2009 Hugo Award nominees for Best Novella
"The Erdmann Nexus", Nancy Kress (Asimov's Oct/Nov 2008)
"The Political Prisoner", Charles Coleman Finlay (F&SF Aug 2008)
"The Tear", Ian McDonald (Galactic Empires)
"True Names", Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2)
"Truth", Robert Reed (Asimov's Oct/Nov 2008)
2009 Hugo Award nominees for Best Novelette
"Alastair Baffle's Emporium of Wonders", Mike Resnick (Asimov's Jan 2008)
"The Gambler", Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2)
"Pride and Prometheus", John Kessel (F&SF Jan 2008)
"The Ray-Gun: A Love Story", James Alan Gardner (Asimov's Feb 2008)
"Shoggoths in Bloom", Elizabeth Bear (Asimov's Mar 2008)
2009 Hugo Award nominees for Best Short Story
"26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss", Kij Johnson (Asimov's Jul 2008)
"Article of Faith", Mike Resnick (Baen's Universe Oct 2008)
"Evil Robot Monkey", Mary Robinette Kowal (The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Volume Two)
"Exhalation", Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two)
"From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled", Michael Swanwick (Asimov's Feb 2008)
NV ASFM (Asimov’s Science Fiction) December 2008 – science fiction
<<- Asimov's Dec. 2008 cover by J.K. Potter for "The Flowers of Nicosia"
Downtown Dharma is an American rock and roll band. They are a middle-aged threesome - Dennis (vocals, guitars), Vlad (bass) and Rick (drums) - that like playing Nirvana covers. After terrorists blow up the venue they are about to play in Italy, they decide the take their music to Muslims to try to heal the rift between East and West.
They go to Cyprus, an island divided between Turkish Muslims and Greek Christians. There they meet Ali, who knows the rock scene in Nicosia and wants to be their manager. They play a club on the Greek side where they meet Shayla, who is headscarf-wearing rock chick. Shayla takes a liking to the drummer, Rick, who is a Xanax addict. Shayla and Ali were a once a couple, but now they bicker.
Downtown Dharma cross the United Nations-controlled Green Line with Ali and Shayla. Despite warnings of terrorists using a biological agent called Amanita, which causes your body to break out in colorful fungi growths, they insist on playing a club in dangerous Turkish Nicosia.
I found "The Flowers of Nicosia" to be an engaging story. It's set in the near future, with Amanita spores and heat-resistant Mylar clothing as the fantastic elements. The author relates the foreignness of the setting. The plot develops tension. The Americans in the band seems both idealistic enough and reckless enough for the story to work.
I choose to read this novella because the introduction mentioned it was inspired, in part, by R.E.M.'s "The Flowers of Guatemala", which is a cool song. And yes, I see that inspiration.
SS, ASFM (Asimov’s Science Fiction) December 2008 – science fantasy
A couple of guys travel the roads, driving from place to place. But their vehicle isn’t a car, it’s a spaceship. They give another guy a ride to a planet near Arcturus.
A very short story - less than two pages. It has a folksy feel to it.
SS, Rocky Mountain News 9/30/08 - fiction
In 1924 a timid young woman named Clara travels alone to Denver to enquire about her Uncle Matt’s will. She realizes something about herself and her fiancé Kane.
There are no fantastic elements in this story. This is a pleasant piece of short fiction.
I read this story on good, old-fashioned paper. But here's a link to read New Hat online on the Rocky Mountain News website.
NT ASFM (Asimov's Science Fiction) December 2008 - science fiction
Two New England lobstermen, Donny Doyle and Laurent Therriault, offer to take the alien visitor from Gliese 581e (the Gleezer) out on the bay in their boat, along with its security detail.
In this story two working class guys are changed by their brief encounter with an unusual-looking empathic alien.
BEST NOVEL
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
BEST NOVELLA
"All Seated on the Ground" by Connie Willis (Asimov's Dec 2007
BEST NOVELETTE
"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" by Ted Chiang (F&SF Sep 2007)
BEST SHORT STORY
"Tideline" by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov's Jun 2007)
Congratulations to this years' Hugo Award winners in the fiction categories!
"The Fountain of Age", Nancy Kress
"Recovering Apollo 8", Kristine Kathryn Rusch
"Stars Seen Through Stone", Lucius Shepard
"All Seated on the Ground", Connie Willis
"Memorare", Gene Wolfe
Of this list, I've only read the Connie Willis novella. I thought "All Seated on the Ground" was entertaining but somewhat lightweight reading.
"The Cambist and Lord Iron: a Fairytale of Economics", Daniel Abraham
"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate", Ted Chiang
"Dark Integers", Greg Egan
"Glory", Greg Egan
"Finisterra", David Moles
I've read four out of five of these novelettes. I reviewed one of them - "Finisterra" - back in December. I nominated the Daniel Abraham story and both the Greg Egan stories, so as you might guess, I liked them a lot. I haven't read the Chiang novelette yet.
