Search results for ""author 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 THRONESDecades 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.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The American Triad Series #1: Mississippi Roll #2: Low Chicago #3: Texas Hold 'Em WILD CARDS, MEET WILD WEST Following World War II, the Earth’s population was devastated by a terrifying alien virus. Those who survived were changed forever. Some, known as Jokers, were cursed with bizarre mental and physical abnormalities; others, granted superhuman abilities, are the lucky few known as Aces. San Antonio, home of the Alamo, is also host to the USA’s top high school jazz competition, and the musicians at Xavier Desmond High are excited to outplay their rivals. But they are also Jokers: kids with superabilties and looks that make them stand out. On top of that, well, they are teenagers – prone to mischief, mishaps, and romantic misunderstandings. Michelle Pond, aka The Amazing Bubbles, thinks that her superhero know-how has prepared her to chaperone the event. But little does she know the true meaning of the saying, "Don't mess with Texas." Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R.R. Martin, Texas Hold ’Em features the writing talents of David Anthony Durham, Max Gladstone, Victor Milan, Diana Rowland, Walton Simons, Caroline Spector, and William F. Wu. Praise for Wild Cards ‘GREAT’ – The Guardian ‘A complex, intricately imagined universe’ The Telegraph

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THE INSPIRATION FOR HBO AND SKY TV’S EMMY NOMINATED HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. Centuries before A Game of Thrones, an even greater game began, one that set the skies alight with dragon flame and saw the Seven Kingdoms turned to ash. The thrilling history of the Targaryens comes to life in this masterly work by the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for HBO’s Game of Thrones. With all the fire and fury fans have come to expect from internationally bestselling author George R.R. Martin, this is the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros. Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen – the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria – took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart. The thrilling history of the Targaryens comes to life in George R.R. Martin’s FIRE & BLOOD. What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why was it so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What were Maegor the Cruel’s worst crimes? What was it like in Westeros when dragons ruled the skies? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel, and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire and Blood is the ultimate game of thrones, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by fantasy titan George R.R. Martin. 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. This is the story of that world. Theodorus was a dreamer. As a child, he dreamed of aeroplanes, rockets and outer space. When the wild card virus touched him and transformed him into a monstrous snail centaur weighing several tons, his boyhood dreams seemed out of reach, but a Witherspoon is not so easily defeated. Years and decades passed, and Theodorus grew to maturity and came into his fortune . . . but still his dream endured. But now when he looked upward into the night sky, he saw more than just the Moon . . . he saw a joker homeland, a refuge where the outcast children of the wild card could make a place of their own, safe from hate and harm. An impossible dream, some said. Others, alarmed by the prospect, brought all their power to bear to oppose him. Theodorus persisted . . . . . . never dreaming that the Moon was already inhabited. And the Moon Maid did not want company. 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.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THRONESDecades have passed since the first victims of the Wild Card virus appeared in public life. Transformed into Aces - with useful and remarkable powers - or Jokers - deformed and twisted - the virus has changed lives. But not all mutations are easily identified.As campaigners converge on Atlanta for the Democratic Party Convention, one man sets his final plan into motion. Gregg Hartmann, outwardly normal, polite and serious, is in fact secretly a sadistic murderer with terrible psychic abilities. He also has an insatiable lust for power.And what better hiding place is there than being in the race for the most protected, public and powerful role in the world? If Hartmann can secure the Democratic nomination, he may well become the President of the United States. But there are those who would stop him ...Edited by George R. R. Martin with assistance from Melinda M. Snodgrass, this mosaic novel also contains work from Victor Milan, Walter Jon Williams, Walton Simons and Stephen Leigh.

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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 the A Song of Ice and Fire series – 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. Now the virus has reached Britain… Queen Margaret rules over a country in which such legendary figures as Herne the Hunter, Spring-heeled Jack and Babh, the goddess of war, roam at will. Her 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 the wild cards they can find if they are to deal with the terrifying mutations thrown up by the virus. Knaves Over Queens – the first ever Wild Cards novel set in the UK, and a perfect jumping-in point for readers new to this shared world – features a stunning collection of original stories from such luminaries of the world of science fiction and fantasy as Paul Cornell, Marko Kloos, Mark Lawrence, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Emma Newman, Peter Newman, Peadar O Guilin, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Caroline Spector and Charles Stross.

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Beautiful leather-bound slipcase editions of George R.R. Martin’s landmark epic A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for the world’s most-watched television series, Game of Thrones. The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance. In the east, Daenerys, last scion of House Targaryen, her dragons grown to terrifying maturity, rules as queen of a city built on dust and death, beset by enemies. Now that her whereabouts are known many are seeking Daenerys and her dragons. Among them the dwarf, Tyrion Lannister, who has escaped King’s Landing with a price on his head, wrongfully condemned to death for the murder of his nephew, King Joffrey. But not before killing his hated father, Lord Tywin. To the north lies the great Wall of ice and stone – a structure only as strong as those guarding it. Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow has been elected the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, but he has enemies both in the Watch and beyond the Wall, where the wildling armies are massing for an assault. On all sides bitter conflicts are reigniting, played out by a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves. The tides of destiny will inevitably lead to the greatest dance of all… This special slipcased edition is bound in gilded and embossed red leather, with gilt-edged pages, and a sewn binding with ribbon bookmark.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A GAME OF THRONES is the first volume in the series. ‘Completely immersive’ Guardian ‘When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground’ Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. From the fertile south, where heat breeds conspiracy, to the vast and savage eastern lands, all the way to the frozen north, kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men . . . all will play the Game of Thrones.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A DANCE WITH DRAGONS: AFTER THE FEAST is the SECOND part of the fifth volume in the series. ‘Vivid, rich, multi-layered and utterly addictive’ Daily Express. The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance. In King’s Landing the Queen Regent, Cersei Lannister, awaits trial, abandoned by all those she trusted; while in the eastern city of Yunkai her brother Tyrion has been sold as a slave. From the Wall, having left his wife and the Red Priestess Melisandre under the protection of Jon Snow, Stannis Baratheon marches south to confront the Boltons at Winterfell. But beyond the Wall the wildling armies are massing for an assault… On all sides bitter conflicts are reigniting, played out by a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves. The tides of destiny will inevitably lead to the greatest dance of all.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A DANCE WITH DRAGONS: DREAMS AND DUST is the FIRST part of the fifth volume in the series. ‘Richly satisfying and utterly engrossing’ Sunday Times In the aftermath of a colossal battle, new threats are emerging from every direction. Tyrion Lannister, having killed his father, and wrongfully accused of killing his nephew, King Joffrey, has escaped from King’s Landing with a price on his head. To the north lies the great Wall of ice and stone – a structure only as strong as those guarding it. Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow has been elected 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. But Jon has enemies both inside and beyond the Wall. And in the east Daenerys Targaryen struggles to hold a city built on dreams and dust.

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Return to the early days of the Wild Cards series, as a group of super-powered Aces set off on a fact-finding tour of the worldEver since the Wild Card virus spread across New York, people have changed - some becoming superpowered 'Aces', some distorted and bizarre 'Jokers'. But the effects of the virus have spread, and all across the world new mutations are popping up.Sent by the UN on a world tour, tasked with investigating and recording the spread of the virus - and the reactions of the world - a group of Aces will discover that no matter where in the world they are, one thing will remain the same. Humanity is capable of kindness, acceptance and tolerance. But not all of the time ...Featuring stories by George R. R. Martin, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Stephen Leigh, Walter Simons and many more, this volume also contains two new stories by Carrie Vaughn and Kevin Andrew Murphy never before published in the UK.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THRONESIn 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 The Committee, to assist at trouble spots around the world - including an invasion of zombies in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, a freak nuclear explosion in a small Texas town, and a fateful showdown with the forces of the oil-rich Islamic caliphate in the Middle East.But The Committee's opponents have their own aces and jokers ready to do battle, including a Marxist revolutionary, a brutal mercenary, a young boy with apocalyptic powers and - most terrifyingly of all - a sinister arm of the FBI known as SCARE.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by fantasy titan George R.R. Martin. 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. This is the story of that world. Theodorus was a dreamer. As a child, he dreamed of aeroplanes, rockets and outer space. When the wild card virus touched him and transformed him into a monstrous snail centaur weighing several tons, his boyhood dreams seemed out of reach, but a Witherspoon is not so easily defeated. Years and decades passed, and Theodorus grew to maturity and came into his fortune . . . but still his dream endured. But now when he looked upward into the night sky, he saw more than just the Moon . . . he saw a joker homeland, a refuge where the outcast children of the wild card could make a place of their own, safe from hate and harm. An impossible dream, some said. Others, alarmed by the prospect, brought all their power to bear to oppose him. Theodorus persisted . . . . . . never dreaming that the Moon was already inhabited. And the Moon Maid did not want company. 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.

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The second volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. GAME OF THRONES is now a major TV series from HBO, featuring a stellar cast. Throughout Westeros, the cold winds are rising. From the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding lands of Winterfell, chaos reigns as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms stake their claims through tempest, turmoil and war. As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky - a comet the colour of blood and flame - five factions struggle for control of a divided land. Brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Against a backdrop of incest, fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory is measured in blood.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THRONESThere is a secret history of the world - a history in which an alien virus struck the Earth in the aftermath of World War II, endowing a handful of survivors with extraordinary powers. Some were called Aces - those with superhuman mental and physical abilities. Others became Jokers - cursed with bizarre mental or physical disabilities. Some turned their talents to the service of humanity. Others used their powers for evil. Wild Cards is their story.Return to the beginning of the long running shared-world series edited by George R. R. Martin, featuring stories and characters who would go on to become legends. Super-heroes have never been more real. Originally published in 1987, Wild Cards includes powerful tales by Roger Zelazny, Walter Jon Williams, Howard Waldrop, Lewis Shiner, and George R. R. Martin himself. And this expanded edition contains further original tales set at the beginning of the Wild Cards universe, by eminent new writers like Hugo-winner David Levine, noted screenwriter and novelist Michael Cassutt, and New York Times bestseller Carrie Vaughn.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THRONESIn 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.

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Beautiful leather-bound slipcase editions of George R.R. Martin’s landmark epic A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for the world’s most-watched television series, Game of Thrones. A Feast for Crows brings to life dark magic, intrigue and terrible bloodshed as the war-torn landscape of the Seven Kingdoms is threatened by destruction as vast as any in its violent past. The War of the Five Kings has ripped Westeros apart. The bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning Lannisters occupy the Iron Throne, with allies as ruthless as themselves. Lord Frey was host at the Red Wedding, so called for the massacre of the guests, their screams unheard above the music of the feast. Euron Crow’s Eye is as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, sworn to deliver the whole of Westeros to the ironborn. No less to be feared are their enemies. The Starks of Winterfell and the Martells of Dorne seek vengeance for their dead. And the last of the Targaryens, Daenerys Stormborn, will bring fire and blood to King’s Landing when her young dragons reach their terrifying maturity. The last war fought with dragons was a cataclysm powerful enough to shatter the Valyrian peninsula, now a smoking, demon-haunted ruin half drowned by the sea. Against a backdrop of alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel … and the coldest hearts. This special slipcased edition is bound in gilded and embossed red leather, with gilt-edged pages, and a sewn binding with ribbon bookmark.

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Beautiful leather-bound slipcase editions of George R.R. Martin’s landmark epic A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for the world’s most-watched television series, Game of Thrones. The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud, and winter approaches like an angry beast. Beyond the Northern borders, wildlings leave their villages to gather in the ice and stone wasteland of the Frostfangs. From there, the renegade Brother Mance Rayder will lead them South towards the Wall. The men of the Night’s Watch are ready for the coming of a great cold and the walking corpses that travel with it. But now they face a horde of wildlings twenty-thousand strong – hungry savage people steeped in the dark magic of the haunted wilderness – poised to invade the Kingdom of the North where Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown. But Robb’s defences are ranged against attack from the South, the land of House Stark’s enemies the Lannisters. His sisters are trapped there, dead or likely yet to die, at the whim of the Lannister boy-king Joffrey or his depraved mother Cersei, regent of the Iron Throne. Cersei’s ambition is unfettered while the dwarf Tyrion Lannister fights for his life, a victim of treachery. And on the other side of the ocean, the last of the Targaryens rears the dragons she hatched from her husband’s funeral pyre. Daenerys Stormborn will return to the land of her birth to avenge the murder of her father, the last Dragon King on the Iron Throne. This special slipcased edition is bound in gilded and embossed red leather, with gilt-edged pages, and a sewn binding with ribbon bookmark.

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THE INSPIRATION FOR HBO AND SKY'S INTERNATIONAL SMASH HIT GAME OF THRONESDiscover the series behind the global phenomenon and the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age with this seven-book collection.Return to Westeros.More than a hundred years after the events of HBO and Sky's HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, the greatest battle for the Iron Throne beganGeorge R.R. Martin''s A Song of Ice and Fire series has set the benchmark for contemporary epic fantasy. Labelled by Time magazine as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world, Martin has conjured a world as complex and vibrant as that of J.R.R. Tolkien, populated by a huge cast of fascinating, complex characters, and boasting a history that stretches back twelve thousand years.Three great storylines weave through the books, charting the civil war for control of the Seven Kingdoms; the defence of the towering Wall of ice in the uttermost north against the unearthly threat of the Others; and across the Narrow Sea the rise to power o

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A FEAST FOR CROWS is the fourth volume in the series. A Feast for Crows brings to life dark magic, intrigue and terrible bloodshed as the war-torn landscape of the Seven Kingdoms is threatened by destruction as vast as any in its violent past. The War of the Five Kings has ripped Westeros apart. The bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning Lannisters occupy the Iron Throne, with allies as ruthless as themselves. Lord Frey was host at the Red Wedding, so called for the massacre of the guests, their screams unheard above the music of the feast. Euron Crow’s Eye is as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, sworn to deliver the whole of Westeros to the ironborn. No less to be feared are their enemies. The Starks of Winterfell and the Martells of Dorne seek vengeance for their dead. And the last of the Targaryens, Daenerys Stormborn, will bring fire and blood to King’s Landing when her young dragons reach their terrifying maturity. The last war fought with dragons was a cataclysm powerful enough to shatter the Valyrian peninsula, now a smoking, demon-haunted ruin half drowned by the sea. Against a backdrop of alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel … and the coldest hearts.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A STORM OF SWORDS: STEEL AND SNOW is the FIRST part of the third volume in the series. ‘Martin has captured the imagination of millions’ Guardian Winter approaches Westeros like an angry beast. The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud. In the northern wastes, a horde of hungry, savage people steeped in the dark magic of the wilderness is poised to invade the Kingdom of the North where Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown. And Robb’s defences are ranged against the South, the land of the cunning and cruel Lannisters, who have his younger sisters in their power. Throughout Westeros, the war for the Iron Throne rages more fiercely than ever, but if the Wall is breached, no king will live to claim it.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THRONESWhen 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.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A FEAST FOR CROWS is the fourth volume in the series. ‘On the morning after battle, the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth, when a crow can dine upon a king?’ A Lannister sits upon the Iron Throne. But the days of betrayal and bloodshed are far from over. Among the ashes of war, new conflicts spark to life. Daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed which threaten to engulf Westeros. But in this game of thrones, victory will go to those with the sharpest steel and the coldest hearts.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. ALL ABOARD, IF YOU DARE. In the aftermath of World War II, the Earth’s population was devastated by a terrifying alien virus. Those who survived were changed forever. Some, known as jokers, were cursed with bizarre mental and physical abnormalities; others, granted superhuman abilities, are the lucky few known as aces. In this volatile and divided world, intrigue and violence are never far away and a trip up the Mississippi River aboard the steamer Natchez is no exception. Boats full of joker refugees spark conflict between super-powered aces. Zombies and vast alligators lurk beneath the water. And in the steam of the engine room, a spirit stands ready to defend its riverboat home. Edited by Number One New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin, Mississippi Roll features the writing talents of Stephen Leigh, David D. Levine, John Jos. Miller, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Cherie Priest, and Carrie Vaughn. Praise for The Wild Cards series ‘GREAT’ – The Guardian ’A complex, intricately, imagined universe’ – The Telegraph

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THE INSPIRATION FOR HBO ORIGINAL AND SKY TV'S HOUSE OF THE DRAGONCenturies before A Game of Thrones, an even greater game began, one that set the skies alight with dragon flame and saw the Seven Kingdoms turned to ash.So began the Targaryens' bloody rule, with fire and blood. Setting brother against brother, mother against daughter, and dragon against dragon.Chronicled by a learned maester of the Citadel, this thrilling and bloody history of Westeros tells the story of where the battle for the Iron Throne began

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Published in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of George R. R. Martin’s landmark series, this lavishly illustrated special edition of A Game of Thrones—with gorgeous full-page illustrations in every chapter—revitalizes the fantasy masterpiece that became a cultural phenomenon. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the North of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the centre of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a region of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavours to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R.R. Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A DANCE WITH DRAGONS: DREAMS AND DUST is the first part of the fifth volume in the series. ‘Characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias’ Guardian Tyrion Lannister, having killed his father, and wrongfully accused of killing his nephew, King Joffrey, has escaped from King’s Landing with a price on his head. Jon Snow has been elected Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. But Jon has enemies both inside and beyond the Wall. And in the east Daenerys Targaryen struggles to hold a city built on dreams and dust. The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance. On all sides bitter conflicts are reigniting, played out by outlaws and priests, nobles and slaves. The tides of destiny will lead to the greatest dance of all.

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The third volume, part two of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. GAME OF THRONES is now a major TV series from HBO, featuring a stellar cast. The Starks are scattered. Robb Stark may be King in the North, but he must bend to the will of the old tyrant Walder Frey if he is to hold his crown. And while his youngest sister, Arya, has escaped the clutches of the depraved Cersei Lannister and her son, the capricious boy-king Joffrey, Sansa Stark remains their captive. Meanwhile, across the ocean, Daenerys Stormborn, the last heir of the Dragon King, delivers death to the slave-trading cities of Astapor and Yunkai as she approaches Westeros with vengeance in her heart.

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The return of the famous shared-world superhero books created and edited by George R. R. Martin, author of A GAME OF THRONESThe heart of the world is bleeding, the People's Paradise of Africa is having it out with the Caliphate, and the Sudan is a charnel house. The powers-that-be aren't doing anything. The UN might set up a committee. But the time for action is now. So, one by one, the aces join the fight, each for their own reasons ...The Wild Card virus kills 90 percent of the folks who catch it, but those who survive gain special powers. Some become grotesque mutants like the half-man, half-rhino Denys Finch. They're the jokers. Some get trivial powers. They're deuces. And some - the aces - develop wild superpowers. Like Bubbles, who can absorb any amount of energy. Or Bugsy, who can turn his body into wasps. Or Double Helix, the shape-changing, teleporting assassin.And Tom Weathers, the Radical. The strongest, most versatile of the aces - he can fly, he's strong enough to rip the turret off a tank, he can shoot heat rays from his hands ... but his greatest strength is his total conviction in the rightness of his cause. Whatever the cause is at the moment.At this particular moment, he's found a way to get more aces for the People's Paradise. Lots more aces. And that's where the trouble starts ...

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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 THRONES30 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

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The Wild Cards series reboots with new authors, new heroes and a new directionIn 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 baton.Twenty-eight extraordinary people - Aces, people who have contracted the deadly Wild Cards virus and lived - sign onto a reality TV show. These young heroes have never really been heroic, but each has a superhuman skill.Initially divided up into four suits while competing in staged contests as only LA-LA land could dream up, the losers are voted off the show until, at last, the greatest American Hero will be left standing. As the weeks go by, those remaining in the competition are stunned by sickening events in the Middle East. Their inane challenges look silly when compared to those unpowered people risking their lives. Will this group of over-privileged and under-informed 'celebrities' be able to make a real difference to the world? And how many of them really care?

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THE INSPIRATION FOR HBO AND SKY TV’S EMMY NOMINATED HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. Centuries before A Game of Thrones, an even greater game began, one that set the skies alight with dragon flame and saw the Seven Kingdoms turned to ash. So began the Targaryens’ bloody rule, with fire and blood. Setting brother against brother, mother against daughter, and dragon against dragon. Chronicled by a learned maester of the Citadel, this thrilling and bloody history of Westeros tells the story of where the battle for the Iron Throne began…

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THE INSPIRATION FOR HBO AND SKY TV’S EMMY NOMINATED HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. Centuries before A Game of Thrones, an even greater game began, one that set the skies alight with dragon flame and saw the Seven Kingdoms turned to ash. So began the Targaryens’ bloody rule, with fire and blood. Setting brother against brother, mother against daughter, and dragon against dragon. Chronicled by a learned maester of the Citadel, this thrilling and bloody history of Westeros tells the story of where the battle for the Iron Throne began…

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A STORM OF SWORDS: BLOOD AND GOLD is the SECOND part of the third volume in the series. ‘Colossal, staggering . . . one of the greats’ SFX The Starks are scattered. Robb Stark may be King in the North, but he must bend to the will of the old tyrant Walder Frey if he is to hold his crown. And while his youngest sister, Arya, has escaped the clutches of the depraved Cersei Lannister and her son, the capricious boy-king Joffrey, Sansa Stark remains their captive. Meanwhile, across the ocean, Daenerys Stormborn, the last heir of the Dragon King, delivers death to the slave-trading cities of Astapor and Yunkai as she approaches Westeros with vengeance in her heart.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A CLASH OF KINGS is the second volume in the series. ‘Nobody does fantasy quite like Martin’ Sunday Times Throughout Westeros, the cold winds are rising. From the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding lands of Winterfell, chaos reigns as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms stake their claims through tempest, turmoil and war. As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky - a comet the colour of blood and flame - five factions struggle for control of a divided land. Brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Against a backdrop of incest, fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory is measured in blood.

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Contains the story 'The Hedge Night' Dreamsongs Book Two is the second part of a massive collection, featuring the very best of George R.R. Martin's short fiction, a dazzling array of award-winning stories from the last thirtysome years. Included in this edition is 'The Hedge Knight', a tale of the Seven Kingdoms, an indispensable part of Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire:Telling the tale of a young squire as he strives to become a knight in the cruel and unforgiving lands of the Seven Kingdoms, 'The Hedge Knight' introduces readers to Dunk and Egg and their quest to prove victorious against the nobility at a local tournament.George R.R. Martin is one of the most exciting storytellers of our time, a stylish, elegant writer who combines riveting plots with superb characterisation. He writes with equal verve and fervour about werewolves as he does spaceships, wizards and vampires, and he has won virtually every award in the fields of fantasy literature. His epic ongoing saga A Song of Ice and Fire has redefined fantasy for a whole new generation, and won him a vast, devoted audience.Dreamsongs is an unmissable collection not just for all George R.R. Martin fans, but essential reading for any reader of fantastic literature.***************'Of those who work in the grand epic fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best' Time Magazine'I always expect the best from George R.R. Martin, and he always delivers' Robert Jordan'Long live George Martin . . . A literary dervish, enthralled by complicated characters and vivid language, and bursting with the wild vision of the very best tale tellers' New York Times'Martin's style is so vivid that you will be hooked within a few pages' The Times

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The 40th anniversary of George R.R. Martin's classic southern gothic novel finds it just as gripping today as it was on its release.Abner Marsh has had his dearest wish come true - he has built the Fevre Dream, the finest steamship ever to sail the Mississippi. Abner hopes to race the boat some day, but his partner is making it hard for him to realise his ambition.Joshua York put up the money for the Fevre Dream, but now rumours have started about the company he keeps, his odd eating habits and strange hours. As the Dream sails the great river, it leaves in its wake one too many dark tales, until Abner is forced to face down the man who helped to make his dreams become reality.From the author of the international phenomenon that is Game of Thrones, leap into a gothic historical fiction that will leave you wanting to read it with the lights turned on.* * * * * * * * * * * * *'I loved Fevre Dream. The best vampire novel ever written' Joanne Harris, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Narrow Door'The kind of chiller one rereads' Harlan Ellison'A gripping and thrilling read . . . the relations between human and the vampire race are also something of an allegory for slavery and exploitation . . . very well developed, vivid and unforgettable' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A beautiful, multi-layered story that stands as an historical drama bordering on fantasy and horror' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A must-have in your personal library if you're into collecting modern fantasy novels, novels with historical fiction settings, or novels about paranormal creatures' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Not only is it a great premise, but Mr. Martin follows through and delivers one hell of a story to back it up. Highly recommended!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It is excellent historical fiction, set amongst the steamboats traveling up and down the Mississippi . . . Recommended for fans of historic paranormal and horrific fiction' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I loved this book. It was one of those that I wanted to savour and not rush ahead with. The writing draws you in from the start' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A fantastic setting, and a steamboat that makes you want to go back in time and experience a great race yourself. This was a wonderful read and I would recommend highly' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I've never met a protagonist like Abner Marsh . . . you'll want to savour this novel's little surprises completely unspoiled . . . an incredible slice of history, a deeply moving tale of an unlikely friendship, and a testament to the power of loyalty between two individuals' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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Commissioned by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, these tales of dangerous women by the most stellar names in fiction are available for the first time in three-volume paperback. George R.R. Martin is the bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for HBO’s hit series GAME OF THRONES. This second volume features an original short story by Megan Lindholm (who also writes as Robin Hobb). In the bittersweet ‘Neighbors’ Sarah, a rather strange widow, lives isolated and alone, surrounded by young families. But is the old lady afflicted by dementia – or by something far more odd? Other contributors to this volume of stories of formidable women include worldwide bestselling authors Diana Gabaldon, with an Outlander story, Sharon Kay Penman and Lev Grossman. DANGEROUS WOMEN 2Gardner Dozois’s introductionMegan Lindholm, ‘Neighbors’Lev Grossman, ‘The Girl in the Mirror’Sharon Kay Penman, ‘A Queen in Exile’S. M. Stirling, ‘Pronouncing Doom’Caroline Spector, ‘Lies My Mother Told Me’Sam Sykes, ‘Name the Beast’Diana Gabaldon, ‘Virgins’

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Commissioned by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, these tales of dangerous women by the most stellar names in fiction are available for the first time in three-volume paperback. George R.R. Martin is the bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones. This first volume features an original 35,000 word novella by George R.R. Martin. ‘The Princess and the Queen' reveals the origins of the civil war in Westeros (before the events in A Game of Thrones), which is known as the Dance of the Dragons, pitting Targaryen against Targaryen and dragon against dragon. Other authors in this volume of warriors, bad girls and dragonriders include worldwide bestselling authors Brandon Sanderson, Lawrence Block and Nancy Kress. DANGEROUS WOMEN 1Gardner Dozois’s introductionGeorge R. R. Martin, ‘The Princess and the Queen’Carrie Vaughn, ‘Raisa Stepanova’Nancy Kress,’“Second Arabesque, Very Slowly’Lawrence Block, ‘I Know How to Pick ‘Em’Megan Abbott, ‘My Heart Is Either Broken’Joe R. Lansdale, ‘Wrestling Jesus’Brandon Sanderson, ‘Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell’

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Return to the unique and evocative world of The Dying Earth, edited by best-selling author George R. R. Martin, in this tribute anthology featuring the most distinguished fantasists of our day. Here are twenty-two brand-new adventures set in the world of Jack Vance's greatest novel. A dim place, ancient beyond knowledge. The sun is feeble and red. A million cities have fallen to dust. Here live a few thousand souls, dying, as the Earth dies beneath them. Just a few short decades remain to the long history of our world. At the last, science and magic are one, and there is evil on Earth, distilled by time … Earth is dying. Half a century ago, Jack Vance created the world of the Dying Earth, and fantasy has never been the same. Now, for the first time, Jack has agreed to open this intriguing and darkly beautiful world to other fantasists, to play in as their very own. The list of twenty-two contributors eager to honour Jack Vance by writing for this anthology includes Neil Gaiman, Tad Williams, Elizabeth Hand, Tanith Lee, Dan Simmons, Robert Silverberg, and George R.R. Martin himself.

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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.

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Law & Order meets Men in Black in this graphic novel adaptation of a TV pilot script by the author of A Game of Thrones. Ideal for fans of Saga. Second City. First Contact. Ten years ago, representatives from an interstellar collective of 314 alien species landed on Earth, inviting us to become number 315. Now, after seemingly endless delays, the Starport in Chicago is operational, a destination for diplomats, merchants, and tourists alike. Inside, visitors are governed by intergalactic treaty. Outside, the streets belong to Chicago’s finest. Charlie Baker, newly promoted to the squad that oversees the Starport district, is eager to put to practical use his enthusiasm for all things extraterrestrial; he just never expected to arrive on his first day in the back of a police cruiser. Lieutenant Bobbi Kelleher is married to the job, which often puts her in conflict with Lyhanne Nhar-Lys, security champion of Starport and one of the galaxy’s fiercest warriors. Undercover with a gang of anti-alien extremists, Detective Aaron Stein has no problem mixing business with pleasure – until he stumbles upon evidence of a plot to assassinate a controversial trade envoy with a cache of stolen ray guns. Now the Chicago PD must stop these nutjobs before they piss off the entire universe. Based on a TV pilot script written by George R.R. Martin and adapted and illustrated by Hugo Award–nominated artist Raya Golden, this bold and brilliant graphic novel adaptation brings Martin’s singular vision to rollicking life. With all the intrigue, ingenuity, and atmosphere that made A Game of Thrones a worldwide phenomenon, Starport launches a new chapter in the career of a sci-fi/fantasy superstar.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R. R. Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A GAME OF THRONES is the first volume in the series. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men… all will play the GAME OF THRONES. Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plot, lusts and intrigues; to the vast and savage eastern lands; all the way to the frozen north, where a 700-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. The Game of Thrones. You win, or you die. Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire begins the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. Winter is coming…

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R. R. Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A FEAST FOR CROWS is the fourth volume in the series. The Lannisters are in power on the Iron Throne. The war in the Seven Kingdoms has burned itself out, but in its bitter aftermath new conflicts spark to life. The Martells of Dorne and the Starks of Winterfell seek vengeance for their dead. Euron Crow’s Eye, as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, returns from the smoking ruins of Valyria to claim the Iron Isles. From the icy north, where Others threaten the Wall, apprentice Maester Samwell Tarly brings a mysterious babe in arms to the Citadel. As plots, intrigue and battle threaten to engulf Westeros, victory will go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts.

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HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R. R. Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is the fifth volume in the series. The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance. In the east, Daenerys, last scion of House Targaryen, her dragons grown to terrifying maturity, rules as queen of a city built on dust and death, beset by enemies. Now that her whereabouts are known many are seeking Daenerys and her dragons. Among them the dwarf, Tyrion Lannister, who has escaped King’s Landing with a price on his head, wrongfully condemned to death for the murder of his nephew, King Joffrey. But not before killing his hated father, Lord Tywin. To the north lies the great Wall of ice and stone – a structure only as strong as those guarding it. Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow has been elected the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, but he has enemies both in the Watch and beyond the Wall, where the wildling armies are massing for an assault. On all sides bitter conflicts are reigniting, played out by a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves. The tides of destiny will inevitably lead to the greatest dance of all…

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The third volume, part one of A Song of Ice and Fire, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. GAME OF THRONES is now a major TV series from HBO, featuring a stellar cast. Winter approaches Westeros like an angry beast. The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud. In the northern wastes, a horde of hungry, savage people steeped in the dark magic of the wilderness is poised to invade the Kingdom of the North where Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown. And Robb’s defences are ranged against the South, the land of the cunning and cruel Lannisters, who have his younger sisters in their power. Throughout Westeros, the war for the Iron Throne rages more fiercely than ever, but if the Wall is breached, no king will live to claim it.

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The first trilogy of the WILD CARDS series comes to a shocking conclusion in this superhero epic edited by bestselling author of GAME OF THRONES George R. R. MartinAmidst the fun and festivities of Wild Card Day there is an evil mind lurking, who hopes that the celebrations will go off with more than a band. The streets of New York have erupted in celebration of Wild Card Day - the annual event held every September 15th to remember the dead and cherish the living. It is a day for fireworks, street fairs and parades, for political rallies and memorial banquets, for drinking and fighting in the alleys. With each passing year, the festivities become larger and more fevered. And this year - 1986, the fortieth anniversary - promises to be the biggest and best Wild Card Day ever. The media and tourists have discovered the celebration, and taverns and restaurants expect record-setting. But lurking in the background is a twisted genius who cares nothing for the fun and festivity. The Astronomer has only one concern: destruction ...Featuring plotlines and writing from George R. R. Martin, John J. Miller, Lewis Shiner, Melinda Snodgrass and more, this novel wraps up the opening WILD CARDS series, while also setting the stage for future adventures.

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