Your Hugo/Campbell Nomination Recommendations
Posted on February 9, 2009 Posted by John Scalzi 30 Comments
As of today there are about three weeks left to nominate people and works for this year’s Hugo Awards, which as you know are science fiction’s premier literary awards. Nominations are open to members of last year’s Denvention 3 Worldcon, and to members of Anticipation, this year’s Worldcon, which takes place in Montreal, August 6 – 10. So basically, if you went to Worldcon last year or are going this year, you have a chance to say who and what you want on the Hugo ballot (incidentally: still time to register for this year). At the same time people will also nominate for the Campbell Award, which while not a Hugo goes to the best new writer in the science fiction and fantasy genres.
Because I believe that people should nominate for the Hugos, but that people don’t always know or at least remember what works they should nominate, every year around this time I like to put in a recommendations post, in which all of you gleefully remind people of what novels, stories, people and so on you’d love to see nominated for the Hugos this year. Since a lot of people who nominate for the Hugo also happen to read this site, I figure it’s a good way to get out the word to folks still trying to figure out what they want to put on their ballots.
If you want to make a recommendation for the Hugos/Campbell this year in any category, please put them into the comment thread for this entry (and yes, if you or your work is eligible for a Hugo or the Campbell, you may remind people of such a thing). I have three rules:
1. Make sure what you recommend really is eligible for nomination (i.e., was published in the 2008 calendar year (or for the Campbell, published for the first time in 2007 or 2008); also, know your categories);
2. Do strive for quality (i.e., don’t recommend someone just because they’re your buddy);
3. Don’t recommend me or my work; I already did my award pimp for the year, and it seems doubtful anyone who reads this site doesn’t know that I have works out there. This is for everyone and everything else.
So: Your recommendations for the 2009 Hugos and the Campbell? Share with the people!
I’d like to mention “The Turtle Moves! Discworld’s Story Unauthorized” by Lawrence Watt-Evans for “Best related book” category. It’s a funny and well written perspective on the Discworld books.
Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead by Steven Moffat (Doctor Who) for Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. Yes, I know he’s won the last 3, but DAMN they’re great television!
Omitting John (and myself), I’d like to flag a few things:
Best Novel
Abraham, Daniel; An Autumn War (Tor, July 2008)
Hunt, Stephen; The Court of the Air (Tor, June, 2008)
Best Novella
Buckell, Tobias, “Stochasti-city” (METAtropolis, Audible.com, October, 2008, ed. John Scalzi)
Van Pelt, James; “Harvest” (Alembical, November, 2008, Paper Golem Press, ed. Lawrence M. Schoen and Arthur Dorrance)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form:
METAtropolis (Audible.com, October, 2008)
WALL-E (Pixar, June, 2008)
Campbell:
John Armstrong
Aliette de Bodard
David Anthony Durham
Mark J Ferrari
Steven H Silver
Short Story Category:
“Silent As Dust” by James Maxey
Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, January 2008
Best Novel:
CHALICE by Robin McKinley
Best Editor (Short Form):
John Joseph Adams (hey, he’s my client, but he really does deserve it!)
Campbell Award: Jennifer Estep
Novel: JINX, by the aforementioned Jennifer Estep
Graphic Story: “Green Lantern: Secret Origin”
Dramatic Presentation Short: DR. HORRIBLE’S SING ALONG BLOG
Fanzine: ALEXIAD
Fan Writer: Joseph T. Major
Related Book:
SUPERMAN VS. HOLLYWOOD by Jake Rossen
BOYS OF STEEL: THE CREATORS OF SUPERMAN by Marc Tyler Nobleman and Ross Macdonald
Please note that
As I was starting to say before I hit the wrong key somewhere, please note that BOYS OF STEEL could also be nominated for Best Graphic Story.
Semiprozine: APEX DIGEST
[Edited to delete superfluous comments — JS]
Novel: ANATHEM by Neal Stephenson. That was the complete standout for me last year.
Bill
I encourage people to vote in the semiprozine category this year as it may be their last chance to do so.
Aside from my own (Clarkesworld Magazine), I recommend Weird Tales in this category.
Best Novel:
Sly Mongoose by Tobias S. Buckell
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Galaxy Blues by Allen M. Steele
Best Related book:
You Call This the Future?: The Greatest Inventions Sci-Fi Imagined and Science Promised by Nick Sagan, et al.
Thanks for doing this, John. A few quick points:
1. As usual we have recommendation lists up at SF Awards Watch. I’ll be adding a link back to this very shortly.
2. For categories please link to the official Hugo Awards web site. We can’t guarantee that Wikipedia gets things right.
3. For this year we have an extra trial category of Graphic Story. We already have a bunch of good suggestions here, but we need more because this is a new area for the Hugos. If anyone has any questions about eligibility for this, please ask.
In the Novella category I recommend:
1. Room of Lost Souls by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
2. The Erdmann Nexus by Nancy Kress
3. Mystery Hill by Alexander Irvine
In the Novelette category I recommend:
1. Immortal Snake by Rachel Pollack
2. Memory Dog by Kathleen Ann Goonan
3. Alastair Baffle’s Magic Emporium by Mike Resnick
In the short story category I recommend:
1. 26 Monkeys, also the Abyss by Kij Johnson
2. Listening for Submarines by Peter Higgins
3. Marrying the Sun by Rachel Swirsky
4. Mars: A Traveler’s Guide by Ruth Nestvold
In the pro artist category I recommend:
1. Charles Vess
2. Michael Kaluta
3. Darrel Anderson
In the semiprozine category I recommend:
1. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet
2. Weird Tales
3. Clarkesworld
In the Dramatic Presentation, short form catergory I recommend:
1. Middleman – Sino Mexican Revelation
In the Fan Artist category I recommend:
1. Steve Stiles
In the Fanzine category I recommend:
1. Some Fantastic
I heartily second Jenny Rae Rappaport’s recommendation of James Maxey’s excellent “Silent As Dust,” which appeared in the January 2008 issue of Intergalactic Medicine Show.
Shell out the $2.50 and read this one, folks. You’ll thank me for it.
For graphic novel, Girl Genius Volume 8 by Phil and Kaja Foglio.
Best Novel: Ill Met in the Arena by Dave Duncan
Best Graphic Story: “In the Cage” by Yuki Urushibara, in Mushishi volume 4. (Volumes 5-7 also came out in 2008 and are worth checking out.)
Campbell: Mark J. Ferrari (for The Book of Joby, published in 2007)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: “String From the Sky” or “Cotton Changeling”, from the Mushishi TV series (which is available legally on YouTube; detailed linkage here)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Hancock (though I have a feeling my mind may change once I have a chance to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
For the Campbell, check out Aliette de Bodard, Ted Kosmatka, Tony Pi, Sara Genge and Livia Llewellyn. Also a reminder that Jon Armstrong and David Anthony Durham, who were two of my fellow nominees last year, are still eligible this year.
Here’s a handy list of Campbell eligible authors with bibliographies and links.
For your consideration.
While there is still time to register to attend Anticipation, I note that according to the nomination form you linked to one has to have been a member by January 31st of this year in order to be eligible to nominate.
Novels: Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Nation by Terry Pratchett
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Campbell: Felix Gilman
Mark J. Ferrari
Graphic Story: Aetheric Mechanics by Warren Ellis
Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way (Yes, I know how that sounds. Read it anyway.
Best Related Book: Fables: Covers by James Jean
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Wall-E
Anne is correct – it is now too late to get nominating rights for Anticipation. However, if you join now (only a Supporting Membership required) then you will be able to vote in the final ballot for this year’s Hugos, and you will be able to nominate in next year’s Hugos at Aussiecon 4.
Dramatic presentation short form I’m nominating “The Pilot Episode Sanction” and “The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome” from The Middleman. Great adaptation of Grillo-Marxuach’s comic and extension thereof.
Although if either makes the ballot it’s sure to lose to Stephen Moffat’s “Silence in the Library.”
For Best Graphic Story, I’m nominating “The Ephemeral Proposition” by Minari Endoh from Dazzle volumes 5 through 7 (volume 7 was published in English in January 2008). Yes, I was the editor, but I love, love, love this manga to death, and this story has been the series’ high point of humor and heartbreak. I wish more people had taken the opportunity to read it.
I’m probably not as wide-read as many of you, but I did read through the Analog stories for the latter half of 2008. Of those, the following stories really stood out:
Tenbrook of Mars, by Dean McLaughlin. (Novella)
Invasion of the Pattern Snatchers, by David W. Goldman. (Short Story)
I’m going to have a go at reading the June-Dec Asimov’s before sending in nominations.
Best Dramatic Presentation: Long- The Anathem Audiobook (which manages to be interesting even while the story spins its wheels)
Best Semi-Prozine- The Internet Review of Science Fiction.
Best Fan Artist- Mo Starkey and Genevieve.
Chris
Anne KG Murphy @17:
Don’t know if this helps you, but do remember that if you were a member of Denvention 3 last year, you can nominate for Hugos at Anticipation (you still need to buy at least a supporting membership to vote on the final ballot, but there’s still time for that).
Hm. I clicked through to the comments to this post entirely to read the funny comment from Chang, Who Is Not Chang, and am disappointed to find Chang (Who Is Not Chang) still missing from the thread.
Well, I can only hope that Chang is well. And Chang, too, while I’m at it.
While the nomination time is gone, here are some dozen odd selections from may be 300 pieces of 2008 short fiction I’ve read so far.
Since I read a lot of graphic novel material, I’d like to suggest the following for the Graphic Story category:
La Muse (Adisakdi Tantimedh & Hugo Petrus) (Big Head Press)–“Watchmen” asked “How would the world change if you introduced just one Superman-level being into it?” “La Muse” asks “How would the world change if your Superman-level being was a sex-positive effective leftist activist?” It’s a dizzying mix of comedy, violence, celebrity satire, and politics.
Freakangels (Warren Ellis & Paul Duffield) (Avatar Press)–Another online comics serial which updates the “Midwich Cuckoos” scenario by setting the story a few minutes into the future and making the mutant children disaffected 20-somethings. Amazing manga-inspired art and some very nice Ellis black humor.
Black Summer (Warren Ellis & Juan Jose Ryp) (Avatar Press)–“What if Superman decided the only way to fight crime on the presidential level was to kill the president to give America a fresh start?” It’s heavier on the action than the politics, but it’s still a powerful read.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Wolves At The Gate (Dark Horse Comics)–Buffy and her Slayer Army wind up facing an army of unstoppable Japanese vampires. Features several funny Japanese pop culture parodies and yes, this is the one where Buffy explores her attraction for another woman.
Iron Man: The Five Nightmares (Marvel Comics)–Writer Matt Fraction and artist Salvador Larocca drag the technology-based superhero into the dark future of super-power based new generation terrorism.
I’m sure there’s more, but I’ll have to think about it.
Best Dramatic Presentation (Long)–Let The Right One In
Best Dramatic Presentation (Short)–
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
Presto! (Animated short that played before screenings of “WALL-E” which demonstrated that one is never too old for good slapstick comedy)
I’ve already sent in my nominations.
Best Novel
1. Last Argument of Kings, Joe Abercrombie
2. An Autumn War, Daniel Abraham
3. The Ten Thousand, Paul Kearney
4. Lavinia, Ursula Le Guin
5. Inside Straight, GRRM et al
Campbell Award
1. Toby Barlow (Sharp Teeth)
2. David Schwartz (Superpowers)
3. Adrian Tchaikovsky (Empire in Black and Gold)
When I read, I often mix new books and old ones so hopefully I can get to all the books that will be in the final round for voting.
I’d like to see CLockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti get a best novel nod.