Never Too Old to Save the World: A Midlife Calling Anthology

These 19 clever stories reimagine the Chosen One trope, giving the mantle to older, more experienced heroes. Among the strongest pieces are “The M.A.M.I. Incident” by Guadalupe García McCall, in which bioengineered M.A.M.I.s oversee childbearing in a future in which humans are barren; “Jackolope Wives” by Ursula Vernon, a desert fantasy wherein a grandmother must clean up her reckless grandson’s mess; and “By the Work of Her Hands” by LaShawn M. Wanak, about a mother who follows her son through a portal into a war-torn land. King and Abbott do a good job pulling together an impressive and diverse group of authors—other contributors of note include Maurice Broaddus, Kathryn Ivey, and Vaseem Khan—who explore their mature characters’ conflicted response to being chosen. This thoughtful, subversive approach saps the trope of some of its usual fun, but it’s still a refreshing change of pace. There’s lots to chew on here. (Feb.)