Wild Cards is a series of science fiction superhero shared universe anthologies, mosaic novels, and solo novels written by a collection of authors known as the Wild Cards Trust and edited by George R. R. Martin and Melinda M. Snodgrass. Set largely during an alternate history of post-World War II United States, the series follows humans who contracted the Wild Card virus, an alien virus that rewrites DNA and mutates survivors; those who acquire minor or crippling physical conditions are known as Jokers, and those who acquire superhuman abilities are known as Aces.
As of the publication of Texas Hold'Em in October 2018, the series consists of twenty-six books. Wild Cards began publication through Bantam Books, under its Spectra imprint, in January 1987. Bantam published the series until 1993 and released twelve installments. Baen Books published three books from 1993 to 1995. From 2002 to 2005, ibooks Inc. published two more installments, including one solo novel. Wild Cards is currently published by Tor Books, an imprint under Macmillan Publishers. As of October 2018, Tor Books had released nine novels. [1] [2]
Several novels were also reprinted. Reprinting rights to the first eight novels were acquired by ibooks Inc. in 2000. The company reissued the first six novels before declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy shortly after the death of founder Byron Preiss; ibooks' assets were acquired by Brick Tower Press. [3] [4] [5] As of November 2021, Tor Books reprinted the first twelve, sixteenth & seventeenth novel. [6] [7] [8]
Marvel Entertainment has published two Wild Cards mini-series, thirty-two years apart. The first, released via their Epic Comics imprint, was published from September to December 1990 and featured an original storyline based on events that occurred in the early novels. A second limited series, this time adapting stories from the first novel, ran from June through October 2022. [9]
Bantam Books, under its Spectra imprint, published twelve books between 1987 and 1993, including two solo novels written by Melinda M. Snodgrass and Victor Milán.
No. | Title | Original release | ibooks Inc. reprint release | Tor Books release | |||
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1 | Wild Cards Edited by George R. R. Martin | January 1987 ISBN 978-0-553-26190-5 [10] | July 31, 2001 [11] ISBN 978-0-7434-2380-9 | November 23, 2010 [6] ISBN 978-0-7653-2615-7 | |||
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2 | Aces High Edited by Martin | April 1987 [12] ISBN 978-0-553-26464-7 | October 2001 [13] ISBN 978-1-59687-283-7 | December 20, 2011 [14] ISBN 978-0-7653-2616-4 | |||
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3 [lower-alpha 2] | Jokers Wild Edited by Martin | October 1987 [15] ISBN 978-0-553-26699-3 | February 2002 [16] ISBN 978-1-59687-284-4 | February 11, 2014 [17] ISBN 978-0-7653-2617-1 | |||
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4 | Aces Abroad Edited by Martin | May 1988 [18] ISBN 978-0-553-27628-2 | August 27, 2002 [19] ISBN 978-0-7434-5241-0 | January 13, 2015 [20] ISBN 978-0-7653-3558-6 | |||
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5 | Down and Dirty Edited by Martin | November 1988 [21] ISBN 978-0-553-27463-9 | January 7, 2003 [22] | October 27, 2015 [7] ISBN 978-0-7653-3559-3 | |||
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6 [lower-alpha 2] | Ace in the Hole Edited by Martin | January 1990 [23] ISBN 978-0-553-28253-5 | February 25, 2003 [24] ISBN 978-0-7434-5837-5 | October 4, 2016 [8] ISBN 978-0-7653-3560-9 | |||
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7 [lower-alpha 2] | Dead Man's Hand Edited by Martin | July 1990 [25] ISBN 978-0-553-28569-7 | — | June 13, 2017 [26] | |||
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8 | One-Eyed Jacks Edited by Martin | January 1991 [27] ISBN 978-0-553-28852-0 | — | August 7, 2018 [28] | |||
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9 | Jokertown Shuffle Edited by Martin | August 1991 [29] ISBN 978-0-553-29174-2 | — | April 30, 2019 [30] | |||
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10 | Double Solitaire Written by Snodgrass and edited by Martin | March 1992 [31] ISBN 978-0-553-29493-4 | — | December 3, 2019 [32] | |||
11 [lower-alpha 2] | Dealer's Choice Edited by Martin | October 1992 [33] ISBN 978-0-553-29161-2 | — | September 1, 2020 [34] | |||
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12 | Turn of the Cards Written by Milán and edited by Martin | January 1993 [35] ISBN 978-0-553-56152-4 | — | November 9, 2021 [36] | |||
Baen Books published a new triad between 1993 and 1995 subtitled of a New Cycle. In 2002, Martin commented that he felt the triad was creatively "three of the strongest volumes Wild Cards ever had" and that the series "came back strong" after stumbling with a previous storyline; however, he conceded that the triad was "very dark", acknowledging it was a commonly voiced complaint, and that he felt switching publishers was a mistake. [37]
No. | Title | Original release |
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13 | Card Sharks Edited by Martin | February 1993 [38] ISBN 978-0-671-72159-6 |
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14 | Marked Cards Edited by Martin | March 1994 [39] ISBN 978-0-671-72212-8 |
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15 [lower-alpha 2] | Black Trump Edited by Martin | July 1995 [40] ISBN 978-0-671-87679-1 |
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In 2000, ibooks Inc. purchased two new installments and the rights to reprint the first eight books of the series; the two new books were published between 2002 and 2006, including a solo novel by John J. Miller. [5] The company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2005, shortly after the death of founder Byron Preiss. [3] In December 2006, J. Bolyston & Co. Publishers, parent company of the Brick Tower Press imprint, acquired all of Preiss' assets, including those of ibooks, for $125,000. [4] [5] Brick Tower Press offered e-book versions of its titles, including Deuces Down and Death Draws Five, via Humble Bundle in February 2016. [41]
No. | Title | Original release | Tor Books release |
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16 | Deuces Down Edited by Martin | June 25, 2002 [42] ISBN 978-0-7434-4505-4 | January 5, 2021 [43] |
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17 | Death Draws Five Written by Miller and edited by Martin | February 1, 2006 [44] ISBN 978-1-59687-297-4 | November 9, 2021 [45] |
Tor Books, an imprint under Macmillan Publishers, published the series in both print and e-book format, releasing thirteen new installments from November 2008 to August 2022.
No. | Title | Original release | |||
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18 | Inside Straight Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | January 22, 2008 [1] ISBN 978-0-641-91260-3 | |||
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19 | Busted Flush Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | December 9, 2008 [46] ISBN 978-0-7653-1782-7 | |||
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20 [lower-alpha 2] | Suicide Kings Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | December 22, 2009 [47] ISBN 978-0-7653-1783-4 | |||
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21 | Fort Freak Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | June 21, 2011 [48] ISBN 978-0-7653-2570-9 | |||
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22 | Lowball Edited by Martin and Snodgrass | November 4, 2014 [49] ISBN 978-0-7653-3195-3 | |||
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23 [lower-alpha 2] | High Stakes Edited by Martin and Snodgrass | August 30, 2016 [2] ISBN 978-0-7653-3562-3 | |||
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24 | Mississippi Roll Edited by Martin and Snodgrass | December 5, 2017 [50] ISBN 978-0-7653-9052-3 | |||
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25 | Low Chicago Edited by Martin | June 12, 2018 | |||
A mosaic novel edited by George R. R. Martin assisted by Melinda M. Snodgrass. There are stories from eight authors that were woven into the novel. The stories, in the order of their first appearance in the novel are:
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26 | Texas Hold 'Em | November 6, 2018 | |||
A mosaic novel edited by George R. R. Martin assisted by Melinda M. Snodgrass. There are stories from seven authors that were woven into the novel. The stories, in the order of their first appearance in the novel are:
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27 | Knaves Over Queens Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | August 13, 2019 | |||
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28 | Joker Moon Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | July 6, 2021 | |||
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29 | Three Kings Edited by Snodgrass with assistance from Martin | March 15, 2022 | |||
There are stories from eight authors that were woven into the novel.
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30 | Full House Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | August 2, 2022 | |||
Collects ten stories that had been previously published only on Tor's website or in anthologies outside the Wild Cards series.
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Wild Cards returned to its original publisher, Bantam Books, in 2023.
No. | Title | Original release |
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31 | Pairing Up Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | July 11, 2023 ISBN 978-0-593-35786-6 |
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32 | Sleeper Straddle Edited by Martin with assistance from Snodgrass | February 6, 2024 ISBN 978-0-593-35783-5 |
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Tor Books published an ebook novella in March 2020 as a companion to the novel, "Inside Straight":
Tor Books published 23 short stories through its website from January 2013 to July 2022:
One additional short story, "Lies My Mother Told Me" by Spector, was published in the Dangerous Women anthology, also edited by Martin. The anthology was released on December 3, 2013. [74]
Wildcards.com has also published:
George Raymond Richard Martin, also known by the initials G.R.R.M., is an American author, television writer, and television producer. He is best known as the author of the series of epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire, which were adapted into the Primetime Emmy Award–winning television series Game of Thrones (2011–2019) and its prequel series House of the Dragon (2022–present). He also helped create the Wild Cards anthology series and contributed worldbuilding for the video game Elden Ring (2022).
Howard Waldrop was an American science fiction author who worked primarily in short fiction. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2021.
Tor Books is the primary imprint of Tor Publishing Group, a publishing company based in New York City. It primarily publishes science fiction and fantasy titles.
Wild Cards is a series of science fiction superhero shared universe anthologies, mosaic novels, and solo novels. They are written by a collection of more than forty authors and are edited by George R. R. Martin and Melinda M. Snodgrass. Set largely during an alternate history of post-World War II United States, the series follows humans who contracted the Wild Card virus, an alien virus that rewrites DNA and mutates survivors. Those who acquire crippling and/or repulsive physical conditions are known as Jokers, while those who acquire superhuman abilities are known as Aces, and those few who acquire minor, insignificant powers not worthy of being called aces are known as Deuces.
Byron Preiss was an American writer, editor, and publisher. He founded and served as president of Byron Preiss Visual Publications, and later of ibooks Inc. Many of his projects were in the forms of graphic novels, comics, illustrated books, and children's books. Beyond traditional printed books, Preiss frequently embraced emerging technologies, and was recognized as a pioneer in digital publishing and as among the first to publish in such formats as CD-ROM books and ebooks.
Jonathan Strahan is an editor and publisher of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. His family moved to Perth, Western Australia in 1968, and he graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Arts in 1986.
Melinda M. Snodgrass is an American science fiction writer for print and television. In February 2021 Melinda was the Screenwriting Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker at the 39th annual Life, the Universe, & Everything professional science fiction and fantasy arts symposium.
Daniel James Abraham, pen names M. L. N. Hanover and James S. A. Corey, is an American novelist, comic book writer, screenwriter, and television producer. He is best known as the author of The Long Price Quartet and The Dagger and the Coin fantasy series, and with Ty Franck, as the co-author of The Expanse science fiction series, written under the joint pseudonym James S. A. Corey. The series has been adapted into the television series The Expanse (2015–2022), with both Abraham and Franck serving as writers and producers on the show. He also contributed to Wild Cards anthology series shared universe.
Laura J. Mixon is an American science fiction writer and a chemical and environmental engineer. In 2011, she began publishing under the pen name Morgan J. Locke. Under that name, she is one of the writers for the group blog Eat Our Brains.
David D. Levine is an American science fiction writer who won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 2006 for his story "Tk'tk'tk". His novel Arabella of Mars was published by Tor Books in July 2016.
Carrie Vaughn is an American writer, the author of the urban fantasy Kitty Norville series. She has published more than 60 short stories in science fiction and fantasy magazines as well as short story anthologies and internet magazines. She is one of the authors for the Wild Cards books. Vaughn won the 2018 Philip K. Dick Award for Bannerless, and has been nominated for the Hugo Award.
Michael Joseph Cassutt is an American television producer, screenwriter, and author. His notable TV work includes producing or writing, or both, for The Outer Limits, Eerie, Indiana, Beverly Hills, 90210, and The Twilight Zone. In addition to his work in television, Cassutt has written over thirty short stories, predominately in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. He has also published novels, including the 1986 The Star Country, the 1991 Dragon Season, the 2001 Red Moon and the 2011 Heaven's Shadow, in collaboration with David S. Goyer. In addition, Cassutt contributes non-fiction articles to magazines and is the author of the non-fiction book, The Astronaut Maker, a biography of NASA legend George W. S. Abbey (2018).
Warriors is a cross-genre, all-original fiction anthology featuring stories on the subjects of war and warriors; it was edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. The book's Introduction, "Stories from the Spinner Rack", was written by Martin. This anthology was first published in hardcover by Tor Books on March 16, 2010. It won a Locus Award for Best Anthology in 2011.
Kevin Andrew Murphy is an American novelist and game writer from Northern California.
Dangerous Women is a cross-genre anthology featuring 21 original short stories and novellas "from some of the biggest authors in the science fiction/fantasy field", edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, and released on December 3, 2013. The works "showcase the supposedly weaker sex's capacity for magic, violence, and mayhem" and "explores the heights that brave women can reach and the depths that depraved ones can plumb." In his own introduction, Dozois writes: "Here you'll find no hapless victims who stand by whimpering in dread while the male hero fights the monster or clashes swords with the villain ... And if you want to tie these women to the railroad tracks, you'll find you have a real fight on your hands."
Caroline Spector is a science fiction and fantasy writer who has also written role-playing game modules and computer game hint books. She also spent two years as associate editor at Amazing Stories magazine. She is a member of George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards consortium, the group of contributing authors to the ongoing Wild Cards shared world original story anthology series edited by Martin, now in its 22nd volume, and currently published by Tor Books.
Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love is a cross-genre anthology featuring 17 original short stories of romance in science fiction/fantasy settings, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois and released on November 16, 2010. Suzanne Johnson wrote for Tor.com, "From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth-century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate."
Down These Strange Streets is an urban fantasy anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois and released on October 4, 2011.
Old Mars is a "retro Mars science fiction"-themed anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, published on October 8, 2013. According to the publisher Tor Books, the collection celebrates the "Golden Age of Science Fiction", an era before advanced astronomy and space exploration told us what we currently know about the Solar System, when "of all the planets orbiting that G-class star we call the Sun, none was so steeped in an aura of romantic decadence, thrilling mystery, and gung-ho adventure as Mars." Old Mars won a 2014 Locus Award.
List of the published work of Robert Silverberg, American science fiction author and editor. A complete list would include over 500 books.