And you get a rocket, and you get a rocket, and you get a rocket

So for all my bitching, I've decided to take the Hugos seriously this year. I haven't been to a Worldcon since Toronto, but they're going to become a pretty stable part of my life for a while here, and the Hugo is central to that experience. Besides, no way to fix it unless you vote. It's democracy! Well. It's democracy where you have to pay to vote, and someone else has kind of narrowed your choices before you got involved. Anyway.

I'm going to have to read all the novels, at least. The novel Hugo, to me, is the big prize. The rest are fine, but novel is the big show. And four of the five authors have gotten their publishers to agree to give an electronic version of the work away to worldcon voters. Gonna make it easier.

There are categories that I'm not going to vote in, mostly because I don't think the community has any reason to be handing out awards in those categories. Just my particular entrenched position. Feel free to vote for best long form dramatic presentation. Pretend you're at the oscars, see what I care.

The one vote that I know I'm going to have trouble selecting is the Campbell award. It's for best new sf/f writer, and you only get two years of eligibility. There are two authors in their second year, both of whom are way overqualified. I'm going to have trouble picking between them. There will be gnashing of teeth, and stuff.

Anyway. I'll be updating my thought process on this as time goes on. Have to hunt down the various stories nominated. Hooray.