Tag: 2019 hugo awards

2019 Hugo Awards: Longlist

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I started this post just after the Hugo Award Ceremony last year, but got busy and didn’t finish until now.  So while we wait for this year’s finalist announcement, let’s take one last look at the results from 2019.

On August 18th, Dublin 2019 – An Irish Worldcon presented the 2019 Hugo Awards, the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.  Here are the winners, the finalists in the order they placed, and the longlist of nominees.  The number in parentheses indicates the finalist’s place at the nomination stage.

Best Novel

Finalists

  1. (1) The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
  2. (2) Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey / Macmillan)
  3. (4) Record of a Spaceborn Few, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
  4. (3) Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)
  5. (5) Revenant Gun, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  6. (6) Space Opera, by Catherynne M. Valente (Saga / Corsair)

Longlist

  1. The Poppy War, by R.F. Kuang (Harper Voyager)
  2. Blackfish City, by Sam J. Miller (Ecco / Orbit)
  3. Foundryside, by Robert Jackson Bennett (Crown / Jo Fletcher)
  4. Witchmark, by C.L. Polk (Tor.com Publishing)
  5. The Consuming Fire, by John Scalzi (Tor)
  6. Circe, by Madeline Miller (Little, Brown / Bloomsbury)
  7. In the Vanishers’ Palace, by Aliette de Bodard (JABberwocky Literary Agency)
  8. Semiosis, by Sue Burke (Tor / Harper Voyager)
  9. Before Mars, by Emma Newman (Ace / Gollancz)
  10. Red Moon, by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)

Best Novella

Finalists

  1. (2) Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
  2. (1) The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency)
  3. (3) Beneath the Sugar Sky, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
  4. (7) The Black God’s Drums, by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com Publishing)
  5. (8) Binti: The Night Masquerade, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
  6. (5) Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson (Tor.com Publishing)

Longlist

  1. (declined) Exit Strategy, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
  2. (declined) Rogue Protocol, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
  3. Time Was, by Ian McDonald (Tor.com Publishing)
  4. The Descent of Monsters, by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
  5. The Flowers of Vashnoi, by Lois McMaster Bujold (Spectrum Literary Agency)
  6. The Freeze-Frame Revolution, by Peter Watts (Tachyon)
  7. “Umbernight,” by Carolyn Ives Gilman (Clarkesworld 137, February 2018)
  8. The Expert System’s Brother, by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor.com Publishing)
  9. Kingdom of Needle and Bone, by Mira Grant (Subterranean Press)
  10. Alice Payne Arrives, by Kate Heartfield (Tor.com Publishing)

Best Novelette

Finalists

  1. (2) “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 29 November 2018)
  2. (3) “The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections,” by Tina Connolly (Tor.com, 11 July 2018)
  3. (4) “The Thing About Ghost Stories,” by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
  4. (6) “Nine Last Days on Planet Earth,” by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com, 19 September 2018)
  5. (1) The Only Harmless Great Thing, by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com Publishing)
  6. (5) “When We Were Starless,” by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld 145, October 2018)

Longlist

  1. “How to Swallow the Moon,” by Isabel Yap (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
  2. “The Substance of My Lives, the Accidents of Our Births,” by José Pablo Iriarte (Lightspeed, January 2018)
  3. “A Study In Oils,” by Kelly Robson (Clarkesworld 144, September 2018)
  4. “An Agent of Utopia,” by Andy Duncan (An Agent of Utopia, Small Beer Press)
  5. “The Privilege of the Happy Ending,” by Kij Johnson (Clarkesworld 143, August 2018)
  6. “Evernight,” by Victor Milán (Tor.com, 14 February 2018)
  7. “Thirty-Three Percent Joe,” by Suzanne Palmer (Clarkesworld 145, October 2018)
  8. “The Nearest,” by Greg Egan (Tor.com, 19 July 2018)
  9. “A World to Die For,” by Tobias S. Buckell (Clarkesworld 136, January 2018)
  10. “No Flight Without the Shatter,” by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com, 15 August 2018)

Best Short Story

Finalists

  1. (1) “A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)
  2. (3) “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,” by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine, February 2018)
  3. (4) “The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society,” by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
  4. (2) “STET,” by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine, October 2018)
  5. (5) “The Court Magician,” by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed, January 2018)
  6. (6) “The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat,” by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine 23, July-August 2018)

Longlist

  1. “Meat And Salt And Sparks,” by Rich Larson (Tor.com, 6 June 2018)
  2. “Field Biology of the Wee Fairies,” by Naomi Kritzer (Apex Magazine, September 2018)
  3. “Waterbirds,” by G.V. Anderson (Lightspeed, July 2018)
  4. “Sour Milk Girls,” by Erin Roberts (Clarkesworld 136, January 2018)
  5. “She Still Loves the Dragon,” by Elizabeth Bear (Uncanny Magazine 20, January-February 2018)
  6. “The Starship and the Temple Cat,” by Yoon Ha Lee (Beneath Ceaseless Skies 244, 1 February 2018)
  7. “You Can Make a Dinosaur, but You Can’t Help Me,” by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny Magazine 23, July-August 2018)
  8. “Mother Tongues,” by S. Qiouyi Lu (Asimov’s Science Fiction, January-February 2018)
  9. “Asphalt, River, Mother, Child,” by Isabel Yap (Strange Horizons, 8 October 2018)
  10. “And Yet,” by A.T. Greenblatt (Uncanny Magazine 21, March-April 2018)

Best Series

Finalists

  1. (2) Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
  2. (4) The Laundry Files, by Charles Stross (most recently Orbit / Tor.com publishing)
  3. (1) Machineries of Empire, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  4. (3) The October Daye Series, by Seanan McGuire (most recently DAW)
  5. (5) The Universe of Xuya, by Aliette de Bodard (most recently Subterranean Press)
  6. (6) The Centenal Cycle, by Malka Older (Tor.com Publishing)

Longlist

  1. The Earthsea Cycle, by Ursula K. Le Guin (most recently Saga / Gollancz)
  2. The Murderbot Diaries, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
  3. Wild Cards, edited by George R.R. Martin with Melinda M. Snodgrass (most recently Tor / Harper Voyager)
  4. The Foreigner Universe, by C.J. Cherryh (most recently DAW)
  5. Planetfall, Emma Newman (Ace / Gollancz)
  6. The Invisible Library, by Genevieve Cogman (Pan / Ace)
  7. Sin du Jour, by Matt Wallace (Tor.com Publishing)
  8. The Fractured Europe Sequence, by Dave Hutchinson (Solaris)
  9. The Arcadia Project, by Mishell Baker (Saga)
  10. Peter Grant / Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch (most recently Gollancz / DAW)

Best Related Work

Finalists

  1. (2) Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
  2. (6) Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing, by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon (Tin House Books)
  3. (3) An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000, by Jo Walton (Tor)
  4. (4) The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 (Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, John Picacio)
  5. (5) The Hobbit Duology (documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan (YouTube)
  6. (1) Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, by Alec Nevala-Lee (Dey Street Books)

Longlist

  1. Fire and Blood, by George R.R. Martin (Bantam / Harper Voyager)
  2. Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded, by Jason Heller (Melville House)
  3. Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece, by Michael Benson (Simon & Schuster)
  4. “I Belong Where the People Are: Disability and The Shape of Water,” by Elsa Sjunneson-Henry (Tor.com, 16 January 2018)
  5. “Hard Enough,” by Marissa Lingen (Uncanny Magazine 21, March-April 2018)
  6. How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler, by Ryan North (Riverhead)
  7. “The 2017 #BlackSpecFicReport,” by Cecily Kane (Fireside Magazine, August 2018)
  8. Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin, written and directed by Arwen Curry (Grasshopper Film)
  9. “One Atom of Justice, One Molecule of Mercy, and the Empire of Unsheathed Knives,” by Alexandra Rowland (festive.ninja, 17 November 2018)
  10. “On motherhood and erasure: people-shaped holes, hollow characters and the illusion of impossible adventures,” by Aliette de Bodard (Intellectus Speculativus, 3 December 2018)

Best Graphic Story

Finalists

  1. (1) Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
  2. (4) Black Panther: Long Live the King, written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino, and Tana Ford (Marvel)
  3. (3) Abbott, written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colors by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios)
  4. (2) Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
  5. (6) Paper Girls, Volume 4, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colors by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher (Image Comics)
  6. (5) On a Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden (First Second)

Longlist

  1. The Wicked + The Divine, Volume 7: Mothering Invention, written by Kieron Gillen, art by Jamie McKelvie, colors by Matt Wilson, letters by Clayton Cowles (Image Comics)
  2. The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins, written by Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, and Travis McElroy; art by Carey Pietsch (First Second)
  3. Ms. Marvel, Volume 9: Teenage Wasteland, written by G. Willow Wilson, art by Nico Leon, colors by Ian Herring, letters by Joe Caramagna (Marvel)
  4. The Electric State, by Simon Stålenhag (Simon & Schuster UK / Skybound Books)
  5. Shuri: The Search for Black Panther, written by Nnedi Okorafor, art by Leonardo Romero, colors by Jodie Bellaire, letters by Joe Sabino (Marvel)
  6. X-Men Gold, Annual #2, written by Seanan McGuire, art by Marco Failla, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, letters by Cory Petit (Marvel)
  7. Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider, Issue #1, written by Seanan McGuire, art by Rosi Kämpe, colors by Ian Herring, letters by Clayton Cowles (Marvel)
  8. Mister Miracle, Issues #1-12, written by Tom King, art and colors by Mitch Gerads, letters by Clayton Cowles (DC Comics)
  9. Runaways, Volume 1: Find Your Way Home, written by Rainbow Rowell, art by Kris Anka, colors by Matthew Wilson, letters by Joe Caramagna (Marvel)
  10. The Forever War: Forever Free, written by Joe Haldeman and Gay Haldeman, art by Marvano (Titan)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Finalists

  1. (2) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman (Sony)
  2. (1) Black Panther, written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, directed by Ryan Coogler (Marvel Studios)
  3. (4) Avengers: Infinity War, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Studios)
  4. (3) Annihilation, directed and written for the screen by Alex Garland, based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer (Paramount Pictures / Skydance)
  5. (6) A Quiet Place, screenplay by Scott Beck, John Krasinski, and Bryan Woods, directed by John Krasinski (Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night)
  6. (5) Sorry to Bother You, written and directed by Boots Riley (Annapurna Pictures)

Longlist

  1. A Wrinkle in Time, screenplay by Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell, based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle, directed by Ava DuVernay (Walt Disney Pictures / Whitaker Entertainment)
  2. Solo: A Star Wars Story, written by Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan, based on characters by George Lucas, directed by Ron Howard (Lucasfilm)
  3. The Expanse (Season 3), developed by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, based on the series of novels by James S. A. Corey (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
  4. Incredibles 2, written and directed by Brad Bird (Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios)
  5. Ready Player One, screenplay by Zak Penn and Ernest Cline, based on the novel by Ernest Cline, directed by Steven Spielberg (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  6. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, written by Charlie Brooker, directed by David Slade (House of Tomorrow / Netflix)
  7. Deadpool 2, screenplay by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds, directed by David Leitch (20th Century Fox / Marvel Entertainment)
  8. Isle of Dogs, written and directed by Wes Anderson (Indian Paintbrush / American Empirical Pictures)
  9. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Season 1), developed by Noelle Stevenson (DreamWorks Animation Television / Netflix)
  10. Ant-Man and the Wasp, written by Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari, directed by Peyton Reed (Marvel Studios)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

Finalists

  1. (2) The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)
  2. (5) The Expanse: “Abaddon’s Gate,” written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck, and Naren Shankar, directed by Simon Cellan Jones (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
  3. (4) Doctor Who: “Demons of the Punjab,” written by Vinay Patel, directed by Jamie Childs (BBC)
  4. (3) Doctor Who: “Rosa,” written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, directed by Mark Tonderai (BBC)
  5. (6) The Good Place: “Jeremy Bearimy,” written by Megan Amram, directed by Trent O’Donnell (NBC)
  6. (1) Dirty Computer, written by Janelle Monáe and Chuck Lightning, directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning (Wondaland Arts Society / Bad Boy Records / Atlantic Records)

Longlist

  1. Doctor Who: “The Woman Who Fell to Earth,” written by Chris Chibnall, directed by Jamie Childs (BBC)
  2. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: “Promise,” written by Noelle Stevenson, storyboard by  Polly Guo and Mickey Quinn, directed by Jen Bennett (DreamWorks Animation Television / Netflix)
  3. Westworld: “Kiksuya,” written by Carly Wray and Dan Dietz, directed by Uta Briesewitz (HBO)
  4. Steven Universe: “Reunited,” written and storyboarded by Miki Brewster, Jeff Liu, Katie Mitroff, and Paul Villeco, directed by Joe Johnston and Liz Artinian (Cartoon Network)
  5. The Expanse: “Immolation,” written by Alan DiFiore, directed by Jeff Woolnough (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
  6. The Magicians: “A Life in the Day,” written by Mike Moore, directed by John Scott (Syfy)
  7. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: “Princess Prom,” written by Josie Campbell, storyboard by  Jasmine Goggins, Polly Guo, Kiki Manrique, and Mickey Quinn, directed by Jen Bennett (DreamWorks Animation Television / Netflix)
  8. Star Trek: Discovery: “What’s Past Is Prologue,” written by Ted Sullivan, directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi (CBS)
  9. The Expanse: “Fallen World,” written by Dan Nowak, directed by Jennifer Phang (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
  10. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: “The Good, the Bad and the Cuddly,” written by Marc Guggenheim and Phil Klemmer, directed by Dermott Downs (DC Entertainment / The CW)

Best Editor, Short Form

Finalists

  1. (4) Gardner Dozois
  2. (3) Neil Clarke
  3. (6) Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas
  4. (5) Julia Rios
  5. (2) Lee Harris
  6. (1) E. Catherine Tobler

Longlist

  1. Jonathan Strahan
  2. John Joseph Adams
  3. Sheila Williams
  4. C. C. Finlay
  5. Scott H. Andrews
  6. Ellen Datlow
  7. S.B. Divya and Mur Lafferty
  8. Dominik Parisien
  9. Trevor Quachri
  10. Ann VanderMeer

Best Editor, Long Form

Finalists

  1. (1) Navah Wolfe
  2. (5) Sheila E. Gilbert
  3. (6) Beth Meacham
  4. (4) Diana Pho
  5. (2) Gillian Redfearn
  6. (3) Anne Lesley Groell

Longlist

  1. Joe Monti
  2. Jenni Hill
  3. Brit Hvide
  4. Sarah Guan
  5. Lee Harris
  6. Liz Gorinsky
  7. Miriam Weinberg
  8. Anne Sowards
  9. Toni Weisskopf
  10. Devi Pillai

Best Professional Artist

Finalists

  1. (2) Charles Vess
  2. (3) Galen Dara
  3. (5) Yuko Shimizu
  4. (6) Victo Ngai
  5. (1) John Picacio
  6. (4) Jaime Jones

Longlist

  1. Tommy Arnold
  2. Julie Dillon
  3. Will Staehle
  4. Greg Ruth
  5. Simon Stålenhag
  6. Rovina Cai
  7. Sana Takeda
  8. Michael Komarck
  9. Reiko Murakami
  10. Maurizio Manzieri

Best Semiprozine

Finalists

  1. (1) Uncanny Magazine, publishers/editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, managing editor Michi Trota, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky, Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue editors-in-chief Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Dominik Parisien
  2. (2) Strange Horizons, edited by Jane Crowley, Kate Dollarhyde, Vanessa Rose Phin, Vajra Chandrasekera, Romie Stott, Maureen Kincaid Speller, and the Strange Horizons Staff
  3. (4) Fireside Magazine, edited by Julia Rios, managing editor Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, copyeditor Chelle Parker, social coordinator Meg Frank, special features editor Tanya DePass, founding editor Brian White, publisher and art director Pablo Defendini
  4. (5) Beneath Ceaseless Skies, editor-in-chief and publisher Scott H. Andrews
  5. (6) FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, executive editors Troy L. Wiggins and DaVaun Sanders, editors L.D. Lewis, Brandon O’Brien, Kaleb Russell, Danny Lore, and Brent Lambert
  6. (3) Shimmer, publisher Beth Wodzinski, senior editor E. Catherine Tobler

Longlist

  1. Escape Pod, edited by Mur Lafferty and S.B. Divya
  2. The Book Smugglers, edited by Ana Grilo and Thea James
  3. PodCastle, edited by Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali and Jen R. Albert
  4. Interzone, edited by Andy Cox
  5. GigaNotoSaurus, edited by Rashida J. Smith
  6. Lightspeed Magazine, edited by John Joseph Adams
  7. Cast of Wonders, edited by Marguerite Kenner
  8. Shoreline of Infinity, edited by Noel Chidwick
  9. Apex Magazine, edited by Jason Sizemore
  10. GlitterShip, edited by Keffy R. M. Kehrli

Best Fanzine

Finalists

  1. (1) Lady Business, editors Ira, Jodie, KJ, Renay & Susan
  2. (4) nerds of a feather, flock together, editors Joe Sherry, Vance Kotrla, and The G
  3. (3) Journey Planet, edited by Team Journey Planet
  4. (6) Galactic Journey, founder Gideon Marcus, editor Janice Marcus
  5. (5) Quick Sip Reviews, editor Charles Payseur
  6. (7) Rocket Stack Rank, editors Greg Hullender and Eric Wong

Longlist

  1. (declined) File 770, edited by Mike Glyer
  2. Women Write About Comics, edited by Megan Purdy
  3. The Rec Center, edited by Elizabeth Minkel and Gavia Baker-Whitelaw
  4. SF Bluestocking, edited by Bridget McKinney
  5. Banana Wings, edited by Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer
  6. The Drink Tank, edited by Chris Garcia and Alissa McKersie
  7. Black Gate, edited by John O’Neill
  8. The Wertzone, edited by Adam Whitehead
  9. Ansible, edited by David Langford
  10. SF in Translation, edited by Rachel Cordasco

Best Fancast

Finalists

  1. (6) Our Opinions Are Correct, hosted by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders
  2. (5) Fangirl Happy Hour, hosted by Ana Grilo and Renay Williams
  3. (2) Be the Serpent, presented by Alexandra Rowland, Freya Marske, and Jennifer Mace
  4. (4) Galactic Suburbia, hosted by Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts, produced by Andrew Finch
  5. (3) The Skiffy and Fanty Show, produced by Jen Zink and Shaun Duke, hosted by Jen Zink, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, Alex Acks, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Trish Matson, and team
  6. (1) The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe

Longlist

  1. Ditch Diggers, hosted by Mur Lafferty and Matt Wallace
  2. Sword and Laser, hosted by Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt
  3. Verity!, hosted by Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign, Katrina Griffiths, L.M. Myles, Lynne M. Thomas, and Tansy Rayner Roberts
  4. Breaking the Glass Slipper, hosted by Megan Leigh, Charlotte Bond, and Lucy Hounsom
  5. Kalanadi, hosted by Rachel
  6. Booksandpieces, hosted by Elizabeth
  7. Hammer House of Podcast, hosted by Paul Cornell and L.M. Myles
  8. Fansplaining, hosted by Flourish Klink and Elizabeth Minkel
  9. Jay & Miles Xplain the X-men, hosted by Jay Edidin and Miles Stokes
  10. Lindsey Ellis, hosted by Lindsey Ellis

Best Fan Writer

Finalists

  1. (4) Foz Meadows
  2. (3) Bogi Takács
  3. (6) Elsa Sjunneson-Henry
  4. (5) James Davis Nicoll
  5. (1) Alasdair Stuart
  6. (2) Charles Payseur

Longlist

  1. Orjan Westin
  2. Adam Whitehead
  3. Sarah Gailey
  4. Cora Buhlert
  5. Liz Bourke
  6. Mike Glyer
  7. Paul Weimer
  8. Jason Sanford
  9. Abigail Nussbaum
  10. Erin Horáková

Best Fan Artist

Finalists

  1. (1) Likhain (Mia Sereno)
  2. (6) Grace P. Fong
  3. (2) Sara Felix
  4. (5) Meg Frank
  5. (4) Spring Schoenhuth
  6. (3) Ariela Housman

Longlist

  1. Jemina Malkki
  2. Richard Man
  3. Steve Stiles
  4. Maurine Starkey
  5. Vandy Hall
  6. Michael Carroll
  7. Elizabeth Leggett
  8. Iguanamouth
  9. Geneva Benton
  10. Caio Santos

Best Art Book

Finalists

  1. (3) The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)
  2. (6) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, by Ramin Zahed (Titan Books)
  3. (2) Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History, by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer (Ten Speed Press)
  4. (5) Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, ed. Catherine McIlwaine (Bodleian Library)
  5. (1) Daydreamer’s Journey: The Art of Julie Dillon, by Julie Dillon (self-published)
  6. (7) Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, ed. John Fleskes (Flesk Publications)

Longlist

  1. (ineligible, 2017 publication) Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Imaginarium, by Paul Kidby (Gollancz)
  2. Beyond Science Fiction: The Alternative Realism of Michael Whelan, by Michael Whelan (Baby Tattoo)
  3. A Middle-earth Traveler: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor, by John Howe (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  4. The Art of Black Panther, by Eleni Roussos (Marvel)
  5. The Chronicles of Exandria, Vol II: The Legend of Vox Machina, art direction by Taliesin Jaffe, Liam O’Brien, and Lauryn Ipsum; layout and design by Lauryn Ipsum; cover art by Matteo Scalera and Moreno Denisio; copy by James Haeck, Taliesin Jaffe, Sam Riegel, Liam O’Brien, and Matthew Mercer (Hunters)
  6. Marvelocity: The Marvel Comics Art of Alex Ross, by Alex Ross, Chip Kidd, and Geoff Spear (Pantheon)
  7. The Electric State, written and illustrated by Simon Stålenhag, translated by Martin Dunelind (Skybound)
  8. Monster Portraits, images by Del Samatar, text by Sofia Samatar (Rose Metal)
  9. Cicada, by Shaun Tan (Arthur A. Levine)
  10. Yoshitaka Amano: The Illustrated Biography – Beyond the Fantasy, by Florent Gorges, translated by Laure Dupont (Dark Horse)

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

Finalists

  1. (2) Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)
  2. (1) Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
  3. (3) Tess of the Road, by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)
  4. (4) The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
  5. (5) The Invasion, by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
  6. (6) The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)

Longlist

  1. Skyward, by Brandon Sanderson (Delacorte)
  2. Tempests and Slaughter, by Tamora Pierce (Random House)
  3. Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword, by Henry Lien (Henry Holt)
  4. Muse of Nightmares, by Laini Taylor (Little, Brown)
  5. Arabella the Traitor of Mars, by David D. Levine (Tor)
  6. Girls of Paper and Fire, by Natasha Ngan (Little, Brown)
  7. The Hidden City, by David Bowles (IFWG)
  8. Obsidio, by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Knopf)
  9. The Hazel Wood, by Melissa Albert (Flatiron)
  10. Cross Fire, by Fonda Lee (Scholastic)

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

Finalists

  1. (3) Jeannette Ng
  2. (1) Rivers Solomon
  3. (6) S.A. Chakraborty
  4. (5) Katherine Arden
  5. (2) R.F. Kuang
  6. (4) Vina Jie-Min Prasad

Longlist

  1. Tasha Suri
  2. Tomi Adeyemi
  3. Nibedita Sen
  4. Alexandra Rowland
  5. Karen Osborne
  6. C.L. Polk
  7. Sam Hawke
  8. K. Arsenault Rivera
  9. Simone Heller
  10. Anna Smith Spark

More details are available in the official 2019 Hugo Results report (pdf).  Six of my first choices and five of my second took home the trophy — just over half the ballot!  Several of my nominees which didn’t make the final ballot turned up on the longlist.  Any further thoughts on last year before we learn this year’s finalists?

 

2019 Hugo Awards: My Final Ballot

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The Hugo Awards Ceremony will take place on August 18th at 8 pm IST (UTC +1) in Dublin, Ireland.  Live video streaming will be available.  Live text coverage will be provided at the Hugo Awards website.  (Links now updated to archived versions.)  I may continue to blog about the individual categories, but I’ll post my full ballot now to keep myself honest!

Best Novel

  1. Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey / Macmillan)
  2. The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
  3. Record of a Spaceborn Few, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
  4. Revenant Gun, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  5. Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)
  6. Space Opera, by Catherynne M. Valente (Saga/Corsair)

Best Novella

  1. Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
  2. Beneath the Sugar Sky, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
  3. Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson (Tor.com Publishing)
  4. The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency)
  5. The Black God’s Drums, by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com Publishing)
  6. Binti: The Night Masquerade, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)

Best Novelette

  1. “When We Were Starless,” by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld 145, October 2018)
  2. The Only Harmless Great Thing, by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com Publishing)
  3. “The Thing About Ghost Stories,” by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
  4. “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 29 November 2018)
  5. “Nine Last Days on Planet Earth,” by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com, 19 September 2018)
  6. “The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections,” by Tina Connolly (Tor.com, 11 July 2018)

Best Short Story

  1. “A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)
  2. “The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat,” by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine 23, July-August 2018)
  3. “The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society,” by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
  4. “The Court Magician,” by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed, January 2018)
  5. “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,” by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine, February 2018)
  6. “STET,” by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine, October 2018)

Best Series

  1. Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
  2. The Universe of Xuya, by Aliette de Bodard (most recently Subterranean Press)
  3. The October Daye Series, by Seanan McGuire (most recently DAW)
  4. Machineries of Empire, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  5. The Centenal Cycle, by Malka Older (Tor.com Publishing)
  6. The Laundry Files, by Charles Stross (most recently Orbit/Tor and Tor.com publishing)

Best Related Work

  1. An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000, by Jo Walton (Tor)
  2. Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, by Alec Nevala-Lee (Dey Street Books)
  3. Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing, by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon (Tin House Books)
  4. The Hobbit Duology (documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan (YouTube)
  5. The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 (Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, John Picacio)
  6. Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Best Graphic Story

  1. Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
  2. Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
  3. Paper Girls, Volume 4, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colours by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher (Image Comics)
  4. On a Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden (First Second)
  5. Abbott, written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colours by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios)
  6. Black Panther: Long Live the King, written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino and Tana Ford (Marvel)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

  1. Annihilation, directed and written for the screen by Alex Garland, based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer (Paramount Pictures / Skydance)
  2. A Quiet Place, screenplay by Scott Beck, John Krasinski and Bryan Woods, directed by John Krasinski (Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night)
  3. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman (Sony)
  4. Black Panther, written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, directed by Ryan Coogler (Marvel Studios)
  5. Avengers: Infinity War, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Studios)
  6. Sorry to Bother You, written and directed by Boots Riley (Annapurna Pictures)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

  1. The Expanse: “Abaddon’s Gate,” written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck and Naren Shankar, directed by Simon Cellan Jones (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
  2. Dirty Computer, written by Janelle Monáe and Chuck Lightning, directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning (Wondaland Arts Society / Bad Boy Records / Atlantic Records)
  3. The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)
  4. Doctor Who: “Demons of the Punjab,” written by Vinay Patel, directed by Jamie Childs (BBC)
  5. Doctor Who: “Rosa,” written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, directed by Mark Tonderai (BBC)
  6. The Good Place: “Jeremy Bearimy,” written by Megan Amram, directed by Trent O’Donnell (NBC)

Best Professional Editor, Short Form

  1. Lee Harris
  2. Gardner Dozois
  3. Julia Rios
  4. E. Catherine Tobler
  5. Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas
  6. Neil Clarke

Best Professional Editor, Long Form

  1. Anne Lesley Groell
  2. Diana Pho
  3. Navah Wolfe
  4. Gillian Redfearn
  5. Sheila E. Gilbert
  6. Beth Meacham

Best Professional Artist

  1. Charles Vess
  2. Jaime Jones
  3. Galen Dara
  4. Victo Ngai
  5. Yuko Shimizu
  6. John Picacio

Best Semiprozine

  1. FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, executive editors Troy L. Wiggins and DaVaun Sanders, editors L.D. Lewis, Brandon O’Brien, Kaleb Russell, Danny Lore, and Brent Lambert
  2. Fireside Magazine, edited by Julia Rios, managing editor Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, copyeditor Chelle Parker; social coordinator Meg Frank, special features editor Tanya DePass, founding editor Brian White, publisher and art director Pablo Defendini
  3. Shimmer, publisher Beth Wodzinski, senior editor E. Catherine Tobler
  4. Uncanny Magazine, publishers/editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, managing editor Michi Trota, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky, Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue editors-in-chief Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Dominik Parisien
  5. Beneath Ceaseless Skies, editor-in-chief and publisher Scott H. Andrews
  6. Strange Horizons, edited by Jane Crowley, Kate Dollarhyde, Vanessa Rose Phin, Vajra Chandrasekera, Romie Stott, Maureen Kincaid Speller, and the Strange Horizons Staff

Best Fanzine

  1. nerds of a feather, flock together, editors Joe Sherry, Vance Kotrla and The G
  2. Rocket Stack Rank, editors Greg Hullender and Eric Wong
  3. Quick Sip Reviews, editor Charles Payseur
  4. Lady Business, editors Ira, Jodie, KJ, Renay & Susan
  5. Journey Planet, edited by Team Journey Planet
  6. Galactic Journey, founder Gideon Marcus, editor Janice Marcus

Best Fancast

  1. Be the Serpent, presented by Alexandra Rowland, Freya Marske and Jennifer Mace
  2. Our Opinions Are Correct, hosted by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders
  3. Galactic Suburbia, hosted by Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts, produced by Andrew Finch
  4. Fangirl Happy Hour, hosted by Ana Grilo and Renay Williams
  5. The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe
  6. The Skiffy and Fanty Show</em>, produced by Jen Zink and Shaun Duke; hosted by Jen Zink, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, Alex Acks, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Trish Matson, and team

Best Fan Writer

  1. Foz Meadows
  2. Charles Payseur
  3. James Davis Nicoll
  4. Bogi Takács
  5. Elsa Sjunneson-Henry
  6. Alasdair Stuart

Best Fan Artist

  1. Grace P. Fong
  2. Likhain (Mia Sereno)
  3. Ariela Housman
  4. Spring Schoenhuth
  5. Sara Felix
  6. Meg Frank

Best Art Book

  1. Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, ed. John Fleskes (Flesk Publications)
  2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, by Ramin Zahed (Titan Books)
  3. Daydreamer’s Journey: The Art of Julie Dillon, by Julie Dillon (self-published)
  4. The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)
  5. Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History, by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer (Ten Speed Press)
  6. Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, ed. Catherine McIlwaine (Bodleian Library)

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

  1. Katherine Arden (2nd year of eligibility)
  2. Jeannette Ng (2nd year of eligibility)
  3. R.F. Kuang (1st year of eligibility)
  4. Rivers Solomon (2nd year of eligibility)
  5. S.A. Chakraborty (2nd year of eligibility)
  6. Vina Jie-Min Prasad (2nd year of eligibility)

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

  1. Tess of the Road, by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)
  2. The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)
  3. Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
  4. The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
  5. The Invasion, by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
  6. Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)

There were so many good finalists this year that it was difficult yet pleasant task to rank them.  I was often surprised by which ones ended up in the bottom ranks.  I kept reminding myself that they’re still above all those nominated but not on the ballot and all those eligible but overlooked.  In many cases, I’ll be happy to see any one of them win.  Which finalists are you rooting for?

2019 Hugo Finalists: Best Short Story

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In Best Short Story, we have two past Hugo winners, two authors with two Hugo nominations apiece this year, and two stories which have been fellow finalists for four awards.

“The Court Magician” by Sarah Pinsker is also a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and was a finalist for the Nebula and Locus awards.  This is Pinsker’s third Hugo nomination; she now has one for each short fiction category.  She has previously won the Nebula and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial awards.

“The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society” by T. Kingfisher is Ursula Vernon’s first Hugo nomination under this pseudonym and her fourth overall.  She’s received both Hugo and Nebula awards for her short fiction and another Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story.  She’s been a finalist for the World Fantasy and Locus awards as well as the WSFS (now Lodestar) Award for Best Young Adult Book.

“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington” by P. Djèlí Clark has already won the Nebula and Locus awards and was a finalist for the Sturgeon Award.  His novella, The Black God’s Drums, is also a finalist for the Hugo and World Fantasy awards and was a finalist for the Nebula and Locus awards.

“STET” by Sarah Gailey was also a finalist for the Locus Award.  Gailey has previous Hugo nominations for Best Novella and Best Related Work and won a Hugo for Best Fan Writer.  They have been nominated for the Nebula as well and were a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2017.

“The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat” by Brooke Bolander is one of two Hugo nominations for the author this year.  Her novelette, The Only Harmless Great Thing, has already won the Nebula and Locus awards, was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson and Theodore Sturgeon awards, and is also currently a finalist for the Hugo, World Fantasy and British Fantasy awards.  She has two previous Hugo nominations for short fiction.

“A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies” by Alix E. Harrow is also a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and was a finalist for the Nebula and Locus Awards.  This is Harrow’s first Hugo nomination.

The only story I hadn’t read before the finalists were announced was “STET” by Sarah Gailey.  Both it and “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington” by P. Djèlí Clark were more intriguing for the way their stories were told than the stories themselves.  Alix E. Harrow’s heartwarming “A Witch’s Guide to Escape” was the one I nominated myself.  Sarah Pinsker told a thought-provoking coming-of-age tale in “The Court Magician.”  “The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society” by T. Kingfisher and “The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters” by Brooke Bolander were both really fun stories with a feminist twist.

Here’s the order I put them on my final ballot:

  1. “A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies” by Alix E. Harrow
  2. “The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat” by Brooke Bolander
  3. “The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society” by T. Kingfisher
  4. “The Court Magician” by Sarah Pinsker
  5. “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington” by P. Djèlí Clark
  6. “STET” by Sarah Gailey

Will it be a story with an extremely long title, one with a super short title, or something in between?  What do you think?

2019 Hugo Finalists: Best Novelette

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In Best Novelette, there are four first-time Hugo finalists, one four-time Hugo finalist, and a previous Hugo winner.

“If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again” by Zen Cho is her first Hugo nomination.  Cho’s debut novel, Sorcerer to the Crown, was a finalist for the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the Locus Award for Best First Novel.  It also earned her the British Fantasy Award for Best Newcomer.  She was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2013.

“The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections” by Tina Connolly was also a finalist for the Nebula and Locus awards.  It is Connolly’s first Hugo nomination.  She has been a finalist for the World Fantasy and Andre Norton awards as well.

“Nine Last Days on Planet Earth” by Daryl Gregory was also a finalist for the Locus and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial awards.  It is Gregory’s first Hugo nomination.  He has previously received the World Fantasy and Shirley Jackson awards.  His other nominations include the Nebula, John W. Campbell Memorial, and Philip K. Dick awards.

The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander has already won the Nebula and Locus awards, was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson and Theodore Sturgeon awards, and is also currently a finalist for the World Fantasy and British Fantasy awards.  Bolander’s short story “The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat” is a Hugo finalist this year as well.  She has two previous Hugo nominations for short fiction.

“The Thing About Ghost Stories” by Naomi Kritzer is her second Hugo appearance.  In 2016, Kritzer’s short story “Cat Pictures Please” won the Hugo and Locus awards and was a finalist for the Nebula Award.

“When We Were Starless” by Simone Heller was also a finalist for the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award.  It is Heller’s first Hugo nomination.

“When We Were Starless” was my own nominee, and the world-building impressed me enough to nominate Simone Heller herself for the Campbell Award for Best New Writer.  Since this was her final year of eligibility for that and she didn’t make the ballot there, I was very pleased to see her story here.  I didn’t manage to read Brooke Bolander’s The Only Harmless Great Thing until after Hugo nominations closed.  But I would definitely have nominated it if I had.  Although I had read the others and found them memorable and touching, they weren’t ones I chose for my nomination ballot.

Here’s how I voted on the final ballot:

  1. “When We Were Starless” by Simone Heller
  2. The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander
  3. “The Thing About Ghost Stories” by Naomi Kritzer
  4. “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again” by Zen Cho
  5. “Nine Last Days on Planet Earth” by Daryl Gregory
  6. “The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections” by Tina Connolly

Will Bolander’s novelette complete a Triple Crown of SFF awards?  Will one of its fellow finalists from other awards come out ahead here instead?  Or will the winner be one of those that the other awards missed?  Any thoughts?

2019 Hugo Finalists: Best Novella

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The Best Novella ballot looks somewhat familiar as four out of six finalists are sequels to  finalists from previous years.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells has already won the Locus Award and was a finalist for the Nebula.  It’s a sequel to last year’s winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards and Philip K. Dick Award finalist, All Systems Red.  The two subsequent novellas from the Murderbot Diaries series were also award finalists: Rogue Protocol for the Locus Award and Exit Strategy for the BSFA Award.  Last year Wells was a Hugo finalist in Best Series for The Books of the Raksura as well.  Her previous nominations for the Nebula and Locus awards were back in the 1990’s.

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire is also a finalist for the World Fantasy Award.  It’s a sequel to 2017’s winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards, Every Heart a Doorway, and last year’s finalist for the Hugo and Locus awards, Down Among the Sticks and Bones.  McGuire’s October Daye series, which was a Hugo finalist for Best Series in 2017, makes a return appearance this year.  Her InCryptid series was one of the finalists last year.  She also has two Hugo nominations for Best Novelette and one for Best Related Work.  Under her Mira Grant pseudonym, she has four Hugo nominations for Best Novel and two more for Best Novella.  She’s won two Hugos for Best Fancast as a co-host of SF Squeecast and received the Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2010.

Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor is also a finalist for the British Fantasy Award.  It’s a sequel to 2016’s winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards, Binti, and last year’s finalist for the Hugo and Locus awards, Binti: Home.  As a writer for the graphic novel Black Panther: Long Live the King, Okorafor is a finalist in Best Graphic Story this year as well.  Last year the second novel in her Akata Witch series, Akata Warrior, was the winner of both the Locus and WSFS (now Lodestar) awards for Best Young Adult Book.  She has also won the World Fantasy Award, and her other nominations include the Andre Norton, Clarke, British Fantasy, BSFA, Tiptree, Campbell Memorial, and Sturgeon awards.

The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark is also a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and was a finalist for the Nebula and Locus awards.  His short story, “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,” is a Hugo finalist, has already won the Nebula and Locus awards, and was a finalist for the Sturgeon Award.

Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson was also a finalist for the Nebula, Locus, and Sturgeon awards.  Robson was previously nominated for the World Fantasy Award and was a finalist for the Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2017.

The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard is also currently a finalist for the World Fantasy and British Fantasy awards, has already won the Nebula Award, and was a finalist for the Locus Award.  It is part of the Universe of Xuya series which is a Hugo finalist for Best Series as well.  She has one additional Hugo nomination for Best Novella, three for Best Novelette, and one for Best Short Story.  She has received one other Nebula Award, four BSFA Awards, and a Locus Award.  Her other nominations include the Tiptree and Sturgeon awards.  She was a finalist for the Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2009.

Three of the finalists were my own nominees.  Beneath the Sugar Skies was another delightful entry in Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series, and Cora might be my favorite wayward child yet.  Kelly Robson’s Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach enthralled me enough with its world building and characterization that I forgave its abrupt ending.  Aliette de Bodard did an excellent job combining Holmesian mystery with the space opera of her Xuya Universe in The Tea Master and the Detective.

I had already read two of the remaining three finalists before nominations closed.  Since Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti: The Night Masquerade picks up mid-story where Binti: Home left off, I didn’t feel that it stood on its own well enough to consider as a separate novella.  The Black God’s Drums very nearly made my ballot, and I hope we see more of the alternate history setting P. Djèlí Clark gave us a glimpse of here.  If I had managed to get to Artificial Condition before the deadline, it definitely would have been on my ballot.  But I’m not surprised that at least one of Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries made it without needing any help from me.

Here’s how I decided to rank them on my final ballot:

  1. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
  2. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
  3. Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson
  4. The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
  5. The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
  6. Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor

Will Binti, Murderbot, or the Wayward Children take home another Hugo?  Will the Xuya Universe add a rocket to its award collection?  Or will one of the first-time Hugo finalists win instead?  What would you like to see?

2019 Hugo Finalists: Best Novel

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Hugo voting closed on Aug 1st, and we’ll find out the winners at the Hugo Award Ceremony on August 18th.  Let’s take a look at the contenders for Best Novel.

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal has already won the Nebula and the Locus Award for Best SF Novel and was also a finalist for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award.  “Lady Astronaut of Mars,” a novelette in the same setting, won a Hugo in 2014.  Kowal has three additional Hugo nominations for short fiction with one more win.  In Best Related Work, she’s been a three-time finalist with one win as a co-host of the Writing Excuses podcast.  She was the winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2008.

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers is the third novel in the Wayfarers series, which is also a finalist this year.  The first book, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, was a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the British Fantasy Society’s Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer.  The second, A Closed and Common Orbit, was a finalist for the Hugo, British Science Fiction Association, and Clarke awards.  This one was a finalist for the Locus Award for Best SF Novel as well.

Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee is the third novel in the Machineries of Empire series.  The previous two novels were also Hugo finalists, and the series itself is a finalist this year as well.  The first book, Ninefox Gambit, won the Locus Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the Nebula and Clarke awards.  The second, Raven Stratagem, was a finalist for the Locus Award for Best SF Novel.  This one was also a finalist for the Locus, BSFA, and Clarke awards.  Lee has had short fiction nominated for the Hugo, World Fantasy, Locus, and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial awards as well.

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente was also a finalist for the Locus and the Campbell Memorial awards.  Valente has four previous Hugo nominations in the fiction categories, one nomination for Best Semiprozine as editor of Apex Magazine, and two wins in Best Fancast as a co-host of SF Squeecast.  She’s previously won five Locus Awards as well as the Andre Norton, James Tiptree, and Theodore Sturgeon awards.  Her other nominations include the Nebula, World Fantasy, and British Fantasy awards.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik has already won the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the Mythopoeic Award.  It was also a finalist for the Nebula Award.  Novik has two previous Hugo nominations for Best Novel and one for Best Series.  She’s also received two additional Locus Awards, won the Nebula and British Fantasy awards, and been nominated for the World Fantasy Award.  She was the winner of the Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2007.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse has already won the Locus Award for Best First Novel, was a finalist for the Nebula Award, and is also currently a finalist for the World Fantasy Award.  Last year her short story, “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian ExperienceTM,” won the Hugo and Nebula awards and was nominated for the World Fantasy, Locus, and Sturgeon awards.  She was also the winner of the Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

Four out of the six were my own nominees.  Spinning Silver improved on everything I loved about Naomi Novik’s Uprooted.  Revenant Gun brought Yoon Ha Lee’s trilogy to a very satisfying conclusion.  The Calculating Stars was the first novel-length work I had read by Mary Robinette Kowal.  I was impressed by the characterization and surprised by how well she made a 1950’s setting seem current and relevant.  Rebecca Roanhorse delivered on the promise of her Best New Writer Campbell win with the fascinating and original world building in Trail of Lightning.

The remaining two were both books I had wanted to read but simply hadn’t gotten to yet.  I liked Record of a Spaceborn Few slightly less than Becky Chamber’s first two Wayfarer books, but it was still very good.  Space Opera was entertaining, but Catherynne M. Valente’s dense writing style made it a slower read than expected.  I adore her short fiction, but at novel-length it became overwhelming.

Here’s how it shook out on my final ballot:

  1. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
  2. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
  3. Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
  4. Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee
  5. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
  6. Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

Will Kowal complete the Triple Crown of science fiction awards?  Will the Big One go to one of the previous Best Novel finalists instead?  Or does the debut novelist take home her second rocket?  What do you think?

The Universe of Xuya

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The Universe of Xuya by Aliette de Bodard is one of the Best Series finalists for the 2019 Hugo Awards.  As this point, there are 28 pieces of short fiction (3 novellas, 11 novelettes, and 14 short stories).  Since the main connection between them is the setting, they can be read independently and in any order.  Take a look at the author’s webpage about the series for suggestions on where to start and background information.  Here is everything so far (in the order listed on her site) with links to online stories, publication info, and award recognition received:

  • “The Jaguar House, in Shadow”, novelette, originally published in Asimov’s, Jul 2010; podcast available at StarShipSofa, No. 200 (audio only); finalist for the Hugo and Nebula awards
  • “Fleeing Tezcatlipoca”, novelette, Space and Time, issue 111 (Summer 2010)
  • “The Lost Xuya Bride”, novelette, originally published in Interzone, issue 213 (Nov/Dec 2007); available online at the author’s website
  • “Butterfly, Falling at Dawn”, novelette, Interzone, issue 219 (Nov/Dec 2008)
  • “Starsong”, short story, Asimov’s, Aug 2012
  • “Shipbirth”, short story, Asimov’s, Feb 2011; Nebula Award finalist
  • “The Shipmaker”, short story, originally published in Interzone, issue 231 (Nov/Dec 2010); reprinted in Clarkesworld, issue 124 (Jan 2017); BSFA Award winner
  • “Ship’s Brother”, short story, originally published in Interzone, issue 241 (Jul/Aug 2012); reprinted in Clarkesworld, issue 88 (Jan 2014)
  • “Two Sisters in Exile”, short story, Solaris Rising 1.5, ed. Ian Whates (Solaris 2012); reprinted in Clarkesworld, issue 153 (Jun 2019)
  • “Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight”, short story, Clarkesworld, issue 100 (Jan 2015); BSFA Award winner, Locus Award finalist
  • “In Blue Lily’s Wake”, novelette, originally published in Meeting Infinity, ed. Jonathan Strahan (Solaris 2015); reprinted in Uncanny, issue 22 (May/Jun 2018)
  • “Crossing the Midday Gate”, novelette, originally published in To Shape the Dark, ed. Athena Andreadis (Candlemark & Gleam 2016); reprinted in Lightspeed, issue 89 (Oct 2017)
  • “A Salvaging of Ghosts”, short story, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, issue 195 (Mar 17, 2016); Locus Award finalist
  • “Pearl”, novelette, The Starlit Wood, eds. Dominik Parisien and Navah Wolfe (Saga 2016); Locus Award finalist
  • “The Dragon That Flew Out of the Sun”, short story, originally published in Cosmic Powers, ed. John Joseph Adams (Saga 2017); reprinted in Uncanny, issue 27 (Mar/Apr 2019)
  • The Citadel of Weeping Pearls, novella, originally published in Asimov’s, Oct/Nov 2015; reprinted as a standalone book (JABberwocky Literary Agency 2017); Locus Award finalist
  • “Scattered Along the River of Heaven”, short story, Clarkesworld, issue 64 (Jan 2012); Sturgeon Award finalist
  • “Immersion”, short story, Clarkesworld, issue 69 (Jun 2012); winner of the Nebula and Locus awards; finalist for the BSFA, Hugo, and Sturgeon awards
  • On a Red Station, Drifting, novella, originally published as a limited edition hardcover (Immersion Press 2012), now available in ebook and paperback (self-published); finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards
  • “The Days of the War, as Red as Blood, as Dark as Bile”, short story, Subterranean Press Magazine, Spring 2014
  • “The Weight of a Blessing”, short story, Clarkesworld, issue 78 (Mar 2013)
  • “Memorials”, novelette, originally published in Asimov’s, Jan 2014; reprinted in Apex, issue 85 (Jun 2016); Locus Award finalist
  • “The Waiting Stars”, novelette, originally published in The Other Half of the Sky, eds. Athena Andreadis and Kay Holt (Candlemark & Gleam 2013); available online at the author’s website; Nebula Award winner, finalist for the Hugo and Locus awards
  • “A Slow Unfurling of Truth”, novelette, Carbide Tipped Pens, eds. Ben Bova and Eric Choi (Tor 2014)
  • “The Frost on Jade Buds”, novelette, Solaris Rising 3, ed. Ian Whates (Solaris 2014)
  • “A Hundred and Seventy Storms”, short story, Uncanny, issue 11 (Jul/Aug 2016)
  • The Tea Master and the Detective, novella, originally published as a limited edition hardcover (Subterranean Press 2018), now available in ebook (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency 2018) and paperback (JABberwocky Literary Agency 2019); finalist for the Nebula and Hugo awards
  • “The Breath of War”, short story, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, issue 142 (Mar 6, 2014); Nebula Award finalist

With a little over half of the stories online, there’s a lot of available reading even without anything that might be included in the voters packet.  What have you read?  Any that you would recommend?

2019 Hugo Award Finalists

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The finalists for the 2019 Hugo Awards, the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer were announced last week.  The winners will be presented on August 18th at Dublin 2019: An Irish Worldcon.

Best Novel

  • The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
  • Record of a Spaceborn Few, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
  • Revenant Gun, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  • Space Opera, by Catherynne M. Valente (Saga)
  • Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey / Macmillan)
  • Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)

Four of the novels are my own nominees, and I had already planned to read the books by Becky Chambers and Catherynne M. Valente.  The Calculating Stars and Trail of Lightning are first in series.  Valente recently revealed that there will be a sequel to Space Opera called Space Oddity.  Spinning Silver is in a similar vein to Naomi Novik’s previous novel Uprooted, but it isn’t actually connected in any way.

Record of a Spaceborn Few and Revenant Gun are both the third books in their respective series.  I’ve heard that all three of Chambers’ Wayfarers books can be read independently.  I know I read the second on its own without feeling lost.  Revenant Gun, on the other hand, definitely depends on reading the first two.  Although since they were previous finalists, those who have been voting in the Hugos for the past couple years have likely read them already.

Best Novella

  • Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
  • Beneath the Sugar Sky, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
  • Binti: The Night Masquerade, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Black God’s Drums, by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com Publishing)
  • Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency)

My nominees included the novellas by Seanan McGuire, Kelly Robson, and Aliette de Bodard.  I only just read Artificial Condition after nominations closed.  If I had read it beforehand, I probably would have nominated it.  I definitely considered nominating The Black God’s Drums.  For now, I believe it’s the only one here that isn’t part of a series, though I wouldn’t mind reading more about this world.

All three Binti novellas have now been finalists with the first one winning the trophy.  That one stood alone, but neither Binti: Home nor this one can be read on its own.  They now seem more like a three-part serialized novel.  Artificial Condition, Beneath the Sugar Sky, and The Tea Master and the Detective are all also part of series.  I feel they could each be read on their own, but you’ll get more out of them if you’re already familiar with their settings.  Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach is set in the same universe as some of Robson’s other stories but introduces us to previously unseen characters and places.  However, the abrupt ending certainly makes me hope it’s the start of a longer story.

Best Novelette

Out of these, Simone Heller’s novelette was my nominee.  As with Artificial Condition in novella, I didn’t read The Only Harmless Great Thing until after nominations closed, or I probably would have nominated it too.  Any of the rest would have been good choices as well.

Best Short Story

Here I nominated Alix E. Harrow’s story, and the only one I haven’t read yet is “STET” by Sarah Gailey.  The stories by T. Kingfisher and Brooke Bolander are both extremely fun, and the remaining two are also really good.

Best Series

  • The Centenal Cycle, by Malka Older (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Laundry Files, by Charles Stross (most recently Tor.com Publishing and Tor/Orbit)
  • Machineries of Empire, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  • The October Daye Series, by Seanan McGuire (most recently DAW)
  • The Universe of Xuya, by Aliette de Bodard (most recently Subterranean Press)
  • Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)

My own nominees included Machineries of Empire and The Universe of Xuya.  I’ve read at least one work from each of the others and have been meaning to continue with them.  I haven’t actually read everything from Aliette de Bodard’s series either. With nothing longer than a novella so far, I believe the Xuya stories can be read independently and in any order.  Published in quite a few different magazines and anthologies over the years, it would be difficult to find all of them at this point.  I look forward to seeing if any of those I’ve missed might be included in the voters packet.

Best Related Work

  • Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
  • Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, by Alec Nevala-Lee (Dey Street Books)
  • The Hobbit Duology (documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan (YouTube: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3)
  • An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000, by Jo Walton (Tor)
  • www.mexicanxinitiative.com: The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 (Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, John Picacio)
  • Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing, by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon (Tin House Books)

Here my nominees included Astounding and An Informal History of the Hugos.  I haven’t read the Ursula K. Le Guin book yet, and I hadn’t heard of the The Hobbit Duology before now.  I knew about The Mexicanx Initiative, but I’m not sure how to evaluate the whole campaign as a related work.  I was also aware that people have been trying to get the Archive of Our Own project nominated for a while now.  However, I don’t really understand how to look at the current 2019 website, the culmination of a decade of development, and consider it as a 2018 work.  Hopefully what they put together for the voters packet will help clarify things for me.

Best Graphic Story

  • Abbott, written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colours by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios)
  • Black Panther: Long Live the King, written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino and Tana Ford (Marvel)
  • Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
  • On a Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden (First Second)
  • Paper Girls, Volume 4, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colours by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher (Image Comics)
  • Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)

Abbott, Monstress, Paper Girls, and Saga were my own nominees.  I have the remaining two on hold from the library.

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

  • Annihilation, directed and written for the screen by Alex Garland, based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer (Paramount Pictures / Skydance)
  • Avengers: Infinity War, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Studios)
  • Black Panther, written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, directed by Ryan Coogler (Marvel Studios)
  • A Quiet Place, screenplay by Scott Beck, John Krasinski and Bryan Woods, directed by John Krasinski (Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night)
  • Sorry to Bother You, written and directed by Boots Riley (Annapurna Pictures)
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman (Sony)

Here’s where my streak of having at least one of my own nominees in each category is broken.  In fact, I haven’t even seen any of these yet!

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

  • The Expanse: “Abaddon’s Gate,” written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck and Naren Shankar, directed by Simon Cellan Jones (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
  • Doctor Who: “Demons of the Punjab,” written by Vinay Patel, directed by Jamie Childs (BBC)
  • Dirty Computer, written by Janelle Monáe and Chuck Lightning, directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning (Wondaland Arts Society / Bad Boy Records / Atlantic Records)
  • The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)
  • The Good Place: “Jeremy Bearimy,” written by Megan Amram, directed by Trent O’Donnell (NBC)
  • Doctor Who: “Rosa,” written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, directed by Mark Tonderai (BBC)

In contrast to DP Long Form, I’ve seen all of these.  The Expanse episode, Dirty Computer, and “Janets(s)” from The Good Place were my own nominees.  I nominated the Thirteenth Doctor’s first episode, “The Woman Who Fell to Earth,” rather than one of these two.

Best Professional Editor, Short Form

  • Neil Clarke
  • Gardner Dozois
  • Lee Harris
  • Julia Rios
  • Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas
  • E. Catherine Tobler

Here my nominees included Neil Clarke and Gardner Dozois.  Julia Rios, editor of Fireside, E. Catherine Tobler, editor of Shimmer, and the Thomases, editors of Uncanny, are all also finalists for semiprozine.

Best Professional Editor, Long Form

  • Sheila E. Gilbert
  • Anne Lesley Groell
  • Beth Meacham
  • Diana Pho
  • Gillian Redfearn
  • Navah Wolfe

I usually nominate the editors of my best novel picks here.  This year I added the additional caveat of confirming that they had at least the requisite four novel-length works.  Out of all the editors of my novel and YA Book nominees, Anne Lesley Groell was the only one that I could definitely determine had cleared that bar.  She was my sole nominee in this category.

Best Professional Artist

  • Galen Dara
  • Jaime Jones
  • Victo Ngai
  • John Picacio
  • Yuko Shimizu
  • Charles Vess

For this category, I’m pleased to see first-time finalists Jaime Jones, Yuko Shimizu, and Charles Vess.  I’m especially thrilled about Charles Vess.  He was my own nominee, and he’s long overdue for Hugo recognition.

Best Semiprozine

  • Beneath Ceaseless Skies, editor-in-chief and publisher Scott H. Andrews
  • Fireside Magazine, edited by Julia Rios, managing editor Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, copyeditor Chelle Parker; social coordinator Meg Frank, special features editor Tanya DePass, founding editor Brian White, publisher and art director Pablo Defendini
  • FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, executive editors Troy L. Wiggins and DaVaun Sanders, editors L.D. Lewis, Brandon O’Brien, Kaleb Russell, Danny Lore, and Brent Lambert
  • Shimmer, publisher Beth Wodzinski, senior editor E. Catherine Tobler
  • Strange Horizons, edited by Jane Crowley, Kate Dollarhyde, Vanessa Rose Phin, Vajra Chandrasekera, Romie Stott, Maureen Kincaid Speller, and the Strange Horizons Staff
  • Uncanny Magazine, publishers/editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, managing editor Michi Trota, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky, Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue editors-in-chief Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Dominik Parisien

Here I nominated the three semiprozines that I subscribe to and read regularly:  Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Strange Horizons, and Uncanny Magazine.

Best Fanzine

Three of my nominees made the ballot here:  nerds of a feather, Quick Sip Reviews, and Rocket Stack Rank.  For this category, Quick Sip Reviews is the only newcomer.

Best Fancast

I don’t usually listen to podcasts, and none of my BookTube nominees made the ballot.  Last year one of them did make the longlist.  Hopefully they’ll break through to the shortlist in the next year or two.

Best Fan Writer

  • Foz Meadows
  • James Davis Nicoll
  • Charles Payseur
  • Elsa Sjunneson-Henry
  • Alasdair Stuart
  • Bogi Takács

My nominees for this category included Charles Payseur.  Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Alasdair Stuart are names we haven’t seen on the ballot before.

Best Fan Artist

  • Sara Felix
  • Grace P. Fong
  • Meg Frank
  • Ariela Housman
  • Likhain (Mia Sereno)
  • Spring Schoenhuth

Sara Felix, Meg Frank, and my own nominee, Ariela Housman, are all first-time finalists.

Best Art Book

  • The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)
  • Daydreamer’s Journey: The Art of Julie Dillon, by Julie Dillon (self-published)
  • Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History, by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer (Ten Speed Press)
  • Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, ed. John Fleskes (Flesk Publications)
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, by Ramin Zahed (Titan Books)
  • Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, ed. Catherine McIlwaine (Bodleian Library)

Each Worldcon is allowed to create a special Hugo category in addition to the regular ongoing categories.  This is what Dublin 2019 has chosen to do.  My nominees included The Books of Earthsea and Spectrum 25.

The following awards are determined by the same process and are presented along with the Hugos, but their winners received something other than a shiny rocket.

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

  • Katherine Arden
  • S.A. Chakraborty
  • R.F. Kuang
  • Jeannette Ng
  • Vina Jie-Min Prasad
  • Rivers Solomon

All but S.A. Chakraborty and R.F Kuang are returning finalists from last year, and only R.F. Kuang is in her first year of eligibility for this award.  I nominated Katherine Arden.

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

  • The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)
  • Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)
  • The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
  • Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
  • The Invasion, by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
  • Tess of the Road, by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)

The first four are the first book in a series.  The Invasion is the second book in a duology, the sequel to The Call.  Tess of the Road is set in the same world as Rachel Hartman’s previous books Seraphina and Shadow Scale, but I’ve heard that you can start with this one.  I nominated The Belles, Children of Blood and Bone, and Dread Nation.

 

With at least one of my nominees in all but two categories, I’m pretty happy with the outcome of the nomination phase.  What are your thoughts on the finalists?  Did your favorites make the list?

2019 Hugo Nominations

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The nomination period for the 2019 Hugo Awards, the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer closed last Friday night.  They plan to announce the finalists in early April, and the winners will be presented on August 18th at Dublin 2019: An Irish Worldcon.  Here are my selections:

Best Novel

  • Blackfish City, Sam J. Miller (Ecco)
  • The Calculating Stars, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
  • Revenant Gun, Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  • Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik (Del Rey)
  • Trail of Lightning, Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)

Best Novella

  • Beneath the Sugar Sky, Seanan McGuire (Tor.com)
  • Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, Kelly Robson (Tor.com)
  • “The Persistence of Blood”, Juliette Wade (Clarkesworld 138)
  • The Tea Master and the Detective, Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean)
  • “Umbernight”, Carolyn Ives Gilman (Clarkesworld 137)

Best Novelette

Best Short Story

Best Series

  • Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin; “Firelight” (The Books of Earthsea, Saga)
  • Machineries of Empire, Yoon Ha Lee; Revenant Gun (Solaris)
  • Wild Cards, George R.R. Martin and others; Fitting In, Max Gladstone (Tor.com)
  • Xuya Universe, Aliette de Bodard; The Tea Master and the Detective (Subterranean)

Best Related Work

  • Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, Alec Nevala-Lee (Dey St.)
  • Daemon Voices: On Stories and Storytelling, Philip Pullman (Knopf)
  • An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000, Jo Walton (Tor)
  • Sense of Wonder: Short Fiction Reviews (2009-2017), Gardner Dozois (ReAnimus)
  • Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded, Jason Heller (Melville House)

Best Graphic Story

  • Abbott, Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivelä (BOOM!)
  • Monstress Vol. 3: Haven, Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda (Image)
  • Paper Girls Vol. 4, Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (Image)
  • Saga Vol. 9, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)
  • White Sand Vol. 2, Brandon Sanderson, Rik Hoskin, Julius Gopez, and Julius Otha (Dynamite)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

  • Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (Netflix)
  • Christopher Robin (Disney)
  • The House with a Clock in Its Walls (Universal)
  • Solo: A Star Wars Story (Lucasfilm)
  • A Wrinkle in Time (Disney)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

  • Dirty Computer [Emotion Picture], Janelle Monáe (Wondaland)
  • Doctor Who: The Woman Who Fell to Earth, S11 E01 (BBC)
  • The Expanse: Abaddon’s Gate, S03 E13 (Syfy)
  • The Good Place: Janet(s), S03 E09 (NBC)
  • The Magicians: All That Josh, S03 E09 (Syfy)

Best Professional Editor, Short Form

  • John Joseph Adams (Lightspeed)
  • Neil Clarke (Clarkesworld)
  • Gardner Dozois (The Book of Magic, Bantam)
  • C.C. Finlay (Fantasy & Science Fiction)
  • Jason Sizemore (Apex)

Best Professional Editor, Long Form

  • Anne Groell (Random House)

Best Professional Artist

  • Tommy Arnold, cover art for Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
  • Jon Foster, cover art for Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson
  • Miranda Meeks, cover art for the Subterranean Press edition of The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
  • Greg Ruth, cover art for the hardcover reprint of Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
  • Charles Vess, cover art and interior illustrations for The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition by Ursula K. Le Guin

Best Semiprozine

Best Fanzine

Best Fancast

Best Fan Writer

Best Fan Artist

  • Ariela Housman, fan art for Mary Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut series
  • Jemina Malkki, fan art for N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth series
  • Diana Novich, fan art for the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey video game
  • Matt Olson, thumbnails and banner art for the SFF180 BookTube channel
  • Laya Rose, fan art for the Thirteenth Doctor

Best Art Book

  • The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition by Ursula K. Le Guin, illustrated by Charles Vess (Saga)
  • Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, illustrated by Doug Wheatley (Bantam)
  • A Middle-earth Traveler: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor, John Howe (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  • Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, John Fleskes (Flesk)

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

  • The Belles, Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform)
  • Blanca & Roja, Anna-Marie McLemore (Feiwel and Friends)
  • Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt)
  • Dread Nation, Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
  • Mirage, Somaiya Daud (Flatiron)

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

 

What were your favorites from 2018?