Inside Straight: A Wild Cards Novel (Book One of the Committee Triad)

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 (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/george-r-r-martin/) George R R Martin along with (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/melinda-m-snodgrass/) Melinda M 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 (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/george-r-r-martin/) 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 (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/daniel-abraham/) Daniel Abraham , (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/michael-cassutt/) Michael Cassutt , and (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/stephen-leigh/) Stephen Leigh , among others.

From the #1 New York Times bestseller, the launch of a new generation of Wild Cards tales

Publishers Weekly

The newest Wild Cards mosaic novel marks a new beginning for the long-running saga. Veteran contributors such as Melinda M. Snodgrass and John Jos. Miller and newcomers like Carrie Vaughn and S.L. Farrell create a new generation of fantastical characters, including Jonathan Hive, who can transform himself into a swarm of wasps, and the six-armed, tattooed giant Drummer Boy. Twenty-eight superhuman "aces" are cast in a new reality show called American Hero. As the contestants compete in staged challenges and systematically get voted off amid Hollywood-fueled melodrama, horrific events in the Middle East bring to light the glaring unreality of reality television. When the show reaches its climactic final episode, some of the contestants decide to forsake the trappings of fame and fortune and become real-life heroes. The first volume of a projected trilogy, this fast-paced and sardonic story will appeal to comic book aficionados and heroic fantasy fans alike. (Jan.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

A new generation of aces comes of age as twenty-one of them compete against each other in a series of tasks and stunts on the blockbuster TV reality show "American Hero," and John Fortune, son of the show's creator, discovers his destiny