Reddit mentions of Wild Cards I: Expanded Edition

This is what I send to friends - - -

TLDR version;

(1) worm is one of the best things i've read in any genre

(2) don't tell my parent's i'm a supervillain is fun, age appropriate for kids but good enough for adult

(3) Dire, Super Powereds (and corpies spinoff) are excellent - don't miss these

(4) the rest listed are the best of what i've found in the genre



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Each book or series has the following information





ranking:

age:

rating:

Strengths:

Genre Detail:

Comments:

Cons:

link to book/series

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Each of the above catagories is rated, ranked, or noted using the following (obviously opinion based)



ranking:

n/10 (range for series)

• : books improve over time (often new author or genre for author, learning on the go)
  
  

• : books get worse over time (often first book is excellent, whatever made it enjoyable decreases in future books, the first book is often worth reading)
  
  
  
  Strengths:
  
  "I"nteresting powers, power sets - not just cookie cutter powers (Worm is the best at this)
  
  "W"orld building - how well the world around the story is built (Worm is the best at this)
  
  "F"un - just plain fun to read (don't tell my parents im a supervillain is the best at this)
  
  "D"rama and storlyline - character interaction and depth of plot (Worm is the best at this)
  
  "T"heme - depth behind the story (Worm is the best at this)
  
  "E"xcellent protagonist / strong main characters - how engaging are the main characters (Worm is the best at this)
  
  
  
  Genre Detail:
  
  Fantasy (powers based on magic)
  
  Sci-fi (powers based on altered person)
  
  
  
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  worm
  
  note to readers - One friend of mine who read this didn't enjoy it because it is so violent/grey morals, others have unanimously loved it. I was floored at how excellent the story was, had to read it again to pick up what I missed first read through.
  
  ranking: 10/10
  
  Strengths: I/W/D/T/E
  
  Genre Detail: sci-fi
  
  Comments: putting here as a baseline - linked to goodreads seperate writeup. this is a must read as long as the negatives noted there are not a problem
  
  
  
  
  
  wearing the cape (5 books in series, not complete)
  
  note to readers - this is the most comic-book like of the novels/series, if you are patient with it it gets better as you go along.
  
  ranking: 8/10 + (6.5-9)
  
  Strengths: F/E
  
  Genre Detail: Sci-fi
  
  Comments: worth reading, first book isnt great, each one gets better.
  
  Cons: first book isnt very good. story lines take a while to get decent. characters are fairly cookie cutter power wise.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Wearing-Cape-Book-ebook/dp/B004XRCC1G/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504392&sr=1-2&keywords=wearing+the+cape#navbar
  
  
  
  super powereds (3/4 books done)
  
  note to readers - I really enjoyed this series, Drew Hayes (author) is an excellent indy author who writes what he loves. One of my favorite characters in any book (Nick) in the series.
  
  ranking: 9/10 + (7.5-9.5)
  
  Strengths: I/W/D/E
  
  Genre Detail: Sci-fi
  
  Comments: unique, first chapter of book 1 is first chapter written by the author (first 10 chapters or so are rough reading). has good story, good depth, good powers and treatment of powers, gets better with each book. annoyances (some bad writing early on, and cadence in sections of the overall story) are outweighed by some really long term cool scenes.
  
  Cons: Truly rough reading first few chapters, pacing can be tough, non essential characters motivations are 2 dimentional
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Super-Powereds-3-Book-Series/dp/B010HIUG1C/ref=sr_1_1_ha?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504369&sr=1-1&keywords=super+powereds
  
  
  
  after reading the above books, this spinoff is a virtual must read, best of the bunch: https://www.amazon.com/Corpies-Super-Powereds-Spinoff-Book-ebook/dp/B01D9C21DE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1473257391&sr=1-1&keywords=corpies
  
  
  
  
  
  action figures (5 books done, 3 in works for next year)
  
  note to readers - this is more YA targetted, but on occasion goes way beyond what I would expect in YA - still fun and well done
  
  ranking: 8/10 (7.5-8)
  
  Strengths: F/D
  
  Genre Detail: Sci-fi
  
  Comments: steady, easy, enjoyable
  
  Cons: not much depth, angsty, simple, seems to target YA but occasionally breaks boundry to be potentially inappropriate for younger audience
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Action-Figures-Issue-Secret-Origins-ebook/dp/B00GC74K4M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504262&sr=1-1&keywords=action+figures+michael+bailey#navbar
  
  
  
  dire (3 books, not complete)
  
  note to readers - Outstanding lead character and really nicely written. I loved DIRE.
  
  ranking: 9/10 (9-9)
  
  Strengths: W/D/E
  
  Genre Detail: sci-fi
  
  Comments: dire is a great character, its a good story, inspired by worm (was originally fan-fiction on parahumas site, the intro to dire)
  
  Cons: taking a while for next book to come out, only sample size of 2 books in series. third book was just released, didnt like as much as first two.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/DIRE-BORN-Dire-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B018L5DJN0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504229&sr=1-1&keywords=dire+born#navbar
  
  
  
  Gailsone (2 books, then shifted to periodical short novella releases)
  
  note to readers - Least good of the good ones, If you leave any off this is the most leave-off able.
  
  ranking: 8/10 (7.5-8)
  
  Strengths: F/E
  
  Genre Detail: sci-fi
  
  Comments: fairly unique story, strong main character, quite murdery at times.
  
  Cons: after second book author started releasing .99$ 100 page short excerpts, books are fun but no depth, some annoying interplay between characters
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Gailsone-Big-Japan-Casey-Glanders-ebook/dp/B00GXTADYA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504156&sr=1-1&keywords=gailsone#navbar
  
  
  
  
  
  Dynamistress (2 books, series done)
  
  note to readers - fan fiction at its finest, a talented author who played City of Heroes wrote a 2 book biography for his character, lots of "labor of love" and nicely written story.
  
  ranking: 8/10 (8-8)
  
  Strengths: F
  
  Genre Detail: Sci-fi
  
  Comments: unique autobiography format, this is more a story of a person who happens to engage in the super human community than a hero story, very well done. oddly enough - inspired by the MMO City of Heroes, written by an author who played the game.
  
  Cons: if you are looking for a heroic story, this is more a person story that unions the genre.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Reckoning-Many-Deaths-Dynamistress-Book-ebook/dp/B00F6F8NOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1470503535&sr=8-1&keywords=dynamistress#navbar
  
  
  
  confessions of a d-list supervillain (3 books, not really a series though there is a timeline)
  
  note to readers - These were fun, first ones in the genre I read. Not as good as others in the list, but worth reading if you get into this format (novelization of super/parahuman stories)
  
  ranking: 7.5/10 (7-7.5)
  
  Strengths: F
  
  Genre Detail: sci-fi
  
  Comments: One of the first "super hero" genre books published, fun read but not much beyond that. it has not held up to other books/series since it came out, but still decent enough read
  
  Cons: others are better, not terribly unique or deep. just fun and one of the first forays into this genre.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/D-List-Supervillain-3-Book-Series/dp/B00XM5XKWA/ref=sr_1_1_ha?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504127&sr=1-1&keywords=confessions+of+a+d+list+supervillain
  
  
  
  don't tell my parents i'm a supervillain (3 books, not complete)
  
  note to readers - book 1 was a blast, and is also very appropriate for young readers (5th -8th grade reading level advised). cant suggest it more highly for a fun read, and you might find it appropriate/fun for your kids too after reading it
  
  ranking: 8/10- (9.5-6.5)
  
  Strengths: I/F/E
  
  Genre Detail: Sci-fi
  
  Comments: first book has Worm inspiration, excellent introduction and very creative. second and third books are not as good. worth reading first book.
  
  Cons: very ya, first book captures a story in a "harry potterish" enjoyable story with a ton of discovery and creativity. second and third books fell off that mark.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Please-Dont-Tell-Parents-Book/dp/B01A951V2G/ref=sr_1_1_ha?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504101&sr=1-1&keywords=don%27t+tell+my+parents+i%27m+a+supervillain
  
  
  
  wild cards (many books, all anthologies of short stories by various authors)
  
  note to readers - anthologies by dozens of authors, with an overall theme and world canon maintained by the editor (George RR Martin). you have to take the good with the bad to get through this series, there are alot of both
  
  ranking: 7- (8.5-5)
  
  Strengths: I/W/D
  
  Genre Detail: sci-fi
  
  Comments: anthology format, very unique. some amazing, some awful stories. multi author short stories covering a variety of characters over the course of 30-50 years or so. first of its sort. George RR Martin editor. the first 5 books are mostly good, there are a bunch of bad mixed with some good after that.
  
  Cons: expensive, and quality of stories varies wildly.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Cards-I-Trust-ebook/dp/B003P8OZ0U/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504054&sr=1-3&keywords=wild+cards+george+rr+martin#navbar
  
  
  
  steelheart (3 books, complete)
  
  note to readers - I just didn't like the story, seems like almost everyone disagrees with me based on online reviews. really well written, but it never hooked me.
  
  ranking: 7.5
  
  Strengths: I/D
  
  Genre Detail: sci-fi.
  
  Comments:I didnt enjoy these as much as I thought I would, many others enjoyed more than me based on reviews. well written (the author is a top notch writer) but there was just something off about them that I couldnt place.
  
  Cons: premium cost, other stories (indy pub/other) are just more enjoyable.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/The-Reckoners-3-Book-Series/dp/B0141KGAIK/ref=sr_1_1_ha?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470504007&sr=1-1&keywords=steelheart
  

There was a series of shared world anthology books about basically this. It was called Wild Cards. How much did life suck for people who got D-list powers? Well, it was written by George R R Martin, that's how much it sucked.

http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Cards-George-R-R-Martin-ebook/dp/B003P8OZ0U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405360907&sr=1-1&keywords=wild+cards