This is a Sheason story, set in a culture which follows a path of pain, and more relevant, suffering; all in the name of finding themselves, and keep themselves grounded in reality and the world. By bringing a stranger, foreign to their ways, into their midst it talks about being human, about how new thoughts can fit in with old and established ones, and about bitter lessons that need to be learned.
It also comes with a gorgeous illustration by Tommy Arnold - click through to the story to see it in all its glory.
This story, and the Hugo Awards, have a bit of a history, with the story being first nominated in 2012, then disallowed for being an Audio-only book; subsequently published as written words in 2013, and thus eligible for the ballot again this year. And deservedly winning it.
Elma was the first human on Mars, in the 50s, known to all and sundry as the Lady Astronaut of Mars. Now, approaching her dotage (and living on Mars) she is offered the opportunity she wasn't daring to hope for anymore, but kept dreaming of: to go back into space, back to the stars. But going means leaving her terminally ill, beloved husband behind...
I won't spoil more of the story, the above is more than enough already. This is exceedingly well written - it is engaging, thought provoking, and ever so slightly twee and soppy. Just enough to make it feel comfortable, as someone pointed out. Indeed.
You can read the whole story, including some more on the convoluted background and publication history over at Tor.com.
Congratulations to Aliette de Bodard for winning a Nebula Award for her novelette The Waiting Stars - this is her 2nd win in consecutive years (2013 she won with her short story Immersion).
You can read the winning novelette in full on Aliette's blog - The Waiting Stars is another of her Shipminds/Xuya stories, set in a fascinating universe with a strong dichotomy between two very different cultures, each of which considering themselves to be the right, the good, the high culture.
And, as such (and as frequently in her work) the story plays on topics of identity, of changing identity if immersed in a different culture, and of the risk of losing one's identity as well as oneself in the process. Great stuff, I can thoroughly recommend that you go and read the story for yourself. It is told in two very separate, but cleverly linked threads playing on either side of the divide - it's slightly emotional/sentimental, but nothing like the Mary Robinette Kowal currently nominated for a Hugo... (and I like that one, too - link to come!)
To continue the thread of pointing at Hugo-nominated stories which will be up for your vote in August (and no, I have not and will not be able to read all nominated works, as much as I'd like to).
Here we have a short story by Sofia Samatar, called Selkie Stories Are for Losers. It is, as you will very quickly notice, a Selkie story, told not by the Selkie or its lover, as is frequently the case, but by the abandoned child. Who is a young woman, now, and with no little hang-ups about her past and origin.
This is a story which not just deserves, but actually requires multiple readings. At first it appears inconsequential, and rather whiny in tone (that's also due to the age of the protagonist, I reckon); and only going back to it actually showed me the layers, the skilful construction, and the emotional impact which is upon first reading withheld. Maybe 'not a word out of place' is overstating the case. Maybe...
The picture on the right is a chance find on the Internet, I don't know who created it. Should you know then please drop me a message, and I'll add credit here.
I strongly suggest you have a look (and read) at the rather magnificent short story called Burning Stars by K.G. Orphanides, as published in the February Issue (that would be Issue #29) of the Lovecraft eZine.
Set in the world of music, music promotion, and live gigging (of which the author has more than a passing knowledge as far as I'm aware), but with, as befits the publication, a rather sinister spin.
Well written, to the point, and without giving everything away, this is rather a treat. Go read!
