Shiver me Timbers! The 2022 Nebula Finalists – Part One

Ahoy there me mateys!  The Nebula Finalists for 2022 have been announced.  Though I like seeing who wins the Nebulas, I usually concentrate on following the Hugo awards because those were the ones I knew of as a child.  Looking at this year’s list,  I figured a) I would share; b) I would make an effort to read most some of the works in certain categories; and c) I will add some excitement to me year waiting for the winners to be revealed on 5/14/2023.

I am using the list as published on Tor.com with links to me reviews (click the titles) where applicable.  Under each category I will share me thoughts thus far.  I will do another update as we get closer to the reveal.  I am only going to track the categories of specific interest to me.  They be:

Best Novel

• Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree (Cryptid; Tor Books)
• Spear, Nicola Griffith (Tordotcom Publishing)
• Nettle and Bone, T. Kingfisher (Tor Books; Titan UK)
• Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution, R.F. Kuang (Harper Voyager US; Harper Voyager UK)
• Nona the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (Tordotcom Publishing)
• The Mountain in the Sea, Ray Nayler (MCD; Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Thoughts:  I read two and loved both.  I do not like the Muir series which I tried to read and abandoned.  Though the Spear book sounds cool, I have tried to read two of Griffith’s books and abandoned them both.  I find her ideas intriguing and enjoy some of her writing style but the overall feel isn’t for me.  Both Nayler and Kuang’s books sound very cool in concept but have such mixed reviews that I am not sure I want to read them or not.  Does the crew have thoughts about these two books to share?

Hoped for Winner:

Nettle and Bone, T. Kingfisher – This was so lovely and despite being a mélange of other fairy tales, it felt like a genuine fairy tale on its own.  It also has some of the most memorable characters I have read about.  The Baldree book is a comfort hug but not a Nebula winner.

Best Novella

• A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, Becky Chambers (Tordotcom Publishing)
• “Bishop’s Opening,” R.S.A. Garcia (Clarkesworld 1/22)
• I Never Liked You Anyway, Jordan Kurella (Vernacular)
• Even Though I Knew the End, C.L. Polk (Tordotcom Publishing)
• High Times in the Low Parliament, Kelly Robson (Tordotcom Publishing)

Thoughts:  I loved the Chambers which was a five star read but I have to admit that I do not feel like it deserves a Nebula.  The Robson novella walked the plank and I rather hated it overall.  Though I liked the fairies.  I have heard of the C.L. Polk but haven’t read it.  I have put a copy on hold for the library.  The other two I have never heard of.  The Garcia novella is available on Clarkesworld for free.  So I will read those two.  The Kurella is not available on the library or online as far as I can tell.  I am not sure I like the synopsis enough to pay for it.

Hoped for Winner: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, Becky Chambers (Tordotcom Publishing) – Well of what I have read this is the best and I did love it.  So there ye go.

Best Novelette

• “If You Find Yourself Speaking to God, Address God with the Informal You,” John Chu (Uncanny 7–8/22)
• “Two Hands, Wrapped in Gold,” S.B. Divya (Uncanny 5–6/22)
• “Murder by Pixel: Crime and Responsibility in the Digital Darkness,” S.L. Huang (Clarkesworld 12/22)
• “A Dream of Electric Mothers,” Wole Talabi (Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction)
• “The Prince of Salt and the Ocean’s Bargain,” Natalia Theodoridou (Uncanny 9/22)
• “We Built This City,” Marie Vibbert (Clarkesworld 6/22)

Thoughts:  None.  None of them.  There is work to be done here.  I have linked to the stories online where available.

Hoped for Winner:  To Be Determined

Best Short Story

• “Destiny Delayed,” Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki (Asimov’s 5–6/22)
• “Give Me English,” Ai Jiang (F&SF 5–6/22)
• “Rabbit Test,” Samantha Mills (Uncanny 11–12/22)
• “Douen,” Suzan Palumbo (The Dark 3/22)
• “Dick Pig,” Ian Muneshwar (Nightmare 1/22)
• “D.I.Y.,” John Wiswell (Tor.com 8/24/22)

Thoughts:  None again.  Dang it.  I will try to track these down and read them all before the big announcement.  I have linked to the stories online where available.

Hoped for Winner:  To Be Determined

The Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction

• Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasion, K. Tempest Bradford (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
• The Scratch Daughters, H. A. Clarke (Erewhon)
• The Mirrorwood, Deva Fagan (Atheneum)
• The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester, Maya MacGregor (Astra Young Readers)
• Every Bird a Prince, Jenn Reese (Henry Holt)

Thoughts:  NONE!  This is unusal for me in that I have not only read none of these but I have heard of none of them!?!  I will see what I can track down before the awards ceremony.

Hoped for Winner:  To Be Determined

So there ye have it.  Me Nebula wishes for now.  I will keep y’all posted as I continue readin’ through the nominees.  In the meantime

Always remember:

Q: Why don’t pirates drive on mountain roads?

A: ‘Scurvy.

Hardy har har!

x The Captain