The 2018 Hugo finalists for Best Novelette
Only brief notes here - been rather busy.
6) “The Secret Life of Bots,” by Suzanne Palmer
Second paragraph of third section:The pest also appeared to have a taste for the insulation on comm cables and other not normally edible parts of the ship.
Sorry, this fails my “I hate cute robots” test. The heroic robot carries a disabled older robot around with him on his quest before saving the day by being cute. It’s not you, author, it’s me; don’t worry.
5) “A Series of Steaks,” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
Second paragraph of third section:It’s not expulsion if you leave before you get kicked out, she tells herself, but even she can tell that’s a lie.
A funny (and sinister) story about synthetic meat.
4) “Children of Thorns, Children of Water,” by Aliette de Bodard
Second pargraph of third section:And, as he walked, he became aware he wasn’t alone.
Dragon on a mission in the same world as House of Shattered Wings.
3) “Extracurricular Activities,” by Yoon Ha Lee
Second paragraph of third section:The usual commander of the troop introduced herself as Churioi Haval, not her real name. She was portly, had a squint, and wore gaudy gilt jewelry, all excellent ways to convince people that she was an ordinary merchant and not, say, Kel special ops. It hadn’t escaped his attention that she frowned ever so slightly when she spotted his sidearm, a Patterner 52, which wasn’t standard Kel issue. “You’re not bringing that, are you?” she said.
Another man on a mission, in an entertainingly diverse future.
2) “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time,” by K.M. Szpara
Second paragraph of third section:Andreas’s venom curdles any food left in my stomach. He deposits me in the bathroom the instant before I vomit. I clutch the toilet bowl until my knuckles whiten and the whiteness spreads through my hands and I can feel it in my face. Until I can only dry heave.
Interesting exploration of the concept of a transgender vampire.
1) “Wind Will Rove,” by Sarah Pinsker
Third section in full:Wind Will Rove
Instrumental in D (alternate tuning DDAD)
Harriet Barrie, Music Historian:
The fiddler Olivia Vandiver and her father, Charley Vandiver, came up with this tune in the wee hours of a session in 1974. Charley was trying to remember a traditional tune he had heard as a boy in Nova Scotia, believed to be "Windy Grove." No recordings of the original "Windy Grove" were ever catalogued, on ship or on Earth. "Wind Will Rove" is treated as traditional in most circles, even though it's relatively recent, because it is the lost tune's closest known relative.
A generation starship that has lost its collective cultural memory, and has to make do. Several interesting themes combined (history, politics, culture) and it gets my vote.
2018 Hugos: Novel | Novella | Novelette | Short Story | Related Work | Graphic Story | Dramatic Long | Dramatic Short | Professional Artist & Fan Artist | Series | Young Adult | Campbell Award
1943 Retro Hugos: Novel | Novella | Novelette | Short Story | Dramatic Short | Fan Artist
6) “The Secret Life of Bots,” by Suzanne Palmer
Second paragraph of third section:The pest also appeared to have a taste for the insulation on comm cables and other not normally edible parts of the ship.
Sorry, this fails my “I hate cute robots” test. The heroic robot carries a disabled older robot around with him on his quest before saving the day by being cute. It’s not you, author, it’s me; don’t worry.
5) “A Series of Steaks,” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
Second paragraph of third section:It’s not expulsion if you leave before you get kicked out, she tells herself, but even she can tell that’s a lie.
A funny (and sinister) story about synthetic meat.
4) “Children of Thorns, Children of Water,” by Aliette de Bodard
Second pargraph of third section:And, as he walked, he became aware he wasn’t alone.
Dragon on a mission in the same world as House of Shattered Wings.
3) “Extracurricular Activities,” by Yoon Ha Lee
Second paragraph of third section:The usual commander of the troop introduced herself as Churioi Haval, not her real name. She was portly, had a squint, and wore gaudy gilt jewelry, all excellent ways to convince people that she was an ordinary merchant and not, say, Kel special ops. It hadn’t escaped his attention that she frowned ever so slightly when she spotted his sidearm, a Patterner 52, which wasn’t standard Kel issue. “You’re not bringing that, are you?” she said.
Another man on a mission, in an entertainingly diverse future.
2) “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time,” by K.M. Szpara
Second paragraph of third section:Andreas’s venom curdles any food left in my stomach. He deposits me in the bathroom the instant before I vomit. I clutch the toilet bowl until my knuckles whiten and the whiteness spreads through my hands and I can feel it in my face. Until I can only dry heave.
Interesting exploration of the concept of a transgender vampire.
1) “Wind Will Rove,” by Sarah Pinsker
Third section in full:Wind Will Rove
Instrumental in D (alternate tuning DDAD)
Harriet Barrie, Music Historian:
The fiddler Olivia Vandiver and her father, Charley Vandiver, came up with this tune in the wee hours of a session in 1974. Charley was trying to remember a traditional tune he had heard as a boy in Nova Scotia, believed to be "Windy Grove." No recordings of the original "Windy Grove" were ever catalogued, on ship or on Earth. "Wind Will Rove" is treated as traditional in most circles, even though it's relatively recent, because it is the lost tune's closest known relative.
A generation starship that has lost its collective cultural memory, and has to make do. Several interesting themes combined (history, politics, culture) and it gets my vote.
2018 Hugos: Novel | Novella | Novelette | Short Story | Related Work | Graphic Story | Dramatic Long | Dramatic Short | Professional Artist & Fan Artist | Series | Young Adult | Campbell Award
1943 Retro Hugos: Novel | Novella | Novelette | Short Story | Dramatic Short | Fan Artist