Last night, the SFWA folks hosted the 2012 Nebula Awards. I didn’t get to watch the live stream because I was trying to recover from the episode we recorded for The Skiffy and Fanty Show on Friday night (I’m still sort of recovering). However, now that the awards have been announced, I see fit to talk about the winners.
Here they are:
Best Novel
2312, Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
I like Robinson more than a lot of my friends. I’m not sure why. Most people I’ve talked to can’t stand his Three Californias series, while I find them fascinating (especially The Gold Coast). Regardless, I honestly had hoped to see Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed or The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin take the award. Both will probably appear on this list again, though, so maybe it’s just not their time yet.
Best Novella
After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress (Tachyon)
I love Nancy Kress, and this collection really was quite good. Granted, de Bodard, Lake, and Liu were also on the finalists list, each them worthy of awards too. Still, I’m satisfied with this selection. Besides, Tachyon is bloody amazing.
Best Novelette
“Close Encounters”, Andy Duncan (The Pottawatomie Giant & Other Stories)
Honestly, I have no real opinion here. I’m sure Duncan’s story is great. I am, of course, a Liu fan, so I will always be partial to his work. But Liu can’t win everything, right? I did get to hear Duncan read/speak at ICFA, and he’s not bad. So I’m OK with this selection.
Best Short Story
“Immersion“, Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 6/12)
The right choice. End of story. Moving on.
Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation
Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin (director), Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Abilar (writers), (Journeyman/Cinereach/Court 13/Fox Searchlight )
I’m really trying to understand why this film is so loved. Everything I’ve seen from it looks awful. Am I missing something? To be fair, the rest of the finalists list was painfully predictable. There was no Cloud Atlas, so as much as I would have liked to see Chronicle win…oh, right, that was not on the list either. So it goes…
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult SF/F
Fair Coin, E.C. Myers (Pyr)
Honestly, this is probably the right choice. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Fair Coin and I’m sure I’m not the only one who didn’t think Railsea was Mieville’s best. So kudos to Myers!
2011 Damon Knight Grand Master Award
Gene Wolfe
Yeah. It was time. Good. A+
Solstice Award
Carl Sagan and Ginjer Buchanan
Nod. Yes. Perfect.
Kevin O’Donnell Jr. Service to SFWA Award
Michael H. Payne
Alright. I have no idea who this is, but since I’m not part of SFWA, that’s probably expected. Good for Mr. Payne.
———————————————————-
And that’s all I’ve got to say. What say you?
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2012 Nebula Awards Winners (w/ Brief Thoughts)
Reading Time
Last night, the SFWA folks hosted the 2012 Nebula Awards. I didn’t get to watch the live stream because I was trying to recover from the episode we recorded for The Skiffy and Fanty Show on Friday night (I’m still sort of recovering). However, now that the awards have been announced, I see fit to talk about the winners.
Here they are:
Best Novel
2312, Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
I like Robinson more than a lot of my friends. I’m not sure why. Most people I’ve talked to can’t stand his Three Californias series, while I find them fascinating (especially The Gold Coast). Regardless, I honestly had hoped to see Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed or The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin take the award. Both will probably appear on this list again, though, so maybe it’s just not their time yet.
Best Novella
After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress (Tachyon)
I love Nancy Kress, and this collection really was quite good. Granted, de Bodard, Lake, and Liu were also on the finalists list, each them worthy of awards too. Still, I’m satisfied with this selection. Besides, Tachyon is bloody amazing.
Best Novelette
“Close Encounters”, Andy Duncan (The Pottawatomie Giant & Other Stories)
Honestly, I have no real opinion here. I’m sure Duncan’s story is great. I am, of course, a Liu fan, so I will always be partial to his work. But Liu can’t win everything, right? I did get to hear Duncan read/speak at ICFA, and he’s not bad. So I’m OK with this selection.
Best Short Story
“Immersion“, Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 6/12)
The right choice. End of story. Moving on.
Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation
Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin (director), Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Abilar (writers), (Journeyman/Cinereach/Court 13/Fox Searchlight )
I’m really trying to understand why this film is so loved. Everything I’ve seen from it looks awful. Am I missing something? To be fair, the rest of the finalists list was painfully predictable. There was no Cloud Atlas, so as much as I would have liked to see Chronicle win…oh, right, that was not on the list either. So it goes…
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult SF/F
Fair Coin, E.C. Myers (Pyr)
Honestly, this is probably the right choice. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Fair Coin and I’m sure I’m not the only one who didn’t think Railsea was Mieville’s best. So kudos to Myers!
2011 Damon Knight Grand Master Award
Gene Wolfe
Yeah. It was time. Good. A+
Solstice Award
Carl Sagan and Ginjer Buchanan
Nod. Yes. Perfect.
Kevin O’Donnell Jr. Service to SFWA Award
Michael H. Payne
Alright. I have no idea who this is, but since I’m not part of SFWA, that’s probably expected. Good for Mr. Payne.
And that’s all I’ve got to say. What say you?
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