1 - Surtac
- Antipodean Assassin
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The 2024 Hugo Awards
I see this year's Hugo finalists list is out.
The novels list, apart from more recognition for our own Hautdesert for Translation State (which is next on my TBR list) is at best disappointing and at worst, imnsho, a travesty.
I had been planning a supporting membership or whatever to secure the expected Hugo voters packet if available, but now I think I'll save my money.
For those interested, here are the novels listed:
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager UK)
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom)
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (Tordotcom, Orbit UK)
Starter Villain by John Scalzi (Tor, Tor UK)
Translation State by Ann Leckie (Orbit US, Orbit UK)
Witch King by Martha Wells (Tordotcom)
The full slate is linked here:
I'll be happy to discuss further when the rage simmers down.
It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.
- Aja Jin
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
Translation State is excellent. I also liked Witch King, and Adventures is a good, fun read. Haven’t read the others. I have the impression that Starter Villain is fluff, like Kaiju.
For sure, the demographics or Hugo voters has changed. Generally for the good IMO.
- Surtac
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
I am looking forward to Translation Slate, and I've liked Martha Wells' work since before Murderbot was created, so I'm happy to give Witch King a go too.
But I haven't successfully engaged with Scalzi's fiction since trying and failing to read Redshirts. In fact I think he's become a self-parody, with the only positive thing he has done in recent years being his acquisition and preservation of the original Hutchins Beast, and, given what that is, self-parody seems an appropriate descriptor.
I have more to say too about Hugo demographics, but I need to think on the topic some more before opening my virtual mouth about the subject.
It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.
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Thread Starter- starexplorer
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
I have fallen out of the loop, hopefully temporarily, about what’s going on the the SF industry. So when the time is right, I’d love to hear a critique of the nominees and the process, and any insight into the state of affairs. I’ve been very preoccupied for some time, though I hope a new phase of life is soon at hand.
One world -- or none
- Surtac
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
Just dropping back in briefly to note I have checked the state of finalist lists for the Nebulas and BSFA awards for work published in 2023.
The 2023 BSFA Best Novel was just announced at Eastercon and went to Juliet McKenna's The Green Man's Quarry..
The Nebulas will be announced in June and there is a 50% overlap in Hugo best novel nominees, including the Leckie and Wells books.
The full Nebula list is here: SFWA Announces the Finalists for the 59th Nebula Awards - SFWA
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Thread Starter- Kokipy
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
I liked Translation State a lot, better than Provenance ( which I also liked) but not as well as the Ancillary books. There’s nothing to complain about but it seems slight compared to the Ancillaries. I enjoyed Witch King but it is definitely my least favorite of Wells’ books. I haven’t read any of the other nominees. Should I?
I haven’t read any Scalzi since his early days. they always seemed a little, i dunno, lacking in complexity and nuance.
- Surtac
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
Should you read the others Kokipy? I don't know - I haven't read them myself and likely won't.
I am still shaking my head in gob-smacked amazement that in a year when Worldcon is in Britain and Britons will likely be a majority of Hugo nominators and voters, that the two best British SF novels of 2023 that I am aware of have not made the list of finalists.
To be fair, they didn't make the BSFA or Nebula lists either, but that doesn't surprise me given the relative size and specificity of those voter populations.
Anyway, something has my senses tingling about this list. I'll keep digging and see if I can identify it.
In the meantime, I'm about to start on Translation Slate.
It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way.
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Thread Starter- Kokipy
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
What were those two best, Surtac? I need to add good stuff to my reading list.
- Surtac
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
Ok, of the 2023 new SF/F that I have read so far (admittedly a small sample of the eligible field), the two standout works by far are Hopeland by Ian McDonald and Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway,
I am pleased to note that both did appear on the Locus Readers Poll recommended list, but voting for that finished a week or so back.
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Thread Starter- starexplorer
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Re: The 2024 Hugo Awards
I am 40 pages into Hopeland. I know it’s good. I just don’t know if it’s what I want right now.
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