Wild Cards I by George R. R. Martin

This book is edited by Martin, although he has one story in it.   This is the book to read prior to reading any of the other Wild Card books.  This details how and what made the Wild Cards.

An alien virus genetically alters a percentage of Earth's population.   The results are grotesque disfigurement for some and enormously enhanced abilities for others.   The people with enhanced telekinesis, invisibility and other enhanced abilities while maintaining a reasonably normal body are called Aces.  The deformed, the grotesque, the severely impaired are called Jokers.  

This book is a compilation of short stories detailing who released and created the virus and the initial results of that release.

As in all collections of short stories, there will be some you love and others you wonder how did they get in with such exalted company.

web site:  http://www.tor.com/features/series/wild-cards

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Earth Is Not Alone by John Knapp II

This is a bit of a strange book. It purports to be science fiction but it appears to be proselytizing rather than story telling. Parables come to mind after reading it. I’m just not sure.
I still am confused as to the message of the book. It seems to be stating that there is one God for aliens and earthlings alike. I didn’t find any of the characters particularly appealing. The structure of the book was disjointed. It divides itself into a story telling about two other stories and the two other stories are related in the book. I’m guessing there is a message but I’m just not sure what it might have been. It purports to be promoting Christianity and I guess it does that.

I’m guessing this would be a good book for a reading group that wants to analyze religion. It wasn’t a particularly good book for recreational reading.

Body of work of John Knapp II

Site:

Dragonback Bargain by Timothy Zahn

Dragonback Bargain is a bargain. It is a anthology including the complete novels: Dragon and Thief,Dragon and Soldier and Dragon and Slave. The premise of the series is a 14 year old orphan acquires a K’da warrior as a symbiote. The K’da warrior’s appearance is that of a Chinese dragon the size of a small tiger. The K’da people are fleeing the Valahgua who is perpetrating genocide on all races they meet. Jack Morgan, an orphan, is fleeing an unknown persecutor. Jack’s only companion is the computerized download of his late Uncle’s con-artist personality. Jack and Draycos team up to face their foes.

My only frustration with this series is that I thought it was three books and it is six books. In one way that is great because I really enjoying the series, on the other hand I don’t normally read series until I have acquired the entire series. I am now forced to track down the remaining three books.

I haven’t seen that the series is characterized as young adult but that is how I would characterize it. The story is enjoyable, the characters are well done. Jack is suitably torn between his lonely desire to have a friend and his wish to placate his late Uncles computerized personality. The emotions are pretty clear and so is the conflict. There is a lot of action but it is tempered in a manner that is appropriate for the younger reader.

I highly recommend the entire series.

Body of work of Timothy Zahn

Web Site: none found