The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere: A Tor.Com Original

by John Chu

Overview

John Chu's sci-fi tale, "The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere" won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story.

In the near future water falls from the sky whenever someone lies (either a mist or a torrential flood depending on the intensity of the lie). This makes life difficult for Matt as he maneuvers the marriage question with his lover and how best to "come out" to his traditional Chinese parents.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466838116
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/20/2013
Series:	Tor.Com Original Series
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	600 KB

About the Author

John Chu designs microprocessors by day and writes fiction by night. He is an alumnus of the Viable Paradise and Clarion workshops. His stories have been published in Boston Review, Bloody Fabulous, and Asimov's Science Fiction.

Editorial Reviews

Narrator Philip Estrera conveys Matt’s anxiety as he finally decides he is ready to “come out” to his Chinese parents at a family gathering. His plan is to present Gus, the man he’s planning to marry. Estrera allows glimpses of Matt and Gus’s sweet relationship. Matt’s parents speak little English, and Gus speaks no Chinese, although they seem to understand each other from the beginning. Matt serves as translator for everyone—and for the listener because some Chinese language is included in the story. Estrera switches between English and Chinese smoothly. He reveals the frustration and anger of Matt’s sister throughout their dialogue and exposes the vulnerability of both as they replay old, familiar dynamics. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2020 - AudioFile

Narrator Philip Estrera conveys Matt’s anxiety as he finally decides he is ready to “come out” to his Chinese parents at a family gathering. His plan is to present Gus, the man he’s planning to marry. Estrera allows glimpses of Matt and Gus’s sweet relationship. Matt’s parents speak little English, and Gus speaks no Chinese, although they seem to understand each other from the beginning. Matt serves as translator for everyone—and for the listener because some Chinese language is included in the story. Estrera switches between English and Chinese smoothly. He reveals the frustration and anger of Matt’s sister throughout their dialogue and exposes the vulnerability of both as they replay old, familiar dynamics. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2020 - AudioFile