Hugo Award Nominee Recommendations

Jonathan McCalmont for Best Fan Writer

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 03:13:16 GMT

For reasons stated here and because admittedly I find myself perversely amused by the thought of how he might react to getting a nomination, I'm recommending Jonathan McCalmont for Best Fan Writer next year. Even though I disagree strongly with some of the points he makes, he makes them better than many other people writing on the same subject. I hope that posting this now makes it harder to forget when we get to nomination time next year.

Best Novel Recommendation: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:47:09 GMT

Bitterblue deals the issues of blame and responsibility under tyranny, and asks how and if there is a way to heal from old wounds. Bitterblue has been queen since she was 10, and now that she has come of age she feels a duty to right the wrongs left by the late king, as well as to explore who she is, stifled by advisors all these years. She is a non-magical protagonist in a magical world. Also: code-breaking, sex positive characters, and inventing the printing press.

Bitterblue is a sequel to Graceling, and a companion to Fire, but it can be enjoyed without having read books one and two (though there will be spoilers for both). I know many people were upset about a YA category not being added last year, so I doubly suggest giving this one a shot if you're looking to get YA on the ballot.

For Your Consideration: Final Thoughts!

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 01:38:46 GMT

Hugo nominations are due on Monday, March 11, 06:59 UTC/GMT, so it's time for me to go ahead and get my ballot sent off. I've read everything I wanted to read, watched most everything I wanted to watch, so I'm ready to go. What I wanted to do in THIS post was give you a run-down of discussions we've had, as well as offer a few more items for consideration, in the event you have time to rush out and read/watch something. This post also serves to refresh my memory of what I need to consider before I turn in my ballot, so it's as much for me as it is for you!

Best Novel

I've already talked about what books I've read that were published in 2012 that may be eligible for the Hugo. That list is here on LJ and here on WP. I just want to add a few more to that list for YOUR consideration, in case you forgot about something that was published last year that you really want to nominate. Again, I'm not saying I'm going to nominate these titles, I'm just saying I think they're eligible based on their publication date.

In alphabetical order:

Coates, Deborah: Wide Open
Gladstone, Max: Three Parts Dead
Hartman, Rachel: Seraphina
Levithan, David: Every Day
Taylor, Laini: Days of Blood & Starlight
Wells, Martha: The Serpent Sea

The Gladstone review will come this coming week, but I will say, it was excellent. The cover is deceptive, making you think it's a run-of-the-mill kick-assitude urban fantasy. It's not.

Short Fiction

I haven't talked about what I've read that's eligible in the short fiction categories. For the most part, I'm making educated guesses where these stories belong. In the case of novellas, I know for sure. In the case of short stories, they might be novelettes and I don't know it, so if you DO know, please correct me. Again, this is just a listing of what I read and what I think is eligible, not necessarily what I will be nominating (again, in alphabetical order):

Best Novella

Corey, James S.A.: Gods of Risk
Grant, Mira: San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats
Kress, Nancy: After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall

Best Short Story

Bardugo, Leigh: "The Witch of Duva: A Ravkan Folk Tale"
Carson, Rae: "The Shadow Cats"
Hoffman, Erin: "At the Foot of the Lighthouse (Todai Moto Kurashi)"
McCarron, Meghan: "Swift, Brutal Retaliation"

Best Graphic Story

I talked about the comics I read in 2012 rather extensively here on LJ and here on WP. Suffice to say, there are a few graphic novels that came out that collected issues of awesome stuff that I want to make sure YOU all are aware of (for consideration of course). Links go to Amazon where you can get the collection (in alphabetical order, though I'll just go ahead and say Saga is a freaking lock for me):

Hickman, Jonathan: The Manhattan Projects: Volume 1: Science Bad
Hill, Joe: The Cape
Hill, Joe: Locke & Key: Volume 5: Clockworks
Kidd, Chip: Batman: Death by Design
Simone, Gail: Batgirl: Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection
Vaughn, Brian K.: Saga: Volume 1

Best Dramatic Presentation

I've already talked this category to death for Long and Short Form. You can read my suggestions here on LJ and here on WP. Only thing I'd like to add to those lists is Seeking a Friend for the End of the World for Long Form.

Also, to plug Fringe one last time. "Letters of Transit" FOR THE SHORT FORM NOMINATION!!!!!!!!!

Best Professional Artist

Some favorites of mine with their website and a cover released last year you might recognize:

Daniel Dociu (portfolio) Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey
Dehong He (portfolio) Lance of Earth and Sky by Erin Hoffman
Stephen Martiniere (portfolio) Ashes of Candesce by Karl Schroeder
Chris McGrath (portfolio) Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
Cliff Nielsen (portfolio) The Inexplicables by Cherie Priest

Also, check out the cover art gallery for Beneath Ceaseless Skies. There's some great artists submitting to that magazine!

Best Semiprozine

There are a lot of these out there, and there's a lot of great ones. But one that keeps missing the ballot that I'd love to see get nominated is Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and now that Locus is no longer eligible for the award (or so I hear), then I really want this to happen. I admit I'm biased: the editor and I attended Odyssey the same year, and I know he's super-cool. But it's a great mag, so please, PLEASE, consider it for this category. Everything you need to make your decision is on the website, include current and past stories, a cover art gallery, and more!

Best Fanzine & Best Fan Writer

This is one I've talked about extensively about. Please feel free to read my considerations as well as the comments (great comments on both sites for these categories) here on LJ and here on WP.

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

I didn't keep as close an eye as I should've this past year for novel debuts, and of course, novel debuts don't guarantee eligibility for this award (which is why I wish there was a debut novel category, but hey), but here's who I'm pretty sure is eligible, for your consideration (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Madeline Ashby (for vN)
Max Gladstone (for Three Parts Dead)
Rachel Hartman (for Seraphina)

And that's all I've got for this category, sadly.

Whew! This list took longer to put together than I thought! Now it's time for me to nominate, and you haven't yet, it's time for you to do so as well!

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Novel

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:13:29 GMT

As in previous years, the Bay Area Science Fiction Association held Hugo (and Campbell) Recommendation Nights in January and February, and we are posting our accumulated recommendations in a series of entries here.

A key to the initials of the people making recommendations is in basfa's community journal. This post may change if we receive additional recommendations from club members.

2312 (Orbit US; Orbit UK, Kim Stanley Robinson): CES, CJG, CMM, MYS
Angelmaker (Heinemann; Knopf, Nick Harkaway): CMM
Blackout (Orbit, Mira Grant): BJH, CJG, DNO
Glamour in Glass (Tor, Mary Robinette Kowal): DO, DWG
The Drowning Girl (Roc, Caitlín R. Kiernan): CMM
Empty Space (Gollancz; Night Shade ’13, M. John Harrison): CMM
The Folly of the World (Orbit, Jesse Bullington): CJG
The Fractal Prince (Gollancz; Tor, Hannu Rajaniemi): CMM
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Feiwel & Friends, Cat Valente): CES, CJG, DNO, VF
Hide Me Among the Graves (Morrow; Corvus, Tim Powers): CES, CMM
The Mirage (HarperCollins, Matt Ruff): CMM
One Salt Sea (DAW Books, Seanan McGuire): BJH
Phoenix Rising (Baen, Ryk Spoor): BJH
Pirate Cinema (Tor, Cory Doctorow): FCM
Railsea (Del Rey, China Mievielle): CJG, DO, MYS
Redshirts (Tor, John Scalzi): CJG, VF
Snuff (Doubleday UK/Harper, Terry Prachett): CIP, DC, DO
Some Kind of Fairy Tale (Gollancz; Doubleday, Graham Joyce): CMM
Timeless (Orbit, Gail Carriger): CJG

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Novella

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:11:24 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Novelette

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:10:28 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Short Story

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:09:33 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Related Work

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:08:32 GMT

As in previous years, the Bay Area Science Fiction Association held Hugo (and Campbell) Recommendation Nights in January and February, and we are posting our accumulated recommendations in a series of entries here.

A key to the initials of the people making recommendations is in basfa's community journal. This post may change if we receive additional recommendations from club members.

Buffy and the Heroine's Journey: Valerie Estelle Frankel, McFarland, BJH, BL, CIP, CJG, DNO, JCV, KPR, LDH, VF
The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature: Edward James, Farah Mendlesohn, Cambridge University Press, CMM, MYS, VF
Chicks Dig Comics: Lynne M. Thomas, Sigrid Elli, Mad Norwegian, CJG
John Picacio Calendar 2013: John Picacio, John Picacio, CJG, CMM, CS, DNO, FCM, MYS
Katniss the Catail: Valerie Estelle Frankel, McFarland, BJH, CJG, DNO, JCV, VF
Marvel Comics: The Untold Story: Sean Howe, AJF, CES, MYS
Reflections on the Art of Writing: CMM
Superman: A High Flying History of America's Greatest Hero: Larry Tye, AJF, CES, JCV
The Forrest J Ackerman Oeuvre: Christopher M. O’Brien, McFarland, CES, CJG
World SF in Translation: Jari Koponen, Avain, CMM, DNO

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Graphic Story

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:07:42 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:06:42 GMT

As in previous years, the Bay Area Science Fiction Association held Hugo (and Campbell) Recommendation Nights in January and February, and we are posting our accumulated recommendations in a series of entries here.

A key to the initials of the people making recommendations is in basfa's community journal. This post may change if we receive additional recommendations from club members.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: AJF, BL
Argo: AJF, CES, CIP, DC, MYS, WJL
The Avengers: BAV, BL, CES, CMM, CS, DC, DNO, DWG, JCV, JOH, KP, KPR, MYS, VF
Brave: CJG, DNO, LDH
Cloud Atlas: DC, CMM, MYS
The Dark Knight Rises: BL, CES
Dark Shadows: CJG, KP
Frankenweenie: AJF, CJG, DC, DO
The Ghastly Love of Johnny X: CJG, JEM
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: BJH, CMM, DWG, JOH, JOR, KP, LDH, MYS
The Hunger Games: BL, DO, VF
Iron Sky: CES, CJG, CMM, JEM, KAS, KP, KPR
Django Unchained: AJF, DNO, JCV
John Carter: AJF, BJH, CIP, CJG, DWG, JOH, KPR
Looper: MYS
ParaNorman: AJF, CIP, CJG
Prometheus: BJH, CJG, JCV
Shuffle: CJG
Skyfall: AJF, BL, DWG, KP, KPR, MYS

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:05:49 GMT

As in previous years, the Bay Area Science Fiction Association held Hugo (and Campbell) Recommendation Nights in January and February, and we are posting our accumulated recommendations in a series of entries here.

A key to the initials of the people making recommendations is in basfa's community journal. This post may change if we receive additional recommendations from club members.

Air New Zealand, 'An Unexpected Briefing': AJF, JOH, KAS, LDH, RS
Archer, 'Space Race, Parts 1 & 2': CJG
Being Human (UK), 'Being Human 1955 (Episode 4.2)': AJF, MYS
Being Human (UK), 'Puppy Love (Episode 4.6)': AJF, MYS
Being Human (UK), 'The War Child (Episode 4.8)': AJF, MYS
Community, 'Digital Estate Planning': CJG, DC
A Conversation With My Time Traveling Future Self About Cheating: CJG, MYS
Death of a Shadow: AJF, CJG
Doctor Who, 'Asylum of the Daleks': DC, DNO, JEM, JOH, KP, KPR, LDH, MYS, VF
Doctor Who, 'The Snowmen': AJF, CJG, DWG, KDH, KP, KPR, MYS
Untitled Web Series About a Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time: CJG, DC, DNO, KAS, KPR, MYS

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Editor, Short Form

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:04:38 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Editor, Long Form

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:03:41 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Professional Artist

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:02:33 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Semiprozine

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:01:16 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Fanzine

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:59:56 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Fancast

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:58:40 GMT

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Fan Writer

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:57:09 GMT

As in previous years, the Bay Area Science Fiction Association held Hugo (and Campbell) Recommendation Nights in January and February, and we are posting our accumulated recommendations in a series of entries here.

A key to the initials of the people making recommendations is in basfa's community journal. This post may change if we receive additional recommendations from club members.

James Bacon: CES, CJG, DNO, JOH, MYS, RAB, KPR, LDH, DWG
Gordon Eklund: TWB
Chris Garcia: AJF, BAV, BJH, BL, CES, DC, DNO, FC, FCM, JCV, JEM, JOH, KPR, LDH, MM, MYS, RAB, VF
John Hertz: AJF, CJG, JOH, KPR, LDH
David Langford: BL, DC
Robert Lichtman: TWB
Guy Lillian III: BL, CJG, MYS
Richard Lynch: BL, CJG
Cheryl Morgan: BJH, FCM, JOH, KAS, KPR, LDH, MYS, WJL
Odo (sentidodelarnaravilla.blogspot.co.uk): CMM
Mark Plummer: CJG, TWB
Kevin Roche: BJH, CIP, DO, JOH, KP, KPR, LDH, MYS, WJL
Steven Silver: AJF, DWG, MOH, MYS, BJH
Ryk Spoor: BJH
Kevin Standlee: AJF, BJH, CJG, DO, FCM, JOH, LDH, MYS, VF, VG
Taral Wayne: KAS

BASFA 2013 Hugo Award Recommendations: Best Fan Artist

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:55:57 GMT

BASFA 2013 Campbell Award Recommendations

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:54:25 GMT

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 01:58:39 GMT

For those of you who might not have already seen it, the 2013 Campbellian Pre-Reading Anthology is a free download, available in both ePub (nook, iPad, Sony Reader, et cetera...) and Mobi (Kindle) formats, from the following address: http://stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2013/02/just-released-2013-campbellian-pre.html

This year we managed to assemble eighty complete stories and two novel excerpts, from 43 of the eligible candidates for the 2013 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. We managed to track down a supplemental list of another 58 writers who either elected not to participate, or who we didn’t learn about in time to approach for the anthology. There are even more names listed at Writertopia.com, because none of us knew they’d qualified until after the 2013 Campbellian Pre-Reading Anthology was out the door, and I would encourage anyone who is able to nominate writers on this year’s Hugo/Campbell ballot to investigate all of them. Readers and writers need each other, and the window of Campbellian eligibility is an excellent time for the two to connect.

Note: I am not making any specific recommendations one way or the other, since I also happen to be eligible. The Campbell is an award that deserves more attention, and each writer who manages to qualify also deserves recognition. I'll be doing this anthology as an annual project for the foreseeable future, because nominations are more meaningful when selected from a broad spectrum than from a limited palette.

Graphic Story

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:38:57 GMT

There are two graphic novels that are head and shoulders the best of the year. If they are not nominated, there is no justice.
Batman: The Court of Owls, Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo (DC)
Saga, Vol. 1, Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples (Image)

My other top picks include:
Dial H, Vol. 1: Into You, China Miéville, Mateus Santolouco (DC)
The Manhattan Projects, Vol. 1, Jonathan Hickman, Nick Pitavro (Image)
A Wrinkle in Time, adapted by Hope Larson (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

For a longer list of eligible graphic stories, see my blog at:
http://wp.me/p1Nxdi-vT

Related Work

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:30:06 GMT

Episodes of Prophets of Science Fiction broadcast on the Science Channel are well worth considering. They looked at the lives and predictions of notable science fiction creators. In 2012, there were good episodes on Robert Heinlein, Jules Verne, and Isaac Asimov.

Another suggestion is The Annotated Sandman, Vol. 1 by Les Klinger (Vertigo), a scholarly look at Neil Gaiman's classic comic book creation.

A note about Game of Thrones

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 01:06:40 GMT

There is an overwhelming chance that Game of Thrones, Season 2 will be nominated, just as Season 1 was last year, in the Long-Form category, so my advice is to not waste your nomination votes for individual episodes of Game of Thrones in the Short-Form category, as they will be disqualified.

Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 00:53:55 GMT

Brave, Pixar Animation Studios
Chronicle, Twentieth Century Fox
Frankenweenie, Walt Disney Studios
Iron Sky, Entertainment One
John Carter, Walt Disney Pictures
Looper, TriStar Pictures
Robot & Frank, Samuel Goldwyn Films

For a longer list of eligible films, see my blog at:
http://wp.me/p1Nxdi-vG