John Scalzi's Redshirts Wins Hugo Award for Best Novel 112
The Hugo awards were presented last night, providing recognition to the best science fiction of the past year. The award for Best Novel was presented to John Scalzi for Redshirts, a comedic work playing on the trope of low-ranking officers frequently getting themselves killed in sci-fi works. Best Novella went to Brandon Sanderson for The Emperor's Soul, and Best Novelette went to The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi by Pat Cadigan. Best Graphic Story was awarded to the creators of Saga. Best Dramatic Presentation (long form) was given for Joss Whedon's The Avengers movie, and (short form) was presented for the "Blackwater" episode of the Game of Thrones TV show. The Best New Writer was Mur Lafferty. Here's a full list of the nominees and winners.
I have the book but haven't read it yet. (Score:4, Interesting)
The reviews on Amazon made it seem mediocre at best. Really, there was no better science fiction this year?
Re:I have the book but haven't read it yet. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I have the book but haven't read it yet. (Score:4, Interesting)
The reviews on Amazon made it seem mediocre at best. Really, there was no better science fiction this year?
I read the book and really liked it. I suspect that the reviews are not the best because the book changes course in the middle and morphs from purely comedic to something that makes you have to think in order to enjoy it.
But really?!!?!?! You base your opinion of a book that you actually own, but have not yet read, on Amazon reviews??????
Re:Sci-Fi? (Score:2, Interesting)
Good point. It isn't. I'd call it a softcore porn soap opera with swords. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Now, it *might* have been. This is not Earth, and there are indications of higher levels of technology that existed in the past (architecture, if nothing else) but all that gets lost in who's screwing who (literally and figuratively).
Re:There's no money. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Sci-Fi? (Score:4, Interesting)
Another interesting side to the "tech as magic" notion is the work of authors who define rigorous frameworks for their fictional magic. Then magic becomes technology, just technology that's based on different (and fictional) physical principles. Much of golden age sci-fi was about exploring the impact of logical extensions of technology on social structures. Today there's a lot of fantasy that postulates interesting magic and explores its impact on social structures.
Of course, at the end of the day all good stories are about people. I love good stories that use really innovative and mind-twisting technology/magic as a backdrop, but while great ideas add spice great storytelling is about emotional reaction, and that means people.