Your Poll vote for Hugo Award for Best Novel - Page 4

tompe · 06-18-2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Awards bring new (to me) authors to my attention.

The Graveyard Book? Seriously? Sure, it was an entertaining piece of fantasy but not, um, award winner material to me.

Why not award winning? Do you mean that award winning books must satisfy some criteria about content?

Penforhire · 06-18-2009, 01:06 PM

Yes, it must be outstanding to me. Satisfied? Or am I not allowed to express the opinion that The Graveyard Book was just "okay?" That's all it was for me. Could have been written by Dean Koontz, as if Odd Thomas was not at least as good...

tompe · 06-18-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Yes, it must be outstanding to me. Satisfied? Or am I not allowed to express the opinion that The Graveyard Book was just "okay?" That's all it was for me. Could have been written by Dean Koontz, as if Odd Thomas was not at least as good...

OK. Personally I think that award winning quality is not the same thing as me liking it. I have read books I have thought is award winning quality but they are not just to my taste so personally I think they are only OK.

And since I make this distinction I thought other did it also and was curious about what was missing from The Graveyard Book.

Penforhire · 06-18-2009, 06:22 PM

Okay, that's a fair question -- The Graveyard Book's plot was (IMO) too predictable and the prose was mediocre, even a bit stilted. I felt the text drew attention to itself, did not disappear as a medium.

Stephenson's works also frequently draw far too much attention to the medium but I forgive that more because he tickles my funny bone and stimulates my imagination, while often educating me simultaneously. He'd be annoying if he wasn't so clever and, perhaps, his books would be even better if he accepted more editing to remove clever phases.

I do enjoy Gaiman. I defend my enjoyment of American Gods and Anansi Boys (lesser of the two to me). To me their uber-plain text was a breath of fresh air.

tompe · 06-18-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

the prose was mediocre, even a bit stilted. I felt the text drew attention to itself, did not disappear as a medium.

I thought the prose style was intentional and I thought it worked. I think a prose style that draws attention to itself can enhance the work but I have friends that do not like it at all when the text do not disappear so I understand your point of view.

Daithi · 06-19-2009, 09:47 AM

I too thought the prose was intentional and added to the book's atmosphere. Personally, I liked the style. I don't have the book in front of me right now, but the beginning where the man Jack brings a knife that leaves wet was perfect. One of Gaiman's strengths is his ability not only to tell a story but to create an atmosphere -- Mirror Mask is an excellent example.

wayspooled · 07-22-2009, 10:42 AM

You know, Little Brother was the only one of those that even came close to being what I'd consider a Hugo award nominee based on the kind of challenging, exploring and fairly unique stuff that used to get nominated. What in the world happened?

edit: And I'm not really trying to be provocative

I like the authors that are nominated. I've read good things by all of them and I've heard 3 of them are extremely nice folks and haven't heard anything bad about the ones I don't know about. I guess I've just noticed a difference all of a sudden.

DixieGal · 07-22-2009, 11:02 AM

You are not provoking anything at all. Read back to the beginning of this thread, and you will see that more than just you and I were very disappointed in this year's nominees. But last year when they were first published, things all around the world were going to heck in a handbasket, and music and lit always mirror such things. I haven't seen any evidence that this year's crop of new stories is going to be any better. Except for Little Brother, in my opinion, the rest were just the best of what was available.

Usually, being labeled a Hugo nominee or winner made it something I had to read. In fact, when the list came out this year, I got ahold of all of them, books, novellas, short stories, introductions, and post-it notes, and read them all. They were very discouraging politically and none really moved me. I'm wondering what will happen next year when the list comes out?

ahi · 07-22-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

They were very discouraging politically

Discouraging politically?

What does that mean?

- Ahi

tompe · 07-22-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayspooled

You know, Little Brother was the only one of those that even came close to being what I'd consider a Hugo award nominee based on the kind of challenging, exploring and fairly unique stuff that used to get nominated. What in the world happened?

After now having read all the novels I placed Anathem first just because I thought it was the only novel that was really science fiction and the only novel that was challenging and tried to do something different.

Adam Roberts kind of agree that the the quality of the nominated works was low:

http://punkadiddle.blogspot.com/2009/07/hugos-2009.html

DixieGal · 07-22-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

After now having read all the novels I placed Anathem first just because I thought it was the only novel that was really science fiction and the only novel that was challenging and tried to do something different.

Adam Roberts kind of agree that the the quality of the nominated works was low:

http://punkadiddle.blogspot.com/2009/07/hugos-2009.html

Thanks for the link! When he gets down to suggesting his picks for next year, I added them to my TBR list. I want to start with Palimpset.

ahi · 07-22-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Discouraging politically?

What does that mean?

- Ahi

Does anyone know what DixieGal meant? She is note likely to answer me, as I believe she does not see my posts.

- Ahi

tompe · 07-22-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Does anyone know what DixieGal meant? She is note likely to answer me, as I believe she does not see my posts.

I would guess that it mean that the books political "message" or stance does not agree withe the readers opinion.

HarryT · 07-22-2009, 12:45 PM

We can choose not to read such books, of course. Eg, I avoid John Ringo's more recent books for that very recent, although I enjoyed his earlier books, before he started writing political manifestos, rather than SF.

ahi · 07-22-2009, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

I would guess that it mean that the books political "message" or stance does not agree withe the readers opinion.

Oh, ok. That makes sense.

I've actually had something similar to Harry's experience with Niven's more recent books. Certain parts and short stories seem like thinly veiled and somewhat simple-minded propaganda, very much at the expense of the creativity and ingenuity I've come to expect from the author.

- Ahi

View Poll Results: What Novel Would you like to see win the Hugo Award For Best Novel?
Anathem - Neal Stephenson	11	34.38%
The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman	5	15.63%
Little Brother - Cory Doctorow	10	31.25%
Satan's Children - Charles Stross	4	12.50%
Zoe's Tale - John Scalzi	2	6.25%
Voters: 32. You may not vote on this poll

07-22-2009, 10:42 AM	#52
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	You know, Little Brother was the only one of those that even came close to being what I'd consider a Hugo award nominee based on the kind of challenging, exploring and fairly unique stuff that used to get nominated. What in the world happened? edit: And I'm not really trying to be provocative I like the authors that are nominated. I've read good things by all of them and I've heard 3 of them are extremely nice folks and haven't heard anything bad about the ones I don't know about. I guess I've just noticed a difference all of a sudden. Last edited by wayspooled; 07-22-2009 at 10:50 AM.

07-22-2009, 11:02 AM	#53
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	You are not provoking anything at all. Read back to the beginning of this thread, and you will see that more than just you and I were very disappointed in this year's nominees. But last year when they were first published, things all around the world were going to heck in a handbasket, and music and lit always mirror such things. I haven't seen any evidence that this year's crop of new stories is going to be any better. Except for Little Brother, in my opinion, the rest were just the best of what was available. Usually, being labeled a Hugo nominee or winner made it something I had to read. In fact, when the list came out this year, I got ahold of all of them, books, novellas, short stories, introductions, and post-it notes, and read them all. They were very discouraging politically and none really moved me. I'm wondering what will happen next year when the list comes out? Last edited by DixieGal; 07-22-2009 at 11:05 AM.

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06-18-2009, 01:06 PM	#47
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Yes, it must be outstanding to me. Satisfied? Or am I not allowed to express the opinion that The Graveyard Book was just "okay?" That's all it was for me. Could have been written by Dean Koontz, as if Odd Thomas was not at least as good...

06-18-2009, 06:22 PM	#49
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Okay, that's a fair question -- The Graveyard Book's plot was (IMO) too predictable and the prose was mediocre, even a bit stilted. I felt the text drew attention to itself, did not disappear as a medium. Stephenson's works also frequently draw far too much attention to the medium but I forgive that more because he tickles my funny bone and stimulates my imagination, while often educating me simultaneously. He'd be annoying if he wasn't so clever and, perhaps, his books would be even better if he accepted more editing to remove clever phases. I do enjoy Gaiman. I defend my enjoyment of American Gods and Anansi Boys (lesser of the two to me). To me their uber-plain text was a breath of fresh air.

06-19-2009, 09:47 AM	#51
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	I too thought the prose was intentional and added to the book's atmosphere. Personally, I liked the style. I don't have the book in front of me right now, but the beginning where the man Jack brings a knife that leaves wet was perfect. One of Gaiman's strengths is his ability not only to tell a story but to create an atmosphere -- Mirror Mask is an excellent example.

07-22-2009, 12:45 PM	#59
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	We can choose not to read such books, of course. Eg, I avoid John Ringo's more recent books for that very recent, although I enjoyed his earlier books, before he started writing political manifestos, rather than SF.

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