Kludge's Hugo Picks

Best Novel

- The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (Harper Voyager,
  Harper Voyager UK)

6.  This is a fantasy taking place in the 13th century Islamic world and
it reads like something that Sir Richard Burton might have enjoyed even if not
written.  It's clearly well-researched and the characters are good ones but
it doesn't really seem to me like a world-changing novel.  I liked it enough
and I enjoyed reading it and it's almost certainly designed to turn into a
series.

- The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom)

5.  I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book, setting up a world
of conflicting religious cults, the ability to change the past, and mysterious
doors that may or may not lead to another world if they could be opened.  But
then I got to the end of the book and half of my questions were never answered.
This really feels to me like a setup for a longer series and as such I felt
kind of disappointed.  Great premise, great world, great worldbuilding but I
don't think it stands alone.

- Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (Tordotcom, Orbit UK)

2. This is a galactic empire story that starts out in a space station
containing the last remnant of the human race holding out against... no...
wait, things turn out not to be what they looked like at first and now
there's a machine that can change the past and place us into parallel
presents.  This could have been a Heinlein story for a while but then it
goes off into new directions Heinlein would never have considered.  I like
this, and I think it's worthy of a Hugo.

- Starter Villain by John Scalzi (Tor, Tor UK)

4.  This is silly fluff but top grade silly fluff.  It's about a man suddenly
inheriting a seat on a SMERSH-like conspiracy of villains from his uncle,
hyperintelligent cats, the hidden hand of evil controlling the world, and
it's done with a great sense of humour.  I am not sure this will be remembered
a decade from now but if it is it will be remembered fondly, I think.

- Translation State by Ann Leckie (Orbit US, Orbit UK)

1. The Sad Puppies complained about the lack of traditional space opera with
galactic empires and they don't have that to complain about here.  Three
characters from two empires meet together in a search for an alien person
who disappeared two centuries ago.  A beautiful look into diplomacy between
empires of different species, this could have been written by Asimov (although
it would have been a bit different had he done so).  There is a running gag
about gender pronouns which is likely calculated to piss off the Puppies but
which is utterly hilarious.  This book has characters I can believe in, a
story that gets more and more strange as it goes, and a sense of humor.  It
needs a Hugo.

- Witch King by Martha Wells (Tordotcom)

3.  This is an epic fantasy with two different story lines at different
times with the same lead chracter, a demon prince whose family had an agreement
with the Saredi civilization to host them, except that years ago the Saredi
were wiped out by invaders called the Heiararchs and since then nothing has
been the same.  This is a solid and well-written fantasy story of new societies,
old societies, betrayal and unlikely allies.  This isn't normally my kind of
thing, but I couldn't put it down until it ended.  Unfortunately it ended
with an ending specifically designed to start a series of books and I give it
points off for that.  Why does everyone need to start a series now?  But it
was a good book that I think will last.



Best Novella

- Life Does Not Allow Us to Meet, He Xi /  translated by
  Alex Woodend (Adventures in Space: New Short stories by Chinese & English
  Science Fiction Writers)

NO - I found this excruciating to read.  The writing was incredibly clumsy
and it spent too much time telling instead of describing.  I can't help but
think this is the fault of the translation because the translated version is
not only not Hugo-worthy but not really publication-worthy.  This is kind of
a shame because the idea it plays with about humans settling other planets
might make some interesting points about what it means to be human.  But
overall this just seems a complete failure, sadly.

- Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom)

2 - This is the fourth book in the Singing Hills cycle and although it is
an enjoyable book in itself, I think it is the least strong of the set and
it is dependant on a gimmick which I think spoils some of the effect.  It
was a pleasant read but less deserving of a Hugo than the others in the set.


- The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older (Tordotcom)

3 - This is written in the form of a mystery on a colony around a gas giant
in a world where the earth has become uninhabitable.  It's only in the form
of a mystery because you aren't given enough background to figure it out, and
while most of the enjoyment in the story comes from working out that background
it breaks any chance of it being a mystery.  I liked this, but when I got to
the end I was really pissed because I hadn't been given the clues needed until
it was already solved.

- Rose/House by Arkady Martine (Subterranean)

NO.  Actually, I would probably give this number one because it is a great,
great story.  It is a muystery with a detective, a reporter, and an AI-powered
house, and it is a real mystery with an interesting ending.  However, this
book does not appear to be available on paper or online.... hardcover editions
are selling for over $300 on ebay, amazon, and alibris... it is only available
in the Hugo packet to Hugo voters, and given that I am unwilling to vote for
it.

- Seeds of Mercury, Wang Jinkang /  translated by Alex
  Woodend (Adventures in Space: New Short stories by Chinese & English Science
  Fiction Writers)

NO.  This is a story of humans creating life and how the religion of that
life evolves.  The concept is a great one, the actual writing is kind of
dreadful.  This may be the result of the translation but unfortunately this
is all I, as an English-speaker, have to go on.

- Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher (Tor, Titan UK)
 
1  - This is a reversed retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story and
it's definitely light fluff, but I am a sucker for this kind of light
fluff and I enjoyed every minutes of it.  Also I like toads.


Best Novelette

- I AM AI by Ai Jiang (Shortwave)

6.  Ai is a human being in a world dominated by artificial intelligences,
trying to survive without selling too many of her body parts.  It's not a bad
story, it's just a little heavy-handed and while I enjoyed it I don't think it
is Hugo material.


- Introduction to 2181 Overture, Second Edition
   translated by Emily Jen (Clarkesworld, February 2023)

5.  A story in the form of the introduction to a documentary volume on the
mass time migration through cryosleep that took place in the 22nd century.
I'm not sure if this is Hugo material but it's well-written and done in a
form that was once popular in American SF but which has become almost
nonexistent today.  I think this story deserves some attention but I am not
sure if it deserves a Hugo.

- Ivy, Angelica, Bay by C.L. Polk (Tor.com 8 December 2023)

3. A world with small magic, a child who isn't what she seems to be, and an
evil corporation taking over real estate.  This is a lovely and well-crafted
fantasy story that could be in any city neighborhood with magic.

- On the Fox Roads by Nghi Vo (Tor.com 31 October 2023)

1. Asian bank robbers, roads that don't go through the land we know,
and a curious relationship.  I really liked this story.

- One Mans Treasure by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny Magazine, January-February
  2023)

2. In a land with powerful magic, trash collection becomes hazardous.
Some make it more so.  An interesting story with a new set of premises.

- The Year Without Sunshine by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine,
  November-December 2023)

4. A neighborhood bonds together in a time of crisis.  A good fantasy about
good people in a bad situation.   I liked the story even if I didn't think
it was all that realistic.  I'd like to think people were this good, even
if I don't really.


Best Short Story

- Answerless Journey, Han Song / , translated by Alex
  Woodend (Adventures in Space: New Short stories by Chinese & English Science
  Fiction Writers)

NO.  This isn't really a story, it's a description of a situation in space, and
I'm not quite sure what to make of it.  Again, I suspect the translation is
severely limiting what we see, but I think there's just something missing here.

- Better Living Through Algorithms by Naomi Kritzer (Clarkesworld May 2023)

3. An application to make people's lives better works even after it is
discontinued.

- How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub by P. Djeli Clark (Uncanny Magazine,
  January-February 2023)

1. This is a very silly story set in a curious steampunk universe
where the ads in the back of comic books promote something larger than
sea monkeys.  It is perfect.

- The Mausoleum's Children by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny Magazine,
  May-June 2023)

4. The story of a mysterious project to revive dead ships and the
children being used for them.  I enjoyed this a lot in part because it
left more questions than answers and made me want to know more about the
universe it takes place in.

- The Sound of Children Screaming by Rachael K. Jones (Nightmare Magazine,
  October 2023)

2. Children fleeing a school shooting go through a portal and come out into
a world that turns out to be more dangerous than the one they left.

- Tasting the Future Delicacy Three Times,  / Baoshu
  (Galaxy's Edge Vol. 13: Secret Room in the Black Domain)

NO.  This isn't a bad story.  It's a gimmick story but it's a pretty good
gimmick story.  I don't think it's worthy of a Hugo as translated although
for all I know there could have been translation issues there too.  In any
event, it doesn't matter since once again this seems to be available in
English only in the Hugo packet and not anywhere where mere mortals could
find it to read.


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."