In 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.