The OF Blog: BSFA Award shortlists announced

Thursday, January 30, 2014

BSFA Award shortlists announced

From the British Science Fiction Association website (bolded titles are ones read, italics are ones owned but yet to be read):

Best Novel
God’s War by Kameron Hurley (Del Rey)
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (Orbit)
Evening’s Empires by Paul McAuley (Gollancz)
Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L. Powell (Solaris)
The Adjacent by Christopher Priest (Gollancz)

I need to get around to importing the Priest book, as I suspect it'll be to my liking.  Of the two I've read, the Hurley I think is a far more superior story than the Leckie.  

Best Short Fiction
Spin by Nina Allan (TTA Press)
“Selkie Stories are for Losers” by Sofia Samatar (Strange Horizons)
“Saga’s Children” by E. J. Swift (The Lowest Heaven, Pandemonium)
“Boat in the Shadows Crossing” by Tori Truslow (Beneath Ceaseless Skies)

I haven't any of these particular stories, but I have enjoyed previous works by Allan and Samatar.

Best Artwork
Cover for Tony Ballantyne’s Dream London by Joey Hi-fi (Solaris)
Poster for Metropolis by Kevin Tong (tragicsunshine.com)
“The Angel at the Heart of the Rain” by Richard Wagner (Interzone #246)

No opinion.
 
Best Non-Fiction
Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer (Abrams Image)
“Going Forth by Night” by John J. Johnston (Unearthed, Jurassic)
“Sleeps with Monsters” by Liz Bourke (Tor.com)

Haven't yet finished VanderMeer's book, but the parts I've read make it a delight to read and to behold.  Have read some of Bourke's columns, but uncertain if this one is her best.  

2 comments:

Mihai A. said...

I am not sure about the novels, my readings tended to come from other genres that the one subjected here. But for the short fiction I read two and they're very strong indeed. Sofia Samatar's "Selkie Stories are for Losers" and Tori Truslow's "Boat in Shadows Crossing" are the kind of short stories that leave a permanent mark, the kind of stories I enjoy reading the most. Truly strong entries. I do have Nina Allan's "Spin" at home and I believe it is time for me to read it and E.J. Swift's "Saga's Children" is available online, so I'll catch up with the other two as well. I am thinking of rounding them up for a post after that, but that is something I still have to consider. :)

james said...

I still don't understand how a book as dull as Ancillary Justice has so much hype behind it. It is a shame that Jacqueline Koyanagi's Ascension was almost immediately overshadowed by it. I very much agree with you about Hurley's book. Keep forgetting that it is eligible for awards again.

I haven't read any of the other books. Same goes for the short stories, but I will probably get around to that soon.

 
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