“... C’mon Bill. We connected. She saved my life. I was headed for the abyss, and she turned me around. It’s a small thing, to make their lives easier. They’ll have a place to live and a tidy sum when I’m gone.”

“You make it sound like it’s next week.”

“It’s always next week, next minute. You have to live now. You can’t wait around until you’re a better person to do the right thing. ..."

So, I was going through old reviews when I noticed that one of my favorite Tor short stories, "Adult Children of Alien Beings," is actually part of a series. More of this alien not alien and his cranky brother and their legendary parents? A chance to find out how it's going with the trainwreck love interest? Yes, please!

I was expecting it to be good. I wasn't expecting it to be wonderfully, breathtakingly good. Don't come in here expecting a plot. There is a plot. It's a magical realism kind of plot, but it's in there. No one should care about the plot. Come for the extended, rambling, intertwined meditation on family, on what it means to be a brother, or a son, or a mother, or a father. On impotence and power and love. On faith and God and truth and stories. On what we really need.

Are these brothers really aliens, or are they delusional? Who cares. Read these stories.

Available free online at Tor.com. ( )