When the Nines Roll Over

the long version

"Fully lives up to expectations . . . Story collections aren't always high on readers' to-do lists these days. This one should be."—San Francisco ChronicleIn When the Nines Roll Over, David Benioff uses humor and rich characterizations to explore the sometimes thrilling, sometimes pathetic emotional lives of a diverse set of characters. Over the course of eight stories, we are introduced to a host of young people on the cusp of discovery and loss. As he evokes the various states of agony and pleasure—humiliation, rebellion, camaraderie, and desire—Benioff displays a profound understanding of the transformative power of a single moment and how sadness can be illuminated by a humorous flip side. When the Nines Roll Over confirms the promise of a gifted writer emerging as a storytelling force."An ace storyteller . . . 'The Devil Comes to Orekhovo' . . . may be the best Hemingway story Hemingway never wrote."—Entertainment Weekly