Saturday, May 19, 2012

Nebula Awards Showcase 2012- Edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel

Nebula Awards Showcase 2012


Edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel

PYR, May 22 2012, $17.95

ISBN 9781616146191



This Nebula Award Showcase contains entries (partial and full) from the four award categories (Novel, Novelette, Novella and Short Story). Of the seven nominees for short story, four are presented including the two winners (“How Interesting a Tiny Man” by Harlan Ellison and “Ponies” by Kij Johnson). Four of the seven novelettes are provided to include the winner “That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made” by Eric James Stone. In the Novella category, two of the six nominees are presented to include the winner "The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen's Window” by Rachel Swirsky. Of the six nominees for Best Novel, an extract from the winner “Blackout/All Clear” by Connie Willis is part of the compilation.



The collection also includes the winners of other awards. An extract from The Andre Norton Award for Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy winner (“I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett) is provided. Fans can read the winners of the Dwarf Star Award for Poetry (“Bumbershoot” by Howard Hendrix), the Rhysling Awards for Long Poetry (“In the Astronaut Asylum” by Kendell Evans and Samantha Henderson) and Short Poetry (“To Theia” by Ann K. Schneider), and one of the two Solstice Award winners (“And I Awoke And Found Me Here On the Cold Hill’s Side” By James Tiptree, Jr.



This is a strong compilation with a wide look at the genres though I preferred last year’s approach which included all the short stories and novelette finalists so I could compare my selections with that of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Still once again the Nebula Awards Showcase is a fabulous look at science fiction and fantasy in 2011.



Harriet Klausner



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