As Kate and I are planning to attend the Worldcon this year, we’re eligible to nominate for the Hugo Awards, which are sort of SF’s version of the Oscars, or maybe the Golden Globes (the Nebula Awards being the other). This is only the third time I’ve had this opportunity, and it’s always kind of difficult, given that I end up having basically no opinion in so many of the categories.
I do have a few ideas about works to nominate, but I’d like to hear suggestions from other people. So, what should I be putting on my nominating ballot this year? I’ll put the list of categories below, with my thoughts on the categories where I have an actual opinion. I’m not offering to just let people fill out my ballot for me, mind– I’m not going to nominate works I haven’t read or seen, but if you recommend something strongly, I’ll try to read it before the deadline, and see if I think it belongs.
Anyway, the categories are:
- Best Novel I’m planning to nominate (in no particular order) Rainbows End, The Ghost Brigades, and Sun of Suns. I’m open to suggestions for other books to put on the list. A lot of people are high on Blindsight by Peter Watts, but I’m not sure my will to live is strong enough to handle reading it… Crystal Rain might sneak in there, too.
- Best Novella
- Best Novellette
- Best Short Story I read essentially no short fiction, so I don’t have any real opinions in any of these categories. What little short fiction I do read I tend to read in best-of collections, usually a year after the works in questions would be eligible for the Hugo. I’m willing to look up some must-read stories if people have strong opinions, but I’ll probably just wait until the nominations are released, and the nominees made available online.
- Best Related Book The Tiptree biography would appear the be a shoo-in here, but I haven’t read it.
- Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form I’ll probably nominate The Prestige, which was excellent, but other than that, I can’t think of anything. People rave about the BBC live-action Hogfather, but I haven’t seen it.
- Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form Not a clue. Probably a bunch of Battlestar Galactica episodes will get nominated, but I don’t watch it, so I couldn’t say.
- Best Professional Editor – Long Form Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Teresa Nielsen Hayden. Not David Hartwell, becuase I’m miffed about the book-splitting thing.
- Best Professional Editor – Short Form No clue.
- Best Professional Artist Michael Whelan is really about the only artist whose work I can usually recognize, so I’ll probably sit this one out.
- Best SemiProzine
- Best Fanzine I’m not a magazine reader, so I’ll give these a pass.
- Best Fan Writer This is probably the place to nominate your favorite blogger with SF connections…
- Best Fan Artist Not a clue.
There’s also the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (Not a Hugo), which helpfully comes with a list of eligible authors (which might even be fairly complete). Off that list, I’d probably go with Justine Larbalestier, Scott Lynch, Sarah Monette, and Brandon Sanderson. Naomi Novik might make the list, too, but I’m not sure. I’m a little surprised not to see Tobias Buckell on the list, but I think he may have sold enough short stories before Crystal Rain to no longer be eligible. I’d definitely nominate him if he were eligible, because Crystal Rain was a blast.
So, any thoughts, comments, or suggestions?