Bantam/Random House provided an early galley for review.

I have been with the Wild Cards series since book one. And Croyd Crenson, with his unique power set, has been ever-present in the series for the last thirty-seven years. He is such an interesting character with so much potential for story ideas, so his getting the spotlight in the last collection is no surprise.

This is more than just Croyd's story though. We are also introduced to some new characters he encountered along the way - like the joker Miss Canvas, and the aforementioned Tesla - as well as some familiar faces like detective Leo Storgman and ace Jack Braun. The narrative bounces from present day to flashback tales, filling the reader in on episodes in Croyd's life as Tesla tracks down the various Croyds in present day. I found it sometimes helped the narrative flow while at other times impeded it. It is a tricky thing to pull off successfully.

In the end, it did what each volume in this series does: expand and enrich the tapestry that is the world of Wild Cards.