Any predictions or ideas for 2012 Hugos?
Will the best novel be science fiction (as opposed to fantasy, alt history, YA)?
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Any predictions or ideas for 2012 Hugos?
Will the best novel be science fiction (as opposed to fantasy, alt history, YA)?
I'd be VERY pleased to see Leviathan Wakes on the list, I expected Stephenson's Reamde to be on the list as well as Jo Walton's Among Us. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Among Us actually won the award. Many, many critics were giving it the highest praise early in 2011.
Though I haven't read them yet, I also think Leviathan Wakes and Among Others are serious contenders for the awards this year. Not so sure about Reamde, which I'm not even sure is F/SF. I found it OK, but not up to Anathem or Cryptonomicon, for instance.
Two other books that I'd be surprised if they didn't appear in many shortlists this year are Embassytown by China Miéville and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.
I'm still reading 2011 releases, but if I had to nominate today (luckily, I still have more than two months) these would my 5 novels:
* Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
* Embassytown, by China Miéville
* The Map of Time, by Félix J. Palma
* The Clockwork Rocket, by Greg Egan
* The Magician King, by Lev Grossman
I'm half my way through Seed by Rob Ziegler and it has many possibilities of making my final list.
Regardless of any merit, I predict Scalzi and Grossman will be on the Hugo novel list and most likely Stross too if eligible for anything; given the popularity of Tor.com, i think the personal unpopularity of Jo walton will also be cancelled out and Among Others will be considered too.
As for best, Hugo have not been about that in decades so it's an irrelevant discussion
Rule 34, at least, is eligible.Quote:
Originally Posted by suciul
Edit: Oh, and "Bit Rot" included in Engineering Infinity. I did like that one.
Who is in the 'big name that published' category this year?
Neal Stephenson and George Martin come to mind.
Scalzi might also fit into this category.
edit: Robert Charles Wilson seems to be out by publishing the third in a series, while Robert J. Sawyer did not publish anything.
I would predict the Hugo shortlist for best novel to include A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin, Reamde by Neal Stephenson and Embassytown by China Mieville. I expect the other three novels might be Rule 34 by Charles Stross, Among Others by Jo Walton and Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey.
Personally, I'd like to see either The Islanders by Christopher Priest or Zoo City by Lauren Beukes win, though I suspect neither are eligible. Odo can probably tell me. Neither will probably be nominated even if they are eligible.
It's hard for me to comment intelligently on the novella, novelette and short story categories, because I just don't read enough shorter works. I did read "Silently and Very Fast" by Catherynne M. Valente and I thought it was excellent. I've also heard good things about Kij Johnson's “The Man Who Bridged the Mist” and Ken Liu's work.
I expect the Neil Gaiman Doctor Who to take out the short form dramatic presentation category, though I preferred "The Girl Who Waited". A Games of Thrones will get nominations, certainly; probably "Baelor" or "Blood and Fire", maybe "The Pointy End". I would love to see Fringe recognised.
I can't think of a film I saw last year that I think deserves the long form award, but that's not unusual for me. Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Source Code were okay, not worthy of an award though. I hear Hugo is really good but it hasn't had an Australian release yet.
I don't have a great interest in the other categories, but maybe Jeremy Lassen deserves the be recognised in the long form editor category for the exciting debut novelists he has out out through Night Shade Books.
They're both eligible this year. The Islanders would be eligible again when it is published in USA if this year it doesn't make the shortlist. That's exactly the reason why Zoo City is eligible this year: it was first published in UK in 2010 but it didn't get nominated, so it is eligible again because it was published in USA in 2011 for the first time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke_B
Thought that might be the case. Thanks for the clarification. The split publication issue will probably sink both their chances, I fear.
I'm very supportive of this, considering I called Jeremy my Editor of the Year on my blog. I wonder how NSB's past problems with the SFWA might impact his recognition though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke_B
I will be nominating him and I think it is possible for several of the NSB "new voices" to appear in the John W. Campbell shortlist (not a Hugo, I know).Quote:
Originally Posted by JustaStaffer
After reviewing my debut post this year, it's so hard. Lots of great debuts and it's a bit troublesome because I can't imagine we're going to see multiple NSB debuts. I'd suspect 1 -- most likely Stina Leicht. I suspect the Campbell will look like:Quote:
Originally Posted by odo
Mark Lawrence
Stina Leicht
Erin Morgenstern
Tea Obreht (if they decide it's SFF)
Ernest Cline
If no Obreht, I could see Kameron Hurley slipping in there. Personally, I think TC McCarthy belongs, but I worry he hasn't been read widely enough.
Also given that the Campbell has 2 years of eligibility, it's possible some 2010 debuts will make it on.
Not a bad list :) Already looking forward to see the nominations (and the Hugo Voter Packet)Quote:
Originally Posted by JustaStaffer
Yes, I think so. But The Islanders may well make it to the BSFA or the Arthur C. Clarke.Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke_B
I think it's very likely it will make the shortlist for both.