Recommended by Publishers Weekly The greatest gift to us is caring. What would the world be like without someone to care for or to care with? Would love survive if we don't care? From the world of twenty-three science fiction and fantasy authors comes a world that can be funny, heartwarming, strange, or sad. Or not what we expect. How can a henchman keep up with a mischievous retired supervillain? Can a dog help a hockey player score again? Will an odd couple with a zany sense of adventure and diminished capabilities survive an earthquake? Where does a stray cat go to find love every night? What secret does a pious monk have with a cargo of sleeping human? Will terrorism in space take out a young apprentice and a blind welder? What does an oracle tell a lover about her final days? Can a "heart of gold" prevent a soldier from crossing the enemy line with the governor's children? These, and many more. 2018 (Canadian SF&F) Aurora Award Winner (Best Anthology/Related Work) 2018 Alberta Book Publishing Award Finalist (Best Speculative Fiction Book) One story selected for Best of British Science Fiction 2017 (ed. by Donna Scott, Aug 2018) One story selected for Best Indie Speculative Fiction, Vol. 1 (Bards & Sages Publishing, Nov 2018) Five stories on Tangent Online Recommended Reading List 2017 One story - 2018 (Canadian SF&F) Aurora Award Short Fiction Winner One story - 2018 WSFA Small Press Award Finalist One story nominated - 2018 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic Short Fiction Shortlist Three stories nominated - 2018 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic Short Fiction Longlist AUTHORS: Colleen Anderson, Charlotte Ashley, Brenda Cooper, Ian Creasey, A.M. Dellamonica, Bev Geddes, Claire Humphrey, Sandra Kasturi, Tyler Keevil, Juliet Marillier, Matt Moore, Heather Osborne, Nisi Shawl, Alex Shvartsman, Kate Story, Karina Sumner-Smith, Amanda Sun, Hayden Trenholm, James Van Pelt, Liz Westbrook-Trenholm, Edward Willett, Christie Yant, and Caroline M. Yoachim Introduction by Dominik Parisien Edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law Anthologies in this series (Strangers Among Us, The Sum of Us, Where the Stars Rise, Shades Within Us) have been recommended by Publishers Weekly, Booklist (American Library Association), Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Locus, Foreword Reviews, and Quill & Quire. PRAISE FOR THE SUM OF US "A strong collection . . . make it worth reading." - Publishers Weekly "So definitely consider buying a copy, if not for yourself, then for someone who is serving as a caretaker. Hopefully the stories can serve as comfort to them. At the very least, it should make us all appreciate caretakers for all they do." - Lightspeed Magazine "One of the better ones, with no 'howlers' and several thought provoking page-turners." -Tangent