Hugo Thoughts: Best Series

[grrm]

This year a new category has been added to the Hugo Awards: Best Series

Comments

[kalimac]

The Mythopoeic Society Awards have tried for years to draw the distinction you're drawing between true series and a single story told in multiple volumes. The former, in which the volumes stand alone, are eligible individually; the latter only when they're finished. (This, incidentally, is why no volume of A Song of Ice and Fire has been nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award: we're waiting for it to be completed. When it is, I don't doubt it'll be a finalist

[grrm]

I would make even further distinctions. Barsoom and Lensmen are true series, i think. LOTR is a single book in three volumes. Foundation and Heinlein were future histories, much looser and more diffuse. Most of my own early SF was set against in the same universe, the Thousand Worlds, but I don't consider those stories to be part of a series.

Question about Tolkien's work and ASOIAF

[geekfurious]

Could one consider The Hobbit and The Silmarillion as volumes in the LOTR book? And do you consider your other ASOIAF books/novellas (World of Ice and Fire, Dunk & Egg etc) to be volumes in one story?

Thanks.

Re: Question about Tolkien's work and ASOIAF

[xcalibur201]

I think The Hobbit is a prequel, while the Silmarillion is a history/backstory/reference work vis-à-vis LotR.

I can't speak for Mr. Martin on ASoIaF.

Best Series

[ext_3966624]

For the titles alone it should win.

F it, make it 8

[ext_3913711]

look GRRM truth be told your ASOIAF is an amazing masterpiece, and in my honest opinion if it needs to be written across 8 books and not 7 like you thought it would, who cares if it takes even longer than everyone else has patience for. its your story, you tell it how you need to, and take as long as you need for your own piece of mind because as a reader (and someone who's willing to pay money for your work) id rather wait for something the author is happy with, not something they've been rush in to releasing before its ready or they're happy with...

cheers!

Re: F it, make it 8

[ext_4035840]

He should write at his pace, and when it ends, it ends. I am personally favourable to 9 books. A trilogy of trilogies sounds appealing, doesn't it? It wouldn't hurt one bit if one of those books were to be called "A Time for Wolves" - it's a badass title, and I love the Starks, bad and good and all. But I digress.

ON TOPIC - You know, something that puts me off about WILD CARDS is actually how... modern it is. If a character were to have a power that could explore different worlds in different times - say, ancient peoples, "medieval" settings, myths and folklore - I'd never get enough of it. That said, from what I've read, it certainly deserves being nominated a hundred times over. It seems to be George's favourite baby, and I can't blame him! Good luck, Mr. Martin. I hope WILD CARDS gets the praise it deserves.

RE: Re: F it, make it 8

[grrm]

Favorite? Nah. Love all my literary children. Ice & Fire, Wild Cards, Thousand Worlds, Tuf, Fevre Dream, Windhaven, the Rag, Doorways... on and on... all parts of me...

Re: F it, make it 8

[ext_3913711]

I agree 100%. Badass is an understatement. The first time I heard that title I was like holy F that's brilliant...

On a side note, I always joke with my friends and family back in Australia that I (not sure if I should be sad or proud) know more about the history of Westeros then I do about Europe haha.

so perhaps if the story takes another 10/15 years to be wrapped up it could actually cause me more harm then good lol

[xcalibur201]

As a longtime LotR fan, I'd like to point out that while it was a single story published in three volumes, it was also internally divided into six 'books' (two books per volume).

Another personal favorite, Asimov's Foundation trilogy, is similar but different. It was published in three books; Empire/Second Foundation were each divided into two parts, but the first Foundation novel was divided into five parts. It has this structure because it was originally a set of short stories before it was organized into a trilogy.

If you're going to debate over what makes a series and what doesn't, I think it's important to consider the author's intention.

[ext_4035918]

Slightly off topic.

Those covers for the TOR reissues of the clear Hugo winner for best series are spectacular. Standouts are the portrait of Bagabond gracing Down and Dirty and the above the title billing of John Jos. Miller for Dead Man's Hand.

Why isn't there a Hugo for best art direction?

[grrm]

Irene Gallo has won lots of awards for art direction, but yeah, maybe that's something to consider.

I agree, Komarck's work is spectacular. The Bagabond cover is one of my own favorites as well, and I love the Mackie Messer cover on ACE IN THE HOLE and the Water Lily cover for ACES HIGH too. Oh, and SUICIDE KINGS, of course. Rusty and the Croc. Can't beat that.

I really hope Komarck gets some Hugo love this year.