‘Rogues’

Courtesy of Beaverdale Books

Review by Julie Goodrich

Bantam

June 17, 2014

832 pp

$30.00

Everyone loves a hero, the good guy battling evil for no reason other than he’s just good, noble and kind. However, here in the real world more often we find do-gooders of the unexpected variety. People with flaws, agendas and usually just a little self-serving make for a more believable character and that interesting gray area can make heroes more relatable, powerful and real. It’s with this in mind that fantasy all-star George R.R. Martin and the prodigiously talented Gardner R. Dozois have put together a rash of genre-bending stories in their new collection, “Rogues.” It’s an excellent follow-up to their previous outstanding collections, “Dangerous Women” and “Warriors.”

Including works from the likes of Neil Gaiman, Gillian Flynn and Patrick Rothfuss, this collection spans the gamut of time, setting and interpretations of the word rogue. Trickery, subterfuge and shock endings abound. A prostitute turned psychic has an interesting story with a surprise ending. A retired thief is forced into her old life and shows just what it means to be a rogue. An art dealer with an interesting painting tells a dark and twisted tale to the buyer. Two witches walk into a bar…stop me if you’ve heard this one.

Chock full of stories that are impossible to put down, “Rogues” is a must for anyone with a love for rich characters with dubious motives, quick moving scenes with explosive action and the mind-bending power of a story that leaves the reader guessing and thinking, long after it’s finished. For fans of Martin’s epic, there’s a great little bit of history as well. CV