Collection: Soulmates

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Multiple award-winning authors, Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn, get to the heart of the matter in Soulmates, which showcases all the words they have penned together over their years as collaborators (with a bonus solo piece by each). Whether a robot, alien, some kind of supernatural being or human, rising above our prejudices and ignorance allows us to make emotional connections that can have a profound effect on our lives.

Each of these stories examine a facet of the simple, yet incredibly complex, concept of companionship. They will make you laugh, will make you cry…but most importantly they will make you look at the very basic notion of soul-mates in a different light.

“In this eclectic collection of reprints, all originally published between 1999 and 2011, veteran Resnick teams up with relative newcomer Robyn to deliver a handful of entertaining tales. Tone, style, and theme range all over the place: “The Close Shave” and “Making the Cut,” both set at a barbershop that specializes in after-hours service to the supernatural crowd, aim for a light, harmless sort of humor and feature a henpecked vampire, a pacifist medusa with bad-tempered snakes for hair, and a world-weary Wandering Jew, among others. “Shame” and “Soulmates” are much more thought-provoking, philosophical works, exploring free will, friendship, euthanasia, and taking responsibility for one’s mistakes. In “Benchwarmer,” the authors look at imaginary friends who have been forgotten by their creators, and “Report from the Field” examines humanity’s quirks through an alien lens; these are well-worn themes, but the skillful execution prevents them from feeling stale. The same can be said for “Anne-Droid of Green Gables,” which revisits L.M. Montgomery’s classic. The only solo Resnick story in the bunch is “Hunting the Snark,” in which a safari on an alien planet goes horribly awry. This is a satisfying sampler of solid stories from a team that rarely disappoints. Agent (for Resnick): Eleanor Wood, Spectrum Literary Agency. (Dec.)”—Publishers Weekly

\“Individually, Lezli Robyn and Mike Resnick are two of the best writers in the business—and when they pool their talents, they pretty much blow everyone else out of the water.  This book will be remembered as one of the major collections of the decade.”—Robert J. Sawyer

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Benchwarmer (award winner!)
Idle Roomer 
Report From the Field
Anne-Droid of Green Gables (solo by Lezli Robyn)
Hunting the Snark (solo by Mike Resnick)
The Close Shave
Making the Cut
Shame
Soulmates (award winner and multi-nominee!)

“I have read many Mike Resnick stories over the years. Some I love, some I intentionally forgotten. If this is what happens when Lezli Robyn joins forces with him, he should keep doing these collaborations. This is the best collection of short stories I have encountered in a long time.”—Eric Ross