2011 Hugo Award Winners - Page 2

DMcCunney · 08-21-2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thanks, Dennis. Very nice of them to do that.

I first met Phil back in the '70s, when he was still living on the East Coast in NYC. He's a very nice and classy guy, and it wasn't a surprise they should do that.
______
Dennis

Nyssa · 08-21-2011, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thanks

.

You are very welcomed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Start from the beginning. It's a complex and multi-layered story, and you really don't want to miss pieces. (It's also hilarious.)

Phil started in print and moved online to broaden his audience. He commented that his art changed in that he did have to adjust his pacing: in an online strip, there needs to be a "payoff on every page" to hold the audience attention.

Some friends have the complete run of Girl Genius print collections. I got a chance to read them straight through on a visit, and it was even more effective than reading the thrice-weekly web updates.
______
Dennis

So does this mean the web series in incomplete? Do I need to look for the earlier printed versions?

DMcCunney · 08-21-2011, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyssa

So does this mean the web series in incomplete?

They haven't finished the story yet...

Quote:

Do I need to look for the earlier printed versions?

No. The complete series thus far is available online. Just start at the beginning.
______
Dennis

Nyssa · 08-21-2011, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

They haven't finished the story yet...

No. The complete series thus far is available online. Just start at the beginning.
______
Dennis

Ok. Thanks

ATDrake · 08-21-2011, 04:48 PM

Hee. The stuff that I voted 1st place in the short fiction categories all won! I love when that happens.

Mind you, much as I like Connie Willis and love her Oxford time-travel series, I think this year's Hugo would have been much more deserved by one of the other novels nominated.

I enjoyed reading Blackout/All Clear and own paper & e-copies which I re-read from time to time, but it was relatively rather weak for one of her works* and not nearly up to the standard set by her previous Hugo/Nebula-winners in the same series even though it's still an engaging read nonetheless.

But then, these are the Hugos, not the Nebulas, and thus a popularity contest and the series is very popular. Though on that basis alone, I'd have expected Lois McMaster Bujold to scoop the award for the latest Vorkosigan novel.

* Not to mention, seriously flawed with major plot holes/contrivances and apparently also a goodly number of historical/cultural inaccuracies according to people who have more knowledge of WWII-era UK stuff than I do. I think it really suffered from being one very long novel chopped up into two fairly long novels due to publishing industry requirements for printing cheaper volumes.

DiapDealer · 08-21-2011, 06:08 PM

I thought the entire Best Novelette shortlist was particularly tasty this year.

I was also happy to see Mary Robinette Kowal (AKA Not Kij Johnson) win best short story, but I was secretly pulling for Peter Watts' "The Things".

HarryT · 08-22-2011, 03:12 AM

I have to confess that I find the splitting of the short story category into finer and finer gradations to be rather bizarre. "Novelette"? Do we really need such a word?

ATDrake · 08-22-2011, 03:27 AM

As I understand it, the categories are based on length, and I suppose there needs to be some way to distinguish the medium-shorts from the short-shorts to help even up the field of competition. Perhaps in the future they'll also do it with the novels, and distinguish epic cockroach-killer tomes* and multi-volume splits from self-contained mid-length tales.

Myself, I wasn't too impressed by most of the Novelette/Short stuff this year (though I really liked a couple of them), but the Novellas were all excellent and well worth reading (and Googling for the ones which are promotionally free to read online). I had a tough time deciding which order my votes for that category would go in.

And given the subject matter of Ponies† and The Things, I do kind of wonder if there's going to be a trend of retro pop-culture shout-out ones in the future.

* I, for one, welcome our Best Epic Cockroach-Killer Tome Award-winning overlords.

† This story was just begging to be a faux-cutesy illustrated girly dayglo pastel picture book.

murraypaul · 08-22-2011, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbqncigars

I'm gratified that the professors Foglio garnered another Hugo. I love Girl Genius, and wish they had it in ebook form.

http://comics.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?cPath=674

jasonkchapman · 08-22-2011, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have to confess that I find the splitting of the short story category into finer and finer gradations to be rather bizarre. "Novelette"? Do we really need such a word?

In SF, I think it's necessary. Shorts, novelettes, and novellas all garner different expectations from readers, particularly in the area of world building.

Sil_liS · 08-22-2011, 08:07 AM

I also love Girl Genius. Some graphic novels are truly interesting, and it's nice that you don't have to wait a whole year for a new book, but you get the story one page at a time throughout the year.

And of course buy stuff to support the author

HarryT · 08-22-2011, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

In SF, I think it's necessary. Shorts, novelettes, and novellas all garner different expectations from readers, particularly in the area of world building.

But could we not also say that we have different expectations from a 200 page novel, and a 1200 page "block-buster"?

DiapDealer · 08-22-2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have to confess that I find the splitting of the short story category into finer and finer gradations to be rather bizarre. "Novelette"? Do we really need such a word?

I don't find the distinction very useful, myself. I just look at it as two short-story categories to tell the truth.

The distinction seems to be consistent (at least in length) in the Hugo nominations, but I always run into examples that blur the lines in the wild: Novelettes shorter than some short-stories, and vice-versa. Oh, well... it certainly doesn't alter my enjoyment of the short form.

khalleron · 08-22-2011, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

But then, these are the Hugos, not the Nebulas, and thus a popularity contest and the series is very popular. Though on that basis alone, I'd have expected Lois McMaster Bujold to scoop the award for the latest Vorkosigan novel.

That's what I expected, too - LMB is popular, Miles is back!, and 'Cryoburn' was a terrific book.

DMcCunney · 08-22-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have to confess that I find the splitting of the short story category into finer and finer gradations to be rather bizarre. "Novelette"? Do we really need such a word?

It's been there for as long as the awards have been given, I believe. Dividing things into only "short story" and "novel" would be more bizarre. "If it's less than 60,000 words, it's a short story." would get people expressing concerns about your sanity.

The odd man out actually tends to be the novella, and there has been squabbling about what it is.
______
Dennis

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08-21-2011, 04:48 PM	#20
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Hee. The stuff that I voted 1st place in the short fiction categories all won! I love when that happens. Mind you, much as I like Connie Willis and love her Oxford time-travel series, I think this year's Hugo would have been much more deserved by one of the other novels nominated. I enjoyed reading Blackout/All Clear and own paper & e-copies which I re-read from time to time, but it was relatively rather weak for one of her works* and not nearly up to the standard set by her previous Hugo/Nebula-winners in the same series even though it's still an engaging read nonetheless. But then, these are the Hugos, not the Nebulas, and thus a popularity contest and the series is very popular. Though on that basis alone, I'd have expected Lois McMaster Bujold to scoop the award for the latest Vorkosigan novel. * Not to mention, seriously flawed with major plot holes/contrivances and apparently also a goodly number of historical/cultural inaccuracies according to people who have more knowledge of WWII-era UK stuff than I do. I think it really suffered from being one very long novel chopped up into two fairly long novels due to publishing industry requirements for printing cheaper volumes.

08-21-2011, 06:08 PM	#21
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,547 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I thought the entire Best Novelette shortlist was particularly tasty this year. I was also happy to see Mary Robinette Kowal (AKA Not Kij Johnson) win best short story, but I was secretly pulling for Peter Watts' "The Things".

08-22-2011, 03:12 AM	#22
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I have to confess that I find the splitting of the short story category into finer and finer gradations to be rather bizarre. "Novelette"? Do we really need such a word?

08-22-2011, 03:27 AM	#23
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	As I understand it, the categories are based on length, and I suppose there needs to be some way to distinguish the medium-shorts from the short-shorts to help even up the field of competition. Perhaps in the future they'll also do it with the novels, and distinguish epic cockroach-killer tomes* and multi-volume splits from self-contained mid-length tales. Myself, I wasn't too impressed by most of the Novelette/Short stuff this year (though I really liked a couple of them), but the Novellas were all excellent and well worth reading (and Googling for the ones which are promotionally free to read online). I had a tough time deciding which order my votes for that category would go in. And given the subject matter of Ponies† and The Things, I do kind of wonder if there's going to be a trend of retro pop-culture shout-out ones in the future. * I, for one, welcome our Best Epic Cockroach-Killer Tome Award-winning overlords. † This story was just begging to be a faux-cutesy illustrated girly dayglo pastel picture book.

08-22-2011, 08:07 AM	#26
Sil_liS Wizard Posts: 4,896 Karma: 33602910 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: PocketBook 903 & 360+	I also love Girl Genius. Some graphic novels are truly interesting, and it's nice that you don't have to wait a whole year for a new book, but you get the story one page at a time throughout the year. And of course buy stuff to support the author