Book Excerpt for the Day

    “I see by your clothes that you’re a country doumana,” the babbler said.  “No doubt you stare up at the sky and watch the clouds, judge how the wind is blowing, see what colors circle the moon, and guess your weather that way.  Then you consult the vision-stage and let a weather-prophet tell you how close to right you’ve come.  But if you’ve got the knowledge, you just open your mouth and taste.  Rain is like sour fruit, makes my mouth pucker.  Heat taste like dirt.”  She patted my leg with her filthy hand.  “There now, isn’t that a good gift I’ve given?”

    She’d given me nothing, but I said, “Yes.  Thank you.”

    (from Khe,  by Alexes Razevich)

    7½*/10.  The full review is here.
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