Author Archives: JJ

2022 Recommended SF/F List

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two cats reading a book © Can Stock Photo / dolgachov

By JJ: This thread is for posts about 2022-published works, which people have read and recommend to other Filers.

There will be no tallying of recommendations done in this thread; its purpose is to provide a source of recommendations for people who want to find something to read which will be eligible for the Hugos or other awards (Nebula, Locus, Asimov’s, etc.) next year.

If you’re recommending for an award other than / in addition to the Hugo Awards which has different categories than the Hugos (such as Locus Awards’ First Novel), then be sure to specify the award and category.

You don’t have to stop recommending works in Pixel Scrolls, please don’t! But it would be nice if you also post here, to capture the information for other readers.

The Suggested Format for posts is:

  • Title, Author, Published by / Published in (Anthology, Collection, Website, or Magazine + Issue)
  • Hugo or other Award Category: (Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story, Related Work, Graphic Novel, Lodestar, Astounding, etc)
  • link (if available to read/view online)
  • optional “Brief, spoiler-free description of story premise:”
  • “What I liked / didn’t like about it:”
  • (Please rot-13 any spoilers.)

There is a permalink to this thread in the blog header.

File 770 Questionnaire

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By JJ:

I’ve seen this meme a lot in recent years, and it seems like a good subject for discussion:

If you were only allowed to listen to only one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Please feel free to post links to the YouTube videos of your choices.
I’m not gonna lie: this one makes me cry every time it pops up on my iPod.

Keep on, keepin’ on, as long as our dreams are true
When cities are dust, it’s heaven or bust, in the shape of me and you
Gotta have faith to goad us along
Faith and hope to carry us on
Give us strength We’ll never go wrong
With this song in our hearts

Gonna make love the bottom line
We’re gonna find peace in our time

RIP Edward Joseph Mahoney.

Best Semiprozine Hugo:
Eligible Semiprozines from 2021

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SJW Credential Reading a Book in Bed (c) Can Stock Photo / gkondratenko

By JJ: To assist Hugo nominators, listed below are the Semiprozines believed to be eligible as of this writing for the 2022 Best Semiprozine Hugo next year †.

This list has been compiled from Neil Clarke’s Semiprozine Directory at semiprozine.org, supplemented by the hard work done by Filer Cora Buhlert to identify additional eligible Semiprozines.

Read more…

Best Series Hugo:
Eligible Series from 2021

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Junior SJW Credential Napping on SFF Books (c) Can Stock Photo / underworld

By JJ: It’s that time of year again! Even though the number of books published this year – and thus the number of eligible series – is down due to the pandemic, there are still plenty of great series for you to consider… and probably more opportunity than usual for you to get caught up on them.

To assist Hugo nominators, listed below are the series believed to be eligible as of this writing for the 2022 Best Series Hugo next year *†.

Each series name is followed by the main author name(s) and the 2021-published work(s).

Feel free to add missing series and the name of the 2021-eligible work in the comments, and I will get them included in the main post when I’ve verified their eligibility.

Note that previous Hugo Administrators ruled that nominations for a series and one of its subseries will not be combined. Therefore, when nominating a subseries work, think carefully under which series name it should be nominated. If the subseries does not yet meet the 3-volume, 240,000 word count threshold, then the main series name should be nominated. If the subseries does meet that threshold, then the subseries name should probably be nominated. This will ensure that another subseries in the same universe, or the main series itself, would still be eligible next year if this subseries is a finalist this year.

(*) ineligible series are preceded by an asterisk

Read more…

Waiting For Online Hugo Voting And The 2021 Voter Packet

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Animated GIF by DemonDeLuxe (Dominique Toussaint), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By JJ: Enquiring Hugo voter minds want to know: When will we be able to vote online? When will the Hugo Voter Packet be available?

In the fine tradition of similar File 770 posts on the subject in years past, and using my highly-refined statistical skills gained while acquiring my Master’s degree from Cattimothy U*, here is a comparison of the deadlines and availability dates of recent Worldcons.

Because what the hell, we’ve got time to kill. And a year from now, someone is going to ask about this again, the way they do every year.

Historic Hugo Nominating, Voting, and Packet Dates

Notes:

  • In 2008 and 2009, the Hugo Voter Packet was put together by John Scalzi
  • In 2012, the Hugo Voter Packet was released in stages starting on May 18, becoming fully available on May 30
  • In 2008, 2010-2015, and 2018, the Finalist Announcements were made on Easter weekend

Timing Observations:

  • Aussiecon 4 in 2010 had online nominations available the earliest, on January 1.
  • Renovation in 2011 and Loncon 3 in 2014 had online nominations available the longest, at 82 days.
  • Chicon 7 in 2012 and Renovation were the Worldcons which had online voting up and running the fastest, at 2 and 5 days following the announcement of the Finalists.
  • Chicon 7 had online voting available the longest, at 113 days.
  • Denvention 3 in 2008 and Renovation were the Worldcons which had the Hugo Voter Packet available the most quickly, at 3 and 4 weeks following the Finalist announcement.

Historic Hugo Nominating, Voting, and Packet Dates

1 – days between online nominations becoming available and nomination deadline
2 – days between nomination deadline and finalist announcement
3 – days between finalist announcement and online voting becoming available
4 – days between finalist announcement and Hugo Voter Packet becoming available
5 – days between online voting becoming available and voting deadline
6 – days between voting deadline and the start of Worldcon

Historic Hugo Nominating, Voting, and Packet Dates

While you’re waiting for the Hugo Voter Packet, here’s a list of links to read the 2021 Hugo Finalists which are available for free online.

*The Camestros Felapton University for Beating Statistical Horses Until They Are Thoroughly Dead

2021 Sir Julius Vogel Award Finalists

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The 2021 Sir Julius Vogel Award finalists have been announced. The awards recognize excellence in science fiction, fantasy, or horror works created by New Zealanders and New Zealand residents.

Best Novel

  • Gad’s Army by Drew Bryenton (Sci Fi Cafe)
  • The Stone Weta by Octavia Cade (Paper Road Press)
  • Transference by B.T. Keaton (Ingleside Avenue Press)
  • The Court of Mortals by A.J. Lancaster (Camberion Press)
  • Blood of the Sun by Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray (Raw Dog Screaming Press)
Gad’s Army by Drew Bryenton
The Stone Weta by Octavia Cade, art by Emma Weakley
Transference by B.T. Keaton, art by Damon Za
Blood of the Sun by Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray, art by Daniele Serra
The Court of Mortals by A.J. Lancaster, art by Jennifer Zemanek

Best Youth Novel

  • Earthcore Book 4: HIgh Tide by Grace Bridges (Splashdown Books)
  • These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
  • Golden City by S.R. Manssen (Manssen Publishing House)
  • Follow Me In by Terri Sinclair
  • Brasswitch and Bot by Gareth Ward (Walker Books Australia)

Best Novella/Novelette

  • “Hexes and Vexes” by Nova Blake (Witchy Fiction NZ)
  • “How to Get a Girlfriend (When you’re a Terrifying Monster)” by Marie Cardno
  • “No Man’s Land” by A.J. Fitzwater (Paper Road Press)
  • “Marbles” by Sean Monaghan (Asimov’s Science Fiction, July/August 2020)
  • “Riverwitch” by Rem Wigmore

Best Short Story

  • “Salt Water, Rose Red”, E. Celeste (Dually Noted F(r)iction Log)
  • “Synaesthete” by Melanie Harding-Shaw (Things in the Well)
  • “For Want of Human Parts” by Casey Lucas (Diabolical Plots)
  • “The Good Wife” by Lee Murray (Weird Tales, issue 364)
  • “Arachne’s Web” by James Rowland (Aurealis issue #132)

Best Collected Work

  • The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper by A.J. Fitzwater (Queen of Swords Press)
  • Year’s Best Aotearoa New Zealand Science Fiction & Fantasy Volume 2 edited by Marie Hodgkinson (Paper Road Press)
  • Ghost Bus – Tales from Wellington’s Dark Side by Anna Kirtlan
  • The Better Sister and Other Stories by Piper Mejia (Breach)
  • Grotesque: Monster Stories by Lee Murray (Things in the Well)

Best Professional Artwork

  • Cover art by Laya Rose for No Man’s Land by A.J. Fitzwater (Paper Road Press)
  • Cover art by Laya Rose for Year’s Best Aotearoa New Zealand Science Fiction and Fantasy Volume 2 edited by Marie Hodgkinson (Paper Road Press)
  • Cover art by Vivienne To for The Chaos Curse by Sayantani DasGupta (Scholastic)
  • Cover art by Emma Weakley for The Stone Weta by Octavia Cade (Paper Road Press)
No Man’s Land by A.J. Fitzwater, art by Laya Rose Mutton-Rogers
Year’s Best Aotearoa New Zealand Science Fiction and Fantasy: Volume II edited by Marie Hodgkinson, art by Laya Rose Mutton-Rogers
The Chaos Curse by Sayantani DasGupta, art by Vivienne To
The Stone Weta by Octavia Cade, art by Emma Weakley

Best Professional Production/Publication

  • This is Not the End by Deanna Gunn, chapters 1.5-2.10
  • Masterpiece (Or Artful Dodgers) by Michelle Kan
  • Fantastical Worlds and Futures at the World’s Edge: A History of New Zealand Science Fiction and Fantasy by Simon Litten and Sean McMullen
  • “How New Zealand’s Best Fantasy and Science Fiction Authors got Shafted on a Global Stage” by Casey Lucas (The Spinoff)
  • Wonderland Nights: White Rabbit’s Diary by Sky Bear Games (Steam)
  • “Aotearoa is Not Middle Earth” by Alexander Stronach (The Spinoff)

Best Fan Artwork

  • Ministry for Public Art fan art by Shaun Garea (Estrata Productions)
  • Oriental Bay Piranhas by Shaun Garea (Estrata Productions)
  • Destiny & dead people tea by Michelle Kan
  • Faerie Ring (critical role) by Michelle Kan
  • Blue and Red (This is How You Lose the Time War) by Laya Rose
  • Gyre from The Luminous Dead, by Laya Rose

Best Fan Production/Publication

  • Codex by Stephen Brough (Lost Arcana)
  • FIYAHCON Guest of Honour Speech by Cassie Hart
  • Mollymauk Tealeaf – Court of Jesters (showcase) by Michelle Kan
  • Phoenixine edited by John and Jo Toon
  • “Dramatic Chairing of the 2020 WSFS Business Meeting” by Darusha Wehm
  • CoNZealand Souvenir Book created by Darusha Wehm and Amber Carter

Best Fan Writing

  • “Alone Together at the Edge of the World” by Andi C. Buchanan (CoNZealand Souvenir Book)
  • “Queer Speculative Aotearoa New Zealand” by A.J. Fitzwater (LGBTQ Reads)
  • “Review of Hello Strange, by Dylan Howell” (My Opinion on Books)
  • “SITREP” by Alex Lindsay (Phoenixine)
  • “What If” by Kyra Saywell (Poetry Box)
  • “An exploration of menstruation in horror and dark fiction” by Tabatha Wood (horrortree.com)

New Talent

  • Chloe Gong
  • Deanna Gunn
  • Kate Haley
  • B.T. Keaton
  • A.J. Lancaster
  • Deborah Makarios

Services to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror

  • Lee Murray
  • Cassie Hart

Services to Fandom

  • Nigel Rowe et al
  • CoNZealand Crew

The 2021 Long List for the award is at the link.

The Sir Julius Vogel Awards are administered by SFFANZ, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand Inc. The awards ceremony will be announced by the end of May.

Where To Find The 2021 Hugo Award Finalists For Free Online

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Network Effect by Martha Wells, art by Jaime Jones
The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal, art by Jamie Stafford-Hill using figures by Gregory Manchess
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin, art by Lauren Panepinto

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, art by John Picacio
Harrow The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, art by Tommy Arnold
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, art by David Mann

By JJ: DisCon III has announced the 2021 Hugo Award Finalists. Since the Hugo Voter’s packet will take awhile to arrive, if you’d like to get a head start on your reading, you can use this handy guide to find material which is available for free online. Where available in their entirety, works are linked (most of the Novelettes and Short Stories are free, as are the Pro and Fan Artist images, and many of the Semiprozines and Fanzines).

If not available for free, an Amazon or other purchase link is provided. If a free excerpt is available online, it has been linked.

If I’ve missed an excerpt, or a link doesn’t work, please let me know in the comments, and I’ll get it fixed.

Fair notice: All Amazon links are referrer URLs which benefit fan site Worlds Without End.

2021 HUGO AWARD FINALISTS

BEST NOVEL

BEST NOVELLA

BEST NOVELETTE

BEST SHORT STORY

BEST SERIES

BEST RELATED WORK

BEST GRAPHIC STORY OR COMIC

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, LONG FORM

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, SHORT FORM

BEST EDITOR, SHORT FORM

BEST EDITOR, LONG FORM

BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST

BEST SEMIPROZINE

BEST FANZINE

BEST FANCAST

BEST FAN WRITER

BEST FAN ARTIST

BEST VIDEO GAME

LODESTAR AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK

ASTOUNDING AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER

* 2nd year of eligibility

[Update: Now that we have learned that Clarkesworld had the Internet Archive remove its copy of “Helicopter Story” we have taken down our link to a different online archive’s copy of the story.]

2021 Recommended SF/F List

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two cats reading a book © Can Stock Photo / dolgachov

By JJ: This thread is for posts about 2021-published works, which people have read and recommend to other Filers.

There will be no tallying of recommendations done in this thread; its purpose is to provide a source of recommendations for people who want to find something to read which will be eligible for the Hugos or other awards (Nebula, Locus, Asimov’s, etc.) next year.

If you’re recommending for an award other than / in addition to the Hugo Awards which has different categories than the Hugos (such as Locus Awards’ First Novel), then be sure to specify the award and category.

You don’t have to stop recommending works in Pixel Scrolls, please don’t! But it would be nice if you also post here, to capture the information for other readers.

The Suggested Format for posts is:

  • Title, Author, Published by / Published in (Anthology, Collection, Website, or Magazine + Issue)
  • Hugo or other Award Category: (Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story, Related Work, Graphic Novel, Lodestar, Astounding, etc)
  • link (if available to read/view online)
  • optional “Brief, spoiler-free description of story premise:”
  • “What I liked / didn’t like about it:”
  • (Please rot-13 any spoilers.)

There is a permalink to this thread in the blog header.

Where To Find The 2020 Nebula Finalists For Free Online

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To help propel you into your awards season reading, here are links to excerpts or complete works from the 2020 Nebula Award finalists.

Novel

Novella

Novelette

Short Story

Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction