{"product_id":"george-r-r-martin-presents-wild-cards-pairing-up-an-anthology-9780593357880","title":"George R. R. Martin Presents Wild Cards: Pairing Up: An Anthology","description":"\u003cb\u003eSuperheroes and villains do battle over the human heart in this delightful anthology featuring all-new stories from a wide range of contributors, all set in the Wild Cards universe, where an alien virus mutates some and grants superpowers to others, created by the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eA Game of Thrones\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e An alien virus ravages the world, its results as random as a hand of cards. Those infected either draw the black queen and die, draw an ace and receive superpowers, or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNevertheless, human nature reigns supreme. And one of the most enduring human drives is the search for love. Aces and jokers alike both want to find it, or have lost it . . . or perhaps just want to use it for personal gain. Crazy, unconventional, touching, strange, and oh-so-familiar, this is love, Wild Cards-style. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWithin these stories: \u003cbr\u003e- A jewel thief seduces a popular actor just so she can track down a long-lost treasure.\u003cbr\u003e- A teenager trapped in the body of a giant snail attempts to win his love à la Cyrano de Bergerac.\u003cbr\u003e- A man discovers his purpose in life after meeting a beautiful butterfly woman.\u003cbr\u003e- A young hero who has been awarded the hideous name of Hero McHeroface finds some solace in the arms of an astrologer hiding her own unique powers. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003ePairing Up\u003c\/i\u003e is the Wild Cards take on love--finding it, seeking it, losing it, or achieving it--as aces and jokers enter into the highest-stake game of all: gambling on their heart's desire. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eWith stories by Kevin Andrew Murphy - Christopher Rowe - Marko Kloos - Melinda M. Snodgrass - Bradley Denton - Walton Simons - Peter Newman - Gwenda Bond - David Anthony Durham - Edited by George R. R. Martin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeorge R. R. Martin\u003c\/b\u003e is the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of many novels, including those of the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire--\u003ci\u003eA Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eA Dance with Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e--as well as related works such as \u003ci\u003eFire \u0026amp; Blood, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, The World of Ice \u0026amp; Fire, \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e The Rise of the Dragon\u003c\/i\u003e (the last two with with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson). Other novels and collections include \u003ci\u003eTuf Voyaging\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFevre Dream\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Armageddon Rag\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDying of the Light\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWindhaven\u003c\/i\u003e (with Lisa Tuttle), and \u003ci\u003eDreamsongs Volumes I\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eII\u003c\/i\u003e. As a writer-producer, he has worked on \u003ci\u003eThe Twilight Zone\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBeauty and the Beast\u003c\/i\u003e, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with his lovely wife, Parris, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Bantam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50727634174226,"sku":"9780593357880","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_ccd7ff09-ae32-4498-b547-e2f587898cae.jpg?v=1734915893","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/george-r-r-martin-presents-wild-cards-pairing-up-an-anthology-9780593357880","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}