The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination

December 3, 2012
Veteran anthology editor Adams (Epic) succeeds again with these frequently lighthearted tales of villains and mad scientists trying to take over the world and get the better of the more appreciated good guys. Heather Lindsley’s “The Angel of Death Has a Business Plan” introduces readers to a vocational psychologist/career counselor whose therapeutic niche is honing villains’ monologues, ensuring they’re neither too long nor ineffectual in the moment when they announce their sinister plots. Diana Gabaldon fans will devour the Outlander novella “The Space Between,” generously allowed the most space in this fast-paced book of evil vs. good. As noted in the foreword by Chris Claremont, “the best heroes are defined very much by their villainous adversaries,” and Adams’s entertaining story introductions set the stage for villains to find their own definitions and identities.

Starred review from December 1, 2012

Behind every superhero lurks a diabolical villain whose exploits gave purpose to the hero's actions. Noted anthology editor Adams (see above; Brave New Worlds) has compiled a no-holds-barred collection of 22 stories that are all told from the villain's point of view. From Theodora Goss's brilliant tale of a band of women brought together by their fathers' notoriety ("The Mad Scientist's Daughter") to Marjorie M. Liu's insightful story of the molding of a legend among supervillains ("The Last Dignity of Man"), these short pieces demonstrate the seductive power of the "bad guy." VERDICT In addition to the overall excellence of the stories, fans of superhero fiction should enjoy the variety of interpretations of the terms "mad scientist," "super villain," and "evil genius."

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