I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a set of previously-unpublished stories by Butler, who was a master of creating science-fictional aliens who are truly alien. The novella “A Necessary Being” is a story of isolation and alienation where the hope of finding one's place and people is slender but perhaps possible. The short story "Childfinder" is one of the famous missing stories from Harlan Ellison's infamous never-published anthology "The Last Dangerous Visions", about choosing (or not) to help others, and the price that may be paid for that help. Recommended to fans of Butler's other works, and anyone looking for an SF story that is different from the usual.