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Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball
Tor.com is honored to reprint “Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball,” a short story by N.K. Jemisin, originally published in the August 2008 issue of Jim Baen’s Universe.
In “Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball,” a police detective tries to understand how a children’s dispute over a playing card could have led to a mysterious disappearance.
In “Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball,” a police detective tries to understand how a children’s dispute over a playing card could have led to a mysterious disappearance.
20 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2008
607 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
May 6, 2021
“What are you saying? That Timmy’s not dead?”
“I’m saying Timmy Johnson may very well live forever.” Mrs. Hanson gave Grace another of those strange, bleak smiles. “You still want to arrest my son for murder?”
this is a free tor short on a technicality - it's a reprint of a story that appeared in an issue of jim baen's universe, which is why that "cover" is nowhere near the level of tor's typical cover art. but the story itself is spectacular, and i fully understand why tor would want to reprint it.
n.k. jemisin is one of those authors i've wanted to read for a long time, but i worry about my own genre-weaknesses - that i would be lost or wouldn't understand its particular strengths because i lack experience in the whole fantasydome or whatever. i overthink things. which is another reason why these free tor shorts are so great; i get exposure to an author's style and realize they're not so scary after all!
so, even though this one isn't fantasy in the same way her beloved and award-winning novels are, my "do i dare?" apprehension is lessened somewhat because this story is just a perfect little chunk of writing. and since i have vowed to stick to my "short reviews for tor shorts" initiative, for my time management and sanity, that's all i'm going to say! it's a perfect example of how short stories should be written, and it leaves you wanting more in the warmest way possible.
read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playin...
come to my blog!
September 1, 2016
http://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playing...
An enjoyable short about a kid who trades a collectable card before he knows what it is worth. A creative touch on the single-mom and child set-up with a touch of creepy inventiveness. Dialogue between the seven year-old and the detective seems solid. A strong and a half stars: evocative, interesting, spare of extraneous details. If this was her in 2008... well, it's clear she was working towards award-quality inventiveness. An emotionally satisfying and appropriate ending.
An enjoyable short about a kid who trades a collectable card before he knows what it is worth. A creative touch on the single-mom and child set-up with a touch of creepy inventiveness. Dialogue between the seven year-old and the detective seems solid. A strong and a half stars: evocative, interesting, spare of extraneous details. If this was her in 2008... well, it's clear she was working towards award-quality inventiveness. An emotionally satisfying and appropriate ending.
December 8, 2016
Really enjoyed this. The dialogue was believable, and I really wanted to know what will happen in 10-20 years after the end of this story.
(Just noticed this was originally published in 2008. Holy crap! N.K. Jemisin was so good years ago! I really have to get to her longer texts!
Another short story read, making this #4 for the month. Hoping to get to #31 by the end of the month.)
(Just noticed this was originally published in 2008. Holy crap! N.K. Jemisin was so good years ago! I really have to get to her longer texts!
Another short story read, making this #4 for the month. Hoping to get to #31 by the end of the month.)
January 3, 2019
So good! You can read here: https://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playin...
March 9, 2018
Creepy but lovely short story on love between a little boy and his mother. Very well written.
Available on Tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playin...
Available on Tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playin...
February 11, 2018
Jemisin is so freaking cool.
August 31, 2016
A quirky, elegantly understated detective story from N.K.Jemisin, well worth the few minutes it'll take to link and read.
From Tor: "In “Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball,” a police detective tries to understand how a children’s dispute over a playing card could have led to a mysterious disappearance."
Playing Nice With God's Bowling Ball
(and eternal thanks to Tor.com for publishing some of the best short fiction around, for freebies.)
From Tor: "In “Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball,” a police detective tries to understand how a children’s dispute over a playing card could have led to a mysterious disappearance."
Playing Nice With God's Bowling Ball
(and eternal thanks to Tor.com for publishing some of the best short fiction around, for freebies.)
March 25, 2022
Good police-procedural. Sort of. 3.4 stars.
Here's a cute story from the author about how she sold the story:
https://nkjemisin.com/2009/07/honorab...
Here's a cute story from the author about how she sold the story:
https://nkjemisin.com/2009/07/honorab...
January 4, 2020
I needed a shorter standalone piece to listen to while cooking and this has beennon my list for a while.
As usual with N. K. Jemisin, this story is amazing. It's a delightful detective-story-meets-scifi romp that's also filled with compassion and wonder. LeVar Burton's reading is perfect and his interview with Jemisin afterwards is just the cherry on top.
As usual with N. K. Jemisin, this story is amazing. It's a delightful detective-story-meets-scifi romp that's also filled with compassion and wonder. LeVar Burton's reading is perfect and his interview with Jemisin afterwards is just the cherry on top.
March 17, 2020
A TOR.COM short story.
A fast paced piece of Sci-Fi detective fiction from Jemisin. I thoroughly enjoyed the missing child mystery, and the strange black hole story line. However, the ending left me unsatisfied.
A fast paced piece of Sci-Fi detective fiction from Jemisin. I thoroughly enjoyed the missing child mystery, and the strange black hole story line. However, the ending left me unsatisfied.
August 30, 2020
I listened to this short story via the LeVar Burton Read podcasts ft an interview with NK Jemisin.
NK Jemisin really just sat down and went ‘what would I do with a black hole in a coffee cup?’ and created this wild part science fiction black hole theory, part murder mystery part what happens when you fuck a demon (hint: a child who can create black holes and a lack of child support from a human rightfully convinced the child is not, actually, his)
anyway I love this the concept is so cool, I devoured it and would love a follow up. The ending is so open and is literally begging for a ‘ten years later’ short story about demigod adult Jeffy rescuing Timmy from the black hole with his fun powers and falling madly in love. Everyone lives happily after.
NK Jemisin really just sat down and went ‘what would I do with a black hole in a coffee cup?’ and created this wild part science fiction black hole theory, part murder mystery part what happens when you fuck a demon (hint: a child who can create black holes and a lack of child support from a human rightfully convinced the child is not, actually, his)
anyway I love this the concept is so cool, I devoured it and would love a follow up. The ending is so open and is literally begging for a ‘ten years later’ short story about demigod adult Jeffy rescuing Timmy from the black hole with his fun powers and falling madly in love. Everyone lives happily after.
October 14, 2019
Playing Nice with God's Bowling Ball was an enjoyable short story that juxtaposed a police procedural with a fantastical crime. When Jeffy, a young boy, confesses to a detective that he is responsible for a playmate's disappearance she needs to investigate. What Grace, the detective, finds out about Jeffy defies logic, with an explanation that points to a black hole, aliens and a possible world collapse. Still not entirely sure of what truly happened, Grace takes precautions to safeguard the future by helping Jeffy come to terms with his power. This was a fun story that had elements of the X-Files, Guardians of the Galaxy and Law and Order in it.
August 17, 2019
Police procedural with a very supernatural twist.
September 10, 2021
Nice twist, but I would've liked more.
December 26, 2020
That was a lot of fun, and super engaging and well written. Would love a sequel or epilogue of some kind.
July 27, 2015
Originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2015...
I know N.K. Jemisin mainly from her Inheritance series for which she had received a lot of well deserved praise. This series was with a heavy influence of Gods and mortal men and it seems that this is right up N.K. Jemisin's alley as Playing Nice with God's Bowling Ball has something of the same working in it's favor but with a more subtler approach.
The story picks up with an police investigation where Detective Grace Anneton is questioning a little boy called Jeffy Hanson. Jeffy Hanson turned himself in for causing the disappearance of his best friend Timmy. He miracalously dissapeared, or did he? Now let me take you back to how it happened. Jeffy and his mother don't have a lot of money to spend but the money that Jeffy saves he spends on buying card from the popular Monster Fusion King franchise a collectable card game. This one day when he once again has saved enough money for a booster he has a lot of luck and finds a rare card, which he trades with Timmy for more cards. However Timmy knows what the true value is of this card and when Jeffy discovers this he wants a trade back so he can sell the card. He need the money so that his mothers car can be fixed. Timmy promises that only if Jeffy can give him the moon or a black hole that he will return the card... Well what if! Jeffy explains to Grace what he has done but no one believes his story. Even questions from a different person and asked differently make him stick to his first story... When the police thoroughly investigates the story they stumble upon evidence that is really hard to explain. And every which way you turn it nothing seems to fit. In the end the most feasible explanation is that Timmy caused an explosion and is on the run. During an later encounter between Jeffy and Grace well there is your evidence. What is Jeffy precisely? The ending is nicely shown and the in this sentence “No. Not yet. Maybe when I’m older. I’ll understand it better, then. Maybe I’ll be able to get Timmy out, too.” there lies a beautiful innocence in Jeffy's character.
N.K. Jemisin once again let her creativity take full swing in Playing Nice with God's Bowling Ball it is definitely one of those stories that you must have had read. From start to finish you will be captured.
The story was originally printed in Jim Baen's Universe #8 and reprinted over at Tor.com
I know N.K. Jemisin mainly from her Inheritance series for which she had received a lot of well deserved praise. This series was with a heavy influence of Gods and mortal men and it seems that this is right up N.K. Jemisin's alley as Playing Nice with God's Bowling Ball has something of the same working in it's favor but with a more subtler approach.
The story picks up with an police investigation where Detective Grace Anneton is questioning a little boy called Jeffy Hanson. Jeffy Hanson turned himself in for causing the disappearance of his best friend Timmy. He miracalously dissapeared, or did he? Now let me take you back to how it happened. Jeffy and his mother don't have a lot of money to spend but the money that Jeffy saves he spends on buying card from the popular Monster Fusion King franchise a collectable card game. This one day when he once again has saved enough money for a booster he has a lot of luck and finds a rare card, which he trades with Timmy for more cards. However Timmy knows what the true value is of this card and when Jeffy discovers this he wants a trade back so he can sell the card. He need the money so that his mothers car can be fixed. Timmy promises that only if Jeffy can give him the moon or a black hole that he will return the card... Well what if! Jeffy explains to Grace what he has done but no one believes his story. Even questions from a different person and asked differently make him stick to his first story... When the police thoroughly investigates the story they stumble upon evidence that is really hard to explain. And every which way you turn it nothing seems to fit. In the end the most feasible explanation is that Timmy caused an explosion and is on the run. During an later encounter between Jeffy and Grace well there is your evidence. What is Jeffy precisely? The ending is nicely shown and the in this sentence “No. Not yet. Maybe when I’m older. I’ll understand it better, then. Maybe I’ll be able to get Timmy out, too.” there lies a beautiful innocence in Jeffy's character.
N.K. Jemisin once again let her creativity take full swing in Playing Nice with God's Bowling Ball it is definitely one of those stories that you must have had read. From start to finish you will be captured.
The story was originally printed in Jim Baen's Universe #8 and reprinted over at Tor.com
February 19, 2017
The lesson from this story, it's probably not a good idea to try and cheat a child with .
December 8, 2017
Grace took a swallow of coffee as well, mostly to offset the chill that moved down her spine. “What are you saying? That Timmy’s not dead?”
“I’m saying Timmy Johnson may very well live forever.” Mrs. Hanson gave Grace another of those strange, bleak smiles. “You still want to arrest my son for murder?”
This one sucked me right in like the fiercest black hole. It's short, but it feels like a full length, full story. It's got it all: real characters, believable dialogue, kids, moms, cops, tension, hope, pathos, good intentions, grit, sadness, a bit of terror, mystery, awe, and a tantalizing suggestion of something great and amazing in the future.
Read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playin...
December 21, 2018
4.0⭐ I’m scared to leave it at home,” he said very softly. “Sometimes my mom cleans my room.
**spoilers**
If you’re here, and you’re following my reviews, thank you for rolling with me. ♡
We’re on the LIVE episodes of Stitcher’s LeVar Burton Reads, and we’re gifted with "Playing Nice With God’s Bowling Ball” by N.K. Jemisin
Great short. Really fun mystery and fantastic scifi language. One reviewer said that it felt incomplete and that rings true, but if you look at it as an origin story for a future hero or villain, I think it comes to a satisfying close with the ultimate goal of imagining Timmy’s future.
I think he's is going to end up as a chaotic-neutral power wielder, with an occasional lean toward good. He might just be a good guy or bad guy, but I like the idea of things not being so black or white for him. He has a deep sense of what’s right and good in Jemisin’s short, but he’s a child with a lot to learn. How will he cope with stalling the development of another kid? Will that kid make it? How is he going to view his own powers, his responsibility?
How will the detective feel when Timmy knocks on her door one day to get that bowling ball back?
I enjoy the speculation. This story is rich and well-written. Great interview after too.
Thanks for reading, and If you wanna chat about the latest LBR episodes, hit me up in the comments and come meet up with us at LeVar Burton Reads: The Community on Facebook.
- 📚☕♥
**spoilers**
If you’re here, and you’re following my reviews, thank you for rolling with me. ♡
We’re on the LIVE episodes of Stitcher’s LeVar Burton Reads, and we’re gifted with "Playing Nice With God’s Bowling Ball” by N.K. Jemisin
Great short. Really fun mystery and fantastic scifi language. One reviewer said that it felt incomplete and that rings true, but if you look at it as an origin story for a future hero or villain, I think it comes to a satisfying close with the ultimate goal of imagining Timmy’s future.
I think he's is going to end up as a chaotic-neutral power wielder, with an occasional lean toward good. He might just be a good guy or bad guy, but I like the idea of things not being so black or white for him. He has a deep sense of what’s right and good in Jemisin’s short, but he’s a child with a lot to learn. How will he cope with stalling the development of another kid? Will that kid make it? How is he going to view his own powers, his responsibility?
How will the detective feel when Timmy knocks on her door one day to get that bowling ball back?
I enjoy the speculation. This story is rich and well-written. Great interview after too.
Thanks for reading, and If you wanna chat about the latest LBR episodes, hit me up in the comments and come meet up with us at LeVar Burton Reads: The Community on Facebook.
- 📚☕♥
December 21, 2018
One of the best stories on the Levar Burton Reads podcast so far. It's a police procedural, starting with a cop taking down a statement from a small kid confessing to accidentally killing a friend. There's something absolutely chilling about the way she's thinking while questioning him, looking at every word in the worst possible way.
Then a supernatural element enters the story and it's great how the cop strikes the perfect balance between being sceptical, but not stubborn in the face of the inexplainable.
There's a final twist on the story, which I also highly enjoyed and it's fun to think of this story as the backstory for something much bigger and much more epic.
Then a supernatural element enters the story and it's great how the cop strikes the perfect balance between being sceptical, but not stubborn in the face of the inexplainable.
There's a final twist on the story, which I also highly enjoyed and it's fun to think of this story as the backstory for something much bigger and much more epic.
Read
December 1, 2019Review of 'Playing Nice with God's Bowling Ball' by N.K. Jemisin - 5 stars
Oh so fun and exciting! I hope there's a sequel of what happens when the boy is able to control the black hole and comes back for it! What's so great about this short story for me is all the unanswered questions I'm left with. Who is the boy's father? What if someone finds the coffee canister and opens it! What if the house catches fire? How can the detective not be the least bit curious and want to open it! How in the world can the boy just create black holes!! It's a whole series of stories that we're left with and that is so exciting!
Oh so fun and exciting! I hope there's a sequel of what happens when the boy is able to control the black hole and comes back for it! What's so great about this short story for me is all the unanswered questions I'm left with. Who is the boy's father? What if someone finds the coffee canister and opens it! What if the house catches fire? How can the detective not be the least bit curious and want to open it! How in the world can the boy just create black holes!! It's a whole series of stories that we're left with and that is so exciting!
March 4, 2018
4.5
Entirely well crafted.
Both the procedural-detective perspective and the supernatural aspect reached me as a reader precisely and the interaction of the two elements created a distinctive atmosphere that I found compelling.
The whole concept of the black hole and the character of the kid were fascinating.
When I reached the end I tried to keep scrolling hoping for a little something on the kid’s future to see if the detective best hopes for him managed to be, but there was none.
It’s probably due to how Jemisin is a great author and knows where to close her story but I wouldn’t be mad if a sequel or a novel with the kid as a protagonist happened, let’s just say this.
I loved it.
Entirely well crafted.
Both the procedural-detective perspective and the supernatural aspect reached me as a reader precisely and the interaction of the two elements created a distinctive atmosphere that I found compelling.
The whole concept of the black hole and the character of the kid were fascinating.
When I reached the end I tried to keep scrolling hoping for a little something on the kid’s future to see if the detective best hopes for him managed to be, but there was none.
It’s probably due to how Jemisin is a great author and knows where to close her story but I wouldn’t be mad if a sequel or a novel with the kid as a protagonist happened, let’s just say this.
I loved it.
February 3, 2017
This was a short story about a very interesting boy named Jeffy. I would love to know more about him especially once he became a man. That would make for a very interesting book! As it was this was a good story, but on its own not one I'm likely to revisit. I read this for free on the tor.com website:
http://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playing...
http://www.tor.com/2014/06/30/playing...
April 16, 2018
Je n'ai encore lu aucun roman de cette autrice mais ces nouvelles me donnent vraiment envie de me lancer ! Deuxième que je lis (en ligne elles sont disponibles gratuitement sur le site thor) et deuxième sur laquelle j'ai un coup de coeur ! Maintenant j'ai envie qu'elle reprenne ces idées pour en faire des romans. Notamment sur Jimmy arrivé à l'âge adulte !
February 2, 2019
Narrated by LeVar Burton on his podcast. This was one of the most interesting and exciting short stories that I've listened to. The dialogue between all the characters was great and fast moving, it almost seemed like a movie! I really enjoyed how this ended too- one can wish that a follow up story would be written about Jeffy!
February 14, 2019
6k words
This was fascinating! I love the mix of normal life and really weird science possibilities/possibility of life from somewhere else. And the way the lady investigator goes from thinking about all the possible ways the kid is trying to trick her, to oops, he might be saying the truth. And I love the ending full of hope!
This was fascinating! I love the mix of normal life and really weird science possibilities/possibility of life from somewhere else. And the way the lady investigator goes from thinking about all the possible ways the kid is trying to trick her, to oops, he might be saying the truth. And I love the ending full of hope!
May 27, 2020
This was quite enjoyable.
I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy the Live performances, but it was really enjoyable, and even more so the end with the discussion with the author.
The story was enjoyable. It was easy to follow, well fleshed out, and well thought out.
I will gladly check out other works by her.
I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy the Live performances, but it was really enjoyable, and even more so the end with the discussion with the author.
The story was enjoyable. It was easy to follow, well fleshed out, and well thought out.
I will gladly check out other works by her.
November 9, 2020
okay, I have finally read something by n.k. jemisin that I really enjoyed. (interesting to read this--in which the central character is, uh, a sympathetic cop??--directly after reading "the city born great," which I liked less but in which the cops are, rightfully, literal parasites! I suppose we can chalk this up to eight years of growing and changing between the two?)
May 21, 2024
What an odd little story...
I kind of enjoyed this one, but I do wish there had been more of a concrete resolution. The actual ending gave me more questions than answers, so if you like that kind of thing, I'd definitely recommend.
That being said, I genuinely couldn't stop reading, so that counts for a lot in my opinion.
I kind of enjoyed this one, but I do wish there had been more of a concrete resolution. The actual ending gave me more questions than answers, so if you like that kind of thing, I'd definitely recommend.
That being said, I genuinely couldn't stop reading, so that counts for a lot in my opinion.
January 3, 2019
This was such a delight to read!
p.s. I read this on the Tor.com website: “Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball” © N.K. Jemisin, 2008
p.s. I read this on the Tor.com website: “Playing Nice with God’s Bowling Ball” © N.K. Jemisin, 2008
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews