Treachery and Treason

Rating:
Summary: Fresh & juicy horror!
Review: Being a horror fan, I was pleased to find this anthology. There are not that many 'theme' anthologies, and many of them just pull from the old classics. All 21 stories are new, written for this compilation. The theme of treachery naturally lends itself to stories of demons and gods, and many of the stories hinge on religion in some way. My favorite of those were Jerry Olton's 'The Judas Lesson' and 'Perfidy' by Dennis L. McKiernan. Olton has a great twist on Christianity and Christmas. If kids are bribed by Christmas to be good, as their religion dictates they should be, what would happen if their religion dictated they be Judas rather than Jesus? And what happens when they fail? 'Perfidy,' the shortest story in the collection at three pages, was a powerhouse condemnation of the Hebrew God's betrayal of humanity.

One that was not derivative of religion, and my favorite, was 'Kiss Me, You Fool' by Del Stone, Jr. Having already read his novel _Dead Heat_, with its zombie anti-hero, I was expecting something strange. This short story is a nightmare, with utterly horrifying creatures, human and otherwise. The humans are believable and recognizable. The monsters although unique, resonated uncomfortably with some archetypal fear and truly creeped me out. The story is sexy, hilarious, and has one of the best backstabs ever devised, through its sheer strangeness and off-handed cruelty.

All the stories were of high quality. The editors did a fine job. My only complaint is that there was no biographical material on the individual authors. I would have liked to have seen what other writings they had available.

Rating:
Summary: "Treachery and Treason"
Review: One of those modern rarities, a themed anthology. But what a theme! Maybe food has more weight in the affairs of human history than betrayal, but not by much. The stories themselves cut an astonishing cross-section through the heart of modern short SF. From the terse action fiction of William C. Dietz and Anne Bishop, to the jewel-like cyber-punk poetry of Tom Cool, to the tough-minded and elegiac "Borders," by Nancy Jane Moore -- Treachery and Treason presents stories that transcend the science fiction genre. Particularly good are the stories by Cool and Moore. "Frozen" is a dazzling tone poem to love and broken promises. "Borders" by Nancy Jane Moore is a riveting action story of a labor revolt, set on the Texas-Mexican border in the near future, and of the anguished soldiers who are brought in to put it down. Moore is a clean, tough action writer with a fine eye for historical irony, an unsentimental view of political reality, and a sense of genuine moral outrage at her heart. Buy the book for "Borders." Keep it to read the rest.

Rating:
Summary: Because We're Fascinated By Cleverness...
Review: Thank you! This, by far, is one of the better collections of short works by various authors I've picked up in a very long time! It covers a range of genres, settings, and times to bring you intriguing tales of backstabbers at their best. Most of the stories are exceptional, a few thought-provoking, some are funny, some surreal, some darkly morbid. It should leave you wanting not only a second book of Treachery & Treason, but also seeking more of the works of the talented authors inside--exactly what a book like this is meant to do. Congratulations on a job well done!

Rating:
Summary: Treachery has never been so good!
Review: This anthology encompasses stories from both the science fiction and sf/fantasy worlds. Anne Bishop's story, "By the Time the Witchblood Blooms" is a short story about a favorite character from her series, "The Dark Jewels Trilogy" who exacts some well-deserved revenge. Julie Czerneda's story, "The Passenger", examines the question of individual good vs. what is good for the majority. I also enjoyed Dennis McKiernan's "Perfidy", which looks at a bet between God and Satan...and who in the end really committed the evil act. These stories are all about treachery in some way; however you'll find yourself wondering if the "treachery" is in actuality a very good thing.

Rating:
Summary: Unique
Review: This anthology is such great fun! The baddies range from truly human villains, -- as in the wonderful story by new author Nancy Moore, to otherworldly creeps-- like Esther Friesner's charmer, to something in between-- see Scott Edelman's unusual second person narrative. This book is a keeper, one of those collections you'll enjoy reading more than once.

Rating:
Summary: Unique
Review: This anthology is such great fun! The baddies range from truly human villains, -- as in the wonderful story by new author Nancy Moore, to otherworldly creeps-- like Esther Friesner's charmer, to something in between-- see Scott Edelman's unusual second person narrative. This book is a keeper, one of those collections you'll enjoy reading more than once.