As is the case with the majority of Wild Card books, Fort Freak is a mosaic novel; multiple writers working to common themes, honed by an editor. After the wider world adventures of more recent Wild Card titles, this work sees a return to where it all began, and focuses on Manhattan's Fifth Precinct, the 'Fort Freak' of the title. So named because Joker and human cops work side by side along with a smattering of Aces, albeit those with minor league abilities. One officer, for example, can shape-shift into cat form and glean information from the local strays. For those of us who have been following this series for some considerable time, seeing Joker Town depicted again is a welcome return. As is the inclusion of the Sleeper Croyd Crenson, (who for newcomers is a long time fan favourite, unique in as much as he is sometimes an Ace and sometimes a Joker). There is also a major event in the life of the Joker known as the Oddity, and developments for some minor long established characters such as Father Squid and Charles Dutton. In addition, a handful of entirely new characters are introduced, including the Infamous Black Tongue, a half-snake half-man. Like the Oddity, IBT is technically a Joker, yet has abilities that might be seen as being on a par with some of the Aces. Noteworthy characters also in the mix are a beautiful Joker prostitute whose ability is to enhance sexual arousal, Leo 'Ramshead' Storgman a Joker cop close to retirement, and a British Ace with the often inconvenient and only partly controllable ability to mimic the powers of nearby Aces. The main plot stars the aforementioned Ramshead, working to crack an old murder case before he retires.

Intertwined with this is the story of two rogue cops, who murder a minor Ace, and the attempt to expose their corruption before they can eliminate the single witness. Sprinkled over these main themes is the mystery of how a series of seemingly impossible thefts are being accomplished, and by whom.

Over the years, there has been an enormous range of imagination and craftsmanship put into the Wild Cards world. At first by writers who were already well known, and more recently by hand-picked newcomers.

There have been ups and downs along the way, but generally the series remains among the very best. Fort Freak does not scale any new heights but manages to hold ground, and crucially, meld the old with the new.

This acknowledgment of what has gone before, and use of the splendid resource that is the Wild Cards past, helps to firm up the idea of a cohesive alternate history. There is even a trademark sly reference to a certain recently deceased superstar, who in this world was a Joker.

What I did not like, were the multiple references to the Wild Cards equivalent of American Idol, which as far as I am concerned was the most ill-conceived and poorly executed idea within this series. Also, the rather clichéd nature of the characters and crimes that formed the police elements of the story could -- and arguably should -- have been given a fresher spin. And I still want to see more of the (retired) Great and Powerful Turtle. These issues aside, Fort Freak is a fun read for new and old readers alike, and a worthy addition to the world of Wild Cards.