Max finds himself distracted at this year's music festival on the Oregon Coast by a strange woman who seems to know him. He can't make sense of her. But he needs to, for reasons he can't explain. His music depends on it. A deeply moving story, "Except the Music" perfectly demonstrates the lyricism of Kristine Kathryn Rusch's storytelling. "I recommend this story, especially to those who enjoy classical music…" —Tangent Online "…intriguing and deeply affecting in the end, this was one of my favorite stories…" —Eyrie.org