Denvention posted this year’s Hugo nominees a few days ago, and much rejoicing was heard across the land. I’m happy to see that there wasn’t a repeat of last year’s ovary-free fiction categories, though there are still fewer women than I’d like. Just means I’ll have to work harder for next year!
The list looks pretty solid, though there are several really amazing books and stories missing. Good thing we can still nominate for the World Fantasy Award. That nomination ballot isn’t due until June 30th.
Which works on the Hugo ballot do you think should win? Which to you think will win?
For my part, I really, really loved “The Fountain of Age” (novella) by Nancy Kress, but then I always love her stories. I also liked “Finisterra” (novelette) by David Moles but I’m reserving judgment until I read Ted Chiang’s story. I thought he wasn’t going to write, anymore! I’ve read three of the short story nominees and am not impressed with any of them. I’ll have to see if I can get my hands on the other two. I hear that The Company They Keep: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community by Diana Glyer is really wonderful, but my money is on The Arrival, by Shaun Tan, in the Related Books category.
Major congrats to those nominated for the Campbell Not-A-Hugo. I was very excited to see David Anthony Durham on the list because, as you know, we here at Fantasy were quite taken with his novel. My friend Mary Robinette Kowal is also nominated, and if you’re interested in reading her work to determine if she’s truly the best new writer in town, she’s made it easy for you.
I’d really appreciate it if voters would refrain from giving Dave Langford the Dave Langford Award this year (Best Fan Writer) and instead bestow it on John Scalzi or Cheryl Morgan, both of whom are more than deserving.
The dramatic presentations categories have many strong contenders. For short form, I’m torn between the two Doctor Who episodes and Torchwood’s “Captain Jack Harkness”. “Blink” is a favorite because Stephen Moffet charms everyone. But I have to say that I’m wary of awarding a Mary Sue story the Hugo. “Human Nature” / “Family of Blood” is another good choice, but the first part, I felt, was awful until the second part came ’round. Put together, they make one hell of an episode. I find it funny that “Captain Jack Harkness” is not nominated in tandem with the second half of its arc, probably because the second half was so bad. Torchwood’s first season was often hit or miss, but most of the time they managed to contain all badness in one episode and all goodness in another. With “Captain Jack Harkness” and the finale, they scattered the bad and good throughout both episodes, though the first one was the stronger of the two. And contains a hot gay kiss. It’s a contender.
I’m interested to hear what our readers think. And if there are any books or stories on the ballot that you’d suggest reading because they really deserve the win.
As for the World Fantasy Ballot, that’s still wide open! In the novel category, I think the best fantasy books I read last year were The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia, The New Moon’s Arms by Nalo Hopkinson, and The Orphan’s Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Cat Valente.
According to Fantasy readers, the best of our 2007 stories were: Swan by Eilis O’Neal, Time to Say Goodnight by Caroline M. Yoachim, and Soft like a Rabbit by Andrea Kail.
I’m still reading through short fiction published online last year. Once I’m done, I’ll be able to pick five stories, novellas, and novelettes I really loved. What are your favorite fantasy books and short fiction from 2007? Your favorite collections & anthologies? Use this space to pimp your favorites. And if you’re eligible to nominate, do so!
Clint – Indeed. And really, I can’t even imagine what...
1 • Stephanie Burgis said:
March 26th, 2008 at 9:41 am, permalink
I second The New Moon’s Arms by Nalo Hopkinson. It was my favorite adult fantasy novel of 2007. And in short fiction, I thought Kij Johnson’s novelette “The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs Of North Park After the Change” was amazing.
2 • K. Tempest Bradford said:
March 26th, 2008 at 9:59 am, permalink
that WAS a good story
3 • Alethea said:
March 26th, 2008 at 10:31 am, permalink
Stephen Moffat is brilliant. He’s deserved every award he’s gotten, and then some.
And Yay, Mary!!
4 • Cheryl said:
March 26th, 2008 at 10:35 am, permalink
Thank you! (Though to be honest I think my chances of beating Scalzi are vanishingly small.)
With regard to World Fantasy, you’ve already picked the three women on my novel list. My other two novels are Pirate Freedom by Gene Wolfe and Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay. But World Fantasy also has a category for single author collections. I’d like to recommend Dangerous Space by Kelley Eskridge, Portable Childhoods by Ellen Klages and Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan.
Finally, don’t forget the Locus Awards. They are free to vote – no convention membership necessary – and the deadline is April 15.
5 • K. Tempest Bradford said:
March 26th, 2008 at 12:21 pm, permalink
Good point, Cheryl!
Lots of good stuff on that list. For SF novel, I’m liking Black Man by Richard Morgan, but Ha’Penny is good, too! Fantasy novel is tough, but all three of the ones I’ve already mentioned are there. I would also give a nod to Ysabel.
In the first novels, my overwhelming praise goes to Grey by Jon Armstrong. Great, great book.
In YA, I quite loved Magic’s Child by Justine Larbalestier, but I completely adored Un Lun Dun by China Mieville. Somehow I forgot to mention that above when talking about fantasy novels. The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu is much recommended, but I haven’t read it yet.
The only collection on the list that I’ve read is Kelley Eskridge’s, but I loved it!
The short fiction categories are really heavy on print mags, which annoys me because I think the better stuff is being published online.
6 • Cheryl said:
March 26th, 2008 at 1:24 pm, permalink
The drop downs in the Locus Award ballot are simply this year’s Locus Recommended Reading List (which is compiled by a number of reviewers and critics, including myself). It is perfect OK to write in a work that isn’t on the list. For example, you can write in Acacia for Fantasy Novel if you want. (Though that might not work with First Novel because different awards have different definitions of what a first work is, and what goes for the Campbell may not go for Locus.)
7 • Chuck said:
March 26th, 2008 at 2:10 pm, permalink
>Lots of good stuff on that list. For SF novel, I’m liking Black Man by Richard Morgan,
I just started that one (about a third of the way through it). I thought it started out a tiny bit wobbly, but I passed what I call an “oh crap” moment a while back, and now I’m curious about where the religion angle is heading (issues of “manhood” and race seem like they’ll interweave with that factor and add to the intrigue). I’d like to say more, but I’d probably ramble to the point of spoilage. Probably should finish the darn thing first.
8 • Feminist SF - The Blog! » Blog Archive » SFBookswap News and Award Time Again said:
March 27th, 2008 at 6:01 am, permalink
[...] arrived in my mailbox not too long ago. I’m hosting a discussion and rec-fest over on Fantasy magazine this week, if anyone wants to join [...]
9 • File 770 » Blog Archive » The Hugo and Gender Controversy, A Year Later said:
May 12th, 2008 at 1:15 am, permalink
[...] fact, feminist K. Tempest Bradford wrote an opinion piece titled “And the Phallic Symbol Goes To…” where she [...]
10 • Fantasy Magazine » Blog For A Beer! said:
October 1st, 2008 at 1:00 pm, permalink
[...] having to do with fantasy, science fiction, etc., right here in the comments: your picks for this year’s awards, a bit of a story you’re trying to write, secret tales from Norwescon, who you think is the [...]