Confederacy of the Dead [Paperback]

Richard Gilliam (Author), Martin H. Greenberg (Author), Edward E. Kramer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1995

Twenty-five original Civil War stories include tales of horror and dark fantasy by such writers as Richard Gilliam, Martin H. Greenberg, William S. Burroughs, S. P. Somtow, Anne McCaffrey, and Brad Strickland. Reprint.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Anthology comprising 25 original entries illustrating the Civil War from a generally supernatural vantage. Most, but not all, are written from a southern perspective, upon which political correctness occasionally exerts a somewhat stifling effect. The standouts: Ed Gorman's sad, brutally effective piece about a Christ-like figure who threatens to alter the course of the war; Anne McCaffrey's splendid yarn of a liberal southern family and African magic; a wrenching tale of a wounded soldier's homecoming, from Nancy A. Collins; African sorcery and an abused white boy (S.P. Somtow); voodoo and revenge, with a twist ending (Brad Strickland); battlefield surgery (Gregory Nicoll); deserters and the walking dead (Robert Sampson); child victims (Lee Hoffman); and an immortality serum (Algis Budrys). Elsewhere, though the details vary, the ideas tend to trudge around in predictable circles: voodoo, animated corpses, revenge, ghouls, cannibals, and Indians, plus the usual handful of indefinable pieces. A major weakness is the editors' failure to notice that the horrors of war are rarely heightened by mere splatterpunk embellishments. Still, the Civil War theme has built-in popularity, and the best stories here are very good indeed. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Roc; Reprint edition (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451454774
• ISBN-13: 978-0451454775
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,519,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Zombies in the Civil War? Incredible combination !!, January 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Confederacy of the Dead (Paperback)

Being a Civil War buff and zombie lover, I couldn't ask for any better combination. It was one of those books that was literally hard to tear myself away from. It's been awhile since I read it, but from what I recall there wasn't a bad story in the book. Holds your interest from beginning to end. One of those few books that I can honestly say I have every intention of going back and reading again.

5.0 out of 5 stars Blue and Gray Stuff Dreams are Made of, October 12, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Kennewick Wa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Confederacy of the Dead (Paperback)

This collection of horror stories inspired by the War Between the States has found the triple point between surrealism, history, and macabre insanity. Many of the authors, all of whom are well-known in this as well as other genres, have found new ground to tread in this well-edited compilation of "Civil" War-inspired horror fiction. From the tragic unwelcome homecoming of a maimed soldier in "The Sunday Go-To-Meeting Jaw" to the grim folly of "Terrible Swift Saw", there is enough plausible reality to anchor the supernatural twists of "Foragers" and "Darker Angels". "The Master's Time" is a very fresh piece by two newer writers with a stunning ending. One could find her or himself whistling "Dixie" to ease the tension if reading this in solitude. Once these unsettling 25 short stories find their way into your mind, your dreams will no longer be the same...

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Most of these stories are at a very low standard, April 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Confederacy of the Dead (Paperback)

There are two stories worth reading in this anthology of supernatural Civil War-themed work: those by Collins and Somtow. (The latter is a depressing tale of race hatred, but at least it's well written.) One or two others are vaguely OK. The majority of them are awful. They are not written well; they are not researched well; they suck. The worst is probably Moorcock's surrealist nonsense, but Ballard's boring George Todd story, Wagner's silly cannibalism/undead tale and McCaffrey's sentimental plantation claptrap -- not to mention a plethora of Sherman's Bummers meet Zombies splatter -- just leave me bored. I'd recommend avoiding this.