Commending to Your Attention

Finished reading the Hugo nominees for Best Novelette. The nominees are:

• “Bots of the Lost Ark”, by Suzanne Palmer (Clarkesworld, Jun 2021)

• “Colors of the Immortal Palette”, by Caroline M. Yoachim (Uncanny Magazine, Mar/Apr 2021)

• L’Esprit de L’Escalier, by Catherynne M. Valente (Tordotcom)

• “O2 Arena”, by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki (Galaxy’s Edge, Nov 2021)

• “That Story Isn’t the Story”, by John Wiswell (Uncanny Magazine, Nov/Dec 2021)

• “Unseelie Brothers, Ltd.”, by Fran Wilde (Uncanny Magazine, May/Jun 2021)

***

They’re all enjoyable reads (it’s tricky, talking about these, because at this point in my career, a LOT of the award nominees are friends of mine! and talented writers!), but for me, the two that stood out were:

• 02 Arena, by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki (a grim African futurist story that is perhaps not as far in the future as we might like — particularly of interest on the ecological front)

https://apex-magazine.com/short-fiction/o2-arena/

“That Story Isn’t the Story,” by John Wiswell (I don’t want to give away too much, but this one made me cry)

https://www.uncannymagazine.com/…/that-story-isnt-the…/

I commend them to your attention.

On to the novellas…

 

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