Hugo reactions
Official shortlist. I know I am several days behind the curve here. Anyway, congratulations to autopope, ianmcdonald, shsilver, Ken, Paul and Cheryl all of whom I think do read me here from time to time (and apologies as well as congratulations to anyone else seeing this who I missed).
I don't think he reads this, but in case he does, an extra shouted "Congrats" to Dominic Green, who I haven't seen since student days in Cambridge, though we were in touch a few years ago, er, in 2000 now that I look at it.
Novels: Am stunned and surprised that Anansi Boys didn't make it to the short list. Perhaps it came out too late in the year? Perhaps the reason I particularly liked it - that it marked a move onto slightly different territory for Gaiman - worked against it for most fans? Will obviously have to get hold of Old Man's War and Spin; I have already read the other three.
Novellas: The only two I have read were the Link (which must surely win) and the Sawyer (which rather to my surprise I nominated).
Novelettes: Have read none of them. This will change.
Short Story: Despite my congrats to Dominic, nobody stands a chance against Margo Lanagan.
Best Dramatic Presentation: Long Form: Serenity, obviously.
Best Dramatic Presentation: Short Form: Good Lord, I have actually seen four of these - the three Doctor Who nominations (for four episodes) and Kim Newman/Paul McAuley's Hugo presentation last year. Despite pickwick's surprise, it's not so very surprising that the two Worldcon live events both made it to the shortlist. I have a vague feeling this has happened once or twice before but have not yet found supporting evidence.
pnh comments, "It’s one of our subcultural myths that we’re “neophilic,” that we routinely acclaim strong new work, and in fact since the first Hugo Awards in 1953, fully 22 debut novels have been among the finalists." He is entirely right to be sceptical of that myth. In fact, the Nebula voters are much more neophilic than the Hugo voters. It is some time since I last crunched the numbers; but in 2002, the 178 Hugos for fiction had been won by 82 different authors while the 148 Nebulas had been won by 89 different authors. If I have counted right, five of the 16 Hugos awarded since then have gone to first time winners (including three last year) - six out of 20 if you count Ray Bradbury's Retro-Hugo; compared with eight out of twelve Nebulas. Having said that, there will be at least one first-time Hugo winner this year as (hat-tip Locus Online) none of the Novelette nominees has ever won it before. And I think we can add Margo Lanagan as well.
I don't think he reads this, but in case he does, an extra shouted "Congrats" to Dominic Green, who I haven't seen since student days in Cambridge, though we were in touch a few years ago, er, in 2000 now that I look at it.
Novels: Am stunned and surprised that Anansi Boys didn't make it to the short list. Perhaps it came out too late in the year? Perhaps the reason I particularly liked it - that it marked a move onto slightly different territory for Gaiman - worked against it for most fans? Will obviously have to get hold of Old Man's War and Spin; I have already read the other three.
Novellas: The only two I have read were the Link (which must surely win) and the Sawyer (which rather to my surprise I nominated).
Novelettes: Have read none of them. This will change.
Short Story: Despite my congrats to Dominic, nobody stands a chance against Margo Lanagan.
Best Dramatic Presentation: Long Form: Serenity, obviously.
Best Dramatic Presentation: Short Form: Good Lord, I have actually seen four of these - the three Doctor Who nominations (for four episodes) and Kim Newman/Paul McAuley's Hugo presentation last year. Despite pickwick's surprise, it's not so very surprising that the two Worldcon live events both made it to the shortlist. I have a vague feeling this has happened once or twice before but have not yet found supporting evidence.
pnh comments, "It’s one of our subcultural myths that we’re “neophilic,” that we routinely acclaim strong new work, and in fact since the first Hugo Awards in 1953, fully 22 debut novels have been among the finalists." He is entirely right to be sceptical of that myth. In fact, the Nebula voters are much more neophilic than the Hugo voters. It is some time since I last crunched the numbers; but in 2002, the 178 Hugos for fiction had been won by 82 different authors while the 148 Nebulas had been won by 89 different authors. If I have counted right, five of the 16 Hugos awarded since then have gone to first time winners (including three last year) - six out of 20 if you count Ray Bradbury's Retro-Hugo; compared with eight out of twelve Nebulas. Having said that, there will be at least one first-time Hugo winner this year as (hat-tip Locus Online) none of the Novelette nominees has ever won it before. And I think we can add Margo Lanagan as well.