Nebula Finalists!

[owlmoose]

They are out, and at a quick glance it's a great and diverse list.

https://nebulas.sfwa.org/2018-nebula-finalists-announced/

I'm actually reading Witchmark by C.L. Polk right now!

The games list is a little odd. I have mixed feelings about the Black Mirror "choose-your-own-adventure) episode being included. I haven't seen (played?) it, so I can't comment on its quality. It's essentially a visual novel, and I gather it was written in Twine, so I can't argue that it doesn't qualify, but given that this is a brand new category meant to honor games, should the first winner really be an episode of an already-popular SFF TV series?

Any of you have favorites among the finalists?

Comments

[heavenscalyx]

I was unimpressed by Bandersnatch. It wasn't remarkable, it had a bunch of stupid toxic masculinity, and it basically railroaded into violence. Having the protagonist NOT be a Troubled White Cishet Man would have been far more interesting and striking. As it was, it was pedestrian.

The only good things about it were that resets didn't require you to play through everything, and that the set people had a lot of fun doing the 80s background pieces.

[owlmoose]

Yeah, I have heard mixed-to-mostly-negative things about it, which is why I haven't checked it out myself. Thanks for your thoughts! It might be fun to play through with zero expectations for the story or characters and just watch for the 80s atmosphere, maybe.

[heavenscalyx]

I agree -- going in with watching the set as your priority could be pretty awesome. :)

[oracne]

Yay Witchmark!

[owlmoose]

It's really good, although it just took A Turn!

[cygna_hime]

I really enjoyed Children of Blood and Bone. I'm excited to see where the series goes from [the situation at the end of the book]! Spinning Silver is in my TBRs at this moment; I read the short story she began with, though, of the same name, and it was very good (Jewish stuff! Love it!).

Artificial Condition and its whole Murderbot series are amazing. The Tea Master and the Detective is another that's in my TBRs. Why are there so many good books out there? (What a good problem to have, though.)

[owlmoose]

I loved everything that you have mentioned here. :) Definitely recommend both Spinning Silver and The Tea Master! So, so excited for the sequel to Children of Blood and Bone!!

Picking just one Murderbot novella to nominate for the Hugos is going to be difficult. I think I'll probably go with Artificial Condition, for love of ART if nothing else, but it's a tough call.