Broken Windchimes — Kristine Kathryn Rusch

The Pané expect perfection of their living windchimes. The difference between a performer's life as the biggest star on Djapé and a ruined career comes down to one mistake. When a child prodigy loses everything familiar, he must learn how to survive on a space station very far from home. And perhaps finally understand the life he almost lived. Winner of the Asimov SF Magazine's Readers Choice Award for 2009. “[Rusch does] an excellent job in showing us the personal voyage of discovery the protagonist goes on, as his world, and particularly his appreciation of music, widens out step by painful step beyond the crippling artistic and emotional strictures of his youth.” -- Gardner Dozois Locus Magazine Rusch creates a memorable tale while exposing the reader to interesting musical and life lessons. -- Tangent Online This is a disturbing story in places, with a few hard choices, but also a heart-warming and compelling one. As is often the case with Rusch, I wouldn't mind seeing more in this world. -- Eyrie