March 2025 Indie Book Review

The Traitors We Are by Michael Roberti

It’s Tricky to Make a Treaty
An Indie Book Review by Joseph Poopinski
4 Stars

All types of traitors imaginable are represented in The Traitors We Are: From those who accidentally blurted privileged information in the wrong company or some scheming mastermind whose own arrogance betrays him to backtracking traitors double crossing a fair-weather friend & inconspicuous power-hungry usurpers crouching in shadows, coiling like cobras ready to strike. My favorite character betrayed others and—guess what?—reaped what he’d sown. Maybe four of the thirty or so characters aren’t quite cut from the same Machiavellian cloth as the majority but that didn’t grant them immunity from injury or death. Every deed or misdeed has consequences & repercussions but when, where & how are unknown variables. The narrative unfolded frankly around the edges while leaving many central plot points veiled & kept me guessing. Colorful commentary (and often funny, “Was he impressed to death?”), the realm’s memorable customs & its utterly unique attribute (vanishing words) elevate The Traitors We Are: It’s a 3D book!