The Hugo Shortlist 2019!

Oddly enough, I have actually read some of this year’s Hugo nominees, something rare for me - and also some of the classics in the retro Hugos. It will be interesting to see how those votes will turn out. I’ve bolded those I’ve read or seen and commented. 

The 2019 Hugo Awards

Best Novel

The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor) - a wonderful novel set in an Alternative universe 1950s in which the space program has to be speeded up because of a natural disaster that will make Earth unliveable in a few years - and women have to be given a chance to participate, because there’s no point in setting up male-only colonies...

Record of a Spaceborn Few, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)

Revenant Gun, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)

Space Opera, by Catherynne M. Valente (Saga/Corsair)

Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey / Macmillan)

Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)

Best Novella

Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)

Beneath the Sugar Sky, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)

Binti: The Night Masquerade, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)

The Black God’s Drums, by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com Publishing)

Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson (Tor.com Publishing)

The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency) Reading  this now, very enjoyable so far! Aliette made one of her earliest sales to Andromeda Spaceways. 

Best Novelette

“If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 29 November 2018) I’ve read this. To be honest, I enjoyed her Regency fantasy more. Personal preference, I guess. 

“The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections,” by Tina Connolly (Tor.com, 11 July 2018)

“Nine Last Days on Planet Earth,” by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com, 19 September 2018)

The Only Harmless Great Thing, by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com Publishing)

“The Thing About Ghost Stories,” by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)

“When We Were Starless,” by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld 145, October 2018)

Best Short Story

“The Court Magician,” by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed, January 2018)

“The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society,” by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)

“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,” by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine, February 2018)

“STET,” by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine, October 2018)

“The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat,” by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine 23, July-August 2018)

“A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)

Best Series

The Centenal Cycle, by Malka Older (Tor.com Publishing)

The Laundry Files, by Charles Stross (most recently Orbit/Tor and Tor.com publishing)These are wonderful books about a British agency called the Laundry, which is about anything but washing clothes! More like keeping Earth safe from critters from a Lovecraftian universe. 

Machineries of Empire, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)

The October Daye Series, by Seanan McGuire (most recently DAW)

The Universe of Xuya, by Aliette de Bodard (most recently Subterranean Press)

Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)

Best Related Work

Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, by Alec Nevala-Lee (Dey Street Books)

The Hobbit Duology (documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan (YouTube)

An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000, by Jo Walton (Tor)

www.mexicanxinitiative.com: The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 (Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, John Picacio)

Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing, by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon (Tin House Books)

Best Graphic Story

Abbott, written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colours by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios)

Black Panther: Long Live the King, written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino and Tana Ford (Marvel)

Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)

On a Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden (First Second)

Paper Girls, Volume 4, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colours by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher (Image Comics)

Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Annihilation, directed and written for the screen by Alex Garland, based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer (Paramount Pictures / Skydance)

Avengers: Infinity War, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Studios) I enjoyed this and I’m not even that familiar with the Marvel universe - I did have to ask my friend for details when we were watching. 

Black Panther, written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, directed by Ryan Coogler (Marvel Studios) Again - not familiar with the universe, but it worked as a stand alone film. I loved that all the women in it were strong, including the one who was the equivalent of Q in the Bond films. 

A Quiet Place, screenplay by Scott Beck, John Krasinski and Bryan Woods, directed by John Krasinski (Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night)

Sorry to Bother You, written and directed by Boots Riley (Annapurna Pictures)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman (Sony)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

The Expanse: “Abaddon’s Gate,” written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck and Naren Shankar, directed by Simon Cellan Jones (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)

Doctor Who: “Demons of the Punjab,” written by Vinay Patel, directed by Jamie Childs (BBC) One of this season’s best episodes. A nice touch to have the Doctor suddenly realise that she was invited to the women’s group the night before the wedding...

Dirty Computer, written by Janelle Monáe and Chuck Lightning, directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning (Wondaland Arts Society / Bad Boy Records / Atlantic Records)

The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)

The Good Place: “Jeremy Bearimy,” written by Megan Amram, directed by Trent O’Donnell (NBC)

Doctor Who: “Rosa,” written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, directed by Mark Tonderai (BBC) Oh, yes! Loved this one! And nice to see a children’s/YA novelist writing for Dr Who! 

Best Professional Editor, Short Form

Neil Clarke

Gardner Dozois

Lee Harris

Julia Rios

Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas

E. Catherine Tobler

Best Professional Editor, Long Form

Sheila E. Gilbert

Anne Lesley Groell

Beth Meacham

Diana Pho

Gillian Redfearn

Navah Wolfe

Best Professional Artist

Galen Dara

Jaime Jones

Victo Ngai

John Picacio

Yuko Shimizu

Charles Vess 

Best Semiprozine

Beneath Ceaseless Skies, editor-in-chief and publisher Scott H. Andrews

Fireside Magazine, edited by Julia Rios, managing editor Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, copyeditor Chelle Parker; social coordinator Meg Frank, special features editor Tanya DePass, founding editor Brian White, publisher and art director Pablo Defendini

FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, executive editors Troy L. Wiggins and DaVaun Sanders, editors L.D. Lewis, Brandon O’Brien, Kaleb Russell, Danny Lore, and Brent Lambert

Shimmer, publisher Beth Wodzinski, senior editor E. Catherine Tobler

Strange Horizons, edited by Jane Crowley, Kate Dollarhyde, Vanessa Rose Phin, Vajra Chandrasekera, Romie Stott, Maureen Kincaid Speller, and the Strange Horizons Staff

Uncanny Magazine, publishers/editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, managing editor Michi Trota, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky, Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue editors-in-chief Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Dominik Parisien

Best Fanzine

Galactic Journey, founder Gideon Marcus, editor Janice Marcus

Journey Planet, edited by Team Journey Planet

Lady Business, editors Ira, Jodie, KJ, Renay & Susan

nerds of a feather, flock together, editors Joe Sherry, Vance Kotrla and The G

Quick Sip Reviews, editor Charles Payseur

Rocket Stack Rank, editors Greg Hullender and Eric Wong 

Best Fancast

Be the Serpent, presented by Alexandra Rowland, Freya Marske and Jennifer Mace

The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe

Fangirl Happy Hour, hosted by Ana Grilo and Renay Williams

Galactic Suburbia, hosted by Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts, produced by Andrew Finch

Our Opinions Are Correct, hosted by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders

The Skiffy and Fanty Show, produced by Jen Zink and Shaun Duke; hosted by Jen Zink, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, Alex Acks, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Trish Matson, and team

Best Fan Writer

Foz Meadows - an Aussie writer, who wrote some good stuff for Ford Street Publishing  before she left to live overseas for a while. I follow her on Twitter, but am not really familiar with her fan writing.

James Davis Nicoll

Charles Payseur

Elsa Sjunneson-Henry

Alasdair Stuart

Bogi Takács 

Best Fan Artist

Sara Felix

Grace P. Fong

Meg Frank

Ariela Housman

Likhain (Mia Sereno)

Spring Schoenhuth

Best Art Book

The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)

Daydreamer’s Journey: The Art of Julie Dillon, by Julie Dillon (self-published)

Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History, by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer (Ten Speed Press)

Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, ed. John Fleskes (Flesk Publications)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, by Ramin Zahed (Titan Books)

Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, ed. Catherine McIlwaine (Bodleian Library)

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

Katherine Arden (2nd year of eligibility)

S.A. Chakraborty (2nd year of eligibility)

R.F. Kuang (1st year of eligibility)

Jeannette Ng (2nd year of eligibility)

Vina Jie-Min Prasad (2nd year of eligibility)

Rivers Solomon (2nd year of eligibility) 

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)

Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)

The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)

Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)

The Invasion, by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)

Tess of the Road, by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)

And here are the retros! Most of those I have read were familiar to me from my early years of reading SF and fantasy. They are still worth reading, and I’m pretty sure you can get some of them free in Project Gutenberg, or cheap in the 99c SF Megapacks. 

1944 Retrospective Hugo Awards Finalists

The 1944 Retrospective Hugo Awards were presented on Thursday, 15 August in Dublin.  The report of the winners is here.

Best Novel

Conjure Wife, by Fritz Leiber, Jr. (Unknown Worlds, April 1943) A group of wives of university academics who are doing witchy things to support their husbands.  Good stuff! 

Earth’s Last Citadel, by C.L. Moore and Henry Kuttner (Argosy, April 1943)

Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber, Jr. (Astounding Science-Fiction, May-July 1943) I’ve read this, but it has been such a long time! 

Das Glasperlenspiel [The Glass Bead Game], by Hermann Hesse (Fretz & Wasmuth)

Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis (John Lane, The Bodley Head) One of Lewis’s SF trilogy. It’s religious stuff, of course, and shows the Garden of Eden on Venus, only this time the snake fails...

The Weapon Makers, by A.E. van Vogt (Astounding Science-Fiction, February-April 1943) 

Best Novella

“Attitude,” by Hal Clement (Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1943)

“Clash by Night,” by Lawrence O’Donnell (Henry Kuttner & C.L. Moore) (Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1943)

“The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath,” by H.P. Lovecraft, (Beyond the Wall of Sleep, Arkham House)

The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Reynal & Hitchcock)

The Magic Bed-Knob; or, How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons, by Mary Norton (Hyperion Press) Made into a Disney movie, Bedknobs and Broomsticks! 

“We Print the Truth,” by Anthony Boucher (Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1943)

Best Novelette

“Citadel of Lost Ships,” by Leigh Brackett (Planet Stories, March 1943)

“The Halfling,” by Leigh Brackett (Astonishing Stories, February 1943)

“Mimsy Were the Borogoves,” by Lewis Padgett (C.L. Moore & Henry Kuttner) (Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1943) A scientist sends some toys into the past as an experiment. They are found by kids, who make more use of them than the kids for whom they were just toys. 

“The Proud Robot,” by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner) (Astounding Science-Fiction, October 1943) Very funny, and easily available on line. 

“Symbiotica,” by Eric Frank Russell (Astounding Science-Fiction, October 1943)

“Thieves’ House,” by Fritz Leiber, Jr (Unknown Worlds, February 1943) 

Best Short Story

“Death Sentence,” by Isaac Asimov (Astounding Science Fiction, November 1943)

“Doorway into Time,” by C.L. Moore (Famous Fantastic Mysteries, September 1943)

“Exile,” by Edmond Hamilton (Super Science Stories, May 1943)

“King of the Gray Spaces” (“R is for Rocket”), by Ray Bradbury (Famous Fantastic Mysteries, December 1943)

“Q.U.R.,” by H.H. Holmes (Anthony Boucher) (Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1943)

“Yours Truly – Jack the Ripper,” by Robert Bloch (Weird Tales, July 1943) Robert Bloch did a number of Jack the Ripper stories. I think this one inspired his Star Trek episode “Wolf In The Fold”. 

Best Graphic Story

Buck Rogers: Martians Invade Jupiter, by Philip Nowlan and Dick Calkins (National Newspaper Service)

Flash Gordon: Fiery Desert of Mongo, by Alex Raymond (King Features Syndicate)

Garth, by Steve Dowling (Daily Mirror)

Plastic Man #1: The Game of Death, by Jack Cole (Vital Publications)

Le Secret de la Licorne [The Secret of the Unicorn], by Hergé (Le Soir)

Wonder Woman #5: Battle for Womanhood, written by William Moulton Marsden, art by Harry G. Peter (DC Comics) 

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Batman, written by Victor McLeod, Leslie Swabacker and Harry L. Fraser, directed by Lambert Hillyer (Columbia Pictures)

Cabin in the Sky, written by Joseph Schrank, directed by Vincente Minnelli and Busby Berkeley (uncredited) (MGM) A musical with Eddie Anderson. Lena Horne was the vamp. He is a man being tested by Heaven and Hell alike. I’ve only seen it on late night TV. 

A Guy Named Joe, written by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan and Dalton Trumbo, directed by Victor Fleming (MGM)

Heaven Can Wait, written by Samson Raphaelson, directed by Ernst Lubitsch (20th Century Fox)

Münchhausen, written by Erich Kästner and Rudolph Erich Raspe, directed by Josef von Báky (UFA)

Phantom of the Opera, written by Eric Taylor, Samuel Hoffenstein and Hans Jacoby, directed by Arthur Lubin (Universal Pictures) 

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

The Ape Man, written by Barney A. Sarecky, directed by William Beaudine (Banner Productions)

Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, written by Curt Siodmak, directed by Roy William Neill (Universal Pictures)

Der Fuehrer’s Face, story by Joe Grant and Dick Huemer, directed by Jack Kinney (Disney)

I Walked With a Zombie, written by Curt Siodmak and Ardel Wray, directed by Jacques Tourneur (RKO Radio Pictures)

The Seventh Victim, written by Charles O’Neal and DeWitt Bodeen, directed by Mark Robson (RKO Radio Pictures)

Super-Rabbit, written by Tedd Pierce, directed by Charles M. Jones (Warner Bros) 

Best Professional Editor, Short Form

John W. Campbell

Oscar J. Friend

Mary Gnaedinger

Dorothy McIlwraith

Raymond A. Palmer

Donald A. Wollheim 

Best Professional Artist

Hannes Bok

Margaret Brundage

Virgil Finlay

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

J. Allen St. John

William Timmins 

Best Fanzine

Futurian War Digest, editor J. Michael Rosenblum

Guteto, editor Morojo (Myrtle R. Douglas)

The Phantagraph, editor Donald A. Wollheim

Voice of the Imagi-Nation, editors Jack Erman (Forrest J Ackerman) & Morojo (Myrtle Douglas)

YHOS, editor Art Widner

Le Zombie, editor Wilson “Bob” Tucker 

Best Fan Writer

Forrest J. Ackerman

Morojo (Myrtle Douglas)

Jack Speer

Wilson “Bob” Tucker

Art Widner

Donald A. Wollheim

Of course, I’ve heard of such folk as Forrest J. Ackerman and Donal A. Wollheim, but I’m not familiar with their fan writing. 

So, is anything on either of these lists familiar to you? And bcor3 I find out who actually won, who would you/did you vote for?