In 1946, an alien virus that rewrites human DNA was accidentally unleashed in the skies over New York City. It killed ninety percent of those it infected. Nine percent of those who survived mutated into tragically deformed creatures. And one percent gained superpowers. The Wild Cards shared-universe series, created and edited since 1987 by NEW YORK TIMES No.1 bestseller George R.R. Martin along with Melinda Snodgrass, is the tale of the history of the world since then - and of the heroes among that one percent. Now it is time for a new generation of heroes - and writers - to pick up the...

In the six decades since the alien plague known as the Wild Card virus spread a wave of mutations around the globe, humanity has begun to come to terms with its consequences. Grotesque half-human creatures known as 'jokers' inhabit an underworld of their own, while the legendary prodigies known as 'aces' have become real-world superheroes, complete with colourful names and costumes. Now a new generation of aces has taken its place on the world stage, becoming crucial players in international events. At the United Nations, veteran ace John Fortune has assembled a team of young heroes, known as...

In 1946, an alien virus that rewrites human DNA was accidentally unleashed in the skies over New York City. It killed 90% of those it infected. Nine percent survived, mutated into tragically deformed creatures. And one percent gained superpowers. The Wild Cards shared-universe series, created and edited by bestseller George R. R. Martin (called 'the American Tolkien' by TIME), is the tale of the history of the world since then - and of the heroes among the one percent. Now, in the latest Wild Cards mosaic novel, we get to know the hard-bitten world of Manhattan's Fifth Precinct - or 'Fort...

When an alien virus struck the Earth decades ago, it spawned a new breed of superhuman men and women. Those with useful mutations were known as Aces, those with deformities as Jokers. Now, in New York's Jokertown, a savage street war has broken out between the Mafia and a gang known as the Shadow Fists. A courageous band of Aces must go underground to wage a war against the powers of the criminal netherworld. Edited by George R.R. Martin and including a story by him, this volume also features stories from Roger Zelazny, Pat Cadigan, Melinda M. Snodgrass and many more.

Chrysalis, the glass-skinned queen of the Joker underworld, has been found brutally murdered in her popular restaurant, the Crystal Palace. Now two men are out to find her killer - Jay Ackroyd, the ace private detective who discovered her ruined body, and the vigilante archer known as the Yeoman, who has been framed for the crime.

The planet Venus has loomed large in the imaginations of science fiction writers. That steamy, swampy jungle world with strange creatures; lurking amidst the dripping vegetation is explored in sixteen all-new stories collected by bestselling author George R. R. Martin and editor Gardner Dozois.