July 31, 2003

Vote Now! Today is the last day of voting for the 2003 Hugo Awards, to be presented this Labour Day Weekend in Toronto at Torcon 3. An early preview? Sci Fi Weekly has a Hugo Poll for voting by their readers. Bureau 42 has reviews of the Hugo nominated short stories. I don’t agree with his review of Falling Onto Mars, which was my choice on the Hugo ballot. I thought that Falling Onto Mars strikes directly at the question of what would you do to help others and yourself survive? Would you live with the person that hurt you and others so badly? Characterisation is not needed, it is the situation that the characters are in that is important and their actions on the wastes of Mars that drives the story forward. Many of the Hugo nominated stories, novelettes and novellas are available on-line for free. At Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact Novella In Spirit by Pat Forde Novelette Slow Life by Michael Swanwick Short Story Falling Onto Mars by Geoffrey A. Landis "Hello" Said the Stick by Michael Swanwick At Asimov's Science Fiction Novella: Ian R. MacLeod: Breathmoss Novelettes: Charles Stross: Halo Gregory Frost: Madonna of the Maquiladora Ursula K. Le Guin: The Wild Girls Short Stories: Molly Gloss: Lambing Season Michael Swanwick: The Little Cat Laughed to See Such Sport At Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine Presence" by Maureen F. McHugh The Political Officer" by Charles Coleman Finlay Creation" by Jeffrey Ford Bronte’s Egg" by Richard Chwedyk 12:29:12 AM