  In this paper we continue our analysis of the interplay between the pairing
and the non-Fermi liquid behavior in a metal for a set of quantum-critical (QC)
systems with an effective dynamical electron-electron interaction $V(\Omega_m)
\propto 1/|\Omega_m|^\gamma$ (the $\gamma$-model). In previous papers we
studied the cases $0<\gamma <1$ and $\gamma \approx 1$. We argued that the
pairing by a gapless boson is fundamentally different from BCS/Eliashberg
pairing by a massive boson as for the former there exists an infinite number of
topologically distinct solutions for the gap function $\Delta_n (\omega_m)$ at
$T=0$ ($n=0,1,2...$), each with its own condensation energy $E_{c,n}$. Here we
extend the analysis to larger $1< \gamma <2$. We argue that the discrete set of
solutions survives, and the spectrum of $E_{c,n}$ gets progressively denser as
$\gamma$ approaches $2$ and eventually becomes continuous at $\gamma \to 2$.
This increases the strength of "longitudinal" gap fluctuations, which tend to
reduce the actual superconducting $T_c$ and give rise to a pseudogap region of
preformed pairs. We also detect two features on the real axis for $\gamma >1$
which become critical at $\gamma\to 2$. First, the density of states evolves
towards a set of discrete $\delta-$functions. Second, an array of dynamical
vortices emerges in the upper frequency half-plane. These two features come
about because on a real axis, the real part of the interaction, $V' (\Omega)
\propto \cos(\pi \gamma/2)/|\Omega|^\gamma$, becomes repulsive for $\gamma >1$,
and the imaginary $V^{''} (\Omega) \propto \sin(\pi \gamma/2)/|\Omega|^\gamma$,
gets progressively smaller at $\gamma \to 2$. The features on the real axis are
consistent with the development of a continuum spectrum of $E_{c,n}$ obtained
using $\Delta_n (\omega_m)$ on the Matsubara axis. We consider the case $\gamma
=2$ separately in the next paper.
