Handicapping The Hugos 2011 Editors: Chris Garcia and James Bacon As always, it’s amazing to be on the bal- Montgomery, Claire Brialey, Mike, John Hertz, have nothing but respect for this year’s admins, lot again! I’m so happy that we did another great Cousin Claire, Dann Lopez, Kevin Standlee, but I really think they took too loose a hand this year. I have to start by thanking Mr. James Bacon. Brianna SpaceKat-Wu, John Coxon, Graham year and should have made some rulings. It hap- I love that guy! He’s done great stuff, the two Charnock, Paul Cornell, Espana Sheriff, Leigh pens. most visible and impressive issues of last year, Ann, Jean Martin, MIKO (MikoFact - MIko was On the other hand, this team seems to The Clarkes and the Hugo for Best Novel is- famously turned away from Ellis Island for not be the best that’ve been around, they’re just sue, OH, make that three with the Hitman issue, being huddled enough), Spike, Tom Becker, Bruce placed in dumb situations because of the weak- were all sorts of James, and he was around all Gillespie, Earl Kemp, Jan Stinson, Jerry Kaufman, ness of our rules. So it goes. year to make the zine as good as it could be! I’m Joel Zakem, Chris Marble, Mike, Radio, Lux, Cyn- So, this is the look at all the categories so happy to see that he’s on the ballot as himself thia, Jason Wiener, JB Whaley and so many oth- (except for the Campbell because it’s NOT A for Best Fan Writer. I assure you, he’s going to ers! SO many great people! HUGO!) and some snark, some fun and some destroy me in the voting! OK, this issue is going to be fun. I’ll look folks making comments along with me! I’ve got a lot of folks to thank. First off, at all the categories and the various things. I do Mo Starkey, on the ballot for the first time her- think the administrators blew it a bit this year self, has been doing great covers and art for The when it comes to PodCasts. There are two Pod- Drink Tank for a few years and it’s great to see Casts in two separate categories. I’ve listened to her up there. Thanks, MO! both, neither one seems that fundamentally dif- The greatest disappointment for me was ferent from the other. So why are PodCasts the the lack of Taral Wayne on the Best Fan Writer only things allowed to exist in two categories at ballot. He’s done so much for so many zines that once? I really hate that the answer always seems he really should be up there. Thanks, Taral! Even to be the same: Vox populi, vox Dei. It fails! I’m though I’ve not been the best of all possible sorry, we need guidelines in which the populi to zines to showcase your stuff, you keep sendin’ it vox properly. We have terribly weak definitions my way and I could not be happier! and we need to strengthen them! If two things Bill Burns made all this possible. Without that are the same can be put into two catego- eFanzines.com, there would be no Drink Tank. I ries simply based on where people vote them wouldn’t be a Fan Writer at all. Thanks, Bill! to, then that has to hold for everything. There’s And, of course, there’s the folks who’ve nothing special about PodCasts that make them been sending things along and letting me write immune to the rules of the other categories. If for them. Frank Wu, Warren Buff, Steve Green, one had been nominated for a specific episode Steven H Silver, Guy Lillian, Joe Major, Niall Har- and the other for the entire year’s of run, I’d rison, Brad W. Foster, Steve Stiles, Lloyd Penney, have bought it. John Purcell, Jay Lake, Judith Morel, M, SaBean, But it wasn’t. Daniel Kimmel, Mike Perschon, Jay, Jason Scha- We need to get serious and we need our chat, Kevin Roche, Andy Trembley, Padraig, Helen administrators to administrate more strongly. I Comments on Our Choices? [email protected]! Best Fan Artist The Drink Tank. Last Year’s Winner – Brad W. Foster Positives – One of the greatest fan artists of all- Most Wins in the Category – Brad W. Foster with 7 time, a Rotsler winner. First time Nominees – MO STARKEY!, Randall Munroe Negatives – Perhaps a bit less visible over the Missing from the list – Sue Mason, Ditmar (still a last year or so crime!), Brianna SpaceKat-Wu, Craig Smith, Frank It hurts to not say that Stiles should be Wu, Andy Trembley (Photographers have never made taking one of these home with him, but alas, I the ballot, I believe) don’t think this is his year. Still, he’s an amazing artist, one of the best that have ever graced fan- Fifth – Steve Stiles zines. Previous Nominations – Eleven of ‘em! Odds – 7-to-1 My Favorite Piece of his 2010 – The Cover im- age for Earl Kemp’s eI 52. I love that one. Fourth – Mo Starkey Appearances in Garcia Zines – Several, most no- Previous Nominations – None tably a couple of exceptional abstract covers for My favorite of her pieces in 2010 – Personally, I love the Tiki cover she did for the Drink Tank 239, but the one she did for Andy Trembley’s iKi- nook Reader was amazing! Appearances in Garcia Zines – She’s done a ton of covers for The Drink Tank, the cover for Jour- ney Planet 2, and is currently doing the art for 52 Weeks to Science Fiction Film Literacy. Positives – She’s been doing great stuff in some Third – Brad W. Foster very visible zines and Reno is in her Wheelhouse, Previous Nominations – 22 with 7 wins! as it were, and has the dreaded BASFA voting My Favorite Piece of his 2010 – Wow, hard to say. bloc behind her. I gotta go with the Bull for eI issue 51, though Negatives – First year on the ballot, not in a lot he did have an amazing piece in the most recent of the biggest zines. Exhibition Hall, but that’s 2011. I’d love to say that she’d be walking off Appearances in Garcia Zines – Tons, covers and with the Rocket, but I just don’t see it happen- interior art and on and on... ing, as much as that hurts. I really think she does Positives – One of the most-beloved Fan Artists great work and no other nomination made me in history, A Rotsler winner, who has been do- personally happier. Still, she could surprise with ing great stuff for years and especially in recent a win at a WorldCon that’s in her backyard. years. Odds – 6-to-1 Negatives – Has won twice in the last three years. Brad’s great. I totally think he’s one of Second – Taral Wayne Winner – Randall Munroe Previous Nominations Previous Nomiantions – None – Nine My favorite piece of his in 2010 – http://xkcd. My favorite piece of his com/857/ 2010 – IS in The Drink Appearances in Garcia Zines – None. Tank 259, on the Editorial Positives – xkcd is a massive hit and even I think page! It’s got me with a it’s pretty funny. gun at my head! Negatives – I’ve not found any zines or the like Appearances in Garcia where he’s appeared. ZInes – Too many to men- It’s just about dead certain that Best Fan tion, especially in the area Artist will fall for what Best Fan Writer has sev- of writing. eral years prior, where if you have a pro on the Positives – One of the ballot, you end up with them winning. It’s kind of biggest names in Furry a shame as there’s so much talent doing so much the best artists ever and one of the best work- Art, in Fan Art, in Fan Writing, and a Rotsler win- great stuff that to have it go to a guy who should ing out there today. His style is so distinctive, so ner also. be in the Best Pro Artist section isn’t great, but clean and baroque and awesome! I don’t think Negatives – He’s not a superstar beyond the fan still, I do love his stuff that I’ve seen. he’ll take it this year, but it’s always good to see art community. Odds – 5-to-4 him on the ballot. I really wish I could write that he was go- Odds – 4-to-1 ing to be walking off with it, but I don’t see it just This is an interesting category and I’m because of the guy I think will be winning. It’s a thinking that it may well turn out to be the one shame because there’ve been two years where I that sees the biggest win. Randall might even win really thought he’d take it, he certainly deserved without needing a redistribute. It’s going to be it, and it never happened. the broken record, we need better definitions. Odds – 3-to-1 And so on. It’s not like we’re all clamouring to give Hugos to the folks who do art for zines or programme books. I’d not have been upset if Dave Howell had won last year, primarily for his Hugo base design, but this just feels wrong. It’s a shame that Taral and Stiles haven’t won one. They need to. They’re both legends who have won just about every other award Fandom has for them. Well, Taral hasn’t won the Aurora. Or a FAAn award. Folks, we really need to get on that! Still, I’m hoping that I’ll get some of these folks to do some more art for me in the future! Best Fan Writer My favorite piece of his 2010 – I gotta go with Came in second to Fred Pohl last year. Last Year’s Winner – Fred Pohl his tribute to Samuel Clemens - http://efanzines. Negatives – Doesn’t have much on-line. Most Wins in the Category – Dave Langford with com/SPG/index.htm I can not do justice to Claire Brial- 20-something Appearances in Garcia Zines – Several over the ey, so here’s a piece from her about getting First time Nominees – JAMES BACON!!!!! years, last year a Twain piece and I think one of nominated1 Missing from the list – Taral Wayne, a crime. Lloyd two others. The Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer has Penney, also a crime. John Hertz, another crime. Where can you read his stuff - http://efanzines. been presented 45 times (as you’ll recall, Professor, Mike Perschon, Randy Smith, Randy Byers, Frank com/Argentus/index.htm it was introduced for NyCon 3 in 1967) but has Wu, Bruce Gillespie, Leigh Ann Hildebrand, Kevin Positives - Long-standing nominee back on the been won by only 13 different people: Terry Carr, Roche, Guy Lillian, crimes that one and all ain’t on ballot after a year off. Always does good stuff. Richard E Geis, Mike Glyer, Dave Langford, Cheryl the ballot! Fan GoH at FenCon this year! Morgan, Alexei Panshin, Fred Pohl, John Scalzi, Bob Negatives – Argentus not on the ballot might in- Shaw, Bob Tucker, Ted White, Harry Warner Jr and Fifth place – James Nicoll dicate that he’s fallen out of the public eye a bit. Susan Wood. Previous Nominations – Last year he debuted. I’d love to see Steven win one of these, Of course it’s a cliché to say that it’s an hon- My favorite piece of his 2010 – I honestly can’t and hey, there’s Chicago coming up next year. I our just to be on the short-list, but this year we know think of a single one. I imagine this is more my just don’t see it happening this year. Still, St Pe- that one of us will get the undoubted honour of join- problem with not keeping up with the main- tersburg Gazette and ing that list of winners – possibly, in that company, stream than his not being visible or memorable. Dawson’s Landing Herald and last year’s Argen- decorated with the footnote ‘Who?’ – unless we cre- Appearances in Garcia Zines – 0. tus were both really good stuff from him. ate history in a different way by all being beaten Where you can read some of his stuff - http:// Odds – 5-to-1 by No Award. Rest assured that even to be in the james-nicoll.livejournal.com/ running makes me, too, wonder who I think I am. Positives – Has a widely-read LJ, writes some Third – Claire Brialey Fortunately it’s not something I really need good stuff. Previous Nomiantions – Only three, which I find to worry about too much. In September 2010 I sent Negatives – Didn’t fare well last year almost criminal! a long overdue letter of comment to The Drink Tank I’ve not read much James Nicoll. I’ve My favorite piece of hers 2010 – And my favorite – so overdue, in fact, that among many other previ- read a few pieces in the past, and he made a few LoC of all-time in http://efanzines.com/Drink- ous topics it was able to comment with the benefit very memorable quotes in the USENET days as Tank/DrinkTank260.pdf of hindsight on the 2010 version of this issue, which I seem to have discovered. I guess the biggest Appearances in Garcia Zines – She plays a piv- had appeared about five months before. I said then, reason I could never put him higher on my bal- otal role in Journey Planet (basically, she keeps notwithstanding last year’s results, that I hadn’t been lot is his quote about Stephen Baxter’s Titan - me and James from looking like idiots!) and she’s harbouring any false optimism about my chances It would not surprise me if reading that book been in several issues of The Drink Tank over (or those for Banana Wings in the fanzine ballot), causes birth defects. I love Titan! the last few years. And there’s that LoC! and that this had caused me no distress whatsoever. Odds – 8-to-1 Where can you read her stuff – Well, she doesn’t And that remains the case. have that much on-line, though you can find This isn’t any sort of false modesty, but rath- Fourth – Stephen Silver pieces of Claire’s in The Drink Tank Clarkes is- er pragmatism. I’m an old fart sort of fan, whose Previous Nominations – 9 for Best Fan Writer sue and, in 2011, the Stephen Baxter issue. writing and the forums in which I write probably and I think 3 for Best Fanzine for Argentus Positives – The Best Fan Writer in the World. don’t resonate with the majority of Worldcon at- tendees who decide to vote in this category. the three pieces I did for Tor.com’s Ste- I may have placed surprisingly well last year, ampunk Fortnight but this time around I can think of all sorts of Appearances in NON-Garcia Zines – reasons why voters will choose any (or all) of Less and less every year. I’ve had a few the rest of the nominees – even though this things in Science Fiction San Francisco, time none of them are Fred Pohl. My main including a piece in the second issue of ambition, as ever, is to finish above ‘No Award’ 2010 that I thought was good. I think I for my own self-respect. had something in Challenger, a thing in I know some people feel that the fan iKinook Reader, a piece in YIPE!, a few Hugos bear little relation to what’s really the others I’m sure. best fan activity occurring now. Equally, some Where you can read his stuff – Here, feel that progress is happening insufficiently FanboyPlanet.com, Exhibition Hall, Jour- quickly, with nominators failing to kick out ney Planet, my Facebook, Twitter, etc, etc we fanzine types fast enough. But this is a Positives – I seem to write a lot. Paul very broad category with a large number of Cornell and John Scalzi said nice things people eligible to be nominated, and many of about me this year! them are pretty good – although, with no dis- Negatives – without good editing, I sound respect intended to my current fellow nomi- really lame. nees, most of those fan writers I think are This year, I dare put myself in the absolutely the best in any given year don’t upper-section of the finishes. Why? Well, usually get onto the short-list either. you will win a major award I’m on the Convention Committee, it’s So, even though I’ve been short-listed a con that’s as close to a Home World- before, making it this far comes as a surprise Con as I’ll see for a while, I did pretty and a pleasure every time; while some may well last year finishing third, and I had a see it as a clear example of what’s wrong better year than I did in 2009. On the with the Hugos these days, looking at that other hand, I’m not the Best Fan Writer list of former Best Fan Writers, for me it is still in the World, nor the most believed, nor an honour too. But, y’know, even the Hugo is the best-known, nor just about anything just an award; any sort of positive response and rec- Odds – 4-to-1 except maybe the most hyperactive. I’m hoping ognition is very welcome, but awards in themselves Second – Christopher J Garcia to get one of these some day, but it’ll have to be aren’t why we do any of this fan activity. And so I Previous nominations – Every year since 2007 the right alignment of stars that leads me there. remain surprised and pleased, and utterly pragmatic My favorite piece of mine 2010 – I dunno. It A Local WorldCon, me happening to recapture about the outcome. might be the Alternate History article that Jay the lighting-in-a-bottle that I did with the 8 Sci- All appropriate congratulations and good and I did for Journey Planet 5 called The Cel- ence Fiction Novels and Eight Women piece I luck, of course, to my fellow nominees. luloid Dream: the long strange trip of Spinrad’s did for Journey Planet 4, and some just plain luck. See? That’s why I say she’s the World’s classic, The Iron Dream or, for solo, the Clarkes It’s OK, I don’t mind losing to James at all! Greatest Fan Writer! article in The Drink Tank 248. Might be one of Odds – 3-to-1 Winner – James Bacon Previous Nominations – 0 My favorite piece of his 2010 – Wow, tough one. I’m going to say that it’s My Favorite Comic Book Women in Journey Planet 6 (http://efanzines.com/JourneyPlan- et/JourneyPlanet06.pdf) Appearances in Garcia Zines – We co-edit three zines (Journey Planet, The Drink Tank, Exhibition Hall) and he’s had works in all of them! Where you can read his stuff – eFanzines.com, but for a real treat, though it’s 2011 material, look at the most recent issue of Challenger which has him all over it. Positives – Nearly as hyperactive as I am when it comes to writing, on the ConComm for Reno, far more recognisable than me, got the loudest cheers when they announced the nominees at Eastercon. Negatives – Doesn’t really blog, if that’s a minus. Guy Lillian says that James is the Best Fan Writer in the World. He’s the reason that the good issues of The Drink Tank are good. He’s the number one Fan Writer I can think of when it comes to being awesome and out there. He’s got this one sewn-up! I won’t even mind losing to him! Odds – 3-to-2 This is as good a set of nominees as I could have hoped for without Taral being on it. Really, the man is a machine, and not only that, his stuff is amaz- ing! WHY IS HE NOT ON HERE?!?!?! Still, the five of us are a good bunch and we’ll have a Fan winning the Best Fan Writer! That makes me happy. I can’t say how honored I am to be among the company of all four of the other nominees. I love that Claire and James are up there. It’s good to see your cohorts up for Claire Brialey IS the best fan writer in the world after Fred awards, and Steven Silver is awesome. I don’t know Pohl. I don’t see Fred on the list here, so that would make if I’ve met James Nicoll. I dunno... he doesn’t seem to Claire the best in the world. like a lot of Stephen Baxter, so I don’t know if he can James Bacon be trusted... Best Fanzine close. Positives – BY far the most Last Year’s Winner – Banana Wings (StarShipSofa Odds – 10-to-1 respected long-standing zine took home a Rocket Trophy, though) for Fannish News that’s still Most Wins in the Category – Locus has 8 Fourth – Challenger going. Great writing and First time Nominees – None, all were on the ballot Previous nominations – Ev- Mike’s a helluva layout guy, last year ery year since 2000 which a lot of folks don’t Missing from the list – YIPE!, which is a complete Favorite issue – I think there seem to notice. and total shame as it was easily the best zine vi- was only one in 2010, so Negatives – only one issue sually last year, innovative in layout and with great winner by D-Fault! last year. Not a PodCast. writing. Journey Planet, which is a shame as it had Garcia Appearances – I’ve I love File 770, and I amazing re-readablity and some wonderful writing. been in Challenger over the thought that the 2010 issue, SF Commentary, which was the best single issue years, including my first foray with three Future Best Fan of last year. Chunga, Sense of Wonder Stories, Trap into writing about Steam- Writer James Bacon articles Door, Head, Inca, Relapse. I still can’t believe that punk. it, was among the best issues YIPE! didn’t make the ballot Positives – Probably the of last year. Still, I just don’t most consistently awesome see people flocking to it this Fifth – Banana Wings fanzine in the world right year. I hope Glyer walks off Previous Nominations – 5 of ‘em! now. with another one in the near because I really Favorite issue – I liked the October-ish ish. Negatives – not as many issues as previous years. think File 770 is something special. Garcia Appearances – I dunno if I had anything Not a PodCast. Odds – 7-to-1 in 2010. Sadly, I can’t check because all my zines Next year is its year as the most recent are still packed from the move. issue, about War & The Military, is the best issue Second – The Drink Tank Positives – A great zine with amazing writing of just about anything in years! Still, Guy usu- Previous Nominations – Every year since 2007 from great writers. Probably the best edited ally does OK in the voting, though somehow Favorite issue – I dunno. I love the Hitman issue, of all the zines nominated. Claire and Mark are The Drink Tank tallied more than Challenger last the Train issue, and the Clarkes and Hugo for awesome! year. Best Novel issue. I think I’ll go with issue 250. Negatives – Not available on the web. Also not Odds – 8-to-1 That was a good one. a PodCast. Garcia Appearances – there have been issues It almost won last year. Running second Third – File 770 where I write nothing! to a PodCast was a big deal and it was well-de- Previous Nominations – 28 with 6 wins. Positives – Taral Wayne articles and art, Mo Star- served. Banana Wings is a defining-type zine. In Favorite Issue – There was only one in 2010, but key covers and art, James Bacon’s work, the Hugo the far future, when I write the history of late- it had a great Taral Wayne cover, and great stuff for Best Novel and Clarkes issues all add up. 20th/Early-21st Century fandom, the Fannish from James Bacon. Negatives – One of the editors (Me) has no idea Fanzine will be defined by Banana Wings. Sadly, Garcia Appearances – Yes, in the most recent what he’s doing. Not a PodCast. I don’t see it winning this year. It’s not on-line, 2011 issue I’ve got an article about the Moon- It’s in my backyard, James Bacon, who is which I think is a real killer. Last year, in Australia doggle, but nothing in the 2010 issue. I’ve had going to win Best Fan Writer, does amazing stuff where Mark and Claire are GIANTS, they ran pieces in it a few times and a lot of LoCs writing and acquiring and this is the year that it could happen. I just don’t think it can overcome the problem that it’s not a PodCast. Odds – 5-to-1

Winner – StarShipSofa Previous Nominations – Last year, where it got the most votes. Favorite issue – I don’t really listen to it. Garcia Appearances – I was apparently name-checked once or twice. Positives – It’s a PodCast Negatives – It’s not a Fanzine. This nomination is the one that makes me question harder than any other. PodCasts belong in Best Related Work (along with zines that have less than 4 is- sues and One Shots, and so on and so on) and there’s one of them in there too. What’s the difference between Writing Excuses and StarShipSofa? I am really confused by that. Still, SSS will walk away with it like it did last year. It’s a shame not only for us, but for folks who really like fanzines and want to be able to give them awards. It’s not happening as long as PodCasts are allowed in the category. Is SSS the best PodCast out there?

From James Bacon - Jeez, what am I meant to say about the fanzine category. It’s not like i haven’t edited one and written for FOUR of the nominees. I just hope folks go out and read these damn fanzines, they are quite good and all are slightly different tastes from the brewery. File 770, Challenger and Banana Wings are all so different yet highly enjoyable. I know that some will reckon that Starship Sofa will do it again, but I am not so sure this year, I think that there have been some really good zines, and zines are gathering traction in some circles that previously they wouldn’t have. Not so sure on your thinking here, Chris. There is no way a Fanzine can win as long as there’s a PodCast also on the ballot. It’s a sad fact that Fanzines are the descendant medium and PodCasts are the ascendant. An excellent point can be made using a Twitter exchange after the Hugo noms announcement. A fellow made a point that of all the Fan Writers, he had only half-heard of Steven H Silver. I then said that he might wanna take a look at Journey Planet, where he could read four of the five nominees. His reaction was he wasn’t at all interested. Ouch. Mike Glyer always focuses on getting people to read fanzines instead of trying to edge the rules. With attitudes like I found on that Twitter exchange seeming more and more typical, how can you make that argument anymore? Definitions, people! Best Semi-Prozine Last Year’s Winner – Clarkesworld Second – Clarkesworld Most Wins in the Category – Locus has 20- Previous Appearances – 2009 and 2010, something when it won! First time Nominees – Lightspeed I love Clarkesworld. It’s a great maga- Missing from the list –Ansible, Crossed Genres zine. One of the things that I enjoy is the (which I’ve really enjoyed), Space & Time, An- wise combination of fiction/non-fiction. It’s dromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, Lady solid stuff with a story on the Top Portion of Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet the ballot. It’ll run close, I think. Odds – 3-to-1 Fifth – Interzone Previous Appearances – Every year since Winner - Locus 1986 with a win Previous Appearances – Every time that this I have enjoyed Interzone, but haven’t category has been awarded, it’s been nomi- read it much over the last few years. It nated. It’s won twenty times. still gets a lot of attention, though it hasn’t They’ve not won the last two years, reached the attention of the voters nearly as and last year was a surprise that it didn’t win. much over the last few years. Not it’s year. I think Locus’ll pick back up because they’ve Odds – 10-to-1 maintained their normal standards and will likely get something of a bump from being Fourth – Lightspeed in the Bay Area. Of course, they didn’t win Previous Appearances – First time up! in San Francicso in 1993, but what are you I love John Joseph Adams’ editing gonna do? and Lightspeed is a great on-line mag. It’s got Odds – 2-to-1 some great folks contributing, and a story on the top ballot from Carrie Vaughn. They’re It’s the same old song. Why Semi-pro? This ballot does have one really exciting addition the hot on-line mag right now, I’d say, but they’re I love Weird Tales. I think it’s one of the in Lightspeed, but the rest have staked a claim new to the ballot and I don’t see them over-tak- best mags out there and I’d love to see it win over the last couple of year. Still, Locus hasn’t ing the big dogs. another. Having Ann Vandermeer on the team is won the last two years, Locus had a year where Odds – 6-to-1 a definite plus. Their stories don’t tend to end up people started talking about it more and more. on the ballot, but they don’t have as big a move Plus, it’s kinda a local WorldCon for it! My guess Third – Weird Tales the last year or so. is that they’ll add another one to the dozens of Previous Appearances – 2009, which it won, and Odds – 4-to-1 Hugos that hang out at the Locus HQ. 2010

Locus, locus are going to kick ass, they do it anyhow, it’s a great magazine and I think that Liza is a great editor, and they are a superb team, I just think that when it comes to this category, despite the fact there is always debate, the Locus team do great work. - James Bacon sure it was 2010, but Shiva’s Crown is an amaz- Third – Stephen Martiniere ing piece and is on his Website Previous Nominations – 4 with a win Positives – Has done a lot of covers for big-sell- My Favorite of his 2010 Pieces – The Cover for ing books, including a ton of Patricia Biggs The Dervish House is awesome. Negatives – The least big name on a ballot of big Positives – Is a highly popular artist who does names. art for big name writers. I love Danny Two Saints’ stuff! He is a Negatives – Just not his year. great cover artist, and his website, http://www. I love the cover for The Dervish House. dandossantos.com/ , has some great stuff. I’m Easily my favorite of the covers from the nomi- hoping that he’s gonna walk away with one of nated artists. I love his stuff overall, and I think these in the near-future. His style is instantly he’ll get another one of two of these in the near- recogniseable, especially to those who love the future, but I’m pretty sure that this isn’t the year Briggs novels that he’s done so many great cov- for him. ers for. Odds – 4-to-1 Odds – 7-to-1 Second – Shaun Tan Fourth – Bob Eggleton Previous Nominations – 2008, 2009, and 2010 Previous Nominations – He’s got 22 and has when he won it. won 8 of ‘em! My Favorite of his 2010 Pieces – The film ver- My Favorite of his 2010 Pieces – I love the cover sion of The Lost Thing, an amazing short film and of Dragon’s Domain the book. Positives – He’s Bob freakin’ Eggleton! Positives - He won a Freakin’ Oscar! Negatives – He’s won a bunch of them and he Negative – Not as widely known in the US hasn’t finished high in recent years. We’ll let Hugo nominee Mike Carey Best Professional Artist I really enjoyed Dragon’s Domain, though talk about Shaun (and The Lost Thing a bit) Last Year’s Winner – Shaun Tan it missed my Best Related Work ballot by a Shaun Tan: best professional artist and best Most wins in Category – Michael Whelan with 13 touch. He’s a legend, a first ballot Hall of Famer dramatic presentation, short form (for The Lost First Time Nominees – None and a great guy. His head-banging artist duels Thing). Missing – Phil Foglio, Cliff Nielsen (The Hundred with Frank Wu are awesome. Still, this is not a Shaun Tan’s The Arrival was a real eye-open- Thousand Kingdoms cover was my fave of the year!), year for him to win. To me, he’s Godzilla stuff er for me a couple of years back. It seemed to be James Ng, Jon Foster, Viktor Keon, Howard Chaykin is at least as important to the modern Ameri- a book-length oxymoron, at one and the same time (and the fact that he doesn’t have a raft of them is can Cult of Kaiju as the actual films! Let us also giving a vivid glimpse into a whimsical and surreal a crime!), Jim Burns, David Hardy not forget about his hair. It’s really significantly other world and laying bare the heart of the immi- amazing! Hair like that needs it’s own category! grant experience. To read it is to zig-zag backwards Fifth Place – Daniel Dos Santos Or maybe one for facial hair. Yeah, me, R Twidner, and forwards between enchanting escapism and Previous Nomination – 2009 and 2010 Kent Bloom, maybe that mustache guy! poignant social commentary, until you almost come My Favorite of his 2010 Pieces – I’m not 100% Odds – 5-to-1 to feel like a stranger in your own reality, nostalgic for somebody else’s dreamworld. and liberal sensitivity that fills me with And now, with The Lost Thing, Tan is dipping admiration. I hope he lives to be a his toe into the over-crowded waters of 3D anima- hundred and never stops telling sto- tion, with truly wonderful results. Two centuries ago, ries. William Blake was rhapsodising about seeing a Odds – 2-to-1 world in a grain of sand, and eternity in an hour: Tan gives us a world, and a glimpse of eternity, in fifteen Winner – John Picacio minutes – a 75% saving! Previous Nominations – 6 times The movie –a perfectly realised adaptation since 2005 of Tan’s own children’s story – sees an inoffensive My Favorite of his 2010 Pieces – little guy finding a lost thing on the beach. It looks The cover for Robots & Magic. like a Cthulhu-esque deity hiding in an old boiler, but Positives – A wonderful guy, a won- it’s affectionate and gentle and the two strike up a derful artist, a wonderful body of friendship. But the whole point of the lost thing is work. that it doesn’t belong in the regular world, and the Negatives – None really. narrator has to help it to find a place where it will fit He’s flirted with the win a in. couple of times, and this is his year. I Reduced to its basics like that, it sounds like really think he is a deserving nomi- very familiar stuff. What makes it enthralling and nee and will be a great winner. Take wonderful is the way it modulates into a reflection a look at johnpicacio.com to see on the sense of wonder itself: the ability to strike off how great his stuff can be! at right angles to your own routines, your own same- Odds – 3-to-2 old-same-old, and acknowledge something anoma- lous when it reveals itself to you. It’s a capacity that This is an interesting cate- the narrator has more or less lost by the end of the gory. There were a lot of folks who story, and his meditation on that loss is, in its own I’d have loved to have seen on the quiet and understated way, utterly heartbreaking. ballot, including David Hardy and Personally, I’m rooting for Tan in both these Donato Giancola, Still, it’s a very categories. His works, whether purely rendered in strong field. The one thing I’d love pictures or in illustrated prose, are some of the most to see is more comics artists on exquisite fantasies currently being produced. They the ballot. Yes, I love cover artists, abolish the distinctions between adult and children’s but there are folks doing great stuff fiction, sense and nonsense, comedy and tragedy. in comics that should be getting on They’re nothing like the short stories of Ted Chiang, the ballot. I’ll be happy to see John, and yet I find myself responding to them in the same the BayCon Artist GoH this year, to way. They take you to places that there’s no other walk across the stage. way of reaching. Moreover, they’re full of a humane Best Professional Editor – Long Form Last Year’s Winner – Patrick Nielsen Hayden Most Wins in Category - I think it’s David Hatwell with three. First Time Nominees – Nick Mamatas, Moshe Feder Missing from the Ballot Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Da- vid Hartwell, Lou Anders

I’m totally gonna crap out on this one. This is anybody’s game. There are some great folks up there for every taste and style. I’ve got no idea who’s going to win this one. I could say who I’m voting for, but I’m sure as hell not sure! There’s Lou Anders, Moshe Feder, Nick Mamatas, Liz Gorinsky or Juliet Ulman, who are all worthy and whose stuff I’m familiar with. I don’t know much about Beth Meacham, though I know she’s been up a bunch. There’s Ginjer Buchanan who has been nominated a lot. I dunno. If I had to make a guess, I’d say maybe Lou Anders (He did edit The Dervish House) has a slight lead, at least that’s what the buzz seems to be, but there are a lot of folks who have been chanting “Ma-Ma-Tas! Ma-Ma-Tas!”, so I’ve got no idea. I’ll just say this is the toughest ballot I’ve ever seen. No clue who to vote for, and part of that might also have to do with how difficult it is to get info on the works that the editors do. It’s a shame because all of the categories I’d have loved to have been able to handicap, this one is the one I can’t do! We gotta do better by edi- tors, and I’ve said over the last few years that we should include the name of the editor/editors of every book up for Best Novel. That would at least be a start. Best Professional Editor – Short Form I love Gordo. He’s been the most depend- zines. Last Year’s Winner – Ellen Datlow able editor over the last half-decade or so, ever He’s sort of the Wonderboy of the moment, re- Most Wins in Category – Gardner Dozois with 15 since Gardner Dozois left Asimov’s. Still, once cently took over Fantasy Magazine as I under- wins on 19 nominations! they cut down the number I’m one of thoseof stand it. There’s a Lightspeed story in the Best First Time Nominee – John Joseph Adams issues a year, there’s been a feeling of decline to Short Story category, and it’s all the buzz of folks. Missing from the Ballot – Mike Resnick, Alisa Kran- F&SF, which is sad, but they still have some real I can’t say that I’ll be much surprised if he takes sonstein, Liz Gorinsky, Cheryl Morgan, Neil Clarke, quality stories in every issue. I don’t think we’ll it. H’s got a lot going for him, even if I think he’ll Kelly Link see another Gordo win for a few years. come up short. Odds – 10-to-1 Odds – 3-to-1 Fifth Place – Stanley Schmidt Previous Nominations – Every year since 1980, Third – Sheila Williams Winner – Johnathan Strahan never with a win. Previous Nominations – 4 of ‘em Previous Nominations – I think 3 What’s He Edited – He’s Mr. Analog What She’s Edited 2010 – Asimov’s What’ he’s edited 2010- The Best Science Fiction Positives – He’s the editor of a magazine that’s Positives – Edited the magazine with the most and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 4 and a bunch of had tons of stories on the ballot over the years, stories on the ballot. Anthologies. including two this year. Negatives – She’s still in Gardner’s shadow as Positives – He’s done some of the best antholo- Negatives – Only two nominations when Asimov’s is nowhere near the level it was at gies of the last decade and certainly of last year. Asimov’s has 6. when he was editing it. Came in second last year, if I recall. I want Stan Schmidt to walk across the I am one of those who really believes Negatives – None, except it’s usually mag edi- stage and accept a Hugo. True, Analog ain’t what that Asimov’s has fallen far since Sheila took over tors who win... except for the last two years. it used to be. It’s not the best of the Big Three, from Gardner. They still get some top-notch ma- I said Strahan was going to win last year, hasn’t been for at least fifteen years, and it’s not terial, but it seems fewer and far between. This and he didn’t despite Home Court Advantage. nearly as good as it was in the 1990s. I don’t see year, Asimov’s had For Want of a Nail, which to This year, he’s edited some great stuff and I’d Stan winning this year, but I certainly hope he me is a great story. Still, Asimov’s was the biggest suspect that he’ll win a close one. will in the future. of the Big Three this year, but I don’t expect it to Odds – 2-to-1 Odds – 12-to-1 be quite enough. Odds – 7-to-1 A great list here, though it would have Fourth – Gordon Van Gelder been nice to see someone from Tor.com nomi- Previous Nominations – Every year since 1996 Second – John Jospeh Adams nated because that’s the place that I think has with a pair of wins Previous Nominations – None been doing the best stuff. Other than that, I have What He’s Edited – The Magazine of Fantasy & What He edited in 2010 – Lightspeed Magazine a lot of thoughts about this category. I’ve always Science Fiction (and if I remember correctly, he was Assistant said we need a Best Magazine and a Best Anthol- Positives – My all-time favorite magazine of the Editor at F&SF) and The Way of the Wizard. ogy category to replace the Best Editor Short Big Three, who had a decent year. Positives – Lightspeed is pretty much the hot- Form, but I’m in the major minority there, I Negatives – Not a single story on the ballot this test thing to debut last year, and to make it on imagine. On the other hand, there are still some year, they’ve cut back on the number of issues the ballot your first year is pretty amazing. great short lists and this is one of them. and it wasn’t the best year for F&SF. Negatives – Not the widest-read of the maga- Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form Negatives – It’s not nearly as good as either the Last Year’s Winner – Dr. Who The Waters of Mars Dr. Who’s that are on the ballot. Most Wins in the Category – Dr. Who episodes have I am not a fan of these episodes, though won it four times. I must admit it was OK. I liked the debut of this Missing form the List – Community’s Epidemiology season far better and the other two nominated Halloween Episode (best zombie TV stuff EVER!), The episode by far. Still, it’s not going to win. Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore (and if you Odds – 7-to-1 haven’t seen it, go to http://vimeo.com/17164728 and watch the Trailer!), the Finale of LOST, anything from Fourth/Third – Dr. Who Vincent and the Doc- Walking Dead, The Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors. tor Positives- A great episode of Dr. Who Fifth/Fourth Place – Dr. Who The Pandorica Negatives – Not the best one on the ballot. Opens / The Big Bang This episode, endlessly entertaining and Positives – It’s Dr. Who. the best of the Dr. Who Meets Historical Fig- ures episodes (OK, the Shakespear Code might have been a bit better) and a great episode too. This one makes me happy to see on the ballot, though I don’t think it’s quite there. Odds – 6-to-1

Third /Second – The Lost Thing Positives – Won an Oscar, designed by the last Best Professional Artist winner, endlessly beauti- Winner/Second – Dr. How A Christmas Carol ful. Positives – By far my favorite episode of the last Negatives – Probably not seen as widely as the season of Dr. Who, and by far the best Christ- rest of the field. mas Episode ever. I love The Lost Thing, though I was the Negatives – None really. one who cast the vote to not put it into the Cine- The big deal here is if a strange voter quest Film Festival. It just wouldn’t have fit with bloc forms to beat it. I’ll talk more about that the program. Still, it’s a gorgeous film (though I’d in a minute. The episode was awesome, well- have taken The Flying Books over it every day), acted, beautiful music, some wonderful comedy and it should do well. The biggest problem is that and some pathos that I was really into. Michael Short Films have never done well. If The Mysteri- Gambon, in particular, was amazing. I’d say that it ous Geographical Expeditions of Jasper Morello was one of the best episodes the series has ever couldn’t win (and not even get nominated!), then produced, far better than any of the others on I don’t see The Lost Thing winning. the ballot. Odds – 4-to-1 Odds – 2-to-1 Fifth/Winner – Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury And from James Bacon - I am gutted that Walking Dead did not get in Positives – Hilarious video by a wonderful art- I am not a Doctor Who fan, and actually even here, a real travesty, and I expect in return DR Who ist. though I have watched the most recent two episodes, may end up splitting the vote. Although you would ex- Negatives – Not deeply SF, turns off a lot of old- I find it very boring. Tom Baker was DR Who for me, pect that Who fans will go 1,2,3, I think some will vote er fans. when I was a child, and to be honest, although McGann for their Fave and then for Tan or Bloom. Both Tan and This is the one that explains all the slash- and Eccleston were pleasing, I just don’t enjoy these Bloom have real potential to capture the imagination es in the other nominees. I really think this is series as much as others. Also going on the last two of the undecided fan, Bloom especially so, what with an all-or-none choice. This could win it all, or it episodes, there is a real increase in absurdity and too her short video, easily accessible and really quite funny could end up beneath No Award. It had a lot much reliance on the ‘kept in the dark’ element, which and irreverent. This music video really could steal the of support from folks like me, and it had a lot although is part of Doctor Who seems to be at a boring show. Tan’s work on the other hand is a different type of criticism from folks like me too. I love the extreme. Am I going to go and watch these episodes to of masterpiece and if people actually watch it, then it video, think it’s hilarious and well-produced, if a see how they are – nope – I didn’t nominate them and could Trump the great whovian wave. bit winking at the whole thing. I’m saying that I am sure many hundreds of fans will vote. it might finish first and have more No Awards rated above it (which is kinda like the 20% rule in TAFF) and not win. Or it could get nowhere near enough support. I am hedging, yes, but only because this could be a big weirdness. Odds – 2-to-1 (but only 20-to-1 on that!)

Here’s what multiple Hugo nominee and all-around great guy Paul Cornell has to say about the category! I think Short Form this year is very interest- ing, because, though I’d bemoan the lack of Stargate Universe and Fringe, it does actually represent three different types of quality. I sometimes think that Best TV Episode would be a better category, but that would leave Shaun Tan’s Oscar-winning short denied, which can’t be right. And ‘Fuck Me Ray Bradbury’ is very funny and says something real (though it does play on the incredible fact that nominees in this category only have to be *related* to SF). Paul thinks much like I do. This’ll be a fun category to see how it plays out! Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form the seond best kids film/animation/etc Last Year’s Winner – Moon What’s Missing from the List – Hot Tub Time Ma- Odds – 6-to-1 chine! Twilight: Eclipse, Lost The End (though it might not have been eligible), TRON: Legacy, Iron Man 2, Fourth Place – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Black Swan, Micmacs Did I see it in the Theatres – Yes, thrice! Positive – The Most fun film on the ballot, and Fifth Place – How To Train Your Dragon the second most inventive. Did I see it in the Theatre? Nope. Negatives – Not nearly as popular with others Positives – A popular animated film that I’m bet- as with me. ting all the kids would vote for if they had mem- I thought Scott Pilgrim was a great film berships. and it’s getting my first place vote. It was fun, it Negatives – Not the biggest film on here. Hugo was funny, it was inventive and it was just plain voters have been voting for much more mature great. Michael Cera and Jason Swartzman in a films the last few years. fight scene and it works? Not possible, but they I would like to see it do well, but it’s up did it. Still, I have my doubts that others took to against some real competion in every way. It’s it like I did and I also seriously doubt that it’ll over-come the popularity of the three I ranked above it. Odds – 5-to-1

Third Place – Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallow Part 1 Did I see it in the Theatres – Yep Positives – A decent movie, along the lines of some of the others in the series. Negatives – Probably shouldn’t have been eli- gible as it’s not complete. OK, so there’s a tradition of not nomi- nating things that aren’t finished until they are finished. The most obvious forms of this are in serialized novels. They’re eligible after the final chapter has seen the light of day. Still, Harry Pot- ter is hugely popular and administrators haven’t been willing to administrate in recent years and this is another example of where it was almost certainly appropriate. Still, it’s not a bad little on of fi lms. fi lm, even in its incompleteness, and there’s a lot Negatives – Some people may want to vote for to be said for honoring a series such as Harry something a bit more adult. Potter. Realise that it started the same year as I haven’t seen it, I don’t plan on it. I like the Lord of the Rings movies.! a lot of Pixar fi lms, especially the shorts, but Odds – 4-to-1 I’m not a fan of the Toy Story franchise. It just doesn’t sing to me much in the same way that I Second Place – Toy Story 3 really HATE The Iron Giant. I know, I know, I’m Did I see it in the Theatre? No. In fact, I haven’t the only one. From what I hear there’s a very seen it at all. strong story and it’s got as much for kids as for Positives – Pixar is popular with voters and this adults. That’s a positive, no? was apparently a very good entry into their can- Odds – 3-to-1

Winner – Inception Did I see it in the Theatre? Twice. Positives – THE BEST MOVIE OF LAST YEAR, BAR NONE. Negatives – Folks may see it as a bit ‘out of genre’ and none of Christopher Nolan’s works have done too well. If Inception doesn’t win, it’s not because of anything in the fi lm, it’ll be because of the at- titudes of the voters. It was the best produced fi lm of the last decade, probably the last century, and has a script that goes out and back again. sure, its defi nitely fantastic and in comparison to the It’s a great fi lm, easily the best thing that Nolan’s movie selection here, well it’s not great. I think Incep- ever done and I think that The Dark Knight is tion may just about do it here. I dunno, in 2009 I one of the true greats. It should win and win big, had Moon, Area 13 and Surrogates, 2010 felt just if there’s justice. rubbish for movies. Maybe I should see more. Odds – 3-to-2 A good category with a strong list. I would have loved to have seen LOST as an en- From James Bacon - tire series on the ballot as it was so much better The fact that Kick Ass didn’t get onto the than Heroes ever was. I wish that Scott Pilgrim Long form list is for me a fi ne example of the discon- would take home the Rocket, but If it’s actually nect between science fi ction fans and comic book for the Best Film, then it’s Inception. If it’s for the fans. Kick Ass is possibly one of the best Comic Book one people love the most, it’s probably Toy Story adaptations ever, is it science fi ctional, I am not so 3. I’m saying that Inception takes it. Best Graphic Story Fourth Place – The Unwritten by Howard never connected with me. Still, it is pretty darn Last Year’s Winner – Girl Genius by Phil Foglio Tayler and Travis Walton popular and I’m betting it’ll do very well. Most Wins in the Category – Only Girl Genius has Positives – It’s a popular bit of writing. Odds – 4-to-1 won in it! Negatives – Not nearly as big as the big ones on First Time nominees – Grandville Mon Amour, The the ballot. Winner – Girl Genius Unwritten Not gonna win, as much as I’d like to see Positives – Beloved comic from the Foglios, the What’s Missing – Batman: The Return of Bruce it take home a rocket, but it’s good stuff and I most popular artists on the scene today. Wayne, Jonah Hex: No Way Back, World War Hulks would love it if this led to a lot of new sales of Negatives – It won the last two years. the book! I know folks who are BEGGING for Girl Fifth Place – Grandville Mon Amour by Bry- Odds – 6-to-1 Genius to lose because if it wins, it could well an Talbot spell the end of the category. You see, it’s only a Positives – Another part of the brilliant Grand- The Comics category is still finding its feet, trail category and if the same thing has won the ville Steampunk/Alt. Hist Universe. still not recognising that there is a canon of last three years, well then how does that show Negatives – Some folks see it as a Furry thing high quality SF&F comics out there, still looking this as a viable category? I’m of the opinion that and don’t like it. incredibly parochial. it’s not Girl Genius’ fault that they’re hella popu- A note from Bryan Talbot himself! Paul Cornell lar and keep winning it. The thing is, I just don’t I’m absolutely delighted and honoured that see anything that will be able to unseat them. If Grandville Mon Amour is nominated for a Hugo Third Place –Schlock Mercenary: Massively Neil Gaimen writing for Batman doesn’t knock Award. As a long time science fiction reader, writer Parallel them off, what can? and illustrator and occasional guest and attendee at Positives – People love them some Schlock Mer- Odds – 7-to-5 SF cons, it is a genuine pleasure simply to be nomi- cenary. nated for this prestigious and legendary prize. Negatives – Hasn’t done very well on the ballot From James Bacon! The recent introduction of the “Best Graphic in the past. I was so pleased to see both Unwriten and Story” category to the Awards is, in itself, a cause for It’s been on the ballot every year that Grandville on the ballot. Now please forgive me here, celebration and long overdue considering the coming this category has been in existence. It’s got a it’s not that I do not like any of the other nominees, of age of the graphic novel form over the last two good following, and it’s kinda funny at times. I’m but it’s just I wanted and needed a wider reflection decades. It’s wonderful that the awards are intro- not a big fan of it myself, but I’m betting it’ll play of what’s out there in comics and I got it. Seeing ducing science fiction prose readers to this powerful well. Grandville Mon Amour on the ballot is very pleasing, medium. Odds – 5-to1 its by perhaps one of the greatest science fictional That’s 101 words! comic story tellers in the world. Best, Second Place – Fables: Witches Bryan does ART and Writing so wonderfully he is the Bryan Positives – It’s Bill Willingham, who is a special ultimate professional in sequential story telling, and The trailer for Grandville Mon Amour guest at the con, and it’s a well-loved comic. this sets him apart from the field, and well Grandville is now online: http://www.youtube.com/ Negatives – Not the best thing on the ballot. is just a brilliantly fun and well conceived comic, and watch?v=RdBnXHD3j7Q I’m not personally a fan of a lot of Fables. he uses the medium to its full advantage. My website: http://www.bryan-talbot.com There’s a lot of good in it, but it’s never connect- As does Carey and the Unwritten team, to be honest, Odds – 7-to-1 ed with me in much the same way that Sandman and this clever and very literary comic is very im- pressive. Mike has written hundreds of comics and Best Related Work Fourth – Bearings: Reviews 1997 – 2001 by like Bryan, I hold him in the highest regard, so this Last Year’s Winner - This is Me, Jack Vance! (Or, More Gary K. Wolfe is personally tough. Either one winning would be a Properly, This is “I”) Positives – One of the better reviewers in the great day for me, Unwritten got a lot of positive blog- Most Wins in Category – I believe that John Clute world and a beloved one at that. ging in the earlier part of the year, so I hope fans go has won 3 Negatives – Not that big a deal as a book. I didn’t and read it, Its worth it. What’s Missing – I really don’t know. I can think of get into it much. Fables could have a good year, Bill Willingham is a half-a-dozen for next year, but none for this year. This one was almost as interesting as I special guest and this will no doubt help a little bit expected, but it was just over-shadowed by the while one could say the same about Girl Genius, Fifth - The Business of Science Fiction: Two top three here. Still, good stuff, a pretty good which has been reaching out to mainstream comic Insiders Discuss Writing and Publishing by read. There are folks who believe that Gary not fans – I was well impressed with the stand they had Mike Resnick and Barry Malzberg having a Hugo is the same as I feel about Kurt at Wondercon. Yet, I would like to see the Hugo voting Positives – It’s two guys who have been on the Vonnegut noever having won a Hugo: an abso- constituency vote for someone new, nothing against ballot and won a few Rockets. lute shame. I can see that. the Girl Genius team, it would just add variety and Negatives – Dull. Dull. Dull. Odds – 8-to-1 some sort of sense of awareness that GG is not the I’m not a guy who likes a lot of reading only brilliant comic out there about the business of writing. I like writing about Third – Writing Excuses with Brandon Sand- I love Girl Genius, and I voted it second the business of science fiction writing, but not erson, Jordan Sanderson, Howard Tayler and after Grandville. I think the original Grandville’s reading about it. As often as Mike Resnick’s writ- Dan Wells. absense from the Hugo ballot last year was the ing has done some nice entertaining, here, I was Positives – A PodCast that I actually enjoy with a second biggest sorrow after the lack of Tim Pow- bored. I didn’t make it much past the 20th page. little bit of regularity! ers: Secret Histories. Still, James is right, there’s That’s not good. Negatives – Not pushed by NPR, not about other good stuff. It’s hard to fault the winner for Odds – 15-to-1 Heinlein and not about Dr. Who. dominating a category when it’s as good as Girl I really like Writing Excuses. I haven’t lis- Genius, though... tened too often, but I really enjoyed the several times I listened. It’s a good listen, and while it’s not my favorite PodCast, that would go to either the FanboyPlanet PodCast (www.fanboyplanet.com) or Fear The Boot (which I’m not sure is still active, but it’s a good one), but I’m not sure it’s got the game to unseat the NPR Effect nor the Dr. Who push. Odds – 4-to-1 Second - Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with Lords is a fine volume, the first col- His Century, Volume 1: (1907–1948): Learn- lection of feminist voices talking ing Curve, by William H. Patterson, Jr. about Doctor Who. It would not Positives – Featured on NPR, it’s about Heinlein, be a bad thing if it won and it’s probably the biggest seller on this list. This is Dr. Who. It’s got a Let’s face it, there is still a massive Cult dedi- lot of juice behind it! I’m hoping cated to Robert Alveras Heinlein. that it’ll walk off with it, and I’m Negatives – I hate Heinlein. I mean REALLY betting that it will. It’s also got HATE Heinlein, but that’s just me... a piece from one of the favor- This is a book that Evelyn’s Grandma has ite Drink Tank friends Johanna been reading and I’ve not made myself experi- Mead! That means it’ll be getting ence other than a sample chapter. I think it’s a my first vote. I haven’t read it decent piece of writing. I heard two segments yet, but I’m a-gonna! about it on NPR, which made me groan with Odds – 3-to-2 the phrase “Oh man, this means it’s gonna win the Hugo.” The Alice Shelton/James Tiptree Jr. This is a big category and bio won and I gave a lot of the credit to the fact it’s the first time in years that that they got so much press on NPR (includ- I thought that it was more in- ing a great interview with Teri Gross). There is teresting than half of the ballot. a significant number of people who adore Hein- I really think this is a more in- lein so much they’ll vote for for anything that’s teresting category than the four about/by/referring to him. This is a sadness to bigs this year. There’s something me! Still, it’s not about Dr. Who! for everyone, it’s got some big Odds – 2-to-1 names, and there’s the power of Dr. Who vs. Robert Action Winner – Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebra- Heinlein. tion of Doctor Who by the Women Who Love Of course, this is a cat- It, edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara egory that is interesting to me O’Shea because it gets so little play. I Positives – Not only is it a great read, but it’s really believe that this is where got great writing from folks who are favorites of websites, Podcasts and Blogs be- fandom and the voters. long. They fit nicely, and the fact Negatives – Might have gotten a much smaller that there are folks who may see release than the others. Best Fanzine as an easy landing Let’s start with Paul Cornell pad from which to launch their And, against the incredibly tough competi- campaigns is rather upsetting... tion it’s facing, I’d like to say that Chicks Dig Time Best Short Story I love Kij Johnson. In a decae or so, I’m a touch gimmicky, but I wouldn’t put it past the Last Year’s Winner – Bridesicle by Will McIntosh pretty sure we’ll be talking about her in the voters to give him another Hugo based more Writer with the most Wins in Category – Harlan same way we talk about Tiptree in the 1970s. on the Border Incident of last year than on the Ellison. Her voice is among the most powerful writing strength of the story itself. With many voters, First Time Nominees – I don’t think that Carrie today, and the short story is her wheelhouse. it’s a combination of name recognition, quality Vaughn’s ever been on the ballot anywhere. That said, this story is not for everybody, espe- of work and a feeling that someone ‘deserves it’. What’s Missing –The Closet by John Kessel. Remot- cially those that would see a story about the Sometime, that can mean that the work matters est Mansions of the Blood by Alex Irvine, Clockwork dismemberment of unicorns as a bit light and far less than the matter outside. Go figure. Faeries by Cat Rambo (the best piece of fiction from perhaps as a bit too gross. Still, I love this story Odds – 5-to-1 Steampunk Fortnight!) and it’s getting my second place vote this year. Odds – 10-to-1 Second – For Want of a Nail by Mary Rob- Fifth Place – Nothing. ineete Kowal There was nothing that got at least 5% The problem with the short stories this year Previous Nominations – Evil Robot Monkey was of the nominators nominating. That hasn’t hap- is the same as the famous 1999 Sundance nominated in 2009 pened that often, but it does leave a nice set of Problem: everything is well-done; everything Where can I read it? http://www.maryrobi- four stories. Still, this may say a little something is good. Nothing is moving, nothing makes an nettekowal.com/journal/for-want-of-a-nail-is-a- about the world of Short Stories right now. Per- impact that lasts longer than the last flickering hugo-nominee/ haps there are huge numbers of stories that got frame. Nothing sticks. Well, everything but the How does it start? With one hand, Rava adjust- a few votes each because there was so much Johnson. That stuck. ed the VR interface glasses where they bit into the great material that folsk spread the wealth. On Jay Crasdan bridge of her nose, while she kept her other hand the other hand, it could be that these ones just buried in Cordelia’s innards. overpowered everything. Either way, it’s differ- Third - The Things by Peter Watts Positives – Mary’s a great lady (and BayCon’s ent. Previous Nominations – His first in Short Story, Writer GoH!) and a favorite. The stories pretty though he won Best Novelette last year. great too! Fourth – Ponies by Kij Johnson Where can you read it? http://clarkesworldmag- Negatives – Nothing big. Previous nominations – She’s in her third straight azine.com/watts_01_10/ I loved this story. I’m a fan of Mary’s year of nominations in this category (and Spur How does it open? I am being Blair. I escape out (and you should read her book Shades of Milk & was my favorite from last year) the back as the world comes in through the front. Honey), and this is her at her best. It’s even bet- Where can you read it? http://www.tor.com/sto- Positives – a pretty good story. He’s probably ter than Evil Robot Monkey! She’s good people, ries/2010/11/ponies still got some juice from his border incident last she’s won the Campbell award in 2008. It was How does it open? The invitation card has a West- year. also the only one of the stories nominated to ern theme. Along its margins, cartoon girls in cowboy Negatives – Not the best thing on the ballot. appear in one of the Big Three. Still, it’s not quite hats chase a herd of wild Ponies I love James Nicoll’s note on Peter Watts at the peak and I’m thinking it’ll come close, but Positives - A great story that tells the world of – When I find my will to live becoming too strong, I not quite. young girly cruelty in a dark way. read Peter Watts. He’s not my fave overall, but at Odds – 2-to-1 Negatives – certainly not a story for everyone, times his stories are very filling, if dark. This one’s as the comments on the story will tell you. heavy, and it’s a take on The Thing, the 1980s Car- pented film. He works with it pretty well, and it’s Winner – Amaryllis by Carrie Vaughn Previous Nominations – None, I don’t think in any category. Where can I read it? http://www.lightspeedmag- azine.com/fiction/amaryllis/ How does it start? I never knew my mother, and I never understood why she did what she did. I ought to be grateful that she was crazy enough to cut out her implant so she could get pregnant. Positives – A great story which helped give Light- speed its reputation for awesome! Negatives – Some might see it as light on SF content This is my favorite short story this year. It’s an impressive piece and it should win if it’s about story quality. Vaughn, best known for her Kitty & The Midnight Hour novels and After The Golden Age, which I’m excited to get to read, has constructed a great world where reproduc- tion is tightly controlled and a fishing boat where questions are raised. Her prose is so impressive and when I think of Lightspeed, I think of the way that Carrie played the line here, showing us a world that is different, but not the flashing, beeping worlds that some reliy on, nor the ooz- ing, dark dystopia that so many others trade on. This was an impressive story and my favorite. Odds – 3-to-2 A good category that is only marred by having only 4 nominees. I really enjoyed three of the stories, the fourth wasn’t bad at all. When I think of all the nominees, I tend to think that the one I’ll talk about most in the future is Po- nies, only because of the dark imagery, but on the other hand, Amaryllis is a great story and to me it defines what Lightspeed is trying to do as a magazine. Best Novelette or.htm Last Year’s Winner – The Island by Peter Watts How’s it start? Out there, there’s a lot of ways to Most Wins – Harlan and Poul Anderson are tied go crazy. Get cooped up in a passenger module not with Three each much larger than a trailer, and by the time you reach First Time Nominees - Aliette de Bodard, Eric James your destination you may have come to believe that Stone the universe exists only within your own mind: it’s What Missing – Swamp City Lament by Alexander called solipsism syndrome, and I’ve seen it happen a Duncan, Advances in Modern Chemotherapy by Mi- couple of times. chael Alexander, Stone Wall Truth by Caroline M. Yo- Positives – A good little story, the kind I’ve ex- achim. pected from Steele for a while. Appeared in one of the Big Three. Fifth Place – Plus or Minus by James Patrick Negatives – Not the best of the ones on this Kelly list Previous nominations – 2 and a win! There are a couple of great paragraphs in this Where can you read it? http://www.jimkelly.net/ one. That’s more than I can say for a lot of sto- index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id ries. Here, the entire story feels like Steele was =136&Itemid=41 going for broke and while there were a couple How’s it start? Everything changed once Beep found of points where I found myself wandering off the out that Mariska’s mother was the famous Natalya page, it holds together pretty well. Volochkova. Mariska’s life aboard the Shining Legend Odds – 5-to-1 went immediately from bad to awful. Positives – In a high-profile magazine and a pop- Third Place – The Leviathan, Whom Thou ular writer who’s won one before. Hast Made by Eric James Stone Negatives – Weakest story on the list from Previous Nominations – None. where I’m sitting. Where can I read it? http://www.ericjamesstone. I just didn’t care much for Plus or Minus. com/blog/stories/that-leviathan-whom-thou- I gave it three chances, twice when it first came hast-made/ out, once when I was doing the reading for this How’s it start? Sol Central Station floated amid the issue. It just completely failed to connect with fusing hydrogen of the solar core, 400,000 miles un- me. Now, I’ve read some Kelly that I’ve enjoyed, der the surface of the sun, protected only by the thin but this was just not one of those. shell of an energy shield, but that wasn’t why my Odds – 10-to-1 palm sweat slicked the plastic pulpit of the station’s multidenominational chapel. Fourth Place – The Emperor of Mars by Allan Positives – A fun little story with a Morman at M. Steel the heart of it. Previous Nominations – 3 Negatives – Not as strong as the top two. Where can you read it? Allensteele.com/emper- I liked it a lot. I thought that the writing was a bit softer, as it were, than most of what of an underrepresented area for genre fiction. This is a real good category, because even we’re seeing on the list. Compare Stone to Peter Negatives – None. the one I didn’t like and couldn’t get through Watts and you’ll see the difference. He mingles This is the biggest one for me. It’s an wasn’t bad. I’ve got my favorites (I can’t figure some humor, though seldom over-the-top, and exciting look at the traditions and past of old out whether I’ll vote for the impactful Bodard has come up on a solid story that kept me read- Mexico. I love the way this one flows, especially piece or the endlessly readable McMullen) and ing when I should have been reading FEED! when you look at the way it’s written. This is I’m even harder pressed to figure what’ll be Odds – 4-to-1 a stylish piece, but at the same time, there is three and four on my ballot. Must figure that out. hardly a word wasted. Not as much fun as the I think Bodard will take it all home though, as Second – Eight Miles by Sean McMullen McMullen, but far more powerful. much as I love Sean’s stuff. Previous Nominations – Not in this category, Odds – 2-to-1 but in two others. Where can I read it? http://www.seanmcmullen. net.au/eightmiles.htm How’s it start? Consider a journey of eight miles. One could walk it in less than an afternoon, in a car- riage it would take an hour, or one could conquer the distance in one of Stevenson’s steam trains in fifteen minutes or less. Positives – a really good story from one of the best writers around. Negatives – None, really. There is a theory that you can not make a good movie if there is a hot air balloon in- volved. This does not apply to literature, and here there’s so much ballooning goodness that it’s impossible to dismiss. I read this one twice. I really enjoyed it. Odds – 3-to-1

Winner – The Jaguar House, In Shadow by Aliette de Bodard Previous Nominations – None Where can I find it? http://aliettedebodard.com/bib- liography/online-fiction/the-jaguar-house-in-shadow/ How does it start? The mind wanders, when one takes teonanacatl. Positives – Great story, beautifully realized and Best Novella the day I died. Instead, it began there. Even-First – The Lifecycle of Software Ob- Last Year’s Winner – Palimpsest by Charles Stross Positive – A very good story. jects by Ted Chiang Most Wins in the Category – Our friend Connie Willis! Negatives – Not the biggest name on the ballot. Previous Nominations – He’s been up twice, First Time Nominees – Elizabeth Hand, Geoffrey Landis, I read this when it was first out and I though Novelette is his wheelhouse with two Alastair Reynolds, Rachel Swirsky went from amusedly and distractedly reading to wins. What’s Missing – I think that Clementine by Cherie Priest immersed and uncontactable. The story turns Where can I read it - http://www.subterranean- was a Novella. the corner around five thousand words in. I was press.com/index.php/magazine/fall-2010/fiction- really impressed as I’ve not caught Swirsky as the-lifecycle-of-software-objects-by-ted-chiang/ Fifth Place – The Sultan of the Clouds by hard before. A really good story and in a lighter How’s it start? Her name is Ana Alvarado, and she’s Geoffrey A. Landis year, it’d win it. Instead, it’s fourth on a strong having a bad day. She spent all week preparing for Previous Nominations – None ballot. a job interview, the first one in months to reach the Where can I read it? http://www.asimovs. Odds -5-to-1 videoconference stage, but the recruiter’s face barely com/2011_04-05/images/511Nebula10_sultan. appeared onscreen before he told her that the com- pdf Third - The Maiden Flight of McCauley’s Bel- pany has decided to hire someone else. How does it start? When Leah Hamakawa and lerophon by Elizabeth Hand Positives – He’s Ted Freakin’ Chiang! Plus, he’s I arrived at Riemann orbital, there was a surprise Previous Nominations – None. the Writer GoH at Minicon, and hopefully that waiting for Leah: a message. Not an electronic mes- Where can I read it? http://books.google.com/ makes you a little more likely to win! sage on a link-pad, but an actual physical envelope, books?id=JR_qmGtSqlwC&pg=PA351&lpg=PA3 Negative – None. with Doctor Leah Hamakawa lettered on the out- 51&dq=The+Maiden+Flight+of+McCauley’s+Be Here’s Beth Zuckerman on The Life- side in flowing handwriting. llerophon&source=bl&ots=PAujq0Z47l&sig=ptb cycle..., since I haven’t finished it yet! Positivies – A kinda fun little story. 5nTI2sbbbUiB1IqXBQT6HGZY&hl=en&ei=oG This is only the second work I’ve read by Ted Negatives – Just kinda. 2_TbKrOYLmsQP_t7zQAw&sa=X&oi=book_r Chiang, but I am already very excited about him. I wasn’t blown away by The Sultan of the esult&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEgQ6AEw Chiang writes wonderful, thoughtful works in a fasci- Clouds, but it was OK. It didn’t take me long to Bg#v=onepage&q=The%20Maiden%20Flight%2 nating and original style. Looking at Chiang’s work read, but it also didn’t make that big an impres- 0of%20McCauley’s%20Bellerophon&f=false alongside Paolo Bacigalupi’s, we can see the future sion. In fact, I didn’t recognize the title when they How’s it start? Being assigned to the head was the of science fiction. announced the nominations. worst shift you could pull at the museum. The Lifecycle of Software Objects is about Odds – 8-to-1 Positive s – A really fun and furious story. AI’s called digients. I’ve never played the Sims, but Negatives – Not in the biggest market, or I’d say from what I’ve heard, the digients sound a lot like the Fourth - The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers be- it was gonna take it. Sims family. They exist in a virtual world (although neath the Queen’s Window by Rachel Swirsky It takes place at a museum! A Smithson- sometimes they get moved into robotic bodies), and Previous Nominations – None. ian Museum! I used to work at the Smithson- they respond to training given by the humans who Where Can I read it? http://subterraneanpress. ian. Have I mentioned that before? Anyhoo, it’s a buy and keep them. They can learn to read and com/index.php/magazine/summer-2010/fiction- great little story and one that stuck with me. It speak. They are designed to be cute and appealing, the-lady-who-plucked-red-flowers-beneath-the- also really made me wanna do a Captain Marvo so that their humans will want to play with them a queens-window-by-rachel-swirsky/ cosplay. lot, and they develop personalities through interac- How Does it start? My story should have ended on Odds – 3-to-1 tion with humans and other digients. Although digients appear in the book as Where can you read it? You’ll have to buy it in almost human characters, they are still AI’s. They Godlike Machines (edited by Johnathan Strahan can be shut down, restored from earlier backups, or and featuring great pieces from Sean Williams ignored entirely, at the whims of their humans. The and Greg Egan) book asks us to think about the legal and moral How does it start? I don’t have it to transcribe! status, or personhood, of digients. Positives – the first Hugo Nom for one of the I was a philosophy student, so I just eat this best things to happen to the field in the Twen- stuff up like candy. But you don’t have to have been ty-First Century. He’s also written for Journey a philosophy student to find this book interesting. It Planet and that counts for something, right? raises all sorts of fascinating questions. Is it accept- Negatives – It’s not in a larger edition. able to turn off a digient merely because you are I had to borrow Jay’s copy of this a cou- bored with him or her? If a digient does something ple of months back and it was an awesome story you don’t like, is it acceptable to roll him or her back about “A Big Dumb Machine” Al is impressively to the previous day’s backup? What should you do readable in his writing and this is a story of First if a digient requests that you roll him or her back to Contact and a great one at that. I wish I could a previous backup? When has a digient developed get a copy of it for my very own, but alas, the sufficiently that he or she should be allowed to make trade version, available in July, is 35 and the lim- his or her own decisions? Should digients be granted ited is 60! I’ve gotta rob a bank or something... the legal status of personhood, and if so, via what Odds – 2-to-1 mechanism should this be accomplished? The book raises questions about humans as well, about what From James Bacon - motivates us, what makes us love each other, and I’ll be rooting for Al Reynolds here, Chris! how we should treat the people we love. The story is told in the present tense, in an OK, I’m calling for a tie. I all but called exceedingly minimalist style. The book is so short, it in these pages for Best Novel last year (and I’m not even sure it qualifies as a novel rather than at the BayCon panel on The Hugos I did say it) a novella. But there’s an ongoing, developing story and I’m saying it now. This is a fantastic ballot. here, in both real and virtual worlds. It’s a poignant I’m not lying when I say that I’d take this one story about what it means to be used and manipu- over almost any other ballot in the last decade. lated, and what it means to love and be loved. The Even better than the 2005 Best Novel. I’m pretty plot takes many unexpected twists. This is definitely much saying that a tie will happen. The two big- one of the better works of 2010. gest names on the ballot with pieces that folks Odds – 2-to-1 are talking about as the best things they’ve read this year! Even-First – Troika by Alastair Reynolds Previous nominations – In a total crime, he’s never been on the ballot! And now, the MAIN EVENT!!!!! The Hugo Award for Best Novel

Last Year’s Winner – tie: The City & The City and The Clarke winner Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, The Quan- Windup Girl tum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi. Most wins in the category – Robert Amberson Hein- lein with 5 Fifth – Cryoburn by Lois McMasters Bujold First Time Nominees – N.K. Jemisin, Mira Grant I refuse. I simply refuse. Every time I’ve What’s not on the list – In a really sad moment, tried Bujold, it’s been like ordering a medium- Mr. Felix Gilman’s The Half Made World was not on rare steak at a Sizzler. You’re hoping it’ll be dif- the ballot. Dreadnought by Cherie Priest, Kraken by ferent this time, you’re hoping that it’ll come to China Mieville, Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds, you medium rare, or at least medium, and it’s The Loving Dead by Amelia Beamer, The Arthur C. cooked through. I’ve never had anything resem- bling a pleasant experience reading or trying to read a Bujold novel and I decided not to do it. Odds – Million-to-one

Fourth – The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin Previous Nominations – None Did I finish it – Yep. How long did it take me to read it – Four days. Positives – A well-constructed and executed fan- tasy novel that ended which pulled me through. Negatives – Faltered a bit at the end. I’ve enjoyed much of the stuff I’ve read from N.K. Jemisin over the years, and this was a fine debut novel. I understand that it’s the first of a series, though I don’t know if I’m willing to Third – FEED by Mira Grant read further. I think this was a fine contained Previous Nominations – None (though ‘tis a pen- story and I’d be more than happy to leave it name for Seanan McGuire, the current Campbell where it lie. There’s some great characterization, winner) and some sizzling prose to go along with a pow- Did I finish it – Nope, I got about 120 pages in. erful sense of timing and nice pacing. Still, I don’t How long did it take me – a little more than a see it topping the bigger names on the ballot... week to do that. or zombies. Positives – Zombies, blog culture and a popular Odds – 5-to-1 writer who everyone but me knew was Seanan Second – Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis Winner – The Dervish House by Ian McDon- Previous Nominations – Four with two wins. ald Did I finish it? I tried. I really did. Couldn’t get Previous Nominations – River of Gods and into it. Brasyl were both denied Hugos they probably How Long did I try? An entire afternoon. I didn’t should have won. get much more than a dozen pages. Did I finish it – Not quite yet, but I’m making I gave a bit of a read and I just couldn’t good headway. make inroads. This happens with a lot of Willis, How long have I been at it – A week and a half. though a couple of her things are fantastic. I tend Positives – Easily the most entertaining and pow- to prefer her shorter works and not her novels. erfully written novel on the ballot. Still, she’s the biggest name on the ballot, a voter Negatives – Not from the biggest publisher. favorite and she could easily walk off with this I love Ian McDonald and his stories are one. There is no doubt that Connie will be up on just phenomenal. I’m going to do a full issue ded- stage in Reno, certainly as a presenter, but I think icated to his writing later this year. It’s going to she’ll fall just short on this award. be something of a hike as there’s a lot of stuff Odds – 2-to-1 of his I still need to read and like Paolo and Ted Chiang, he’s slow reading for me, though highly enjoyable. The combination of hype for The Der- vish House and the power of the prose make me think that it’ll win, possibly getting fewer firsts (who I’ve known for YEARS!) than Connie, but you never can tell. Negatives – For me, it’s a bit lumpy and bogged Odds – 3-to-2 down more than once. It may sound like I didn’t enjoy FEED, and This is an odd year. Four out of five of that’s not quite true. I thought there were many the nominated novels were written by women. points where it just ground to a halt and I had That’s only happened once before, as I under- trouble getting through those periods. This hap- stand it, and it’s good to see. Interestingly, I still pens with me and a lot of books, most notably think the only guy on the novel wrote the best Dune, but there are some that have it happen book of all of them and the one that satisfied and I still very much enjoy them. I can already most of my buttons. I thought that The Hundred see how they’ll be working to adapt this into a THousand Kingdoms was a good one too, even movie. It’ll be a big budget blockbuster for sure! though it was far-outside of my regular reading Still, zombies are hot right now, the blog culture zone. I wish I’d gotten into FEED more. I thought stuff has made it a popular piece that’s got a lot there was some good words going on, but the of buzz around it already. I’ll have to give it an- way the exposition gathered I was bothered. It other try a little later. has an impressive look at the world, and I am Odds – 3-to-1 especially impressed with the way he writes kids. Very few can pull it off. If I was a bet- I Got such a beating... ting man, and I’m willing to take 7-2 odds that I am, I’d say it’ll be close. Much like by James Bacon China last year, Ian’s not done terribly So, I was sitting there well in the past, I think Brasyl came in fifth, which is totally bogus, and this could with Liz Batty and part of be his turn. But with an impressive debut third row fandom and a fa- (FEED) and a pair of superstars (Bujold mous person, chatting about and Willis), it’s going to be close no mat- ter what takes it! Still, this is a very Hugo the Hugo awards, having just Voters ballot and not a surprise like last heard the nominations that year or 2005. evening, and we were curs- ing and bitching, well maybe James Bacon on Best Novel I think that the Dervish House marks I was, and I was wondering an important stage in Science Fictional writ- about the brilliance that was ing because if it wins we will at last recognise a writer who is truly skilled at placing himself that there were four women in other environments with a level of ease in the Novel section. that seems to be beyond many. Progressive thinking McDonald is competent writing about India, Brasil, Mars and now Turkey to you may reckon, but as I said name a few, he is an incredibly skilled story I get invited along to the Very teller, and this is just a very enjoyable book. For me this is the one that should win. Important Persons party at Interestingly I think that Lois and Reno, which is excellent, and Connies entries will be potentially the ones well the more women there that could scoop up the award. Lois hasn’t won for a while. So far, the comments seem the better! to have been either that the list is weak, Later, I reiterated this which I disagree with, and that its four wom- en nominated, which is fine, but it’s about sarcastic look on life to a cou- the books no matter what the sex of the ple of friends of mine who are author, of course if it matters, I am pleased people are happy. Hard to call. girls, so they started to beat me. Jeez. A few words on the entire ballot from Author Lauren Beukes, whose novel Zoo City just won the Clarke! In the John W Campbell, Lev Grossman’s venture novels to Jud Suss, a real-life Nazi pro- The Magicians was fantastic; a grown-up, fucked- paganda film that twisted the pro-Jewish novel it up return-to-Narnia that is rich and complex and was based on. eminently readable. And we’ve already agreed to In long-form, I loved Inception. Chris- resolve who should win (at least between the topher Nolan is one of my favourite directors, two of us) with a sloth-on-sloth deathmatch. especially when he’s doing his own projects. The The Magician King’s sloth versus Zoo City’s. originality and twistiness of his stories, never I don’t know Saladin or Larry, but I met mind the gorgeous visuals, are astounding. Dan Wells a couple of years ago and he gave me Scott Pilgrim captured the heart and wit a copy of I Am Not A Serial Killer which I de- and wonderful silliness of the comics with verve voured on the plane back to South Africa and and style. (Sad that the comic didn’t make the loved it so much, I wrote a shout for his German ballot) edition. To oversimplify horribly, it’s a teenage But I’ll probably vote for How To Train Dexter... with demons! Dan’s already won sev- Your Dragon, which was just fantastic. Smart and eral other awards I think, so tough competition. cool and surprising, with brilliant design, awe- I’m a huge fan of Bill Willingham’s Fables, some dragons and great, great, great characters. which casts fairytale characters as refugees in Did I mention great already? I can’t wait for my contemporary New York, living in secret among kid to be old enough to watch it (she’s two and the mundies. Despite resolving the major plot a half and it’s still a little scary although she does thread of the war against The Adversary, a great dragon growl - usually at older kids hog- Willingham keeps evolving the story in surpris- ging the swings). ing and compelling ways - and gets to play across genres with his characters in all their manifes- The kids really want us to vote for How To Train tations across the centuries of human imagina- Your Dragon. We might in exchange for 1/2 of tion. their Halloween candy. One must make trade- Mike Carey’s The Unwritten is my favou- offs! rite debut of last year. On the surface it’s about a Jay Crasdan Christopher Robin-like character, a real kid who In best novel, I’ve heard great things became the star in his father’s Harry Potter- about The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and like novels and now, all grown-up, makes a liv- Feed in particular and I was blown away by Con- ing trading on his reputation at fan conventions nie Willis’ reading from Blackout at WorldCon and then it all goes wrong. But it’s really a story 2009, but the only one I’ve had a chance to read about story and the power therein, cross-refer- is The Dervish House, which is outstanding. It’s encing everything from Choose Your Own Ad- an sprawling twist on real and imagined Istanbul with a huge cast of fi nely crafted charac- An Appreciation ters, mysticism, nanotech, djinn, intrigue and stock-brokery. I’m quite relieved not by James Bacon to be facing off against Ian McDonald again. Lauren Beukes. I haven’t read any of the novellas, Ryhmes with Lucas. alas (again, looking forward to Hugo Vot- Is stunningly awesome. So like I read her er’s Packet) and only one of the short book in South Africa, when no one knew who stories, which was Kij Johnson’s taut and she was and I though Moxyland was bloody bril- viciously satirical Ponies that captures liant, and then you know, she was everywhere the dark heart of little girls so evoca- and then there was Zoo City and Jesus, she is tively. really popular with the ‘in crowd’ man, like awe- Best artist is hard! I’m obviously some. So there we are, the scumbag fan types, incredibly biased towards John Picacio hanging in the corridor outside the disco, slyly who took time out his insanely busy drinking cans, being inoffensive, well apart from schedule doing George RR Martin’s the smell, and this incredibly gorgeous girl walks Game of Thrones calendar to do the by with blonde hair and a striking bit of colour Zoo City cover. But I love his work, his and a sloth on her shouler, and we all just fol- sense of character, of real people, his lowed her as she walked down the marble fl oor, fl air for layout and his use of colour. and you know, we just all looked at one another Shaun Tan won last year, but he’s and went phew... and were slightly embarrassed just astounding. I wish I could do as at our slack jaws and obvious uncouthness, so much with a whole novel of words as he returned to genteel conversation. can do with a single panel of a wordless So then the next day, I am over at the comic. Angry Robot Table and there she is, and I get And I’ve admired Stephan Marti- told that she is Lauren Beukes, and I am just su- niere for ages - since Lou Anders show- per impressed, like my favourite, well one of my cased his work on a panel on cover favourite female writers of this fucked up 21st design. He got me in to Ian McDonald century, is not only brilliant, South African but actually. Those covers are fantastic. beautiful. I sorta gush a bit, and say, that we would Disappointed not to see Jona- have talked to her if we knew who she was, and than Coulthart on the list. I loved his a look passed across her face, and I wondered cover for Jeff VanderMeer’s Finch. whether it was that that would have been nice, or the realisation that you just stepped out of the way of a bus, she was nice though. So, Zoo City and Moxyland are incred- ibly brilliant books, and this is a writer from Af- rica, and I hope she wins The Campbell.