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Customer Reviews (9)

Psycho-Dramas
Busted Flush continues the adventures of next generation of Wild Cards, with a few of the originals in pivotal roles. All of them are survivors of the deadly alien Joker virus that triggers strange deformities and powerful abilities, and most of whom work for various governments as authorized superheroes or weapons. It's set in a 10 degree variant universe, wherein American Hero is a Survivor-style show for testing/recruiting new Wild Cards, the U.S. President is named Kennedy, the Attorney General is Hilary Rodham, and fuel from the Mideast costs 300 dollars a barrel, so not many people are driving cars; and evidently our politicians are still clueless and ineffective, because no one is producing ethanol from hemp.If only Arizona could send Leslie Fish to the Senate.
The "Double Helix" pieces are by Melinda Snodgrass, who wrote The Edge of Reason last year.Teleporting hermaphrodite British Interpol ace Noel leads a duplicitous life as a double-agent. As assassin Bahir, he spies on/works for/sabotages the United Arab Emirate's Prince Siraj, the man who sets the prices on oil.As Lilith, she spies on/works for/sabotages the Committee, the organization which directs superhero activities of Aces on this side of the pond. Lilith is sexy and snarky; Bahir is by turn respectful and flippant with authority figures; but Noel is trying to cope with a dying dad and accumulated self-loathing.
"Could, Would, Shoulda," penned by Caroline Spector, follows the activities of Bubbles, who has PTSD from her rescue work in Egypt and a troubled relationship with her girlfriend, but still has the heart to visit young jokers and aces kept in hospitals or other holding facilities.She befriends a Wild Card named Niobe, after the Greek queen who grieved inconsolably for the death of all her 14 children. Niobe births fully activated Wild Cards every time she breeds, but all her children die in a matter of days.
Niobe also shares the "Political Science" storyline with 13 year old Blake, who mysteriously survived a nuclear explosion in a two-bit, played-out oil town in Texas.Blake's reaction to the Joker virus is just emerging, and when it proves to be out of control, he's slated for termination.Niobe and her children bust Blake out, but they inadvertently release some of the most dangerous criminal Jokers on the planet, and the Committee sends some of its finest to clean up the ensuing mess. Ian Tregellis and Walton Simons write this story arc, and John Jos. Miller gets to tell more of it in "Mortality's Strong Hand."
"Just Cause," by Carrie Vaughn, follows Committee members Ana, Kate, and Tinker, who specialize in mitigating natural disasters.Kate is involved in a romantic triangle with her boss, John "Fortune" Tipton-Clarke, and fellow Ace Michael, aka Drummer Boy, who gets his own storyline in "Dirge in a Major Key" by Stephen Leigh.
Kevin Andrew Murphy's "The Tears of Nephritus" follows the senior Ace, Ellen, who can channel the memories and abilities of others if she has something of theirs to hold onto. Too bad for Ellen - she's in love with a ghost.
Victor Milan writes the other sections, giving each its own title.These are the darkest, since his focus is the politics of genocide and power plays, featuring the seemingly indestructible shadow Ace, The Radical.


George Martin edited but did not actually write any of the storylines that are woven together to make up Busted Flush, which I will only forgive if he is working on another Tuff Voyaging story.That being said, his touch at the helm is sure, and the actual authors do this series fantastic justice. It's the literary equivalent of The Traveling Willburys

Well worth a look
I would suggest that you find some way to start at the beginning with the Wildcards it is a big and expansive set of anthologies this is #19 in a set if I remember correctly.Speaking for myself I always have one problem with the books the series is so large and the cast of characters so expansive I have trouble remembering who is who and where the action is going.Still they read very quickly and the read is entertaining.I think its great that the group of authors going Wildcards has managed to keep it going for so many years.

Busted Flush is royal
Delivers that old Martin magic with wild abilities and personal conflicts well-pooled in the "Wild Cards" tradition.

back in the swing
As a longtime WildCards fan (since 1987) this latest entry, the nineteenth in the series, is a pretty solid part two to the Committee trilogy and a decent introduction to the fictional world as a whole.

If you're curious about the series and the other 17 books seem daunting, give this and Inside Straight a try. You don't have to know anything other than the background info about the wildcard virus (explained at length in other reviews here) and the fact that the idealistic 20-somethings that make up the Committee have to live in the shadow of aces past.

Most compelling to me is the drive of these kids to use their abilities for the betterment of man and the exhausting realization they're coming to that you can't save the world from every disaster. It's a sacrifice that's beginning to take its toll on their united vision and I'm excited to see Suicide Kings follow this out to what feels like a catastrophic conclusion. As with all the other books in this series, the characters are strong, memorable and well-served by their respective authors.

As I told a friend of mine, this is what Heroes wishes it was.

Adequate addition
Busted Flush is an adequate addition to the Wild Cards fold.At times better, and at times worse than its predecessor, Busted Flush continues the story of a UN sponsored Committee of super powered Aces, fighting trouble around the globe.The bad news is that most of the scenes with the Committee fall flat.Wild Cards has always kept the traditionally super heroic at arms length.Their world had a few traditional superheroes but they were never central characters.The Committee and its Aces are much more superheroic than normal for Wild Cards, and that tends to fail here.

The best scenes are the ones with non-Committee members.Melinda Snodgrass turns in an enjoyable turn here and manages to redeem a character who I had loathed in the last book by showing his inner demons.Victor Milan returns with the best installment in the book, following Capn Trips alter ego The Radical as he fights a bloody war in Africa.Of the new characters there's only one that really interesting.We get a new Joker named Genetrix, who manages to be an effective and touching character despite the ludicrous surroundings in which they've put her. ... Read more

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In the interest of National Security... Amendment ICongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.Amendment IIA well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.Their weapons have been seized, their homes have become their prisons, their telephones and radios are no longer functioning.Amendment IIINo Soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.Collier, Georgia has been taken, stormed by men in dark armor at a time when the town has just suffered its greatest moment of tragedy. As hundreds lay dying or injured, the citizens of Collier and the hundreds of strangers who were only there for the Independence Day fireworks displays, find themselves unable to escape their town, cut off from every possible source of help. The soldiers have taken over the hotels, the high school, everything.The only law in Collier is enforced by the weapons of the invading forces.Amendment IVThe right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.A small town has become a prison, a place where even the right to live is questioned every hour, every day.Sooner or later, something has to give... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

A different kind of Take
This book is more about peoples interactions with the military then with thealien ship.I did find it very enjoyable and an easy read.Though not the greatest, its worth the time and its a very entertaining book.The characters are believable and there struggles are more horrifying with the milta then with the spaceship.

enthralling
this author creates characters that breathe. this was a book you hate to lay down. a great story---shocking and highly entertaining. i thoroughly enjoyed the read.

Good characters and suspenseful plot drive this "America Under Seige"novel
Those who pick up a copy of James A. Moore's "Fireworks" simply expecting an alien invasion novel (as the book cover snippets lead one to believe) will be sorely disappointed because it's not the aliens who star in this novel, but rather the residents of Collier, GA.

Amidst the July 4th fireworks celebration, a strange craft appears in the sky and falls to Earth in a lake next the to town.As the town starts to right itself following the devastation created by the crash, an ultra-secret American military group known only as ONYX arrives on the scene to "protect" the citizens from the craft.Well, as every good UFO conspirator-theory believer knows, that kind of "protection" is just not what the military is really motivated by.ONYX simply wants to clean up the mess, get the ship spirited way to Area 51 or some other secret base and move out.

As the commander of ONYX soon finds out, that simply won't set with these spirited and independent-minded Southerners who react unfavorably to the military occupation.As relations begin to slowly deteriorate, martial law is declared and all hell breaks loose soon after in this sleepy little town.

Moore spends the middle third of the book developing some pretty good characters (with pretty good stories).The reader gets a chance to connect not only with these folks but with a couple of the key ONYX personnel.As only a true Southerner could, Moore does an excellent job describing the mindset and determination of these Georgian folks.He also turns up the heat by graphically describing some of the firefights between the citizens and the military and does a nice job keeping the plot boiling.One can't help but wonder what role (if any) the aliens will play in the final outcome.Rather than risk giving away any more plot details, you'll just have to pick up a copy of the book to get that answer.

"Fireworks" is a solid "read" that will appeal to the fans of Robert McCammon and those who enjoyed the early Dean Koontz novels, such as "Strangers" and "Watchers".

Buyer Beware!
This book is labeled a horror novel by the publisher, and although the first half is very promising, it turns into nothing more than a military controlled warzone.Where's the horror?Where's the aliens?Where's the protagonist?The book shifts from one character to another without reason and fizzles out at the end.The first half was 4 stars, the second half was 2... so Fireworks deserves a 3.My other gripe is all the spelling errors in the last third of the book.Did the copy editor just give up two-thirds of the way through?It was very annoying and pulls you right out of the story.That being said, James A. Moore is a good writer, and even more importantly, he's a good storyteller.I know he'll pick himself up from this little slip.

It came out of the sky
What would happen if a Fourth of July celebration was interrupted by the crash landing of a ufo?That's the gist here, but Moore infuses his story with characters that are just too darn good for a Leisure paperback.It's true that there ain't much when it comes to extra terrestrial interaction (to put it mildly) but that's not the point.The fear gradually shifts from the dry docked flying saucer to the government agents given the task of keeping the entire town of Collier, GA quiet.(The media is given a story about a terrorist)Like the best episodes of the X-Files the audience plays ping-pong between the threat of invasion and the threat of shadowy government figures calling the shots.Only here the scenario is expanded to include the terror of martial law.That's pretty scary.It's a literary smack in the head, where logically the issues and priorities are eschewed in order to maintain a semblance of order and the more you read the more plausible a situation like this seems.

This is the second book by this author that I've read and I can honestly say this fellow right here has what it takes to be another King, Koontz, or McCammon-his writing is amazingly similar to those lofty three and just as enduring.The only way we can ever see that happen is a hardcover deal and good press and James Moore is deserving of both.Even Hollywood could potentially make good on this story (but it'd probably get screwed up). Bloody, insightful, with well written characters, and compelling enough to keep those pages a turnin'.Fireworks goes high on the recommendation list.Also check out Under the Overtree. ... Read more

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Master the skills necessary for creating IEPs with this interactive CD that includes powerful flash animated tutorials that verbally and visually explain the three keys to effective program planning_writing goals, writing objectives, and assessing progress. Also included is an easy-to-use computer program that enables you to create IEPs, create a goal bank, and print your IEP documents. By the end of this CD seminar you will be writing relevant, clear, measurable goals and objectives as well as producing useful working IEP documents that will maximize your teaching effectiveness and the learning outcomes of your special needs students. ... Read more

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MySearchLab provides students with a complete understanding of the research process so they can complete research projects confidently and efficiently. Students and instructors with an internet connection can visit www.MySearchLab.com and receive immediate access to thousands of full articles from the EBSCO ContentSelect database. In addition, MySearchLab offers extensive content on the research process itself—including tips on how to navigate and maximize time in the campus library, a step-by-step guide on writing a research paper, and instructions on how to finish an academic assignment with endnotes and bibliography.

Organized by individual theorists, this comprehensive text examines the major movements in the field through an historic and humanistic approach.

This text provides a comprehensive introduction to the key personality theorists by combining biographical information on each theorist with his or her contributions to the field, including her or his ranking among the world’s most respected psychologists. In addition, Allen provides a tabular format–that is, a running comparison between the major theorists, allowing students to analyze new theories against theories learned in previous chapters. The unique style of Allen's book is strengthened through his conversational tone, enabling students to easily grasp an understanding of the key people and movements in the field of personality.

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Help is at hand for educators struggling with classroom management. Implementation of the strategies in Improving Behavior K-6 can help reduce behavior problems such as inattentiveness, aggression, and withdrawal in the classroom and school-wide! This interactive CD includes: _ ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Journal of Studies on Alcohol, published by Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc. on July 1, 1996. The length of the article is 7768 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: Objective: This study examines white male adolescent responses to TV beer advertisements with and without sports content and to nonbeer ads when embedded in sports and entertainment programming. Method: A total of 72 advertisements and 24 television program excerpts were randomly sampled from national television programming. White male adolescents (N = 157) recruited in a public school system each viewed six ads (one of each of three types of ad embedded in each of two types of programming) comprising the 2 x 2 x 3 factorial, within-subjects, mixed-model (random and fixed effects) experimental design along with an age-level blocking factor and random factors for commercial and program stimuli. Cognitive responses to each ad were content-analyzed. Individual difference variables including alcohol use behavior, sensation-seeking, masculinity and sports involvement were also measured. Results: Subjects showed a consistent preference for beer ads with sports content. A significant three-way interaction between ad type, programming type and junior versus senior high-school age level also indicated that sports programming had an inconsistent effect on responses to beer ads but that nonbeer ads were responded to more positively during sports than during entertainment programming. Other analyses showed that subjects were more cognitively resistant to beer ads than to nonbeer ads. Conclusions: These results support public and official concerns that sports content in beer ads increase the ads' appeal to underage youth. They do not support hypothesized concerns that sports programming might prime adolescents to be more receptive to beer ads. Implications for alcohol education efforts are discussed. (J. Stud. Alcohol 57: 425-433, 1996)

From the supplier: White male adolescents favor sports-related beer advertisements, while ad type, programming type and age are significantly related. Adolescents respond to ads better during sports programs than during entertainment programs. However, they also respond better to nonbeer ads than beer ads during sports programs. Results show that although sports content makes the beer ad attractive, the content of the program does not make adolescents more responsive to beer ads.

Citation Details
Title: Male adolescents' reactions to TV beer advertisements: the effects of sports content and programming context.
Author: Michael D. Slater
Publication: Journal of Studies on Alcohol (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 1996
Publisher: Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc.
Volume: v57Issue: n4Page: p425(9)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more