“A philosopher-mathematician loaded with explosives, lucid and reckless, resolute without optimism. If that's not a hero, what is a hero?”
-Georges Canguilhem

In the current “war on terror,” long-held ideas on freedom of speech in the US and UK slowly are being stripped away under the guise of national security. In combating certain dangerous views, a far broader blanket of silence is imposed. The 2006 Terrorism Act in the UK punishes anyone who is perceived to “incite or encourage acts of terrorism” whether these acts are in the past, future, or present. Given this view, the American Revolution, the French Resistance during WWII, and other battles against oppressive regimes now could be considered acts of terror. Glorifying Terrorism, an sf anthology of original stories edited by sf critic Farah Mendelsohn, steps forth and declares if this be terrorism, then make the most of it.

Collecting 24 short stories and one poem by a diverse group of pros and new writers, Mendelsohn adds an important work to the literature of dissent. It is almost impossible not to debate the nature of terrorism when considering these stories, as most people would be quick to distance themselves from acts of violence against innocents, while at the same time lending at least implicit support to the idea that resistance is noble and virtuous. Some of the works in this book do in fact seem to favorably portray the worst aspects of modern non-state inspired terrorists: the taking of innocent lives as an end in itself. Other stories are more traditionally anti-authoritarian, so to speak, and therefore probably more palatable.

With two dozen stories covering the same theme, it becomes difficult to pick ones that stand out. There are no instant classics like Kurt Vonnegut's “Harrison Bergeron” or Harlan Ellison's “‘Repent, Harlequin!’Said the Ticktockman.” Many tales tend to fall into a variation of resistance or anti-authoritarian actions. Very often the narrators engage in some self-sacrificial act, a martyrdom for the cause. Some stories are more thoughtful, while others seem to be about hooligans just having a go at society, like the protagonists in the movie A Clockwork Orange, where violence seems normal.

James A. Trimarco's “The Sundial Brigade” is maybe the most memorable story in this book. Humans who settled Mars return centuries later, discover they want to experience authentic ancient history, and convert terran cities to museums. They force people to play set roles, to make everything more authentic. A few people attempt resistance, but allies in the struggle may not always be what they seem. The other significant story is Adam Roberts's “Here Comes the Flood” which imagines a future where governments handle resistance by spreading terror through nightmares. A super story, inventive and rife with memorable prose. The opening line, for example, about the president stating it is “better to send terrorists than troops” into a country, catches the reader offguard, until they learn that the meaning of terror in Adams's story is not exactly what we currently associate with the word.

Meanwhile, a few stories deal with the phenomena of going native, such as Elizabeth Sourbut's “How I took care of my pals,” which fails to convey real empathy, and suffers from a confusing back story. Marie Brennan's “Execution Morning” also shows sympathy to oppressed people from within, and comes across as the prologue to a longer fantasy novel. A trio of tales tackle the issue of revenge as motivation, and a couple others the violent act of resistance, although one story takes the distribution of information as resistance; it seems tame in comparison to some stories, but far purer from a libertarian viewpoint, I think.

Charles Stross's “Minutes of the Labor Party Conference, 2016” seems almost tame. Consisting of a brief set of notes, the view of the future in the UK is a grim one, though this Labor Party seems quite unlike the current authoritarian version. I find it difficult to label this a short story; it is more a non-fiction vision of the future, though that probably does not make much sense. Ian Watson's “Hijack Holiday,” on the other hand, carries a disclaimer from the author although written before the events of 9/11 part of the plot is eerily similar. Watson uses the ultra-rich and their ennui-driven lifestyles to mock consumerism in his deadly story. There is little empathy for any of the characters, and less so for the terrorists.

Meanwhile, Jo Walton's brief story is little more than a fragment, as is Ken MacLeod's “MS Found on a Hard Drive.” I think MacLeod's strengths lie in longer stories, from novellas and upward, where he can develop his ideas and stretch the level of debate. Gwyneth Jones's “2020: I am an Anarchist” does little but give anarchism a bad name. Katherine Sparrow's “Be the Bomb You Throw” portrays a useful idiot, who aids a group against the government. Kira Franz blends a “blame whitey” view with a suicide bomber sculptor in “The Lion Waiting.” Little attention is given to dead children who suffer from the so-called noble act of this sculptor, and her story takes the title quite literally. Davin Ireland's “Engaging the Irdl” is another invader story, though far more balanced. It still left me feeling somewhat uneasy, as it elevates those who see nothing wrong with killing children; in this case, the victim is from within the tribe, and murdered for accepting gifts from strangers. Likewise, Kathryn Allen's “Count Me In” seems to condone killing innocents for some imagined greater purpose, while Chaz Brenchly's “Freecell” deals with punks who just want to get on TV.

Although not all stories can be considered pro-liberty from a traditional libertarian standpoint, these are all anti-authoritarian. Yet I wonder whether the book would have had a greater impact with fewer entries. The type is small, and many stories so brief they offer little but ideas. The sheer number of tales in the same theme blend everything together, and there are really only a handful of good tales. Still, for publishing this anthology, editor Farah Mendelsohn deserves applause. The title and cover of Glorifying Terrorism may make some readers squirm, but the heart of the book is in the right place.