lonecayt's review
3.0
Cute, fun to read, but with definite flaws. Lily in particular was a bit too capable to be believable.
bookaneer's review
5.0
That does it. Vina Jie-Min Prasad is my new favorite author. Knowing she's Singaporean is awesome since I could actually meet her one day. Definitely someone to watch in the upcoming years. And what a year for her so far! I loved her Fandom for Robot story and this novelette is as good and entertaining. I like that she likes to touch upon current issues and weaves it into a fun specfic narrative. This novelette is about someone who forges meat. Yes, fake food. Definitely not too farfetched since most of the food sold in our supermarkets are not really food - they are basically 'edible food-like substances' - this hits too close to home.
bibliochild's review
4.0
This just feels like well done sci-fi (or maybe medium rare sci-fi?) with fun characters and a touch of humor. Going to look for more by this author. (EDIT: Apparently I already found some? Did not realize this was the same person who wrote Fandom for Robots.)
villyidol's review
4.0
***A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad***
This story was nominated for Best Novelette for both, the Hugos and Nebulas in 2018.
Helena wanted to study art in university, but that didn’t work out for spoilery reasons. She had to leave Hong Kong and does now design artificial beef for a company in Nanjing, using a false identity.
When she accepts a job by an anonymous client and hires a help for work, her past is catching up with her.
This is very well written short fiction with good worldbuilding, great characterizations, entertaining dialogue and impressive atmosphere.
Storywise it could have done with a little more meat to it (pun intended). But otherwise I was very impressed and would have preferred this one to win the Hugo instead of Suzanne Palmer’s [b: The Secret Life of Bots|36165705|Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 132 (Clarkesworld Magazine #132)|Neil Clarke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1504312246l/36165705._SY75_.jpg|61329427]. Though I liked that one as well.
You can read it here.
____________________________
Best Novel
• [b: The Collapsing Empire|30078567|The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency, #1)|John Scalzi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1464097677l/30078567._SY75_.jpg|50498420] by John Scalzi (Tor)
• [b: New York 2140|29570143|New York 2140|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1471618737l/29570143._SY75_.jpg|49898123] by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
• [b: Provenance|25353286|Provenance (Imperial Radch)|Ann Leckie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492328037l/25353286._SX50_.jpg|45094649] by Ann Leckie (Orbit)
• [b: Raven Stratagem|32927239|Raven Stratagem (The Machineries of Empire, #2)|Yoon Ha Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478799108l/32927239._SY75_.jpg|51237351] by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
• Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty (Orbit)
• [b: The Stone Sky|31817749|The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3)|N.K. Jemisin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478547421l/31817749._SY75_.jpg|52472813] by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit)
Best Novella
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: And Then There Were (N-One)|34505565|Uncanny Magazine Issue 15 March/April 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488924699l/34505565._SY75_.jpg|59931968] by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny, March/April 2017)
• [b: Binti: Home|39725903|Home (Binti, #2)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527047787l/39725903._SY75_.jpg|50442846] by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: The Black Tides of Heaven|33099588|The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)|J.Y. Yang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1485291538l/33099588._SY75_.jpg|53763120] by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: Down Among the Sticks and Bones|31450908|Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children, #2)|Seanan McGuire|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1473685781l/31450908._SX50_.jpg|47411892] by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: River of Teeth|31445891|River of Teeth (River of Teeth, #1)|Sarah Gailey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484234556l/31445891._SY75_.jpg|52146842] by Sarah Gailey (Tor.com Publishing)
Best Novelette
• [b: Children of Thorns, Children of Water|34851372|Children of Thorns, Children of Water (Dominion of the Fallen, #1.5)|Aliette de Bodard|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492097640l/34851372._SY75_.jpg|56088770] by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny, July-August 2017)
• [b: Extracurricular Activities|34311313|Extracurricular Activities|Yoon Ha Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487134834l/34311313._SY75_.jpg|54978656] by Yoon Ha Lee (Tor.com, February 15, 2017)
• The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer (Clarkesworld, September 2017)
• A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld, January 2017)
• [b: Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time|35051890|Uncanny Magazine Issue 16 May/June 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493742742l/35051890._SY75_.jpg|60092968] by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
• [b: Wind Will Rove|38251695|Wind Will Rove|Sarah Pinsker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523111341l/38251695._SX50_.jpg|59932502] by Sarah Pinsker (Asimov’s, September/October 2017)
Best Short Story
• Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, May 2017)
• Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand by Fran Wilde (Uncanny, September 2017)
• Fandom for Robots by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Uncanny, September/October 2017)
• The Martian Obelisk by Linda Nagata (Tor.com, July 19, 2017)
• Sun, Moon, Dust by Ursula Vernon, (Uncanny, May/June 2017) by Ursula Vernon, (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
• Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse (Apex, August 2017)
Best Related Work
• [b: Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate|28251812|Crash Override How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate|Zoe Quinn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1491330884l/28251812._SY75_.jpg|56019319] by Zoe Quinn (PublicAffairs)
• [b: Iain M. Banks (Modern Masters of Science Fiction)|32828220|Modern Masters of Science Fiction Iain M. Banks|Paul Kincaid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487022204l/32828220._SY75_.jpg|53429417] by Paul Kincaid (University of Illinois Press)
• [b: A Lit Fuse: The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison|35125803|A Lit Fuse, The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison|Nat Segaloff|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501685063l/35125803._SY75_.jpg|56444054] by Nat Segaloff (NESFA Press)
• [b: Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler|35486346|Luminescent Threads Connections to Octavia E. Butler|Alexandra Pierce|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1505389842l/35486346._SY75_.jpg|56884579] edited by Alexandra Pierce and Mimi Mondal (Twelfth Planet Press)
• [b: No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters|33503495|No Time to Spare Thinking About What Matters|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489159159l/33503495._SY75_.jpg|54264477] by Ursula K. Le Guin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• [b: Sleeping with Monsters: Readings and Reactions in Science Fiction and Fantasy|35150266|Sleeping with Monsters Readings and Reactions in Science Fiction and Fantasy|Liz Bourke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1498595380l/35150266._SY75_.jpg|56474313] by Liz Bourke (Aqueduct Press)
Best Graphic Story
• [b: Black Bolt, Volume 1: Hard Time|34849021|Black Bolt, Vol. 1 Hard Time|Saladin Ahmed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525111221l/34849021._SY75_.jpg|56085777] written by Saladin Ahmed, illustrated by Christian Ward, lettered by Clayton Cowles (Marvel)
• Bitch Planet, Volume 2: President Bitch written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, illustrated by Valentine De Landro and Taki Soma, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick, lettered by Clayton Cowles (Image Comics)
• [b: Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood|33540347|Monstress, Vol. 2 The Blood|Marjorie M. Liu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1482340459l/33540347._SX50_.jpg|54307440] written by Marjorie M. Liu, illustrated by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
• [b: My Favorite Thing is Monsters|29069374|My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 1 (My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, #1)|Emil Ferris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1471633077l/29069374._SX50_.jpg|49299009] written and illustrated by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics)
• Paper Girls, Volume 3 written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang, colored by Matthew Wilson, lettered by Jared Fletcher (Image Comics)
• Saga, Volume 7 written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
Best Series
• The Books of the Raksura, by [a: Martha Wells|87305|Martha Wells|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1397566224p2/87305.jpg] (Night Shade)
• The Divine Cities, by [a: Robert Jackson Bennett|2916869|Robert Jackson Bennett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1328633063p2/2916869.jpg] (Broadway)
• InCryptid, by [a: Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg] (DAW)
• The Memoirs of Lady Trent, by [a: Marie Brennan|105839|Marie Brennan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1277921611p2/105839.jpg] (Tor US / Titan UK)
• The Stormlight Archive, by [a: Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg] (Tor US / Gollancz UK)
• World of the Five Gods, by [a: Lois McMaster Bujold|16094|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1377313786p2/16094.jpg] (Harper Voyager / Spectrum Literary Agency)
___________________
Best Novel
• [b: Amberlough|29939270|Amberlough (The Amberlough Dossier, #1)|Lara Elena Donnelly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462547662l/29939270._SY75_.jpg|50329881] by Lara Elena Donnelly (Tor)
• [b: The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter|34728925|The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter|Theodora Goss|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490794116l/34728925._SY75_.jpg|45924715] by Theodora Goss (Saga)
• [b: Spoonbenders|32827398|Spoonbenders|Daryl Gregory|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492697004l/32827398._SX50_.jpg|53428144] by Daryl Gregory (Knopf; riverrun)
• [b: The Stone Sky|31817749|The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3)|N.K. Jemisin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478547421l/31817749._SY75_.jpg|52472813] by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty (Orbit US)
• [b: Jade City|34606064|Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)|Fonda Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513357590l/34606064._SY75_.jpg|55755047] by Fonda Lee (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• [b: Autonomous|28209634|Autonomous|Annalee Newitz|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484305104l/28209634._SY75_.jpg|48237590] by Annalee Newitz (Tor; Orbit UK 2018)
Best Novella
• [b: River of Teeth|31445891|River of Teeth (River of Teeth, #1)|Sarah Gailey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484234556l/31445891._SY75_.jpg|52146842] by Sarah Gailey (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: Passing Strange|31372178|Passing Strange|Ellen Klages|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474584923l/31372178._SY75_.jpg|52061084] by Ellen Klages (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: And Then There Were (N-One)|34505565|Uncanny Magazine Issue 15 March/April 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488924699l/34505565._SY75_.jpg|59931968] by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny 3-4/17)
• [b: Barry’s Deal|36547519|Barry's Deal|Lawrence M. Schoen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509995034l/36547519._SY75_.jpg|58279170] by Lawrence M. Schoen (NobleFusion Press)
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: The Black Tides of Heaven|33099588|The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)|J.Y. Yang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1485291538l/33099588._SY75_.jpg|53763120] by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
Best Novelette
• Dirty Old Town by Richard Bowes (Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction 5-6/17)
• [b: Weaponized Math|40167436|Weaponized Math|Jonathan P. Brazee|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|62309691] by Jonathan P. Brazee (The Expanding Universe, Vol. 3)
• [b: Wind Will Rove|38251695|Wind Will Rove|Sarah Pinsker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523111341l/38251695._SX50_.jpg|59932502] by Sarah Pinsker (Asimov’s 9-10/17)
• A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld 1/17)
• A Human Stain by Kelly Robson (Tor.com 1/4/17)
• [b: Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time|35051890|Uncanny Magazine Issue 16 May/June 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493742742l/35051890._SY75_.jpg|60092968] by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny 5-6/17)
Best Short Story
• Fandom for Robots by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Uncanny 9-10/17)
• Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse (Apex 8/17)
• Utopia, LOL? by Jamie Wahls (Strange Horizons 6/5/17)
• Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand by Fran Wilde (Uncanny 9-10/17)
• The Last Novelist (or A Dead Lizard in the Yard) by Matthew Kressel (Tor.com 3/15/17)
• Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim (Beneath Ceaseless Skies 5/11/17)
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy
• [b: Exo|26532931|Exo (Exo #1)|Fonda Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1464719345l/26532931._SY75_.jpg|46532697] by Fonda Lee (Scholastic Press)
• [b: Weave a Circle Round|33517568|Weave a Circle Round|Kari Maaren|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494982657l/33517568._SY75_.jpg|47855559] by Kari Maaren (Tor)
• [b: The Art of Starving|25978892|The Art of Starving|Sam J. Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494950656l/25978892._SY75_.jpg|45888872] by Sam J. Miller (HarperTeen)
• Want by Cindy Pon (Simon Pulse)
This story was nominated for Best Novelette for both, the Hugos and Nebulas in 2018.
Helena wanted to study art in university, but that didn’t work out for spoilery reasons. She had to leave Hong Kong and does now design artificial beef for a company in Nanjing, using a false identity.
When she accepts a job by an anonymous client and hires a help for work, her past is catching up with her.
This is very well written short fiction with good worldbuilding, great characterizations, entertaining dialogue and impressive atmosphere.
Storywise it could have done with a little more meat to it (pun intended). But otherwise I was very impressed and would have preferred this one to win the Hugo instead of Suzanne Palmer’s [b: The Secret Life of Bots|36165705|Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 132 (Clarkesworld Magazine #132)|Neil Clarke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1504312246l/36165705._SY75_.jpg|61329427]. Though I liked that one as well.
You can read it here.
____________________________
2018 Hugo Awards Finalists
Best Novel
• [b: The Collapsing Empire|30078567|The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency, #1)|John Scalzi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1464097677l/30078567._SY75_.jpg|50498420] by John Scalzi (Tor)
• [b: New York 2140|29570143|New York 2140|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1471618737l/29570143._SY75_.jpg|49898123] by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
• [b: Provenance|25353286|Provenance (Imperial Radch)|Ann Leckie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492328037l/25353286._SX50_.jpg|45094649] by Ann Leckie (Orbit)
• [b: Raven Stratagem|32927239|Raven Stratagem (The Machineries of Empire, #2)|Yoon Ha Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478799108l/32927239._SY75_.jpg|51237351] by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
• Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty (Orbit)
• [b: The Stone Sky|31817749|The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3)|N.K. Jemisin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478547421l/31817749._SY75_.jpg|52472813] by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit)
Best Novella
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: And Then There Were (N-One)|34505565|Uncanny Magazine Issue 15 March/April 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488924699l/34505565._SY75_.jpg|59931968] by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny, March/April 2017)
• [b: Binti: Home|39725903|Home (Binti, #2)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527047787l/39725903._SY75_.jpg|50442846] by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: The Black Tides of Heaven|33099588|The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)|J.Y. Yang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1485291538l/33099588._SY75_.jpg|53763120] by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: Down Among the Sticks and Bones|31450908|Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children, #2)|Seanan McGuire|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1473685781l/31450908._SX50_.jpg|47411892] by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: River of Teeth|31445891|River of Teeth (River of Teeth, #1)|Sarah Gailey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484234556l/31445891._SY75_.jpg|52146842] by Sarah Gailey (Tor.com Publishing)
Best Novelette
• [b: Children of Thorns, Children of Water|34851372|Children of Thorns, Children of Water (Dominion of the Fallen, #1.5)|Aliette de Bodard|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492097640l/34851372._SY75_.jpg|56088770] by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny, July-August 2017)
• [b: Extracurricular Activities|34311313|Extracurricular Activities|Yoon Ha Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487134834l/34311313._SY75_.jpg|54978656] by Yoon Ha Lee (Tor.com, February 15, 2017)
• The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer (Clarkesworld, September 2017)
• A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld, January 2017)
• [b: Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time|35051890|Uncanny Magazine Issue 16 May/June 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493742742l/35051890._SY75_.jpg|60092968] by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
• [b: Wind Will Rove|38251695|Wind Will Rove|Sarah Pinsker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523111341l/38251695._SX50_.jpg|59932502] by Sarah Pinsker (Asimov’s, September/October 2017)
Best Short Story
• Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, May 2017)
• Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand by Fran Wilde (Uncanny, September 2017)
• Fandom for Robots by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Uncanny, September/October 2017)
• The Martian Obelisk by Linda Nagata (Tor.com, July 19, 2017)
• Sun, Moon, Dust by Ursula Vernon, (Uncanny, May/June 2017) by Ursula Vernon, (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
• Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse (Apex, August 2017)
Best Related Work
• [b: Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate|28251812|Crash Override How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate|Zoe Quinn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1491330884l/28251812._SY75_.jpg|56019319] by Zoe Quinn (PublicAffairs)
• [b: Iain M. Banks (Modern Masters of Science Fiction)|32828220|Modern Masters of Science Fiction Iain M. Banks|Paul Kincaid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487022204l/32828220._SY75_.jpg|53429417] by Paul Kincaid (University of Illinois Press)
• [b: A Lit Fuse: The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison|35125803|A Lit Fuse, The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison|Nat Segaloff|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501685063l/35125803._SY75_.jpg|56444054] by Nat Segaloff (NESFA Press)
• [b: Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler|35486346|Luminescent Threads Connections to Octavia E. Butler|Alexandra Pierce|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1505389842l/35486346._SY75_.jpg|56884579] edited by Alexandra Pierce and Mimi Mondal (Twelfth Planet Press)
• [b: No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters|33503495|No Time to Spare Thinking About What Matters|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489159159l/33503495._SY75_.jpg|54264477] by Ursula K. Le Guin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• [b: Sleeping with Monsters: Readings and Reactions in Science Fiction and Fantasy|35150266|Sleeping with Monsters Readings and Reactions in Science Fiction and Fantasy|Liz Bourke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1498595380l/35150266._SY75_.jpg|56474313] by Liz Bourke (Aqueduct Press)
Best Graphic Story
• [b: Black Bolt, Volume 1: Hard Time|34849021|Black Bolt, Vol. 1 Hard Time|Saladin Ahmed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525111221l/34849021._SY75_.jpg|56085777] written by Saladin Ahmed, illustrated by Christian Ward, lettered by Clayton Cowles (Marvel)
• Bitch Planet, Volume 2: President Bitch written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, illustrated by Valentine De Landro and Taki Soma, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick, lettered by Clayton Cowles (Image Comics)
• [b: Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood|33540347|Monstress, Vol. 2 The Blood|Marjorie M. Liu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1482340459l/33540347._SX50_.jpg|54307440] written by Marjorie M. Liu, illustrated by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
• [b: My Favorite Thing is Monsters|29069374|My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 1 (My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, #1)|Emil Ferris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1471633077l/29069374._SX50_.jpg|49299009] written and illustrated by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics)
• Paper Girls, Volume 3 written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang, colored by Matthew Wilson, lettered by Jared Fletcher (Image Comics)
• Saga, Volume 7 written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
Best Series
• The Books of the Raksura, by [a: Martha Wells|87305|Martha Wells|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1397566224p2/87305.jpg] (Night Shade)
• The Divine Cities, by [a: Robert Jackson Bennett|2916869|Robert Jackson Bennett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1328633063p2/2916869.jpg] (Broadway)
• InCryptid, by [a: Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg] (DAW)
• The Memoirs of Lady Trent, by [a: Marie Brennan|105839|Marie Brennan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1277921611p2/105839.jpg] (Tor US / Titan UK)
• The Stormlight Archive, by [a: Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg] (Tor US / Gollancz UK)
• World of the Five Gods, by [a: Lois McMaster Bujold|16094|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1377313786p2/16094.jpg] (Harper Voyager / Spectrum Literary Agency)
___________________
2017 Nebula Award Nominees
Best Novel
• [b: Amberlough|29939270|Amberlough (The Amberlough Dossier, #1)|Lara Elena Donnelly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462547662l/29939270._SY75_.jpg|50329881] by Lara Elena Donnelly (Tor)
• [b: The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter|34728925|The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter|Theodora Goss|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490794116l/34728925._SY75_.jpg|45924715] by Theodora Goss (Saga)
• [b: Spoonbenders|32827398|Spoonbenders|Daryl Gregory|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492697004l/32827398._SX50_.jpg|53428144] by Daryl Gregory (Knopf; riverrun)
• [b: The Stone Sky|31817749|The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3)|N.K. Jemisin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478547421l/31817749._SY75_.jpg|52472813] by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty (Orbit US)
• [b: Jade City|34606064|Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)|Fonda Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513357590l/34606064._SY75_.jpg|55755047] by Fonda Lee (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• [b: Autonomous|28209634|Autonomous|Annalee Newitz|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484305104l/28209634._SY75_.jpg|48237590] by Annalee Newitz (Tor; Orbit UK 2018)
Best Novella
• [b: River of Teeth|31445891|River of Teeth (River of Teeth, #1)|Sarah Gailey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484234556l/31445891._SY75_.jpg|52146842] by Sarah Gailey (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: Passing Strange|31372178|Passing Strange|Ellen Klages|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474584923l/31372178._SY75_.jpg|52061084] by Ellen Klages (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: And Then There Were (N-One)|34505565|Uncanny Magazine Issue 15 March/April 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488924699l/34505565._SY75_.jpg|59931968] by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny 3-4/17)
• [b: Barry’s Deal|36547519|Barry's Deal|Lawrence M. Schoen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509995034l/36547519._SY75_.jpg|58279170] by Lawrence M. Schoen (NobleFusion Press)
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
• [b: The Black Tides of Heaven|33099588|The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)|J.Y. Yang|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1485291538l/33099588._SY75_.jpg|53763120] by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
Best Novelette
• Dirty Old Town by Richard Bowes (Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction 5-6/17)
• [b: Weaponized Math|40167436|Weaponized Math|Jonathan P. Brazee|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|62309691] by Jonathan P. Brazee (The Expanding Universe, Vol. 3)
• [b: Wind Will Rove|38251695|Wind Will Rove|Sarah Pinsker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523111341l/38251695._SX50_.jpg|59932502] by Sarah Pinsker (Asimov’s 9-10/17)
• A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld 1/17)
• A Human Stain by Kelly Robson (Tor.com 1/4/17)
• [b: Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time|35051890|Uncanny Magazine Issue 16 May/June 2017|Lynne M. Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493742742l/35051890._SY75_.jpg|60092968] by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny 5-6/17)
Best Short Story
• Fandom for Robots by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Uncanny 9-10/17)
• Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse (Apex 8/17)
• Utopia, LOL? by Jamie Wahls (Strange Horizons 6/5/17)
• Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand by Fran Wilde (Uncanny 9-10/17)
• The Last Novelist (or A Dead Lizard in the Yard) by Matthew Kressel (Tor.com 3/15/17)
• Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim (Beneath Ceaseless Skies 5/11/17)
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy
• [b: Exo|26532931|Exo (Exo #1)|Fonda Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1464719345l/26532931._SY75_.jpg|46532697] by Fonda Lee (Scholastic Press)
• [b: Weave a Circle Round|33517568|Weave a Circle Round|Kari Maaren|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494982657l/33517568._SY75_.jpg|47855559] by Kari Maaren (Tor)
• [b: The Art of Starving|25978892|The Art of Starving|Sam J. Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494950656l/25978892._SY75_.jpg|45888872] by Sam J. Miller (HarperTeen)
• Want by Cindy Pon (Simon Pulse)
ewo2's review
There were some interesting stories with solid premises in this collection - but I think on the whole, sci-fi and fantasy short stories are not for me. I love short horror stories, but those tend to be set in a world mostly like the real one, with a few slight changes or supernatural twists. But for sci-fi and fantasy, the world is often radically different, with technology or magic creating whole new rules. One of the allures of sci-fi and fantasy is jumping into a completely different world - and that works great in longer fiction. In shorter stories, there is very little time for world-building, so by the time you get the rules down, the story is over.
Of the stories in this book, the best were:
- A Series of Steaks
- The Ghost Ship Anastatia
- Interchange
- Milla
"Steaks" was my favorite, partly because it hewed to a recognizable world and partly due to the humor. The other three had interesting premises, although Interchange was a bit long for what it was. The other stories were not up my alley.
At the same time, I think it's really cool that sci-fi short stories are available monthly in print like this, so I would feel bad leaving a rating since it would reflect my opinion of short sci-fi stories in general instead of these particular stories.
Of the stories in this book, the best were:
- A Series of Steaks
- The Ghost Ship Anastatia
- Interchange
- Milla
"Steaks" was my favorite, partly because it hewed to a recognizable world and partly due to the humor. The other three had interesting premises, although Interchange was a bit long for what it was. The other stories were not up my alley.
At the same time, I think it's really cool that sci-fi short stories are available monthly in print like this, so I would feel bad leaving a rating since it would reflect my opinion of short sci-fi stories in general instead of these particular stories.
oleksandr's review
4.0
This novelette was short-listed for Hugo Awards 2018
An artist has to leave her studies in Hong Kong due to the unspecified threat and move to Nanjing. She took bio-printer with her and now she is creating fake beef that looks almost like the real thing. And now the threat catches up with her...
Quite interesting story with a punch line
An artist has to leave her studies in Hong Kong due to the unspecified threat and move to Nanjing. She took bio-printer with her and now she is creating fake beef that looks almost like the real thing. And now the threat catches up with her...
Quite interesting story with a punch line
djotaku's review
4.0
A great issue. As always Neil Clarke selects some pretty amazing stories for this issue.
The Ghost Ship Anastasia - It's the space trope no character is ever wise to - you DO NOT inspect a distress call on a space ship!
So of course things go pear-shaped. The specifics of this story involve ships run by AIs and an experimental Bioship in which the ship is partly metal and partly living matter.
A Series of Steaks - Very, very great fun story. This one by it self is worth the price of the issue. Depicts a future in which meat can be 3D printed cheaply (or cheaply enough that's it's not just universities doing it). It's a blackmail-based story. The characters were fun and the so was the conclusion to the story.
Justice Systems in Quantum Parallel Probabilities - Explores a bunch of different ways we could orient the justice system if we were to start from scratch. Some are mere glimpses and some attack the straw man arguments that prop them up. This seems like it would be a great story to give first year law students as a reminder that our way isn't necessarily the only or best way, it's just the one we've ended up with.
Interchange - A group of workers upgrading a highway get into a time forwarded chunk of space to work on a stretch of highway without interrupting traffic. To the outside world, the highway will be upraded one second later. There's a glitch and the story takes off from there. Just like space miners, the blue collar folk end up in a terror situation so everyone else can profit from their labor.
Milla - Someone is exploring a new planet and encounters an alien AI. Things go interestingly.....
Events Preceding the Helvetican Renaissance: A SF story in which a monk undertakes an espionage mission. Pretty neat backstory is hinted at. Just about the right level of intrigue for a short story.
The Shipmaker: A story of a designer of ships that have a cyborg birthed to command them. The ship's design needs to be perfect Feng Shui, but the next cyborg to be born is coming early. A beautiful story and one that takes place in a very interesting universe.
The Evolved Brain: A neuroscientist discusses the way the brain works: so dedicated to movement, and what the consequences of a better understanding of the brain has for SF.
A Collective Pseudonym: James SA Corey: An interview about working together. This Clarkesworld is a few months old, but I just heard JSAC on a recent episode of Sword and Laser. After reading this, moved Leviathon Wakes up in my To Read Queue.
Dystopias are not enough: A Call to authors to use SF to show us a way out of our current some-what dystopic society.
The Ghost Ship Anastasia - It's the space trope no character is ever wise to - you DO NOT inspect a distress call on a space ship!
So of course things go pear-shaped. The specifics of this story involve ships run by AIs and an experimental Bioship in which the ship is partly metal and partly living matter.
A Series of Steaks - Very, very great fun story. This one by it self is worth the price of the issue. Depicts a future in which meat can be 3D printed cheaply (or cheaply enough that's it's not just universities doing it). It's a blackmail-based story. The characters were fun and the so was the conclusion to the story.
Justice Systems in Quantum Parallel Probabilities - Explores a bunch of different ways we could orient the justice system if we were to start from scratch. Some are mere glimpses and some attack the straw man arguments that prop them up. This seems like it would be a great story to give first year law students as a reminder that our way isn't necessarily the only or best way, it's just the one we've ended up with.
Interchange - A group of workers upgrading a highway get into a time forwarded chunk of space to work on a stretch of highway without interrupting traffic. To the outside world, the highway will be upraded one second later. There's a glitch and the story takes off from there. Just like space miners, the blue collar folk end up in a terror situation so everyone else can profit from their labor.
Milla - Someone is exploring a new planet and encounters an alien AI. Things go interestingly.....
Events Preceding the Helvetican Renaissance: A SF story in which a monk undertakes an espionage mission. Pretty neat backstory is hinted at. Just about the right level of intrigue for a short story.
The Shipmaker: A story of a designer of ships that have a cyborg birthed to command them. The ship's design needs to be perfect Feng Shui, but the next cyborg to be born is coming early. A beautiful story and one that takes place in a very interesting universe.
The Evolved Brain: A neuroscientist discusses the way the brain works: so dedicated to movement, and what the consequences of a better understanding of the brain has for SF.
A Collective Pseudonym: James SA Corey: An interview about working together. This Clarkesworld is a few months old, but I just heard JSAC on a recent episode of Sword and Laser. After reading this, moved Leviathon Wakes up in my To Read Queue.
Dystopias are not enough: A Call to authors to use SF to show us a way out of our current some-what dystopic society.
elsiemookow's review
5.0
In my opinion, this is just about the perfect novelette. It is so hard to hit a complete great story at this length, and I LOVED it. How awesome it is that someone wrote a story based around 3D printed meat? Super original- can't recommend enough.