It’s that time of year again. The Nebula and Hugo nominees have been announced, and I’m done with school for the semester. Time to read up on the latest of the greatest of last year’s science fiction and fantasy! And then write about like I did last year. But I think this year I’ll spread the reviewing out a bit more, and not necessarily wait to finish all the books until I post a review. That will help me be a little fresher with the book in my mind and perhaps give the reviews a bit more depth.
I went ahead this year and bought myself a supporting membership for this year’s Worldcon. I have to admit, part of it is because I read that they plan to include the entire Wheel of Time series in the voter packet. I remember friends recommending those books to me, and I always said that I didn’t want to devote myself to a hugely long series with no end in sight. Well, the series is over, so I guess I can try and read it. I might be posting that review last. Like, in December. Maybe.
Even without a 15 book series, I think the voter packet seems like a good deal. Once the packet is out, then maybe I’ll post a review of whether or not it was indeed a good deal.
The nominees for the Best Novel Nebula are (from here):
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler (Marian Wood)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman (Morrow; Headline Review)
Fire with Fire, Charles E. Gannon (Baen)
Hild, Nicola Griffith (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
The Red: First Light, Linda Nagata (Mythic Island)
A Stranger in Olondria, Sofia Samatar (Small Beer)
The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker (Harper)
And the Best Novel Hugo nominees (from here):
Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit US/Orbit UK)
Neptune’s Brood, Charles Stross (Ace / Orbit UK)
Parasite, Mira Grant (Orbit US/Orbit UK)
Warbound, Book III of the Grimnoir Chronicles, Larry Correia (Baen Books)
The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Tor Books / Orbit UK)
Since there’s only one overlap this year, I’ve just gone and committed myself to a lot of reading. At least, if I decide to read every book to completion, because that’s what I usually do. And especially in this case, since a number of people have found these books to be worthy in some way. That means there are probably things that I can learn from them. If I dislike them, then I can learn what makes me dislike a book and avoid that when I write. In theory. . .
I mean, I rarely stop reading a book, even if I don’t like it (there’s this one fantasy book that I only kept reading because it was so awful, like a train wreck). It isn’t exactly that I’m trying to give it a chance to get better. It’s more of a challenge for myself. There are times when I just can’t do it, or won’t do it. I had a copy of Sense and Sensibility on my bookshelf for years, and tried to read it many times. Every time, I would get about ten pages in and quit. And yet, I enjoyed reading War and Peace. I keep meaning to read that again, but this time in ebook form so I don’t break my wrists or strain my eyes.
I’m not sure where I’m going to start with the nominee list. The voter packet probably won’t show up this week, so I guess it will depend on what the library has available. But The Wheel of Time is definitely going last. It just is.