Best Novellas - The Round Up!
Helloooo!
So one SCKA nominee list finished. An interesting bunch so here are my summaries with linsk tot eh reviews too!
One Day All This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky – a deliciously fun time travel tale of the last human at the end of time fighting for their home. The sense of humour, the use of old SF tropes and its ability to wave two fingers up at those who ant to take over are a huge amount of fun. Making a reader laugh and think are really hard to deliver especially in SF so how well Tchaikovsky does this makes this a high contender.
The Future God of Love by Dilman Dila – the setting is wonderfully told and it’s a story about stories’ power and being reminded we are not always who we love to tell people we are. Great storytelling
The Annual Migration of Clouds by Premee Mohamed – I love stories doing multiple things at once. This tale mixes Hopepunk, climate change with a touching story of growing up and leaving home behind. A brilliantly delivered tale.
These Lifeless Things by Premee Mohamed – You should know I love this story that blends, horror, sf, history, and science into an amazing story that constantly surprised me. I think it’s a future classic.
Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard – This fantasy story looks at colonisation and smartly links it to the subject of abusive relationships where a country and person promises that they will love you and then destroy your life. Subtle, smart and a reminder why de Bodard is a highlight of our era.
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E Harrow – I was hoping for something really interesting thanks to its smart hook but ultimately this felt not enough on its own two legs to really make a long-lasting impression
Best Novella - A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers – Its quite unusual to have a future set fable and this one is talking about modern day life. Our constant need to have a purpose and programming and not to take life as it comes. I really liked it
Best Novella - Sun-daughters, Sea-daughters by Aimee Ogden – I do wonder if I like the little Mermaid story a little more if I’d resonate with this one more strongly btu while I enjoyed the concepts not enough to really stand out.
Best Novella - Tower of Mud and Straw by Yaroslav Barsukov - - A very classic style of fantasy crossed with cvosmic horror that is effective in its storytelling but for me doesn’t really stand out as doing anything too new.
Best Novella - And This Is How To Stay Alive by Shingai Njeri Kagunda – This story of death, grief, social prejudices and family secrets is beautifully written and was a joy to read.
Sadly I didn’t enjoy either The Past Is Red or A Manslaughter of Crows their styels and my tastes did not match up at all.
Overall though plenty for me to chew upon and quite a few of these can get into my final two choices later in the year. Any thoughts then drop them in the comments
Next up – Science Fiction!
