[odo]

I've just submitted my nomination ballot for the Hugo Awards 2011. These are my choices:

Best Novel

A. Surface Detail, Iain M. Banks, Orbit
B. Terminal World, Alastair Reynolds, Gollancz
C. How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, Charles Yu, Pantheon
D. The Dervish House, Ian McDonald, Pyr
E. Kraken, China Miéville, Macmillan

Best Novella

A. Troika, Alastair Reynolds, Godlike Machines, edited by Jonathan Strahan
B. The Sultan of the Clouds, Geoffrey A. Landis, Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, July 2010
C. Six Blind Men and an Alien, Mike Resnick, Subterrean Magazine Online, Summer 2010
D.
E.

Best Novelette

A. Amor Vincit Omnia, K.J. Parker, Subterranean Online Magazine, Summer 2010
B. A to Z in the Ultimate Big Company Superhero Universe (Villains Too), Bill Willingham, Masked, Lou Anders
C.
D.
E.

Best Short Story

A. Standard Loneliness Package, Charles Yu, Lightspeed Magazine 6
B. The Things, Peter Watts, Clarkesworld 40
C. Arvies, Adam Troy-Castro, Lightspeed Magazine 3
D. Elegy for a Young Elk, Hannu Rajaniemi, Subterranean Online Magazine, Spring 2010
E. The Night Train, Lavie Tidhar, Strange Horizons

Best Related Work

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Best Graphic Story

A. Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows, Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez, Idea & Design Works Llc (IDW)
B. Irredeemable Volume 5, Mark Waid & Peter Krause, BOOM! Studios
C. Echo Volume 5: Black Hole, Terry Moore, Abstract Studio Inc
D. SuperGod, Warren Ellis, Avatar Press
E. Chew Volume 2: International Flavor, John Layman & Rob Guillory, Image Comics

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.


Best Editor, Short Form

A. John Joseph Adams
B. Lou Anders
C. Gardner Dozois
D. Neil Clarke
E. Jonathan Strahan

Best Editor, Long Form

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Best Professional Artist

A. Dan Dos Santos
B. John Picacio
C. Stephan Martinière
D.
E.

Best Semiprozine

A. Lightspeed Magazine
B. Clarkesworld Magazine
C. Subterranean Online Magazine
D.
E.

Best Fanzine

A. SF Signal (www.sfsignal.com) - John DeNardo & JP Frantz
B. The Notes from Coode Stret podcast - Jonathan Strahan & Gary K. Wolfe
C.
D.
E.

Best Fan Writer

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Best Fan Artist

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

[phil_geo]

Thanks for sharing!

Best Short Story

A. Standard Loneliness Package, Charles Yu, Lightspeed Magazine 6
B. The Things, Peter Watts, Clarkesworld 40
C. Arvies, Adam Troy-Castro, Lightspeed Magazine 3
D. Elegy for a Young Elk, Hannu Rajaniemi, Subterranean Online Magazine, Spring 2010
E. The Night Train, Lavie Tidhar, Strange Horizons
I read Standard Loneliness Package - it's actually a lot like Arvies. I'm not sure but I think I prefer Standard Loneliness Package - Yu gets a little more empathy and feeling into his character. Both are pretty good.

I also read The Things - have you seen the movie this is based on (The Thing by John Carpenter, not the original)? Funny coincidence, that is one of my all time favorite movies. I have probably seen it 20 times. You can imagine that I enjoyed the story. Watts addresses a few constant debates among cult followers of that film. For example - was Childs a Thing at the end of the movie, and when did Blair get infected? One question I kept asking myself: does this story make any sense if you haven't seen the film?

Have you read the short story Ponies? That's my favorite among the Nebula nominees - did you consider it for the Hugo?

[odo]

Thanks for sharing!


I read Standard Loneliness Package - it's actually a lot like Arvies. I'm not sure but I think I prefer Standard Loneliness Package - Yu gets a little more empathy and feeling into his character. Both are pretty good.


Yes, I think Arvies is more cynical while SLP is more intimate. I discovered Yu's work last year and I was really impressed. I've read his short story collection (Third Class Superhero) and his novel and I liked both a lot, especially the novel.


I also read The Things - have you seen the movie this is based on (The Thing by John Carpenter, not the original)? Funny coincidence, that is one of my all time favorite movies. I have probably seen it 20 times. You can imagine that I enjoyed the story. Watts addresses a few constant debates among cult followers of that film. For example - was Childs a Thing at the end of the movie, and when did Blair get infected? One question I kept asking myself: does this story make any sense if you haven't seen the film?


I've seen the original film but it was like twenty years ago and I don't remember any details, just the general idea of the plot and some settings (they found a kind of spaceship in the North Pole or something like that, am I right?). But it didn't prevent me from enjoying the story. I think this kind of alien invasion has already made its way to the popular culture so that anybody can understand the background of the story. Surely you got some subtle references that I missed, though.


Have you read the short story Ponies? That's my favorite among the Nebula nominees - did you consider it for the Hugo?

Yes, I read that one, but I didn't like it that much. I really liked Johnson's "26 Monkeys, also the Abyss" two years ago (and any other year I think it would have won the Hugo, but there was that masterpiece which is Exhalation by Ted Chiang) but this one felt a little flat to me.

I considered other short stories and I think it was a good year overall in that category. In fact, I was very surprised by the great quality of free online magazines like Clarkesworld and Lightspeed, so much that I've subscribed to both.

[Westsiyeed]

I also read The Things - have you seen the movie this is based on (The Thing by John Carpenter, not the original)? Funny coincidence, that is one of my all time favorite movies. I have probably seen it 20 times. You can imagine that I enjoyed the story. Watts addresses a few constant debates among cult followers of that film. For example - was Childs a Thing at the end of the movie, and when did Blair get infected? One question I kept asking myself: does this story make any sense if you haven't seen the film?

Just read The Things - great short story, also from a big fan of "The Thing".
(They're making a prequel (http://www.slashfilm.com/the-thing-release-october-14-2011/) of the movie to be released this year - can't wait!)

[KatG]

I vote for the The Things. It's a great, wonderfully inventive story commenting on science fiction as well as the story itself and Watts could use it this year. But right now there's too much stuff. I will wait for the short list.