Comments on: The 2008 Nebula Awards Ballot

By: GINO

GINO — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:29:13 +0000

CHABON IS THE ONLY NOVELIST I KNOW OF THAT HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE HUGO OR THE NEBULA AND HAS WON THE PULITZER FOR A PREVIOUS, AND INCREDIBLE, NOVEL.

By: Mary A. Turzillo

Mary A. Turzillo — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:44:11 +0000

Blindsight was on the Hugo ballot last year, wasn’t it?

By: Mary A. Turzillo

Mary A. Turzillo — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:23:07 +0000

I am nonplussed, to say the least. I thought Camoflage was brilliant. It might have been a bit edgy for some tastes; it definitely challenges some of our comfortable ideas about the universe. I realize some people like to read the same space-opera over and over and if you introduce something that isn’t one of the familiar tropes, it can be seen as — what was the word you used? — let’s be gentle and say unsettling.

I really loved The Accidental Time Machine. It has the Haldeman sense of whimsy and is a bit more mellow than some of his previous stuff. The time paradoxes were elegant. I like Toby’s novel too, don’t get me wrong; this is a very strong field this year. Toby is the young Turk; Joe is the mature master. We’ll see how this plays out.

The Nebs are definitely an excitement. I like the stuff that gets on the Hugo ballot, too, but it’s less likely to be really cutting edge.

By: Aaron Singleton

Aaron Singleton — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:21:40 +0000

I’m rooting for Matthew Hughes for best novelette. Great stuff.

By: T.M. Wagner

T.M. Wagner — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:54:42 +0000

I thought The Accidental Time Machine was ass, myself. Definitely surprised at what didn't get on the final ballot. Well, I'm rooting for Toby.

By: Don

Don — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:24:19 +0000

I’m stunned that Accidental Time Machine is nominated and even more stunned to see someone say they loved it. It wasn’t a bad novel by any means, and I liked how Haldeman resolved it for the most part (more than that I cannot say w/o spoiling it) but I found it eminently forgettable. I wouldn’t have nominated it for any awards just based on the fact that it feels very ‘old school’ to me, a less egregious version of AC Clark’s 3001 where the societies and science don’t seem like they passed through the current era on their way to the depicted future.

I’d put John or, say, Stephenson on my example list of writers w/o that archaic feel, if you need a counter-example.

By: Chris D.

Chris D. — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:46:47 +0000

I agree that Camoflauge wasn’t great, but I thought The Accidental Time Machine was amazing. Not that is should necessarily win, but it was still an excellent time travel novel, probably my favorite one other than THe Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold. Then again, I haven’t read that many so I’m probably missing out.

I have to go find out about Blindsight since apparently everyone loves it.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:18:56 +0000

I really don’t understand the Nebula Awards. For me the nominees are a joke. And not only the nominees but the winners themselves. Joe Haldeman’s Camoflague (2005 Winner) was one of the worst SF novels I have ever read and yet it won and I won’t be suprised if Accidental Time Machine wins this year as well. The should just rename the Nebula Award to the Haldeman awards, give it to him every year and if he failed to publish something, he can pick a name out of a hat. It seems to make as much sense as my experience with the award.

Now I haven’t read all of the nominees and I am not 100% sure on the qualifications to be nominated but I’ve read at least 10 books published in 2007 this year I would consider better than the books I have read on this list. Also, based on what I have seen from reviews, top ten lists, and the like none of these books were anything special.

I trust the Hugos a lot more than I do the Nebulas and even more after this latest round of nominees.

By: milieu

milieu — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:45:37 +0000

Alan Moore got really pissy about the movie adaptation, and refused to have anything to do with it. I believe he asked them to remove his name from everything, so maybe that’s why they left him off.

By: Vociferous Mole

Vociferous Mole — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:33:36 +0000

I, too, am rather surprised _Blindsight_ didn’t make it, but since the only nominee I’ve read is TYPU (which was, IMO, excellent), I guess I can’t claim they’re not more deserving than _Blindsight_.

And was anyone else amused by this:

V for Vendetta … based on the graphic novel illustrated by David Lloyd and published by Vertigo/DC Comics

[Sarcasm]I could have *sworn* that _V for Vendetta_ had actual words, written by an actual writer.[/Sarcasm]