Enh. This one didn't do much for me.

Some brief spoilery thoughts here:
http://ciaracatscifi.blogspot.com/2014/06/2014-best-short-story-my-ballot.html ( )

This is a rich, layered story about the connections between all things. It's about "wishes, like pearls on a string of cause and effect." It's about making wishes, granting wishes, going through the motions, and really, truly wishing. It's lovely.
( )

An irreverent tale of a festival of wishes; and what may or may not happen to make those wishes come true. It had some good elements, but overall I didn't find the Thai setting convincing, and the tone felt like a mainstream writer trying his hand at a fantastic tale. (From his bio, it doesn't seem that he does write mainstream fiction; but that was my impression.) Mostly, I think his particular brand of satirical humor just isn't for me - it probably will be more to others' taste.

Edit: 12/11/14
Re-read for my book club, and I liked it better on a second reading. (maybe I was just more in the mood...) The author is clearly inspired by a certain style of Asian folk tale (it reminded me of some traditional Japanese stories I've read), but has updated the format for a modern age, pointing out both the venal foibles and the potential transcendence of humanity. ( )

So, this story is something different. And, for some reason, it's a Hugo nominee, too.

Near the end of the Mae Ping River in Thailand, a town plays a special role in an annual ritual that runs river long. Villagers will put their wishes in floating down river in paper boats and hope that they will be answered. In Doi Saket, the villagers will be led to read those wishes.

Told scattered and piece meal in the voice of an omniscient, native story teller, the disparate pieces come together to create a coherent whole. The reader can expect a twist, some loss, but also, a happy ending. The good guy is redeemed, and the bad guy gets it.

But still, something different is here, and I think it's in the voice. [a:Thomas Olde Heuvelt|1864374|Thomas Olde Heuvelt|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1371368611p2/1864374.jpg] has written an interesting story, and with an interesting voice, but still...it's just kind of odd. In some respect, it may be due to my expectations, and I think if I read this as a fable rather than as science fiction or fantasy, I might have enjoyed it differently. But Huevelt can't seem to make up his mind. Maybe that's okay. But it kept me from enjoying it more. ( )

I've often heard it's best to be careful what you wish for. That's the case for a young boy from the village of Doi Saket in Thailand. On the full moon of the 12th month (Thai festival of Loi Krathong), the people of his village collect the krathong, as well as a wishes, launched down the river, and try to grant them. The boy has no wishes, and he journeys to seek the head monk to ask him what he should wish for. What he discovers is that the altruism of the villagers is not universal, and there are nefarious actions afoot. Just like the butterfly that flaps its wings in New Mexico causing a hurricane in China, one boy's quest to find out what he should wish for causes a string of reactions in his own land.

Told in a gentle, Thai-like style by an author of Dutch descent, this short story is another Hugo nominee, made possible for free e-download by the publisher, Tor. ( )