Fans old and new will love this collection of short stories from the late Kage Baker, one of the best voices in science fiction and fantasy. . .

The Best of Kage Baker collects twenty of the late author’s short stories. Her work is notable for deft characterization, intricate plots, wry humor, and original prose.

Best known for her Company series of novels featuring time-traveling immortals, Baker wrote short fiction in that setting as well. In the Hugo-nominated “Son, Observe the Time,” a group of Company operatives visit San Francisco in 1906—just in time to preserve the city’s treasures before the earthquake. In “Noble Mold,” Mendoza the botanist and Joseph the facilitator must travel to California in the 1800s, and perform a “miracle” to acquire their goal. “Welcome to Olympos, Mr. Hearst,” is set in the Hollywood of the 1930s, and sees Company agents strike a deal with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

The standalone tales in this volume are equally striking. In the World Fantasy Award-nominated “Caverns of Mystery,” a girl sees phantoms of the past and is drawn to the caverns that seem to hold many secrets, while in “Calamari Curls,” a quiet California beach town takes a turn toward the Lovecraftian. As well, the reader will find a hotel with a dragon infestation, pirates, asteroid jockeys, Spring-Heeled Jack, and much more.

The Best of Kage Baker showcases the work of an author in her prime, whose career was cut short by illness far too soon. For those who are familiar with her work, this collection is a return of a beloved voice, and for new readers, you may find a new favorite author.