Author Topic: Best of Escape Pod 2012 Nominations!  (Read 8893 times)

eytanz

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on: January 20, 2013, 06:34:54 PM
So, a new year is upon us, and as usual, it is time to reflect on the year that preceded it. Specifically, it's time to reflect on Escape Pod, the stories it gave us, and which among them were our favourites. Following tradition, we will first have a nomination round, leading into a poll where the top stories will compete for eternal glory (or at least, the glory of being voted best in an internet poll).

In order to simplify things a little (I hope), I'm experimenting by holding a two-in-one nominations round, for both the best stories, and the best readings. So, if you could please nominate your three favourite stories based on content, AND your three favourite episodes as far as the reading went. In other words, a total of six nominations in two categories.

(note: because I'm a little strapped for time, I'm leaving out the links for the moment - I'll try to add links to all the stories to the list soon).

EP326a: Poppies and Chrome by  Sylvia Hiven read by Mat Weller
EP326b: Rabbi Aaron Meets Satan  by Tim Lieder read by Richard E. Dansky
EP326c: Fine-Tuning the Universe by Merrie Haskell read by Mur Lafferty
EP327: Revenants by Judith Tarr read by Mur Lafferty
EP328: Surviving the eBookalypse by Randy Henderson read by Roberto Suarez
EP329: Pairs by Zachary Jernigan read by Matt Franklin
EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R. M. Kehrli read by Mur Lafferty
EP331: Devour by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Dave Thompson
EP332: Overclocking by James L. Sutter read by Wilson Fowlie
EP333: Asteroid Monte by Craig DeLancey read by Rajan Khanna
EP334: The Eckener Alternative by James L. Cambias read by Mur Lafferty
EP335: The Water Man by Ursula Pflug read by Christiana Ellis
EP336: The Speed of Time by Jay Lake read by Josh Roseman
EP337: Counting Cracks by George R. Galuschak read by Mat Weller
EP338: The Trojan Girl by N. K. Jemisin read by Mur Lafferty
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Mur Lafferty
EP340: Golubash (Wine-Blood-War-Story) by Catherynne M. Valente read by Marguerite Croft
EP341: Aphrodisia by Lavie Tidhar read by Alasdair Stuart
EP342: Certus Per Bellum by S. Hutson Blount read by Mat Weller
EP343: The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu read by Mur Lafferty
EP344: The Homecoming by Mike Resnick read by Patrick Bazile
EP345: The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu read by Rajan Khanna
EP346: Hawksbill Station by Robert Silverberg read by Paul Tevis
EP347: Next Time, Scales by John Moran read by Josh Roseman
EP348: Nemesis by Nathaniel Lee read by Mat Weller
EP349: Origin by Ari Goelman read by Veronica Giguere
EP350: Observer Effects by Tim Pratt read by A Kovacs
EP351: 113 Feet by Josh Roseman read by Mur Lafferty
EP352: Food for Thought by Laura Lee McArdle read by Christiana Ellis
EP353: Talking to the Enemy by Don Webb read by John Mierau
EP354: The Caretaker by Ken Liu read by Tom Rockwell
EP355: Grandmother by Cat Rambo read by The Word Whore
EP356: Three-Quarters Martian by CR Hodges read by Mur Lafferty
EP357: Connoisseurs of the Eccentric by Jetse de Vries read by Nathan Lowell
EP358: Like a Hawk in its Gyre by Philip Brewer read by Tim Crist
EP359: Chasers by Scott W. Baker read by Mat Weller
EP360: Follow That Cathedral! by Gareth Owens read by Pip Ballantine
EP361: Ashes on the Water by Gwendolyn Clare read by Mur Lafferty
EP362: Contamination by Jay Werkheiser read by Dave Thompson
EP363: Flowing Shapes by Rajan Khanna read by Josh Roseman
EP364: Techno-Rat by Brad Hafford read by Alasdair Stuart
EP365: The Garden of Earthly Delights by Jay Caselberg read by Mat Weller
EP366: Some of Them Closer by Marissa Lingen read by The Word Whore
EP367: Lion Dance by Vylar Kaftan read by John Chu
EP368: Springtime for Deathtraps by Marjorie James read by John Cmar
EP369: Passengers by Robert Silverberg read by Michael Spence
EP370: The Care and Feeding of Mammalian Bipeds, v. 2.1 by M. Darusha Wehm read by Christiana Ellis
EP371: A Querulous Flute of Bone by Cat Rambo read by Elizabeth Musselman
EP372a: Health Tips for Traveler by David W. Goldman read by Mur Lafferty
EP372b: Echoes of the Bouncing Ball by Paul Celmer read by Mur Lafferty
EP372c: Tornado on Fire by Luc Reid read by Mur Lafferty
EP373: Chandra’s Game by Samantha Henderson read by Mur Lafferty
EP374: Oubliette by J. Kelley Anderson read by David Moore
EP375: Marley and Cratchit by David Steffen read by Emma Newman
EP376: Shutdown by Corry L. Lee read by MK Hobson



matweller

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Reply #1 on: January 21, 2013, 12:20:48 AM
For stories, I got it down to 14, then these 6. I'll take the bolded 3, but the margin of love between all of these is very slight, though “Run,” Bakri Says is easily my favorite.

EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R. M. Kehrli read by Mur Lafferty
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Mur Lafferty
EP344: The Homecoming by Mike Resnick read by Patrick Bazile
EP362: Contamination by Jay Werkheiser read by Dave Thompson
EP368: Springtime for Deathtraps by Marjorie James read by John Cmar
EP375: Marley and Cratchit by David Steffen read by Emma Newman

Since I read, I may skip picking a reading, but it's the usual suspects for me. I'd be in starry-eyed bliss if Alasdair, Josh or Christiana were reading grocery receipts to me.



Fenrix

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Reply #2 on: January 21, 2013, 04:53:04 AM
Best Stories:

EP328: Surviving the eBookalypse by Randy Henderson read by Roberto Suarez - This could have been more dystopian, yet aimed at fun instead. It's also an interesting look at the future of writing and publication, and inspires conversations. In addition, it's very meta to have this story run on an audio podcast.

EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R. M. Kehrli read by Mur Lafferty - Dark and disturbing. This probes some of the same wounds that last year's Endosymbiont did (robbed with a tie for third place!).

EP350: Observer Effects by Tim Pratt read by A Kovacs - "The world will look up and shout 'save us.' And I'll whisper 'no,'"

Best Readers:

EP360: Follow That Cathedral! by Gareth Owens read by Pip Ballantine

EP369: Passengers by Robert Silverberg read by Michael Spence

EP375: Marley and Cratchit by David Steffen read by Emma Newman

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Max e^{i pi}

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Reply #3 on: January 21, 2013, 02:39:20 PM
Aww man... I can't remember all this stuff, this is why I have the internet.
Can't you go back and read all my forum posts and put the ones where I said "new favorite EP story"?
Based entirely of what I remember now, not my impressions while listening to the stories:

Best stories:
EP333: Asteroid Monte by Craig DeLancey
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz
EP360: Follow That Cathedral! by Gareth Owens

Best readers:
Nathan Lowell
Christiana Ellis
Wilson Fowlie
« Last Edit: January 21, 2013, 02:43:50 PM by Max e^{i pi} »

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Swamp

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Reply #4 on: January 21, 2013, 03:55:51 PM
My top three:
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Mur Lafferty
EP344: The Homecoming by Mike Resnick read by Patrick Bazile
EP375: Marley and Cratchit by David Steffen read by Emma Newman

Honorable mentions:
EP348: Nemesis by Nathaniel Lee read by Mat Weller
EP351: 113 Feet by Josh Roseman read by Mur Lafferty
EP368: Springtime for Deathtraps by Marjorie James read by John Cmar

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Devoted135

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Reply #5 on: January 24, 2013, 08:52:28 PM
This was a great year for Escape Pod! :) In order of publication, here are my three nominations for best story:

EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R. M. Kehrli read by Mur Lafferty
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Mur Lafferty
EP362: Contamination by Jay Werkheiser read by Dave Thompson

Honorable mention:
EP346: Hawksbill Station by Robert Silverberg read by Paul Tevis


And my favorite readings:
EP331: Devour by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Dave Thompson
EP346: Hawksbill Station by Robert Silverberg read by Paul Tevis
EP368: Springtime for Deathtraps by Marjorie James read by John Cmar



Listener

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Reply #6 on: January 24, 2013, 09:28:34 PM
I'm not going to vote for anything I did, although know that there is one thing (a story or a narration; I won't say which) that I want to include.

Stories:

EP331: Devour by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Dave Thompson
EP348: Nemesis by Nathaniel Lee read by Mat Weller
EP372a: Health Tips for Traveler by David W. Goldman read by Mur Lafferty

Narrations:

EP331: Devour by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Dave Thompson
EP337: Counting Cracks by George R. Galuschak read by Mat Weller
EP352: Food for Thought by Laura Lee McArdle read by Christiana Ellis

Since I read, I may skip picking a reading, but it's the usual suspects for me. I'd be in starry-eyed bliss if Alasdair, Josh or Christiana were reading grocery receipts to me.

Thanks. I appreciate that.

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Ocicat

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Reply #7 on: January 24, 2013, 10:04:48 PM
My three for best story:

EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R. M. Kehrli
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz
EP362: Contamination by Jay Werkheiser

I don't have nominations for best narration.  I fear good stories stick in my mind, whereas good narration will get out of the way of the story and thus blend into the background for me...



Bdoomed

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Reply #8 on: January 29, 2013, 06:30:15 AM
Right, first, my three story nominations, in no particular order.

EP374: Oubliette by J. Kelley Anderson
EP368: Springtime for Deathtraps by Marjorie James
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz

And as for narrations, also in no particular order

EP349: Origin read by Veronica Giguere
EP352: Food for Thought read by Christiana Ellis
EP374: Oubliette read by David Moore

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


Talia

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Reply #9 on: January 31, 2013, 03:28:48 PM
OK, throwing my 2 cents in...

EP331: 'Devour' by Ferret Steinmetz ('Run' also made my short list, but this was my favorite of the two).
EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R.M. Kehrli
PE343: The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu


The rest of my "short list" in no particular order:

EP339: 'Run,' Bakri Says by Ferret Steinmetz
EP349: Origin by Ari Goelman
EP366: Some of them closer by Marissa Lingen
EP368: Springtime for Deathtraps by Marjorie James
EP374: Oubliette by J. Kelley Anderson

I mostly chose my leading three by which evoked the strongest reactions in me. There were of course many excellent readings too, but they don't stick with me as much as the stories do, I'm afraid.



Umbrageofsnow

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Reply #10 on: February 06, 2013, 03:42:29 PM
I sort of agree with the leaders at the moment, Ferrett Steinmetz has definitely weaselled his way onto my favorite authors list this year.  But this poll needs some variety, so out of my top 6, I'll pick the 3 without any nominations:

Nominees for Best Story:
EP352: Food for Thought by Laura Lee McArdle
EP372a: Health Tips for Traveler by David W. Goldman
EP335: The Water Man by Ursula Pflug

Runners up for Best Story:
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz
EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R. M. Kehrli
EP331: Devour by Ferrett Steinmetz
EP363: Flowing Shapes by Rajan Khanna
EP369: Passengers by Robert Silverberg

Nominees for Best Narration:
EP331: Devour read by Dave Thompson
EP335: The Water Man read by Christiana Ellis
EP352: Food for Thought read by Christiana Ellis

What do you  know, all stories I voted for or almost voted for as best story. These narrators really elevated the work they read.

Runners up for Best Narration:
EP346: Hawksbill Station by Robert Silverberg read by Paul Tevis
EP367: Lion Dance by Vylar Kaftan read by John Chu
Mur Lafferty, generally. If I had to pick one in particular, I'd be stuck between:
  • EP372a: Health Tips for Traveler read by Mur Lafferty
  • EP373: Chandra’s Game read by Mur Lafferty



Unblinking

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Reply #11 on: February 19, 2013, 07:24:32 PM
For best story:
The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu
Devour by Ferrett Steinmetz
The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived by Keffy R.M. Kehrli



Umbrageofsnow

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Reply #12 on: February 19, 2013, 08:58:05 PM
It was so hard not to vote for Paper Menagerie, but I convinced myself not to because I voted for it for everything last year and it had its time in the sun.  Now you have to go and make me doubt my principles, Unblinking.



Unblinking

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Reply #13 on: February 21, 2013, 03:37:37 PM
It was so hard not to vote for Paper Menagerie, but I convinced myself not to because I voted for it for everything last year and it had its time in the sun.  Now you have to go and make me doubt my principles, Unblinking.


Vote for whatever you like, my good Umbrage.  My principles tell me to vote for what I consider the best, regardless of whether it's been recognized before.  In other years, that might not include the Hugo/Nebula/World Fantasy winner.  In this case it does!  But I wouldn't begrudge you for voting for whatever you thought most appropriate.



Fenrix

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Reply #14 on: February 21, 2013, 03:51:57 PM
It was so hard not to vote for Paper Menagerie, but I convinced myself not to because I voted for it for everything last year and it had its time in the sun.  Now you have to go and make me doubt my principles, Unblinking.


Vote for whatever you like, my good Umbrage.  My principles tell me to vote for what I consider the best, regardless of whether it's been recognized before.  In other years, that might not include the Hugo/Nebula/World Fantasy winner.  In this case it does!  But I wouldn't begrudge you for voting for whatever you thought most appropriate.

I'll try to wobble the weeble the other way.

I voted for it last year at PodCastle and it won there and other places. I went a different way to recognize other fantastic achievements.

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Devoted135

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Reply #15 on: February 21, 2013, 04:10:22 PM
It was so hard not to vote for Paper Menagerie, but I convinced myself not to because I voted for it for everything last year and it had its time in the sun.  Now you have to go and make me doubt my principles, Unblinking.


Vote for whatever you like, my good Umbrage.  My principles tell me to vote for what I consider the best, regardless of whether it's been recognized before.  In other years, that might not include the Hugo/Nebula/World Fantasy winner.  In this case it does!  But I wouldn't begrudge you for voting for whatever you thought most appropriate.

I'll try to wobble the weeble the other way.

I voted for it last year at PodCastle and it won there and other places. I went a different way to recognize other fantastic achievements.

This was my thought process as well.



El Barto

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Reply #16 on: February 22, 2013, 01:14:17 AM

My nominations for best story are

EP330: The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived

EP346: Hawksbill Station

EP358: Like a Hawk in its Gyre

Honorable mention to
EP339: "Run,” Bakri Says
EP352: food for thought



I did not keep track this year of favorite narrations.




eytanz

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Reply #17 on: February 26, 2013, 08:50:18 AM
The nominations will close this weekend and the polls will open, so if you want to nominate your favourites and haven't done so yet, now is the time!



Unblinking

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Reply #18 on: February 27, 2013, 03:12:59 PM
It was so hard not to vote for Paper Menagerie, but I convinced myself not to because I voted for it for everything last year and it had its time in the sun.  Now you have to go and make me doubt my principles, Unblinking.


Vote for whatever you like, my good Umbrage.  My principles tell me to vote for what I consider the best, regardless of whether it's been recognized before.  In other years, that might not include the Hugo/Nebula/World Fantasy winner.  In this case it does!  But I wouldn't begrudge you for voting for whatever you thought most appropriate.

I'll try to wobble the weeble the other way.

I voted for it last year at PodCastle and it won there and other places. I went a different way to recognize other fantastic achievements.

Fair enough.

It's interesting to me how nominating/voting publicly can change the results, with people discussing merits of voting schemes and picking stories that others haven't picked intentionally.  :)



eytanz

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Reply #19 on: March 11, 2013, 08:23:08 PM
Just a note - my workload at, well, work this last couple of weeks has been rather massive and I haven't had the time to set up the polls - they'll be coming in a few days. Sorry for the delay!



Cutter McKay

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Reply #20 on: March 11, 2013, 10:02:01 PM
I think my nominations have all been covered. But here they are:

For story:
EP339: “Run,” Bakri Says by Ferrett Steinmetz read by Mur Lafferty
EP364: Techno-Rat by Brad Hafford read by Alasdair Stuart
EP346: Hawksbill Station by Robert Silverberg read by Paul Tevis

For reading:
EP346: Hawksbill Station by Robert Silverberg read by Paul Tevis
EP364: Techno-Rat by Brad Hafford read by Alasdair Stuart
EP340: Golubash (Wine-Blood-War-Story) by Catherynne M. Valente read by Marguerite Croft

I'm thrilled to see "Run, Bakri Says" being listed by so many as it is one of my favorite short fiction stories ever. Props to Ferrett for this one.

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