Hugo winners

Much excitement over the Hugos. Sean McMullen, who has been writing for years, made it onto the best novella shortlist for "Eight Miles". I really enjoyed "Eight Miles" when I heard it on podcast from Starship Sofa. This is what I wrote elsewhere about it:

McMullen's story, 8 Miles, is a fun little adventure, set in Victorian era England, about a balloonist who is hired by a rich man to assist in some research concerning the effects of altitude upon a strange woman he has in his care. Before long, the plot thickens as the balloonist learns that his employer has ulterior motives for the research.

It is cleverly written in the style of 19thC adventures, with the quirky habit of not only mentioning which tools, for instance, were used but who manufactured or invented them. 

I enjoyed it all the more for hearing it beautifully narrated by Simon Hildebrandt, who did a good job with the voices of the different characters and brought the whole thing to life.

Here is the "Eight Miles" link

The actual winner of the best novella section was Allen M Steele with "The Emperor of Mars". I haven't read it yet so there's something to look forward to.

Claire Brialey, whose writing I know of through ANZAPA, an amateur press association, won for best fan writers. Squee.  Claire rocks!

One of her fanzines, Banana Wings, which is reachable here at eFanzines, was on the shortlist for best fanzine, right alongside zines like Starship Sofa, but Drink Tank, which can be found at eFanzines, won.


Another story I was familiar with through Starship Sofa was Rachel Swirsky's "The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen's Window", (which is the main character's name, so it's not surprising that the narrator refers to her simply as "The Lady" in the recaps that begin parts two and three) which was spread out over three installments beginning here.

Rory, who became The Last Centurian in Dr Who

My all time favorite Dr Who episode, "Vincent And The Doctor", did not win Best Dramatic Presentation - Shortform. A different Dr Who episode, “The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang,” did.

There are a couple of interesting titles on the shortlist, though, such as "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury". It might have been nice if Shaun Tan's "The Lost Thing", a beautiful little story which has won a swag of Australian awards plus the Academy award for best animation, had won, but Shaun Tan did win for Best Professional Artist.

Plenty of good reading and viewing to follow up on from the Hugo list. Check it out.