Escape Artists
Escape Pod => Science Fiction Discussion => Topic started by: DKT on July 08, 2010, 03:46:51 PM
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In keeping with Hugo Tradition...pick your favorite story of the 2010 Hugo nominations. Feel free to discuss the stories in general, and why you did/didn't vote for them, and whatever else below :)
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Bridesicle, for me. It was the best "this could actually happen" story of the bunch.
"Probabilities" was too hopeful and, in some ways, too comical. "The Moment" just didn't work for me, and was way too universe-spanning. "Bride" was just another Resnick story (so: good, but not new). "Spar" was... interesting... but I'm still digesting it and I don't think I'll end up putting it above "Bridesicle".
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This year's was a pretty sorry lot. Only the two with "bride" in the title left me feeling like I hadn't wasted my time listening, and of those two I'd have to pick "Bridesicle" as the clear winner.
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I loved Bridesicle when I first heard it and it was even better on a second listen.
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I enjoyed the contentiousness of Spar a great deal. To me it was the most interesting for the discussions that ensued and the rather decisively split opinions on it. It was far and away the most subtly complex - a lot was left to interpretation, which is why some people disliked it so vehemently - it meant nothing to them.
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Wow, no love for Reznick? I find that surprising.
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Bridesickle, hands down. I didn't like the noms as much as prior years overall.
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Wow, no love for Reznick? I find that surprising.
EP listeners may have reached the Resnick saturation point.
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As usual in hugo noms, there is a division between human oriented feel good stories, and challenging concept stories. In the former category, bridesicles is the clear winner, and I found the other two enjoyable but unremarkable. In the latter category, I found the moment to be utterly wrong headed and irritating. Spar, on the other hand, the only story here which is very much not feel good, was brilliant, and my clear overall favourite.
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Wow, no love for Reznick? I find that surprising.
EP listeners may have reached the Resnick saturation point.
This.
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Wow, no love for Reznick? I find that surprising.
EP listeners may have reached the Resnick saturation point.
This.
Of the Resnick stories that EP has run, this is my least favorite. If it were a story as good as Barnaby in Exile, I may still have voted for it, despite Resnick saturation.
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Non-Zero Probabilities was okay, but by no means awe inspiring.
Bride of Frankenstein didn't really do anything special with the Frankenstein legend that I haven't seen.
The Moment lacked characters, and relied too heavily on the unsupported assumption that humans will always be/have been the greatest species in the universe.
Spar, I can understand how other people like it, it was an original idea and lots of good telling. But the author diluted their concept across too large a story. As flash, this one could easily have gotten my vote.
Bridesicle, despite problems with the future-prediction, this one was easily my favorite, good conflict, chilling situation, lovely ending.
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As usual in hugo noms, there is a division between human oriented feel good stories, and challenging concept stories. In the former category, bridesicles is the clear winner, and I found the other two enjoyable but unremarkable. In the latter category, I found the moment to be utterly wrong headed and irritating. Spar, on the other hand, the only story here which is very much not feel good, was brilliant, and my clear overall favourite.
Seconded!
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For anyone who is interested: Editor John Klima talks about the Hugo nominated short stories at tor.com (http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/07/hugo-awards-2010-best-short-story).
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Bridesicle had me in tears by the end. It hit a number of my issues, and did it well.
But Spar has stuck with me. I read this story when it first came out, and I was disturbed and told myself I didn't need to read that again. But I did. And then I got to thinking about it, and i read it again. And I heard it on Clarkesworld on a long trip. And I read it again. And then it came out on EP. And everytime I have read or heard it I am struck by something new. Spar has a lot to say without ever offering answers, and it says it so damn well. I totally understand why people hate this story, but it gets my vote.