2022 Nebula Award Finalists

 

The 58th annual Nebula Awards are being held on May 14th, celebrating the previous years published works. This is one of the awards I follow yearly, and I do really tend to enjoy my experience reading the nominees and winners. The 2023 Nebula Conference will be held in Anaheim, California, but I will be watching the stream online as usual. Here are you nominees...

Best Novel

• Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldtree - ★★★★★
• Spear by Nicola Griffith - TBR
• Nettle & Bone by T. - ★★★☆☆
• Babel by R.F. Kuang - ★★★⍣☆
• Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - Need to read the rest of the series first
• The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler - TBR

I loved Legends & Lattes so I really hope this wins. Especially given that it was an indie book first that blew up, then was published traditionally. I love to see indie authors make it since that is my absolute dream. I was fairly disappointed in Nettle & Bone as it felt incomplete since it was so short. Babel was enjoyable, however it felt bogged down by long explanations and at times it felt like a text book. I have yet to read any of The Locked Tomb trilogy but it is definitely on my TBR, as is Spear and The Mountain in the Sea. 

Best Novella

• "A Prayer For the Crown-Shy" by Becky Chambers - TBR
• "Bishop's Opening" by R.S.A. Garcia - TBR
• "I Never Liked You Anyway" by Jordan Kurella
• "Even Though I Knew the End" by C.L. Polk
• "High Times in Low Parliament" by Kelly Robson

I have two of these on my TBR, and I love Becky Chambers' cozy writing style. I can't say that it deserves to win as I didn't read very many novellas last year, and the ones I did read aren't nominated for this award. "Bishop's Opening", which was published in the January 2022 Clarkesworld Magazine, is available to read online here, which is why I plan on reading it. The other three don't really peak my interest upon reading the synopsis, but whichever novella does win, I will definitely read it. 

Best Novellette

• "If You Find Yourself Speaking to God, Address God with the Informal You" by John Chu (in July 2022 Uncanny Magazine)
• "Two Hands Wrapped in Gold" by S.B. Divya (in May 2022 Uncanny Magazine)
• "Murder by Pixel" by S.L. Huang (in December 2022 Clarkesworld Magazine)
• "A Dream of Electric Mothers" by Wole Talibi (in Africa Risen) 
• "The Prince of Salt and the Ocean's Bargain" by Natalia Theodoridou (in September 2022 Uncanny Magazine)
• "We Built This City" by Mary Vibbert (in June 2022 Clarkesworld Magazine)

I used to be subscribed to Uncanny Magazine but found myself skipping many of the stories. It looks like I'll need to resubscribe though since all of these novelettes sound really intriguing. All but one can be found for free online at the moment, but Talibi's novellette in Africa Risen, can be checked out of your local library (I currently have it on hold), or purchased online. Novellette's are really hit-or-miss for me though, since they are so short, but I always go into them thinking and hoping I'll enjoy them. 

Best Short Story

• "Destiny Delayed" by Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald (in September 2022 Galaxy's Edge)
• "Give Me English" by Ai Jiang (in May/June 2022 Magazine of F&SF)
• "Rabbit Test" by Samantha Mills (in November 2022 Uncanny Magazine)
• "Dick Pig" by Ian Muneshwar (in March 2022 Nightmare Magazine)
• "Douen" by Suzan Palumbo (in March 2022 The Dark Magazine)
• "D.I.Y." by John Wiswell (Tor.com)

I plan on reading all of these as they are very short and available online. I tend to really love short stories, and they are equally enjoyable to write. One day I hope to see one of my works in a magazine like Tor.com or Uncanny.