If I Were An Evil Overlord, edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Russell Davis (DAW 2007)

As the title suggests, this anthology is quite clear inspired by the infamous Internet list of the same name (a rather nice version can be found at www.eviloverlord.com) but the stories do branch out on their own, at times. Fourteen authors take varying looks at the trials, tribulations and triumphs of the much-maligned “Evil Overlord” (also known as Dark Lord, Evil Ruler, Bad Guy, Plot Device, Antagonist, and Hero’s Chewtoy…). It’s a celebration and exploration of what it means to be the guy everyone loves to hate. So let’s take a look at some of the stories, and see if the villains in question have read the List, and therefore know what to do, and what not to do…

“If Looks Could Kill” is one of Esther Friesner’s famously comedic stories, featuring the annoyingly-beautiful elven prince, his much-abused sidekick, and an extended stay in the evil ruler’s dungeon. Now, this prince is well aware of the rules of the game, specifically “The evil overlord’s beautiful daughter will always fall for the hero, help him escape, and help him save the day,” and he plans to use said knowledge to, well…, you get the point. Of course, things don’t always go according to plan. As always, Friesner’s ear for comedy, and her ability to conjure up entertaining imagery makes this a great lead story, full of self-aware humor, and ending on a wry note.

David Bischoff’s “The Man Who Would Be Overlord” is the tale of a rogue who partners with a con man in a successful attempt to gain ultimate power. Of course, there’s always a catch to these things, and our unlikely antihero discovers just how catchy his new position really is. Both serious and comic, this story doesn’t miss a beat as it follows the protagonist through his rise and fall in fortune.

Jody Lynn Nye’s “Ensuring the Succession” takes more than a hint from James Bond, as one evil mastermind does his very best to make sure that his son will have every talent, skill, and experience needed to follow in his footsteps. Of course, even the greatest plans have their flaws, or do they? Nye presents a rather sympathetic view of someone who regularly maims, murders, tortures, and kidnaps others for his own ends; it’s almost a shame to see this one end.

Dean Wesley Smith turns in “The Life & Death of Fortune Cookie Tyrant,” the singularly odd tale of an ordinary man whose life is ruled by fortune cookies, all of which come true for him in unexpected ways. But which rule from the Evil Overlord List will prove to be his downfall? It’s an odd story, to be sure, but nonetheless entertaining.

In Jim C. Hines’ “Daddy’s Little Girl,” we get a much more serious tale involving familial love and obligation, and the raising of the dead, when one evil overlord’s daughter engages the services of her father’s deceased architect to invade a forbidden citadel and finish her father’s work. This one’s a creepy, but effective tale.

J. Steven York gives us something straight out of a comic book, or the pulps, with “Gordie Culligan vs Dr. Longbeach & The HVAC of Doom.” Invading booby-trapped air ducts of certain death is all in a day’s work when you’re the guy hired to fix them. But is saving the world part of the job? In this entertaining story, it might fall under ‘hazard pay.’

One of my favorite rules has always been the one where the overlord runs his plan past a 5-year old to eliminate oversights and loopholes. No wonder I got a kick out of Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s “Advisers At Naptime,” in which one overlord does just that.

Tanya Huff’s “A Woman’s Work” features a rather likeable queen who just happens to be ruthless, intelligent, and clever in all the right ways. Though it always feels weird rooting for the bad guys, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Huff’s protagonist at work.

Over in John Helfers’s “Stronger Than Fate,” an evil overlord faces the end of his glorious rise to power when that pesky pigtender’s son comes to exact revenge in the time-honored tradition. But this overlord’s been quite smart in his progress over the years, can he defeat this enemy, or is tradition (and fate) about to ensure the triumph of good over evil? Helfers lays out an intelligent tale with a rather satisfying ending.

Nina Kiriki Hoffman’s evil overlord, on the other hand, seems to have lost his knack for ruling, and his subsequent stay in a villain rehab program is chronicled in “Art Therapy.” Can this guy find his groove and get back in the game, or has he finally gone soft? Only time will tell.

Other authors featured include Fiona Patton, David Niall Wilson, Donald J. Bingle, and Steven Roman. All things considered, If I Were An Evil Overlord does great justice to the concept, with more than a healthy does of entertaining, well-told stories to make it well-worth picking up. I was thoroughly pleased with how well the authors and editor followed through on the promise, ranging from comic to serious, insightful to self-aware.

Originally posted on SF Site, 2007


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