Melinda M. Snodgrass Knihy

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 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 wreaked terror. Now, forty years later, under the streets of Manhattan an evil genius unleashes the powers of darkness—and Aces and Jokers alike must fight for their lives.Here, in the third volume of the Wild Cards series, seven of science fiction's most gifted writers take you on a journey of wonder and excitement.Includes stories by:Edward BryantLeanne C. HarperGeorge R. R. MartinJohn J. MillerLewis ShinerWalter SimonsMelinda M. Snodgrass

The final battle approaches, the light of science and reason against an ancient supernatural army poised to destroy the world. Overwhelmed after a series of catastrophic events, Richard Oort is still determined to fight the horrific Old Ones.

Richard Oort, now CEO of Lumina Enterprises, has learned that an interdimensional gate has given the terrifying and grotesquely gluttonous Old Ones access to our universe. Richard tries to get the US government to intervene before a rising tide of irrationality abetted by religious leaders and spiritual hucksters reduces humanity to madness.

An explosive new space opera from the Emmy Award-winning scriptwriter of Star Trek: The Next Generation

A cop on the trail of a bizarre murder uncovers a hidden conspiracy—and shocking secrets about his late father—in this original graphic novel set in George R. R. Martin’s shared-world universe, Wild Cards. In 1946, an alien virus ravaged the world, its results as random as a hand of cards. From that fateful moment to the present day, those infected either draw the black queen and die, draw an ace and receive superpowers, or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated. Today, Aces, Jokers, and uninfected humans live in relative peace. Francis “Franny” Black is an uninfected human cop, trying to police a world filled with people with the extraordinary powers that he lacks. Newly—and some would say too suddenly—promoted to detective, he has been working out of Wild Card Central, the precinct in Jokertown where the bulk of the virus victims fell in 1946. Franny’s father was one of the heroes of the precinct, killed in the line of duty, and Franny is finding it hard to fill his dead father’s shoes. That is, until he’s given a particularly insidious case and starts uncovering long-buried secrets that his father might have died to protect. Illustrated in a gorgeous, cinematic style by Michael Komarck and Elizabeth Leggett, this unique graphic novel is a visual feast certain to delight.

Richard Oort is a cop. He's also the last Paladin: product of a genetic fluke that enables him to wield Lucifer's sword. A reluctant hero, fated to defend the world against demonic forces that threaten to plunge us into another Dark Age, he becomes a central figure in the battle between Light and Darkness. But is he strong enough?

Emperor's daughter Mercedes is the first woman ever admitted to the High Ground, the elite training academy of the Solar League's Star Command, and she must graduate if she is to have any hope of taking the throne. Her classmate Tracy has more modest goals--to rise to the rank of captain, and win fame and honor. But a civil war is coming and the political machinations of those who yearn for power threatens the young cadets. In a time of intrigue and alien invasion, they will be tested as they never thought possible.

Thracius "Tracy" Belmanor navigates a tumultuous life marked by betrayal and disgrace after being court-martialed and ousted from the military. For fourteen years, he has carved out a precarious existence as the captain of a small trading vessel, engaging in black market dealings while evading the watchful eyes of the Solar League's elite. This journey explores themes of resilience, survival, and the moral complexities of a life lived on the fringes of society.

Exploring the concept of Thucydides Trap, the book examines the historical pattern where a rising power threatens to displace an established one, leading to inevitable conflict. It delves into the dynamics of international relations, analyzing past instances of this phenomenon and its implications for contemporary global politics. By highlighting the lessons learned from history, the author argues for strategies to avoid catastrophic wars and foster stability in an increasingly competitive world.

Thracius Tracy Belmanor and the Infanta Mercedes have graduated and become officers in the Orden de la Estrella. Tracy's posting leads him to doubt the intentions of the League, when he is required to assimilate a Hidden World. Meanwhile, Mercedes' own posting--and her difficult marriage to Boho Cullen-- divides her loyalties.