Hugo Finalists!
I know it’s Edinburgh not Glasgow, but same country and I have never actually been to Glasgow!
This year’s Hugo finalists are out and I have thoughts.
The first thought is that I do trust the Glasgow admin. After what happened with Chengdu (which must never be allowed to happen again), it was heartening to see the results in some categories.
So, let’s run through it:
Best Novel
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. Haven’t read this. Need to read it. Will be buying it if it’s not in the packet because…it involves lady pirates, a protagonist coming out of retirement, and, above all, buckles being swashed and swashes being buckled!
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera. Have read this one, for the Nebulas. It’s a truly weird book, that proves that secondary world fantasies can have…cell phones and social media.
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh. Don’t know anything about this one.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi. Love the title, but also don’t know much about this one.
Translation State by Ann Leckie. Will be reading this one next after The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz, which is my current read.
Witch King by Martha Wells. This one is fun. Not as much fun as Murderbot, but still fun.
Best Novella
So, here we go!
“Life Does Not Allow Us to Meet” by He Xi, translated by Alex Woodland. Part of a joint Chinese-English anthology.
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo. Have this one in the queue.
The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older. Have this one in the queue.
Rose/House by Arkady Martine. Always game for Martine.
“Seeds of Mercury” by Wang Jinkang, translated by Alex Woodland.
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher.
Chengdu members had the chance to nominate again, and we have two Chinese novellas, albeit from the same anthology. Happy to see it.
Best Novelette
I Am AI by Ai Jiang. Wasn’t surprised to see this one at the Nebs, mildly surprised at a Hugo nod for a story aimed at writers.
“Introduction to 2021 Overture, Second Edition” by Gu Shi, translated by Emily Jin.
“Ivy, Angelica, Bay” by C.L. Polk
“On the Fox Roads” by Nghi Vo
“One Man’s Treasure” by Sarah Pinsker.
“The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer. I like this one.
Only one Chinese story and it’s from Clarkesworld, but…
Best Short Story
“Answerless Journey” by Han Song, translated by Alex Woodend. This has to be the best Chinese anthology of the year!
“Better Living Through Algorithms” by Naomi Kritzer
“How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub by P. Djèlí Clark
“The Mausoleum’s Children” by Aliette de Bodard
“The Sound of Children Screaming” by Rachael K. Jones
“Tasting the Future Delicacy Three Times” by Baoshu. No translator listed.
Two Chinese stories. This is about the ratio I would expect for lingering Chengdu members combined with the normal regulars. I hope some of them stick around, buy supporting memberships, and continue to vote and nominate.
This all makes me feel better about Glasgow.
Best Series
The Final Architecture by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Imperial Radch by Ann Leckie. Finally working on getting this one.
The Last Binding by Freya Marske
The Laundry Files by Charles Stross
October Daye by Seanan McGuire
The Universe of Xuya by Aliette de Bodard
A bit usual suspect-y.
Best Graphic Story or Comic
Bea Wulf by Zach Weinersmith and Boulet - is this a genderbent Beowulf? I assume so.
Saga Vol. 11 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed (Your Wish is My Command)
The Three Body Problem, Part One by Cai Jin, Ge Wendi, Bo Mu, and Caojijuridong, based on the novels by Liu Cixin. Didn’t know this existed and it also seems to be Chinese.
The Witches of World War II by Paul Cornell and Valeria Burzo
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, and Nicola Scott
Best Related Work
All These Worlds: Rviews & Essays by Niall Harrison
Chinese Science Fiction: An Oral History, vols 2 and 3 ed. Yang Feng (this is a sequel to a nominee from last year.
A City on Mars by Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith
The Culture: The Drawings by Iain M. Banks. Is this slightly cheating? (I also tend not to vote for dead people)
Discover X by Tina Wong.
A Traveller In Time: The Critical Practice of Maureen Kincaid Speller by Maureen Kincaid Speller, ed. Nina Allan
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
Barbie. It’s going to win.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. I wish it was going to win.
Nimona by Robert L. Baird and Lloyd Taylor, directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane. Heard its fantastic.
Poor Things by Tony McNamara, directed by Yorgios Lanthimos
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callahan, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. Not up to the standard of the first one, but I liked it.
The Wandering Earth II by Yang Zhixue, Frant Gwo, Gong Geer, and Ye Ruchang, directed by Frank Gwo, based on the novel by Liu Cixin.
I believe we have a Hugo first.
I do not believe graphic novel and screen nominations of the same work have ever been nominated in the same year.
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
Doctor Who: The Giggle by Russell T. Davies.
Loki: Glorious Purpose by Eric Martin, Michael Waldron, and Kathryn Blair.
The Last Of Us: Long, Long Time by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Those Old Scientists by Kathryn Lyn and Bill Wolkoff
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Subspace Rhapsody by Dana Horgan and Bill Wolkoff
Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder by Russell T. Davies
Dr. Who is back and going head to head with Strange New Worlds
Best Game or Interactive Work
Alan Wake 2. Can’t play it, gameplay videos look good for what it is.
Baldur’s Gate 3. Waiting for it to go on sale.
Chants of Sennaar. Wish I could play it.
DREDGE. You couldn’t pay me to play it. Not because it’s bad. It’s a Lovecraft fishing game…
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
So, the top four also got nominated for the Nebula Award for Game Writing. Baldur’s Gate 3 is going to win.
Best Semiprozine
Escape Pod
FIYAH Literary Magazine
GigaNotoSaurus
khõréõ
Strange Horizons
Uncanny Magazine
We need more, guys! Same every year…
Best Fanzine
Black Nerd Problems
The Full Lid
Idea
Journey Planet
Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together
Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog
Much better, two new ones here.
Best Fancast
The Coode Street Podcast
Hugos There
Octothrope
Publishing Rodeo
Science Fiction Fans Buma
Worldbuilding for Masochists
Publishing Rodeo and Science Fiction Fans Buma are new. The latter is Chinese.
Best Fan Writer
Bitter Karella
James Davis Nicoll
Jason Sanford
Alasdair Stuart
Paul Weimer
Örjan Westin
So, how many people voted for Paul Weimer because they felt sorry for him over IT WAS NEPAL.
Best Fan Artist
Iain J. Clark
Sara Feliz
Dante Luis
Laya Rose
Alison Scott
España Sheriff
No real comments.
Lodestar
Abeni’s Song by P. Djèlí Clark - he should write good YA
Liberty’s Daughter by Naomi Kritzer - she writes the best YA.
Promises Stronger Than Darkness by Charlie Jane Anders - she got snubbed in the Nebs because everyone forgot her, I think. Including me.
The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix. Yay Garth Nix!
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose. I love this book. SO QUEER.
Unraveller by Francis Hardinge
Astounding Award for Best New Writer
Moniquill Blackgoose (1st)
Sunyi Dean (2nd)
Ai Jiang (2nd)
Hannah Kaner (1st)
Em X. Lui (1st)
Xiran Jay Zhao (Special)
So…so…the right thing was done. Xiran Jay Zhao was spuriously disqualified by a certain racist in what would have been their second and last year of eligibility.
And apparently, the organization that pushed for it was…Dell Magazines. As you all know, I’m an Analog regular. THANK YOU DELL for making sure it happened and doing your job as sponsor.
Five nominees declined:
Martha Wells for System Collapse. She has asked us to stop nominating Murderbot.
Hai Ya for “The Far North” in best novelette, which would have been another Chinese nominee.
Bigolas Dickolas Wolfwood for “promotional tweets for This Is How You Lose The Time War” in best related work.
Natasha Bardon for best editor, long form
Camestros Felapton for best fan writer
I don’t know any of the motivations other than Wells.
Four nominees were disqualified.
Unfortunately, one of them was the only Chinese nominee in the novel category, Cosmo Wings by Jiang Bo, which apparently was the result of date confusion…it was published this year.
The others were also Chinese nominees and were DQ’d for the same reason…both were professional podcasts nominated as fan casts. Discover X was also nominated in Best Related Work. The other was Diu Diu Sci Fi Radio.
So, we have a good number of Chinese noms, counting the one who declined and the two who were DQ’d (I wonder if Cosmo Wings was nominated by Jiang Bo’s street team who all got it early and then forgot it hadn’t actually been published. There’s enough people in China that somebody could give out enough ARCs to earn a nom).