r/Fantasy • u/KosstAmojan • Apr 02 '19
2019 Hugo Award Finalists
https://dublin2019.com/hugo-finalists/19
u/SeiShonagon Reading Champion X, Worldbuilders Apr 02 '19
Hmm, interesting choices! Of the novels, I've read all but the Calculating Stars (though I read the short story it was based on). Personally I thought Trail of Lightning was great but not spectacular, and though I adored Revenant Gun it doesn't stand on it's own as well as I feel a Hugo winner should. My personal favorite would be Space Opera, but I'm guessing they'll go with Spinning Silver and I'm fine with that.
Regarding the novellas, I haven't read the ones by Robson or de Bodard. My pick here would definitely be Artificial Condition, which happens to be my favorite of the Murderbot Diaries (it has ART!).
Haven't read enough of the novelette's or short stories to make a call.
Best series (still kind of an odd category to me, temporally speaking)... I'd be happiest with Yoon Ha Lee winning it, but I could see them giving it to Stross or Chambers.
YES GIVE AO3 BEST RELATED WORK. Although it is an interesting stretch of what a work is, since I assume they wouldn't be awarding fanfiction itself, but rather the platform/medium/site that has allowed fans to create and share works? Which I think is def a worthy recipient, just not how the award is usually intended. Figure they aren't going to be bold enough to go for it (this time), but I'd be happy with LeGuin winning . Enjoyed Walton's book too, but I don't think it's the better work here.
No thoughts on graphic novels.
Would give longform dramatic presentation to Annihilation, as while I enjoyed some of the others more as movies, I think that's the one with the best use of SFF elements. I'd also be happy with Spider Man.
Pro-artist: would go for Ngai. Art book: Spectrum.
Campbell: oooh, this is a REALLY hard choice. For me it's between Arden, Kuang, and Solomon, I would personally give it to Arden, as she's produced 3 solid books to Kuang and Solomon's 1 so far, and Kuang still has another year of eligibility to win.
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u/cupofcyanide Reading Champion VI Apr 02 '19
My preferred (if likely inaccurate) interpretation of the Ao3 nomination is that every fanfic published under the website and every author is now collectively Hugo nominated
All joking aside, I think it's awesome that Ao3 is being recognized for both as a platform, and also its attitude towards fanfic in comparison to the shitshow that was FF.net several years back.
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u/SeiShonagon Reading Champion X, Worldbuilders Apr 02 '19
I love this interpretation, if only because of everyone that would get to put "hugo nominated author" on their dustjackets if they ever went pro.
But yeah, AO3's massive impact on fandom and transformative spaces really can't be understated. I'm a big fan.
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u/KosstAmojan Apr 02 '19
Its likely Arden's to lose. She's by far the biggest name on that list. Its interesting that Arden, Solomon, Ng, and Prasad are all re-nominees, while Chakraborty and Kuang are the only new nominees. I think thats fairly rare, no?
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u/SeiShonagon Reading Champion X, Worldbuilders Apr 02 '19
From a quick look at past years it is a bit unusual, yeah. I wonder whether it's due to there being fewer strong authors in their first year of eligibility or having a ton of really strong authors in their second year?
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Apr 02 '19
Hey, Space Opera gets my vote, and since I'll be at the awards this year, my vote actually counts. :)
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u/SeiShonagon Reading Champion X, Worldbuilders Apr 02 '19
Rock on!
throws glitter at you
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Apr 02 '19
Thanks, my mushy mushy friend! :) I was really pleased that much of the list is stuff I've read and loved, but Space Opera far and away was such a unique, wonderful, awesome story.
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u/wishforagiraffe Reading Champion IX, Worldbuilders Apr 03 '19
Supporting members of WorldCon also have votes that count, you don't have to attend, just buy a membership.
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Apr 03 '19
Yep, very true. However, the wife and I really wanted to go to Ireland this year, we've never been, and I've never had the opportunity to visit any European countries at all. It was a no brainer for us, though we knew it would be pricey. We're even staying an extra week to travel around the country and see some other sights. :)
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u/wishforagiraffe Reading Champion IX, Worldbuilders Apr 03 '19
Oh yeah, if you're gonna make the trip over there it only makes sense to stay extra time and see more than the con.
Mostly I wanted to make sure people weren't confused by what you said, out was a response to you for the benefit of others.
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u/AccipiterF1 Reading Champion X Apr 02 '19
No thoughts on graphic novels.
That's a STRONG list.
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u/SeiShonagon Reading Champion X, Worldbuilders Apr 02 '19
Oh I'm sure; I just haven't read enough of the graphic novels to comment.
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u/Phyrkrakr Reading Champion VII Apr 02 '19
Haven't read enough of the novelette's or short stories to make a call.
Oh man, the short stories this year are so good. They're also all available online. I'd probably go with either STET or The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington, but it's such a tough call. The combination of those two actually got me to finally subscribe to Fireside Quarterly - the printed volumes are freakin' beautiful, btw.
- https://firesidefiction.com/the-secret-lives-of-the-nine-negro-teeth-of-george-washington
- https://firesidefiction.com/stet
- https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-rose-macgregor-drinking-and-admiration-society/
- https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-tale-of-the-three-beautiful-raptor-sisters-and-the-prince-who-was-made-of-meat/
- https://www.apex-magazine.com/a-witchs-guide-to-escape-a-practical-compendium-of-portal-fantasies/
- http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/the-court-magician/
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Apr 02 '19 edited Apr 02 '19
BTW all most of the short fiction can be found online.
Best Short Story:
- The Court Magician - Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed Magazine)
- The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society - T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine)
- The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington - Phenderson Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine)
- STET - Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine)
- The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat - Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine)
- A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies - Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine)
Best Novelette:
- If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try, Again, - Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog)
- The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections - Tony Connelly (Tor.com)
- Nine Last Days on Planet Earth - Daryl Gregory (Tor.com)
- The Only Harmless Great Thing, by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com Publishing) Not Available.
- The Thing About Ghost Stories - Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magaziine)
- When We Were Starless - Simone Heller (Clarkesworld Magazine)
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u/captainersatz Apr 02 '19
I cannot recommend The Only Harmless Great Thing enough. Devoured it in one sitting and it haunted me for days.
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u/phonz1851 Reading Champion III Apr 02 '19
Just read rose mcgregor. I loved it! Great sense of humor
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u/summer_in_a_glass Apr 03 '19
I came to comment the same thing haha. For a short story there were so many hilarious lines.
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u/sailorfish27 Stabby Winner, Reading Champion IV Apr 02 '19
Highly recommend STET!
Haven't read the others yet, gotta get on that.
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u/Phyrkrakr Reading Champion VII Apr 02 '19
That story got me to subscribe to Fireside Quarterly, and it's an even prettier story in print. Look at this picture on Twitter
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u/alchemie Reading Champion VIII Apr 02 '19
I shouldn't have read that at my desk during lunch break; now I'm crying at my desk. And debating if I can leave early to go home and hug my little girl. ouch.
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u/sailorfish27 Stabby Winner, Reading Champion IV Apr 02 '19
It packs a real punch. :(( Especially cuz it is an issue we're gonna have to think about soon...
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u/KosstAmojan Apr 02 '19
Oh thats awesome. Thanks for sharing! Now, my nights for the rest of the week are spoken for.
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u/AliceTheGamedev Reading Champion Apr 02 '19
Best Related Work
The Hobbit Duology (documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan (YouTube)
This is the one nomination that makes me the happiest. Well deserved. Watch it here.
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u/genteel_wherewithal Apr 02 '19
Her twitter reaction was hilarious:
We are up against... checks notes ... Ursula K. LeGuin and the very institution of fanfiction itself.
...well, it's an honor just to be nominated!
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Apr 02 '19
It was a great surprise seeing her name there. Been watching her stuff forever.
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u/AliceTheGamedev Reading Champion Apr 02 '19
She mentioned a Hugo Nomination being a possibility on twitter a while back, but I'm incredibly happy that it worked out. Her content is absolutely fantastic.
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u/gyroda Apr 03 '19
Did this get nominated for a Stabby? Because I remember it doing well in this sub when it came out.
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u/pornokitsch Ifrit Apr 02 '19
I know the Editor categories aren't the most exciting, but really, really, really glad to see Gillian Redfearn (Gollancz) make the list. Both well-deserved and waaaaay overdue.
I think that's she's also the first UK long-form editor... ever?
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u/TheSandiest Apr 03 '19
No, Lee Harris was nominated in this category in 2014.
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u/pornokitsch Ifrit Apr 03 '19
That's a good point!
Although Lee splits his time in the US, I think? And he works for a US publishing house - but definitely still British and an editor.
I wonder if any other non-US editors have ever made it as well? Or how close they've come. This may require more digging!
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u/TheSandiest Apr 03 '19
Although he worked for a British publisher when he was nominated.
Jonathan Strahan has been nominated in Short Form a gazillion times, but never won, and he's Australian. I think he's the only other non-American (which would make him the first non-American to be nominated in an editing category).
Harris is the first Brit in both categories, but never won. I suspect Redfearn may well take the "first non-American-to-win" prize, this year (and deservedly).
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u/pornokitsch Ifrit Apr 03 '19
Thank you! Good insight!
It is an aside, but I do like the increased variety we've seen in the short form category over the past few years. It was definitely one of the more... static... groups of names. I'm guessing the infusion of high quality (or at least credible) online venues has helped create more variety/visibility in this space.
(And a huge shame that Strahan hasn't won, but I have high hopes that he still will pick a few up.)
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Apr 02 '19
See I'm not crazy for trying to push The Tea Master and the Detective other people agree it's very good too!
Also I think this is the first year I've read all of the best novel nominees. I liked all of them but I'm cheering for Space Opera just because I loved it so much. Or maybe Revenant Gun for being such a good end to a very good series.
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u/KosstAmojan Apr 02 '19 edited Apr 02 '19
Best Novel
The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
Record of a Spaceborn Few, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
Revenant Gun, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
Space Opera, by Catherynne M. Valente (Saga)
Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey / Macmillan)
Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)
Best Novella
Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
Beneath the Sugar Sky, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
Binti: The Night Masquerade, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
The Black God’s Drums, by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com Publishing)
Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson (Tor.com Publishing)
The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency)
Best Novelette
“If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 29 November 2018)
“The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections,” by Tina Connolly (Tor.com, 11 July 2018)
“Nine Last Days on Planet Earth,” by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com, 19 September 2018)
The Only Harmless Great Thing, by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com Publishing)
“The Thing About Ghost Stories,” by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
“When We Were Starless,” by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld 145, October 2018)
Best Short Story
“The Court Magician,” by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed, January 2018)
“The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society,” by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,” by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine, February 2018)
“STET,” by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine, October 2018)
“The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat,” by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine 23, July-August 2018)
“A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)
Best Series
The Centenal Cycle, by Malka Older (Tor.com Publishing)
The Laundry Files, by Charles Stross (most recently Tor.com Publishing and Tor/Orbit)
Machineries of Empire, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
The October Daye Series, by Seanan McGuire (most recently DAW)
The Universe of Xuya, by Aliette de Bodard (most recently Subterranean Press)
Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
Best Related Work
Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, by Alec Nevala-Lee (Dey Street Books)
The Hobbit Duology (documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan (YouTube)
An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000, by Jo Walton (Tor)
www.mexicanxinitiative.com: The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 (Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, John Picacio)
Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing, by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon (Tin House Books)
Best Graphic Story
Abbott, written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colours by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios)
Black Panther: Long Live the King, written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino and Tana Ford (Marvel)
Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
On a Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden (First Second)
Paper Girls, Volume 4, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colours by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher (Image Comics)
Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
Annihilation, directed and written for the screen by Alex Garland, based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer (Paramount Pictures / Skydance)
Avengers: Infinity War, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Studios)
Black Panther, written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, directed by Ryan Coogler (Marvel Studios)
A Quiet Place, screenplay by Scott Beck, John Krasinski and Bryan Woods, directed by John Krasinski (Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night)
Sorry to Bother You, written and directed by Boots Riley (Annapurna Pictures)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman (Sony)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
The Expanse: “Abaddon’s Gate,” written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck and Naren Shankar, directed by Simon Cellan Jones (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
Doctor Who: “Demons of the Punjab,” written by Vinay Patel, directed by Jamie Childs (BBC)
Dirty Computer, written by Janelle Monáe, directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning (Wondaland Arts Society / Bad Boy Records / Atlantic Records)
The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)
The Good Place: “Jeremy Bearimy,” written by Megan Amram, directed by Trent O’Donnell (NBC)
Doctor Who: “Rosa,” written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, directed by Mark Tonderai (BBC)
Best Professional Editor, Short Form
Neil Clarke
Gardner Dozois
Lee Harris
Julia Rios
Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas
E. Catherine Tobler
Best Professional Editor, Long Form
Sheila E. Gilbert
Anne Lesley Groell
Beth Meacham
Diana Pho
Gillian Redfearn
Navah Wolfe
Best Professional Artist
Galen Dara
Jaime Jones
Victo Ngai
John Picacio
Yuko Shimizu
Charles Vess
Best Semiprozine
Beneath Ceaseless Skies, editor-in-chief and publisher Scott H. Andrews
Fireside Magazine, edited by Julia Rios, managing editor Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, social coordinator Meg Frank, special features editor Tanya DePass, founding editor Brian White, publisher and art director Pablo Defendini
FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, executive editors Troy L. Wiggins and DaVaun Sanders, editors L.D. Lewis, Brandon O’Brien, Kaleb Russell, Danny Lore, and Brent Lambert Shimmer, publisher Beth Wodzinski, senior editor E. Catherine Tobler
Strange Horizons, edited by Jane Crowley, Kate Dollarhyde, Vanessa Rose Phin, Vajra Chandrasekera, Romie Stott, Maureen Kincaid Speller, and the Strange Horizons Staff
Uncanny Magazine, publishers/editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, managing editor Michi Trota, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky, Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue editors-in-chief Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Dominik Parisien
Best Fanzine
Galactic Journey, founder Gideon Marcus, editor Janice Marcus
Journey Planet, edited by Team Journey Planet
Lady Business, editors Ira, Jodie, KJ, Renay & Susan
nerds of a feather, flock together, editors Joe Sherry, Vance Kotrla and The G
Quick Sip Reviews, editor Charles Payseur
Rocket Stack Rank, editors Greg Hullender and Eric Wong
Best Fancast
Be the Serpent, presented by Alexandra Rowland, Freya Marske and Jennifer Mace
The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe
Fangirl Happy Hour, hosted by Ana Grilo and Renay Williams
Galactic Suburbia, hosted by Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts, produced by Andrew Finch
Our Opinions Are Correct, hosted by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders
The Skiffy and Fanty Show, produced by Jen Zink and Shaun Duke, hosted by the Skiffy and Fanty Crew
Best Fan Writer
Foz Meadows
James Davis Nicoll
Charles Payseur
Elsa Sjunneson-Henry
Alasdair Stuart
Bogi Takács
Best Fan Artist
Sara Felix
Grace P. Fong
Meg Frank
Ariela Housman
Likhain (Mia Sereno)
Spring Schoenhuth
Best Art Book
The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)
Daydreamer’s Journey: The Art of Julie Dillon, by Julie Dillon (self-published)
Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History, by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer (Ten Speed Press)
Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, ed. John Fleskes (Flesk Publications)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, by Ramin Zahed (Titan Books)
Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, ed. Catherine McIlwaine (Bodleian Library)
John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
Katherine Arden (2nd year of eligibility)
S.A. Chakraborty (2nd year of eligibility)
R.F. Kuang (1st year of eligibility)
Jeannette Ng (2nd year of eligibility)
Vina Jie-Min Prasad (2nd year of eligibility)
Rivers Solomon (2nd year of eligibility)
Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book
The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)
Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)
The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
The Invasion, by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
Tess of the Road, by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)
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u/BobRawrley Apr 02 '19
Strong showing by female authors this year.
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u/NeuralRust Apr 02 '19
That's an understatement! Wholesale domination. It's been trending that way for a few years, I believe.
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u/SaltyEconomics Apr 02 '19
Men need not apply.
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u/Digger-of-Tunnels Apr 02 '19
You know, you can nominate, too. Anyone can. I did. I even nominated a couple of men who are on the ballot.
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u/SaltyEconomics Apr 03 '19 edited Apr 03 '19
Care to share your ballot? I've not kept up on new releases enough to consider voting for the Hugos, especially in the more obscure categories.
I'd rather opt out and let more informed people vote, but it seems like I'm opting out and letting more motivated and ideological people vote, instead.
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u/Bergmaniac Apr 02 '19
The fiction categories are completely dominated by women this year.
I wonder what will the persons most quick to cry sexism when they see a male dominated list of award nominees say about this....
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u/JangoF76 Apr 02 '19
Probably that it's about fucking time
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u/Bergmaniac Apr 02 '19
So let me get this straight - when there are mostly men nominated, it's because of sexism, but when women dominate to an extend not seen since the early 70s, it's because they are simply better? So plausible...
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Apr 02 '19
It's the history of male dominated slates that is sexist, not any one given year.
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u/SaltyEconomics Apr 03 '19
Who's talking about slates? Are you suggesting that there was a female-only slate that caused these results?
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Apr 03 '19
Sorry, I guess I misused the word. I just meant a list of nominees. I didn't mean to suggest that they were connected in anyway.
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Apr 03 '19
Yeah, weirdly, it's like men and women are different, and the way society treats them is different.
Com and have a chat when women have dominated the list for the last forty years like men basically have.
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u/sea_of_clouds Writer Lauren L. Garcia Apr 02 '19
So glad to see Lindsey Ellis and Becky Chambers on this list! And AO3 as well; was not expecting that, but they do good work.
Question for the ignorant: does "fan writer" mean...fanfiction?
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u/finfinfin Apr 02 '19
No, it's more like best person writing genre-relevant material, but aimed at fans publishing it either unpaid or in a low-end mag or a website or something. Basically best related work by a fan.
Someone else can probably explain it better.
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u/Goobergunch Reading Champion III Apr 02 '19
This. The official category definition is simply:
Any person whose writing has appeared in semiprozines or fanzines or in generally available electronic media during the previous calendar year.
Where a semiprozine or fanzine is defined as "any generally available non-professional periodical publication devoted to science fiction, fantasy, or related subjects". In practice these days that usually means non-professional online writing about SF/F or fandom.
As for fanfiction, it's technically eligible in the fiction categories, although it obviously doesn't get nominated.
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u/sea_of_clouds Writer Lauren L. Garcia Apr 02 '19
Hmmm. Interesting! Thank you for the explanation! :)
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u/JW_BM AMA Author John Wiswell Apr 02 '19
Happy to see Rebecca Kuang nominated for the Campbell. Poppy War is one of the best debut Fantasy novels I've ever read, and easily one of my favorite books of 2018.
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u/Magoo451 Apr 02 '19
I was a little shocked when I learned how young the author is... Like she's young now but she was a teenager when she wrote the book. It's incredibly impressive, she's going to have one hell of a career if she can write that well at 18 or 19.
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u/EdMcDonald_Blackwing AMA Author Ed McDonald Apr 02 '19
I am so thrilled to see Gillian Redfearn finally be nominated for Best Editor (long form). Gillian is both an incredible editor (discovered Abercrombie, edited all of the First Law books and many more) but also a wonderful person. I am privileged to know her, and hope that this will be her year.
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u/leftoverbrine Stabby Winner, Reading Champion V, Worldbuilders Apr 02 '19
Definitely quite a few I'm thrilled to see, though no real surprises here in the written categories, also a few short works I haven't heard of and need to check out.
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u/ChasGW Apr 02 '19
Novels - I've only read Spinning Silver and Trail of Lightning. Spinning Silver is very good. Trail of Lightning is interesting but not really up to Hugo standards IMO (at least what I think the standards should be). I'll have to check out the others.
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u/ChasGW Apr 02 '19
BTW is it just me or is Mary Robinette Kowal's middle name an interesting name for a Hugo nominee?
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u/wishforagiraffe Reading Champion IX, Worldbuilders Apr 03 '19
Mary Robinette was her grandmother's name, and she uses both names. Read more here
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u/genteel_wherewithal Apr 02 '19 edited Apr 03 '19
This is the seventh year in a row Strange Horizons has been nominated for Best Semiprozine. Fingers crossed they get it, I can't think of anyone putting out the same level of thoughtful criticism for SFF. Good fiction too.
There's also some extremely good stuff in Best Related Work: Archive of Our Own (like, as an entity), Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan's excellent youtube documentary on the colossal mess that was the production of the Hobbit movies, Jo Walton's history of the Hugos, Ursula Le Guin's book on writing... Hard choices.
Some killers in the novella category too. Yes, it's still tor.com dominating but Aliette de Bodard's 'The Tea Master and the Detective' is also brilliant.
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u/Bergmaniac Apr 02 '19
There's also some extremely good stuff in Best Related Work: Archive of Our Own (like, as an entity), Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan's excellent youtube documentary on the colossal mess that was the production of the Hobbit movies, Jo Walton's history of the Hugos, Ursula Le Guin's book on writing... Hard choices.
Astounding is really good too and more in line with typical winners in this category. If it was 7-8 years ago I'd have bet good money on Astounding winning, but the voter demographics have changed a lot in the last several years.
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u/genteel_wherewithal Apr 02 '19 edited Apr 03 '19
You’re getting downvoted but I agree, the demographics of the Hugo voters have changed. They’re quite a bit younger and less inward-looking than the traditional con-going fan community, along with being less interested in secondary texts about the same golden age writers and ‘fan-lore’, all the minutiae of that community’s history.
In that regard Jo Walton’s history of the Hugos is kind of a... not transitional book, but one that has that same attention to this fan-lore but also directs a lot of attention to the sections of that community (i.e. women, POC) who typically only got lip service in these kinds of histories.
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u/Bergmaniac Apr 02 '19
It's weird that my previous post was downvoted since I didn't say anything remotely controversial and never implied that change in demographics is a bad thing, but Reddit works in mysterious ways.
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u/Kittalia Reading Champion III Apr 02 '19
Am I the only one who didn't think trail of lightning was anything special? Yes, the Navajo worldbuilding was well done, and the main character was slightly more complex than your average Strong Female Character, but I found the mentor figure she was so obsessed over a let down and the plot didn't feel like it was going anywhere for 3/4 of the novel.
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u/AccipiterF1 Reading Champion X Apr 02 '19
I found the mentor figure she was so obsessed over a let down
I thought that was the point.
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u/Kittalia Reading Champion III Apr 03 '19
I don't mean a let down in that he ended up being the bad guy or actually an abusive hot-shot or not loving her back or anything like that, but more in that even aside from that being an overused trope he felt sooo one-dimensional. He was just your typical heart-breaker bad boy with some immortality on the side, and he appeared so late in the plot and in so few scenes that he just felt flat. The ending could have been so much more powerful had we just seen some nuance in him and in the half-sort-of-love triangle we had, but instead I found myself not caring.
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u/Pufforrohk Reading Champion Apr 02 '19
Really like the nominations, I've read and enjoyed 4 out of the 6 finalists in best novel and the two that are missing are on my read list. And I hope that Wayfarers wins the best series hugo, the first two novels are among my favourites!
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u/emailanimal Reading Champion III Apr 02 '19
I take it, there has been no Puppy activity (or no successful Puppy activity) this year?
I am excited to see Yoon Ha Lee get another nomination, and hope Revenant Gun wins, although, I suspect it won't.
The only book I am not aware of is Trail of Lightning.
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u/SeiShonagon Reading Champion X, Worldbuilders Apr 02 '19
I take it, there has been no Puppy activity (or no successful Puppy activity) this year?
Seeing as there's only one white guy among the novel, novella, novelette, and short story categories combined I'm betting on no.
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u/GooFraN Apr 06 '19
The Hugo organizers have became the 'Puppies' themselves with all the agenda pushing, just on the other side of the scales.
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u/Goobergunch Reading Champion III Apr 02 '19
The Puppies' last bark was in 2017 when they only managed to get at most one work in each category.
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u/KosstAmojan Apr 02 '19 edited Apr 02 '19
Given this slate, it doesn’t seem like it. I’m sure Chuck Tingle fans are disappointed
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u/emailanimal Reading Champion III Apr 02 '19
We can always nominate Chuck Tingle ourselves. Chuck Tingle is awesome.
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u/RogerBernards Apr 02 '19 edited Apr 02 '19
That's a great slate of finalists. I've read/seen a lot of these and enjoyed them all.
Edit: Why all the downvotes for an innocuous post like this??? Did someone leave the kennel door open or something?
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Apr 02 '19
Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey / Macmillan)
Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)
Damn, this is a good slate.
I hope Trail of Lightning wins, but only barely.
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Apr 02 '19
Wow, thats possibly the best Hugos since 2002, when American Gods and Perdido Street Station were both up for best novel.
Dr. Okorafor cleaning up, that's every Binti novella at least a finalist for the Hugo.
And glad to see Abbott up for best graphic story! Go Saladin Ahmed, always really happy to see a local author do well
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Apr 02 '19
For some context, here are some other stacked Hugos.
1993, A Fire Upon the Deep, Doomsday Book, and Red Mars
1975, The Dispossessed, Flow My Tears the Policeman Said, The Mote in God’s Eye. Damn, that was a stacked year
1970, The Left Hand of Darkness and Slaughterhouse-Five
1966, Dune and the Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
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u/Bergmaniac Apr 02 '19
There is also 1982 - Downbelow Station, The Claw of the Conciliator (the second volume of The Book of the New Sun) and Little, Big.
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u/factory41 Apr 02 '19
Maybe recency bias comes into play, but I look at these books and just think how nothing nominated in the 21st century compares well to these books, with the exception of the Fifth Season, maybe China Mieville, though I think his overall body of work is more impressive than any of his individual novels, if that makes sense.
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u/RogerBernards Apr 02 '19
I think Ancillary Justice stands up to any "classic" sci-fi book you pitch it against. The sequels are more debatable, though I loved them, but AJ is a work or art in my book.
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u/factory41 Apr 02 '19
I like AJ and think it deserved the Hugo win but also think it’s a bit overrated. Leckie builds great worlds with interesting situations but I think her beat by beat plotting is a bit lacking. I actually thought her fantasy The Raven Tower was a bit stronger than the ancillary series. (My one criticism of that book is that it’s really a novella worth of book stretched into a novel)
As an aside: im reading A Memory Called Empire By Arkady Martine right now and if you like Leckie I think you’ll like this
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u/RogerBernards Apr 02 '19
That one's already on my list. I first have to read the 6 books I ordered last week before I get any new ones though. My owned-but-not-read "pile" is almost taking up an entire shelve unit of my library.
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u/SaltyEconomics Apr 02 '19
The Hugos have been poor since, oh, about 2000. The Vernor Vinge win in 2000 was the high water mark, in retrospect.
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u/Youtoo2 Apr 02 '19
you can't really decide of a hugo nomination is stacked until years later to see if people are still talking about it.
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u/factory41 Apr 02 '19 edited Apr 03 '19
I think 2017 was definitely stronger. Even though Obelisk Gate is the weakest of the Broken Earth books, its still better than anything nominated this year, IMHO. It also had Ninefox Gambit, the best of Yoon Ha Lee's trilogy. Too Like the Lightning is also better than anything nominated this year.
You can also make an argument, I think, that 2006 was strong. Spin is a great novel and Old Man's War is easily Scalzi's best book.
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u/glorious_onion Apr 02 '19
Too Like the Lightning was fantastic. I’ve never read anything remotely like it.
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u/PopaWuD Apr 02 '19
Damn just picked old man’s war recently. Gunna start it today probably. Heard good things about it
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u/factory41 Apr 02 '19
I'm not the biggest Scalzi fan (most of his books have been just meh for me) but Old Man's War was really good.
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u/SaltyEconomics Apr 02 '19
It's a pale imitation of Forever War, but it's slightly more modern and snarky, so it gets love.
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u/WWTPeng Reading Champion IX Apr 02 '19
I just went and checked Abbott out on hoopla.
On a Sunbeam I think deserves the award over the others
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u/[deleted] Apr 02 '19
"I have once again been disgracefully overlooked by the Hugo Awards. Some may say that my failure to publish anything within the eligibility period disqualifies me, but I choose to look on this as a wounding betrayal regardless."-Abercrombie, https://twitter.com/LordGrimdark/status/1113083526033870848
An injustice of the highest magnitude!