Werthead Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 The Light Brigade was fine, but it also feels like the first time Hurley has delivered a "standard" SF novel with pretty normal technology and not too much craziness, and is working in an established subgenre (the Forever War / Starship Troopers / Edge of Tomorrow SF combat story). It was good but it feels like the least original of her works. The Stars are Legion was more original, if more uneven, and the whole Bel Dame Apocrypha saga was much better overall. Still digesting The Worldbreaker Saga, which I suspect will get nominated for both Best Novel and Best Series next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Voter packet is now available. Also, I just discovered I never upgraded my pre-supporting membership to supporting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Need to finish off the other books. Of the three I've read (The Light Brigades, A Memory Called Empire and Gideon the Ninth), I think Light Brigades might be the strongest but Memory is the most original. Gideon has some pacing issues which throws off an otherwise very interesting bit of worldbuilding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 Note that the Harrow book is just a sample, it’s a PDF of the first 100 pages. Exactly the first 100 pages, so it cuts off in the middle of a sentence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I've read four of the novels now. I think I'd probably rank them: 1 - A Memory Called Empire - I think this would be a worthy winner, it may not be flawless but it's an excellent space opera 2 - Gideon the Ninth - this was tremendous entertainment but I think there are times when it is best not to think too deeply about some aspects of it 3 - The Ten Thousand Doors of January - good but the pacing is a bit off 4 - The City in the Middle of the Night - has some interesting ideas but feels a bit weak for a Hugo nominee, could have been a lot better than it was I wouldn't be unhappy to see any of the top 3 win. For the moment I've moved onto the novella category, I'm not sure if I'll be able to read all the short fiction and the two remaining novels before the deadline but we'll see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I’ve read 3 so far, I’d have the same top 2 with Middlegame in 3rd - it felt somewhat lopsided, a slow start and then everything happened all at once in the last quarter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 3 hours ago, Maltaran said: I’ve read 3 so far, I’d have the same top 2 with Middlegame in 3rd - it felt somewhat lopsided, a slow start and then everything happened all at once in the last quarter. I am noticing a bit of a trend with pacing issues. Some of the books could may have done with better editing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luzifer's right hand Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 I'm not sure if I will read all the books because I have given up on books by Seanan McGuire and Kameron Hurley before. I read A Memory Called Empire before and enjoyed it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felice Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Well, the Straczynski family were certainly interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigei Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Congrats @Werthead you deserve it! I just wanted to say that. I apologize for not having anything to say about the nominees but the novellas are on my to-read list now since I've always loved Chiang's work anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Because of the delays in getting the voting form up the deadline has been extended to 22nd July. I've now read all the novellas. They were all good, I think it's a strong line-up. I think I might rank them this way: To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom by Ted Chiang In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P Djeli Clark This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal el-Mothar and Max Gladstone The Deep by Rivers Solomon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 I've read through the novelettes now as well, my initial ranking might be: - “The Archronology of Love”, by Caroline M. Yoachim - “Away With the Wolves”, by Sarah Gailey - “For He Can Creep”, by Siobhan Carroll - “Omphalos”, by Ted Chiang - “The Blur in the Corner of Your Eye”, by Sarah Pinsker - "Emergency Skin", by N.K. Jemisin I think it seems like quite a competitive category Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felice Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Just finished Light Brigade. Spoiler The revelation that other members of the Brigade were travelling to different futures seemed very strange, since Dietz's tangled timeline appeared to be entirely self-consistent. Did I miss something? Otherwise, it took a while to get going, but was overall a strong work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 I just read on File 770 that the Hugo ceremony is going to be livestreamed even to those of us who don't have (full) memberships so we can find out in real time whether Werthead is going to be a Hugo winner. https://watch.thefantasy.network/the-2020-hugo-awards/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luzifer's right hand Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 23 minutes ago, williamjm said: I just read on File 770 that the Hugo ceremony is going to be livestreamed even to those of us who don't have (full) memberships so we can find out in real time whether Werthead is going to be a Hugo winner. https://watch.thefantasy.network/the-2020-hugo-awards/ Well there are not perks to losing this time as there is no hugo losers party. *crosses fingers* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 What time does it start? Also, I hope if they’re subtitling they do better than last year, and we don’t get any dog magicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 31 minutes ago, Maltaran said: What time does it start? Also, I hope if they’re subtitling they do better than last year, and we don’t get any dog magicians. I think it's meant to be midnight tonight UK time. I suppose one advantage of the virtual con is that the audience won't start laughing at the subtitles while someone is trying to give a serious speech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 16 hours ago, williamjm said: I just read on File 770 that the Hugo ceremony is going to be livestreamed even to those of us who don't have (full) memberships so we can find out in real time whether Werthead is going to be a Hugo winner. https://watch.thefantasy.network/the-2020-hugo-awards/ Great, no pressure then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peadar Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 3 hours ago, Werthead said: Great, no pressure then. Good luck tonight, Wert! You have my bow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 I think George might be determined to relate the entire history of Science Fiction fandom during this ceremony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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