Author Topic: 2012 Hugo nominations announced!  (Read 4390 times)

Talia

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on: April 07, 2012, 11:28:32 PM
This year's list is out!

Congrats to the nominees, who include Rachel Swirsky as well as Ken Liu for his story 'The Paper Menagerie,' which is in the running for 'Best Podcastle of 2011' over on the PC boards. :)



eytanz

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Reply #1 on: April 08, 2012, 01:40:06 AM
“Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue” was nominated for a Hugo? A lot of people are going to be displeased.

I'm not one of those people, by the way; it's not a story I would have voted for had I been eligible, but I appreciate deliberately bad writing. But we all know there are a lot of people who take awards very seriously.
« Last Edit: April 08, 2012, 01:44:47 AM by eytanz »



Umbrageofsnow

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Reply #2 on: April 08, 2012, 02:16:31 AM
Novella and Short Story look like the toughest categories to me this year. 

Novella discussion: I already spent hours agonizing over which I liked better between the Kij Johnson and the Mary Robinette Kowal for the Asimov's poll this year, and throw in the Objectively Best F&SF Novella, Ken "Writes-all-the-best-stories" Liu, and the Valente novella that I actually wasn't as impressed with, but all my friends and my girlfriend rave about, so that should get a bunch of votes.  I haven't read the Grant but she's on the ballot twice, so there must at least be a dedicated fan base, and if it's brilliant, then Toughest Category Ever.

Short Story discussion: Paper Menagerie and Movement are like my two all-time favorite stories I've read in years.  And I really think the award comes down to one or the other, although I loved Cartographer Wasps and "Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue" (best title ever), and in other years they'd be more than worthy, and I'd probably like the Resnick more but I've given up too many tears to his stories in the past, and now I'm immune to his sentimentality.

Novels, on the other hand, Embassytown seems kind of inevitable.  I mean I liked it but I think Miéville just seems like he and his style deserve to win lots of awards.  I'm not talking about the contest of merit, because unlike the short fiction, I haven't read most of the novels yet, but I wouldn't bet on anything else if someone were to start an (illegal?) Hugo betting pool.  10:1 odds on Embassytown.
« Last Edit: April 08, 2012, 02:18:32 AM by Umbrageofsnow »



Talia

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Reply #3 on: April 08, 2012, 03:51:21 AM
I've read 2 of the 5 'Best Novel' nominees this year, which is a high statistic for me :P

Though 'Among Others' was wonderful, 'Embassytown' just blew me away. He plays with some pretty big/complex ideas, and successfully, I feel. I enjoyed 'City and the City' quite a bit, which also garnered awards, but I think 'Embassytown' surpasses it in quality.

Novels, on the other hand, Embassytown seems kind of inevitable.  I mean I liked it but I think Miéville just seems like he and his style deserve to win lots of awards.  I'm not talking about the contest of merit, because unlike the short fiction, I haven't read most of the novels yet, but I wouldn't bet on anything else if someone were to start an (illegal?) Hugo betting pool.  10:1 odds on Embassytown.



eytanz

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Reply #4 on: May 04, 2012, 06:48:46 AM
Here's the schedule for Hugo nominee short stories on Escape Pod (copied from the EP blog):

“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld April 2011) – Running 5/3/12
“The Homecoming” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s April/May 2011) – Running 5/10/12
“Movement” by Nancy Fulda (Asimov’s March 2011) – Running 5/14/12
“The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction March/April 2011) – Running 5/17/12

The very funny “Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue” by John Scalzi (Tor.com) will not be appearing on Escape Pod, but you can (and should) read it in its entirety at Tor.com.

Note that the "movement", which had already been run on EP, is being re-run as a bonus episode mid-week.



Fenrix

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Reply #5 on: May 05, 2012, 02:27:26 PM
Here's the schedule for Hugo nominee short stories on Escape Pod (copied from the EP blog):

“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld April 2011) – Running 5/3/12
“The Homecoming” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s April/May 2011) – Running 5/10/12
“Movement” by Nancy Fulda (Asimov’s March 2011) – Running 5/14/12
“The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction March/April 2011) – Running 5/17/12

Are y'all keeping Rajan Khanna's reading of "The Paper Menagerie", tweaking it (to address some of the pronunciation quibbles), or re-recording it?

Also, you're missing a great opportunity to air it just before Mother's Day. I know listening to it on PC made me call my Mom.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 02:30:55 PM by Fenrix »

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


eytanz

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Reply #6 on: May 05, 2012, 02:38:48 PM
According to the EP blog, it's a repeat of the PC episode. I assume there will be a new intro/outro, but I don't know whether there were any tweaks to the episode.



DKT

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Reply #7 on: May 10, 2012, 06:17:56 PM
I'm told there will (naturally) be a new host spot for Paper Menagerie.

I'm also told I'm doing it.