Hugo Reading update

I haven't talked much about the Hugos this year, in part because there hasn't been as much conversation on the topic this year. Like Abigail, I blame fatigue -- this is the second or third year in a row of this particular drama, depending on what you count -- along with a whiff of despair that we're never going to escape it. Although I don't subscribe to that philosophy myself, I can certainly understand why people might feel that way. But with only a week to go until the deadline, I wanted to say a few words before voting closes.

Because two of the novels were already on my Hugo nomination ballot (and one only just missed making the cut), and I'd also already checked out some of the shorter fiction (notably Binti and Cat Pictures Please, both of which I adored), I didn't have all that much to read this year. Unlike last year, when I no-voted most of the slate on principle, this year I decided to give some of the works a shot (more details in my post on the short list), and overall I'd say the stories I chose to read were worth my time. I didn't like all of them -- some (like The Builders and And You Shall Know Her...) were Not For Me, and others (like Obits and Perfect State) had some aspects I enjoyed and others that annoyed me. But I'd rather dwell on the stories that I liked, so a few words on each of them:

( Seveneves )

( Penric's Demon )

( Slow Bullets )

( Folding Beijing )

Still on my to-do list for the next few days: I want to check out the excerpt of the Jim Butcher book that was included in the Hugo packet. I've never read a Butcher novel, despite being curious about such a popular urban fantasy author, mostly because the Harry Dresden character did not appeal to me. But this is the first book of a new series, so I feel that I should at least give it a shot. Also I admit to wild curiosity about the Chuck Tingle story, although the odds of me actually voting for it seem vanishingly small. But otherwise, this is a good place to wrap up my Hugo reading for the year. Now I can (mostly) relax and look forward to WorldCon. If you'll be there, let me know!