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The 2016 finalists for the Hugo Awards were announced today by MidAmericon II, site of this year’s WorldCon!

  • Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie
  • The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
  • The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
  • Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
  • Uprooted by Naomi Novik

In the Hugo Awards, this is the category I care about the most and it looks really exciting bunch of finalists, with a lot of different options to pick from. I’ve been wanting to read The Fifth Season, in particular. I’m also very excited that Uprooted made the ballot, which was one of my picks.

In the other categories, the complete list of finalists also shows variety. Of course, I’m not surprised that Star Wars: The Force Awakens made the ballot, but from my nominating ballot, eight of my picks were finalists, which isn’t a bad number at all.

I also look forward to discovering other works while perusing the finalists.

The finalists for the 1941 Retro-Hugo were also nominated, and I admit I haven’t heard of a single work listed, in contrast to when I read the 1939 retro-hugos.

1941 Retro-Hugos for Best Novel

  • Gray Lensman by E.E. “Doc” Smith
  • The Ill‐Made Knight by T.H. White
  • Kallocain by Karin Boye
  • The Reign of Wizardry by Jack Williamson
  • Slan by A.E. Van Vogt

I have at least heard of some of the authors, so I’m interested in reading a few and seeing what they’re like.

If you like science fiction and fantasy, and want to participate, you can. Voters can either purchase a $50 supporting membership to:

  • Nominate and Vote on the Hugo Awards & Campbell Award
  • Receive a Hugo Voter’s packet, a collection of nominated works
  • Submit Hugo Award nominations for the following year
  • Participate (with a voting fee) in Site Selection for a future Worldcon

Or purchase a full membership to attend Worldcon and the Hugo Awards Ceremony, held in 2016 at MidAmericon II in Kansas City, MO.

We attended Worldcon last year at Sasquan and had a blast.