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Really 3.5 stars. Mildly entertaining entry in the Wild Cards series. Don't start with this one, but it is fine. ( )

The sexism of previous volumes had turned me off, but I’m still vaguely interested in the universe. Here, jokers are suffering under an isolationist, bigoted president who deploys sadistic ICE agents to make sure that no foreign jokers enter American soil. A ghost-haunted steamboat on its last journey on the Mississippi is moving some joker refugees from slaughter in Kazakhstan, and there are other shenanigans onboard as well. I didn’t hate it—Cherie Priest has a story, though not her best—but I didn’t love it either. ( )

Mississippi Roll was my intro into the Wild Card universe. Mississippi Roll is not the kind of novel I usually read. I flee from the sci-fi side of the fantasy genre and prefer elves, dragons, and far off kingdoms. But I persisted and I'm glad I did. George R. R. Martin assembled a gifted group of writers who chronicle the Natchez's final voyage on the Mississippi River. Mississippi Roll has something for everyone. Each story had a unique voice that added to a greater story.

I enjoyed "Death on the Water" by Cherie Priest. One of the staff members on the boat Natchez is murdered and it's up to Leo Storgman, an insurance investigator, to find the truth. I really liked Priest's humor and storytelling. Usually, I'd try to figure out what happens next but I was so enthralled that I didn't even think about it. I simply enjoyed reading Priest's trail to the final reveal. A Big Break in the Small Time by Carrie Vaughn, was another favorite of mine.

I couldn't follow Wingless Angel by John Jos. Miller. I attribute most of this to the fact that I didn't understand the world and as a result, felt lost. I didn't really care for In the Shadow of Tall Stacks either. Those chapters just felt really long. I only realized what exactly the Wild Card universe is about in chapter three and struggled to remember the difference between jokers and aces. I was pleasantly surprised by Mississippi Roll and I would probably future books in the Wild Card series.

I'd like to thank MacMillian Tor Publishing and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Remember: A Mississippi roll is not a type of sushi. ( )