Stuff I want people to read
Well, we’re in the heart of the silly season. The Nebula (nominated and voted on by the members of SFWA) closes its nomination phase on February 15th. The Hugos (nominated by the members of, Sasquan, MidAmeriCon II, and WorldCon 75, and voted on by the members of MidAmeriCon II) closes its nomination phase on March 31st. (I guess this means that, this year, the Hugo nominations will not be announced at EasterCon.)
I’m being snarky when I call it the silly season, but I’m being sincere when I point out that the nomination process only works when lots of people nominate the work that they have read and loved. No one person has read the entire field. All of us, however, have read the entire field together in aggregate. The more people who nominate, the more likely that we will get a final ballot that represents what we love.
That said, what follows is a list of works that I’ve read that I want others to read. This list doesn’t represent anyone’s nomination ballot. My lists have always been stuff I want you to read, regardless of whether you are eligible to nominate.
Short Story
Cat Pictures Please by Naomi Kritzer Clarkeworld January 2015
Cassandra by Ken Liu Clarkesworld March 2015
The Universe, Sung in Stars by Kat Howard Lightspeed April 2015
Monkey King, Faerie Queen by Zen Cho Kaleidotrope Spring 2015
The Proper Motion of Extraordinary Stars by Kali Wallace Shimmer May 2015
Midnight Hour by Mary Robinette Kowal Uncanny Magazine Issue 5 (NOTE: Mary has recused the story from Hugo nomination. However, this is a list of stories I want you to read. So, don’t nominate it for the Hugo, but please read it.)
Novelette
- So Much Cooking by Naomi Kritzer Clarkesworld November 2015
Novella
The New Mother by Eugene Fischer Asimov’s Science Fiction March 2015
The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn by Usman Malik Tor.com April 2015
Novel
The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
Last First Snow by Max Gladstone (Yes, this is book 4 of the Craft Sequence. It can standalone. So, read this, and also read the other three books.)
2015 has been a busy year, which is why this year’s list is shorter than my previous lists. I’m still in the middle of Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear and The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard, both of which I’m confident I will want to press into people’s hands, not mention a few more novels I hope to get to. I also have a pile of Asimov’s, Analog, not to mention a long Instapaper list to get through.
As for my own work, my bibliography is sorted by year of publication and always up-to-date. I will say, though, that Hold-Time Violations is probably my best work to date and I’d like to thank its editor, the always brilliant Ann VanderMeer. Her suggestions were always on point and the story would have been poorer without them.
[Edited: Mary has only recused herself from Hugo nomination. Other awards, like the Nebula, are ok. My apologies.]
[Edited: fixed grammar.]