories that are linked together. The concept is that different authors would follow different members on the boat (crew or passengers) and Wilbur ties the stories together. It is an interesting variation of the themed anthology and because I had not read a book of this sort before it took me just a little bit to grasp the novel concept - I was reading it as short stories at first.

Overall, I quite enjoyed the stories here. Nothing stands out as a clear favorite, though if I had to choose, I'd probably go with Carrie Vaughn's story because of the connection with the entertainment business (something near and dear to me). We have quite an assortment here: the main story of Wilbur and the Natchez (a character herself); a government agent and his wife - the agent is on a mission but is also hoping that his wife will use the voyage to recover from a previous mission; a lounge singer who plays good Samaritan; a married pair of private investigators using the trip as a late honeymoon; a gay bartender on the boat who thought he'd never find love.

This has definitely gotten me interested in reading some of the other Wild Cards volumes - but not so much that I'm dropping everything else to rush out and read them.

The stories included here are:

"In the Shadow of Tall Stacks" by Stephen Leigh
"Wingless Angel" by John Jos. Miller
"A Big Break in the Small Time" by Carrie Vaughn
"Death of the Water" by Cherie Priest
"Find the Lady" by Kevin Andrew Murphy
"Under the Arch" by David D. Levine

Looking for a good book? George R.R. Martin's Wild Cards series has been a favorite for many and this 24th volume, Mississippi Roll, will please current fans and capture a few new ones.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book because I have a huge respect for G. R. R. Martin, but this time I really think his name as the editor of the book was nothing more than a good marketing trick - and for that - well done.

Although I was hoping it would be easy to understand this book even though I did not read anything from the Wild Cards series, it proved to be a bigger challenge than expected. I really can not say it's a bad book, it certainly has its own qualities. However, what I can and will say, after all, this book is not something I would like to read again.

<div>2 stars, <a href="http://reviews.metaphorosis.com/review/mississippi-roll-george-r-r-martin-ed/">Metaphorosis Reviews</a>

<div><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://test.metaphorosis.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/07/20_stars.png" scale="0"></p>


<div><strong>Summary: </strong><span class="revsum"><p>The 24th book in a
shared world anthology in which many humans have been transformed by an
alien virus either into jokers (deformed) or aces (super-powered). A varied collection of people on a riverboat aim to help Kazakh refugees seeking asylum in the United States.</p>
</span></div>
<div><strong>Review: </strong><p>I’m a long-time fan of George R. R. Martin, but I’ve never taken to his <em>Wild Card</em>
series. I read the first one a very long time ago but despite the
big-name authors involved, the stories and world just didn’t interest
me. I’ve never been very excited about superheroes, and this darker take
didn’t entice me either</p>
<div>
<p>Howver, it’s been a long time, and <em>Wild Cards</em> has kept going much longer than most shared world projects. When I saw <i>Mississippi Roll</i> available on NetGalley, I took a gamble that either the series or my tastes had changed. They hadn’t.</p>
<p>I liked this book even less than the original, way back in the
distant past. While some of the stories are adequate, and some of the
writing is good, the overall story is dull. For one thing, it makes a
point of setting up Kazakh refugees as a key plot point – and then
mostly ignores them. They’re a plot device and very little more. That’s a
big missed opportunity, and an own goal.</p>
<p>Some of the writing is also definitely <i>not</i> good. At least one
of the stories is so unfocused that I never did decide what it was
about, other than following a not very interesting lead character
through his days. The overall plot arc of the book is almost entirely
predictable. It ends where it should, but you know where that will be
from the first few pages.</p>
<p>There’s not even much imagination in the shape the jokers (people who
fared poorly in the change) take. In the earlier books, there was quite
a lot of variety. Here, a disappointing number of jokers are simply
normal-looking humans with horns. I don’t know if the horns were meant
to be a subtle nod to Memphis soul, but I really don’t think so. With a
whole world of mutation options to play with, these writers mostly chose
the same thing.</p>
<p>I wish I could point to a standout story or two, but there simply
wasn’t one. Some of the writing is good, and some of the authors do
their best, but not one of these stories caught my attention. Overall,
this book is an argument in favor of ending shared world anthologies
early.</p>
</div>
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</span></strong></div></div>

Shared Universes were once fairly common in science fiction/fantasy. In a shared universe, multiple authors write in the same setting, sharing characters so that a story by one author can have appearances by characters created by the other authors. Almost a decade after Robert Asprin originated this concept with Thieves' World in 1978, George R.R. Martin turned a superhero role-playing game he ran for his author friends into the Wild Cards story anthology (1987). This series is still ongoing, with 26 volumes, long after Thieves' World and other shared universes have ended. Perhaps there is something about superheroes that makes them especially suited for this shared storytelling as most comic book heroes are part of long-running shared universes.

Many of the books in the Wild Cards series are "braided novels" in which a group of related short stories is interwoven into a reading experience much like a novel with multiple characters that jump from storyline to storyline. Mississippi Roll is not quite a full braided novel as only one story is broken up and used to form the backbone onto which the other stories, complete, are attached. Still, this works well, giving context to the stories, which do share characters.

The premise behind the Wild Cards universe is that in 1946, aliens used Earth to test a virus that left 90% of the infected dead, turned 9% of the infected into jokers (the term used for victims with disfigurements, frequently grotesque), and the lucky 1%, the aces, have superpowers. Most of the books in the series have focused on the aces, but the last three books have featured the jokers, a few of whom reappear in Mississippi Roll.

This book is also a bit of a change in tone. While the previous book, High Stakes, was very dark, Mississippi Roll is much lighter. Most of the book takes place onboard the Natchez, one of the last of the true steamboats on the Mississippi. The backbone story, "In the Shadow of Tall Stacks" by Stephen Leigh, tells how the boat is haunted by its former captain, Wilbur Leathers, who was exposed to the virus in 1946, but did not show any signs of being infected until 1951 when he seemingly died in a fight with a moneylender, only to rise again as a steam-powered ghost. He is unable to leave the Natchez and can communicate with others and manifest a ghostly form, only when he absorbs steam. So he becomes quite worried in October 2016 when he learns that the boat's new owners are planning on removing the boilers and mooring the boat to turn it into a floating entertainment center. Meanwhile, the current captain is using the Natchez to secretly transport a band of refugee jokers to sanctuary cities along its route.

The other stories tell tales of the crew, passengers, refugees, and others on the boat. "Wingless Angel" by John Jos. Miller, featuring series regulars Billy Ray and the Midnight Angel, sets up the refugee plotline and deals with Angel's post-traumatic stress after the events of High Stakes. "A Break in the Small Time" by Carrie Vaughn, one of my favorite stories in the book, tells how Andrew, an ace who uses his power of generating illusions in his singing act, gets a taste of what it means to be a hero, only to find out that people prefer him as an entertainer. Cherie Priest's "Death on the Water" tells how Leo Storgman, former Jokertown cop turned private investigator, looks into an insurance case of a singer who died on board the boat. He is helped (sort of) by a team of ghost hunters. Kevin Andrew Murphy, in "Find the Lady" tells how Roger Washburn, a fake joker who uses stage magic, gets involved with the refugees. His raven is my favorite character in the book. "Under the Arch" by David D. Levine features Jack, "an ugly old Cajun bartender" whose growing attraction to Timur, one of the refugees, and the budding relationship of two young refugees, and the disapproval of the girl's father, causes him to expose his own secret Wild Card power. Ultimately, the book ends with all the subplots, and the fate of Wilbur and the Natchez, nicely resolved.

Mississippi Roll shows that a superhero story does not need to be about saving the world, or even a city, to be interesting. Although the book is part of a long series, it stands alone very well. Most of the characters are original to this volume and enough of the Wild Cards premise is given that a new reader should be able to follow these adventures without missing anything.

Readers who like superheroes (and others with special powers) done with more sophistication than in most comic books will enjoy Mississippi Roll. Those who are apprehensive about starting a 26-volume series will find this an approachable jumping-on point. This is a fun adventure that touches on political issues, most notably the refugee crisis, without letting the politics overwhelm the story.

An okay series that consists of intermixed stories, this time set on a steam riverboat. The stories have interesting casts, and some mysterious aspects (see Steamboat Wilbur) but nothing that grabs you.;

2.5 stars

Great author, but this books just didn't grab me as I had hoped it would.

Mississippi Roll is the 24th book in the Wild Cards series published by Tor Books. There are 5 stories bound together by a segue/interlude story written by Steven Leigh. The book credits G.R.R. Martin and Melinda Snodgrass as editor/assistant editor respectively.

I remember picking up the original books in the series in about 1987(ish) and loving the whole idea of a shared universe anthology series. I'm already a huge fan of anthologies because there are always at least some stories that appeal at any given time and there are always new-to-me authors to follow up on after devouring the anthology. I'm also very fond of short fiction because it provides a whole different set of problems and it's always fun (and often enlightening) to see how authors adapt to the constraints of a shorter narrative.

This book is 336 pages of well edited and curated fantasy goodness. If you're familiar with the wildcards universe and premise, this is a good one. If you're not familiar with wildcards before now, this is a very good standalone novel to introduce the concept and some of the characters.

I loved the character Steam Wilbur ("In the Shadow of Tall Stacks" Steven Leigh). That's him on the cover. Leigh's interlude stories give the whole anthology a nice cohesiveness.

The stories are all strong, but I especially loved "A Big Break in the Small Time" by Carrie Vaughn. I couldn't stop smiling reading it. Deftly written and exciting and I'm a total sucker for couples who really care about one another. Sweet!

Four and a half stars

Nifty collection of Wild Cards stories. Enjoyable, even for a first time reader of Wild Cards, like me.

A solid series of intermixed tales all set on a riverboat. A fun cast of characters, some intrigue, murder mysteries, a ghost made of steam, and a lot of interesting takes on the Jokers of the Wild Cards universe.

I wish that I had better words to express how absolutely incredibly brilliant this book is.

I was not aware of the "Wild Cards" series...there are a ton of them! This being my first experience with the series, I had a little catching up to do (mostly on the virus, as well as the descriptions of the aces and jokers.) But this was a perfect stand-alone book, and I fell in love with the characters immediately (here's looking at you, Wilbur). The writing style was absolutely addicting. (I'm not kidding. I bought the first book in the series before I finished this one.) The characters are magnificent, with their own personalities and quirks. They stay with you long after you have closed the book. And apparently some of these characters are in the other books! (SCORE.)

Dear Publisher: If you ever feel like giving away the other books in the series for review, I am your MAN. Well...woman. But you get my drift.

I hadn’t read any Wild Cards books before this, but the blurb said it was a good jumping-on point for new readers. It’s the story of a Mississippi riverboat, the Natchez, in the not too distant future. It’s a future in which humanity has been changed forever by a plague which either kills or turns the survivors into Wild Cards – jokers or aces. Aces have superpowers, whereas jokers might have a fox’s ears and tail or maybe half of them has turned into a fish. Each affliction is different. You get the idea. Edited by George RR Martin, the writers are Stephen Leigh, David D. Levine, John Jos. Miller, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Cherie Priest, and Carrie Vaughn. Each writer takes a particular character and sees them through their part in the story. So… the story. The central character in this ensemble piece are Steam Wilbur, the ghost of the builder and first captain of the Natchez. The Natchez herself is both setting and character. She’s steaming up the river with an illicit cargo of illegal joker immigrants. A vindictive immigration officer is close behind. But it’s not only the immigrants who are in trouble, the Natchez herself is in danger, which also puts Steam Wilbur in jeopardy. This is the story of how the ensemble cast fights a triple threat. I now have a dilemma. I can’t decide whether to wait for the next Wild cards book, or whether to go back and start reading the series from the beginning.

I received a copy of this book from MacMillian Tor via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first experience with the Wild Card series but i can say that it’s been a good introduction for a new reader.Fortunately, it’s not necessary to have read the previous books in the series in order to enjoy this new one.
The stories of this series are edited by King George R.R. Martin (Game Of Thrones anyone?) but they are written by a large cast of authors and Wild Cards could be defined as a collection of short stories but not entirely. It’s more like each author is contributing to define the same universe adding a bit of their own perspective and by that, expanding the story.
This story is about a journey on a steamboat,called the Natchez and the crew of the boat. All the characters and their storylines are pieces of this universe lead by the Captain of the Natchez, Wilbur Leathers.

Wilbur has changed and now thinks he’s a ghost. He had lived in the 50’s and he separated from his wife Eleanor that has now left forever the Natchez. Wilbur doesn’t seem to be able to do the same. After an argument with a debt-collector he gets shot and dies. But the captain remains on the boat as a ghost and the boat became his eternal prison for eternity. And he has to fight more threats that are about to come.

I loved the writing and even thou the whole concept it’s not really my cup of tea, I enjoyed myself immensely. The Captain is an amazing character, with an excellent depth and complexity and he perfectly blends in the intriguing storylines.
I used Wiki as a source of the information i couldn’t understand. I was afraid it would be quiet confusing but on the contrary, the story is gripping and slowly builds up excitement and i personally enjoyed myself. I don’t know if i’ll read more books about the Wild Card world because 24 sound like a HUGE number but i’m def more intrigued now.

I enjoy my reading. This book confirm that Wild cards is a great story.
J'ai beaucoup apprécié ma lecture. Ce livre confirme que Wild cards est une bonne histoire qui peut plaire à un large panel de lecteurs différents.

I had trouble getting into this book so I would say that if you've enjoyed others in this series then you might like this too.

I feel as though I should open with a disclaimer, that while I have read some of the books/anthologies in the Wild Cards series, I have by no means read all of t hem. In saying that however, I do understand the world that He (being George R R Martin) has created in conjunction with the other authors who contribute to this shared world. Mississippi Roll in a collection of interwoven stories set on a paddle steamer named the Natchez filled with colourful and intriguing characters who really jump off the page.

I have always appreciated Martin's sense of place, and the unique settings he has created, although some of the stories that are told within that setting are not as interesting as others. One of the major threads in the stories in Mississippi Roll seems to be a discussion of the morality, and worthiness of taking in illegal immigrants, and while I can take or leave the politics of this, I really had no interest in the story being told. The plot with the ghostly captain? That was a much more emotional, ripping yarn. As a consequence, I found myself reading this book in fits and starts.

The publisher notes that this is suitable for newcomers to the Wild Card series, but I believe that to do so would be like being thrown in the deep end, without any context of the politics and environment in which these stories are set. The authors take some steps to explain the origins of the Wild Card virus, but you have to have a basic understanding of a lot of the terminology used. There were several times I found myself running to the wiki for clarification on some points.

For fans of the Wild Cards series, this latest collection is more of the same of what they have enjoyed in the past. Whether some of the messageyness of the stories suits your brand of politics, or can be overlooked, that's up to you. This is a solid addition to the Wild Card universe.

Favorite Quote: “This trip just gets weirder and weirder”

Reviewed by Tori

Now on its final voyage, the historical steamboat Natchez is known for her super-powered guest entertainers. But after the suspicious death of a crewmember, retired NY police detective Leo Storgman decides to make this incident his personal case. His findings only lead to a growing number of questions. Is there some truth behind the ghostly sightings of the steamboat’s first captain Wilbur Leathers? What secret does the current captain seem to be hiding? And could the Natchez be ferrying mysterious – and possibly dangerous – cargo onboard? (Amazon)

Fans new and old will enjoy the 24th installment of the Wild Cards-a series set in New York and based on an alien virus that transformed human genetics and eventually recessive to create superheroes and villains. Some victims died, others experienced physical or psychic changes. Referred to as aces, deuces, and jokers; aces got useful powers, deuces minor entertaining abilities, jokers refer to those who were disfigured or disabled. Those who have read the series, which started in 1987, know that almost every book is written by a collaboration of authors and advances in true time.

Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin, Mississippi Roll features the writing talents of Stephen Leigh, David D. Levine, John Jos. Miller, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Cherie Priest, and Carrie Vaughn.

This series is arranged by numerical order and by groups/tribes. You can read in any order you choose but I do recommend reading the first three books in order to understand the world and character base.

Mississippi Roll start us off in 1950’s New Orleans, LA. We are taken aboard the steamboat The Natchez and introduced to its owner and captain, Wilbur Leathers. We learn Wilbur was murdered and his ghost finds itself trapped indefinitely on the Natchez. He is able to manifest with steam and uses it to his advantage through the story. We then bounce into the present and tag along with a government fraction of aces (Fort Freaks) who have been called in to help when a freighter enters the port illegally with a hull packed with joker refugees escaping persecution. When the refugees learn they will not be allowed into the US, they revolt and this is where the two storylines converge into and the real adventure begins.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the series as a whole. While I don’t wait on needles and pens for each release, they are compelling bits of escapism with entertaining and solid plotlines, vivacious personable characters, and snappy amusing narrative. The superhero theme is strong as Martin and the other authors use their pens to address the past and present political and social issues. Homosexuality, racism, bigotry, and the current plight of refugees are seen as this group hammers their stories into shape.

The story stays centered on the Natchez and revolves around the crew and certain central figures who inhabit it. Very character oriented and far more romantic than one would expect, the story has an appealing melodramatic soap opera feel to it We meet a pair of deuces who entertain on the ship and one who almost loses their life when their need to be a hero almost gets them killed. A live jazz band of jokers, a musician with a secret, an ace operative whose last mission left them almost destroyed, and much more all get their stories told while the main storyline builds in the background. Some familiar faces are present-I was thrilled to see Billy Ray and his wife – along with some new ones whose personalities only add to the unpredictability and enjoyment.

The ending not only wraps up the main conflict, but also the multiple plotlines that popped up throughout the story. Quite the dramatic finish, everything weaved together so seamlessly, I was amazed at the flawless application of six unique voices. The Wild Card series is a treat for sci-fi fantasy adventure seekers who enjoy campy space opera that is built and contained within our own world.

Grade: B+

Mississippi Roll is the latest installment in George R.R. Martin’s popular Wild Cards series of shared world anthologies. I generously received an advanced review copy of the novel from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. The series is very long; Mississippi Roll is the twenty-fourth book. Fortunately, it’s not necessary to have read the previous books in the series in order to enjoy this new one. This novel was, in fact, my indoctrination into the Wild Cards universe; I had absolutely no issues jumping in and immersing myself in the world. I did, however, spend a few minutes perusing the web to learn what the Wild Cards series was all about before I’d gotten too far with my reading. I’d recommend the official Wild Cards web site, called Wild Cards World, as well the unofficial one, Wild Cards Online. I found both sites very informative. In fact, straight from the latter site is this bit of background info (which is really all you need to know before reading):

An alien bomb is detonated above the planet, shedding an indiscriminate gene virus on an Earth barely recovered from the horrors of World War ll. The result: Wild Cards. ACES blessed with superhuman powers and JOKERS cursed with bizarre physical and mental disfigurements.

While the Wild Cards novels are edited by George R.R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame, the stories themselves are written by a wide cast of authors. Mississippi Roll boasts the talent of Stephen Leigh, David D. Levine, John Jos. Miller, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Cherie Priest, and Carrie Vaughn. You may be asking yourself how Mississippi Roll can be classified as a novel with so many authors having taken part. Isn’t it by definition a collection of short stories? The answer is both yes and no. There is an overarching storyline that’s moved along via each individual story and a continuity that’s established by each author’s contribution picking up where the last story left off, though from a different character’s perspective. What binds all of the characters and their disparate, individual storylines together is the fact that they are all onboard the same steamboat, the Natchez, and they all cross paths with one central character: the Natchez’s captain, Wilbur Leathers.

It is the year 1951 when we are first introduced to Wilbur Leathers, a vibrant river captain who shares the steamboat he calls home with his wife, Eleanor. Tragedy strikes and Wilbur is changed into what he thinks is a ghost. Given that this is a Wild Card novel, though, chances are he’s actually become an Ace, Joker, or something in between. Regardless, this life change brings about a separation from Eleanor, who leaves the Natchez forever, and a seemingly eternal captivity for Wilbur, who finds he is unable to leave the boat at all. Years pass as the Natchez finds herself with new owners, captains, and guests. All the while, Wilbur Leathers “haunts” the steamboat, becoming something of an urban legend.

That’s the setup for Mississippi Roll. From there, the reader is introduced to a menagerie of colorful characters, their interactions while onboard the Natchez becoming the basis of each of the stories. Even though each tale is penned by a different author, I found the reading experience to be very level and smooth. This is the mark of a good editor; you can’t do much better than Mr. Martin. The characters are a mix of unchanged humans, Aces, and Jokers. The latter have talents that either get them into trouble or cause trouble, though all types of people alike are simply getting by in this world, some trying to make their mark more than others. There is no evil, per se, though there is certainly an alignment of better and worse as the stories progress and the central plot eventually comes to a head.

The writing is top notch all-around, which shouldn’t be a surprise given the list of contributors. That being said, no particular story stood out to me above any other in terms of quality, though I can’t say the opposite, either. Overall, it’s a well written set of stories with some imaginative plots and characters. Mississippi Roll is appropriate for all ages. The stories range from lighthearted to suspenseful with some violence mixed in here and there. Only one story has strong violence as one of its central themes, but that one also involves forbidden love (so of course things are going to get violent).

What really stands out in Mississippi Roll is the character and story of Captain Leathers. He binds all of the disparate stories together but also has one of the most interesting and intriguing storylines of them all. I felt for his situation and applauded his final fate, though it is not necessarily a good one. But he does find some peace, which is, I think, the best one could hope for given his situation.

Mississippi Roll is an entertaining jaunt onboard a steamboat of old. The stories flow together seamlessly (a credit to the editor) and the overall story is fun and engaging while fitting nicely into the Wild Cards world. I’m giving it four rockets and a recommendation to add it to your TBR list.

This story is about a journey on a steamboat, which is still running the Mississippi in the 2010s. Our main character is a ghost, who was the first owner and captain of the boat. He had lived in the 50’s, when he had a debt on the boat, and after a rough argument with a debt-collector a shooting started, and both the collector guy and the young captain died. But the captain remained on the boat as a ghost, also he was closed on to it, the boat became his prison for eternity.

There are some illogical switches in the baseline of the story: Wilbur remained able to communicate with the crew, why he hadn’t been able to achieve that somebody inform his wife that he is still “alive”, at least he is on the boat? Or how a new captain could ignore the resident ghost at all?

Anyway, the actual story plays in the 2010s, when joker refugees arrived to the United States. The parallels of our days’ refugees are clear: the refugees are escaping from persecution in a foreign country, the USA does not want to let them in, and some – already familiar – aces are trying to help them. The refugees are smuggled to the boat at last, where their story-lines met with Wilbur’s and the adventure begins.

Every story is about another character on the boat, and every character is involved to the fate of the refugees. There is a singer-magician from a joker boyband, a private investigator with his wife, an old, gay barman, and all around is the staff with interesting characters as well. And there’s Wilbur, who sympathizes with the refugees and helps them ways only he could…

The tempo of the story is slow and calm, the excitement comes more from the characters’ personality than the actual events. Cool guys all, the reader will love them, but overall the book is more romantic or melodramatic than exciting. The boat is interesting too with the steam in the walls, the many levels, halls and rooms… The chapters’ style is unified, the same slow waves over the journey. I’m not sure it’s a good entry-point to the Wild Cards universe – the beginning would be strange with weird guys and the zombies, but for a #24 it’s very good and recommended to read.