Your 2013 SF/F Award Nomination Awareness Post: Readers and Fans

Posted on February 26, 2013    Posted by      121 Comments

The nomination period for the Hugo Awards comes to a close in just under two weeks (March 10th, to be precise), and there are other awards out there still to be considered, so more people are beginning to think seriously about what works and people they should nominate as the best in the science fiction and fantasy genre. I’m a big fan of making sure people consider as many works as they can before putting their nominations down in a permanent fashion, so today I want to offer space here on Whatever to readers and fans to offer up their suggestions for Hugo Award nomination consideration. If there’s a work (or person) you as a fan and/or reader want people to think about, here’s your chance to let the 50K or so Whatever readers — many of them Hugo and other award nominators and voters — know about it.

If you want to participate, here are the rules:

1. Please make sure that what you’re suggesting, work or person, is actually eligible for awards consideration this year. Generally speaking that means the work was published (or otherwise produced) in the last calendar year (i.e., 2012). If you’re not sure what you’re suggesting is eligible, please check. Otherwise you’re wasting your time and the time of everyone reading the thread for recommendations.

Also, it’s helpful if, when making a suggestion, you identify the category the work would be eligible for; so if you were going to suggest a novel, writing “Best Novel: [name of work, author of work]” up front would be awesome. This is especially useful in short fiction categories, where there are short stories, novelettes and novellas.

2. If the work you’re suggesting is (legally) readable online, feel free to provide a link, but note that too many links in one post (usually three or more) might send your post into the moderation queue, from whence I will have to free it in order for it to show up. If this happens, don’t panic, I’ll be going through the moderation queue frequently today to let posts out.

3. Only suggest the work of others. Self-suggestions will be deleted from the thread. If you want to suggest something you created, use the creators thread instead, which I posted earlier in the year.

4. Don’t suggest my work, please. I’ve already posted here about what of mine is eligible; this thread is for everything else.

5. The comment thread is only for making recommendations, not for commentary on the suggestions others are making or anything else. Extraneous, not-on-topic posts will be snipped out of the thread.

So, readers and fans: This year, for the Hugos and other science fiction and fantasy-related awards, what (and who) would you suggest other people keep in mind when they fill out their nomination ballots? Please tell us in the comments!

Category: Uncategorized    

121 Comments on “Your 2013 SF/F Award Nomination Awareness Post: Readers and Fans”

  1. Reminders:

    1. This is a thread to suggest the works of others, not your own.

    2. It’s very helpful — particularly for short fiction categories — to note what category you believe a work should be nominated for. I suggested a format for doing that in the first post of the entry; it really will be helpful to the folks who you want to consider the work.

    3. Before rushing to post a comment, please do read the rules; it makes for a better experience for everyone.

    4. Also, any posts that aren’t recommendations of work — for example, posts arguing with someone elses recommendation or suggestion — are likely to be snipped out. Let’s keep this thread useful for its intended purpose, please.

  2. Not sure if this is eligible since it was previously published as 5 separate shorts, but The Wool Omnibus, by Hugh Howey, was one of the best SF books I read published last year.

    Also, Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Drowned Cities, because it rocks, and it got snubbed by the Norton award.

  3. ONCE AGAIN, it will be useful if you note the category in which you think the thing you are suggesting should be nominated. Come on, guys. It’s not hard to follow directions.

  14. I would recommend two books to be nominated for Best novel.

    Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed and The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin

  16. I hope it doesn’t fall under the general ban on items previously covered, since it is in the same anthology as John’s “Muse of Fire”, but I’d like to recommend:

    Best Novelette: “The Lady Astronaut of Mars” by Mary Robinette Kowal
    She’s recently made this available online: http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/im-44-today-have-a-novelette-as-a-party-favour/

    A note for others considering contributing to the thread: I wasn’t sure of all of the Hugo categories, but I hope this link from the Hugo Awards site covers it: http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-categories/

    Lastly, John, I hope I got the category right for this. Since MRK referred to this as a “novelette,” I figured that was as close to gospel as I was going to get.

  19. I second Drowned Cities in the novel category. The portrayal of children soldiers was harrowing and so realistic that it broken my heart.

    I’d like to see Mirage by Matt Ruff considered for best novel also.

  21. Short stories I’m crazy about:

    “Robot” by Helena Bell
    “Sun Dogs” by Brooke Bolander
    “The Last Gorgon” by Rajan Khanna
    “How Many Miles to Babylon” by Megan Arkenberg
    “The Butcher of Londinium” by J. Deery Wray (Excerpt available, the rest is behind a paywall.)
    ““Breaking the Frame” by Kat Howard
    “The Sea of Trees” by Rachel Swirsky, from The Future Is Japanese (I don’t believe the text is available online)
    “Bearslayer and the Black Knight” by Tom Crosshill

    Novel I’m crazy about:

    The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett (Excerpt here)

    Fan Artist I’m crazy about:

    Galen Dara, for her work for Apex, Fireside, and Lightspeed.

  22. Best Novel : The long earth, Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter
    Best Novella : Legion, Brandon Sanderson
    Best Short Story: I defintely like to pick one from Jagannath, Karin Tidbeck but I cannot find which one are firt published in 2012 and if Hugo can award translated works.

  23. The Night Circus is a 2011 novel, or I would totally second that recommendation.

    I do second the recommendation of Angelmaker for Best Novel, and add to it a recommendation for Iain M. Banks’s The Hydrogen Sonata.

  25. I haven’t been reading current prose fiction, so these suggestions are for related categories.

    Dramatic Presentation (Long Form):

    The Cabin In The Woods
    Holy Motiors
    Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
    Dredd

    Dramatic Presentation (Short Form):

    Lost Girl–“Vexed” (The first mention of “Dr. Hotpants”)
    Lost Girl–“Raging Fae” (Bo meets the sister of her first victim)
    Dripped (Animated short about an art thief who takes on the properties of the paintings he eats)

    Graphic Novel

    Saga Book 1 (Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples)
    Prophet Book 1 (Brandon Graham wrote, I forget who drew this. But if you wanted something guaranteed to remind you of Heavy Metal magazine without the boobies, this is it.)
    Batwoman–“World’s Finest” (Batwoman teams up with Wonder Woman to face the menace of Medusa)

    I haven’t seen the Judge Dredd graphic novel “Trifecta” or the animated adaptation “The Dark Knight Returns Pt. 1” but I’ve heard good things about them.

  27. I got a subscription to Clarkesworld (at our humble proprietor’s suggestion a few months ago), and found some really great stuff in there this year. My favorites, in chronological order, all eligible in the Short Story category:

    “From Their Paws We Shall Inherit” – Gary Kloster, March 2012
    “The Womb Factory” – Peter M. Ferenczi, April 2012
    “Synch Me, Kiss Me, Drop” – Suzanne Church, May 2012
    “Mantis Wives” – Kij Johnson, August 2012
    “Aquatica” – Maggie Clark, November 2012

  29. Oops. Actually, the Leos Carax film is called “Holy Motors.” Also, if Webcomics qualify under Graphic Novels, then add to the list Greg Rucka and Rich Burchett’s “Lady Sabre and the Pirates of the Ineffable Aether.”

  30. Best Novel: “Pazuzu’s Girl” by Rachel Coles
    Best Novel: “Nexus” by Ramez Naam

    Best two books I’ve read all year. I wish I could put them in different categories so they weren’t competing.

  31. I have a long list of recommendations here, but below are some of the ones I’m most passionate about, with links to my reviews.

    Best Novel: Blackout, by Mira Grant, and The Killing Moon, by N.K. Jemisin.

    Best Novella: San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats, by Mira Grant.

    Best Graphic Story: Saga, Volume 1, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, and Atomic Robo, Vol. 6: The Ghost of Station X, by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener.

    Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Wreck-It Ralph.

    Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Chronicle.

    Best Fan Writer: Mark Oshiro (Mark Reads/Mark Watches), Seanan McGuire.

  32. Conflicted. For Best Novel 2012 I would hope that both the following might be nominated:

    The Hydrogen Sonata [Iain M. Banks] Released October 2012
    Existence [David Brin] Released June 2012

    Both were excellent, but are very different from one another. If I were forced to choose between them I would have to nod towards Existence.

    Cheers!

  33. Best Novel:
    The Long Earth, Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter
    Caliban’s War (The Expanse), James S.A. Corey
    Blackout, Mira Grant
    Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, Lois McMaster Bujold

    Should Hugos go to very entertaining tales or to works that add more interesting elements? I loved the Bujold but I’m still not convinced I should nominate it.

  34. I second for Best Novel, Hugh Howey’s “Wool Omnibus”. It appears to have been published January 2012. The book literally leaves you drooling for more…

  35. Best Fancast: Radio Free Skaro (Doctor Who podcast) http://www.radiofreeskaro.com/

    Best Related Work: Chicks Unravel Time: Women Journey Through Every Season of Doctor Who, edited by Deborah Stanish and L.M. Myles

    Best Semiprozine: Apex Magazine (A Magazine of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror) http://www.apex-magazine.com/

    Best Editor, Short Form: Lynne M. Thomas

    I’m a huge fan of all of these. I was interviewed once on Radio Free Skaro, but I don’t produce the show or anything, so I hope that won’t disqualify it as a suggestion.

  36. Can only recommend something for Best Novel, I generally do come across shorter works.

    For Best Novel – Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold.

  37. Best novel: has to be NK Jemisin’s ‘The Killing Moon’ (May 2012)
    I also loved:
    Best novel: Kate Griffin, ‘Stray Souls’ (Oct 2012)

  39. Also for Best Novel – Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, Lois McMaster Bujold

    Dramatic Presentation Long Form: … sad but I can’t think of one that stands out…
    Dramatic Presentation Short Form: The Angels Take Manhatten

  41. Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Iron Sky
    Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: “The Girl With the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo”, Supernatural

  42. For Best Novel:

    * The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan
    * 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
    * Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers
    * Any Day Now by Terry Bisson
    * Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson

    For Best Novella:

    * After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress
    * To Be Read Upon Your Waking by Robert Jackson Bennett (Subterranean Online)
    * On a Red Station, Drifting by Aliette de Bodard
    * Legion by Brandon Sanderson

    For Best Novelette:

    * Close Encounters by Andy Duncan
    * Arbeitskraft by Nick Mamatas
    * The Grinnell Method by Molly Glass
    * Komodo by Jeff VanderMeer
    * The Sympathy by Eric Gregory

    For Best Short Story: (very hard to limit to five…)

    * All the Painted Stars by Gwen Clare
    * Monstro by Junot Diaz
    * Earthrise by Lavie Tidhar
    * England Under the White Witch by Theodora Goss
    * Merea by Nancy Hightower

  43. I would like to recommend:

    Tansy Rayner Roberts for Fan Writer – http://tansyrr.com/

    Kathleen Jennings for both Pro Artist AND Fan Artist (check out her Dalek Game series for fan art, and she’s done a bunch of fantastic book covers) – http://tanaudel.wordpress.com/

    “Rainbird” by Rabia Gale for Best Novella – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15841824-rainbird

    “Significant Dust” by Margo Lanagan for Best Novelette – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13721357-cracklescape

    “Chicks Unravel Time: women journey through every season of Doctor Who” edited by Deborah Stanish & LM Myles for Best Related Work

    A couple for Best Fancast: Galactic Suburbia (Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce & Tansy Rayner Roberts) and The Writer and the Critic (Kirstyn McDermott & Ian Mond)

    Enjoy!

  44. @bampci It might be good to preface your short form suggestion with the note that it comes from Doctor Who.

  45. Best Novel: The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern’s ( For a first book it was a fantastic read)
    Best Dramatic, Long Form: Wreck-It-Ralph
    Best Dramatic, Short Form: Dr. Who – The Angels Take Manhattan
    Best Editor Long: Anne Groell, Bantam Spectra

    Those would be my picks ^^

  46. For Best Related Work:

    * How to Build an Android: The True Story of Philip K. Dick’s Robotic Resurrection by David Dufty

    For Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form:

    * Beasts of the Southern Wild
    * Prometheus
    * Safety Not Guaranteed

    For Best Editor, Long Form:

    * Whomever edited The Drowning Girl

    For Best Editor, Short Form:

    * Gordon Van Gelder, F&SF
    * Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Tor.com
    * Stanley Schmidt, Analog
    * John Joseph Adams, Lightspeed
    * Ann VanderMeer, Steampunk III: Steampunk Reloaded

    For Best Professional Artist:

    * Chris McGrath

    I have several good friends eligible for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (“Not a Hugo”) this year, and it’s really hard to pick only five, and hopefully they are still my friends after having to pick only five to mention:

    * Karin Tidbeck
    * Mur Lafferty
    * TC McCarthy
    * Ayize Jama-Everett
    * John Chu

  47. I’ll second David Brin’s EXISTENCE. Sadly, all my other reading this year is “catch-up” on older stuff.

  48. I would like to suggest Mark Oshiro for best Fan Writer.

    For those who don’t know him, he is a fan who reads Science Fiction and Fantasy books and watches SciFi TV shows, and records his reactions on YouTube or writes about them on his web site. He’s both hysterically funny and thought provoking. Most importantly, he’s a fan doing fannish stuff, and it would be nice to see him nominated in a category dominated by professional writers.

    For Scazi fans, he’s currently writing about Redshirts ( http://markreads.net/reviews/2013/02/mark-reads-redshirts-chapters-1-9/ ) and previously did the hilarious video for Shadow War of the Night Dragon ( http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/06/11/mark-reads-shadow-war-of-the-night-dragons/ )

  50. Best Fan Writer: Mark Oshiro (www.markreads.net also http://www.markwatches.net) for getting people to read/watch things they might not otherwise enjoy, for re-living the joy of going through a story and being surprised, and for being so honest and open about what is cool in the stories that people tell.

    Also, he just picked up Redshirts and it’s hilarious what he posted so far :)

  52. Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form: Bodacious Space Pirates, Episodes 4 & 5 – The Final Battle Is At Midnight/Marika Makes a Decision

    Episodes available on Hulu, and on Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll is available in the UK, if any voters from there are reading this.

    Considering that until we’ve had something of dearth of good SF TV series that aren’t particularly fantasy (or Doctor Who) of late, I really feel this series is one which slipped under the radar of most SF fans, as most SF fans generally don’t watch Japanese animation, particularly since most of the stuff coming out in the US of late has been slice of life stuff that also isn’t SF.

    Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form: To Boldly Flee.

    A few years back we had some fan works nominated for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (like F*** Me, Ray Bradbury). They didn’t win, but they were one of those cases where I feel like it was an great honor to be nominated, and it was a lot of great recognition of the work and creativity that went into those efforts. I feel the same thing applies to Channel Awesome’s To Boldly Flee miniseries. Some great work went into the series design, with some wickedly funny performances and acting – especially the performances of “Angry” Joe Vargas, Kyle Kallgren (who is also working on a SF short film of his own), and Julien Diaz.

  54. For best novel, definitely The Mirage by Matt Ruff and Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch.

  55. There are a huge number of worthy contenders in the Best Fancast category. I personally like Galactic Suburbia, Radio Free Skaro, The Oodcast, Verity!, The Incomparable, and The Writer and the Critic among the various podcasts I listen to and Fast Forward which is a public access tv show also available online.

    I recommend Steve Stile for Best Fan Artist.

    For Best Related work – Chicks Unravel Time which is a very interesting look at Dr Who where each of the contributors takes a season.

    For Best Novel, I really enjoyed N.K. Jemisin’s The Killing Moon

  59. For best Novel, I second both Brin’s _Existence_ and Banks’ _The Hydrogen Sonata_.

    For best dramatic (long form), I second _Wreck-It Ralph_.

  60. Best Novel
    Machine by Jennifer Pelland (Apex Publications)
    Best Pro Artist
    Maurizio Manzieri
    Best Graphic Story
    Anomaly by Brian Haberlin/Skip Brittenham (Anomaly Publishing)
    Best Related Work
    Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention by Paul Guinan & Anina Bennett (Abrams Image)
    Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
    Kara by David Cage (Quantic Dream/Sony Computer Entertainment )

  61. Nthing Mark Oshiro for Fan Writer! It came up elsewhere that you have to list an example of his work; the suggestion was to list one of his sites (Mark Reads or Mark Watches) rather than, say, a specific post.

    For the Campbell Best New Writer: Zen Cho is in her last year of eligibility. Her short fiction is great — wry and earthy speculative fiction, enough voice to wake a rock.

    I also want to stump for her short story “The Earth Spirit’s Favourite Anecdote”. It’s not available online, but she’s offered to email interested nominators a copy.

  62. This is an odd recommendation, since it was not sold as an SF book, but I would nominate “John Dies at the End” by David Wong for a novel Hugo. It’s the most wildly imaginative book I’ve read in years. Also “Dodger” by Terry Pratchett and “The Siren Depths” by Martha Wells.

    Dramatic Presentation Long Form has many good candidates. “The Avengers”, Season 2 of “Game of Thrones”, “Looper”, and Season 4 of “Fringe” are my suggestions.

    Dramatic Presentation Short Form: “Blackwater” directed by Neil Marshall, written by George R. R. Martin

  64. John Dies at the End came out in 2007. The sequel, This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don’t Touch It, came out last year and would be eligible for Best Novel.

  66. Lots of my favourites from this last year have been mentioned already – I’m particularly excited about recommending:

    Saga, by Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples (best graphic story)

    Katy Shuttleworth (best fan artist) – http://jigglykat.tumblr.com/tagged/i-did-this

    and best novelettes:
    The Lady Astronaut of Mars by Mary Robinette Kowal
    Significant Dust, by Margo Lanagan

    best short story:
    Valedictorian by NK Jemisin
    Mono No Aware by Ken Liu

    The novels of the year for me were:
    Sea Hearts/The Brides of Rollrock Island, Margo Lanagan
    The Diviners, Libba Bray
    Bitter Greens, Kate Forsyth

  67. Sadly, I never catch up to short fiction in time to nominate. But novels I can do. In no particular order:
    Caliban’s War, James S A Corey
    Existence, David Brin
    Great North Road, Peter F. Hamilton
    King of Thorns, Mark Lawrence
    Red Country, Joe Abercrombie
    A Once Crowded Sky, Tom King

  69. I’m happy to suggest three Best Novel candidates:

    Kim Stanley Robinson, 2312

    Jim C. Hines, Libriomancer

    Kawamata Chiaki, Death Sentences

    Though the Kawamata was originally published in 1984 in Japanese, it first appeared in English translation last year and is therefore eligible. As I imagine it’s unknown to nearly all your readership I’ll link to a lovely in-depth review over at Strange Horizons:

    http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2012/07/death_sentences.shtml

  70. Memory of Light was great — although I think the entire Wheel of Time series is actually eligible as well. (Per latest fandom scheming rumors, anyway. *grins*)

    Also, my (of not yet mentioned) nominations for Best Novel would be “Three Parts Dead” by Max Gladstone, “The Rook” by Daniel O’Malley, and “Discount Armageddon” by Seanan McGuire.

  71. (OT and to be deleted, just written here because it’s about nominating. It’s been battered around for years but when you ask a question there are a number of thoughtful replies, all in one place instead of scattershot. So I’m throwing it over to you as something you might consider asking. I confess that I have a selfish motive as well as this being a useful Hugo discussion: I’m still trying to figure it out.)

    How much reading should you have done within a category before nominating? Do you need a valid sample and if so, what is it? For example, you’ve read one related book and think it’s wonderful. Do you nominate it? Whatever you do it’s going to have an impact.

    You’ve skimmed a couple of magazines, or an anthology, or some other source just reading the short stories that caught your eye and held it. Is a valid sample stories from just those sources good enough to catch and hold your attention?

  72. One more graphic novel suggestion, with the caveat that I haven’t read it yet but have liked the previous entries: Bryan Talbot’s “Grandville Bete Noire”

  75. Best Novel
    Martha Wells – The Serpent Sea
    Martha Wells – The Siren Depths
    Rachel Hartman – Seraphina
    Andrea k. Host – And All the Stars
    Ben Aaronovitch – Whispers Underground

  76. Best Novel: The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan, Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers, Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin
    Best Novella: On a Red Station, Drifting by Aliette de Bodard
    Best Short Story: Immersion by Aliette de Bodard, Robot by Helena Bell
    Best Editor Short Form: Neil Clarke (Clarkesworld), Sheila Williams (Asimov’s)
    Best Semiprozine: Clarkesworld, Beneath Ceaseless Skies
    Best Fanzine: SFSignal
    Best Artist: Julie Dillon
    Campbell: Karin Tidbeck

  77. (Before this gets deleted)
    My two cents for Elspeth — I read over 100 novels last year, perhaps half of which would be eligible and not something older that I was just getting around to (or rereading). Of what’s been mentioned in this thread, I’ve read/seen perhaps 30% of the titles…. And I’ve no idea how I’d have fit in even just the ones that sound interesting that I’ve missed so far.

    In short, there’s no way to have both a life and a comprehensive reading list. Go ahead and nominate anyway; if you’ve read it and enjoyed it enough to want to recommend it to other people, that’s all the authority I think you need.

  82. Best Novel:
    vN by Madeline Ashby
    Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig
    The Straits of Galahesh by Brad Beaulieu
    Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
    Nexus by Ramez Naam

    Best Graphic Story:
    Hawkeye #1 by Matt Fraction and David Aja

    Campbell:
    Andrew Penn Romine

  88. Acknowledging the multiple recommendations for Mary Robinette Kowal’s highly-deserving “The Lady Astronaut of Mars,” I’d direct everyone’s attention to the other fantastic stories from Audible’s original anthology, RIP-OFF! (which also includes – and I hope this doesn’t incur The Wrath of Scalzi – John’s “Muse of Fire”):

    FIREBORN, Robert Charles Wilson
    THE EVENING LINE, Mike Resnick
    NO DECENT PATRIMONY, Elizabeth Bear
    THE BIG WHALE, Allen M. Steele
    BEGONE, Daryl Gregory
    THE RED MENACE, Lavie Tidhar
    WRITER’S BLOCK, Nancy Kress
    HIGHLAND REEL, Jack Campbell
    KARIN COXSWAIN, OR, DEATH AS SHE IS TRULY LIVED, Paul Di Filippo
    EVERY FUZZY BEAST OF THE EARTH, EVERY PINK FOWL OF THE AIR, Tad Williams
    DECLARATION, James Patrick Kelly
    All are eligible for Best Novelette (other than the Tad Williams, which would fall into Best Short Story).

    I listened to or read so many great books this year that it’s tough to limit my picks for Best Novel, but here are 5 very worthy choices:

    14 by Peter Clines
    THE LOST FLEET: INVINCIBLE by Jack Campbell
    THE COLDEST WAR by Ian Tregillis
    MONSTER HUNTER LEGION by Larry Correia
    PREPARE TO DIE! by Paul Tobin

    Finally, I heartily second Brandon Sanderson’s LEGION for Best Novella.

  90. For the Campbell Award for Best New Writer, Zen Cho, whose novelette “The House of Aunts” is the awesomest vampire story I’ve ever read (and god knows I hate vampires). There are more samples at her website: http://zencho.org

  91. Still have a pile of books and short stories from 2012 to read but from what I Have read:

    NOVEL:
    2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
    In the Mouth of the Whale by Paul McAuley
    Empty Space by M. John Harrison
    Jack Glass by Adam
    The Hydrogen Sonata by Iain M. Banks
    Caliban’s War by James S.A. Corey
    Blackout by Mira Grant
    Dark Eden y Chris Becket
    Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowall
    The Killing Moon/The Shadowed Sun by N.K.Jemison
    The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente

    Novellas:
    Katabasis by Robert Reed (F&SF)
    After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress
    To Be Read Upon Your Awakening by Robert Jackson Bennett (Subterranean Online)
    In The House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns by Elizabeth Bear (Asimovs)
    Sudden, Broken and Unexpected by Stephen Popkes (Asimov’s)
    San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats by Mira Grant (Orbit)
    Twenty Lights to the ‘Land of Snow'” by Michael Bishop (GOING INTERSTELLAR)
    Let Maps to Others by J.J. Parker (Subterranean Online)
    The Weight of History, The Lightness of the Future by Jay Lake (Subterranean)

    Novellettes:
    Firebugs by Nina Kiriki Hoffman – (Eclipse Online)
    Close Encounter by Andy Duncan (THE POTTAWATOMIE GIANT AND OTHER STORIES)
    Holmes Sherlock: A Hwarhath Mystery by Eleanor Arnason (Eclipse Online)
    The Waves by Ken Liu (Asimovs)
    Strigoi by Lavie Tidhar (Interzone)
    Fade to White by Catherynne M. Valente (Clarkesworld)
    Fireborn by Robert Charles Wilson (RIP-OFF!)
    The Color Least Used by Nature by Ked Kosmatka (F&SF)
    One Little Room an Everywhere by K.J. Bishop (Eclipse Online)
    Tumbling Nancy by Ian R. Macleod (Subterranean Online)
    Drive by James S.A. Corey (EDGE OF INFINITY)
    Weep for Day by Indraprimit Das (Asimovs)
    Mating Habits of the Late Cretaceous by Dale Bailey (Asimovs)
    The Finite Canvas by Brit Mandelo (Tor.com)

    Short Stories:
    Macy Minnot’s Last Christmas on Dione,Ring Racing, Fiddler’s Green, The Potter’s Garden by Paul McAuley (EDGE OF INFINITY)
    Memcordist by Lavie Tidhar (Eclipse Online)
    Five Ways to Fall in Love on Porcelain Planet by Cat Rambo (NEAR+FAR)
    A Hundred Ghosts Parade Tonight by Xia Jia (Clarkesworld)
    Ruminations in an Alien Tongue by Vandana Singh (Lightspeed)
    mua-Ka’s Child by Indraprimit Das (Clarkesworld)
    Starsong by Aliette de Bodard (Asimovs)
    Immersion by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld)
    The Woman Who Fooled Death Three Times by Eleanor Arnason (F&SF)
    Joke in Four Panels AKA Madalyn Morgan by Robert Shearman (just so special.com)
    The Black Feminists Guide to Science Fiction Film by Sandra McDonald (Asimovs)
    Beautiful Boys by Theodora Goss (Asimovs)
    The Girl Thing Who Went Out for Sushi by Pat Cadigan (EDGE OF INFINITY)
    The Department of Alterations by Gennifer Albin (Tor.com)
    Day of the Kraken by Michael Swanwick (Tor.com)
    Scattered Along the River of Heaven by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld)

  92. I’d also like to see these:
    Campbell award for best new author for both Rachel Coles for “Pazuzu’s Girl” and Ramez Naam for “Nexus”

  93. A few suggestions for your consideration.

    Best Novel: The Drowning Girl: A Memoir by Caitlin Kiernan

    Best Short Story:
    Feed Her Honey When You Hear Her Scream by Maria Davhana (Lightspeed)
    Fade to White by Catherynne Valente (Clarkesworld)
    A Silly Love Story by Nicole Cipri (Daily Science Fiction)
    (To See Each Other) Whole Against the Sky by E. Catherine Tobler (Clarkesworld)
    Immersion by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld)

    Best Semi-Pro Publication: Clarkesworld, Apex, Lightspeed

    Best Editor (Short Form): Neil Clarke, John Joseph Adams, Ellen Datlow, Lynne Thomas

    Best Fan Writer:
    Fran Wilde (Cooking the Books)
    Bogi Takacs (prezzey.net)

    Campbell Award: Bernie Mojzes

  95. Best Novel:
    Kim Stanley Robinson, 2312

    It’s a dizzying “collage” novel packed full of enough wildly wonderful SFnal ideas for dozens of novels. Completely blew my mind, in a good way.

  98. I emphatically second Steve Feldberg’s vote for “14” by Peter Clines in the Best Novel category. Today’s “Big Idea” with the author reminded me how full of awesome that book was.

  99. Best Novel: Wool (Omnibus edition) – Hugh Howey, blew me away, also eligible and will nominate for the not a Hugo Campbell for best new author.
    – other contestants – 2312, Existence (important hard SF), Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance (entertaining fluff), The Hydrogen Sonata, and The Long Earth,
    Best Novella: Legion by Sanderson.
    Best Novelette: The Lady Astronaut of Mars by Mary Robinette Kowal, Fireborn by Robert Charles Wilson.
    Best Short Story:The Wisdom of Ants by Thoraiya Dyer,
    Best Fanzine: SFSignal, The Mary Sue
    Best Fancast – Starship Sofa and Escape Pod.
    Dramatic Presentation Long Form – The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, The Secret World of Arrietty and John Carter (seriously)
    Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form): Chronicle
    Best Semi-Pro Publication: Clarkesworld
    Best Fan Artist: Peri Charlifu, Joey Hi-Fi
    Best Professional Artist: Alejandro Colucci, John Picacio, Daniel Dos Santos, Stephan Martiniere, Julie Dillon
    Best Fan Writer: Mark Oshiro, John DeNardo

    In the next few days I might run across or remember some more for my ballot, and narrow down that Novel list.

  100. Well, we had an informal poll at our end and came up with suggestions for Best SF novels and Best SF Films with links to trailers. Interestingly, many of these appear in the above comments!

    Personally for Best Novel I would go for Demi-Monde Spring by Rod Rees. OK so it is a continuation of Demi-Monde Winter but it is such a masterful blend of hard SF and steampunk (being true to both sub-genres), together with some great word play and occasional humorous brief digressions, that it is quite staggering that mainstream fandom seems not to have picked up on it. (Although the reviews on bookselling sites tend to be highly favourable.)

    Also for Best SF Novel I would recommend Iain Banks’ Hydrogen Sonata. Aside from this being a cracking ‘Culture’ novel (widescreen space opera), Iain is also an author who does not seem to have accrued the Hugo attention he arguably warrants from both his sales and mundane critical acclaim garnered since the 1980s.

    Of course what we really need is a separate category for ‘Best Fantasy Novel’, but that’s probably a topic for another posting and thread.

    As for Best Films (Dramatic Presentation Long Form), Hugo voters seem fixated on Hollywood, but for those feeling adventurous, who can cope with a film in another language (yes, I know it means subtitles) and who don’t need rockets and ray guns (oh well, you can have a space craft) then I’d recommend a Spanish offering, director Nacho Vigalondo’s Extraterrestrial, and you can see the trailer here.

    As for Dramatic Presentation Short Form this Hugo category is broke and I will not be nominating in this category. Has the international SF community really been saying for the past half decade that Dr Who is just about the only TV series worthy of a ‘Science Fiction Achievement Award’? (And yes, I have been a fan of the series since episode one with William Hartnell.) A possible fix might be stipulating that fans may not nominate a TV series/ webseries etc more than once on their nomination form. The result would be that a range of top TV series, webseries, and standalones would make the ballot and with respect to series, the episode that was cited the most on nomination forms would be the one on the ballot. But perhaps this too should be the subject of another posting and comment thread…

    Episodes aside, the short form dramas I enjoyed greatly in 2012 included the staggeringly brilliant, hard SF webseries H+ and television’s The Big Bang Theory, both from your side of the Pond.

    –

    (There are two nominations for Wreck-It Ralph for Best Dramatic Presentation Long Form in comments above. Guess this hasn’t had a general release in Europe yet or I have missed it. Am looking forward to checking it out. Many thanks folks.)

  101. Nominations for Best Novel
    Wool (Omnibus edition) by Hugh Howey
    Caliban’s War by James S.A. Corey
    The King’s Blood by Daniel Abraham
    The Hydrogen Sonata by Iain M. Banks

    Nominations for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
    Prometheus, directed by Ridley Scott
    The Dark Knight Rises, directed by Christopher Nolan

    Nominations for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
    Game of Thrones “Blackwater” (Episode 19)

    That is all…

  102. My ballot so far (trying like crazy to get some short-story reading in this week. I rarely read them, and I’m realizing that’s a mistake):

    Best Novel:
    Monster Hunter Legion – Larry Correia
    Caliban’s War – James S.A. Corey
    The Rook – Daniel O’Malley
    The Long Earth – Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter
    Faith – John Love

    Best Novellette:
    Sigma Structure Symphony – Gregory Benford

    Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form:
    Wreck it Ralph
    The Cabin in the Woods
    Avengers Assemble/Marvel’s The Avengers

    John W. Campbell:
    John Love, for Faith

  103. I don’t have strong opinions about most of the categories, but I plan on nominating Ferret Steinmetz’s “Dead Merchandise” for best short story and “Ghosts With Sh*t Jobs” for Best Dramatic Performance, Long Form.

  104. Best Novel: BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore. It deals with the issues of blame and responsibility under tyranny, and asks how and if there is a way to heal from old wounds. Also: code-breaking and inventing the printing press.

  105. A few more:
    Best Fanzine – SF Mistressworks: by Ian Sales
    Best Related Work – Striking a Pose: Women and Fantasy Covers – Jim C Hines (Blog post that lead to a lot of others following in his footsteps.)
    Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form) – Game of Thrones: Episoode 2.19, “Blackwater”
    – Sight – short video project –

    – Dr. Who “The Snowmen” (since I must).

  106. Best Novel: The Shadowed Sun by N. K. Jemisin. Of the books that were published in 2012 that I read this was my favourite.

  107. Novelette: Carrie Vaughn “Astrophilia,” Clarkesworld, July 2012
    Short Story: Carrie Vaughn “Don Quixote,” Armored, ed. John Joseph Adams
    Novel: Caliban’s War by James S.A. Corey

  109. Best Novel:
    Wool: Omnibus by Hugh Howey
    Caliban’s War by James SA Corey
    The Rook by David O’Malley

    Best Novella:
    Legion by Brandon Sanderson
    Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson

    Best Fancast:
    Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy
    Sword and Laser

    Best Editor:
    John Joseph Adams

    Dramatic Presentation, Long Form:
    Cabin in the Woods

    Campbell Award for New Writer:
    Hugh Howey
    David O’Malley

  112. Best Novel:
    Dani and Eytan Kollin The Unincorporated Future Tor Books
    The continuation of an excellent series that just keeps gaining speed as the scope of the story expands from a man, to a world, to a galaxy, to cyberspace.
    Simon R. Green The Bride Wore Black Leather Ace Books
    The final chapter in the Nightside series. A fitting end to the story of John Taylor, urban fantasy gumshoe, as he becomes part of the authority he has fought for so long.
    Best Graphic Story:
    Jim Zub Skullkickers: Vol. 3 Image Comics Creator-owned fantasy of a humor and quality I haven’t enjoyed in a comic since the classic Conan stories by John Buscema of the ’80s.

  114. Best Related Work: Lee Moyer’s 2013 Literary Pin-up Calendar.

    Featuring authors Peter S. Beagle, Ray Bradbury, Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Jacqueline Carey, Neil Gaiman, Charlaine Harris, Robin Hobb, N.K. Jemisin, George R. R. Martin, Terry Pratchett, and Patrick Rothfuss. It was published by and for the charity Worldbuilders (benefiting Heifer International).

    http://leemoyer.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/2013calendarblog.jpg

    I’ve sat, hemming and hawing, on the sidelines here for some time now. I’m a fan, yes. But a fan whose background with the Worldbuilders charity and with artist Lee Moyer, just might almost make me a “creator”. I feel that the Literary Pin-up Calendar Lee painted is deserving of Hugo attention. I hope I have not erred in suggesting it here.

    My very best wishes,
    Venetia Charles.

  115. Best Novel: Monster Hunter Legion by Larry Correia
    Graphic Story: Schlock Mercenary: Random Access Memorabilia by Howard Taylor

  116. A couple of people have mentioned A Memory of Light, and it’s a great book — but it was released in January (2013), which I believe means it won’t be eligible until the next round of Hugos.

  117. Best Novel: Tim Powers, “Hide Me Among the Graves”
    Best Novella: “Unearthed” by William Preston (in Asimov’s)
    Best Short Story: “Branches on my Back, Sparrows in my Ear,” by Nikki North; “Native” by Eric Cline (both in James Gunn’s Ad Astra) http://www.adastra.ku.edu
    Best Related: The Literary Imagination from Erasmus Darwin to H.G. Wells: Science, Evolution, Ecology, by Michael Page
    Best Graphic Novel: Saga
    Best Editor (Short Form): Lynne Thomas (Apex), Sheila Williams (Asimov’s)
    Best Semipro: Apex

  119. Best Fancast:
    The Sword and Laser

    S&L is a brilliant fancast. It features engaging discussions on books, a plethora of insightful author interviews (including one with our host, John Scalzi) and a pair of incredibly passionate, lovely hosts to boot!

    You can check it out here: http://swordandlaser.com/

  120. I’m curious to find out what polysopter blog system you’re working with? I am experiencing some small security issues with my latest site and I would prefer to find some thing more safeguarded. Do you’ve any ideas?

WHATEVER


Taunting the tauntable since 1998
John Scalzi, proprietor – JS
Athena Scalzi, editor – AMS
About the site

Whatever Days
February 2013
S M T W T F S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
2425262728  
Whatarchives
Whatever Holiday Gift Guide 2023!

Need gifts for the holidays? The Whatever gift guide has you covered! Click on the links below for books, crafts, art and other cool stuff!
11/27: Traditionally Published Books
11/28: Non-Traditionally Published Books
11/29: Crafts, Art, Music and More
11/30: Fan Recommendations (Books and more)
12/1: Charities
Holiday music from Matthew Ryan and me. Visit Matthew's Bandcamp for more music from him.
The Big Idea

What's the Big Idea? Authors explaining the the big ideas behind their latest works, in their own words. See the latest Big Ideas!

Authors/Editors/Publicists: for information on how to participate, click here.

Translate Whatever
Random Whatever
Click this link -- and you'll be taken to a random Whatever entry in the archive. Which one will you get? Got me!
Subscribe to Whatever

%d