Wild Cards Series Reading Order

More exciting adventures from the longest-running shared world superhero series created and edited by George R. R. Marti… More exciting adventures from the longest-running shared world superhero series created and edited by George R. R. Martin, bestselling author of A GAME OF THRONES 30 years after the world changed, the victims of the gene-altering 'Wild Cards' virus face a new nightmare. The place is New York City, home of Aces High - the glamourous lounge for superheroes, high atop the Empire State Building - and Jokertown, the squalid residence of the city's deformed underclass. The victims of the Wild Card Virus are no longer new and strange, but neither are they accepted by a world that still fears them. But as a new decade dawns, all eyes are drawn to the skies, and the Wild Cards may be the planet's only hope. From the far reaches of space comes The Swarm, a deadly menace that could very well destroy the planet. Aces and Jokers must form an uneasy alliance and prepare for a battle they must not lose. Edited by George R. R. Martin, this volume features stories by Roger Zelazny, Walter Jon Williams, Pat Cadigan, Lewis Shiner, John J. Miller, George R. R. Martin himself and more read more

Here, in the fifth volume of the exciting series, ten of science fiction's most gifted writers take readers on a journey… Here, in the fifth volume of the exciting series, ten of science fiction's most gifted writers take readers on a journey of wonder and excitement in an astounding alternate history. Let the secret history of the world be told-of the alien virus that struck Earth after World War II, and of the handful of the survivors who found they now possessed superhuman powers. Some were called Aces, endowed with powerful mental and physical prowess. The others were Jokers, tormented by bizarre mind or body disfigurements. Some served humanity. Others caused terror. And now, forty years later, as a gang war between the Shadow Fists and the mafia rages out of control in the streets of Jokertown, Aces and Jokers go underground-to wage their own war against the powers of the netherworld. Featuring the talents of John J. Miller, Roger Zelazny, Leanne C. Harper, Arthur Byron Cover, Melina C. Snodgrass, Edward Bryant, Stephen Leigh, Pat Cadigan, Walter Jon Williams, and George R. R. Martin. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man’s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Dealer’s Choice #11: Double Solitaire #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Low Chicago #26: Texas Hold 'Em At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Soon to be a show on Hulu! Rights to develop Wild Cards for TV have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the te… Soon to be a show on Hulu! Rights to develop Wild Cards for TV have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the team that brought you The Magicians and Mr. Robot, with the co-editor of Wild Cards, Melinda Snodgrass as executive producer. Perfect for current fans and new readers alike, One Eyed Jacks is a classic Wild Cards adventure, edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin, and the first book in the Rox Triad. Something is stirring on Ellis Island, something strange and dangerous enough to subdue even the white-hot tensions between Wild Cards and normal humans. They call themselves the Jumpers: a vicious gang with the power to transport their minds into others' bodies, using them to commit acts of terror and violence, before abandoning them and leaving their victims to face the consequences. The Jumpers cutthroat ambition to control the Wild Card community will pit aces, jokers, and humans at odds like never before. One-Eyed Jacks features the writing talents of Walton Simons, Chris Claremont, Lewis Shiner, William F. Wu, Victor Milan, Stephen Leigh, Melinda M. Snodgrass, and John Jos. Miller, along with previously unpublished stories from Carrie Vaughn and Kevin Andrew Murphy. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man’s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Dealer’s Choice #11: Double Solitaire #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Low Chicago #26: Texas Hold 'Em read more

George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards classic adventure, in trade paperback for the first time: a dangerous superpowered gang… George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards classic adventure, in trade paperback for the first time: a dangerous superpowered gang rises to power and threatens the citizens of New York City Bloat, the boy-governor of the Rox, wanted to make Ellis Island a safe haven for Jokers, and made a choice to recruit the Jumpers, superpowered teen outcasts who could steal a man's body in the blink of an eye. But under the leadership of Dr. Tachyon's psychotic grandson, the Jumpers grow more vicious and uncontrollable every day, becoming the greatest threat the Wild Cards have ever faced.... Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin, Jokertown Shuffle features the writing talents of Walton Simons, Chris Claremont, Lewis Shiner, William F. Wu, Victor Milan, Stephen Leigh, Melinda M. Snodgrass, and John Jos. Miller, along with previously unpublished stories from Carrie Vaughn and Cherie Priest. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man’s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Dealer’s Choice #11: Double Solitaire #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Low Chicago #26: Texas Hold 'Em read more

The thrilling conclusion to the Rox Triad as a dangerous super-powered gang threatens NYC After too many disastrous raid… The thrilling conclusion to the Rox Triad as a dangerous super-powered gang threatens NYC After too many disastrous raids and military embarrassments, the Nats order a full-out, no-holds-barred blitzkrieg against Bloat and his genetic outcasts. The mission is clear: destroy Ellis Island, no survivors. As the final battle rages, the Turtle throws in the towel, Modular Man switches sides, Reflector faces defeat, Legion “dies”—and assassins reach Bloat’s chamber. This is it, folks. The final days of the Rox. The Wild Cards series explodes into apocalyptic battle action, edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin and Melinda M. Snodgrass, featuring the writing talents of Edward W. Bryant, Stephen Leigh, John Jos. Miller, George R. R. Martin and Walter Jon Williams. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man’s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Double Solitaire #11: Dealer's Choice #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings American Hero (ebook original) The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Low Chicago #26: Texas Hold 'Em #27: Knaves Over Queens At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Rights to develop Wild Cards for TV have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the team that brought you The Mag… Rights to develop Wild Cards for TV have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the team that brought you The Magicians and Mr. Robot, with the co-editor of Wild Cards, Melinda Snodgrass as executive producer. Pursued by the CIA, the DEA, and the Wild Card mistress of the winds, Mistral, renegade biochemist Mark Meadows uses the three personalities buried in his psyche to outwit his pursuers. Fleeing across Europe and Asia, Mark meets a Vietnam veteran with an astounding plan—to lead an army of jokers in a war of conquest. Caught between jokers who despise him and nationalists who want him dead, Mark must decide whether to unleash his ace powers for a madman’s bloody dream, or to stay true to his peaceful ideals—and die. The Wild Cards series goes into unexplored depths in Wild Cards XII: Turn of the Cards, a standalone novel written by award-winning author Victor Milan and edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin. read more

Soon to be a show on Hulu! Rights to develop Wild Cards for TV have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the te… Soon to be a show on Hulu! Rights to develop Wild Cards for TV have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the team that brought you The Magicians and Mr. Robot, with the co-editor of Wild Cards, Melinda Snodgrass as executive producer. 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 #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. Originally begun in 1986, long before George R. R. Martin became a household name among fantasy readers ("The American Tolkien" --Time magazine), the Wild Cards series earned a reputation among connoisseurs for its smart reimagining of the superhero idea. Now, with Inside Straight, the Wild Cards continuity jumps forward to a new generation of major characters, entirely accessible to Martin's hundreds of thousands of new readers, with all-original stories by Martin himself, along with Daniel Abraham, Michael Cassutt, and Stephen Leigh, among others. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man’s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Dealer’s Choice #11: Double Solitaire #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Low Chicago #26: Texas Hold 'Em read more

Beneath the veneer of ordinary urban life, a hidden society of super-powered individuals grapples with a deadly game of… Beneath the veneer of ordinary urban life, a hidden society of super-powered individuals grapples with a deadly game of political power. An anti-hero, whose motives are as murky as their methods, finds themselves thrust into a high-stakes conspiracy among the most powerful "aces" and grotesque "jokers." As shifting loyalties and treacherous betrayals threaten to shatter their delicate balance, they must navigate a dangerous labyrinth where one wrong move could expose their world and ignite chaos in the city above. The future of their extraordinary society, and the safety of the unsuspecting public, hangs by a thread. read more

The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THR… The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THRONES 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 Freak' - as cops and malefactors alike call the cop-shop where every other desk sergeant, detective, and patrol officer is more than human. Featuring original work by writers such as Cherie Priest, author of the bestselling BONESHAKER; Paul Cornell, HUGO-nominated comic book and DOCTOR WHO writer; David Anthony Durham, winner of 2009's JOHN W. CAMPBELL AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER, and many others, FORT FREAK is one of the strongest offerings yet in the ongoing Wild Cards project. read more

More exciting adventures from the longest running shared-world superhero series created and edited by George R.R. Martin… More exciting adventures from the longest running shared-world superhero series created and edited by George R.R. Martin, bestselling author of GAME OF THRONES Decades after an alien virus changed the course of history, the surviving population of Manhattan still struggles to understand the new world left in its wake. Natural humans share the rough city with those given extraordinary - and sometimes terrifying - traits. While most manage to coexist in an uneasy peace, not everyone is willing to adapt. Down in the seedy underbelly of Jokertown, residents are going missing. The authorities are unwilling to investigate, except for a fresh lieutenant looking to prove himself and a collection of unlikely jokers forced to take matters into their own hands - or tentacles. The deeper into the kidnapping case these misfits and miscreants get, the higher the stakes are raised. Edited by No.1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author George R.R. Martin and acclaimed author Melinda M. Snodgrass, LOWBALL is the latest mosaic novel in the acclaimed Wild Cards universe, featuring original fiction by Carrie Vaughn, Ian Tregillis, David Anthony Durham, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Mary Anne Mohanraj, David D. Levine, Michael Cassutt and Walter Jon Williams. Perfect for old fans and new readers alike, LOWBALL delves deeper into the world of aces, jokers, and the hard-boiled men and women of the Fort Freak police precinct in a pulpy, page-turning novel of superheroics and mystery. read more

The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A Song of Ice… The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A Song of Ice and Fire For decades, George R.R. Martin - bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire - has collaborated with an ever-shifting ensemble of science fiction and fantasy icons to create the amazing Wild Cards universe. In the aftermath of World War II, the Earth's population was devastated by a terrifying alien virus. Those who survived were changed for ever. Some, known as Jokers, were cursed with bizarre mental and physical deformities; others, granted superhuman abilities, are known as Aces. Wild Cards tells the stories of this world. read more

Chrysalis, the glass-skinned queen of the Joker underworld, has been found brutally murdered in her popular restaurant,… 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. Their quest leads them on a nightmare journey of madness, violence, passion and intrigue that will forever alter the fate of those who contracted the Wild Card virus. Collaboratively written by George R. R. Martin and John J. Miller, this is both a gripping mystery and a chilling story of suspense. read more

Perfect for current fans and new readers alike, Knaves Over Queens is an all-new adventure set in London, featuring a fr… Perfect for current fans and new readers alike, Knaves Over Queens is an all-new adventure set in London, featuring a fresh cast of characters from the Wild Cards universe. Developed by aliens and field-tested on Earth, the virus known as Xenovirus Takis-A was released in New York in 1946, changing the course of human history forever. Most of those infected die — and a tiny percentage become deformed beings known as jokers. A lucky few survivors become aces: superhumans gifted with amazing powers. Now the virus has reached Britain. There, Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, gifted with extraordinary longevity, together with the Enigma ace Alan Turing, set up a special organization named the Order of the Silver Helix. They will need all of the wild cards they can find if they are to deal with the terrifying mutations spawned by the virus. Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin and Melinda M. Snodgrass, Knaves Over Queens features the writing talents of Paul Cornell, Marko Kloos, Mark Lawrence, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Emma Newman, Peter Newman, Peadar O Guilin, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Caroline Spector, and Charles Stross. Now in development for TV: Rights to develop Wild Cards have been acquired by Universal Cable Productions, the team behind The Magicians and Mr. Robot, with the co-editor of Wild Cards, Melinda Snodgrass, as executive producer. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man’s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Dealer’s Choice #11: Double Solitaire #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Lo read more

After the concluding events of Lowball, Officer Francis Black of Fort Freak, vigilante joker Marcus 'The Infamous Black… After the concluding events of Lowball, Officer Francis Black of Fort Freak, vigilante joker Marcus 'The Infamous Black Tongue' Morgan, and ace thief Mollie 'Tesseract' Steunenberg get stuck in Talas, Kazakhstan. There, the coldblooded Baba Yaga forces jokers into an illegal fighting ring, but her hidden agenda is much darker: her fighters' deaths serve to placate a vicious monster from another dimension. When the last line of defense against this world weakens, all hell breaks loose, literally ... The Committee in New York sends a team of aces to investigate. One by one, each falls victim to evil forces - including the dark impulses within themselves. Only the perseverance of the most unlikely of heroes has a chance of saving the world before utter chaos erupts on Earth. read more

The next anthology in George R. R. Martin's ongoing Wild Cards alternate-history series, Three Kings. In the aftermath o… The next anthology in George R. R. Martin's ongoing Wild Cards alternate-history series, Three Kings. In the aftermath of World War II, the Earth’s population was devastated by an alien virus. Those who survived were changed forever. Some, known as jokers, were cursed with bizarre mental and physical mutations; others, granted superhuman abilities, became the lucky few known as aces. Queen Margaret, who came to the English throne after the death of her sister Elizabeth, now lies on her death-bed. Summoning the joker ace Alan Turing, she urges him to seek the true heir: Elizabeth's lost son. He was rumored to have died as a baby but, having been born a joker, was sent into hiding. Margaret dies and her elder son Henry becomes king and at once declares he wants to make England an "Anglo-Saxon country" and suggests jokers be sent "to the moon." Dangerous tensions begin to tear the country apart. The Twisted Fists—an organization of jokers led by the Green Man—are becoming more militant. And Babh, goddess of war, sees opportunities to sow strife and reap blood... read more