2013 Hugo Award Nominees Announced

Posted by author on March 30, 2013
Posted in: Hugo Award, Important Science Fiction Literature, Science Ficiton Library, Science Ficiton Novels, Science Fiction Magazines, Science Fiction Short Stories. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

The nominees for the 2013 Hugo Awards, as listed on the official site, include:

Best Novel (1113 nominating ballots cast)

  • 2312, Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
  • Blackout, Mira Grant (Orbit)
  • Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)
  • Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, John Scalzi (Tor)
  • Throne of the Crescent Moon, Saladin Ahmed (DAW)

Best Novella (587 nominating ballots cast)

  • After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, Nancy Kress (Tachyon Publications)
  • The Emperor’s Soul, Brandon Sanderson (Tachyon Publications)
  • On a Red Station, Drifting, Aliette de Bodard (Immersion Press)
  • San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats, Mira Grant (Orbit)
  • “The Stars Do Not Lie”, Jay Lake (Asimov’s, Oct-Nov 2012)

Best Novelette (616 nominating ballots cast)

  • “ The Boy Who Cast No Shadow”, Thomas Olde Heuvelt (Postscripts: Unfit For Eden, PS Publications)
  • “ Fade To White”, Catherynne M. Valente ( Clarkesworld, August 2012)
  • “ The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi”, Pat Cadigan (Edge of Infinity, Solaris)
  • “ In Sea-Salt Tears”, Seanan McGuire (Self-published)
  • “ Rat-Catcher”, Seanan McGuire ( A Fantasy Medley 2, Subterranean)

Best Short Story (662 nominating ballots cast)

  • “ Immersion”, Aliette de Bodard ( Clarkesworld, June 2012)
  • “ Mantis Wives”, Kij Johnson (Clarkesworld, August 2012)
  • “ Mono no Aware”, Ken Liu ( The Future is Japanese, VIZ Media LLC)

Note: Category has 3 nominees due to the minimum 5% requirement of Section 3.8.5 of the WSFS constitution.

Best Related Work (584 nominating ballots cast)

  • The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature, Edited by Edward James & Farah Mendlesohn (Cambridge University Press)
  • Chicks Dig Comics: A Celebration of Comic Books by the Women Who Love Them, Edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Sigrid Ellis (Mad Norwegian Press)
  • Chicks Unravel Time: Women Journey Through Every Season of Doctor Who, Edited by Deborah Stanish & L.M. Myles (Mad Norwegian Press)
  • I Have an Idea for a Book … The Bibliography of Martin H. Greenberg, Compiled by Martin H. Greenberg, edited by John Helfers (The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box)
  • Writing Excuses Season Seven, Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler and Jordan Sanderson

Best Graphic Story (427 nominating ballots cast)

  • Grandville Bête Noire, written and illustrated by Bryan Talbot (Dark Horse Comics, Jonathan Cape)
  • Locke & Key Volume 5: Clockworks, written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
  • Saga, Volume One, written by Brian K. Vaughn, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
  • Schlock Mercenary: Random Access Memorabilia, written and illustrated by Howard Tayler, colors by Travis Walton (Hypernode Media)
  • Saucer Country, Volume 1: Run, written by Paul Cornell, illustrated by Ryan Kelly, Jimmy Broxton and Goran Sudžuka (Vertigo)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (787 nominating ballots cast)

  • The Avengers, Screenplay & Directed by Joss Whedon (Marvel Studios, Disney, Paramount)
  • The Cabin in the Woods, Screenplay by Drew Goddard & Joss Whedon; Directed by Drew Goddard (Mutant Enemy, Lionsgate)
  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro, Directed by Peter Jackson (WingNut Films, New Line Cinema, MGM, Warner Bros)
  • The Hunger Games, Screenplay by Gary Ross & Suzanne Collins, Directed by Gary Ross (Lionsgate, Color Force)
  • Looper, Screenplay and Directed by Rian Johnson (FilmDistrict, EndGame Entertainment)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (597 nominating ballots cast)

  • Doctor Who, “The Angels Take Manhattan”, Written by Steven Moffat, Directed by Nick Hurran (BBC Wales)
  • Doctor Who, “Asylum of the Daleks”, Written by Steven Moffat; Directed by Nick Hurran (BBC Wales)
  • Doctor Who, “The Snowmen”, written by Steven Moffat; directed by Saul Metzstein (BBC Wales)
  • Fringe, “Letters of Transit”, Written by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Akiva Goldsman, J.H.Wyman, Jeff Pinkner. Directed by Joe Chappelle (Fox)
  • Game of Thrones, “Blackwater”, Written by George R.R. Martin, Directed by Neil Marshall. Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (HBO)

Best Editor, Short Form (526 nominating ballots cast)

  • John Joseph Adams
  • Neil Clarke
  • Stanley Schmidt
  • Jonathan Strahan
  • Sheila Williams

Best Editor, Long Form (408 nominating ballots cast)

  • Lou Anders
  • Sheila Gilbert
  • Liz Gorinsky
  • Patrick Nielsen Hayden
  • Toni Weisskopf

Best Professional Artist (519 nominating ballots cast)

  • Vincent Chong
  • Julie Dillon
  • Dan dos Santos
  • Chris McGrath
  • John Picacio

Best Semiprozine (404 nominating ballots cast)

  • Apex Magazine, edited by Lynne M. Thomas, Jason Sizemore and Michael Damian Thomas
  • Beneath Ceaseless Skies, edited by Scott H. Andrews
  • Clarkesworld, edited by Neil Clarke, Jason Heller, Sean Wallace and Kate Baker
  • Lightspeed, edited by John Joseph Adams and Stefan Rudnicki
  • Strange Horizons, edited by Niall Harrison, Jed Hartman, Brit Mandelo, An Owomoyela, Julia Rios, Abigail Nussbaum, Sonya Taaffe, Dave Nagdeman and Rebecca Cross

Best Fanzine (370 nominating ballots cast)

  • Banana Wings, edited by Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer
  • The Drink Tank, edited by Chris Garcia and James Bacon
  • Elitist Book Reviews, edited by Steven Diamond
  • Journey Planet, edited by James Bacon, Chris Garcia, Emma J. King, Helen J. Montgomery and Pete Young
  • SF Signal, edited by John DeNardo, JP Frantz, and Patrick Hester

Best Fancast (346 nominating ballots cast)

  • The Coode Street Podcast, Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe
  • Galactic Suburbia Podcast, Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Presenters) and Andrew Finch (Producer)
  • SF Signal Podcast, Patrick Hester, John DeNardo, and JP Frantz
  • SF Squeecast, Elizabeth Bear, Paul Cornell, Seanan McGuire, Lynne M. Thomas, Catherynne M. Valente (Presenters) and David McHone-Chase (Technical Producer)
  • StarShipSofa, Tony C. Smith

Best Fan Writer (485 nominating ballots cast)

  • James Bacon
  • Christopher J. Garcia
  • Mark Oshiro
  • Tansy Rayner Roberts
  • Steven H Silver

Best Fan Artist (293 nominating ballots cast)

  • Galen Dara
  • Brad W. Foster
  • Spring Schoenhuth
  • Maurine Starkey
  • Steve Stiles

See http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2013-hugo-awards/

If you are looking for some good Science Fiction to read, it’s a good bet that you will find the nominees well worth reading.  I’ll provide an update when the Hugo Award winners are announced.

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Dystopian Fiction: Apocalypse

Posted by author on March 4, 2013
Posted in: General, Important Science Fiction Literature, Science Ficiton Library, Science Ficiton Novels. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

I have discussed two major antagonists in dystopian fiction:  “Big Brother” and “Evil Corporation.”   Today I will be briefly discussing apocalyptic fiction.  This sub-genre can be traced back to biblical times.  The Book of Daniel is an ancient example of apocalyptic literature.   Outside of the religious context, the impetus for the apocalypse may be nuclear holocaust, war, plague, asteroid collision, alien invasion, and zombies.  Apocalyptic fiction focuses on the “end of days,” and often, more importantly, the breakdown of civilization and the destruction of man’s humanity.

Some excellent novels include:

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

A Canticle for Leibowitz

Alas Babylon by Pat Frank

Alas, Babylon

The Chrysalids by John Wyndam

The Chrysalids

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The City of Ember (Book of Ember, #1)

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

I Am Legend

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Road

The Stand by Stephen King

The Stand

World War Z:  An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brook

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

There are many, many more out there as this is a very broad sub-genre.  I have provided only a taste.  Please feel free to contribute more in the comments.

 

 

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Dystopian Fiction: Evil Corporation

Posted by author on February 27, 2013
Posted in: General, Important Science Fiction Literature, Science Ficiton Library, Science Ficiton Novels. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Dystopian fiction often can be categorized by its main antagonists:  Big Brother, Evil Corp., or Apocalyptic Catastrophe.  Last time, we examined “Big Brother.” This week we shall take a look at the “Evil Corporation.”  The Evil Corporation, often global in scale, transcends government and law.  Government is often either absent, ineffectual, or co-opted.  The sole motive is for profit through any means necessary.  Humans are often treated as chattel or merely means to a corporate end.   Common themes include individuality, freedom, war, terror, poverty, ecological destruction, oppression, suffering.  As with “Big Brother” dystopia, the themes are often commentary on existing social, economic, and political conditions. In “Big Brother” dystopian fiction, the State has become a monster of oppression, but in “Evil Corporation” dystopia, it is the unfettered private market controlled by a powerful few that has become the leviathan.

Some examples of “Evil Corporation” dystopian fiction include:

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Iron Heel by Jack London

The Iron Heel And Other Stories (Classic Science Fiction & Fantasy)

Jennifer Government by Max Barry

Jennifer Government

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Neuromancer (Sprawl, #1)

Snow Crash by Neal Stephanson

Snow Crash

Please feel free to contribute your favorites in the comments below.

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Dystopian Fiction: Big Brother

Posted by author on February 19, 2013
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Dystopian fiction usually consists of one of three broad themes:  “Big Brother,”  “Evil Corporation,” or the “Apocalypse.  This is the first of a series of posts about each.  I’ll first take a look at dystopian fiction and “Big Brother.”

The classic dystopian villain  is the totalitarian government.  The all powerful and ever present government denies its citizens freedom and basic human rights.  The State often is portrayed in socialistic or communistic terms where all means of production are controlled by the government.  Science, technology, and religion are shown has tools for the State to exert control over the individual.  There is no freedom of expression, speech, or thought. Dissent is treason.  Emotional and psychological control of the individual are often key elements.

This form of dystopian fiction is heavily grounded in philosophy and political thought.  Common themes include individuality, freedom, war, terror, poverty, oppression, and suffering.  The themes are often commentary on existing social, economic, and political conditions.

A list of great “Big Brother” science fiction includes:

1984 by George Orwell

1984

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brave New World

The Children of Men by PD James

The Children of Men

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

The Handmaids Tale

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)

Logan’s Run by William F Nolan and George Clayton Johnson

Logan's Run

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore (series of graphic novels)

V for Vendetta, Vol. 1 (V for Vendetta, #1)

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

We

I invite others to comment and offer more suggestions.

Next time, I will be looking at the “Evil Corporation.”

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Existence of Aliens and God

Posted by author on February 9, 2013
Posted in: General. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

Many people scoff at individuals that believe in the existence of aliens.  Often, while these critics roll their eyes at the possibility of “little green men,” they do believe in a “god.”  The intention of this post is not to challenge anyone’s religious beliefs; nor is it to defend “alien abductees” or “ancient astronaut theorists,”  but rather to explore the basis of these two beliefs.

It must  be conceded, I think, that both beliefs (i.e., existence of god(s) and of aliens) requires what William James called a leap of faith as there really is no empirical evidence of the existence of either.  Even if one concedes the existence of a historical Jesus, for example, (which is still not confirmed outside the realm of belief), there is no scientific evidence to support his divinity.  The Bible or any other sacred text cannot establish the existence of a god because use of such “evidence” is simply “begging the question” or engaging in circular reasoning (e.g., god exists because the sacred texts says so and the sacred text is correct because it was written or inspired by god”).   And while there are videos out there that claim to show UFOs, more often than not, there is a terrestrial explanation for the UFO phenomenon;  where there is not, no definitive conclusions can be reached.

I think the alien advocates do have one advantage over the religious believers:  statistics and probability.  Perhaps the most famous formulation is the Drake Equation.  The SETI Institute explains the Drake Equation:

The equation is usually written:
N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L

Where,

N = The number of civilizations in The Milky Way Galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

R* =The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life.

fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.

ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.

fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.

fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.

fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.

L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.

See http://www.seti.org/drakeequation

The universe is vast. In 1999, the Hubble Space Telescope estimated that there are at least 125 billion galaxies.  See http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/021127a.html  A drawf galaxy can have as “few” as 10,000,000 (ten million) while the largest galaxy discovered has 100,000,000,000,000 stars (that’s one hundred trillion). Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, has 200,000,000,000 (two hundred billion) stars.  The Andromeda Galaxy, our neighbor, contains around a 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) stars.  It’s estimated that our galaxy contains about 4.6 billion planets alone.  See http://www.universetoday.com/30296/planets-in-the-galaxy/  You don’t need to be a math prodigy to get the point.

In simpler terms, the universe is just too vast (and getting even more so) for us to be the only intelligent life that has ever existed.  And to my religious friends, I simply say–an omniscient, omnipotent god would certainly not create a vast universe and waste so much space…

 

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New Issue of Quantum Realities Now Available

Posted by author on January 20, 2013
Posted in: General, Science Fiction Articles, Science Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Magazines, Science Fiction Poetry, Science Fiction Short Stories. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

New Issue of Quantum Realities is now available for free download!  Click the image below to get your copy:

 

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Quantum Realities First Issue

Posted by author on September 3, 2012
Posted in: General, Science Ficiton Library, Science Fiction Articles, Science Fiction Magazines, Science Fiction Poetry, Science Fiction Short Stories. Tagged: , , , . Leave a Comment

 

I’m happy to announce that Quantum Realities, my new free quarterly e-zine, is now available.  Quantum Realities publishes short stories, poems, essays, art, book reviews and articles relating to science fiction with a focus on social science fiction.  Click here for the first issue of Quantum Realities.

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Importance of Science Fiction

Posted by author on August 16, 2012
Posted in: General, Important Science Fiction Literature, Science Fiction Articles. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

Why Science Fiction is Important

 

Science fiction is considered by many of the literati to be mere genre or commercial fiction with little value beyond entertainment. Of course, if a work of science fiction is popular enough and is groundbreaking, conveys an important social message, or proves to be ominous, then, it is magically (forgive the fantasy pun) “transformed” into well-respected “literature” (e.g., Wells’ War of the Worlds, Orwell’s 1984, Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5, Huxley’s Brave New World).  Regardless of such snobbish and pseudo-intellectualism, science fiction is important not only as part of our literary heritage but also to our society:  science fiction inspires and it warns.

 

Science fiction inspires us to learn and explore.  And we certainly need inspiration today.  Here in the United States, too many of our best and brightest minds that leave our best universities with degrees in physics, mathematics, and engineering do not go off to NASA, research institutes, foundations, research universities or high-tech start-ups, rather they are bought by Wall Street to create credit default swaps and complex derivatives.

 

Pure science and exploration has fallen out of favor in the United States.  The United States discontinued the shuttle program and has to buy passage on other countries’ rockets to get into orbit like some tourist.  We landed on the moon over fifty years ago, but we are incapable of going to the moon today.  Advances in science and technology have certainly grown exponentially if there is immediate commercial potential or military application, but the advancement of great and big ideas are slowing to a grinding halt if those incentives are not there.  This is shortsighted and foolish.

 

Science fiction will help to build and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers who in turn will help advance our society and make the world, hopefully, a better place.  It provides ideas and concepts.  It inspires a sense of exploration of the unknown and awe of the infinite.  It provides dreams to be fulfilled and hopes to be realized.

 

Perhaps more important than inspiration, science fiction is a powerful vehicle for criticism and caution.  Science fiction allows writers to address issues facing contemporary society in a way that may be more difficult for other literature because the freedom science fiction affords its authors and readers.  The plots plays out in a different time, a different place, or even by a different species.  Its format is readily amenable to exploration of the effect of technology on the human condition and what it means to be human.  It delves into the dangers and ethical dilemmas facing all scientific areas of inquiry.  Science fiction explores social, economic, and political structures and institutions that may, or do, pose a threat to society

 

Humans are a dynamic species.  We have adapted to our world, and we have adapted our world to us.  There are some positive and some negative consequences to this reality.  Science fiction inspires us to dream and reach for greatness and cautious us to be careful while doing it.

 

Download a printable version of this article by clicking here.

 

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Promethues Comes Book Review

Posted by author on August 3, 2012
Posted in: Prometheus Comes, Science Ficiton Novels, Science Fiction Book Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

Prometheus Comes has just received another solid review.  This time by c9cReviews.   You can see the review on their site or below.   I am very grateful to all readers and reviewers who have taken their time to not only read my novel but to give me and other potential readers their thoughts on Prometheus Comes.

 

Rating 4/5
Rated 4/5

Recommended

Prometheus Comes
(Prometheus Saga)
by Shawn Grimsley

Blurb

The year is 2142 and the world is divided economically, socially and politically between the Northern Confederation, which is a loose union of the nation states of the Northern Hemisphere, and the South which consists of poor, disorganized states that have unsuccessfully struggled to obtain economic and political equality with the Northern Confederation.  By 2142, Earth’s resources are nearing depletion and the climate change wrought by the advancement of technological progress will soon create shortages of the most basic of resources including food and water.  However, Confederation scientists have discovered a planet that could save the Confederation and its people from obliteration.  There’s only one problem:  it’s already inhabited.

Captain Jonathan Marcus and his crew embark to Nede to establish first contact.   While tensions between the Confederation and the South erupt into violent war and acts of terror, Captain Marcus meets the Velathra, a pre-industrial, yet socially sophisticated society, and soon struggles with reconciling his duty to Earth and the consequence if the Velathra fail to cooperate.  The fate of the Velathra is also in the hands of Lathra Xantria, the Chancellor of the City State of Lexthra, who must ultimately decide whether to cooperate with the humans or risk a conflict that could destroy her civilization.

Review

This is the first of the ‘Prometheus Saga’, a series which begins by setting the stage for a future Earth where resources are almost gone and the world is on the brink of civil unrest. The book covers two main arcs: the people on Earth, sharply divided by North and South, and the crew of the Prometheus on their way to a new world.

The story is an interesting positioning of humans being the bad guys, as opposed to being a food source, fighting for survival against invading aliens. The characters are nicely depicted, alien and human alike, clearly defined and each with their own voice.

There were some minor editing flaws, but nothing to take you our of the story.

At the end I was left in eager anticipation of the next book (due in December 2012). I’m not generally a fan of cliff-hanger endings, but I felt that this was a whole story in its own right and the ending was wholly appropriate. The sequel has had a high bar set, and I’m looking forward to it.

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Prometheus Comes Review

Posted by author on August 1, 2012
Posted in: Prometheus Comes, Science Ficiton Novels, Science Fiction Book Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

I just received a very positive reader review for Prometheus Comes:

 

Reviews

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Review by: mrequecky on July 30, 2012 : starstarstarstarstar
A shockingly accurate description of a very possible future – at least in regards to Earth. How easily the suppressed become the oppressed and the uselessness of violence are described in a very palpable way. Although Earth shows a possible future, the new planet gives an idea of what Earth could have developed into, if the industrial revolution had not taken place.
Although I absolutely enjoyed reading this entertaining book and had it finished in record time, I would still suggest reading this with students in school. It’s not a heavy or difficult to read book at all, but it sensitizes the reader to the current economic problems.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

 

I’m working on the next book in the series (entitled Prometheus Returns) and hope to have it out by December.

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