Treachery and Treason [Paperback]

Laura Anne Gilman (Editor), Jennifer Heddler (Editor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Roc (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451457781
• ISBN-13: 978-0451457783
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,328,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fresh & juicy horror!, July 11, 2000

By 

p sears (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treachery and Treason (Paperback)

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.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treachery has never been so good!, March 24, 2000

By 

Kandra "busily bein' a boomer!" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treachery and Treason (Paperback)

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Because We're Fascinated By Cleverness..., November 12, 2003

By 

ED Detetcheverrie "Q" (East Coast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treachery and Treason (Paperback)

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!