Shiver me Timbers! The 2024 Nebula Winners – The Conclusion!

Ahoy there me mateys!  The Nebula Winners have been announced!  Let’s see how I did.  I be using the list as published on the SWFA website with links to me reviews where applicable.  The winners are listed in bold.  In most categories I have ranked the works by order of personal enjoyment.  A reminder that I only be tracking the categories of specific interest to me.  They be:

Best Novel

• (3) The Saint of Bright Doors, Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom)
• (4)The Water Outlaws, S.L. Huang (Tordotcom; Solaris UK)
• (2) Translation State, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• (1)The Terraformers, Annalee Newitz (Tor; Orbit UK)
• Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, Wole Talabi (DAW, Gollancz)
• (5)Witch King, Martha Wells (Tordotcom)

Thoughts:  In reviewing this list again, I am reminded at how much I had problems with every nominee.  All of the novels I read did not seem like they should be nominees.  And the winner was listed third in my preferences only because I didn’t’ finish the other two.  I am dissatisfied here on many levels.

Best Novella

• (3)The Crane Husband,  Kelly Barnhill (Tordotcom)
• (4)“Linghun“,  Ai Jiang (Dark Matter Ink)
• (2)Thornhedge, T. Kingfisher (Tor; Titan UK)
• (5)Untethered Sky, Fonda Lee (Tordotcom)
• The Mimicking of Known Successes,  Malka Older (Tordotcom)
• (1) Mammoths at the Gates,  Nghi Vo (Tordotcom)

Thoughts:  I loved every novella on this list (that I read) and so ranking them is a matter of degree.  Seriously, I can see why every one is a nominee.  The winner is not my first choice but I can see how it can be another reader’s first pick.

Best Novelette (click HERE to read my reviews and click on links to read the stories for free)

• (3) “A Short Biography of a Conscious Chair“, Renan Bernardo (Samovar 2/23)
• I Am AI, Ai Jiang (Shortwave)
• (1) “The Year Without Sunshine“, Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny 11-12/23)
• (4) “Imagine: Purple-Haired Girl Shooting Down The Moon“,  Angela Liu (Clarkesworld 6/23)
• (2) “Saturday’s Song“, Wole Talabi (Lightspeed 5/23)
• (5) “Six Versions of My Brother Found Under the Bridge“, Eugenia Triantafyllou (Uncanny 9-10/23)

Thoughts:  They made the right choice.

Best Short Story (click HERE to read my reviews and click on links to read the stories for free)

• (3) “Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont“, P.A. Cornell (Fantasy 10/23)
• (1) “Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200“, R.S.A Garcia (Uncanny 7-8/23)
• (5) “Window Boy“, Thomas Ha (Clarkesworld 8/23)
• (6) “The Sound of Children Screaming“,  Rachael K. Jones (Nightmare 10/23)
• (2) “Better Living Through Algorithms“, Naomi Kritzer (Clarkesworld 5/23)
• (4) “Bad Doors“, John Wiswell (Uncanny 1-2/23)

Thoughts:  They made the right choice.

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

• (3)To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, Moniquill Blackgoose (Del Rey)
• The Inn at the Amethyst Lantern, J. Dianne Dotson (Android)
• Liberty’s Daughter, Naomi Kritzer (Fairwood)
• (4) The Ghost Job, Greg Van Eeckhout (Harper)

Thoughts: Seriously, ugh. I was not enamored with the Blackgoose book which made dragons rather boring.  I hated the Van Eeckhout book.  The other two sound much more fun and they are still on the ports for plunder list.

So there ye have it.  Me Nebula thoughts.  Til next year.  In the meantime

Always remember:

Q: How much did the pirate pay for his peg leg and hook?

A: An arm and a leg.

Hardy har har!

x The Captain