Hugo Nominations
Howard
Novel
Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06, as
Temeraire)
Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
Novella
"The Walls of the Universe" by Paul Melko (Asimov's, April/May 2006)
"A Billion Eyes" by Robert Reed (Asimov's, October/November 2006)
"Inclination" by William Shunn (Asimov's, April/May 2006)
"Lord Weary's Empire" by Michael Swanwick (Asimov's, December 2006)
Julian: A Christmas Story by Robert Charles Wilson (PS Publishing)
Novelette
"Yellow Card Man" by Paolo Bacigalupi (Asimov's, December 2006)
"Dawn, and Sunset, and the Colours of the Earth" by Michael F. Flynn
(Asimov's, December 2006)
"The Djinn's Wife" by Ian McDonald (Asimov's, July 2006)
"All the Things You Are" by Mike Resnick (Jim Baen's Universe, October
2006)
"Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter" by Geoff Ryman (F&SF, October/November
2006)
Short Story
"How to Talk to Girls at Parties" by Neil Gaiman (Fragile Things,
William Morrow)
"Kin" by Bruce McAllister (Asimov's, February 2006)
"Impossible Dreams" by Timothy Pratt (Asimov's, July 2006)
"Eight Episodes" by Robert Reed (Asimov's, June 2006)
"The House Beyond Your Sky" by Benjamin Rosenbaum (Strange Horizons,
September 2006)
Related Book
Samuel R. Delany, About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, and Five
Interviews (Wesleyan University Press)
Joseph T. Major, Heinlein's Children: The Juveniles (Advent:
Publishing)
Julie Phillips, James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B.
Sheldon (St. Martin's Press)
John Picacio, Cover Story: The Art of John Picacio (MonkeyBrain Books)
Mike Resnick & Joe Siclari, eds., Worldcon Guest of Honor Speeches
(ISFiC Press)
Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
Children of Men. Screenplay by Alfonso Cuaron and Timothy J. Sexton.
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. (Universal Pictures)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Screenplay by Ted Elliott
and Terry Rossio. Directed by Gore Verbinski. (Disney)
The Prestige. Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan.
Directed by Christopher Nolan. (Warner Brothers / Touchstone Pictures)
A Scanner Darkly. Screenplay by Richard Linklater. Directed by Richard
Linklater. (Warner Independent Pictures)
V for Vendetta. Screenplay by David Lloyd. Directed by James McTeigue.
(Warner Brothers)
Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
Battlestar Galactica, "Downloaded." Writers Bradley Thompson and David
Weddle. Directed by Jeff Woolnough. (NBC Universal/British Sky)
Doctor Who, "Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday." Written by Russell T.
Davies. Directed by Graeme Harper. (BBC Wales/BBC1)
Doctor Who, "Girl in the Fireplace." Written by Steven Moffat.
Directed by Euros Lyn. (BBC Wales/BBC1)
Doctor Who, "School Reunion." Written by Toby Whithouse. Directed by
James Hawes. (BBC Wales/BBC1)
Stargate SG-1, "200." Written by Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper, Joseph
Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, Carl Binder, Martin Gero, and Alan McCullough.
Directed by Martin Wood. (Double Secret Productions/NBC Universal)
Editor, Long Form
Lou Anders (Pyr)
James Patrick Baen (Baen Books)
Ginjer Buchanan (Ace Books/Roc)
David G. Hartwell (Tor Books)
Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Tor Books)
Editor, Short Form
Gardner Dozois (The Year's Best Science Fiction)
David G. Hartwell (Year's Best SF / The New York Review of Science
Fiction)
Stanley Schmidt (Analog)
Gordon Van Gelder (Fantasy and Science Fiction)
Sheila Williams (Asimov's)
Professional Artist
Bob Eggleton
Donato Giancola
Stephan Martiniere
John Jude Palencar
John Picacio
Semiprozine
Ansible, ed. Dave Langford
Interzone, ed. Andy Cox
Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, ed. Gavin J. Grant & Kelly Link
Locus, ed. Charles N. Brown, Kirsten Gong-Wong, & Liza Groen Trombi
The New York Review of Science Fiction, ed. Kathryn Cramer, David G.
Hartwell, & Kevin J. Maroney
Fanzine
Banana Wings ed. Claire Brialey & Mark Plummer
Challenger ed. Guy Lillian III
The Drink Tank ed. Christopher J. Garcia
Plokta ed. Alison Scott, Steve Davies, & Mike Scott
Science-Fiction Five-Yearly ed. Lee Hoffman, Geri Sullivan, & Randy
Byers
Fan Writer
Chris Garcia
John Hertz
Dave Langford
John Scalzi
Steven H. Silver
Fan Artist
Brad W. Foster
Teddy Harvia
Sue Mason
Steve Stiles
Frank Wu
John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (not a Hugo)
Scott Lynch
Sarah Monette
Naomi Novik
Brandon Sanderson
Lawrence M. Schoen
William December Starr
"Howard" <rayc...@hotmail.com> said:
> Novel
> Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
> Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06,
> as Temeraire)
> Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
> Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
> Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
I see that out of twenty fiction nominees the Novik appears to
be the only work by a female author.
I don't know what that means, but it seems unusual in 2007.
--
William December Starr <wds...@panix.com>
Just.A...@gmail.com
> In article <1175178299.709725.3...@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
> "Howard" <rayc_...@hotmail.com> said:
>
> > Novel
> > Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
> > Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06,
> > as Temeraire)
> > Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
> > Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
> > Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
>
> I see that out of twenty fiction nominees the Novik appears to
> be the only work by a female author.
>
> I don't know what that means, but it seems unusual in 2007.
Perhaps a check of the gender of the folks who _bothered_ to nominate
might be in order? All 407 of them.
GeekGirl
James Nicoll
One is low but the Hugos are generally male-dominated.
--
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/
http://www.livejournal.com/users/james_nicoll
http://www.cafepress.com/jdnicoll (For all your "The problem with
defending the English language [...]" T-shirt, cup and tote-bag needs)
Kurt Busiek
> In article <1175178299....@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
> "Howard" <rayc...@hotmail.com> said:
>
>> Novel
>> Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
>> Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06,
>> as Temeraire)
>> Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
>> Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
>> Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
>
> I see that out of twenty fiction nominees the Novik appears to
> be the only work by a female author.
And it's a perfectly decent little book, but if that were actually a
list of the five best SF novels of the past year, it was a terrible
year for the genre.
Surely there was something else more impressive.
kdb
Howard
>
> And it's a perfectly decent little book, but if that were actually a
> list of the five best SF novels of the past year, it was a terrible
> year for the genre.
>
> Surely there was something else more impressive.
Well, it's the only one I didn't read, so I can't comment on it, but
the other four are all more than worthy in my opinion. A pretty good
year for novels, I think.
Charlie Stross
as <ku...@busiek.comics> declared:
>> I see that out of twenty fiction nominees the Novik appears to
>> be the only work by a female author.
>
> And it's a perfectly decent little book, but if that were actually a
> list of the five best SF novels of the past year, it was a terrible
> year for the genre.
>
> Surely there was something else more impressive.
You're saying Blindsight *isn't* impressive?
The mind, it boggles.
-- Charlie
Kat R
I can never think of something to nominate when the form comes in.
Unless I'm reading or just finished a truly great book that was
published in the appropriate time frame, I always forget. I have a
Swiss cheese for a memory and I tend to read books late--rarely manage
to read a book when it's still new enough to qualify for an award.
I did read Novik's three, but... err... well... I don't think they're
noteworthy for their writing so much as their marketing. Liked 'em, but
I don't think they're Hugo-worthy.
--
Kat Richardson
Greywalker (2006), Poltergeist (2007)
Website: http://www.katrichardson.com/
Bloggery: http://katrich.wordpress.com/
Kurt Busiek
It's the only one I did read, as it happens, and I don't regret reading
it at all -- I just don't think it's by any stretch award-quality
material. It's fine, decent reading, and I don't say that to diminish
it -- I bought the next two and recommended it to others.
But I wasn't saying that it must have been a bad year for novels --
just that it would have had to be one for the Novik to rank as one of
the five best of the year. I seriously doubt it was.
kdb
Andrew Plotkin
>
> I did read Novik's three, but... err... well... I don't think they're
> noteworthy for their writing so much as their marketing. Liked 'em, but
> I don't think they're Hugo-worthy.
They're notably... should there be a Hugo category for Most
Comfortable Novel? No, there shouldn't. But that's what these were.
They are curled up on the couch with a big fluffy blanket and a bucket
of toffee pecans. I recommend them highly. I wouldn't vote them for a
Hugo.
(Yes, I am expressing a bias about which varieties of "good" are
Hugo-worthy. And I need to read _Blindsight_.)
I seem to have missed all the marketing. I was sold on the first book
by the no-doubt-carefully-planned tactic of an author reading session.
(Boskone last year? I think.) The only notable marketing decision I saw
was to release the three books in the space of three months; and if
that's a piece of cynical market saturation, I only hope it catches on
big-time.
--Z
--
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
Bush's biggest lie is his claim that it's okay to disagree with him. As soon as
you *actually* disagree with him, he sadly explains that you're undermining
America, that you're giving comfort to the enemy. That you need to be silent.
Andrew Plotkin
>
> But I wasn't saying that it must have been a bad year for novels --
> just that it would have had to be one for the Novik to rank as one of
> the five best of the year. I seriously doubt it was.
No, it was not a bad year for novels.
Kurt Busiek
No. I'm saying that despite the Novik being by a female author and
despite it being perfectly decent, it is not impressive enough to my
eye, to make a list of five contenders for the best book of the year in
the SF genre.
> The mind, it boggles.
Not if one reads in context, I hope. I can see where we slipped past
one another, there, but at no time did I say that none of the books on
that list were impressive, just that one of them was merely "perfectly
decent."
Surely a year that produced only four novels worthy of Hugo nomination,
so that a list of the top five would include one that was only merely
decent, would be counted as a bad year for the genre -- thus, my hope
that there were other books byond the list that are more impressive
than the first Temeraire adventure.
kdb
Kurt Busiek
> Here, Kat R <null....@lycos.com> wrote:
>>
>> I did read Novik's three, but... err... well... I don't think they're
>> noteworthy for their writing so much as their marketing. Liked 'em, but
>> I don't think they're Hugo-worthy.
>
> They're notably... should there be a Hugo category for Most
> Comfortable Novel? No, there shouldn't. But that's what these were.
> They are curled up on the couch with a big fluffy blanket and a bucket
> of toffee pecans. I recommend them highly.
I recommend the first one, and the second is slow but a decent
follow-up. By the third, though, it's starting to feel like a
role-playing game on paper. Plus, the main adventure in the third
seems less interesting than the background uberplot, as if it's only
there to keep the series from moving faster than someone -- author or
publisher -- wants.
> I seem to have missed all the marketing. I was sold on the first book
> by the no-doubt-carefully-planned tactic of an author reading session.
> (Boskone last year? I think.)
I was sold on both DRAGON and THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA by being handed
promo chapbooks for them at Comicon in San Diego, which was a great way
to sample two books I probably wouldn't have looked at twice otherwise.
kdb
Andy Leighton
> On 2007-03-29 11:47:50 -0700, Charlie Stross <cha...@antipope.org> said:
>
>> Stoned koala bears drooled eucalyptus spittle in awe
>> as <ku...@busiek.comics> declared:
>>
>>
>> You're saying Blindsight *isn't* impressive?
>
> No. I'm saying that despite the Novik being by a female author and
> despite it being perfectly decent, it is not impressive enough to my
> eye, to make a list of five contenders for the best book of the year in
> the SF genre.
Nor mine. But I wasn't nominating this year.
>> The mind, it boggles.
>
> Not if one reads in context, I hope. I can see where we slipped past
> one another, there, but at no time did I say that none of the books on
> that list were impressive, just that one of them was merely "perfectly
> decent."
>
> Surely a year that produced only four novels worthy of Hugo nomination,
> so that a list of the top five would include one that was only merely
> decent, would be counted as a bad year for the genre -- thus, my hope
> that there were other books byond the list that are more impressive
> than the first Temeraire adventure.
You want some more choices.
I was disappointed not to see _Shriek: An Afterword_ in the list.
Scalzi's _An Android's Dream_ might have appeared as well. A lot of the
other titles I have read which I thought better than Temeraire have had
no or very limited distribution in the US, or are stuff like Tim Power's
_Three Days To Never_ and James Morrow's _The Last Witchfinder_.
Before Christmas I was saying that Charlie was a good outside bet
with _Glasshouse_. I think the odds have shortened somewhat but I have
yet to read _Blindsight_.
--
Andy Leighton => an...@azaal.plus.com
"The Lord is my shepherd, but we still lost the sheep dog trials"
- Robert Rankin, _They Came And Ate Us_
Gene Ward Smith
> Stoned koala bears drooled eucalyptus spittle in awe
> > Surely there was something else more impressive.
>
> You're saying Blindsight *isn't* impressive?
>
> The mind, it boggles.
Fortunately, the Hugos are not divided up so that you first have to
decide if it is hard sf, soft sf, or fantasy before voting, or the
mind might really boggle.
William George Ferguson
You'd rather have a year like 1964, right?
The nominees
Way Station (Here Gather the Stars) by Clifford Simak
Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein
Dune World (the serialized 1st half of Dune) by Frank Herbert
Witch World by Andre Norton
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
(Way Station won)
Looking backward from this year's (2007) nominees, the first year I see
that looks to be on the strength level of the above 1964 was 1993
A Fire Upon the Deep - Vinge
Doomsday Book - Willis
China Mountain Zhang - McHugh
Red Mars - Robinson
Steel Beach - Varley
(Vinge and Willis tied, and shared the Hugo)
This year's nominees seem to be on a par with most year's nominees, looking
backwards with 20/20 hindsight.
--
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
(Bene Gesserit)
Konrad Gaertner
>
> Surely a year that produced only four novels worthy of Hugo nomination,
> so that a list of the top five would include one that was only merely
> decent, would be counted as a bad year for the genre -- thus, my hope
> that there were other books byond the list that are more impressive
> than the first Temeraire adventure.
If I had been eligible to nominate (which I wasn't), here's what I
would've picked:
Jonathan Stroud, _Ptolemy's Gate_
Scott Lynch, _The Lies of Locke Lamora_
Joel Shepherd, _Crossover_
Carrie Vaughn, _Kitty Goes to Washington_
P.C. Hodgell, _To Ride a Rathorn_
--
Konrad Gaertner - - - - - - - - - - - - - email: kgae...@tx.rr.com
http://kgbooklog.livejournal.com/
"You are nothing if not thorough in your self-congratulatory made-up
logic." "I'm rather humble that way." -- Sanderson, _Warbreaker_
Sean O'Hara
> This is popping up online in several places.
>
> Novel
> Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
> Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06, as
> Temeraire)
> Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
> Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
> Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
>
I'm surprised no one's jumped in to complain "There's fantasy in my
Hugos".
> Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
> Battlestar Galactica, "Downloaded." Writers Bradley Thompson and David
> Weddle. Directed by Jeff Woolnough. (NBC Universal/British Sky)
> Doctor Who, "Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday." Written by Russell T.
> Davies. Directed by Graeme Harper. (BBC Wales/BBC1)
> Doctor Who, "Girl in the Fireplace." Written by Steven Moffat.
> Directed by Euros Lyn. (BBC Wales/BBC1)
> Doctor Who, "School Reunion." Written by Toby Whithouse. Directed by
> James Hawes. (BBC Wales/BBC1)
> Stargate SG-1, "200." Written by Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper, Joseph
> Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, Carl Binder, Martin Gero, and Alan McCullough.
> Directed by Martin Wood. (Double Secret Productions/NBC Universal)
>
Come on, I like the new Doctor Who but the second season wasn't
*that* good -- in fact, of the nominated episodes, Girl in the
Fireplace is the only one that deserves to be on the list, with the
two parter high-lighting many of the things the series *isn't* doing
right, and School Reunion being fanfic material. There are other BSG
episodes that belong on the list, as well as Venture Bros. and
Heroes eps.
--
Sean O'Hara <http://diogenes-sinope.blogspot.com>
Fat Union Worker: What do I look like, a guy who's not lazy?
-Futurama
Konrad Gaertner
>
> This is popping up online in several places.
>
> Novel
> Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
> Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06, as
> Temeraire)
> Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
> Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
> Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
I enjoyed the Novik, but was disappointed in the sequels. I haven't
read the others, but plan on reading Blindsight real soon, and I
expect it to be better written but less enjoyable than Novik.
As usual, I haven't read any of the shorter works, related, or
dramatic.
> Editor, Long Form
> Lou Anders (Pyr)
> James Patrick Baen (Baen Books)
> Ginjer Buchanan (Ace Books/Roc)
> David G. Hartwell (Tor Books)
> Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Tor Books)
I know I've read books editted by PNH, and I probably haven't read
any by Baen. Did Anders edit everything from Pyr? I liked
_Crossover_ a lot.
I think we shuold have a new set of awards just for dead people,
to encourage people to give the other awards to people still living.
> Fan Writer
> John Scalzi
What is the definition of "fan" here?
> John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (not a Hugo)
> Scott Lynch
> Sarah Monette
> Naomi Novik
> Brandon Sanderson
> Lawrence M. Schoen
Lynch was very good, but I'd rather vote for him next year; I
keep meaning to read Monette, but haven't yet; see above for
Novik; Sanderson would get my vote; never heard of Schoen.
Kurt Busiek
> I was disappointed not to see _Shriek: An Afterword_ in the list.
> Scalzi's _An Android's Dream_ might have appeared as well. A lot of the
> other titles I have read which I thought better than Temeraire have had
> no or very limited distribution in the US, or are stuff like Tim Power's
> _Three Days To Never_ and James Morrow's _The Last Witchfinder_.
Of those, I've read the Scalzi and the Powers, and yeah, I'd put them
both higher than the Novik.
kdb
Kurt Busiek
<wmgf...@newsguy.com> said:
>> But I wasn't saying that it must have been a bad year for novels --
>> just that it would have had to be one for the Novik to rank as one of
>> the five best of the year. I seriously doubt it was.
>
> You'd rather have a year like 1964, right?
No, I'm not actually saying that I think nominations are ever
completely descriptive of the year's quality output -- it was just a
way of saying that I imagine there must be a fair number of better
choices than HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON out there, even though it's a
perfectly decent fantasy novel.
Besides, I read WITCH WORLD a year or two back for the first time, and
it's awful. I remember liking some of the later volumes, though.
kdb
Kate Nepveu
<kgae...@tx.rr.com> wrote:
>Howard wrote:
>> Editor, Long Form
>> Lou Anders (Pyr)
>> James Patrick Baen (Baen Books)
>> Ginjer Buchanan (Ace Books/Roc)
>> David G. Hartwell (Tor Books)
>> Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Tor Books)
>I know I've read books editted by PNH, and I probably haven't read
>any by Baen. Did Anders edit everything from Pyr? I liked
>_Crossover_ a lot.
http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Monitor/DirectoryBookEditors.html
--
Kate Nepveu
Outside of a Dog (book log): http://www.steelypips.org/weblog/
LiveJournal (everything else): http://kate-nepveu.livejournal.com
Konrad Gaertner
>
> On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:58:08 -0500, Konrad Gaertner
> <kgae...@tx.rr.com> wrote:
> >Howard wrote:
>
> >> Editor, Long Form
> >> Lou Anders (Pyr)
> >> James Patrick Baen (Baen Books)
> >> Ginjer Buchanan (Ace Books/Roc)
> >> David G. Hartwell (Tor Books)
> >> Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Tor Books)
>
> >I know I've read books editted by PNH, and I probably haven't read
> >any by Baen. Did Anders edit everything from Pyr? I liked
> >_Crossover_ a lot.
>
> http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Monitor/DirectoryBookEditors.html
I knew someone had made such a list, but was too lazy to find it
myself. [looks at list....] That's.. not what I expected...
Here's how many books I've read from each editor:
Lou Anders: 1
Jennifer Brehl: 1
Ginjer Buchanan: 1
Moshe Feder: 1
Anne Groell: 3
Marty Halpern: 1
David G. Hartwell: 2
Mary-Theresa Hussey: 2
Betsy Mitchell: 4
Patrick Nielsen Hayden: 1
Teresa Nielsen Hayden: 2
Kate Nintzel: 1
Liz Scheier: 1
Anne Sowards: 4
Paul Stevens: 1
Brian Thomsen: 1
So I have in fact read something from each nominee except Jim.
And though I'd like to see PNH (and TNH) eventually win this
award, this year I'd vote for Anders (if I could vote).
Just.A...@gmail.com
>
> > Fan Writer
> > John Scalzi
>
> What is the definition of "fan" here?
What the voters thought?
GeekGirl
Gene Ward Smith
> > Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
> > Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06, as
> > Temeraire)
> > Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
> > Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
> > Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
>
> I'm surprised no one's jumped in to complain "There's fantasy in my
> Hugos".
Now now. Blindsight is arguably not fantasy.
Andrew Wheeler
Re: Naomi Novik
> The only notable marketing decision I saw
> was to release the three books in the space of three months; and if
> that's a piece of cynical market saturation, I only hope it catches on
> big-time.
It has already caught on big-time, actually -- though mostly among
romances. Keri Arthur had three contemporary fantasy-romances in
back-to-back months very recently, and Del Rey is doing the same thing
with a trilogy by Morgan Howell later this year. It's been happening for
quite a while; Nora Roberts (who writes faster than most people *read*)
had a series like that last year, and I think the year before (on top of
her normal output under her own name and "J.D. Robb").
Though, this strategy depends on either catching a new author who
already has several good novels in the trunk, getting her to crank out a
couple of books quickly, or waiting several years between batches. (I
gather the last option would be *quite* unpopular...)
--
Andrew Wheeler: Professional Editor, Amateur Wise-Acre
--
Personal blog: http://antickmusings.blogspot.com
SFBC blog: http://thebookblogger.com/sfbc
Spare time: rare
Konrad Gaertner
>
> Andrew Plotkin wrote:
>
> Re: Naomi Novik
>
> > The only notable marketing decision I saw
> > was to release the three books in the space of three months; and if
> > that's a piece of cynical market saturation, I only hope it catches on
> > big-time.
>
> It has already caught on big-time, actually -- though mostly among
> romances. Keri Arthur had three contemporary fantasy-romances in
> back-to-back months very recently,
That's an interesting case, since the first book came out in
hardcover last January, then in massmarket this January, then the
next 3 books in massmarket in consecutive months. Made me wonder
if she signed a four book deal only to have the first book bomb,
and so the publisher is trying to wash their hands of her as quickly
as possible.
(Checking her website, I see that book 3 made the NYT paperback
list, so I guess sales aren't a problem.)
Kat R
> Here, Kat R <null....@lycos.com> wrote:
>> I did read Novik's three, but... err... well... I don't think they're
>> noteworthy for their writing so much as their marketing. Liked 'em, but
>> I don't think they're Hugo-worthy.
>
> They're notably... should there be a Hugo category for Most
> Comfortable Novel? No, there shouldn't. But that's what these were.
> They are curled up on the couch with a big fluffy blanket and a bucket
> of toffee pecans. I recommend them highly. I wouldn't vote them for a
> Hugo.
That's frequently my "problem" with a lot of books--and partial answer
to the "why aren't there more women nominees". A book may be a terrific
read, comfortable, fun, well-crafted, but not really "great" and to me a
book nominated for a major award really needs to be great. In SF/F that
means it's not only well-crafted, but it's thought-provoking or
insightful, or mind-broadening in some way. This is speculative
fiction, after all and if it's not making me speculate, or demonstrate a
good application of speculation by the author, it doesn't make my grade
for award-material.
Yeah, I'd like to see more women on those lists--some years there are
more, but the men do tend to dominate and no, I don't know why nor do I
care--but I'm not nominating or voting based on gender or political
correctness. Phooey on that jazz. That cheapens the meaning of the
award and when, someday, I win one (hahahaha! fat chance) I want it to
mean something other than that I was the politically correct
choice--wouldn't anyone?
Alas, the only reward for a comfortable read is sales numbers. But I
certainly wouldn't say "no" to that kind of reward either, personally.
I wish there was a better way to publicly tell an author "you write
consistently enjoyable stuff" but there's no way to make an award for
that. It's going to have to remain a wallet vote.
>
> (Yes, I am expressing a bias about which varieties of "good" are
> Hugo-worthy. And I need to read _Blindsight_.)
>
> I seem to have missed all the marketing. I was sold on the first book
> by the no-doubt-carefully-planned tactic of an author reading session.
> (Boskone last year? I think.) The only notable marketing decision I saw
> was to release the three books in the space of three months; and if
> that's a piece of cynical market saturation, I only hope it catches on
> big-time.
>
> --Z
>
It was neat, but I suspect most of us just don't write good stuff while
writing that fast. Or at least not for long (ignoring Mr. Stress).
Gotta take a break sometime.
Kat R
Mmm... chapbooks.... I think I like 'em better as swag-bag fodder than
full-size books, since I can gobble through one in between panels
without a major investment of time. My publisher did a small volume
called Urban Noir for a group of books last year that included a chapter
from my book as well as a half-dozen others and I think that worked out
quite nicely; I've noticed that all the books that were excerpted in
that volume are selling unusually well for first-time novels.
Andrew Plotkin
>
> Alas, the only reward for a comfortable read is sales numbers. But I
> certainly wouldn't say "no" to that kind of reward either, personally.
> I wish there was a better way to publicly tell an author "you write
> consistently enjoyable stuff" but there's no way to make an award for
> that.
I try to say it in public. Dave Duncan writes consistently enjoyable
stuff. Brandon Sanderson's first two books are pointed strongly in
that direction, too.
Come to notice: of the Campbell nominees, I just named Novik and
Sanderson. Scott Lynch is not comfort food, but he's a ripping yarn,
which is closely related -- _Locke Lamora_ was just gobs and gobs of
fun.
(I could try to tie Monette's _Melusine_ into this pattern, but it
would be a stretch. Someone else can take a swing at it.)
Anyway, my question is: am I observing something that new authors are
likely to be good at? Or am I observing something that fans are
willing to laud new authors for, but which doesn't get recognized as
much later on? Dave Duncan has been consistently enjoyable for
decades, but there's no Nhoj M. Bellcmap Award for Best Old Fogey.
(Maybe that's "Grandmaster", I dunno.)
--Z
--
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
If the Bush administration hasn't shipped you to Syria for interrogation, it's
for one reason: they don't feel like it. Not because you're innocent.
Kat R
> It was neat, but I suspect most of us just don't write good stuff while
> writing that fast. Or at least not for long (ignoring Mr. Stress).
> Gotta take a break sometime.
>
STROSS! Damn that spell checker....
Kat R
> Here, Kat R <null....@lycos.com> wrote:
>> Alas, the only reward for a comfortable read is sales numbers. But I
>> certainly wouldn't say "no" to that kind of reward either, personally.
>> I wish there was a better way to publicly tell an author "you write
>> consistently enjoyable stuff" but there's no way to make an award for
>> that.
>
> I try to say it in public. Dave Duncan writes consistently enjoyable
> stuff. Brandon Sanderson's first two books are pointed strongly in
> that direction, too.
>
> Come to notice: of the Campbell nominees, I just named Novik and
> Sanderson. Scott Lynch is not comfort food, but he's a ripping yarn,
> which is closely related -- _Locke Lamora_ was just gobs and gobs of
> fun.
>
> (I could try to tie Monette's _Melusine_ into this pattern, but it
> would be a stretch. Someone else can take a swing at it.)
>
> Anyway, my question is: am I observing something that new authors are
> likely to be good at?
Nah, some are just ripping writers, some are more uncomfortable. Ever
read Nicola Griffith? Not comfy. Not comfy at all, but she certainly
can turn a tale.
> Or am I observing something that fans are
> willing to laud new authors for, but which doesn't get recognized as
> much later on? Dave Duncan has been consistently enjoyable for
> decades, but there's no Nhoj M. Bellcmap Award for Best Old Fogey.
I think we tend to take the steady workhorses for granted, after a
while. Duncan's been turning out nice, consistent, enjoyable books for
a while, so has a certain LWE, but we don't make much of an issue, since
we've frankly gotten spoiled by it.
>
> (Maybe that's "Grandmaster", I dunno.)
Hehe. Is that worthy of "touche" or "down boy!" I just can't
decide.... (bad kat, baaaaad kat; go to your scratching post!)
--
Kat Richardson
RrrOOwrrr!
Steve
>> John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (not a Hugo)
>> Scott Lynch
>> Sarah Monette
>> Naomi Novik
>> Brandon Sanderson
>> Lawrence M. Schoen
>
>Lynch was very good, but I'd rather vote for him next year; I
>keep meaning to read Monette, but haven't yet; see above for
>Novik; Sanderson would get my vote; never heard of Schoen.
Lawrence has no novels to his credit; he has a *lot* of short fiction,
and is sometimes known as The Klingon Guy ... he travels to a pretty
fair number of conventions, too.
Info here at this SRM Publisher page:
http://www.korval.com/authorpage3.html
Disclaimer: Yes, I *am* publisher and editor for SRM.
Steve
korval.com/fledgling/
Liaden Universe Companion on sale at korval.com/srmcat2.htm
Sea Wasp
> Kat R wrote:
>
>> It was neat, but I suspect most of us just don't write good stuff
>> while writing that fast. Or at least not for long (ignoring Mr.
>> Stress). Gotta take a break sometime.
>>
>
>
> STROSS! Damn that spell checker....
>
Given Charlie's schedule, the first one may have been right...
--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/seawasp/
Chuk Goodin
>> Novel
>> Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor)
>> Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (Del Rey; also, Voyager, 1/06, as
>> Temeraire)
>> Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace)
>> Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
>> Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor)
>
>I enjoyed the Novik, but was disappointed in the sequels. I haven't
>read the others, but plan on reading Blindsight real soon, and I
>expect it to be better written but less enjoyable than Novik.
I'd confirm that expectation, having read both. Maybe I should just say
that _Blindsight_ was less "fun" than the Temeraire books. I certainly
enjoyed _Blindsight_, but it's on the grim side.
--
chuk
Gene Ward Smith
> Kat R wrote:
> > Kat R wrote:
>
> >> It was neat, but I suspect most of us just don't write good stuff
> >> while writing that fast. Or at least not for long (ignoring Mr.
> >> Stress). Gotta take a break sometime.
>
> > STROSS! Damn that spell checker....
>
> Given Charlie's schedule, the first one may have been right...
Here I thought he was being witty...
Andrew Wheeler
>
> Andrew Wheeler wrote:
> >
> > Andrew Plotkin wrote:
> >
> > Re: Naomi Novik
> >
> > > The only notable marketing decision I saw
> > > was to release the three books in the space of three months; and if
> > > that's a piece of cynical market saturation, I only hope it catches on
> > > big-time.
> >
> > It has already caught on big-time, actually -- though mostly among
> > romances. Keri Arthur had three contemporary fantasy-romances in
> > back-to-back months very recently,
>
> That's an interesting case, since the first book came out in
> hardcover last January, then in massmarket this January, then the
> next 3 books in massmarket in consecutive months. Made me wonder
> if she signed a four book deal only to have the first book bomb,
> and so the publisher is trying to wash their hands of her as quickly
> as possible.
That wasn't quite the idea, but the hardcover didn't take off the way
the publisher thought it would, so they tried to "re-launch" her --
three back-to-back paperbacks are generally a way of saying "we think
this writer is really hot stuff" these days.
So you weren't far off -- but it was an expression of support rather
than a dumping.
Kat R
"He"? Ummm... Gene... Hello? The bumps in my shirt aren't smuggled
cantelopes.
Gene Ward Smith
> "He"? Ummm... Gene... Hello? The bumps in my shirt aren't smuggled
> cantelopes.
Are those smuggled cantelopes on your chest or
are you just kind of bored to see me?
Kat R
I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you....
Robert Hutchinson
> This is popping up online in several places.
>
> Novel
> Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor)
>
> "The Walls of the Universe" by Paul Melko (Asimov's, April/May 2006)
> "A Billion Eves" by Robert Reed (Asimov's, October/November 2006)
> "Inclination" by William Shunn (Asimov's, April/May 2006)
>
> Novelette
> "The Djinn's Wife" by Ian McDonald (Asimov's, July 2006)
>
> Short Story
> "Kin" by Bruce McAllister (Asimov's, February 2006)
> "Impossible Dreams" by Timothy Pratt (Asimov's, July 2006)
> "Eight Episodes" by Robert Reed (Asimov's, June 2006)
The above are, out of the Big Twenty, the ones that I've read. Apparently
reading Asimov's throughout 2006 was at least significant here. (I'd have even
more if I had gotten around to reading the December issue yet--still sitting on
a shelf.)
My paltry opinions:
I have no idea which I would rank first between the Stross and the Vinge.
They're absolutely tied in my mind, even including the facets of each one that I
found lacking.
"Eight Episodes" deserves to win an award. I've said before that "standard"
written horror doesn't do much for me in terms of getting scared (in a good way
or otherwise). "Eight Episodes", though, intentionally or not, captured an
insidious, very subtle CREEPINESS that completely shook me. It also read like a
(well-written) Wikipedia article from 20 years in the future, which might've
been the dose of "realism" that got past my barriers.
--
Robert Hutchinson
"The cake is ticking loudly: tock tock, tock tock. Puzzled, the cat holds it
up to one ear. He listens closely. A terrible knowledge dawns in his eyes."
< http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fiction/040419fi_fiction >
Paul Clarke
> Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
> Children of Men. Screenplay by Alfonso Cuaron and Timothy J. Sexton.
> Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. (Universal Pictures)
> Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Screenplay by Ted Elliott
> and Terry Rossio. Directed by Gore Verbinski. (Disney)
> The Prestige. Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan.
> Directed by Christopher Nolan. (Warner Brothers / Touchstone Pictures)
> A Scanner Darkly. Screenplay by Richard Linklater. Directed by Richard
> Linklater. (Warner Independent Pictures)
> V for Vendetta. Screenplay by David Lloyd. Directed by James McTeigue.
> (Warner Brothers)
Apparently there was an error in counting the nominations for this
category (see http://www.nippon2007.us/hugo_correction_press_release.html
for details). _Pirates of the Caribbean_ is out; _Pan's Labyrinth_ is
in.
Just.A...@gmail.com
> On 29 Mar, 15:24, "Howard" <rayc_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
> > Children of Men. Screenplay by Alfonso Cuaron and Timothy J. Sexton.
> > Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. (Universal Pictures)
> > Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Screenplay by Ted Elliott
> > and Terry Rossio. Directed by Gore Verbinski. (Disney)
> > The Prestige. Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan.
> > Directed by Christopher Nolan. (Warner Brothers / Touchstone Pictures)
> > A Scanner Darkly. Screenplay by Richard Linklater. Directed by Richard
> > Linklater. (Warner Independent Pictures)
> > V for Vendetta. Screenplay by David Lloyd. Directed by James McTeigue.
> > (Warner Brothers)
>
> Apparently there was an error in counting the nominations for this
> for details). _Pirates of the Caribbean_ is out; _Pan's Labyrinth_ is
> in.
To quote that noted philosopher: "Never mind." -- Emily Litella.
Gosh, wonder if Disney even noticed their ever so brief Hugo
nomination?
GeekGirl
Martin Wisse
<wmgf...@newsguy.com> wrote:
>You'd rather have a year like 1964, right?
>
>The nominees
>Way Station (Here Gather the Stars) by Clifford Simak
>Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein
>Dune World (the serialized 1st half of Dune) by Frank Herbert
>Witch World by Andre Norton
>Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
>(Way Station won)
Two forgettable if enjoyable novels, one decent, one half of an
overrated classic and one excellent but out of leftfield novel and
that's a strong year?
Martin Wisse
Martin Wisse
Gene Ward Smith
> On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:37:44 -0700, William George Ferguson
>
> >You'd rather have a year like 1964, right?
>
> >The nominees
> >Way Station (Here Gather the Stars) by Clifford Simak
> >Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein
> >Dune World (the serialized 1st half of Dune) by Frank Herbert
> >Witch World by Andre Norton
> >Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
> >(Way Station won)
>
> Two forgettable if enjoyable novels, one decent, one half of an
> overrated classic and one excellent but out of leftfield novel and
> that's a strong year?
It could have been Kurt Vonnegut's year. That would have made
it memorable.
William George Ferguson
wrote:
The impact of these five novels on the genre is rather considerable, which
is what, in my mind, makes this list stand out. Cat's Cradle probably had
the least impact of the five, and it had considerable impact.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm parsing your descriptions as 'two
forgettale if enjoyable novels (Way Staion, Witch World), one decent (Glory
Road), on half of an overrated classic (Dune World) and one excellent but
out of leftfield novel (Cat's Cradle). Considering how well Way Station is
generally viewed, if it's one of the two 'forgettable if enjoyable' novels
you should also call it 'overrated classic' to be consistent. Also,
whichever two you class as 'forgettable', the evidence of the last 40 years
establishes that is only true in the same sense that your mother's birthday
and refraining from stepping in front of speeding cars is forgettable. Both
of those are, in fact, forgettable, but, barring medical causes, neither
are likely to be forgotten.
--
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
(Bene Gesserit)
Gene Ward Smith
wrote:
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm parsing your descriptions as 'two
> forgettale if enjoyable novels (Way Staion, Witch World), one decent (Glory
> Road), on half of an overrated classic (Dune World) and one excellent but
> out of leftfield novel (Cat's Cradle).
My best guess was that Way Station was decent and Glory
Road was forgettable albeit enjoyable. In any case, Vonnegut,
pbuh, should have scooped the Hugo that year.
William December Starr
William George Ferguson <wmgf...@newsguy.com> said:
> The impact of these five novels on the genre is rather
> considerable, which is what, in my mind, makes this list stand
> out. Cat's Cradle probably had the least impact of the five, and
> it had considerable impact.
It did? That's impressive, frightening and depressing.
--
William December Starr <wds...@panix.com>
Jasper Janssen
>Alas, the only reward for a comfortable read is sales numbers. But I
>certainly wouldn't say "no" to that kind of reward either, personally.
>I wish there was a better way to publicly tell an author "you write
>consistently enjoyable stuff" but there's no way to make an award for
>that. It's going to have to remain a wallet vote.
I don't see any particular reason why it would be impossible to make such
an award. Hard to define, sure, and unlikely to happen, but it seems to me
that if you put such an item on ballot lists with an explanation you might
well get something that approaches what you intend.
Jasper