Nebula Awards Nominees
Posted by Niall Harrison
22 February 2012
As you have no doubt seen elsewhere by now, this year's Nebula Awards nominees have been announced -- congratulations to everyone on the ballot!
When I was making my awards predictions at the start of the year, I punted on the Nebulas on the grounds of not having a sufficient grasp on the electorate's taste. In the event, here's the best novel ballot:
Among Others, Jo Walton (Tor)
Embassytown, China Miéville (Macmillan UK; Del Rey; Subterranean Press)
Firebird, Jack McDevitt (Ace Books)
God’s War, Kameron Hurley (Night Shade Books)
Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, Genevieve Valentine (Prime Books)
The Kingdom of Gods, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
My major thought here -- apart from go go God's War! -- is that I don't think I'd have guessed many of these if I'd tried. I might have managed McDevitt, perennial nominee that he is, and I'd probably have mentioned Walton, Mieville and Jemisin as possibilities -- all having been previous nominees -- but I wouldn't have considered them certainties, and I'm (very pleasantly) surprised to see Hurley and Valentine show up. Both of their novels are, of course, already deserved award-winners this year, and as a whole this looks like a list that is both strong and varied. Well done, SFWA.
