Under Cover of Darkness: 14 All-Original Tales of the True Powers That Work Behind the Scenes- the Covert Masters of Time, Space and Destiny

by Julie E. Czerneda (Editor), Jana Paniccia (Editor), Esther M. Friesner (Contributor)

FOURTEEN ORIGINAL SHORT STORIES OF SECRET AGENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE LEFT THEIR MARK ON TIME AND SPACE...

From the true role of the Freemasons to Chronographers who steal pieces of time to an assassin hired by a group that reweaves the threads of history, here are fourteen imaginative tales of time and space and realms beyond our own-all watched over, preserved, or changed by those who work covertly under cover of darkness.

Contents:
Introduction by Julie E. Czerneda and Jana Paniccia
The Scoria by Doranna Durgin
The Gatherers' Guild by Larry Niven
Kyri's Gauntlet by Darwin A. Garrison
Falling Like the Gentle Rain by Nick Pollotta
The Things Everyone Knows by Tanya Huff
The Invisible Order by Paul Grilley
Borrowed Time by Stephen Kotowych
Shadow of the Scimitar by Janet Deaver-Pack
The Good Samaritan by Amanda Bloss Maloney
Seeking the Master by Esther M. Friesner
When I Look to the Sky by Russell Davis
The Sundering Star by Janny Wurts
The Exile's Path by Jihane Noskateb
The Dancer at the Red Door by Douglas Smith

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Anthologies, Short Stories, Fiction

311 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Having written 25 novels (and counting) published by DAW Books, as well as numerous short stories, and editing several anthologies, in 2022, Julie E. Czerneda was inducted in the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. Her science fiction and fantasy combines her training and love of biology with a boundless curiosity and optimism, winning multiple awards. Julie's recent releases include the standalone novel To Each This World, her first collection Imaginings, and A Shift of Time, part of her Night's Edge fantasy series. For more visit czerneda.com Julie is represented by Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency LLC.

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secret societies themed short story collection that proved hit and miss (often the case with anthologies). By far, the best and brightest of the lot, 'The Sundering Star' by Janny Wurts, packed the most punch, and is a surprising science fiction tie-in to her epic fantasy series, Wars of Light and Shadow.

Other gems included 'Falling Like the Gentle Rain' by Nick Pollotta, a humorous fast-paced cloak-and-dagger romp with mischievous Masonic machinations. Larry Niven's 'The Gatherer's Guild' poked fun at bureaucratic politics.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly horror. I should have guessed from title. Although unlikely to find more Nick Polotta "many pseudonyms" hide "over 50 novels", I liked his story. Typos: BkIndx3.1 fahter IS father
FALLING .. UST is JUST
FALLING .. had finally IS have finally

[Spiderorchid · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst fantasy anthology I've ever read (and I've read a lot of them over the years).

The idea - an anthology about secret societies - sounded great.
Sadly, the stories are not. Most suffer from boring plots and an astonishing number are so badly written I wonder how those authors even got published. Several stories were announced as the author's first published work, but the established authors didn't do much better - even Esther Friesner delivered something that is definitly not up to her usual standard. Where were the editors? (By the time the phrase "I spoke a Word of Power" had been repeated for the fourth time in one story I was ready to scream. Dear author: Show, don't tell. This collection of short stories is a stylistic nightmare.)

The only good story, "The things everyone knows" by Tanya Huff, has been reprinted in her collection "Finding Magic", so Huff fans can look up there instead.

[Heather Ingemar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories are really good in here, and others aren't quite so. Nice if you want a quick fix of fiction!

[Kathy Sebesta · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very strange book of short stories, all centering on covert ops of some sort. Some good authors here, but I have to say there wasn't a story I was even tempted to read twice. A couple were OK, "Borrowed Time" and "When I Look to the Sky." One was wacky enough to share, "Falling Like the Gentle Rain," but only because he's a mason not because the story has particular merit.

[Brian Gaston · Rating 3 out of 5]

A grouping of good, but not great, stories.

[Susan]

The Scoria • novelette by Doranna Durgin
The Gatherers' Guild • shortstory by Larry Niven
Kyri's Gauntlet • shortstory by Darwin A. Garrison
Falling Like the Gentle Rain • shortstory by Nick Pollotta

"The Things Everyone Knows" Tanya Huff reprinted in Finding Magic and again in Swan's Braid reread 3/12/2015

The Invisible Order • novelette by Paul Crilley
Borrowed Time • shortstory by Stephen Kotowych
Shadow of the Scimitar • novelette by Janet Pack [as by Janet Deaver-Pack ]
The Good Samaritan • novelette by Amanda Bloss Maloney
Seeking the Master • shortstory by Esther M. Friesner
When I Look to the Sky • novelette by Russell Davis
The Sundering Star • novelette by Janny Wurts
The Exile's Path • novelette by Jihane Noskateb
The Dancer at the Red Door • novelette by Douglas Smith

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extra 1/2 star.

- "The Scoria", Doranna Durgin
- "The Gatherer's Guild", Larry Niven
- "Kyri's Gauntlet", Darwin A. Garrison
- "Falling Like the Gentle Rain", Nick Pollotta
- "The Things Everyone Knows", Tanya Huff
- "The Invisible order" - Paul Crilley
- "Shadow of the Scimitar", Janet Deaver-Pack
- "The Good Samaritan", Amanda Bloss Maloney
- "Seeking the Master", Esther M. Friesner
- "When I Look to the Sky", Russell Davis
- "The Sundering Star", Janny Wurts
- "The Exile's Path", Jihane Noskateb
- "The Dancer At the Red Door", Douglas Smith


Oooh, really good stories of secret agents and organisations...niiiiice.

There was one story that marred the roster...it totally creeped me out.

[Ade Couper · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with all multi-author collections , this 1's something of a curate's egg....

The linking theme for this collection is secret societies , & some of these work very well as evocations of secret cabals , others less so . Standout tales for me were "falling like the gentle rain (Nick Pollotta) , The Invisible Order (Paul Crilley) , & "Shadow of the Scimitar" (Janet Deaver-Pack) , which is a wonderful little story involving TE Laurence , the Rosicrucians & all sorts of derring-do in the desert....

Worth a look.

[Lauren]

The Scoria by Doranna Durgin

The Gatherers' Guild by Larry Niven

Kyri's Gauntlet by Darwin A. Garrison

Falling Like the Gentle Rain by Nick Pollotta

The Things Everyone Knows by Tanya Huff

The Invisible Order by Paul Grilley

Borrowed Time by Stephen Kotowych

Shadow of the Scimitar by Janet Deaver-Pack

The Good Samaritan by Amanda Bloss Maloney

Seeking the Master by Esther M. Friesner

When I Look to the Sky by Russell Davis

The Sundering Star by Janny Wurts

The Exile's Path by Jihane Noskateb

The Dancer at the Red Door by Douglas Smith

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few of the stories really stick out in my mind and caught my attention. A few of the others I still remember, but they didn't leave as much of a lasting impression as the others did. This is the first anthology of short stories I've read in a long time, so I'll need to read a few more and compare, but overall I do like this book and will likely re-read it in a few years.

[Schnaucl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. A forgettable anthology. Not one story really stood out, though it was nice seeing a little more of Tanya Huff's thief. And I learned she and Fiona Patton are together, so that's cool.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few of these stories amused but few of them really stick out and make me want to single them out. A few of them brought a smile and made me think. If you're interested in conspiracy groups and covert organisations this is for you.

[RE · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't really like most of the stories in this book (in fact, a couple of them I particularly did not like), and the ones I did like, ended sadly or ambiguously. I hate that, but it seems to be a trend in short stories or something.

[Stephani · Rating 1 out of 5]

So far, not good. I grabbed this because I was out of books at home, and while I'm trying to finish it, i'm not sure if I'll make it.
Edited to add: I couldn't finish this. I sent it back.

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like tales of assassins and this book is chalked full of good ones.

[Nev Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay read overall, unfortunately none of the stories really stood out.

[Mj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anthology, pretty good.