Four grown men, friends since childhood-a man of though, a man of leisure, an outlaw, and a cop-reunite in San Francisco for a weekend-long game of cards in the Palace Hotel's Enrico Caruso Suite. Every year they do this. It gives them a chance to catch up, to renew their friendships, to relive their glory days. To smoke, drink, laugh, and lose themselves and their cares for a couple of days. It also allows them to reaffirm, by unspoken consent, that the deadly secret they share has remained safe for another year. Thirty years earlier, there were five friends. Just out of high school, preparing for college, optimistic and energetic, they took a boat trip up a river. Then an outburst of drunken teenage savagery at a place called Shanghai Bend left four boys scrambling to cover their tracks. And a fifth, Bobby McCorkle, disappeared... For thirty years Bobby drifted aimlessly: through the firefights of Vietnam, across the United States and back a hundred times, and into every numbed recess of his conscience that heroin and alcohol could take him. He survived by his wits, but he lived by his trade: he became a gambler. In 1995 construction crews dig up a skeleton at Shanghai Bend. Now McCorkle must rejoin his old pals at the card table and confront their secret together. What does each man bring? How much does each know? And how far will each go to protect the secret? The game begins, the stakes go up. Will they be exposed? Will their lives be ruined? Bluff. Double bluff. Call. Before the weekend is over, these five men will find themselves playing for their lives.

Supported by a grant from the Eric Mathieu King Fund of the Academy of American Poets.

Blending her successful life as CEO of Sybarite fashion house with her unbidden discovery of being a member of long-hidden protectors of the Earth, Vesta struggles to deal with her newfound responsibility. Not to mention her supernatural gifts. And the cards are stacked against her when an ancient evil is determined to kill her and spread destruction across the world. He was a British rock legend. He was also the Fool of the tarot. Liam knew the truth about Vesta but had been sworn to keep it. What he knows will change Vesta's life forever. The quest begins. You'll love this urban fantasy, because Victoria Belue has created a premise as unique as the world she built around it. Get reading now.

One of the most knowledgeable and provocative explicators of Paul de Man's writings, Rodolphe Gasché, a philosopher by training, demonstrates for the first time the systematic coherence of the critic's work, insisting that de Man continues to merit close attention despite his notoriously difficult and obscure style. Gasché shows that de Man's "reading" centers on a dimension of the texts that is irreducible to any possible meaning, a dimension characterized by the "absolutely singular." Given that de Man and Derrida are both termed deconstructionists, Gasché differentiates between the two by emphasizing Derrida's primary interest in "writing," and postulates that the best way to come to terms with de Man's works is to "read" them athwart the writings of Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Heidegger, and Derrida. He shows his respect for the "immanent logic" of de Man's thought--which he lays out in great detail--while revealing his uneasiness at the oddness of that thought and its consequences.

Gary Byrne is a footballing genius. When he was transferred to Fiorentina, the Italian fans were soon calling him 'Byron' - a nick-name that suits both his style as well as his romantic good looks. But recently something has gone seriously wrong, and 'Byron' seems to have lost form disastrously. Is it simply the pressure at the top of the game he can't handle? Or is there something else? Ross Armstrong, sent out to assess him for a possible transfer back to England, is puzzled. But as Armstrong delves deeper he finds himself being drawn into an off-the-field drama of deception, tragedy and violence.

The action-packed alternate fantasy returns for a new generation, featuring fiction from #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin, Michael Cassutt, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Lewis Shiner, and more—plus two completely new stories from Kevin Andrew Murphy and bestselling author Carrie Vaughn. Forty years after the Wild Card Virus's release, the World Health Organization decides it's time to take a delegation of Aces, Jokers, politicians, and journalists on a fact-finding mission to learn how other countries are dealing with the virus that reshaped humanity. Leading the team is Gregg Hartmann, a senator with presidential aspirations and a dangerous ace up his sleeve. Joining him is a menagerie of some of the series' best and most popular Wild Cards, including Dr. Tachyon, aces Peregrine and Golden Boy, and jokers Chrysalis, Troll, and Father Squid. From the jungles of Haiti and Peru to the tumultuous political climate of Egypt, from a monastery in Japan to the streets of the most glamorous cities of Europe, the Wild Cards are in for an eye-opening trip. While some are worshiped as actual gods, those possessing the most extreme mutations are treated with a contempt that's all too familiar to the delegates from Jokertown. New alliances will be formed, new enemies will be made, and some actions will fulfill centuries-old prophecies that make ripples throughout the future of the Wild Cards universe. The Wild Cards Universe The Original Triad #1 Wild Cards #2 Aces High #3 Jokers Wild The Puppetman Quartet #4: Aces Abroad #5: Down and Dirty #6: Ace in the Hole #7: Dead Man’s Hand The Rox Triad #8: One-Eyed Jacks #9: Jokertown Shuffle #10: Dealer’s Choice #11: Double Solitaire #12: Turn of the Cards The Card Sharks Triad #13: Card Sharks #14: Marked Cards #15: Black Trump #16: Deuces Down #17: Death Draws Five The Committee Triad #18: Inside Straight #19: Busted Flush #20: Suicide Kings The Fort Freak Triad #21: Fort Freak #22: Lowball #23: High Stakes The American Triad #24: Mississippi Roll #25: Low Chicago #26: Texas Hold 'Em At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Edited by George R. R. Martin, the New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones, Wild Cards X: Double Solitaire from Melinda Snodgrass, creator of Dr. Tachyon, is the first solo Wild Cards novel! Aboard his grandfather's spaceship and fleeing the violent turmoil between jokers, aces, and nats that his vicious ambition spawned, Blaise is headed for a new conquest: the planet Takis. Dr. Tachyon is left behind... but he's lost more than his only way of returning to his homeworld. Blaise has stolen his body, as well—leaving Tach trapped in the pregnant body of a teenage runaway. Tachyon must sell his soul to reach Takis—and once there, confront Blaise amidst the political and military machinations of Takisian society. Treachery and treason await him. At stake is nothing less than the destiny of an entire world. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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

Take My Breath Away by Cara Summers FBI Agent Nicola Guthrie is on her first field assignment to find security expert–turned art thief, Gabe Wilder. She knows this is her big break. She has to get her man. And late one night, she does...not to mention a whole lot more! Who knew her traitorous body would respond so strongly to Gabe's sensuous lips...his tall, strong body...and her own irresistible need? The Wild Card by Rhonda Nelson Former ranger Seth McCutcheon is a man of his word. Leave the military at the request of his dying mother? Check. Join the super elite Ranger Security? Sure. Provide a security detail at a high society wedding and go undercover as the wedding planner's boyfriend? Uhh, well... But once Seth sets eyes on sexy Penelope Hart, he knows he's a goner. If Penelope wants a fake fling, he's her man. Especially if it comes with all the sensual benefits

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. Martin Amidst 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.