Books
Anthology stories on the page. Read one, read them all, or read them out of order and let the universe sort it out.
The Falling Universe
Our world, with the safety rails removed. Everything that can go wrong does, and it makes for great stories.
The premise
The Falling Universe takes place on Earth. It is an alternate version, because in this one, Murphy’s law is the operating system.
It is a satirical take on the universe we actually live in: the same institutions, the same habits, the same well-meaning people making the same well-meaning plans. The difference is that here, every plan meets resistance, usually right on time.
We are not building an escape from the real world. We are building a mirror that has been dropped a few times.
How the anthology works
An anthology means every story is its own thing: new cast, new setting, new disaster. You can start anywhere, in any format, and the bad luck will find you.
What connects the stories is the universe itself. Same Earth, same rules, same relentless feeling that something is about to go wrong, and that someone nearby is about to say, “Well, that could have been worse.”
The house rules
- Anything that can go wrong
- Does. Usually in front of an audience, and usually right after someone asks, “What’s the worst that could happen?”
- Every plan is foolproof
- Right up until someone says so out loud. The universe takes that personally.
- Every story starts fresh
- New cast, new setting, same bad luck. You can start anywhere and the trouble will find you.
- It is satire, not escape
- Same Earth as yours, same gravity, safety rails removed. We are laughing at the world you live in.
What it is built from
Books, games, and videos. Three formats, one universe, and the same question in each: what could possibly go wrong?
In the works
Games
Play the disaster instead of watching it. Every game is a standalone story with the same law of physics.
Videos
The Falling Universe on screen, where the timing of a bad idea is everything.
Where things stand
All of it is still in the works. This site is the hub for every Falling Piano project, so each one will be listed here as it is ready. Until then, keep your hard hat handy.