The Sword and Laser discussion

The Hugo Award for Best Novel goes to The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Hugo Award for Best Novella goes to Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells

The Hugo Award for Best Novelette goes to “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho

The Hugo Award for Best Short Story goes to “A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow

The Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation Long Form goes to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Worthy winners, dudded losers.... Comments

I haven’t read all of these.. but Calculating Stars and Artificial Condition are worthy winners (not familiar with the Novelettes and short stories).

Spider-Verse was definitely one of the best last year. I would have been happy (very happy) if Black Panther won as it transcended super hero movies.

Best Series went to Becky Chambers's Wayfarer so I was 3 for 4 in my hopes. The Expanse lost to the Good Place, which I like but I am still surprised by the no love for The Magicians.

Happy to see If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again get a Hugo. It is one of the best short works I have read recently. I'll be looking for more from Zen Cho.

I was happy to see The Good Place get one, too. The episode that won is pretty great.

Sword and Laser is the Best Fancast winner in our hearts.

Clyde wrote: "Happy to see If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again get a Hugo. It is one of the best short works I have read recently. I'll be looking for more from Zen Cho."

This is available on the Barnes & Noble website: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/s...

Sword & Laser Hugo nominations (X votes of Y ballots cast)

2019 41 of 464
2018 44 of 497 (Qualified as a finalist)
2017 48 of 690
2016 75 of 1267
2015 45 of 668
2014 29 of 396
2013 13 of 346
2012 - (Hugo for Best Fancast was first handed out)


Sword & Laser Hugo votes (X first round votes of Y ballots cast)

2018 149 of 909

Another interesting note about the 2019 Hugo numbers is the difference in total nominations for Best Fanzine (297) and Best Fancast (464). I haven't looked at past years. I wonder if fanzines are waning and fancasts waxing?

Total nominations Best Fanzine vs Best Fancast

YEAR ZINE CAST
2019 297 464
2018 393 497
2017 610 690
2016 1455 1267
2015 576 668
2014 478 396
2013 370 346
2012 329 328

Puppy activity inflated 2016 but it seems like total nominations flipped in favor of fancasts starting in 2015.

Dara wrote: "Sword and Laser is the Best Fancast winner in our hearts."

2020. Or even better 2021 when they're in my 'hood. :P

Mark, what I also found interesting about the "Fancast" category, was how little the number of nominating votes correlated to award votes. "The Coode Street Podcast" got by far the most nominations at 72, and yet placed 3rd (close to 2nd). Where the winners "Our Opinions Are Correct" barely made it into the short list.

So besides meaning that S&L was only about 10 votes away from being nominated, it also means that once you make that short list, anything can happen.

John (Nevets) wrote: "Mark, what I also found interesting about the "Fancast" category, was how little the number of nominating votes correlated to award votes. "The Coode Street Podcast" got by far the most nominations..."

You're right. There are more than twice as many voters than nominators. Anything can happen when the votes are counted.

More voters than nominators since maybe most don't know what to nominate? I barely filled my noms for novellas and fan related categories (except for fancast since I listened to many). The voters package really helped for voting.
Also, there would always be people who voted without actually reading the works, only based on recognition and/or hype.

S&L is doing it right, though. Part of winning a Hugo is getting the regular Hugo voters to know you. They've been going to Worldcon and had a well attended panel. I dunno about next year though, New Zealand is quite a hike.

John (Taloni) wrote: "New Zealand is quite a hike."

It's a business-deductible trip. They have to go to the Shire!

Silvana wrote: "More voters than nominators since maybe most don't know what to nominate? I barely filled my noms for novellas and fan related categories (except for fancast since I listened to many). The voters p..."

Definitely this... I didn’t know who to nominate in many categories, but voting was much easier. Eg, I don’t usually read much short fiction so I wouldn’t know where to start with nominating a short story or novelette, but the voters’ packet gives you all the material so it’s super easy to read everything over a weekend and then make an informed choice. Similarly for best artist.

Trike wrote: "Clyde wrote: "Happy to see If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again get a Hugo...

This is available on the Barnes & Noble website:"

B&N blocs access to its site from some countries, leaving me unable to read what the fuss is all about :) Guess, I have to usу Tor browser

Ruth wrote: "Silvana wrote: "More voters than nominators since maybe most don't know what to nominate? I barely filled my noms for novellas and fan related categories (except for fancast since I listened to man..."

For short stories and novelettes I used the Locus long list (published a few months before Hugo noms period) and all of them were free.

The package were super useful, but I wished I had more time to read the editors' stuff.

Has anyone looked into/heard of the controversy regarding the John W. Campbell award winner? This Whatever post from Scalzi is the first I had heard about it.

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2019/08/2...

Wow, what a wonderful post. The definition of a privileged person seeing his privilege, owning his privilege, and being willing to expand his worldview. Inspiring.

I know it is moderated, but there is some really good discussion in the comments for that blog post that I really appreciated. Besides the post itself being well written.

It takes real courage for Jeanette Ng to say what she said. Especially in today’s political climate where white male nerds threaten to rape and murder women merely for having written sci-fi, or, like actress Kelly Marie Tran, being hired to do a job in the genre.

File 770 has a compilation of comments on Ng and Campbell.

http://file770.com/storm-over-campbel...

Even Campbell's biographer chimes in. I agree with Trike, Ms. Ng showed great courage speaking up as she did.

Trike wrote: "It takes real courage for Jeanette Ng to say what she said. Especially in today’s political climate where white male nerds threaten to rape and murder women merely for having written sci-fi, or, like actress Kelly Marie Tran, being hired to do a job in the genre."

Agreed. And good on Scalzi for being a good ally.

Mark wrote: "File 770 has a compilation of comments on Ng and Campbell.

http://file770.com/storm-over-campbel...

Even Campbell's biographer chimes in..."

Cool, I do recommend his work Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction the book definitely opened my mind.