The Science-Fantasy book Traitors, published in 1993, creates a unique world, with a unique set of circumstances, and sticks to the entertainment adage of Phineas T. Barnum, “Always leave them wanting more”.

Because entertainment is a key part of the story. In the Kingdom, Diate was the best dancer ever seen. A Talent, in fact. Until his family was killed for being traitors, due to the actions of his father, the rebel poet. Diate flees to Golga, where he claims asylum – an action which no citizen of the Kingdom has ever undertaken before. The leader of Golga, the Golgoth, grants his claim. But in return he must renounce the Kingdom and his Talent, and never dance again. Diate becomes the Golgoth’s protégé, rising to head of the port detectives. During an investigation, he falls for a mysterious lover, while tension between the Kingdom and Golga grows.

The themes of loyalty, love and loss are interwoven throughout, in a story that cracks along at a great pace. Diate’s lover is revealed to be Sheba, the second in line to the throne of the Kingdom, and both the Golga and Sheba wonder who Diate will betray. While the reader can ponder how, by giving up dancing, Diate has already been forced to betray himself.

Can Diate fulfill his vow to destroy those who are responsible for killing his family, when he would have to arrange the assassination of the person he loves?

This is the first book by this author that I have read. However, it came as no surprise to me, to learn subsequently that she has written under several genres. It is this multi-discipline background which she brings to the writing of the book, and her confident style creates vivid characters, while making the Kingdom and Golga entirely convincing. If you like twists and turns in a plot, those in Traitors never come across as artificial.

I cannot recommend this book too highly. The word for Traitors is original. I will be checking out further works by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. She is also known as Kristine Grayson, Kris Nelscott, Sandy Schofield (with Dean Wesley Smith).