---Oh boy. I really was not looking forward to this one. Not because this is a bad novel but because with one exception every story is multiple parts. Furthermore, each of the stories is tightly interlinked, even more so than in the last book. Which would be fine but there are three and four different plotlines intersecting and diverging throughout each of the stories. Which means that discussing them without SPOILERS is a headache and summarizing them concisely presents logistical nightmares I don't even want to think about.
Never the less, I will soldier on The previous book ended with a new generation of Aces forming the Committee, an Avengers /Justice League type organization backed by the UN. This book picks up from there, following the new team as they deal with several new problems and old enemies.
First, the Committee's old foes, the fundamentalist Caliphate have begun invading neighboring countries including the Socialist People's Paradise of Africa. Next, a massive nuclear explosion devastates Texas and the cause appears to be a young ace with uncontrollable powers. Third, the group is asked to intervene in a conflict between Nigeria and the newly formed People's Paradise of Africa. Finally, a massive hurricane is headed towards Louisiana and super-powered assistance is required for the evacuation. Even with an expanded roster, the Committee might have its hands full.
The stories are as follows:
Double Helix (by Melinda Snodgrass, starring Noel Mathews/Double Helix): One again, the job of connecting the plots goes to Noel Matthews, the ace spy codenamed Double Helix. Having infiltrated both the Committee and the Caliphate under different aliases, his triple life has already pushed him far past his limits. Will his orders to kidnap a powerful young ace for the UK government prove to be the straw that breaks the camel's back? This story presents a more in-depth look at the ace know as Double Helix than the previous book did. There, he was an unpleasant amoral spy. He still that in this book but here we get a better sense of what drives him and why he does the things he does. Rating: 4/5.
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda (by Caroline Spector, starring Michelle Pond/ The Amazing Bubbles): Michelle Pond, the Amazing Bubbles, is another character having trouble balancing her responsibilities with her personal life. While she does important work with the Committee, her relationship with her girlfriend has begun to fall apart. When she's sent to spearhead evacuation efforts in New Orleans, an encounter with the vigilante known as Hoodoo Mama opens the possibility for a new relationship. A story that's hard to discuss especially since it turns out to be central to the climax. If the first story shows more of Double Helix's good side, this story shows some of the darker aspects of Bubbles' personality which severe to round out the character. Rating: 4/5.
Just Cause (by Carrie Vaughn, staring Kathleen Brandt/ Curveball): Yet another founding Committee member, Curveball, didn't get her own story in the last book. This time around we see her take center stage as her career hits the big time. In theory, Curveball should have it all: Not only is she a beloved hero, but she's also dating John Fortune, the leader of the Committee. But the constant violence of that comes with her new life is taking a toll. Can she keep being part of the Committee, and if she can't what does the mean for her relationship with John? Unfortunately, this story is one of the poorest served by the book's format. As a stand alone story, it might have been a decent effort but split up throughout the book as it is, it's hard to engage with the story on a meaningful level especially when the story "A Dirge in a Major Key" deals with many of the same themes.
Rating: 3/5.Political Science (by Ian Trigellis and Walton Simons, staring Niobe Winslow/ Genetrix and Drake Tomas/ Little Fat Boy): Niobe Winslow aka Genetrix has a particularly disturbing power. He ability birth to a litter of short-lived super powered offspring makes her a valuable research subject for the BICC (Biological Isolation Containment Center), a government organization dedicated to researching manifestations of the Wild Card virus. But the BICC have sinister intentions for Niobe --- and for Drake Thomas aka Little Fat Boy, a young ace who can cause nuclear explosions. Niobe and Drake go on the run but unfortunately the BICC isn't the only party looking for Drake. I have to give this story extra points for containing one of my favorite comic-book tropes: a supervillain prison break. I have to dock it points for its portrayal of recurring Wild Cards character, Carnifex. A lot of the character development for previous books is thrown out so he can serve as a government stooge in this story.
Rating: 2.5/5.
The Tears of Nepthys (by Kevin Andrew Williams, staring Ellen Allworth/ Cameo): The first story in this book to feature an old school Wild Cards hero. The Wild Card universe's medium, Cameo, has been around since Book Eleven and appeared a supporting character in several subsequent stories. Now finally, it's her turn to be the main character. Emerging from an enforced retirement, Cameo joins the Committee, which sends her to help the evacuation in New Orleans. There, she becomes involved in the quest to find Hoodoo Mama while starting a new relationship with Committee member Johnathan Hive. Unfortunately, both Hive and Cameo also have feelings for two of the deceased aces that Cameo can channel, quickly leading to a strange polyamorous grouping. It's this relationship that is the most interesting aspect of this story. Quirky, volatile, more than a little sad, it give the story a complicated emotional center. Rating: 3/5.
Volunteers of America / Won't Get Fooled Again/ A Hard Rain is Going to Fall (by Victor Milan, starring Tom Weathers/ The Radical): Way back in 1995, Wild Cards XIX : Black Trump ended with Captin Trips, a character who had been in the series from Book One, permanently subsumed by his alter-ego, the incredibly powerful Radical. Busted Flush published thirteen years pick up that plot thread with the Radical having become the champion of the People's Paradise of Africa, a fictional socialist nation. When the People's Paradise becomes involved in a border dispute with Nigeria, the Committee sends in a strike force of Aces to monitor the situation and provide assistance to the PPA if necessary. Unfortunately, as the story progresses it quickly becomes clear that the Radical has changed since we last saw him and not necessarily for the better. A fun story --- but only if you're an old time fan of the series. Milan wisely tells the story from the perspective of multiple characters so the reveal of the Radical's dark secret is a slow burn. Unfortunately, the impact of that reveal will only mater if you are familiar with the character. A first time reader will likely find the story confusing. Rating: 2.5/5.
Dirge in a Major Key (by S.L. Frerrell, starring Michael Vogall / Drummer Boy): Drummer Boy has always been a reluctant hero. His work as a member of the Committee is increasingly in conflict with his career as a rock musician and he's beginning to have reservations about the violence that comes with the job. When a moral line is crossed during a mission, tensions come to a head and Drummer Boy make his choice about his place on the team. This story is a vast improvement on Drummer Boy's story in the previous volume Inside Straight. In that book, the writer wants us to believe that there is more to Drummer Boy than the unpleasant facade he presents to the world, but ultimately does vey little to give the character depth. This go around, we get to see more of Drummer Boy's s positive traits and shows that some valid criticisms of his fellow Committee members, allowing the character to be more than just the team jerk. Rating: 4/5.
Mortality's Strong Hand (by John Jos. Miller, starring Billy Ray/Carnifex): Another OG Wild Card character return's for a story: Billy Ray, aka Carnifex, freshly promoted to the director of SCARE, the US Government's Ace strikeforce. Unfortunately, his personal life is going down the tubes: He's broken up with fellow SCARE member, Midnight Angel, and, worse, his healing factor seems to be fading with age. Which is a problem when he's sent to round up the rogue Aces accidentally unleashed from the BICC by Genetrix and Little Fat Boy. The story allows John Jos. Miller to showcase the more human aspects of Billy Ray's character, aspects that are sadly absent when the charter appears in the other stories in this book. It's kind of jarring to see the development that Carnifex has undergone over the history of Wild Cards get jettisoned every time he's written by someone other than his original creator. Ultimately, however, that's a mark against the other stories in this book, not this particular story. Rating: 4.5/5.
As you can see fee from these reviews, this book had a lot going on. The multiple plotlines create a sense of tension and urgency that gives the book a quick pace--- but it's hard not to think that some of them could have been cut. In particular, the whole subplot about the hurricanes in Louisiana feels superfluous. The fact that all the threads come together in the end to make for a relatively coherent finale is nothing short of a minor miracle. However, it's still not enough to elevate the book beyond a 3/5.
Addenda: We find out that the Committee has expanded since we last saw it. New members include characters that appear in previous book like the Gardner and Toad Man We also meet completely new characters like the Translator (later Babel), Snowblind, and the Llama. Some of these guys will get their own stories later.
