Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Novella

Previous Posts:

• Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Fancast
• Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Short Story
• Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Novelette

Best Novella (473 ballots)
Countdown by Mira Grant (Orbit)
"The Ice Owl" by Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, November/December 2011)
"Kiss Me Twice" by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov's, June 2011)
"The Man Who Bridged the Mist" by Kij Johnson (Asimov's, September/October 2011)
"The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary" by Ken Liu (Panverse 3)
Silently and Very Fast by Catherynne M. Valente (Clarkesworld / WSFA)

The Nominees

Much like the Best Novelette category, this year's ballot is identical to the Nebula Awards finalists, save for one exception (in this case, Countdown by Mira Grant).

While I haven't read the first novella in this category, four of the stories in this ballot are exciting and well-written. They make great use of their length and cover a wide variety of subjects. It doesn't feel like the novellas are competing in the sense of which one is better per se, as each of the stories are attempting something different.

Interesting to note is how there's a strong science fiction background to all the stories on the ballot.

Countdown by Mira Grant (Orbit)

The eBook is not sold in my region. No comment.

"The Ice Owl" by Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, November/December 2011)

The weakest of the novellas in the ballot mainly because it's a mixed bag. On one hand, it suffers from clunky exposition. On the other hand, it has speckles of brilliant characterization and a compelling plot. It barely qualifies for the category (in fact, the word count according to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is 17,025 words) but even in the novelette category, there are better stories than this. "The Ice Owl" isn't without its redeeming qualities, but it's not outstanding.

"Kiss Me Twice" by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov's, June 2011)

"Kiss Me Twice" is reminiscent of Asimov's fiction (so it's quite fitting that it got published in Asimov's), specifically his Robot series. Where Mary Robinette Kowal improves upon it is her characterization, whether it's creating a compelling protagonist, to crafting a convincing, period persona for his AI companion. And then there's the core elements of what would appeal to Asimov's fanbase: a solid plot and a plausible mystery involving the scientific conceit of the setting.

As a novella, this is quite good and enjoyable. As part of Kowal's repertoire, this is similarly impressive, as it's different from her previous work. However, as a Hugo nominee, I feel this piece isn't ambitious enough, and is simply a reworking (albeit significant improvement) of a tried and tested formula. I like this story, but it's not challenging my sensibilities.

"The Man Who Bridged the Mist" by Kij Johnson (Asimov's, September/October 2011)

Despite the fantasy setting, "The Man Who Bridged the Mist" follows the tropes of a science fiction utopian novel, wherein the conflict of the story revolves around the completion of a project—in this case, the construction of a bridge. This felt like an epic, which was fitting considering the theme and subject matter. Kij Johnson creates a holistic, complex, and detailed culture rich in detail and emotion. The reader gets swept in the ambition of the protagonist, with every milestone a hard-fought triumph. In many ways, this novella is superior to many novels out there, as Johnson is not only talented, but is also conscious of when to compress, and when to expound.

In a different year, this could have been my Hugo pick. Unfortunately, I feel that the last two nominees on the ballot are more ambitious, daring, and innovative. This is a solid story that's worth its length in gold, and it's a testament to this year's ballot that such a wonderful piece is simply my runner-up.

"The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary" by Ken Liu (Panverse 3)

One of the best effects a story can have on the reader is creating dialog. For me, that's what "The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary" accomplishes, as it hits you on so many levels. It works on the surface level, but if you dig deeper, there's this rich subject matter that's being mined and developed. The story isn't simply presenting a single thesis, but is an argument for a lot of ideas that never feels didactic or unfair. Ken Liu's characters are fully-realized and the events in the story mirror the problematic situation of reality. There's constantly a duality to the narrative, covering multiple subjects, and while it seems to be tugging in one direction, the gravity and depth arises from the counter-reaction presented in the story.

This could easily have been my automatic Hugo vote, but Valente's entry gave me pause.

Silently and Very Fast by Catherynne M. Valente (Clarkesworld / WSFA) 

Silently and Very Fast is not without its flaws—it feels cluttered and precious at times—but it's also very ambitious and arguably its roughness is what makes this piece shine. Catherynne M. Valente has been known to conjure compelling fairy tales and develop nested stories, which initially seems like the premise, but that's simply a facet of her ensemble as the novella incorporates those elements into this science fiction epic.

Individually, the sections of the story are beautiful, but holistically, it can get confusing at times (even dragging), but that effect mirrors the plight of the narrator. In terms of scope, if we're talking about an ambitious interstitial story, this is the narrative that I'd recommend. There's nothing quite like it, whether in presentation, style, delivery, or chronology, and it's this entire package that delivers something refreshingly alien.

Is there a more elegant way for Valented to have told her story? Perhaps. But the rawness of this piece, and its ambition, elevates this to something noteworthy. If I'd go for the conservative vote, I'd vote Liu. If it's for innovation, Valente.

Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Novelette

Previous Posts:

• Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Fancast
• Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Short Story

Best Novelette (499 ballots)
"The Copenhagen Interpretation" by Paul Cornell (Asimov's, July 2011)
"Fields of Gold" by Rachel Swirsky (Eclipse Four)
"Ray of Light" by Brad R. Torgersen (Analog, December 2011)
"Six Months, Three Days" by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com)
"What We Found" by Geoff Ryman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, September/October 2011)

The Nominees

Except for Paul Cornell's story, this year's nominees are also Nebula Awards finalists. It's safe to say that all these stories are, at the very least, good, but the question is whether they're outstanding enough to warrant the nomination (or actually win). Majority of the stories have strong science fiction elements, although I was never keen on genre boundaries (especially when you take into consideration what qualifies as science fiction and what qualifies as fantasy—more so with this year's ballot). Also interesting is how a common theme revolves around relationships.

"The Copenhagen Interpretation" by Paul Cornell (Asimov's, July 2011)

It would be unfair to label Paul Cornell's story as a dark horse entry. It's actually pretty good, and perhaps the most entertaining of all the nominees. It's a mishmash of various sub-genres: soap opera, alternate history, thriller, and of course, science fiction. Cornell also creates a compelling and sympathetic protagonist, and while he's no James Bond, it's evident that there are lines which he won't hesitate to cross. What's interesting in this piece is how Cornell melds the various genres without sacrificing the strength of each.

Is this a good story? Definitely. A Hugo-worthy story? Maybe not for my personal preference, but I wouldn't be disappointed if it won.

"Fields of Gold" by Rachel Swirsky (Eclipse Four)

When we talk about the ability of speculative fiction to take the extreme of a certain situation to highlight the truth of a particular human condition, "Fields of Gold" is an excellent example. Rachel Swirsky successfully portrays holistic, three-dimensional characters, and does so with wonderful technique and style. The arc of this story hinges on empathizing with the protagonist and the various people he encounters—even when they are clearly flawed or eccentric—and what can I say, this is an effective character-driven piece.

There's nothing innovative when it comes to the plot or the style, but this is terrific writing. My runner-up vote.

"Ray of Light" by Brad R. Torgersen (Analog, December 2011)

Nick Mamatas has an essay on writing called "All Pistons Firing" and that best describes "Ray of Light." Make no mistake, this is a competent story, devoid of flaws, but there's also a sense of blandness in being too clean. There are no mistakes in terms of characterization, setting, and technique, but you're looking for something to make it stand out and memorable, and "Ray of Light" lacks that element. Perhaps the conflict was too easily resolved. Perhaps Brad R. Torgersen could have made this piece stand out through style. But as it is, this feels "good enough" and safe rather than a story that's outstanding.

"Six Months, Three Days" by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com)

In what seems a high-concept premise (two clairvoyants start dating), Charlie Jane Anders knows how to focus on what matters: the characters. The speculative fiction element exists to enhance the all-too real problems a couple might encounter, and Anders does so with precision, believability, and personality. As far as the craft is concerned, "Six Months, Three Days" is littered with telling details that contribute to the verisimilitude.

(And as an aside, every Filipino who reads this story mentions one of Anders's telling details, Jollibee, even if it's irrelevant to the larger plot; just goes to show how important representation in fiction is. Thank you Charlie Jane Anders.)

While I do read Anders's nonfiction, this is the first time I've read her fiction and it blew me away. Yes, Hugo win please.

"What We Found" by Geoff Ryman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, September/October 2011) 

I'm on the fence with "What We Found." On one hand, it is terrific in terms of craft, especially how Geoff Ryman juxtaposes his protagonist's history with his scientific discovery. This then leads you to question why is the narrator telling us his story, and what he hopes to accomplish in light of discovery. The characters are complex and nuanced without having convenient resolutions.

So why the reservation? There's a similarity (and perhaps sharing some of the perils)—although they are not identical and in many ways, this is an improvement due to the way the ending was resolved—to the style employed in Ryman's other nominated story, "Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter (Fantasy)," although both are admittedly powerful stories. This entry probably requires more on deliberation on my part, but craft-wise, it's effective and gripping.

Other Recommendations:

It's actually difficult for me to identify which stories are novelettes, but here's two from 2011 that were memorable:

"The Summer People" by Kelly Link (Tin House: The Ecstatic): This story ignites both your sense of wonder and creepiness, and Kelly Link successfully portrays the complex relationships of her characters.

"The Projected Girl" by Lavie Tidhar (Naked City): While perhaps not a revolutionary story, Lavie Tidhar hits all the right emotional beats and writes a nostalgic, moving piece.

Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Short Story

I've been remiss in my reading for the past two years, but the short story (and its ilk, the novelette and novella) is where I feel a lot of interesting material is being written. So here it is, Best Short Story:

Best Short Story (593 ballots)
"The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees" by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld, April 2011)
"The Homecoming" by Mike Resnick (Asimov's, April/May 2011)
"Movement" by Nancy Fulda (Asimov's, March 2011)
"The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2011)
"Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue" by John Scalzi (Tor.com)

The Category

After Best Novel, the category that garnered the most votes was Best Short Story (beating Best Dramatic Presentation by a single vote). Who ever claimed that the short story is dead?

The Nominees

In terms of quality, I'm actually impressed with the quality of the nominees.

There's lots to discuss actually with this year's nominees. Three out of the five are from print magazines (as opposed to online fiction or anthologies). As for the a trend, "The Homecoming," "Movement," and "The Paper Menagerie" tend to be go for emotional  manipulation. There's an even split between science fiction and fantasy, if we are to talk about genre boundaries (with "The Cartographer of Wasps and the Anarchist Bees" best left to reader interpretation). And then there is the inevitable comparison to The Nebula Awards, with half of the nominees having an overlap. Personally, it's these overlapping stories that I'd vote for.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead.

"The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees" by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld, April 2011)

During my initial reading, the story didn't grab me: the third-person perspective and clinical tone left me distant from the narrative. But upon closer inspection, there's a lot to unpack. Perhaps what's striking is that E. Lily Yu delves into a possible, mundane phenomenon, and imbues it with drama. There's also a level of implicitness that reveals restraint and gives space for reader interpretation. That, after all, is the appeal of the ending. This isn't a story that hits all the writing buttons such as character or tone, but it doesn't have to be. It excels in plot and the science and the drama, and the way the story is presented is uncommon in the field.

This is a good story. I'm just more attached to other stories on the ballot.

"The Homecoming" by Mike Resnick (Asimov's, April/May 2011)

"The Homecoming" works on a simple premise: a son who leaves the planet and undergoes a "transformation" comes back but his father resents him for it. It's a conflict that's ripe for mining and that's exactly what Mike Resnick takes advantage of. A lot of the story revolves around dialogue and Resnick successfully conveys each one's side and their inability to understand the other person's plight. Where the story falters—or rather, fails to take it to the next level—is how this conflict is resolved. First, the ailing mother asking for a parable is transparent. Second, the father's change of heart seemed so sudden and needed more goading. Resnick was already seeding steps in that direction but as it is, it wasn't convincing.

At first, I was skeptical of Resnick but reading the story, he won me over and I really wanted to like this story, specially when you consider this could be a metaphor for a lot of scenarios: transgenders, the expatriates, or even someone who undergoes extensive surgery. But if we apply a critical lens to how Resnick resolves the story, it's lacking complexity and depth, and is only one step away from a magical handwave—considering the resistance he's established in the story's beginning.


"Movement" by Nancy Fulda (Asimov's, March 2011)

Subdued is how I'd describe "Movement." What's fascinating is how Nancy Fulda uses metaphor to convey what her characters are feeling. There are also details which re-state what's previously established, without seeming heavy-handed, such as the propensity of the father to carry a laser to swat flies, while the mother eschews such technology.

If you don't read between the lines, you could miss the nuances of the story. But because Fulda employs restraint, this is a much richer story for it. This is terrific, and has that emotional weight to it. It's a close second to "The Paper Menagerie."

"The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2011)

Every time I read this story, I cry. Ken Liu breaks the rule of "show, don't tell," but that's because he knows how to employ it: because the story is narrated through the lens of the prodigal son, emotion, insight, and exposition become part of characterization. The gem though is how Liu conveys the immigrant story—something we might have heard before—into something compelling, believable, and personal.

I think most readers will find two powerful scenes in this story. The first is the protagonist playing with his paper menagerie and evokes the same sense of wonder as the scene in The Once and Future King where Arthur transforms into many different animals. The second, which gives the first scene much weight, is the mother's letter. There are points where the letter could have faltered, but Liu goes all the way, and this is what leaves you in tears.

While not as restrained as "Movement," this is the story that's most powerful in terms of emotion. And my definite pick.

"Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue" by John Scalzi (Tor.com)

At first glance, I thought this was an actual novel; I'd have bought it. I was going to make a post at how some short stories get expanded into novels, and how chapters in novels could make great short stories, but that this was neither—when I realized my error. Oh, this is that kind of story.

"Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue" isn't quite the "Internet Puppy" vote, and there's a lot of deliberation put into this. Even horrible sentences like "others said it was very similar to the unforgettable Pounding of Skalandarharia, in which hailstones the size of melons destroyed the city’s melon harvest" work, due to the intentional parody. Perhaps a clincher for me would have been the ending, or the lack of a satisfying resolution, but that too ties into the metafictional nature of this piece.

So, should an April Fools win a Hugo? As much as I appreciate the humor, I was looking for something that had depth as well—as Terry Pratchett's later works prove to be possible. Good, fun, but give me something more and I'll take the plunge.

Other Recommendations:

While not up-to-date on my short fiction reading as I should be, here's some possible contenders:


"Mulberry Boys" by Margo Lanagan (Blood and Other Cravings): Margo Lanagan usurps the tropes of vampire fiction and creates this fascinating dystopia that's both rich and complicated—all in the span of a few thousand words.

"Story Kit" by Kij Johnson (Eclipse Four): Kij Johnson successfully juggles the metafictional elements of her narrative while still delivering a character-centric, heartfelt story.

"Say Zucchini, and Mean It" by Peter M. Ball (Daily Science Fiction, May 2011): A story that hits the heart, there are nuances in characterization if you dig deep into this piece, and tackles a common-enough condition.

"Younger Women" by Karen Joy Fowler (Subterranean, Summer 2011): Aside from a possible commentary on the creepiness of the Twilight franchise, the mother's characterization is convincing and the details in this story are to be treasured.

Blogging the Hugos 2012: Best Fancast

I'm not as well-read in 2011 as I was in 2009, but I'm hoping to give my views on this year's nominees when it comes to the 2012 Hugo Awards. I'll start with a category I'm most familiar with: Best Fancast.

Best Fancast (326 ballots)

The Coode Street Podcast, Jonathan Strahan & Gary K. Wolfe
Galactic Suburbia Podcast, Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts (presenters) and Andrew Finch (producer)
SF Signal Podcast, John DeNardo and JP Frantz, produced by Patrick Hester
SF Squeecast, Lynne M. Thomas, Seanan McGuire, Paul Cornell, Elizabeth Bear, and Catherynne M. Valente
StarShipSofa, Tony C. Smith

Disclosure: I'm a contributor to SF Signal and participated in one of their episodes.

The Category

As a background, Best Fancast is a "single, extra, one-time Hugo Award" exercised by Chicon 7 and defined as "Any non-professional audio- or video-casting with at least four (4) episodes that had at least one (1) episode released in 2011."

The last podcast to have won previously was StarShipSofa under Best Fanzine, causing some controversy back in 2010, although it's not the only podcast to have been nominated in the history of the awards (Writing Excuses, for example, was a nominee under Best Related Work).

As far as the ballots are concerned, Best Fancast has slightly more ballots than the Best Fanzine category, but fewer than Best Related Work (where Writing Excuses again competes, mostly due to its professional nature).

In an ideal world, any award-giving body rewarding podcasts should theoretically have several categories, in much the same way we have separate categories for the novel, novella, novelette, and short story. But this isn't an ideal world—nor, perhaps, would there be enough voters to create such a detailed categorization—and I'm personally thankful we have this category at all.

The Nominees

This year's nominees is an interesting list for two reasons.

The first is due to the format of the nominees: they're different and distinct from each other, some in major ways, others in the details. For example, only StarShipSofa is a podcast that features fiction. Another common trend in a lot of podcasts is the interview format, but that's the exception here rather than the norm. SF Signal Podcast is the only one to conduct interviews on a regular (in this case, weekly) basis, while The Coode Street Podcast occasionally dabbles in it (SF Squeecast has a brief segment at the end where they quiz their guest). The rest brings me to my second point.

There seems to be a gap when it comes to genre commentary, at least as far as the awards are concerned. It's as niche that seems to be occupied by the magazines, when they have columns, opinions, or fan mail; or occasionally, perhaps the Best Related Work category. A dominant theme (four of the five nominees) among the podcasts is that they provide commentary on a particular subject, not as individuals (which tends to be the case in print), but as a group, like an actual panel discussion, which, in turns, makes great use of the format.

Personally, I regularly listen to four of the five nominated podcasts, and it's a difficult choice. If I voted for the Hugos, these nominees would easily have made it to my shortlist.

Interesting fact: three of the podcasts started in 2010.

The Coode Street Podcast, Jonathan Strahan & Gary K. Wolfe

This can be easily summarized as two friends informally chatting and talking about the genre, along with the occasional interview here and there. What sets it apart aside from "just two guys" is the fact that Strahan and Wolfe are articulate when it comes to the discussion, especially when you consider their background (as critics) and profession (one is a short fiction editor, the other has expertise when it comes the academe). They "ramble" but it's intelligent rambling (even if they make mistakes at times). Their schedule is also weekly, so material is timely and relevant.

One important episode from 2011, in my opinion, was their discussion with Farah Mendlesohn, and Tansy Rayner Roberts on Diana Wynne Jones (which arose from some shortcomings in a previous episode on the same subject—remember that I said they're informal and that they ramble?).

If I were to vote, it's honestly a toss-up between this and Galactic Suburbia (see below).

Galactic Suburbia Podcast, Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts (presenters) and Andrew Finch (producer)

When you have a group discussion, honestly, four's a crowd. Galactic Suburbia gets it right with three opinionated participants. While they have a common agenda, namely the speculative fiction field, Australia, and Feminism, they also each have distinct aesthetics and paradigms, and bring something different to the table (Krasnostein is a publisher, Pierce is a reviewer/fan, Roberts is an author). As for the format, they discuss relevant genre news and discuss the "culture that they've consumed". Personally, a two-hour podcast is a stretch, but Galactic Suburbia is worth it (they're also bi-monthly so the length isn't as overwhelming if it were a weekly podcast).

Since it's mostly timely commentary, the various episodes are a blur (you can read a summary here), but one memorable episode for me is their discussion on the works of Joanna Russ.

SF Signal Podcast, John DeNardo and JP Frantz, produced by Patrick Hester

Aside from any conflict-of-interest (see my initial disclaimer), credit here goes to Patrick Hester, who brings his previous podcast experience to the table. Honestly, when the show began in 2010 (outside of the scope of this year's awards), it began with a rough start. In the beginning of 2011, the podcast found its format, separating its roundtable discussions from the interviews, with each show appearing once a week. If you're just looking for sheer content, this is one of the podcasts to subscribe to.

What the podcast brings to the table is whereas the other shows in this category are professional (in its approach, in its participants, etc.), this is the opposite: it's a podcast by fans, for fans. That doesn't necessarily make for the most astute of interviews or moderated discussions, but this informality and "ruggedness" is what makes it stand out from the other nominees.

One important episode for me is their discussion with Cat Valente, Chris Roberson, Allison Baker & Alan Beatts on What the Borders Bankruptcy Means for Brick and Mortar Bookstores. They also recently started a mega-panel series, the first one being their Sword and Sorcery panel 1|2|3 that barely made it in 2011.

SF Squeecast, Lynne M. Thomas, Seanan McGuire, Paul Cornell, Elizabeth Bear, and Catherynne M. Valente

One of the most unique podcasts out there, not just because of the all-star cast, but because of the format: each one talks about a favorite text (book, movie, comic, TV show, etc.). Since each one gets their own screen time, the large ensemble doesn't overwhelm the listener. Frequently, there's also a special guest (like George R. R. Martin!), which adds variety to the dynamic.

If you're looking for media recommendations, this is the podcast to listen to. For me though, while cognitively I understand how difficult it can be to recommend a text more than once a month, I wish there were more episodes of the SF Squeecast. An hour's dose every month isn't enough!

In many ways, this, for me, is the "safe" vote, as it's not a podcast that's meant to offend (the agenda is to squee about your favorites!). As far as episodes are concerned, because they follow a prescribed format, nothing stands out too much (they're also new so it's slim pickings for 2011), although I find that their Winter Holiday Extravaganza-themed episode to be appropriate.

StarShipSofa, Tony C. Smith

I'll make this brief: I don't regularly listen to StarShipSofa (sorry Tony!), although I did listen to the previous incarnation of its sibling show, The Sofanauts. And that's due to my personal bias, not because of the podcast's quality: I'm not in the habit of listening to audio fiction.

And that's what makes StarShipSofa remarkable. It deserves its Hugo Best Fanzine win because when you think of the typical content in a fanzine, that's exactly what this podcast provides, except it's delivered aurally. You have a mix of nonfiction (including the occasional interview) and fiction. And Smith delivers this week after week, with talented audio narrators.

Personally not my cup of tea, but this is easily the successor of the fanzine format for audiophiles. And as far as the podcast category is concerned, this is the only nominee that publishes audio fiction.

Other Recommendations:

While I'm betting on The Coode Street Podcast and Galactic Suburbia Podcast, here's some podcasts that could have been nominees:

SFFaudio: If we're just talking about genre podcasts, SFFaudio is the website to visit (disclosure: I used to be a contributor for the site). They also have a podcast, which provides much-needed commentary on podcast fiction.

The Writer and the Critic: If you're looking for critical, no-holds-barred discussion on books, you need to listen to this show. The chemistry (or sometimes, lack of it) between the hosts and their guest is priceless.

Locus Roundtable Podcast: Intelligent discussions and impressive guests makes this a podcast that you need to subscribe to. It's focused and articulate, and since it tends to be limited to a pair of guests, everyone has ample chance to elaborate.

The Agony Column: It's not frequently visited by most genre fans, but Rick Kleffel does some of the best interviews... as far back as 2003. He also records the SF in SF panels and readings.